Krasnoyarsk, Russia, June 1st, 2018

A convoy of black SUVs moved down the street through the Russian city, police motorcycles flanking the larger cars. The street was devoid of mammals, cleared before the convoy came through.

An older male tiger in a black suit sat inside the rear of one of the SUVs. He adjusted his blue tie and turned to the snow leopard sitting on his left. The other mammal wore gray dress pants, a white button-down shirt, a bulletproof vest, and a holster with a sidearm.

"Oleg, give me another rundown on the security measures for this event." The tiger said, checking the small Russian flag pin on his chest.

"Da, Mr.President," Oleg responded with a nod. "Standard layout of Federal Security Service agents throughout the area surrounding the stage. We also have agents inside the buildings around the square. If our perimeter is breached, we will return to our vehicles and fall back to our safe house on Gagarin Street."

"How secure is this safe house?"

"It's disguised as a technology company office undergoing renovations. There are security cameras and guards dressed in uniforms with fake brand names. Additionally, I have a direct line to the safehouse commander."

"I knew I could count on you."

"Mr.President?" Said a female otter in a suit, sitting on the tiger's right side. "As your advisor and friend, I would like to recommend that you use today's public appearance to try and tamper some of the calls for vengeance after the massacre in Velikiye Luki."

"If it was truly an operation orchestrated by the West, then we must not give in to those powers from abroad who would seek to harm our country or its citizens. We must be allowed to maintain our security and safety. But the incident is still being investigated, and a more measured approach is the correct way forward for now, as opposed to the extreme calls for decisive action coming from both citizens and politicians."

"What about the results of the report regarding Dushanbe?"

"This is a tense time for Russia… sigh… If the people knew the truth of what happened in Dushanbe, as was outlined in your report, then they would be whipped into a frenzy and could further rally behind extremist elements."

The car slowed to a stop, and the driver spoke up.

"We're here, sir."

Outside, crowds of mammals were visible, some holding Russian flags. Many of them were cheering and waving.

"Lev, be ready," Oleg said to the male wolverine in the passenger's seat. The wolverine nodded and checked over his uniform, which was the same as Oleg's.

The right rear door of the car opened, and the advisor stepped out, followed by the President. Citizens started cheering louder, and reporters began taking pictures as the tiger waved to his supporters.

"Command, Alpha is on the move," Lev said into his radio as he and Oleg exited the vehicle and took up position on the President's flanks. The pair kept their eyes on the civilians, scanning for any sign of a security threat, their paws never straying far from their holsters.

Guards and other security service agents had cleared a pathway through the crowd towards a large wooden stage. Surrounding the cobblestone city square were various stone, brick, or concrete buildings, only two or three stories high.

As the President walked forward, waving to his supporters, reporters with notepads and microphones yelled out questions.

"Mr.President! How do you feel about the Liberal Democratic Party expanding its majority of seats in the State Duma? Are you worried about their connections to the far-right Great Russia party? Do you think the Russian people are favoring more extreme elements in government?"

"I look forward to working with all members of the state Duma." The tiger responded.

"What about the unconfirmed sightings of mammals tied to ultra-nationalist organizations? Including one Belka Morozova?" Another reporter called out.

"I have directed the FSB to examine these rumors, but I won't comment regarding ongoing investigations."

"Mr.President, what do you have to say regarding the ongoing rumors of American soldiers engaging Russian and Chinese forces in the Tajikistan capital a few months ago?"

"As I said, I will not comment on ongoing investigations."

"What about the massacre that was believed to have been carried out by Western forces in Velikiye Luki?"

"My heart goes out to all the poor mammals who lost loved ones. I can assure you, Russia is working to achieve justice for those who were killed that horrific day."

The President climbed up a small set of wooden stairs to the stage, moving over to a podium with the golden Russian coat of arms emblazoned on the front.

Lev and Oleg stood off to the sides of the stage, their eyes continually scanning the surrounding environment. Their muscles tensed, and they were ready to act if need be. A few other security agents wielded submachine guns, with pistols as backup.

"I would like to thank all of you for attending today's rally!" the President said, prompting a chorus of cheers from the assembled mammals. I am grateful for your support. Because of you, we have been able to enact policies that strengthen our great country—our infrastructure, logistics and production capabilities, and, of course, our armed forces!"

There was another wave of cheering, and some mammals even called out the age-old battle cry of "URA!"

"Informed by our failings in recent conflicts against insurgents and terrorists, my administration has overhauled the Russian military. We have trimmed away the corruption and incompetence that have plagued our armed forces. Due to my reforms, our fighting men and women are stronger than ever!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd yet again.

"I have also improved relationships with our closest allies, such as the People's Republic of China. And I have fostered vital new ties with countries across the world. Countries that I hope will grow to become the best of friends. Unfortunately, tensions with the Western world have never been higher. This is a dangerous time for us. While there have been cases of Western interference in Russian affairs, we must not let that distract us! We must be vigilant against all threats, both from abroad and at home! I would like to also draw attention to-"

The President was cut off by a rapid chattering of bangs from a street near the square. Ears stood on end as mammals turned to face the direction the sound was coming from.

"Those are gunshots!" Oleg yelled before his radio burst to life with a panicked voice.

"This is Team 4! We're under heavy fire! We need backup now!"

"Perimeter has been breached! Perimeter has been breached!" Oleg yelled, racing onto the stage and grabbing the President by his right shoulder. Lev took position on the President's right side as the crowd began to break and flee in all directions.

Security service agents drew their sidearms and flicked off the safeties as the President was escorted back towards the vehicles.

"Lev! Get the door!" Oleg yelled.

The wolverine ran forward, but just before he could reach the car, a pair of rockets shot out of the windows of a nearby building. The weapons impacted the stopped convoy of vehicles, enveloping them in fire and killing the drivers.

Lev was thrown onto his back as the sound of gunfire drew closer.

A squad of mammals appeared, brandishing weapons and firing at the security agents as they advanced. They wore dark gray sweaters and black or tan pants, with pale bone-colored tactical gear, including pouches and vests. Some had black tactical gear, ammo bandoliers, plastic protective glasses, or thin headsets with microphones.

"Hostiles incoming!"

The terrorists threw grenades and bombs at remaining vehicles, managing to gun down a handful of security agents and presidential staff.

Lev aimed his pistol and fired at the attackers, dropping three of them to the pavement in quick succession.

Although they had sustained some losses, the security forces managed to dispatch the remaining squad of mammals.

"Vehicles are destroyed!" Oleg said as Lev stood up. "What happened to our agents in those buildings?!"

"This is an exposed position; we need to get out of here." The wolverine noted, picking up an AK and ammo pouch from one of the dead terrorists.

"Diamond formation! Protect the President! We'll leg it to the safe house!"

The President, his otter advisor, and a squad of five security agents moved into one of the streets connected to the square. The agents kept their pistols and submachine guns leveled as they navigated the tight streets.

"In the windows!" Someone yelled as attackers fired down from positions in second-story rooms. Gunfire bombarded the building, with those inside being killed or diving into cover.

"This is team 2!" Came a voice through the radio. "Enemy is utilizing armored vehicles! I repeat, enemy is utilizing armored vehicles for transport!"

"Safehouse, do you read?" Oleg said into his radio as the group kept moving down a large street. "Perimeter has been breached! Engage lockdown procedures!"

"Affirmative Team 1! Engaging lockdown procedures!"

The snow leopard tried to contact outside help.

"HQ, come in; we need backup immediately!"

But there was no response.

"They must have begun cutting off our long-range comms."

"How? We have a secure network!" Lev asked. "Watch out! Incoming at the end of the street!"

A sizable armored SUV barreled down the pavement, coming to a stop before another squad of attackers burst out and engaged the group.

Both sides yelled out battle cries or commands, mammals taking cover behind parked vehicles and opening fire. Two security agents stood right next to the President and provided cover. Bullets tore through parked car windows and fragmented on stone structures.

Lev charged forward, surprising the terrorists and using his AK to gun down a mammal standing in the open. He rounded a parked car and fired the rest of his magazine into a deer with a light machine gun, who had been taking cover. The deer was thrown onto his back as lead tore into his chest.

"Clear!" The wolverine yelled before Oleg barked another set of orders.

"Safehouse is just on the next street over! We need to move!"

The group dashed through an alleyway, and Oleg pointed to a large, nondescript building with heavy-duty doors, which they hastily approached.

"That's it right there! Watch the ends of the street and the buildings behind us! We don't-"

The security team leader was cut off as his radio came to life.

"This is team 3! We are engaging with enemy forces on Oktyabrskaya Street! Is the President secure?"

"Safehouse, come in. We're right outside," Oleg said. "Safehouse, do you read?"

The heavy-duty doors opened and out walked Ultranationalist Belka Morozova, flanked by hostile soldiers.

The fox aimed her pistol and put a few shots into Lev's chest, breaking through his vest. The wolverine fell to the ground as the ultranationalists gunned down the rest of the security service agents before they could train their weapons on the hostiles.

Writing on the pavement in agony, Lev could see Oleg's form lying nearby, sitting in a pool of red with a hole in his forehead.

Two of the ultranationalists grabbed the President and pushed him forward toward the white-furred vixen.

"Mr.President, I'm glad I'm finally able to meet you," Belka said in a cheery voice. That's a very nice suit. That blue tie complements your eyes. It looks like something you would see a movie star wear."

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

The tiger's eyes widened as the mammal's cheerful demeanor was suddenly replaced by stone-cold seriousness.

"Do you know who I am?" The fox asked.

“….Yes... Belkaa Morozova.”

"Sorry to say, but those FSB agents you sent didn't make it." She lowered her head and put a paw on her chest. "Unfortunately, It's a hazardous job after all. However, I must commend your security agents for their excellent work in getting you here. I thought my soldiers would have shot them dead at the square!"

"You killed all of them… are you and your kind nothing more than a stain on Mother Russia?"

"We are a stain? You are too blind to see what potential Russia has to be. You let the West interfere in our affairs and ignore the wishes of the people. Stronger leadership is required to show the world the true strength of this country. To show that we won't be bullied any longer! For Russia to reclaim its true glory!"

"What do you want?"

"I'm not playing; I want it all. Emergency funding sources, state secrets, classified intelligence, equipment reserves, and military records. And I want access to your offshore account, which we know you have. And… the cherry on top…"

Belka raised her pistol so it was level with her line of sight.

"I want the launch codes."

"You're a madmammal!"

"Please don't make it difficult. Once Russia stands triumphant over Europe and the Americans, then we will see who is truly mad! You're lucky that you are worth more to us alive than dead. Take him away. We leave immediately."

Belka looked down and noticed Lev still alive, rolling on the ground and clutching his chest. She rectified this by putting a bullet in his skull as the President was led away.

A wolf hurried over, holding a cell phone.

"Ma'am, I have received word from HQ that Admiral Shen just called from Beijing." The wolf said. "The hacking equipment we requested is ready. He has managed to turn other high-level military and political officials to his cause."

"Great, we're making real progress here," Belka responded. "With his assistance, we can help all of Russia and China. Did they say anything about the other nations we are on friendly terms with?"

"Holding strong. Belarus and North Korea, among others, have integrated nicely into the Collective Security Treaty Organization."

The ultranationalists climbed into a set of bland SUVs stashed in an alleyway behind the safehouse. The President was bundled into the second vehicle in the convoy before the SUVs started up and drove off down the street, with Belka sitting in the lead car's passenger seat.

Her wolf advisor sat in the back, continuing to relay information.

"Additionally, Admiral Shen says he and his staff are beginning initial maneuvers for Operation New Dawn. Their ships are ready to leave port."

"Excellent; last I heard, our assets were doing the same. I will require a more detailed update from command as soon as possible." The fox responded. But for now, let's get back home."

She gazed into the rearview mirror at the car following them, knowing that inside sat a great asset in her and her comrades' fight to bring prosperity to Mother Russia and crush those countries that dared oppose them.

Presidio of Monterey, US Army Base, California, United States, July 4th, 2018

In a large, dimly lit briefing room, mammals sat at long tables made of metal and laminate. Most of them wore military fatigues or even more formal dress uniforms. One mammal in attendance was delta force operator and combat coyote Cecilia Walker. Unlike the others, she was only wearing the forest camouflage pants of her uniform and a dull gray shirt with black lettering across the chest that said "without equal," along with the Delta Force insignia. Sitting next to her in fatigues was her friend, Stryker Jackson, the mule leaning on his elbow as his eyes remained looking ahead toward the front of the room where a projection screen had been set up.

A pale skinned human in a lieutenant's uniform was standing next to the screen. Wearing a dress uniform and looking over a clipboard. His nametag read 'Adams.'

"Thank you all for coming," Lieutenant Adams said. "I will make this quick because I am sure you want to return to your Independence Day celebrations. As high-level military personnel and special forces squad leaders, the top brass wants you to know this information to prepare for possible future military actions."

There were a few mods and private comments from the personnel present.

"I am sure you all recall the attack on the Russian president last month." Adams continued. "Unfortunately, he is still missing, and the state Duma has appointed what they call a temporary leader to the presidency. However, this mammal will likely become the permanent leader of Russia. We have identified several key personnel as persons of interest in both the Russian government, military, and ultranationalist organizations."

Almost a dozen images of mammals appeared onscreen, along with name tags. Some of them wore military uniforms, while others wore suits.

"Also, one particular mammal I should mention is a Russian army captain known as…"

The human double-checked a piece of paper before continuing. He tapped a small clicker, and an image of a white-furred vixen with piercing blue eyes appeared on the screen.

"…Belka Morozova. Allegedly, she had a brief career as an actor and later served in the VDV. It is believed that while not especially high in the command structure of the Russian army or ultranationalist groups, she has a great deal of influence and is highly respected. Undertaking missions and pushing their goals forward. A go-getter, so to speak."

A few murmurs went throughout the assembled mammals as Cecilia rubbed her chin in contemplation before raising her paw.

"Yes?" Lieutenant Adams asked.

"Can you tell us more about her?"

"Certainly, her personality is described as reserved, yet she genuinely cares for those she loves and respects. Capable of great feats of determination, indicative of a high degree of self-control. Reports indicate that she puts the pedal to the metal when the going gets tough. Very fond of mother Russia, partly due to ingrained patriotism, combined with her many years spent serving the country. However, having said that it is unknown when precisely she became associated with ultranationalist groups or why. Our analysts have hypothesized a mental breakdown, but there is little evidence to back that theory up."

"What about what's happening in China?" Another mammal in the room asked.

"I'm glad you asked; that's what I was getting too. Just like with Russia, we have identified a number of key figures in regard to recent developments. But again, there are some I would like to highlight."

The rabbit clicked the remote again, and another image appeared onscreen. This one consisted of an older-looking snow leopard with pale fur dressed in a Chinese officer's uniform. His eyes were a dull green.

"This is Admiral Shen of the People's Liberation Army Navy," Jacob said. "He has an enormous amount of sway in Chinese political and military circles."

The lieutenant clicked the remote again, and another picture came up. It was one of a female human dressed in an army officer's uniform.

She had short black hair, with an eyepatch covering her right eye.

"And this is Colonel Liao. She is the Admiral's right hand, serving to carry out his orders and acting as his second in command."

"Do Shen and Liao have ultranationalist beliefs similar to Belka and the others you highlighted?" A mammal asked.

"Yes, they do. In fact, Admiral Shen is believed to have communicated with key Russian ultranationalist figures, Alongside communications with other leaders in countries around the world who support them."

The human paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Are there any questions?"

The assembled mammals stayed silent, unable to come up with questions or not overtly curious about the topic.

"Now I understand how my teachers felt when they asked us questions in class…" Adams thought to himself before clearing his throat and speaking. "Currently, there are no plans for military operations, but if an action is carried out, you will be prepared. Thank you for attending, and enjoy the holiday."

There was a set of dull screeching as chairs were pushed back and mammals stood up, beginning to leave. Adams turned off the projector as Cecilia and Stryker walked out of the room, heading down a hallway with drab drywall and a tiled floor.

"Cecilia, did you have to wear THAT to the intelligence briefing?" The mule asked.

"What's wrong with it? It has my unit motto on it."

"You could have worn something a bit more formal. You're really not gonna let anything stop you from enjoying the holiday, aren't you?"

"Well, not until that ceremony later that we were instructed to attend."

"Oh yeah, refresh my memory; what's that about again?"

"Local 4th of July celebration. We're supposed to be there with another unit as part of the festivities. You know, patriotic thing, show off the troops, inspire people."

"Ah, standard military parade stuff."

"Exactly, although I don't think there'll be enough of us for a parade."

"Are we supposed to have all our gear?"

"Yep, we're supposed to look as authentic as possible. Or so I was told. Though, let's keep the ammo and weapons locked in the Humvee."

"Seems prudent."

"Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet the two newest members of Opal squad." The Sergeant said, checking her watch. "They should have arrived by now."

"Take care, Cecilia."

"Later, Stryker."

The mule walked off down another hallway while Cecilia exited the building onto a large paved tarmac that sat between two structures. The area was full of military personnel celebrating the Fourth of July. Some mammals played with baseballs or squirt guns, while others just chatted with fellow soldiers.

Large white coolers with beverages sat nearby, Cecilia grabbing a red-colored can of soda out of one such container.

She popped the tab on the can and raised it to her mouth.

"Ah, Damnit!" The canine said, a few drops spilling onto her shirt.

She balled up the soaked fabric and raised it to her muzzle, licking off the sugary beverage.

"Hey, Cecilia!" A tiger yelled as the coyote walked across the tarmac. "Happy 4th!"

"Happy 4th Jerry!"

"We still on for cards later?"

"Damn straight."

"Oo-rah."

The coyote ducked as two mammals ran by, pelting each other with water gun blasts. Her gaze turned to a sheep, a gazelle, and a badger huddled around a spot on the ground.

Suddenly, there was a series of rapid pops and multicolored sparks as the mammals jumped backward.

"Haha! Watch out!" The badger yelled between laughs.

"Hey, be careful with those firecrackers! They can blow your finger off just as good as any grenade."

"Don't worry, Walker! That's why I got Paulie from EOD here."

Cecilia chuckled and noticed two younger mammals walking towards her, dressed in standard US army fatigues. The first one was a female spotted hyena with dark fur that was almost purple, including similarly colored hair of medium length.

The second mammal was a male lion with hazelnut-colored eyes. The only visible part of his mane was a short clump of bright red hair on the top of his head.

Both were probably in their early 30s, though Cecilia couldn't pin down a more specific age.

"Are you Sergeant Cecilia Walker?" The hyena inquired.

"Yep, that's me."

Both mammals stood to attention and raised their paws in a salute before speaking. The hyena first, followed by the lion.

"Corporal Jayleen Oakly."

"Corporal Liam Felhart."

Recognizing the names, the Sergeant returned the salute.

"At ease." She said, shaking paws with the other mammals. "I'll be the first to welcome you to Opal squad. I must say I was impressed with your skill sets when reading your dossiers."

"Thank you, sir," Jayleen responded.

"I'll have to introduce you to the other members of our squad. Let's see…"

Cecilia looked into the distance to spot a rabbit holding a water bottle and chatting briefly with a few other mammals.

"That's Jacob Zalman," she continued, pointing at the mule. "He's our sniper and recon expert. We also have two other mammals in our squad. Stryker Jackson and Livia Winters. Livia brings her engineering experience to the table, while Stryker is skilled in heavy weapons and support duties."

"So that's the rest of the squad… What about you?" Liam asked.

"Me? I'm a military mammal. I eat, live, and breathe army."

"We look forward to serving with you, sergeant," Jayleen added.

"And I look forward to seeing you in action. Now, you two arrived just in time."

"To celebrate the 4th of July?"

"Eh… in a way. We're supposed to attend a local 4th of July celebration soon. You know, like a military showcase."

"Like fleet week?" Liam asked.

"Like fleet week. So grab your kit, and let's get ready to go."

"Yes, sir!"

International Space Station, Low Earth Orbit, July 4th, 2018

A series of shining metallic cylinders and rectangular white modules hung in the void of space. Orange and blue radiators extended from the station, shimmering in the glow of sunlight.

The gargantuan shape of the Earth took up half of one's field of vision. The blue marble home to everyone who had ever existed was impossible to miss.

Jutting out from the ISS, a mechanical arm had grabbed ahold of a satellite, holding it in place while a pair of astronauts worked on it.

The first mammal was a female sheep with black wool, operating a silver-colored handheld screw gun pressed against the satellite's interior mechanisms. Across her pale white suit were various patches; one was positioned on her chest and said, "STG Curry."

There were two patches on her shoulder, one of which was an American flag, the second of which said "US Air Force."

The sheep flipped up her polarized visor and examined her work.

"What do you think, Victoria?" The Sergeant asked, turning to the red fox across from her. "Not bad if I say so myself."

The red fox was dressed in a similar suit, gripping golden-colored handles positioned on the satellite. The patch on her chest read "SPC Sparks."

"Yep… good job, Cindy." The vixen said, nodding and lifting up her visor. "Is this one of the satellites damaged by the high-speed debris cloud from that Chinese rocket accident?"

"No, that cloud is in geosynchronous orbit, not low earth orbit. All those damaged satellites will need repairs, though."

"Guess we got our work cut out for us. But hey, that's what they pay us for." Her gaze caught a dull gray cylinder moving from the Earth below towards the space station, lowering her visor as she looked in the direction of the sun. "Hey, look. There's our supply rocket."

The sheep lowered her visor again and turned to face the oncoming vehicle.

"Ah yes, it's a Russian Progress spacecraft."

Cindy remembered what she had learned during her training about rocket models and types. The Progress rocket was the automated version of the Soyuz. It was unpiloted until it reached orbit, at which point the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow would take over for the last leg of the journey.

"This is just a cargo run, right?" Victoria asked.

"Yep, just food and research equipment."

"I'm glad the tensions down on earth aren't affecting what we're doing up here."

"Same here; there's a reason it's called the International Space Station after all. Alright, now let's finish up here. Hand me the-"

Cindy was cut off by a voice coming in over the pair's radios.

"Sergeant Curry, this is Houston, come in, over."

"This is Sergeant Curry; we're reading you, Houston, over."

"Cindy, directing you and specialist Sparks to return to the station; they'll need all paws on deck to unload cargo from the Progress rocket. Over."

"Affirmative Houston. Over." Cindy stowed the screw gun on her belt and spoke into her radio again. "Derek, prep airlock B for us."

"Affirmative Cindy." Said another voice, this one coming from the nearby ISS.

The sheep turned to her companion.

"Come on, Vic, let's get back."

The pair let go of the satellite and began to float through space, using their suit's thruster packs to move parallel to the station. The Progress rocket was clearly visible, slowly lining itself up with a docking port on the station. The vehicle's thrusters let loose small pale-colored bursts as the spacecraft maneuvered into position.

"Airlock B is ready for your arrival."

"Roger that, Derek."

Cindy and Victoria could hear an astronaut on the station communicating with a pilot down on Earth through their radios.

"5 meters. Progress, maintain course."

"2 meters…"

"You're locked in Progress; standby for seal check."

The sheep and fox entered through a hatch on the station, with Victoria shutting the entryway behind her.

"Pressurizing airlock," Cindy said, both mammals flipping up their polarized visors as the sheep pressed a few buttons on a control panel. There was a hiss of gas as air flooded into the compartment.

"Atmospheric seal is good, well done, Progress." Came a voice through the radio. "Station crew, payload is clear for unloading."

A green light came on, and Cindy opened the entryway into the ISS interior. The pair moved through the station, passing computer terminals, pale bulkheads, and storage lockers.

They entered a large module divided by a wall with a thick plexiglass window halfway up the barrier. An open hatch sat in the center of the wall, with astronauts in blue jumpsuits on the other side.

"Cindy, Vic, once you take off your suits, can you give us a paw with the unloading?" Asked a tiger floating nearby.

A rabbit astronaut floated over to the airlock to the supply rocket and reached for the handle. But before he could open it, the door barged open on its own, and a deer in an off-white space suit came through. His suit had blue lines and a patch with the Russian flag, and he carried a PP-2000 SMG with a white and black exterior.

The rabbit backed up, and the deer began yelling as more mammals wearing similar suits emerged from the rocket hatch. The interlopers brandished their weapons as the Americans raised their paws.

"Hey! Who are you?!"

"Lapy na golovu!"

"What are you doing?!"

One of the cosmonauts pulled the trigger on his gun, the shots tearing through the rabbit astronaut.

Vix instinctively shut the hatch and locked it, the tiger on the other side pounding against the metal.

"Open it! Please! No!"

The tiger spasmed as bullets racked his body while Cindy and Victoria backed away in horror.

"Houston! We have hostile contacts on the ISS!" Cindy yelled. "Repeat, we have hostile contacts on the ISS!"

"Sergeant! Can you identify the enemy contacts!?" Houston responded.

"Russian cosmonauts! They were aboard the Progress rocket!"

"They just violated every treaty we had regarding space!" Victoria chimed in.

“…Houston copies all…”

"Sparks! Come on!" Cindy said. "We need to move!"

The radio crackled to life with a panicked voice.

"We have Russian forces in the command module! We have Russian forces in the command module! PLEASE! DON'T SHOOT! GACK!"

Alarms blared as the two moved through the station, approaching a junction. An otter cosmonaut rounded the corner and slammed into Cindy. The sheep grabbed his SMG and started wrestling with the Russian as the pair spun around in the zero-gravity environment.

"Shoot him, Cindy!" Victoria yelled.

The sheep managed to push the gun's barrel towards the otter and grab the trigger.

The bullets tore through the cosmonaut's helmet, shattering the faceplate to pieces and plastering the interior of the compartment with a red smear.

Cindy steadied herself and turned to her companion.

"Vic, look out!"

The sheep raised the SMG and gunned down a cosmonaut behind the fox. The vixen turned around in shock as the Russian began to float lifelessly through the compartment.

"Grab his gun! Quick!" Cindy yelled.

"You don't have to tell me twice."

"Let's get aboard one of the Dragon modules and get the hell back to Earth!"

"Sergeant Curry…" Houston said. "Russian forces are attempting to use the ISS communications system to get into our networks! I say again, Russian forces are attempting to use ISS systems to gain entry to defense networks!"

"Look out! On the ceiling!" Victoria shouted.

Two cosmonauts climbed into the compartment from a hatch on the ceiling, raising their weapons. But the astronauts were faster, gunning down the Russians before they could shoot.

"Storage module is just ahead," Cindy said.

The pair advanced into a large module filled with square-shaped storage containers made of durable fabric. Three cosmonauts occupied the room, one of them wrestling with an astronaut as they floated in the air. The Russian kicked the American into a pair of large silver cylinders before filling him with holes. Before Cindy and Victoria could engage, the silver cylinders exploded in a bright orange fireball that filled half the room.

There was a moment of tension as everything floated in the compartment for the briefest of seconds before Cindy and Victoria felt themselves being pulled. The two Americans, the Russians, and all the storage containers in the room were sent hurtling out into the void of space as the room's atmosphere rushed out.

The sheep held onto her weapon and covered her face with her arms as she banged against a radiator panel before finally being able to steady herself. Around her, storage containers and bits of the space station hung in the vacuum like snow flakes. A few holes had been punctured in the exterior radiators by flying debris. The Russian cosmonauts had also survived the explosive decompression, but before they could get their bearings, Vix gunned them down.

"You alright, Cindy?" The fox asked.

"Yes… they must have shot the liquid oxygen tanks." Cindy said, panting.

An urgent call from Houston came in over the comms system.

"Sergeant, the enemy is using the station's terminals to infiltrate our Notice to Fly System and Air Traffic Control Networks! Those systems are vital for air travel across the country! Enemy daemons and worms are already inside the network! You need to disable the exterior comms array before they can further corrupt our systems!"

"Copy Houston! We'll shut those bastards up!"

Readying their weapons, the pair floated towards the exterior of the command module and a bundle of antennas and receiving dishes mounted on the station.

The fox and sheep braced their SMGs against their shoulders and opened fire. A dull 'brrt' sound was audible through vibrations as the guns cycled.

Debris broke from the sparking comms array as electricity arced across the machine's surface. With a final flash of light, the main section of the device disconnected, and Houston spoke again.

"Great job! Be advised, audio may be choppy. We can't use the array as a relay now."

"Copy Houston," Cindy responded. "Come on, Vic, let's get to the dragon module!"

The pair floated back to the station, heading toward a capsule positioned on the underside of the ISS. The capsule was cylinder-shaped, with a sleek white body and a slight curve towards the front of the craft.

The wolf and fox climbed in through the exterior hatch and sat down, stowing their weapons next to them.

"Pressurizing the cabin," Cindy said, taking control of the vehicle.

"Sergeant, be advised." Houston said, "We cannot accurately predict your landing location. You could come down in dangerous territory."

"It's better than waiting up here for the Russians to find us or for our oxygen to run out!"

"There couldn't have been that many cosmonauts aboard that rocket." Victoria chimed in.

"Progress rockets can carry nearly 4000 pounds of cargo, I think they definitely outnumber us!"

"Feeding you descent vectors," Houston said. "We'll do everything we can to get you home safe."

The dragon pulled away from the station and turned towards the Earth, beginning to descend into the planet's atmosphere. The outside of the capsule glowed orange from friction with the atmosphere as the craft plummeted downwards.

"We're coming in too hot!" Cindy said. "Attempting to level out!"

"Sergeant Curry, specialist Sparks," came the voice through the radio. "We're getting reports… this is happening all over the world… my god…"

Victoria covered her face with her paw as she felt the immense heat radiating into the compartment.

"Sergeant Curry, Specialist Sparks. We're losing your connection," Houston said, the radio crackling and the voice on the other end growing faint as the temperature on the craft rose.

"Do you read? Come in... Sergeant Curry?"