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"6", "submission_right_submission_id": "1552732", "submission_right_file_name": "2203222_GrayscaleRain_on_a_razor_s_edge_-_sc.2_emergency_alert.rtf", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/2203/2203222_GrayscaleRain_on_a_razor_s_edge_-_sc.2_emergency_alert.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/2203/2203222_GrayscaleRain_on_a_razor_s_edge_-_sc.2_emergency_alert.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2203/2203222_GrayscaleRain_on_a_razor_s_edge_-_sc.2_emergency_alert.jpg", "submission_right_thumb_huge_x": "300", "submission_right_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_right_thumb_large_x": "200", "submission_right_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_right_thumb_medium_x": "120", "submission_right_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "[i]But there's a storm coming...[/i]\n\n---\n\nHey! So I caved and wrote some fanfic again after almost... seven years? It's been a while, but here we are!\n\nThis fanfic takes place in @Norithics ' fantastic Partners:2541 universe, that I've been gushing about to everyone I'm sure for the last couple of weeks.\n\nI was just compelled, you see! So yeah! Here we go!\n\nIf you want to check out Partners, go here!\n[mediumpool]7049[/mediumpool]\n\nI highly recommend it.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "But there's a storm coming...

---

Hey!  So I caved and wrote some fanfic again after almost... seven years?  It's been a while, but here we are!

This fanfic takes place in \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNorithics\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNorithics\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
' fantastic Partners:2541 universe, that I've been gushing about to everyone I'm sure for the last couple of weeks.

I was just compelled, you see!  So yeah!  Here we go!

If you want to check out Partners, go here!
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\tPartners - 'Issue 1' by Norithics\r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\tPartners - 'Issue 2' by Norithics\r\n\t\t\t
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\r\n\t\t\t\tPartners - 'Issue 3' by Norithics\r\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpool: Partners, vol. 1\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby Norithics\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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I highly recommend it.", "writing": "It was a nice day. A little chill, maybe, but nice nonetheless. The force shield from his personal transport kept Talon from losing his cap as he zipped above the road, pedestrians idly mulling about along the walks below. Making his usual way along, he could see the rim of Brightwater’s outer beach behind the buildings, the rows of trees between them undulating up and down like the back of a great snake with pillars of rounded chrome jutting up from them as he flew like… well… a bird over the residential areas below.\n\nIt was a nice day. A lot like any other day in Brightwater, really.\n\nLiving on the ocean. Sun, sand, sea, surf. Other s-words that one couldn’t be bothered to come up with at the moment, but they were there, for sure. What wasn’t there in a place like this? Just another day in paradise.\n\nHis target was a nearby apartment complex. Talon swung around and slowly descended, his transport chirping gently at him, the sound projected up towards his face as he approached the street. The back skis touched down, and then he gently set the nose down and powered off the engine. A perfect parking job! \n\nNothing less would do for his boss, who would generally get all up in his behind if he did so much as scuff the paint with his shoes. If it was [i]his[/i] Jumper, now, it would definitely get a bit more lovin’, but he had to maintain a business relationship with this one.\n\nHe unsaddled and stretched a bit, getting the kinks out of his back before he took his headphones out of the saddlebags on the side of the vehicle, tapping the rims to close them with a soft “shoomp”. The two bags attached to the back of the Jumper unhooked when he pulled on their handles, the magnetic locks coming loose easily with a soft click. He slung the light, stiff bags over his shoulders, adjusting the carmine collar of his postman’s uniform before turning and heading towards the tubehouse.\n\nIt was a small building of white and chrome, squat with inoffensive, rounded edges, only a couple of stories tall and centered in between the buildings of the apartment complex. It was a common feature in such places, and like many this one held the vacuum tube system for the complex, as well as a security system to watch for graffiti or random accidents. \n\nAs usual, the monitors were manned by a familiar face that smiled up at Talon as the door opened upon his arrival.\n\n“Ey, Tal. Surprise! Right on time today!” The security guard said with a smirk as Talon walked in. \n\n“I’m on time [i]every[/i] day, Georgie.” Talon retorted, rolling his eyes at his mammalian friend.\n\n“That’s not what your boss says. The local MB always has something hotheaded tacked on it about your schedule.” Georgie’s nose twitched, his whiskers wiggling as Talon set his bags down on the counter in the middle of the main room.\n\n“Yeah, well if it was up to Connie, I’d have to get today’s work in by yesterday, so that rat knows where he can shove it,” Tal returned, giving him a wry smirk and flicking a Sweetpick from his pocket into his beak. He bit down on it and took a deep breath, enjoying the mint flavor as it spread over his tongue, the vapor opening his sinuses with menthol as he held it in the side of his mouth and went to work.\n\nTalon was a bird. Which was fairly common… but you couldn’t say he was really any particular [i]kind[/i] of bird. His parents had trouble having him, which, sadly, was also fairly common in this day and age. But with a little scientific magic and a bunch of replaced and cleaned up genes, little Taylor Redding was born into the world just fine. A plain, if rather pretty red, he kept his crest well combed, either slicked back into place with some high hold gel or flicked off to the side in a sort of lazy coif. He’d always fancied himself as a bit of a greaser; cool and tough, like those guys in the leather jackets from the old pre-splice movies and shows that he watched as a teen… Stark, Zuko, and the Fonz.\n\nA bit tall and a bit lanky, he wasn’t really super fit but he wasn’t weak either. Light but durable, he was quick on his feet and keen with his wit… at least, that’s how he [i]felt[/i] about himself.\n\nGeorgie was, on contrast, a somewhat squat, hefty grey seal. Smooth and fairly fit, he still had all the rotundity you could expect from a seal, not that he ever tried to fight it. He was fairly alright with how he looked. He and Tal were about the same age, maybe a year or two apart, not that it mattered much at this point, but Georgie had always been perceived as a being a tad more mature. \n\nHe sat there at his desk, filling out his white SecTech shirt and pants nicely, cap cocked somewhat rakishly on his head as he teased his whiskers, watching Talon work. One thing, Georgie always noticed, was that the bird did have a fairly nice behind. Maybe not full and feminine like some of the guys, but Tal could always pick a pair of pants, that was for sure.\n\nSetting his trays of packages down, Talon put his headset on and set the station to slidefunk. Time to get in the zone. \n\nAs the rhythm settled down through him into his hips, he sorted the items onto the counter, arranging them by destination and size. Most people got their information and mail through their PDAs, so letters, at least the physical kind, were mostly a thing of the past unless someone was feeling [i]fancy[/i], and usually those were delivered by personal couriers anyway. But, if you needed to send something physically and you didn’t care if it took a day, the post generally got things where they needed to go, no mess no fuss.\n\nThere were solid little boxes and flat, flexible plastic envelopes, Talon checking each one and lining them up with their respective tubes behind him as he tapped the toe of his shoe to the rhythm of the music flowing into his ears. \n\nOnce he had them all placed on the counter, he spun around and began to slot them into the little door on each tube. A place, and then a tap and then a press of a button; the box or rolled up little envelope shot up the tube, straight into the living room of whoever it was there for. Simple, easy, efficient and effective.\n\nOnce that was done, all that were left was the big boxes. If what you had sent was bigger than a bread box? It went to mailhouse on your floor for pick-up. They had the big tubes, the kind that were big enough you could fit people in them! (Though you [i]really[/i] aren’t supposed to do that. Ain’t any air in the things, yanno?)\n\nStepping onto the lift, it brought Tal and his bag up to the larger set of tubes on the second floor of the little building. It was a little more energy intensive to get things up and down from here, but it saved a lot more time since they weren’t used as often, and the Post loves efficiency. From up there he could see Georgie, the seal’s attention having turned back to the monitors, one of which was just a broadcast screen for the local news. The seal stared at it intently, enough to make Tal forget about his music for the moment and lower his headset.\n\n“Wow,” the seal whispered, almost under his breath, “Crazy I tell you.”\n\n“What? Connie on the news?” Talon remarked, only half joking. Stopping for a second, he leaned over the railing a bit to get a better look. It was a news report, showing one of the other domes. \n\nLocksmouth. A city, maybe two hundred clicks away, as of a few weeks ago had been [i]attacked[/i].\n\nIt was a city under siege from within. The dome damaged and flickering, smoke visible from fires still burning, the buildings inside cracked and broken like silver eggshells. They’d had to fight back, and there were stories of contraband weapons and body stealing organisms. \n\nYeah, Locksmouth, against all odds and reason, had apparently come under attack by what the rest of the world could only consider to be… [i]aliens[/i]. \n\nAnchorsway and Harbington had sent care packages and were helping with the rescue effort, but Brightwater had been reluctant. They were a people of their own, and until the City Consulate decided if the situation was handled or not, there wasn’t a lot that was going to happen. It had supposed to have been handled by now, but who really knew?\n\n“Can you believe…? [i]Aliens.[/i] Creatures from another world. Here on Earth, just out of the blue!” Georgie said, looking up at Talon for a moment incredulously, as if asking for him to confirm just how [i]crazy[/i] it was. Tal just shook his head.\n\n“I don’t know [i]what[/i] to believe,” he remarked, standing back up straight and returning to his packages, starting to shunt them into the tubes for the correct floors. He grunted, speaking up so Georgie could hear him from above. “When they get some video footage out of that place, then [i]maybe[/i] I’ll decide for myself what I believe. Right now all we’ve got are some tabloid whispers of body controlling goop and gateways to other dimensions. Frankly, I think it’s more likely some group decided to pull a fast one on the 100th Anniversary of the GD Accord and pump something into the water system so they’d have an excuse to play with some guns.”\n\nGeorgie nodded a bit in quiet agreement, and turned back to the images on the screen.\n\n“I guess you’re right. Only time will tell… but man… wouldn’t [i]that[/i] be a trip?” Georgie said, awed at the thought.\n\nTalon just gave a terse laugh, “Fucking aliens.”\n\n===\n\nBrightwater was a lot of things. Originally a fishing village, it had become a tourist spot in the 20th century and after that a scientific research facility. There was a dome on the shelf below the water where the old facility had once been, with elevators leading up to the Rim, a circular ring of habitable artificial land, pipes and subway tubes, on the outer edge of which the dome was projected. \n\nInside the Rim, above the dome, was a well controlled circular body of water which allowed for easily accessible fishing, boating and swimming for the inhabitants, while outside the dome on the edge of the Rim was the wharf. Out there, on and beyond the quay, one was exposed to the elements, but fishermen and women could go out for the big catches, braving the wild ocean, a higher risk for higher reward.\n\nIt used to be that the Rim itself was only populated by the elite, the wealthiest and most affluent of the city’s members, sitting in the genuine sunshine while everyone else stayed below in the facility underwater. But in the last couple hundred years, they seemed to have moved past that sort of thing with post-scarcity like the rest of the world. Not only that, with population the way it was, honestly, everyone had the room to live pretty much wherever they wanted.\n\nAs such, Talon had no problem securing a nice apartment next to one of the ubiquitous strip parks that ran along the main thoroughfares through town, and with the day’s work done, he was on his way back home. Having dropped off his Jumper, he’d changed out of his work clothes and was walking home in his usual. A clean white shirt, a pair of grey pants, some nice black shoes and his sleeveless jacket. Not the… [i]modern[/i] fashion, certainly, but it was simple and suited him just fine. It was more about the persona. The air that he cultivated for himself. After all, no one stands out by chasing trends. \n\nSauntering up to the door, it beeped softly at his presence and opened for him, the bird stepping through the portal into the entrance hall. He could hear the holo going in the next room and hanging up his bag, he peeked around the corner slowly to see a small, stout hedgie curled up on the couch, his hand in a bowl of thins as “Hustle and Tustle’s Pectoral Power Hour” blared from the entertainment center.\n\nTalon smirked a bit and slinked into the room, only noticed by his prickly little friend when he was about halfway to the couch.\n\n“Oh!” He said, with a little start as he saw the bird, “Hey, Tal… Home already?” Shen smiled sheepishly up at his best bud, Talon putting his hands in his pockets as he returned the grin.\n\n“Yeah, I’m home. What are [i]you[/i] doin’, Shen?” Tal said in a jaunty tone, “I thought you were supposed to be heading out with Tomcat.”\n\nShen held up his PDA. “Got called into work; won’t be off until [i]at least[/i] the evening. Supposed to be a big storm kicking up and they need all hands on deck at the weather office.”\n\nTalon’s expression and tone flattened, “Oh. That [i]sucks[/i].”\n\nWith that he plopped himself down on the couch next to the little hedge and nabbed a thin from his bowl, snapping into the salt and vinegar flavored square with a satisfying crunch.\n\n“I’m sorry they’d do you and Tom like that, man. You were going to go out to that new frozen yogurt shop, right?”\n\n“Yeah… but it’s no big deal. We’ll do it soon. Besides, I need to catch up on my shows anyway.” Shen said, pointing at the two flexing busybodies on screen.\n\nHe smiled gently. Shen was always a little fellow. Tal had always taken care to call him “solid” in reference to his physique, and solid he was, for sure. Light brown generally on the belly and face, with dark, prickly but not dangerous quills all over his back, each with a little yellow tip to it. His general aesthetic was loose and kind of grungy, right now kicking back in just a pair of shorts and really loose t-shirt.\n\nTal sat there, just hanging with his friend wordlessly for a bit before snorting from his beak. “I always liked it better when Rumble and Tumble were doing the show. They had those funny accents and all those catchphrases.”\n\n“True, but Hustle and Tustle were the ones to introduce the “Art of Flexing” sketches.” Shen was quick to mention.\n\n“Which are amazing, I will give you that,” Tal said with a nod, trying to look as serious as possible. He managed about three seconds before cracking a smile and standing up. “Want a drink?”\n\n“Sure! Grab a Carbo if there’s one in there!” Shen responded, turning back to the show as Talon walked down the hall to the kitchen. He passed the lower bath as he noticed that there was a dull thumping nearby, which he was quite sure that he knew the source of, not that it was any sort of big deal. It was actually a pretty steady rhythm, and he kind of bobbed his head to it as he sauntered down the hall.\n\nWhat he wasn’t aware of, however, was the [i]location[/i] of the racket.\n\nHe quickly found [i]that[/i] out. \n\nUpon entering into the kitchen, the bird was greeted with the sight of a nice, full, pink dingo arse with a sparkly, jet black sticker applied in a heart shape, waving at his face from the counter next to the refrigerator as it plowed with great force down upon the firm orange construct of one rather lithe, handsome gazelle. It appeared that they were trying to dislodge the countertop from its bolts, or at very least remodel it with a depression in the shape of an antilopinian behind.\n\nTalon stopped dead in the doorway and gave them a deadpan look, folding his arms over his chest. “In the kitchen? Really?”\n\nBenny just gave him a big grin while Kaz stuck her tongue out at him. She started bouncing even harder; her pert, sculpted chest heaving enticingly as she arched her back to yowl out in enjoyment… and slid [i]straight[/i] backwards off the counter, grabbing Benny very nearly by the shorthairs and dragging him off on top of her, the two landing on the floor with a dense thud.\n\nThere was a moment of silence and the two paramours looked stunned before Tal broke the silence with a sharp “Ha!”\n\nThe other two just erupted into laughter as their squad leader finally entered and trotted over to the refrigerator, turning around to look at them. \n\n“Serves you two right,” he chided playfully, “How many times have I told you? You’re gonna shake up the Carbolate.” He remarked with mock exasperation before opening the door and reaching in, grabbing a couple cans to toss at the two of them, both of them catching theirs easily.\n\nKaz brushed her black and pink striped hair out of her face, still grinning as Benny huffed and puffed, checking his horns for chips before shifting onto his side next to Kaz.\n\nKaz was the athletic type. A dingo, her form was tight and powerful. She played soccer when they were in school together and was an advid jogger. She looked good naked and had some nice thighs along with a toned stomach that she was very proud of.\n\nBenny, on the other hand, was less physically impressive. He was slim and not too big, a bit on the femme side with delicate features and long limbs. He was the color of a latte with plenty of milk, and his horns were a deep sable brown, almost black that swooshed lazily up from his head. He scooped his glasses off of the floor after a try or two, putting them on and grinning sheepishly, face pressed into Kaz’s arm.\n\n“I swear, if I have to take one of you to the hospital with a broken neck, I won’t be the [i]slightest[/i] bit surprised.” Talon said, shutting the door with a pair of cans in hand for himself and Shen.\n\n“[i]Sorry Daaaaad,[/i]” Kaz said, sticking her tongue out. Benny stifled a laugh, only halfway successful.\n\n“You know, you could join us some time. Maybe get back some of that heat you get from Connie riding your ass so hard.” The pink dingo remarked, her ears twitching cutely as she tried to give her lead the bedroom eyes… squeaking loudly as Benny pressed the cold can of carbolate against the side of one of her breasts.\n\nTalon smirked, giving them both a wink. “Nah, I’m cool. You two… uh… just keep it off of raised surfaces for the time being, would you?” And with that he left the kitchen, heading back to see if the two big boars were done flexing yet.\n\n===\n\nOnce the show had finished, as it was apparent that Kaz and Benny certainly hadn’t, Shen decided to go for a quick walk down towards the docks. With nothing better to do than sort his music collection at the moment, Tal followed along, the two idly chit-chatting about the usual things.\n\nShen’s work in the Population and Census Bureau was boring as ever. Paperwork for miles and no optimism from the upper levels or really any change in what had been the story for years.\n\nKaz had been busy fixing an ambulance over at the hospital, and she was generally enjoying herself. Benny, in the meantime, was busy with one of his art studies, still plugging away at one of those models of his like he had been for the last few months. \nAnd Talon regaled Shen with his day as a postman… pretty much the same as every other day, though he did see someone beef hard into a pool on their hoverboard as he was coming back towards the main hub. The guy was fine, but it was good for a laugh.\n\nWhile the weather inside the dome was delightful, as usual, it was growing pretty frightful outside. A large wall of squalls was building along the eastern edge of the dome and flashes of lightning and the trembling of rolling thunder were creeping into the sparsely populated Rim as the waves visibly picked up near the docks. \n\nHeading down the long stairs towards the wall, they walked along, their conversations quieting down as they went, eyes turned towards the sky as they proceeded through the old gate into Seaside Park.\n\nSeaside was more or less just one large grass lawn with a few scattered trees and hills, overlooking the wharf. There was a railing in front of the dome so that people could see over to the water and a stairway heading through the base of the dome down to the quay to give direct access, in case anyone had a boat moored outside.\n\nThe clouds were starting to push up over the dome, the low squalls edging against it above their heads as they walked along. The place was completely deserted, a shadow starting to cast over the area as the storm stood defiantly in front of the sun.\n\n“Wow… I can see why Tom needed to go in…” Shen said morosely, occasionally glancing upwards, the lightning flickering through the roiling clouds above.\n\n“Yeah, I’d hate to take a boat out in this.” Talon remarked, taking another Sweetpick out of his pocket and tucking it into his beak. Huh, canvadish, maybe?\n\n“I hope they called everyone back in time,” Shen said, shifting under his coat. It hung off him loosely in a sort of disheveled manner, an old flat cap set upon his head as he kind of waddled along beside Talon.\n\n“Oh, I’m sure everything’s [i]fine[/i]… That’s what your boytoy’s job is, right? No worries! They’re in good hands.” Talon said with some degree of confidence, the two heading up on a small grassy knoll to get a better view of the waves further out. “And we, are sitting nice and pretty right here.”\n\nTalon craned his head back a bit to take in the light show for a moment, sighing deeply as Shen and him stood in silence underneath the angry sky.\n\nThen their PDAs beeped, in unison. It was a shrill one, not the one reserved for messages or the jovial tunes they assigned for personal calls. This one was a repeating shrill tone that sent shivers up their spines. It was designed for that, after all, its use forbidden by law for anything other than emergency broadcasts. Talon furrowed his brow and drew his PDA out of his jacket pocket, Shen leaning against him as they looked.\n\n[b][ALERT ALERT ALERT\n\nThis is an emergency broadcast by the Brightwater Weather Authority. \nSevere weather phenomenon approaching - Category 7. \nAt approximately 1650 BWT a Category 4 Cyclonic storm was detected approximately 150 kilometers from Brightwater. Between 1655 and 1750 the storm gained strength and has been reclassified as a Category 7. \n\nThe Weather Authority advises all citizens of the Rim to take proper safety precautions.\nBring all pets and children indoors.\nActivate local fields and remain sheltered until further instructions are given.\nPlease remain in your homes. This is not a drill.][/b]\n\nShen’s eyes went wide, the color draining out of his face somewhat, “We should probably get back…”\n\n“Yeah, I guess.” Talon said tersely, “Thanks Tom, cutting it a little close, huh?” He remarked before shoving his PDA back in his jacket. \n\nThe two of them had just turned to head down the knoll when they heard it.\n\nIt sounded like thunder at first, but it just… carried on. And on… And on.\n\nThe two stopped in their tracks as the sound grew louder, its pitch picking up slowly. Shen turned first, then Talon, looking at the storm as bolts of hot electric played through the quickly moving clouds. The sound continued, starting to shake the air around them… the dome glowing a soft blue as it began to vibrate from the noise.\n\nTransfixed, the two of them took a deep breath. Talon dug his toe into the dirt. Shen clenched his fists inside his jacket pocket.\n\nBut when it came, neither of them moved. They couldn’t.\n\nThe black shape emerged from the clouds, coming in low. Fast. It continued to grow, flat like a set of obsidian symbols curved equally on the top and bottom. The edge slid out of the cloud like the blade of a utility knife and stabbed into the dome. \n\nThere was a deafening crack and a bright blue light that engulfed them for a bare moment. \n\nThen the howl of the wind. \nThe roar of the sea. \n\nAnd the great black blade, its edge red hot as it came down onto the docks. \nThe ground rose, green shredding into brown as a wall of dirt rushed them. \n\nThere was no time to run. \nTalon turned around and tackled his best friend, hugging him tightly as the two tumbled down the knoll. \n\nThere was no grass at the bottom to land on. \n\nThere was no landing. \n\nJust the feeling of being wrenched upwards and the crushing embrace of a wave of hot mud.\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "It was a nice day.  A little chill, maybe, but nice nonetheless.  The force shield from his personal transport kept Talon from losing his cap as he zipped above the road, pedestrians idly mulling about along the walks below.  Making his usual way along, he could see the rim of Brightwater’s outer beach behind the buildings, the rows of trees between them undulating up and down like the back of a great snake with pillars of rounded chrome jutting up from them as he flew like… well… a bird over the residential areas below.

It was a nice day.  A lot like any other day in Brightwater, really.

Living on the ocean.  Sun, sand, sea, surf.  Other s-words that one couldn’t be bothered to come up with at the moment, but they were there, for sure.  What wasn’t there in a place like this?  Just another day in paradise.

His target was a nearby apartment complex.  Talon swung around and slowly descended, his transport chirping gently at him, the sound projected up towards his face as he approached the street.  The back skis touched down, and then he gently set the nose down and powered off the engine.  A perfect parking job!  

Nothing less would do for his boss, who would generally get all up in his behind if he did so much as scuff the paint with his shoes.  If it was his Jumper, now, it would definitely get a bit more lovin’, but he had to maintain a business relationship with this one.

He unsaddled and stretched a bit, getting the kinks out of his back before he took his headphones out of the saddlebags on the side of the vehicle, tapping the rims to close them with a soft “shoomp”.  The two bags attached to the back of the Jumper unhooked when he pulled on their handles, the magnetic locks coming loose easily with a soft click. He slung the light, stiff bags over his shoulders, adjusting the carmine collar of his postman’s uniform before turning and heading towards the tubehouse.

It was a small building of white and chrome, squat with inoffensive, rounded edges, only a couple of stories tall and centered in between the buildings of the apartment complex.  It was a common feature in such places, and like many this one held the vacuum tube system for the complex, as well as a security system to watch for graffiti or random accidents.

As usual, the monitors were manned by a familiar face that smiled up at Talon as the door opened upon his arrival.

“Ey, Tal.  Surprise!  Right on time today!”  The security guard said with a smirk as Talon walked in.  

“I’m on time every day, Georgie.”  Talon retorted, rolling his eyes at his mammalian friend.

“That’s not what your boss says.  The local MB always has something hotheaded tacked on it about your schedule.”  Georgie’s nose twitched, his whiskers wiggling as Talon set his bags down on the counter in the middle of the main room.

“Yeah, well if it was up to Connie, I’d have to get today’s work in by yesterday, so that rat knows where he can shove it,” Tal returned, giving him a wry smirk and flicking a Sweetpick from his pocket into his beak. He bit down on it and took a deep breath, enjoying the mint flavor as it spread over his tongue, the vapor opening his sinuses with menthol as he held it in the side of his mouth and went to work.

Talon was a bird.  Which was fairly common… but you couldn’t say he was really any particular kind of bird.  His parents had trouble having him, which, sadly, was also fairly common in this day and age.  But with a little scientific magic and a bunch of replaced and cleaned up genes, little Taylor Redding was born into the world just fine.  A plain, if rather pretty red, he kept his crest well combed, either slicked back into place with some high hold gel or flicked off to the side in a sort of lazy coif.  He’d always fancied himself as a bit of a greaser; cool and tough, like those guys in the leather jackets from the old pre-splice movies and shows that he watched as a teen… Stark, Zuko, and the Fonz.

A bit tall and a bit lanky, he wasn’t really super fit but he wasn’t weak either.  Light but durable, he was quick on his feet and keen with his wit… at least, that’s how he felt about himself.

Georgie was, on contrast, a somewhat squat, hefty grey seal.  Smooth and fairly fit, he still had all the rotundity you could expect from a seal, not that he ever tried to fight it.  He was fairly alright with how he looked.  He and Tal were about the same age, maybe a year or two apart, not that it mattered much at this point, but Georgie had always been perceived as a being a tad more mature.  

He sat there at his desk, filling out his white SecTech shirt and pants nicely, cap cocked somewhat rakishly on his head as he teased his whiskers, watching Talon work.  One thing, Georgie always noticed, was that the bird did have a fairly nice behind.  Maybe not full and feminine like some of the guys, but Tal could always pick a pair of pants, that was for sure.

Setting his trays of packages down, Talon put his headset on and set the station to slidefunk.  Time to get in the zone.  

As the rhythm settled down through him into his hips, he sorted the items onto the counter, arranging them by destination and size.  Most people got their information and mail through their PDAs, so letters, at least the physical kind, were mostly a thing of the past unless someone was feeling fancy, and usually those were delivered by personal couriers anyway.  But, if you needed to send something physically and you didn’t care if it took a day, the post generally got things where they needed to go, no mess no fuss.

There were solid little boxes and flat, flexible plastic envelopes, Talon checking each one and lining them up with their respective tubes behind him as he tapped the toe of his shoe to the rhythm of the music flowing into his ears.  

Once he had them all placed on the counter, he spun around and began to slot them into the little door on each tube.  A place, and then a tap and then a press of a button; the box or rolled up little envelope shot up the tube, straight into the living room of whoever it was there for.  Simple, easy, efficient and effective.

Once that was done, all that were left was the big boxes.  If what you had sent was bigger than a bread box?  It went to mailhouse on your floor for pick-up.  They had the big tubes, the kind that were big enough you could fit people in them!  (Though you really aren’t supposed to do that.  Ain’t any air in the things, yanno?)

Stepping onto the lift, it brought Tal and his bag up to the larger set of tubes on the second floor of the little building.  It was a little more energy intensive to get things up and down from here, but it saved a lot more time since they weren’t used as often, and the Post loves efficiency.  From up there he could see Georgie, the seal’s attention having turned back to the monitors, one of which was just a broadcast screen for the local news.  The seal stared at it intently, enough to make Tal forget about his music for the moment and lower his headset.

“Wow,” the seal whispered, almost under his breath, “Crazy I tell you.”

“What?  Connie on the news?” Talon remarked, only half joking.  Stopping for a second, he leaned over the railing a bit to get a better look.  It was a news report, showing one of the other domes.  

Locksmouth.  A city, maybe two hundred clicks away, as of a few weeks ago had been attacked.

It was a city under siege from within.  The dome damaged and flickering, smoke visible from fires still burning, the buildings inside cracked and broken like silver eggshells. They’d had to fight back, and there were stories of contraband weapons and body stealing organisms.  

Yeah, Locksmouth, against all odds and reason, had apparently come under attack by what the rest of the world could only consider to be… aliens.  

Anchorsway and Harbington had sent care packages and were helping with the rescue effort, but Brightwater had been reluctant.  They were a people of their own, and until the City Consulate decided if the situation was handled or not, there wasn’t a lot that was going to happen.  It had supposed to have been handled by now, but who really knew?

“Can you believe…?  Aliens.  Creatures from another world.  Here on Earth, just out of the blue!”  Georgie said, looking up at Talon for a moment incredulously, as if asking for him to confirm just how crazy it was.  Tal just shook his head.

“I don’t know what to believe,” he remarked, standing back up straight and returning to his packages, starting to shunt them into the tubes for the correct floors.  He grunted, speaking up so Georgie could hear him from above.  “When they get some video footage out of that place, then maybe I’ll decide for myself what I believe.  Right now all we’ve got are some tabloid whispers of body controlling goop and gateways to other dimensions.  Frankly, I think it’s more likely some group decided to pull a fast one on the 100th Anniversary of the GD Accord and pump something into the water system so they’d have an excuse to play with some guns.”

Georgie nodded a bit in quiet agreement, and turned back to the images on the screen.

“I guess you’re right.  Only time will tell… but man… wouldn’t that be a trip?”  Georgie said, awed at the thought.

Talon just gave a terse laugh, “Fucking aliens.”

===

Brightwater was a lot of things.  Originally a fishing village, it had become a tourist spot in the 20th century and after that a scientific research facility.  There was a dome on the shelf below the water where the old facility had once been, with elevators leading up to the Rim, a circular ring of habitable artificial land, pipes and subway tubes, on the outer edge of which the dome was projected.  

Inside the Rim, above the dome, was a well controlled circular body of water which allowed for easily accessible fishing, boating and swimming for the inhabitants, while outside the dome on the edge of the Rim was the wharf.  Out there, on and beyond the quay, one was exposed to the elements, but fishermen and women could go out for the big catches, braving the wild ocean, a higher risk for higher reward.

It used to be that the Rim itself was only populated by the elite, the wealthiest and most affluent of the city’s members, sitting in the genuine sunshine while everyone else stayed below in the facility underwater.  But in the last couple hundred years, they seemed to have moved past that sort of thing with post-scarcity like the rest of the world.  Not only that, with population the way it was, honestly, everyone had the room to live pretty much wherever they wanted.

As such, Talon had no problem securing a nice apartment next to one of the ubiquitous strip parks that ran along the main thoroughfares through town, and with the day’s work done, he was on his way back home.  Having dropped off his Jumper, he’d changed out of his work clothes and was walking home in his usual.  A clean white shirt, a pair of grey pants, some nice black shoes and his sleeveless jacket.  Not the… modern fashion, certainly, but it was simple and suited him just fine.  It was more about the persona.  The air that he cultivated for himself.  After all, no one stands out by chasing trends.  

Sauntering up to the door, it beeped softly at his presence and opened for him, the bird stepping through the portal into the entrance hall.  He could hear the holo going in the next room and hanging up his bag, he peeked around the corner slowly to see a small, stout hedgie curled up on the couch, his hand in a bowl of thins as “Hustle and Tustle’s Pectoral Power Hour” blared from the entertainment center.

Talon smirked a bit and slinked into the room, only noticed by his prickly little friend when he was about halfway to the couch.

“Oh!”  He said, with a little start as he saw the bird, “Hey, Tal… Home already?”  Shen smiled sheepishly up at his best bud, Talon putting his hands in his pockets as he returned the grin.

“Yeah, I’m home.  What are you doin’, Shen?” Tal said in a jaunty tone, “I thought you were supposed to be heading out with Tomcat.”

Shen held up his PDA.  “Got called into work; won’t be off until at least the evening.  Supposed to be a big storm kicking up and they need all hands on deck at the weather office.”

Talon’s expression and tone flattened, “Oh.  That sucks.”

With that he plopped himself down on the couch next to the little hedge and nabbed a thin from his bowl, snapping into the salt and vinegar flavored square with a satisfying crunch.

“I’m sorry they’d do you and Tom like that, man.  You were going to go out to that new frozen yogurt shop, right?”

“Yeah… but it’s no big deal.  We’ll do it soon.  Besides, I need to catch up on my shows anyway.”  Shen said, pointing at the two flexing busybodies on screen.

He smiled gently.  Shen was always a little fellow.  Tal had always taken care to call him “solid” in reference to his physique, and solid he was, for sure.  Light brown generally on the belly and face, with dark, prickly but not dangerous quills all over his back, each with a little yellow tip to it.  His general aesthetic was loose and kind of grungy, right now kicking back in just a pair of shorts and really loose t-shirt.

Tal sat there, just hanging with his friend wordlessly for a bit before snorting from his beak.  “I always liked it better when Rumble and Tumble were doing the show.  They had those funny accents and all those catchphrases.”

“True, but Hustle and Tustle were the ones to introduce the “Art of Flexing” sketches.”  Shen was quick to mention.

“Which are amazing, I will give you that,”  Tal said with a nod, trying to look as serious as possible.  He managed about three seconds before cracking a smile and standing up.  “Want a drink?”

“Sure!  Grab a Carbo if there’s one in there!” Shen responded, turning back to the show as Talon walked down the hall to the kitchen.  He passed the lower bath as he noticed that there was a dull thumping nearby, which he was quite sure that he knew the source of, not that it was any sort of big deal.  It was actually a pretty steady rhythm, and he kind of bobbed his head to it as he sauntered down the hall.

What he wasn’t aware of, however, was the location of the racket.

He quickly found that out.  

Upon entering into the kitchen, the bird was greeted with the sight of a nice, full, pink dingo arse with a sparkly, jet black sticker applied in a heart shape, waving at his face from the counter next to the refrigerator as it plowed with great force down upon the firm orange construct of one rather lithe, handsome gazelle.  It appeared that they were trying to dislodge the countertop from its bolts, or at very least remodel it with a depression in the shape of an antilopinian behind.

Talon stopped dead in the doorway and gave them a deadpan look, folding his arms over his chest.  “In the kitchen?  Really?”

Benny just gave him a big grin while Kaz stuck her tongue out at him.  She started bouncing even harder; her pert, sculpted chest heaving enticingly as she arched her back to yowl out in enjoyment… and slid straight backwards off the counter, grabbing Benny very nearly by the shorthairs and dragging him off on top of her, the two landing on the floor with a dense thud.

There was a moment of silence and the two paramours looked stunned before Tal broke the silence with a sharp “Ha!”

The other two just erupted into laughter as their squad leader finally entered and trotted over to the refrigerator, turning around to look at them.  

“Serves you two right,” he chided playfully, “How many times have I told you?  You’re gonna shake up the Carbolate.”  He remarked with mock exasperation before opening the door and reaching in, grabbing a couple cans to toss at the two of them, both of them catching theirs easily.

Kaz brushed her black and pink striped hair out of her face, still grinning as Benny huffed and puffed, checking his horns for chips before shifting onto his side next to Kaz.

Kaz was the athletic type.  A dingo, her form was tight and powerful.  She played soccer when they were in school together and was an advid jogger.  She looked good naked and had some nice thighs along with a toned stomach that she was very proud of.

Benny, on the other hand, was less physically impressive.  He was slim and not too big, a bit on the femme side with delicate features and long limbs.  He was the color of a latte with plenty of milk, and his horns were a deep sable brown, almost black that swooshed lazily up from his head.  He scooped his glasses off of the floor after a try or two, putting them on and grinning sheepishly, face pressed into Kaz’s arm.

“I swear, if I have to take one of you to the hospital with a broken neck, I won’t be the slightest bit surprised.”  Talon said, shutting the door with a pair of cans in hand for himself and Shen.

“Sorry Daaaaad,” Kaz said, sticking her tongue out.  Benny stifled a laugh, only halfway successful.

“You know, you could join us some time.  Maybe get back some of that heat you get from Connie riding your ass so hard.”  The pink dingo remarked, her ears twitching cutely as she tried to give her lead the bedroom eyes… squeaking loudly as Benny pressed the cold can of carbolate against the side of one of her breasts.

Talon smirked, giving them both a wink.  “Nah, I’m cool.  You two… uh… just keep it off of raised surfaces for the time being, would you?”  And with that he left the kitchen, heading back to see if the two big boars were done flexing yet.

===

Once the show had finished, as it was apparent that Kaz and Benny certainly hadn’t, Shen decided to go for a quick walk down towards the docks.  With nothing better to do than sort his music collection at the moment, Tal followed along, the two idly chit-chatting about the usual things.

Shen’s work in the Population and Census Bureau was boring as ever.  Paperwork for miles and no optimism from the upper levels or really any change in what had been the story for years.

Kaz had been busy fixing an ambulance over at the hospital, and she was generally enjoying herself.  Benny, in the meantime, was busy with one of his art studies, still plugging away at one of those models of his like he had been for the last few months.  
And Talon regaled Shen with his day as a postman… pretty much the same as every other day, though he did see someone beef hard into a pool on their hoverboard as he was coming back towards the main hub.  The guy was fine, but it was good for a laugh.

While the weather inside the dome was delightful, as usual, it was growing pretty frightful outside.  A large wall of squalls was building along the eastern edge of the dome and flashes of lightning and the trembling of rolling thunder were creeping into the sparsely populated Rim as the waves visibly picked up near the docks.

Heading down the long stairs towards the wall, they walked along, their conversations quieting down as they went, eyes turned towards the sky as they proceeded through the old gate into Seaside Park.

Seaside was more or less just one large grass lawn with a few scattered trees and hills, overlooking the wharf.  There was a railing in front of the dome so that people could see over to the water and a stairway heading through the base of the dome down to the quay to give direct access, in case anyone had a boat moored outside.

The clouds were starting to push up over the dome, the low squalls edging against it above their heads as they walked along.  The place was completely deserted, a shadow starting to cast over the area as the storm stood defiantly in front of the sun.

“Wow… I can see why Tom needed to go in…”  Shen said morosely, occasionally glancing upwards, the lightning flickering through the roiling clouds above.

“Yeah, I’d hate to take a boat out in this.” Talon remarked, taking another Sweetpick out of his pocket and tucking it into his beak.  Huh, canvadish, maybe?

“I hope they called everyone back in time,”  Shen said, shifting under his coat.  It hung off him loosely in a sort of disheveled manner, an old flat cap set upon his head as he kind of waddled along beside Talon.

“Oh, I’m sure everything’s fine…  That’s what your boytoy’s job is, right?  No worries!  They’re in good hands.”  Talon said with some degree of confidence, the two heading up on a small grassy knoll to get a better view of the waves further out.  “And we, are sitting nice and pretty right here.”

Talon craned his head back a bit to take in the light show for a moment, sighing deeply as Shen and him stood in silence underneath the angry sky.

Then their PDAs beeped, in unison.  It was a shrill one, not the one reserved for messages or the jovial tunes they assigned for personal calls.  This one was a repeating shrill tone that sent shivers up their spines.  It was designed for that, after all, its use forbidden by law for anything other than emergency broadcasts.  Talon furrowed his brow and drew his PDA out of his jacket pocket, Shen leaning against him as they looked.

[ALERT ALERT ALERT

This is an emergency broadcast by the Brightwater Weather Authority.  
Severe weather phenomenon approaching - Category 7.  
At approximately 1650 BWT a Category 4 Cyclonic storm was detected approximately 150 kilometers from Brightwater.  Between 1655 and 1750 the storm gained strength and has been reclassified as a Category 7.  

The Weather Authority advises all citizens of the Rim to take proper safety precautions.
Bring all pets and children indoors.
Activate local fields and remain sheltered until further instructions are given.
Please remain in your homes. This is not a drill.]

Shen’s eyes went wide, the color draining out of his face somewhat, “We should probably get back…”

“Yeah, I guess.”  Talon said tersely,  “Thanks Tom, cutting it a little close, huh?”  He remarked before shoving his PDA back in his jacket.  

The two of them had just turned to head down the knoll when they heard it.

It sounded like thunder at first, but it just… carried on.  And on…  And on.

The two stopped in their tracks as the sound grew louder, its pitch picking up slowly.  Shen turned first, then Talon, looking at the storm as bolts of hot electric played through the quickly moving clouds.  The sound continued, starting to shake the air around them… the dome glowing a soft blue as it began to vibrate from the noise.

Transfixed, the two of them took a deep breath.  Talon dug his toe into the dirt. Shen clenched his fists inside his jacket pocket.

But when it came, neither of them moved.  They couldn’t.

The black shape emerged from the clouds, coming in low.  Fast.  It continued to grow, flat like a set of obsidian symbols curved equally on the top and bottom.  The edge slid out of the cloud like the blade of a utility knife and stabbed into the dome.

There was a deafening crack and a bright blue light that engulfed them for a bare moment.

Then the howl of the wind.  
The roar of the sea.  

And the great black blade, its edge red hot as it came down onto the docks.  
The ground rose, green shredding into brown as a wall of dirt rushed them.  

There was no time to run.  
Talon turned around and tackled his best friend, hugging him tightly as the two tumbled down the knoll.  

There was no grass at the bottom to land on.  

There was no landing.  

Just the feeling of being wrenched upwards and the crushing embrace of a wave of hot mud.

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