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Another shallow gasp up from the drowning sea of depression and this one floored me. Sat on the idea pretty much since the last story went up. Tied in some bits and bobs, then just hammered about three quarters of it out last night.\n\nAlso, no sex, odd structure, and may not be any good. Fair warning.\n\nHoping people enjoy it. I need to finish some other stuff before I do the next one for this series. Just hard when depression keeps you chained.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Hoooboy. Another shallow gasp up from the drowning sea of depression and this one floored me. Sat on the idea pretty much since the last story went up. Tied in some bits and bobs, then just hammered about three quarters of it out last night.

Also, no sex, odd structure, and may not be any good. Fair warning.

Hoping people enjoy it. I need to finish some other stuff before I do the next one for this series. Just hard when depression keeps you chained.", "writing": "By Right: Resolve\n\nBy TerraMGP\n\n\tIt was almost too exciting for the young pup. She’d never been so far from the core of the family Suites before. Certainly not all alone like this. She knelt on the soft impact-foam flooring. Bright blue eyes gazing up in awe at the racks of weapons and armor on display. \n\n\tShe did her best to keep in the position she’d watched in the vids. Knees tight and parallel, sitting under her body. Back straight, chin up. Her hands balled into tiny fists resting on either knee. A small swell of pride filled her little chest as she did her best to keep her eyes fixated on the door. It took every shred of meager discipline that the pup had to keep her tail from wagging away.\n\n\tFinally, the door slid open. The woman who walked in was somehow less and more than what the cub had expected. Short, almost bristly hair with silvery tips lined and framed the Shrews face. Her body was a toned mass of steel-forged looking lean muscle and countless scars both large and small smattered along her pelt. Her hair was cropped short with streaks of grey smattered in the dark brown and icy eyes hardened with age.\n\n\tIt was the first time the pup had ever seen a woman like this. Her body looking so… old. So unsculpted. The woman strode into the room without paying a shred of consideration to the girl in the middle of it. Slowly wrapping a set dark blue wraps around her hands and wrists.\n\n\t“Miss Oda?” she barked happily. Tail wagging away behind her.\n\n\t“Lady Runa?” the woman muttered in a cold, detached tone.\n\n\tHer voice broke in her throat. A sharp jolt of raw agony shooting though little Runa. She fell to the ground and gasped. Her eyes bugging and filling with tears. She collapsed on the ground with muzzle opened in a silent scream. Her eyes barely registering the frozen moment as the icy woman pulled her foot back from the sudden kick.\n\n\tShe saw the woman walk past, then slumped and trembled. The cubs whole world melted into agony as the sound of her own sobbing filled her head and the room. Bawling and weeping as she gripped at her stomach and struggled to pull air into her lungs.\n\n--------------------\n\n\tThe compounds little arena had hardly gone to waste since bi broke. The soft sugary sand was littered each day with dozens of footprints. The scars of hard training that dug themselves deeply into the floor before being swept away at weeks end by one of the servants with a rake.\n\n\tThe young wolf woman was busy carving new gashes into that sand as she stood at the center of four large padded dummies. They were simple enough constructs really, bound log crosses wrapped in some spare insolative foam and tied with simple printed mats that each flickered on lights in different patterns. Each time a light flickered on Runa would quickly toss a blow at it, striking the area and stopping it quickly.\n\n\tThe space between the four makeshift dummies was carefully measured and calculated by Siv, which meant it was just far enough apart that Runa had to work for her quick strikes. A hook kick to one dummy used to strike at another. A spinning backhand that twisted into a side-roll so she could deliver a kneeling straight punch to the dummy at her left. Only half an hour in and she was already starting to feel strain and exhaustion simply from the physical strain of such wide and rapid laps.\n\n\tBi leaned in from the outside of the arena, as did a pair of the remaining guards. All watching the display of the woman in charge wear herself out on the primitive training tools while a small blue music player cylinder blared out a rapid mix of guitar, flute and various other synthesized interments in a rapid rising pulse. It would have been painfully easy to simply attack with the beat of the music. Which was why she all but sought to avoid it.\n\n\tThe blows started to pick up pace as her panting got heavier. Her breath ragged, her natural eye even starting to water. She let out a furious machine gun punch into the gut area of one dummy and then finally collapsed hard against the thing. Panting and gasping for air until she finally just slumped down into the sand. The padding only went down so far, and as she did she felt rough cut wood slide and almost splinter against her back. In fact it did leave a few nice long shards poking comically out of the simple wrap she wore around her chest.\n\n\tLight padding footfalls soon broke the music as a familiar golden-furred bunny padded her way forward. She scooped up the water bottle Runa had laying in the sand and knelt down next to her Mistress, popping the top off and offering it to the exhausted wolf.\n\n\tRuna snatched it up and slumped taking a nice hard chug that drained half the one-liter thing. She then winced and pulled it away from her muzzle quickly. “Gahh, By Hel’s fucking face why do the rims of these things always have to be so cold.” Runa Spat.\n\n\t“You’d prefer a liter of boiling water in a plain metal bottle, Mistress?” Siv chuckled.\n\n\t“Smartass.” Runa snapped as she finished the other half and groaned softly to herself. “These things were each further back from center than yesterday, weren’t they?”\n\n\tSiv nodded proudly “A good six inches. My data indicated that Mistress was getting a bit used to where things were again. If you’re going to pointlessly damage your body to replicate a simple skill upload I figured I should at least make it worth your time.”\n\n\tThe wolf sighed and shook her head. Siv really had never gotten it. But then she had no need to. The wolf woman simply leaned up and kissed her pet on the cheek before slumping back and running her fingers though that thick, somewhat spiked mane of hair. “I need to get my dye redone soon. One month my ass…” she muttered\n\n\t“To be fair, it’s not intended for that kind of hard use, Mistress. Sweat is a good solvent.” Siv chided “To be more fair, it’s a sexy ass.”\n\n\tThat just got the golden bunny a swat as Runa sighed happily and rolled her shoulders. She was starting to feel the endorphins hit, that small natural high that not even the best sim programs could really nail properly. She reached her rubbering arm up and wrapped it around the bunny, pulling her in close to that sweaty and oh so tired canid body with a soft growl.\n\n\t“I have your news updates for you as well, Mistress.” Siv nodded.\n\n\t“Shoot.” Runa barked tiredly\n\n\t“First, the supply transport should be coming tomorrow and as per your orders… I let them know you’d be sending two more guards back with them.” she said quietly. The bunny girl made some minor effort to hide it but clearly wasn’t pleased to say those words.\n\n\tRuna, on the other hand, nodded her approval. “Good. All things considered I’d call that timing almost serendipitous.”\n\n\t“You mean right after an attack? One where you could have used a full security force, Mistress?” the bunny worried. “The attack where a few snipers and some combat professionals with something more than what they wear to scare off protesting college kids on the home station might have come in handy? The one where you had to fight a tank?”\n\n\tSivs words were cut off by a hard hug as she was kissed on the forehead and hushed to calmness by her Mistress. “That was a fluke and you know it. Those assholes were just heavily armed enough to be a threat and just stupid enough to think they could muscle in on a Yggdrasil facility without consequence. That’s like… that’s like the ‘leave your bottle of Aether in the freezer just long enough that it looks liquid when you take it out and freezes when you smack it’ of slaver troupes.”\n\n\tSiv giggled a bit. More in relief than amusement as she buried her face into her beloved owners shoulder. The poor thing bit back on her sobs a moment and squeezed against the well muscled lupine as tight as her own arms possibly could. \n\n\t“Also I feel I should warn you, Mistress. Your sponsors for this little project have asked that we move the time table for your demonstration model up a month. They gave a reason, but really it was all just impatience and marketing jargon.”\n\n\t“Everything they say will boil down to impatience and marketing Jargon.” Runa sighed “Still, I have been putting that project off too long. I confess that getting us established was the bigger priority. I presume the remaining material is still prepped in stasis?”\n\n\t“Sleeping away and passive, just as you ordered.” the bunny nodded firmly “I made sure to cut off their stimulus. When they wake up the two will be no different than they were the day they got here.”\n\n\t“Good.” Runa nodded “Wake them both up day after tomorrow. I’ll make my decision by then. For now I have some more pressing concerns.”\n\n\t“It’s always more pressing concerns.” Siv sighed “Very well, as you wish, My Mistress.”\n\n--------------------\n\n\tThe seven year old cub bounced hard off of the floor and skidded to a harsh stop as she thudded against a suit of power armor standing at one corner of the room. She lay there a moment, dazed and confused, before quickly looking up at the suit and rolling out of the way.\n\n\tShe watched the thing cautiously, then curiously, then with a bit of frustration starting to sweep her young face.\n\n\t“What are you doing, Lady Runa.” Oda sighed, exasperated.\n\n\t“It didn’t fall.” the pup barked with a mix of fascination and growing anger.\n\n\t“And why would it fall?” Oda grumbled.\n\n\t“B’cause it’s big an’ heavy. That’s what always happens in the toons, right? Ya shove the big heavy armor and it falls over.”\n\n\tThe old shrew narrowed her eyes and grumbled as she walked up to the armor and shoved it hard. Pushing and pressing at the massive hunk of shaped carbon mesh and various rare metals. “This is old service armor, Lady Runa. Half a ton of it’s an ounce and with a display Mannequin in it to help keep it stable and standing. This isn’t like some childs show. These are tools of war. People fight and die in such things. If old style auto cannons have a hard time getting though this armor then little girls the weight of a bag of Nutri-paste aren’t going to do much.”\n\n\t“Oh.” Runa nodded “ok. Sorry, I guess, Lady Oda. So can you show me that really super cool move you used?” Runa asked. The little girls mood shifting from dejected to elated so fast it almost made Odas neck hurt.\n\n\t“I wish I could say I blame the neurological tweaking for the attention span.” Oda sighed to herself as she helped the girl up and narrowed her eyes a moment. “You wish to learn the attack that sent you flying, girl?” she asked calmly\n\n\tRuna nodded a bit and perked her ears “Yuh huh. That looked super cool, I think. It was kinda hard to tell flying back like that. But I wanna learn all of your super cool secret moves!”\n\n\t“I see…” Oda nodded “Well then girl, first, why don’t you try showing me one of your moves. Allow me to evaluate the kind of thing you would create, given a chance.” she said as took a step back and gave Runa her space\n\n\t“One of my moves?” Runa asked eagerly.\n\n\tThe old woman nodded “Indeed. Go ahead my little disciple. Show me just what kind of cool moves you can muster.”\n\n\tThe wolf pup squealed eagerly and nodded a frantic little nod. She slipped back into one of the more fanciful stances Oda had taught her. Legs low with one out before her and all the weight on the back leg. One arm out and the other above her head. A stance that was useful to set up a low attack with a sword, but little else.\n\n\tFrom that stance Runa burst forwards with all the speed her optimized little body could muster. It was fast, likely faster than many unagumented adults. Much faster than she had any right to be. That fast dash soon shifting as she pushed off and spun her body around, doing an impressive job of conserving momentum. The little bundle of fur and fury tensed up and ready to spring a full-force kick at Oda.\n\n\tOne quick backhand ended the grandiose display. Runa tumbled like the aforementioned bag of foodstuffs and thudded along the padded mat until once again coming to a stop.\n\n\t“Now, can you tell me why that didn’t work?” Oda asked as she slowly paced towards her student.\n\n\tRuna just looked up and shook her head a bit, wincing and whimpering loudly.\n\n\t“This isn’t a show, girl. This isn’t some game where you do big flashy things and they deal unrealistic damage to your opponent. Your movements matter, your actions have consequence. I do not teach ‘moves’, pup. I teach skills. Any hack on this station could easily impart some pretty gymnastics to you and tell you it will beat your foe. Combat, war, is about life and death. If a simple punch is sufficient, then simply punch. If you want ‘moves’ then I have know plenty of games I could suggest you jack into instead. If you’re here, you’re here to learn how to fight. Understood?”\n\n\t“Yes, Lady Oda” Runa said meekly as she stood up and sniffled a bit “I’m sorry, Lady Oda.”\n\n\t“Good.” Oda nodded ‘now get in your stance. Lets teach you how to deliver a real kick.”\n\n--------------------\n\n\tThe compound had quieted by evening. The otherwise dark field and its semicircle ring of buildings sat dead and still beyond the thin rays of light streaking from a few open viewports and the dull glow of the defensive emplacements sitting in standby mode.\n\n\tRuna sat at a small table by the entrance to the holding cells. Her armor back in its charging bay and weapon sitting emitter-down in the corner beside her. She dressed simply in her usual vest and a loose leather skirt. A pair of old glasses perched on her muzzle. In spite of the hard work put in to design her new prosthetics it seemed to have a slight blind spot for distance at reading range. It wasn’t much, but Mother would likely punish the technicians who made it if she knew. Assuming she didn’t, and hadn’t done so already.\n\n\tShe leaned against the wall with the front legs of the old oak chair barely creaking their weight off of the floor. Eyes tracing between a fresh holo pad and a thick, old, printed book with a heavy leather bound cover.\n\n\tThe wolf perked her ear a bit as she heard the door slide itself open from beside her. Her real eye twitched to the side slowly as she caught sight of three figures at the periphery of her vision. \n\n\tThe first figure was recognizable rather quickly. One of the fox boys. She’d stopped trying to figure which was which a while ago, nor did it really matter too much. They were one and the same after all, at least they should be. The boy wore a simple, traditional maids uniform with a skirt light enough to show the rather obvious tent he was sporting. A small blush on his cheek as he Came into the room, a delicate bone china plate held in his hands.\n\n\tBehind him, watching carefully, was Eleanor. The badger girl had been allowed out for a few short tasks over the past couple weeks, and it was already clear she was grateful for any time not spent studying in isolation. Runa watched as the smartly dressed girl followed the boy carefully. She wore a corset, boots, glasses, and little else. A stiff riding crop held in her hands with all the uncomfortable twisting that any young one might feel when they hadn’t yet acclimated to the tool.\n\n\tShe walked at a slightly hurried pace behind the boy. Runa could see the pudgy girl twist and bend the crop as she held it. Struggling to keep the confidence her current task required. Then again, the poor fox boy with the plate clearly didn’t see any of this. He simply walked as quickly as he dared towards the table. He fumbled and minced along in his awkward high heels as he struggled not to drop the plate when Eleanor smacked his thigh far harder than she likely had to.\n\n\tThe plate was set down on the table, carefully positioned away from any of the books. This took a moment for the poor sissy maid to accomplish, which was a moment too long for the one commanding him. Another sharp strike hit his thigh the second his fingers were clear of the plate and it rang though the small prefab room rather loudly. \n\n\tEleanor stepped forward and allowed the subordinate slave to take what should be his position behind her and to the left. She stood with all the stiffness and formality of a stale cracker. Chest puffed out and chin held at the exact level every training holo the company produced would insist created the correct posture. The badgers voce was bubblegum thick and cracked ever so slightly as her throat strained to wrap around a powerful militaristic tone.\n\n\t“Your dinner, Mistress.” The girl barked as she gave a small half-curtsy. “Roasted quail with sage butter, sautéed crimini stuffing, Sangc cheese Risotto and a pomegranate and wild berry Chutney. For wine may I recommend the ‘94 Ristol? It is supposed to have a unique earthiness that goes well with wild game.”\n\n\tThe words were more blurted than said. A veritable run-on that compacted in on itself to be nearly unintelligible. Runa shook her head as she looked the meal over slowly. She sighed softly and set the pad down before turning her glance to the girl standing before her. Good eye tracing its way up and down the cubs rigid body. \n\n\t“If, if you wish for a different wine, Mistress, I left the other faggot in the wine store. I… I can have him fetch what you wish.” The word sounded odd and unpracticed on her lips. Even that small silence was already cracking Eleanors eggshell-thin resolve. She tensed and wavered nearly ready to topple over at a stiff enough breeze. Her tender brown eyes showed it the most. Welling up with slowly building terror as her young mind raced behind them. A wash of conflicting emotions slowly building to a storm that threatened to consume the girl whole.\n\n\tRuna stood slowly, looking down into those eyes. She gripped Eleanors muzzle. Tilting the cubs gaze up to look at her. Runa leaned down and kissed the girl. Firmly. Not hard, not a crushing, overwhelming kiss. Her warm breath breaking into the young girls mouth as her tongue invaded the soft fresh hole, licking and lapping. Her firm pink muscle dominating the limp and inexperienced little mouth. The wolfess drank in the soft whimpers of terror and confusion like a fine wine. The whole of Eleanors body. Her center both physical and mental now resting on a pair of digits pushing gently but firmly into the underside of the young girls muzzle.\n\n\tJust as suddenly as she’d kissed, Runa stopped. Pulling back and placing another, more tender kiss on the girls forehead. She smiled and shook her head softly tussign the badger cubs hair. “the 94 is fine.” she said as she walked past her.\n\n\tAll poor Eleanor could manage was a crack-voiced ‘thank you Mistress”\n\n\t“You on the other hand, miss, are in trouble.” \n\n\tThe third figure, Siv, stood in the door way. The gold furred bunny smirking playfully as she watched her Mistress approach. Giving a small cursory bow and then bowing her head. “I simply felt that you needed a meal, Mistress. It’s been hours since lunch and you barely touched that.”\n\n\t“I ate what I wished, Which was more than enough to sate me. Yet here you are wasting food and time in some attempt to guilt me into a meal.”\n\n\tSiv nodded and grinned wide “and you will, naturally, punish me at your leisure, Mistress.”\n\n\tRuna rolled her eyes and sighed in bemused frustration. “Well I can’t very well let it go to waste. Besides. It did give me a little preview of how the girl is doing” she said as she cast her eyes back to the far less confident Eleanor. “Though you still need quite a bit of work, don’t you girl?”\n\n\t“Y-yes mistress” the cub whined softly as she tried to return to attention.\n\n\tThe wolf sighed softly and nodded “Go make sure the other little servant is getting the correct wine, take his sissy brother with you. It’s not fair keeping them apart so long.”\n\n\tEleanor nodded and quickly hurried out of the room, a quick glance from her drawing the meek little fox along behind.\n\n\tRuna laughed and just smirked to Siv a moment “You know I admit I’m impressed with that one. She’s shaping up well. So is Bi, really.” The wolf murred to herself and looked at her favored pet with a chuckle “I’ve made my decision. The deer will be prepped for my personal attention. The mole girl…” she smirked a bit “Give Eleanor another week in isolation. Use some harshness to spur her studies, tell her she wasn’t strict enough, wasn’t quite good enough, get her fired up… then we give her the Mole to train”\n\n\t“Wait, are you sure, Mistress?” Siv blinked “The little one would probably be a better showing for your benefactors. Plus she’d be a lot more fun.”\n\n\tRuna shook her head “If I wanted fun I’d stay at home like Ilka and play with dolls all day. Or at the very least I’d cheat and just use my own accounts to fund this whole thing. If we’re going to prove this then we’re going to do it right. The deer is the better challenge, and our little mole will make a fine test for Eleanor.”\n\n\t“Fine, Mistress… but I really wish you wouldn’t always insist on doing things the hard way.” The bunny muttered\n\n\t\n\n\t“and I wish you’d stop trying to dote on me so much, my pet” she chuckled “One would think with that collar around your neck one of us would be getting what they want, too.”\n\n\t“One would think.” Siv giggled as she nodded\n\n-------------------\n\n\tThe room was always the same. To the point where it felt somehow more comfortable than most of the station. Even compared to Runas quarters where new maids and security people would come and go. Where furniture would appear one day seemingly by magic, a gift from her mother or delivered tribute from some suitor or lesser exec hoping to butter up the future CEO.\n\nThe training room wasn’t like that though. The arms, the padded floor, nothing changed. It was like time simply couldn’t enter the thick walls the way it did the rest of the station.\n\n\tThe wolf paced around in her favorite corner of the mat. Back facing the old combat armor she’d slammed into more than once as a pup. It had been her day to pick weapons, and the twelve year old grinned as she tasted the familiar weight of her favorite training sword in her paw.\n\n\tTechnically it was a bastard sword, a hand and a half sword. A nice wide type XX blade that would have been considerable in the hands of a grown man back in the day. Runa had picked it up her first day of weapons training. Inspired as she often was by cartoons and games. It was almost impossible for six year old her to lift, let alone swing. Hardened impact foam and a weighted carbon fiber core.\n\n\tNow? Now it almost felt a bit small.\n\n\tShe looked across the mat to the other girl. A svelte, sleek Thylacine about a year her junior. She wore a simple, sleeveless grey jumpsuit with few marks and a long braided hunk of cable with fasteners, adorned with a handfull of well-loved junk parts that jingled and clacked around her neck as she moved.\n\n\tFor her foe, Runa had chosen a nice single-hand accessible brand, one of the more esoteric training weapons her teacher kept on hand, along with a short, stout recreation of a Type 5 boarding sword. A broad, straight bladed saber weapon with a stout front guard once common in earlier spaceship-boarding actions when hull integrity was a concern.\n\n\tRuna watched the girl with the wild hair and thick dreads over her temples as she tested out the pair of weapons with a small smirk. Facing the wolf girl down with an unapologetic sneer and tucking the off-handed weapon into a comfortable back-grip as she got into stance.\n\n\t“You didn’t put yourself at much of an advantage here, my princess.” The Thylacine growled happily “You know if you wanted to win today I admit I’m getting a bit rusty with pole arms. Or there is always the kusari-gama. After thrashing you yesterday my shoulder might be a it stiff you know.”\n\n\tRuna took a simple Ox stance and shook her head “I’m just curious if you will find a real weapon more palatable than swinging a pair of sticks at me, Taya.” Runa growled happily “It may be nice to see you adjust yourself to something with a bit of lethality. But then if you’re that insistent, I can always let you use something nice and primitive.”\n\n\t“Says the girl who never comes to the gun training.” Taya scoffed “I think the Princess is getting a bit too full of herself. I feel I am duty-bound to fix that.” The younger girl slipped down into a low stance with one leg tensed under her. The back blade and her long thick tail working in tandem to keep her balance. The brand front and center in preparation for her attack.\n\n\t“Well then lay on.” Runa smirked.\n\n\tThe blows came quickly, almost instantly. Runa fell back to her defense almost instantly as she twisted her body under the large sword. Shifting her weight to stop the hammering lines and Vs of furious blows from her opponent.\n\n\tThe pair moved as often happened around the small room. Taya quick and aggressive, Runa slower and more patient. The Thylacine would dart in fast to unleash her swings in patterns. Almost always striking from the top and side with her main hand or bottom and side with her bottom. Though occasionally she‘d attempt to catch her foe off guard by switching the grip in her off hand and raining down blows.\n\n\tThe wolf would guard and then swing when a flurry inevitably over-extended. Yet each time Taya would use that momentum to leap out of the way and continue the attack from the flank or the back, forcing Runa to shift quickly and continue her guard.\n\n\tIt was a dance both girls knew all too well. Well practiced and measured. Each one striking at openings the other left and the other spotting with just enough time to stop it. It was a dance where Taya had ended up leading for the past few fights, but it wouldn’t be this time. Not if Runa could help it.\n\n\tShe waited for the move. A harsh two-handed swing straight down with both weapons. A sudden attempt to shatter her guard with surprise and raw brute force. The slightly larger, slightly more well built cub found it easy enough to catch the attack with the flat of her blade. She felt Taya starting to slide the weapons downwards, trying to get leverage. Choosing to keep the lock and instead press it to breaking. Soft squish of combat foam and the stain of the stiff rods within strained them both, but Runa was prepared.\n\n\tIn a quick instant She twisted herself to the side, moving away from the lock and striking out with her hand to make a quick swipe at her opponents face. Taya noticed this and quickly began to move. As the wolf noticed this she quickly shot her paw open and instead reached. Snagging hold of the thick cable around Tayas neck and using it to yank her down to the ground where the other girl landed with a hard thud.\n\n\tThe longsword was raised, ready to strike what would be the killing blow. It stopped. Runa hearing Taya screaming. Screaming loudly, thrashing, sobbing as she started to curl up. She clutched the necklace hard and started to shiver and tremble\n\n\t“T-taya?” the wolf yelped “Taya, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”\n\n\tThe door slid open as Oda ran in. The old shrew trembling a bit as she quickly stated to examine the girl. “What did you do?” the teacher snapped\n\n\t“Nothing!” Runa yelped “nothing, I mean I was fighting her, and She dodged my punch. So I grabbed her necklace and…”\n\n\t“You touched her Grav’ya?” \n\n\tThe wolf girl went pale a moment as she swallowed hard. “I, well… I mean…”\n\n\t“Why would you do something like that? What in all the hells possessed you to do that to her?”\n\n\t“I was just trying to beat her. You always said, I mean. If you’re gonna be in a fight, you have to use every advantage. That it‘s life or death if you don‘t…”\n\n\tOda was up in an instant, griping her student by the head hair and snarling “I do not want excuses.” She snapped. The shrew glared into those soft bleu eyes for a long moment. The displeasure written all over her face. “You touched her Grav’ya. No, you grabbed it like a fucking handle. What is the one thing, the single thing you can do to disrespect a Vaga most? And you not only do it, you fucking try to excuse it? In my training hall?”\n\n\tWith little warning Taya sprung up. Claws out, dashing and screaming as she rushed at Runa. Oda used her free paw to grip the other girl by the shoulder. Letting her bit and scratch and scream until her energy was spent and she just collapsed, sobbing and sneering again.\n\n\t“Out.” Oda said firmly, but gently.\n\n\t“But Lady Oda, I…”\n\n\t“Out.” Oda repeated as she gazed at the sobbing girl. Taya picking herself up and walking out though the doors with her head hung low.\n\n \tOda let go, turning away and shaking her head. “I don’t care who you are, Runa. I don’t care how much power, or wealth you have. I don’t care what your mother may do to me. But if I ever, ever catch you doing something that dishonorable, that disrespectful again I’ll make sure you need old fashioned Chrome before you’re body is ever ready to fight again. Do I make myself clear, girl?” the shrews coldness came with a still reserve far sharper than her fury a moment before.\n\n\t“Yes Lady Oda.” Runa sniffled. The gravity of what she’d done just now starting to sink in, of how badly she’d disrespected her friend. The heat of the moment giving way as tears started to form in her eyes. She made it about half way out the door before hearing Odas voice.\n\n\t“If it’s life or death, you do what you have to. But not if it costs you your honor, or sees you violate a sister in arms. What you did to that girl was worse than wound her. You spat on her. Spat on every one of her people. If you’re going to do that, you better make damn sure it’s worth it, Runa” the woman spat.\n\n\tRuna nodded a bit as she started to walk out. Pacing her way just outside of the doors and into the larger hallway. She stopped to see Taya balled up in the corner, sobbing. Runa looked down and bit her lip. \n\n\t“T-taya?” Runa muttered.\n\n\tThe girl looked up. Eyes bloodshot and swollen, a bit of snot on the tip of her nose, body still heaving from the hyperventilation.\n\n\tThe wolf didn’t say a word. She simply put her hand against one of the gleaming gunmetal corridors to catch her breath, then stood straight and offered up her chin. Not uttering a word, not able to look the other girl in the face.\n\n\tThe blow finally connected. Socking Runa in the right eye, though most of it caught her cheek. It wasn’t as hard as it could have been. At worst she’d probably just have a shiner under her fur without any sort of tissue treatments.\n\n\tThe wolf opened her eyes to look at her friend. “You still mad?” Runa asked.\n\n\t“Yeah.” Taya nodded \n\n\t“Y-you still hate me?” the wolf whined.\n\n\t“Lil…” Taya muttered. “Hey, Princess?” She said rather hesitantly\n\n\t“Y-yeah?” Runa asked. The often sarcastic though technically accurate nickname causing her ears to perk a bit.\n\n\t“Don’t do that again.” Taya muttered though a small sob.\n\n\t“I won’t. S-sorry.” Runa muttered\n\n\t“A-and I get to pick weapons the next thee times.” Taya added\n\n\t“Ok” Runa nodded\n\n\t“And I get to drag you to the firing range tomorrow too. I mean it. You gotta promise.” She demanded.\n\n\t“I promise.” Runa nodded “Sorry. I really do promise I won’t do it again.”\n\n\tThe young Thylacine nodded and started to walk off. She stopped just long enough to look back at her. She then walked off down the hallway towards the lift. Leaving the young wolf alone just as she started to sob.\n\n--------------------\n\n\tIt took the crew two hours to install the second bay into the small armory building near the heart of the compound. Another hour to fix the wiring issues and get what should be a simple plug-install component to speak with the compound computer. By the time the team had finished Runa was already passed out in her chair as she waited while Bi had occupied herself with the thrilling task of reading weapon specs for the various arms on display within the room and munching her way slowly though some snacks. She’d already conquered a bag of printed popcorn, four glittersnap bars and nearly two whole liters of Aether by the time the technicians affirmed they had gotten the thing going and bothered to wake Lady Runa. Two more hours in and she was starting to regret the decision to do so. \n\n\t“Are you sure that this is really needed, Mistress?” Bi sighed as she squirmed and fidgeted on the simple glowing platform. “I figured that this whole bay was supposed to help get all of this started.”\n\n\t“It is” Runa nodded as she looked up at her pet. The toned and sexy tigress standing in nothing but panties and the awkwardly oversized-looking breastplate of her new power armor. No coloration program had been loaded yet. The material simply having the dull flat grey of the color pigments with hints of the woven carbon strands that helped make up much of the armors structure. “Unfortunately you still have to go through an initial fitting by hand. That’s the price you pay for some of the most sophisticated military hardware in existence.”\n\n\tBi shook her head a bit but nodded her understanding. It had taken an hour just to get the parts sorted and organized the way Mistress wanted. Another half-hour to get the various fasteners of the right length into place and have them seal into the suit so that it would have just the right snugness around her torso, and that was just for her upper chest. Between that and the thong-like crotch piece intended to have the lower body armor and legs the whole thing felt like a horrible ordeal.\n\n\t“Now then.” Runa nodded “It’s been my experience that once a team gets the legs properly adjusted then the rest should fall into place easily enough. I think it’s the damn thigh joints.”\n\n\t“Wait, Team? Think? Mistress… you have done this before, right?” Bi asked with a small nervous whimper.\n\n\t“Well sure I have. I mean not by myself. Not all at once. Not all in one shot like this. But yeah I’ve done it before. You just gotta know what kinds of spacers and adjustments are needed for a good fit.”\n\n\t“And the Nanowelder?” Bi asked nervously as he looked at the small silver wand sticking out of the tiny blue handle resting beside a wide array of ring spacers and a pair of thigh plates.\n\n\tRuna smacked what little rump she could given the protection and growled. “Oh hush you. The worst that thing could do is give you some signed fur. Well unless I turned it up to full and jabbed you with it. Now hold still, I’m going to try getting the thigh plates set and then the sockets in place. Once that’s done the rest should be a bit easier.”\n\n\t“You keep saying that.” Bi muttered. “Fine, as you say, Mistress.”\n\n\tThe next half hour or so was little more than the toned tiger standing in place as she felt her owner tweaking and fidgeting with the various little fasteners and spacers before the plates were locked in place hanging loosely by their own weight. Bi could feel the small pockets that would inflate with non-Newtonian fluid once the thing was fully assembled and hug her like a second skin. For now, well she just had to trust her owner knew what the hell she was doing.\n\n\t“Mistress.” Bi sighed softly. “We gotta stop.”\n\n\t“What? Stop? Why?”\n\n\t“I gotta pee”\n\n\t“You what?”\n\n\t“I drank a whole two liter waiting for these guys to install this thing and now I gotta pee.”\n\n\t“Hold it.” Runa sighed\n\n\t“I don’t want to get a bladder infection. Doesn’t this thing have like, systems to fix that?”\n\n\t“Yeah but it’s a catheter” Runa sighed.\n\n\tBi blushed and shook her head “Well if that’s the only way then I guess I gotta. How do I make it do.”\n\n\t“You don’t. You’re wearing panties. This is why the skinsuits these things use have a socket. Besides it doesn‘t have power”\n\n\t“Well then make it power. Make it do” Bi whined “I gotta go.”\n\n\t“That part isn’t hooked to the chest plate, and the chest plate isn’t safe until assembled with the lower piece, and the power pack is still on the charger over there. Look just hold it for like, five more minutes and I’ll help you get the crotch plate back off. I wanna get this done at least.”\n\n\tBi mmphed and grumbled a bit as she shook her head. The tiger grumbling loudly as she twisted and squirmed. Her thoughts racing and chest heaving a bit until finally she bit her lip and looked down. \n\n\t“Mistress. Why do you trust me?” Bi finally let slip out.\n\n\t“Huh? What are you talking about?” Runa asked as she slowly tried to work one of the small metal rings into place, then twisted the armor on Bis thigh and nodded to herself. She reached for a smaller one instead and slid it deftly where it needed to go. Pleased at the fit.\n\n\tThe already agitated tiger let out a small annoyed growl “I mean all of this.” she sighed “I mean all of this. You kidnapped me. You threw me in a ring, you beat the shit out of me until I learned how to fight. You… you stuck something in my head to make me get off when I get hurt the right way. I have every reason to hurt you and none to love you. You know I could easily be waiting for a shot to betray you.”\n\n\tThere was barely a flinch from the wolf as she shrugged and glanced up “I know. But you won’t.” Runa smirked\n\n\t“But how do you know? How do you know for sure that I’m not just looking to poison you. Or slit your throat when your back is turned. You got me these super powerful weapons and you’re in… a tank top. You know it would take literally one swipe and there’s nothing you could do about it. You could at least like, I don’t know, actually brainwash me a bit. You know, fuck with my head?”\n\n\tThe tigress’ ranting and screeching came with more than a bit of wriggling hip movement. Movement Runa had tried to ignore, then stop, then finally resulted in her sissy-slapping her pets thigh in frustration and growling with the small nano-welder clutched in her muzzle. “Will you stop that?” she growled.\n\n\tRuna let the thing fall from her muzzle and sighed softly. “Bi… I know you won’t betray me.” She said flatly.\n\n\t“But how? Why?” Bi almost growled. “You don’t have any proof that I won’t. You don’t have any facts saying I won’t. What proof do you have?”\n\n\t“None.” Runa shrugged\n\n\tBi growled and clenched her paw into a fist. Trembling and quaking. She threw her hand open and the small photonic claws at the tips of her fingers formed out just as they were intended. Agonizingly sharp and only a few centimeters long. She looked down at her Mistress, clearly expecting the wolf to be prepping an attack or at least in shock.\n\n\tInstead she just saw her sitting there calmly, fiddling though more of the parts for that stupid shin guard. Bi sighed and slumped.\n\n\t“You’re right, I don’t have any proof.” Runa nodded ‘But I know I can trust you, Bi. I know you won’t betray me. I can trust you with my life.” she nodded firmly as she looked up at her with those painfully mismatched eyes. The real one shimmering with amusement. “Now can I just trust you to hold still long enough for me to finish this armor? I don’t’ want to hear you complain because you didn’t stop moving around and the initial assembly was wrong.”\n\n\tDefeated, the tigress sighed and slumped where she stood. “Yes Mistress.” she muttered. That unflappable, implicit trust and confidence were just so unnerving. Yet at the same time, she felt a funny little hit of pride. “Could you hurry up though? I’m kind of getting antsy here”\n\n--------------------\n\n\tRuna ducked, dodged and weaved as her teacher threw wave after wave of swinging arms and thrusting elbows shot out at her. A flurry that would have devastated most unagumented furs regardless of size or speed. Indeed it was only her own inbuilt genetically modified muscles that kept her at the edge of the shrews relentless assault. Something that seemed to slip more and more with each attack.\n\n\t“You seem to be getting tired out.” Oda chuckled as she threw a particularly hard backhand. The padding on her gloves catching the blow as the older shrew returned a nice, hard, savage swipe to resume her assault.\n\n\tIt wasn’t easy. As she’d grown older Runa found herself getting faster. Tone and development of her muscles actually helping her finally outpace her mentor, if only just barely. \n\n\tStill the young woman felt a small swell of pride as she watched patiently. All she had to do was find an opening. A hole big enough. A punch, a kick. The attacks were keeping Oda off balance and driving her momentum. If she could just find a hole.\n\n\t“Damn it girl, stop dodging and just hit me!” Oda growled “This shouldn’t be hard.”\n\n\tRuna winced and took a deep breath. She slipped back from a particularly hard blow and dropped down to one knee with a sudden violent sweeping kick. Her swift athletic body managing to connect to Odas shin and the force starting to carry though.\n\n\tAt that same moment she felt a hard crack slam right into the base of her skull. Runa fell almost instantly under the weight of the blow and collapsed in sight of her teacher who likewise hit the mat. Albeit landing with considerably less pain and on her feet almost a moment later.\n\n\tThe shrew got up quickly and ran her hands over her shaven, heavily greyd headfur. She Shook her head “Why did you do that, girl?” The woman growled as she grumbled softly. “You had to know you were going to get hit.”\n\n\t“Because you said to, lady Oda“ Runa muttered.\n\n\t“And?” The old woman muttered\n\n\t“A-and I figured it was some kind of lesson?” Runa said sheepishly\n\n\t“And? That is no reason to do so. You knew it wasn’t going to work. You knew you didn‘t have an opening. Why do it?”\n\n\t“But you said“ She was cut off with a sharp smack to the muzzle\n\n\t“And you listened to me. You knew it wouldn’t work. If you know it won’t work, if you know you can’t win, then don’t do it. You could have defeated me in a movement if you’d done things differently. And do you know why, girl? ”\n\n\t“Because I‘m the superior species?” Runa asked more than said. The words had barely left her muzzle before another blow came. Not a smack this time. A hard, fast swipe towards her head. Enough to knock the wolf nearly off her feet and send her ears ringing like a bell.\n\n\t“Foolish girl” she growled softly. “Stupid pup. What have I been wasting my time with?”\n\n\tRuna growled, then whimpered. She shook her head and looked up, not saying a word.\n\n\t“Did being the superior species keep you from getting hit? Was your genetically perfected and refined body of any use when some beaten up old woman with some undeserved respected cleaned your clock for doing something stupid? Did hundreds, maybe thouands of man hours fixing or improving every little strand of DNA in that prety young body magically make my attack miss when you stupidly did as yo uwere told?” She spat\n\n\tOda stood straight and narrowed her eyes “Look at this body. Do you see any chrome? Any scars from implants? The perfect tone of someone who has had anything more than a couple basic rejuv treatments in her miserable old life?” The shrew threw a backhand which Runa took on the chin. The teenage wolf slowly standing back up and shaking her head a bit. Those long slightly spikey tresses shimmering as she returned the gaze to her teacher.\n\n\t“Your superiority means nothing, pup. Nothing at all if you don’t have the weapons to defend it. I can’t forge that for you. I can never forge that for you. I can make a fine weapon, girl. But my weapon. One I use. One I wield. What use is that to you? Do you think you can protect yourself, what is yours, claim what should be yours, with such a weapon?”\n\n\tEach word was spat with venom and Runa took them all as she had the blow. Wincing, growling, fire growing in her bright blue eyes. She said nothing, merely watching as her teacher went to the wall and took a large, heavy two handed training sword off of the rack. She paced back towards the wolf and tossed it towards her. Runa grabbing the heavy hilt and quickly falling into stance while she watched Oda slowly adjust a pair of padded bracers to her wrists.\n\n\t“What do you want from me.” The girl finally barked. “I’ve spent the past nine years coming in here like a fucking religion. I’ve put up with abuse, I’ve come home more beat up and broken than some ganer kids out in the rim after a brawl. Hel below I woke up in a med bay more than twice for you. I am sick, and tired, of getting the shit beat out of me hoping to puzzle together your next riddle. For Freya’s sake old woman will you just tell me what you want to say”\n\n\tThe teen shoved her teacher, hard. Hard enough to send the old shrew flying. She sailed back into the armor and knocked it hard, harder than the mannequin gyros could compensate for. In one horrifying split-second the power armor buckled and collapsed, landing hard on the old womans leg as it crumpled into a heap.\n\n\t“Oh Gods.” Runa yelped as she dashed over. She looked around frantically for something to grab on to. Her eyes trying not to make contact with the gruesome and surreal mess that was the old womans leg. Runa started to pull, then thought better of it as she saw just how deeply it had crushed. “Kenna, emergency call. I need a medical team up to the training room, Stat. Thanedottr, Clearance Runic.” She barked even as she yanked the sleeve off of her workout top, struggling to calm herself and tie it off where the impact had hit and stop the bleeding. Only when she had gotten it tied did she go for the nearby medkit. A small red and white box standing out beside the racks of weapons in clear view for situations just like this.\n\n\tAs she nabbed the thing off the wall and hit the small activation stud on it the pup stopped as she heard the woman laugh, soft and weak, shaking her head with a small sigh.\n\n\t“Just, just hold on Lady Oda. This isn’t that bad. I have things tied off, Just give it a few minutes and it’ll all be fine.”\n\n\tOda was smiling, laughing as she looked up at Runa, patting her on the shoulder a bit and then slumping back. Not saying a word as her student diligently worked her way though the medical systems instructions, carefully checking the wound as per the helpful video display and running the included multi-sensor scanner over the wound to check the condition of the leg, the kind of foreign body, check for toxins or illness or the like. The old shrew did her best to get comfortable without disturbing the wound too much and watched the girl work as they waited for the paramedics to arrive.\n\n--------------------\n\n\t“The deer is in the dungeon, Mistress” Siv muttered softly as she walked up behind her owner. She watched the wolf as she stood on one of the small stairways going in and out of the prefab mess hall. Once again Runa gazed out at the sky to the southeast. The front gate faced that way with the view of the lake though it showing a massive majestic pond of mirror-clear water. There were forests, trees, mountains. But she wasn’t looking at any of them.\n\n\t“It’s almost time.” Runa said flatly.\n\n\t“Time?” Siv asked, her voice feigning an ignorance she wished she possessed. “I can’t keep pushing myself any further. It’s been more than long enough. One way or another I have to face down this disgrace.”\n\n\t“No!” Siv said flatly. “No you don’t. Mistress I’ve kept quiet because I hoped you’d forget about it but now you leave me no choice. You can’t go after that woman again. I… I won’t let you”\n\n\t“Won’t let me?” Runa quirked her brow as she looked down at the bunny.\n\n\t“Y-you only survived last time because she presumed you were dead. This time. This time she could just... just….”\n\n\tThe wolf wrapped her arms around Siv and sighed, kissing the top of her forehead She said nothing. Neither did. The pair just hugging each other tight for the longest time as Runa slowly guided her eyes up and smiled. “This is about something more important than my life, pet. You know that. I couldn’t lie with myself if I ran away.”\n\n\t“Yes you could. You literally could. She’s some stupid woman in armor. You could literally hit her from orbit and win. You don’t need to risk yourself just to prove a point.”\n\n\tRuna sighed and kissed the bunnys lips softly. “You already know what I’m going to say to that Siv.”\n\n\t“Yes, and it’s stupid. I don’t care if you hate me, I don’t’ care if you never want to see me again. But just don’t do this. Please. Mistress please I’m begging you please. You’re my world.”\n\n\t“I know, little Siv. I know.” Runa sighed as she hugged her close. For a moment, just one split second, it was easy to listen. It was so easy to let her resolve waver and entertain the idea.\n\n\tThat was all she could do though. Runa traced her paw over her eye and sighed. “You know how this has to end, pet.” Runa said as she hugged her tightly “All I can promise is to do my best.”\n\nShe held the sobbing girl close to her chest and sighed as the two stood still in the sunset.\n\n--------------------\n\n\tIn a way it was almost amazing how much could be changed by doing so little. A small row of wooden chairs and a large matching desk at one side of the room, a large sealed metal case at the other. There were some banners up. The house emblem and a few honorifics all printed in genuine silk. The kind of thing that could have just as easily been a holo-projection. But odds were good her mother, or more likely whatever servant had been instructed by her mother to make this special, had wanted some kind of ostentatious display for even this relatively meager milestone.\n\n\tThere wasn’t much room for people to attend. Sean was there naturally, a pillar of support as his large frame took up a chair. Next to him was Ilka. Also expected, also likely coerced away from her little games with dolls or toying with basic AI construction.\n\n\tA member of the Corp security forces sat in attendance. His ornate black and silver dress uniform buttoned up to the sharp squared lapel and ornate cap. He was probably one of the people in charge of Tayas training, and also probably saw this as a way to get brownie points with Runa.\n\n\tA few executives filled most of the other seats. People who probably bribed or threatened their way in hoping that she’d remember them on this ‘special’ day. She didn’t, and wouldn’t, and really just found the sight of a sour looking woman in a dress suit and a withered old man in more formal neo-goth attire trying to look stoic while they sandwiched a hyperactive and barley contained little Siv. Her special little plush of a lover doing all she could not to burst out of her seat and run around the room.\n\n\tRuna strode forwards confidently. Her simple leather tunic, black leather pants and high-laced boots carefully chosen but painfully simple compared to many in attendance. Her hair was tied back and tipped silver, but otherwise the wolf girl hadn’t gone to that much trouble. She understood what this really was.\n\n\tAt the far wall stood a rack of weapons. On one side stood lady Oda, her weight kept largely off the scarred and battered leg that had cut down on her ability to train others in the past couple years. Taya knelt in a ready pose beside their teacher with a huge grin plastered on her face. The ceremony would likely be far less extravert with her. Gods she was lucky.\n\n\tAt the other end was a representative of Brokkr arms, the companys weapons division. A rather svelte looking weasel in a sharp white suit and thin rimmed glasses. “Lady Thanedottr. Allow me to thank you for the honor of choosing us to aid you in this most wondrous day.” the man muttered… as if Runa rally had a choice in the matter.\n\n\tOda smirked and shook her had a bit I amusement. “Allrihgt pup. I have to say there were times when I never thought this day would come. You’ve been a real damn pain of a student, but I think it just might have been worth it.”\n\n\t“Now for those of you who don’t know.” Oda said as she addressed the crowd. The old woman seeming to delight in taking a shot out of those who showed up to be seen “normally it’s my tradition to ask my students to chose a weapon, and then I’ll get them one made to fit that style. That weapon is then theirs. For a real warrior, their weapon is their heart, their soul, their very life. However,” the old shrew chuckled “it seems the R&D boys got a bit excited finding out that their princess was going to be one of my graduating students. So, since they went to all the trouble of providing this sort of selection, I figured I‘d let Runa simply choose directly.”\n\n\tA big velvet cloth that had been covering the stand was quickly pulled away, allowing for people to ooh and ahh at its fruits. The whole thing looked more like the melee weapon selection in the B.A. Catalogue. Brightly shined spears and monofilament wire contraptions. A massive collider-hammer and even a pair of maser-monoblade hybrids. All polished, ornate and dazzling.\n\n\tAt the center of the rack were the parts for a new set of armor, though Runa had already been told that was hers to keep. Her mother having commissioned it for this day, likely in some token show of something akin to support.\n\n\tEveryone there was excited, or at least feigned excitement. The wolf smiled a bit to herself and decided to look over each weapon carefully. Inspect them, give them a fair shake. Empty hilts and fine, ergonomic shapes all inlaid with precious metals and real, expensive leather for many of the grips. She traced her hand along one of the silver mono swords and cast a glance to the increasingly impatient and anxious. She then cast her eyes to Oda and Taya, nodding her approval. \n\n\tWithout a shred of further hesitation, Runa snatched up the weapon on the lower furthest-right of the board. A long, ornate pole about a meter or so long with an emitter sitting at one end, and a simple pommel on the other.\n\n\tThe suit offering the gear seemed a bit taken aback, but said nothing. Oda on the other hand leaned up and looked the weapon over quizzically. Her trademark scowl on her face. “Mmm, are you sure, pup? Photonic weapons are difficult to master already, and this one is rather unwieldy, and plain. I am sure you have better options to choose from. Not to mention ones that look more befitting of one such as yourself.”\n\n\t“Maybe, Lady Oda” she nodded “but this is my choice. Runa hit the activation stud with her thumb, a long, shimmering blade of pure blue light Snapping forth from the emitter as she held it up for all in the room to see.\n\n\tThe old woman gave her student a proud, cowing grin. “Then the choice has been made.” She announced “Runa Thanedottr, I am proud to announce you are no longer a mere disciple. You are a warrior.”\n\n--------------------\n\n\t“No commander, I think you can send Taya in today. I should have some time free.”\n\n\tOda waved her hand before the door to her small training room. The old shrew smirked to herself a bit. A rare sight. Thankfully there was no video feed on the small wrist-mounted communicator and thus no way for anyone to see it. “In fact I think I can likely give your little pet project considerably more attention. You’re strike teams too if they shape up. It’s starting to feel like they’re just not learning the basics”\n\n\tThe old shrew felt her words fall flat in her throat. She looked up from below that shaggy mop of hair as the lights came on in her training room. There, in the middle, knelt Lady Runa. The wolf cub stiff and rigid. Her eyes bright and fists balled up tight. She held the same perfect position as before. But with the eagerness long vanished. Instead there was fire. Determination. A twisted little scowl on her tiny face as she did everything she could to keep in place with those puffy tear-filled eyes.\n\n\t“Actually Commander you may have to scratch that. I think that opening just closed.”\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "By Right: Resolve

By TerraMGP

\tIt was almost too exciting for the young pup. She’d never been so far from the core of the family Suites before. Certainly not all alone like this. She knelt on the soft impact-foam flooring. Bright blue eyes gazing up in awe at the racks of weapons and armor on display.

\tShe did her best to keep in the position she’d watched in the vids. Knees tight and parallel, sitting under her body. Back straight, chin up. Her hands balled into tiny fists resting on either knee. A small swell of pride filled her little chest as she did her best to keep her eyes fixated on the door. It took every shred of meager discipline that the pup had to keep her tail from wagging away.

\tFinally, the door slid open. The woman who walked in was somehow less and more than what the cub had expected. Short, almost bristly hair with silvery tips lined and framed the Shrews face. Her body was a toned mass of steel-forged looking lean muscle and countless scars both large and small smattered along her pelt. Her hair was cropped short with streaks of grey smattered in the dark brown and icy eyes hardened with age.

\tIt was the first time the pup had ever seen a woman like this. Her body looking so… old. So unsculpted. The woman strode into the room without paying a shred of consideration to the girl in the middle of it. Slowly wrapping a set dark blue wraps around her hands and wrists.

\t“Miss Oda?” she barked happily. Tail wagging away behind her.

\t“Lady Runa?” the woman muttered in a cold, detached tone.

\tHer voice broke in her throat. A sharp jolt of raw agony shooting though little Runa. She fell to the ground and gasped. Her eyes bugging and filling with tears. She collapsed on the ground with muzzle opened in a silent scream. Her eyes barely registering the frozen moment as the icy woman pulled her foot back from the sudden kick.

\tShe saw the woman walk past, then slumped and trembled. The cubs whole world melted into agony as the sound of her own sobbing filled her head and the room. Bawling and weeping as she gripped at her stomach and struggled to pull air into her lungs.

--------------------

\tThe compounds little arena had hardly gone to waste since bi broke. The soft sugary sand was littered each day with dozens of footprints. The scars of hard training that dug themselves deeply into the floor before being swept away at weeks end by one of the servants with a rake.

\tThe young wolf woman was busy carving new gashes into that sand as she stood at the center of four large padded dummies. They were simple enough constructs really, bound log crosses wrapped in some spare insolative foam and tied with simple printed mats that each flickered on lights in different patterns. Each time a light flickered on Runa would quickly toss a blow at it, striking the area and stopping it quickly.

\tThe space between the four makeshift dummies was carefully measured and calculated by Siv, which meant it was just far enough apart that Runa had to work for her quick strikes. A hook kick to one dummy used to strike at another. A spinning backhand that twisted into a side-roll so she could deliver a kneeling straight punch to the dummy at her left. Only half an hour in and she was already starting to feel strain and exhaustion simply from the physical strain of such wide and rapid laps.

\tBi leaned in from the outside of the arena, as did a pair of the remaining guards. All watching the display of the woman in charge wear herself out on the primitive training tools while a small blue music player cylinder blared out a rapid mix of guitar, flute and various other synthesized interments in a rapid rising pulse. It would have been painfully easy to simply attack with the beat of the music. Which was why she all but sought to avoid it.

\tThe blows started to pick up pace as her panting got heavier. Her breath ragged, her natural eye even starting to water. She let out a furious machine gun punch into the gut area of one dummy and then finally collapsed hard against the thing. Panting and gasping for air until she finally just slumped down into the sand. The padding only went down so far, and as she did she felt rough cut wood slide and almost splinter against her back. In fact it did leave a few nice long shards poking comically out of the simple wrap she wore around her chest.

\tLight padding footfalls soon broke the music as a familiar golden-furred bunny padded her way forward. She scooped up the water bottle Runa had laying in the sand and knelt down next to her Mistress, popping the top off and offering it to the exhausted wolf.

\tRuna snatched it up and slumped taking a nice hard chug that drained half the one-liter thing.  She then winced and pulled it away from her muzzle quickly. “Gahh, By Hel’s fucking face why do the rims of these things always have to be so cold.” Runa Spat.

\t“You’d prefer a liter of boiling water in a plain metal bottle, Mistress?” Siv chuckled.

\t“Smartass.” Runa snapped as she finished the other half and groaned softly to herself. “These things were each further back from center than yesterday, weren’t they?”

\tSiv nodded proudly “A good six inches. My data indicated that Mistress was getting a bit used to where things were again. If you’re going to pointlessly damage your body to replicate a simple skill upload I figured I should at least make it worth your time.”

\tThe wolf sighed and shook her head. Siv really had never gotten it. But then she had no need to. The wolf woman simply leaned up and kissed her pet on the cheek before slumping back and running her fingers though that thick, somewhat spiked mane of hair. “I need to get my dye redone soon. One month my ass…” she muttered

\t“To be fair, it’s not intended for that kind of hard use, Mistress. Sweat is a good solvent.” Siv chided “To be more fair, it’s a sexy ass.”

\tThat just got the golden bunny a swat as Runa sighed happily and rolled her shoulders. She was starting to feel the endorphins hit, that small natural high that not even the best sim programs could really nail properly. She reached her rubbering arm up and wrapped it around the bunny, pulling her in close to that sweaty and oh so tired canid body with a soft growl.

\t“I have your news updates for you as well, Mistress.” Siv nodded.

\t“Shoot.” Runa barked tiredly

\t“First, the supply transport should be coming tomorrow and as per your orders… I let them know you’d be sending two more guards back with them.” she said quietly. The bunny girl made some minor effort to hide it but clearly wasn’t pleased to say those words.

\tRuna, on the other hand, nodded her approval. “Good. All things considered I’d call that timing almost serendipitous.”

\t“You mean right after an attack? One where you could have used a full security force, Mistress?” the bunny worried. “The attack where a few snipers and some combat professionals with something more than what they wear to scare off protesting college kids on the home station  might have come in handy? The one where you had to fight a tank?”

\tSivs words were cut off by a hard hug as she was kissed on the forehead and hushed to calmness by her Mistress. “That was a fluke and you know it. Those assholes were just heavily armed enough to be a threat and just stupid enough to think they could muscle in on a Yggdrasil facility without consequence. That’s like… that’s like the ‘leave your bottle of Aether in the freezer just long enough that it looks liquid when you take it out and freezes when you smack it’ of slaver troupes.”

\tSiv giggled a bit. More in relief than amusement as she buried her face into her beloved owners shoulder. The poor thing bit back on her sobs a moment and squeezed against the well muscled lupine as tight as her own arms possibly could.

\t“Also I feel I should warn you, Mistress. Your sponsors for this little project have asked that we move the time table for your demonstration model up a month. They gave a reason, but really it was all just impatience and marketing jargon.”

\t“Everything they say will boil down to impatience and marketing Jargon.” Runa sighed “Still, I have been putting that project off too long. I confess that getting us established was the bigger priority. I presume the remaining material is still prepped in stasis?”

\t“Sleeping away and passive, just as you ordered.” the bunny nodded firmly “I made sure to cut off their stimulus. When they wake up the two will be no different than they were the day they got here.”

\t“Good.” Runa nodded “Wake them both up day after tomorrow. I’ll make my decision by then. For now I have some more pressing concerns.”

\t“It’s always more pressing concerns.” Siv sighed “Very well, as you wish, My Mistress.”

--------------------

\tThe seven year old cub bounced hard off of the floor and skidded to a harsh stop as she thudded against a suit of power armor standing at one corner of the room. She lay there a moment, dazed and confused, before quickly looking up at the suit and rolling out of the way.

\tShe watched the thing cautiously, then curiously, then with a bit of frustration starting to sweep her young face.

\t“What are you doing, Lady Runa.” Oda sighed, exasperated.

\t“It didn’t fall.” the pup barked with a mix of fascination and growing anger.

\t“And why would it fall?” Oda grumbled.

\t“B’cause it’s big an’ heavy. That’s what always happens in the toons, right? Ya shove the big heavy armor and it falls over.”

\tThe old shrew narrowed her eyes and grumbled as she walked up to the armor and shoved it hard. Pushing and pressing at the massive hunk of shaped carbon mesh and various rare metals. “This is old service armor, Lady Runa. Half a ton of it’s an ounce and with a display Mannequin in it to help keep it stable and standing. This isn’t like some childs show. These are tools of war. People fight and die in such things. If old style auto cannons have a hard time getting though this armor then little girls the weight of a bag of Nutri-paste aren’t going to do much.”

\t“Oh.” Runa nodded “ok. Sorry, I guess, Lady Oda. So can you show me that really super cool move you used?” Runa asked. The little girls mood shifting from dejected to elated so fast it almost made Odas neck hurt.

\t“I wish I could say I blame the neurological tweaking for the attention span.” Oda sighed to herself as she helped the girl up and narrowed her eyes a moment. “You wish to learn the attack that sent you flying, girl?” she asked calmly

\tRuna nodded a bit and perked her ears “Yuh huh. That looked super cool, I think. It was kinda hard to tell flying back like that. But I wanna learn all of your super cool secret moves!”

\t“I see…” Oda nodded “Well then girl, first, why don’t you try showing me one of your moves. Allow me to evaluate the kind of thing you would create, given a chance.” she said as took a step back and gave Runa her space

\t“One of my moves?” Runa asked eagerly.

\tThe old woman nodded “Indeed. Go ahead my little disciple. Show me just what kind of cool moves you can muster.”

\tThe wolf pup squealed eagerly and nodded a frantic little nod. She slipped back into one of the more fanciful stances Oda had taught her. Legs low with one out before her and all the weight on the back leg. One arm out and the other above her head. A stance that was useful to set up a low attack with a sword, but little else.

\tFrom that stance Runa burst forwards with all the speed her optimized little body could muster. It was fast, likely faster than many unagumented adults. Much faster than she had any right to be. That fast dash soon shifting as she pushed off and spun her body around, doing an impressive job of conserving momentum. The little bundle of fur and fury tensed up and ready to spring a full-force kick at Oda.

\tOne quick backhand ended the grandiose display. Runa tumbled like the aforementioned bag of foodstuffs and thudded along the padded mat until once again coming to a stop.

\t“Now, can you tell me why that didn’t work?” Oda asked as she slowly paced towards her student.

\tRuna just looked up and shook her head a bit, wincing and whimpering loudly.

\t“This isn’t a show, girl. This isn’t some game where you do big flashy things and they deal unrealistic damage to your opponent. Your movements matter, your actions have consequence. I do not teach ‘moves’, pup. I teach skills. Any hack on this station could easily impart some pretty gymnastics to you and tell you it will beat your foe. Combat, war, is about life and death. If a simple punch is sufficient, then simply punch. If you want ‘moves’ then I have know plenty of games I could suggest you jack into instead. If you’re here, you’re here to learn how to fight. Understood?”

\t“Yes, Lady Oda” Runa said meekly as she stood up and sniffled a bit “I’m sorry, Lady Oda.”

\t“Good.” Oda nodded ‘now get in your stance. Lets teach you how to deliver a real kick.”

--------------------

\tThe compound had quieted by evening. The otherwise dark field and its semicircle ring of buildings sat dead and still beyond the thin rays of light streaking from a few open viewports and the dull glow of the defensive emplacements sitting in standby mode.

\tRuna sat at a small table by the entrance to the holding cells. Her armor back in its charging bay and weapon sitting emitter-down in the corner beside her. She dressed simply in her usual vest and a loose leather skirt. A pair of old glasses perched on her muzzle. In spite of the hard work put in to design her new prosthetics it seemed to have a slight blind spot for distance at reading range. It wasn’t much, but Mother would likely punish the technicians who made it if she knew. Assuming she didn’t, and hadn’t done so already.

\tShe leaned against the wall with the front legs of the old oak chair barely creaking their weight off of the floor. Eyes tracing between a fresh holo pad and a thick, old, printed book with a heavy leather bound cover.

\tThe wolf perked her ear a bit as she heard the door slide itself open from beside her. Her real eye twitched to the side slowly as she caught sight of three figures at the periphery of her vision.

\tThe first figure was recognizable rather quickly. One of the fox boys. She’d stopped trying to figure which was which a while ago, nor did it really matter too much. They were one and the same after all, at least they should be. The boy wore a simple, traditional maids uniform with a skirt light enough to show the rather obvious tent he was sporting. A small blush on his cheek as he Came into the room, a delicate bone china plate held in his hands.

\tBehind him, watching carefully, was Eleanor. The badger girl had been allowed out for a few short tasks over the past couple weeks, and it was already clear she was grateful for any time not spent studying in isolation. Runa watched as the smartly dressed girl followed the boy carefully. She wore a corset, boots, glasses, and little else. A stiff riding crop held in her hands with all the uncomfortable twisting that any young one might feel when they hadn’t yet acclimated to the tool.

\tShe walked at a slightly hurried pace behind the boy. Runa could see the pudgy girl twist and bend the crop as she held it. Struggling to keep the confidence her current task required. Then again, the poor fox boy with the plate clearly didn’t see any of this. He simply walked as quickly as he dared towards the table. He fumbled and minced along in his awkward high heels as he struggled not to drop the plate when Eleanor smacked his thigh far harder than she likely had to.

\tThe plate was set down on the table, carefully positioned away from any of the books. This took a moment for the poor sissy maid to accomplish, which was a moment too long for the one commanding him. Another sharp strike hit his thigh the second his fingers were clear of the plate and it rang though the small prefab room rather loudly.

\tEleanor stepped forward and allowed the subordinate slave to take what should be his position behind her and to the left. She stood with all the stiffness and formality of a stale cracker. Chest puffed out and chin held at the exact level every training holo the company produced would insist created the correct posture. The badgers voce was bubblegum thick and cracked ever so slightly as her throat strained to wrap around a powerful militaristic tone.

\t“Your dinner, Mistress.” The girl barked as she gave a small half-curtsy. “Roasted quail with sage butter, sautéed crimini stuffing, Sangc cheese Risotto and a pomegranate and wild berry Chutney. For wine may I recommend the ‘94 Ristol? It is supposed to have a unique earthiness that goes well with wild game.”

\tThe words were more blurted than said. A veritable run-on that compacted in on itself to be nearly unintelligible. Runa shook her head as she looked the meal over slowly. She sighed softly and set the pad down before turning her glance to the girl standing before her. Good eye tracing its way up and down the cubs rigid body.

\t“If, if you wish for a different wine, Mistress, I left the other faggot in the wine store. I… I can have him fetch what you wish.” The word sounded odd and unpracticed on her lips. Even that small silence was already cracking Eleanors eggshell-thin resolve. She tensed and wavered nearly ready to topple over at a stiff enough breeze. Her tender brown eyes showed it the most. Welling up with slowly building terror as her young mind raced behind them. A wash of conflicting emotions slowly building to a storm that threatened to consume the girl whole.

\tRuna stood slowly, looking down into those eyes. She gripped Eleanors muzzle. Tilting the cubs gaze up to look at her. Runa leaned down and kissed the girl. Firmly. Not hard, not a crushing, overwhelming kiss. Her warm breath breaking into the young girls mouth as her tongue invaded the soft fresh hole, licking and lapping. Her firm pink muscle dominating the limp and inexperienced little mouth. The wolfess drank in the soft whimpers of terror and confusion like a fine wine. The whole of Eleanors body. Her center both physical and mental now resting on a pair of digits pushing gently but firmly into the underside of the young girls muzzle.

\tJust as suddenly as she’d kissed, Runa stopped. Pulling back and placing another, more tender kiss on the girls forehead. She smiled and shook her head softly tussign the badger cubs hair. “the 94 is fine.” she said as she walked past her.

\tAll poor Eleanor could manage was a crack-voiced ‘thank you Mistress”

\t“You on the other hand, miss, are in trouble.”

\tThe third figure, Siv, stood in the door way. The gold furred bunny smirking playfully as she watched her Mistress approach. Giving a small cursory bow and then bowing her head. “I simply felt that you needed a meal, Mistress. It’s been hours since lunch and you barely touched that.”

\t“I ate what I wished, Which was more than enough to sate me. Yet here you are wasting food and time in some attempt to guilt me into a meal.”

\tSiv nodded and grinned wide “and you will, naturally, punish me at your leisure, Mistress.”

\tRuna rolled her eyes and sighed in bemused frustration. “Well I can’t very well let it go to waste. Besides. It did give me a little preview of how the girl is doing” she said as she cast her eyes back to the far less confident Eleanor. “Though you still need quite a bit of work, don’t you girl?”

\t“Y-yes mistress” the cub whined softly as she tried to return to attention.

\tThe wolf sighed softly and nodded “Go make sure the other little servant is getting the correct wine, take his sissy brother with you. It’s not fair keeping them apart so long.”

\tEleanor nodded and quickly hurried out of the room, a quick glance from her drawing the meek little fox along behind.

\tRuna laughed and just smirked to Siv a moment “You know I admit I’m impressed with that one. She’s shaping up well. So is Bi, really.” The wolf murred to herself and looked at her favored pet with a chuckle “I’ve made my decision. The deer will be prepped for my personal attention. The mole girl…” she smirked a bit “Give Eleanor another week in isolation. Use some harshness to spur her studies, tell her she wasn’t strict enough, wasn’t quite good enough, get her fired up… then we give her the Mole to train”

\t“Wait, are you sure, Mistress?” Siv blinked “The little one would probably be a better showing for your benefactors. Plus she’d be a lot more fun.”

\tRuna shook her head “If I wanted fun I’d stay at home like Ilka and play with dolls all day. Or at the very least I’d cheat and just use my own accounts to fund this whole thing. If we’re going to prove this then we’re going to do it right. The deer is the better challenge, and our little mole will make a fine test for Eleanor.”

\t“Fine, Mistress… but I really wish you wouldn’t always insist on doing things the hard way.” The bunny muttered

\t

\t“and I wish you’d stop trying to dote on me so much, my pet” she chuckled “One would think with that collar around your neck one of us would be getting what they want, too.”

\t“One would think.” Siv giggled as she nodded

-------------------

\tThe room was always the same. To the point where it felt somehow more comfortable than most of the station. Even compared to Runas quarters where new maids and security people would come and go. Where furniture would appear one day seemingly by magic, a gift from her mother or delivered tribute from some suitor or lesser exec hoping to butter up the future CEO.

The training room wasn’t like that though. The arms, the padded floor, nothing changed. It was like time simply couldn’t enter the thick walls the way it did the rest of the station.

\tThe wolf paced around in her favorite corner of the mat. Back facing the old combat armor she’d slammed into more than once as a pup. It had been her day to pick weapons, and the twelve year old grinned as she tasted the familiar weight of her favorite training sword in her paw.

\tTechnically it was a bastard sword, a hand and a half sword. A nice wide type XX blade that would have been considerable in the hands of a grown man back in the day. Runa had picked it up her first day of weapons training. Inspired as she often was by cartoons and games. It was almost impossible for six year old her to lift, let alone swing. Hardened impact foam and a weighted carbon fiber core.

\tNow? Now it almost felt a bit small.

\tShe looked across the mat to the other girl. A svelte, sleek Thylacine about a year her junior. She wore a simple, sleeveless grey jumpsuit with few marks and a long braided hunk of cable with fasteners, adorned with a handfull of well-loved junk parts that jingled and clacked around her neck as she moved.

\tFor her foe, Runa had chosen a nice single-hand accessible brand, one of the more esoteric training weapons her teacher kept on hand, along with a short, stout recreation of a Type 5 boarding sword. A broad, straight bladed saber weapon with a stout front guard once common in earlier spaceship-boarding actions when hull integrity was a concern.

\tRuna watched the girl with the wild hair and thick dreads over her temples as she tested out the pair of weapons with a small smirk. Facing the wolf girl down with an unapologetic sneer and tucking the off-handed weapon into a comfortable back-grip as she got into stance.

\t“You didn’t put yourself at much of an advantage here, my princess.” The Thylacine growled happily “You know if you wanted to win today I admit I’m getting a bit rusty with pole arms. Or there is always the kusari-gama. After thrashing you yesterday my shoulder might be a it stiff you know.”

\tRuna took a simple Ox stance and shook her head “I’m just curious if you will find a real weapon more palatable than swinging a pair of sticks at me, Taya.” Runa growled happily “It may be nice to see you adjust yourself to something with a bit of lethality. But then if you’re that insistent, I can always let you use something nice and primitive.”

\t“Says the girl who never comes to the gun training.” Taya scoffed “I think the Princess is getting a bit too full of herself. I feel I am duty-bound to fix that.” The younger girl slipped down into a low stance with one leg tensed under her. The back blade and her long thick tail working in tandem to keep her balance. The brand front and center in preparation for her attack.

\t“Well then lay on.” Runa smirked.

\tThe blows came quickly, almost instantly. Runa fell back to her defense almost instantly as she twisted her body under the large sword. Shifting her weight to stop the hammering lines and Vs of furious blows from her opponent.

\tThe pair moved as often happened around the small room. Taya quick and aggressive, Runa slower and more patient. The Thylacine would dart in fast to unleash her swings in patterns. Almost always striking from  the top and side with her main hand or bottom and side with her bottom. Though occasionally she‘d attempt to catch her foe off guard by switching the grip in her off hand and raining down blows.

\tThe wolf would guard and then swing when a flurry inevitably over-extended. Yet each time Taya would use that momentum to leap out of the way and continue the attack from the flank or the back, forcing Runa to shift quickly and continue her guard.

\tIt was a dance both girls knew all too well. Well practiced and measured. Each one striking at openings the other left and the other spotting with just enough time to stop it. It was a dance where Taya had ended up leading for the past few fights, but it wouldn’t be this time. Not if Runa could help it.

\tShe waited for the move. A harsh two-handed swing straight down with both weapons. A sudden attempt to shatter her guard with surprise and raw brute force. The slightly larger, slightly more well built cub found it easy enough to catch the attack with the flat of her blade. She felt Taya starting to slide the weapons downwards, trying to get leverage. Choosing to keep the lock and instead press it to breaking. Soft squish of combat foam and the stain of the stiff rods within strained them both, but Runa was prepared.

\tIn a quick instant She twisted herself to the side, moving away from the lock and striking out with her hand to make a quick swipe at her opponents face. Taya noticed this and quickly began to move. As the wolf noticed this she quickly shot her paw open and instead reached. Snagging hold of the thick cable around Tayas neck and using it to yank her down to the ground where the other girl landed with a hard thud.

\tThe longsword was raised, ready to strike what would be the killing blow. It stopped. Runa hearing Taya screaming. Screaming loudly, thrashing, sobbing as she started to curl up. She clutched the necklace hard and started to shiver and tremble

\t“T-taya?” the wolf yelped “Taya, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

\tThe door slid open as Oda ran in. The old shrew trembling a bit as she quickly stated to examine the girl. “What did you do?” the teacher snapped

\t“Nothing!” Runa yelped “nothing, I mean I was fighting her, and She dodged my punch. So I grabbed her necklace and…”

\t“You touched her Grav’ya?”

\tThe wolf girl went pale a moment as she swallowed hard. “I, well… I mean…”

\t“Why would you do something like that? What in all the hells possessed you to do that to her?”

\t“I was just trying to beat her. You always said, I mean. If you’re gonna be in a fight, you have to use every advantage. That it‘s life or death if you don‘t…”

\tOda was up in an instant, griping her student by the head hair and snarling “I do not want excuses.” She snapped. The shrew glared into those soft bleu eyes for a long moment. The displeasure written all over her face. “You touched her Grav’ya. No, you grabbed it like a fucking handle. What is the one thing, the single thing you can do to disrespect a Vaga most? And you not only do it, you fucking try to excuse it? In my training hall?”

\tWith little warning Taya sprung up. Claws out, dashing and screaming as she rushed at Runa. Oda used her free paw to grip the other girl by the shoulder. Letting her bit and scratch and scream until her energy was spent and she just collapsed, sobbing and sneering again.

\t“Out.” Oda said firmly, but gently.

\t“But Lady Oda, I…”

\t“Out.” Oda repeated as she gazed at the sobbing girl. Taya picking herself up and walking out though the doors with her head hung low.

 \tOda let go, turning away and shaking her head. “I don’t care who you are, Runa. I don’t care how much power, or wealth you have. I don’t care what your mother may do to me. But if I ever, ever catch you doing something that dishonorable, that disrespectful again I’ll make sure you need old fashioned Chrome before you’re body is ever ready to fight again. Do I make myself clear, girl?” the shrews coldness came with a still reserve far sharper than her fury a moment before.

\t“Yes Lady Oda.” Runa sniffled. The gravity of what she’d done just now starting to sink in, of how badly she’d disrespected her friend. The heat of the moment giving way as tears started to form in her eyes. She made it about half way out the door before hearing Odas voice.

\t“If it’s life or death, you do what you have to. But not if it costs you your honor, or sees you violate a sister in arms. What you did to that girl was worse than wound her. You spat on her. Spat on every one of her people. If you’re going to do that, you better make damn sure it’s worth it, Runa” the woman spat.

\tRuna nodded a bit as she started to walk out. Pacing her way just outside of the doors and into the larger hallway. She stopped to see Taya balled up in the corner, sobbing. Runa looked down and bit her lip.

\t“T-taya?” Runa muttered.

\tThe girl looked up. Eyes bloodshot and swollen, a bit of snot on the tip of her nose, body still heaving from the hyperventilation.

\tThe wolf didn’t say a word. She simply put her hand against one of the gleaming gunmetal corridors to catch her breath, then stood straight and offered up her chin. Not uttering a word, not able to look the other girl in the face.

\tThe blow finally connected. Socking Runa in the right eye, though most of it caught her cheek. It wasn’t as hard as it could have been. At worst she’d probably just have a shiner under her fur without any sort of tissue treatments.

\tThe wolf opened her eyes to look at her friend. “You still mad?” Runa asked.

\t“Yeah.” Taya nodded

\t“Y-you still hate me?” the wolf whined.

\t“Lil…” Taya muttered. “Hey, Princess?” She said rather hesitantly

\t“Y-yeah?” Runa asked. The often sarcastic though technically accurate nickname causing her ears to perk a bit.

\t“Don’t do that again.” Taya muttered though a small sob.

\t“I won’t. S-sorry.” Runa muttered

\t“A-and I get to pick weapons the next thee times.” Taya added

\t“Ok” Runa nodded

\t“And I get to drag you to the firing range tomorrow too. I mean it. You gotta promise.” She demanded.

\t“I promise.” Runa nodded “Sorry. I really do promise I won’t do it again.”

\tThe young Thylacine nodded and started to walk off. She stopped just long enough to look back at her. She then walked off down the hallway towards the lift. Leaving the young wolf alone just as she started to sob.

--------------------

\tIt took the crew two hours to install the second bay into the small armory building near the heart of the compound. Another hour to fix the wiring issues and get what should be a simple plug-install component to speak with the compound computer. By the time the team had finished Runa was already passed out in her chair as she waited while Bi had occupied herself with the thrilling task of reading weapon specs for the various arms on display within the room and munching her way slowly though some snacks. She’d already conquered a bag of printed popcorn, four glittersnap bars and nearly two whole liters of Aether by the time the technicians affirmed they had gotten the thing going and bothered to wake Lady Runa. Two more hours in and she was starting to regret the decision to do so.

\t“Are you sure that this is really needed, Mistress?” Bi sighed as she squirmed and fidgeted on the simple glowing platform. “I figured that this whole bay was supposed to help get all of this started.”

\t“It is” Runa nodded as she looked up at her pet. The toned and sexy tigress standing in nothing but panties and the awkwardly oversized-looking breastplate of her new power armor. No coloration program had been loaded yet. The material simply having the dull flat grey of the color pigments with hints of the woven carbon strands that helped make up much of the armors structure. “Unfortunately you still have to go through an initial fitting by hand. That’s the price you pay for some of the most sophisticated military hardware in existence.”

\tBi shook her head a bit but nodded  her understanding. It had taken an hour just to get the parts sorted and organized the way Mistress wanted. Another half-hour to get the various fasteners of the right length into place and have them seal into the suit so that it would have just the right snugness around her torso, and that was just for her upper chest. Between that and the thong-like crotch piece intended to have the lower body armor and legs the whole thing felt like a horrible ordeal.

\t“Now then.” Runa nodded “It’s been my experience that once a team gets the legs properly adjusted then the rest should fall into place easily enough. I think it’s the damn thigh joints.”

\t“Wait, Team? Think? Mistress… you have done this before, right?” Bi asked with a small nervous whimper.

\t“Well sure I have. I mean not by myself. Not all at once. Not all in one shot like this. But yeah I’ve done it before. You just gotta know what kinds of spacers and adjustments are needed for a good fit.”

\t“And the Nanowelder?” Bi asked nervously as he looked at the small silver wand sticking out of the tiny blue handle resting beside a wide array of ring spacers and a pair of thigh plates.

\tRuna smacked what little rump she could given the protection and growled. “Oh hush you. The worst that thing could do is give you some signed fur. Well unless I turned it up to full and jabbed you with it. Now hold still, I’m going to try getting the thigh plates set and then the sockets in place. Once that’s done the rest should be a bit easier.”

\t“You keep saying that.” Bi muttered. “Fine, as you say, Mistress.”

\tThe next half hour or so was little more than the toned tiger standing in place as she felt her owner tweaking and fidgeting with the various little fasteners and spacers before the plates were locked in place hanging loosely by their own weight. Bi could feel the small pockets that would inflate with non-Newtonian fluid once the thing was fully assembled and hug her like a second skin. For now, well she just had to trust her owner knew what the hell she was doing.

\t“Mistress.” Bi sighed softly. “We gotta stop.”

\t“What? Stop? Why?”

\t“I gotta pee”

\t“You what?”

\t“I drank a whole two liter waiting for these guys to install this thing and now I gotta pee.”

\t“Hold it.” Runa sighed

\t“I don’t want to get a bladder infection. Doesn’t this thing have like, systems to fix that?”

\t“Yeah but it’s a catheter” Runa sighed.

\tBi  blushed and shook her head “Well if that’s the only way then I guess I gotta. How do I make it do.”

\t“You don’t. You’re wearing panties. This is why the skinsuits these things use have a socket. Besides it doesn‘t have power”

\t“Well then make it power. Make it do” Bi whined “I gotta go.”

\t“That part isn’t hooked to the chest plate, and the chest plate isn’t safe until assembled with the lower piece, and the power pack is still on the charger over there. Look just hold it for like, five more minutes and I’ll help you get the crotch plate back off. I wanna get this done at least.”

\tBi mmphed and grumbled a bit as she shook her head. The tiger grumbling loudly as she twisted and squirmed. Her thoughts racing and chest heaving a bit until finally she bit her lip and looked down.

\t“Mistress. Why do you trust me?” Bi finally let slip out.

\t“Huh? What are you talking about?” Runa asked as she slowly tried to work one of the small metal rings into place, then twisted the armor on Bis thigh and nodded to herself. She reached for a smaller one instead and slid it deftly where it needed to go. Pleased at the fit.

\tThe already agitated tiger let out a small annoyed growl “I mean all of this.” she sighed “I mean all of this. You kidnapped me. You threw me in a ring, you beat the shit out of me until I learned how to fight. You… you stuck something in my head to make me get off when I get hurt the right way. I have every reason to hurt you and none to love you. You know I could easily be waiting for a shot to betray you.”

\tThere was barely a flinch from the wolf as she shrugged and glanced up “I know. But you won’t.” Runa smirked

\t“But how do you know? How do you know for sure that I’m not just looking to poison you. Or slit your throat when your back is turned. You got me these super powerful weapons and you’re in… a tank top. You know it would take literally one swipe and there’s nothing you could do about it. You could at least like, I don’t know, actually brainwash me a bit. You know, fuck with my head?”

\tThe tigress’ ranting and screeching came with more than a bit of wriggling hip movement. Movement Runa had tried to ignore, then stop, then finally resulted in her sissy-slapping her pets thigh in frustration and growling with the small nano-welder clutched in her muzzle. “Will you stop that?” she growled.

\tRuna let the thing fall from her muzzle and sighed softly. “Bi… I know you won’t betray me.” She said flatly.

\t“But how? Why?” Bi almost growled. “You don’t have any proof that I won’t. You don’t have any facts saying I won’t. What proof do you have?”

\t“None.” Runa shrugged

\tBi growled and clenched her paw into a fist. Trembling and quaking. She threw her hand open and the small photonic claws at the tips of her fingers formed out just as they were intended. Agonizingly sharp and only a few centimeters long. She looked down at her Mistress, clearly expecting the wolf to be prepping an attack or at least in shock.

\tInstead she just saw her sitting there calmly, fiddling though more of the parts for that stupid shin guard. Bi sighed and slumped.

\t“You’re right, I don’t have any proof.” Runa nodded ‘But I know I can trust you, Bi. I know you won’t betray me. I can trust you with my life.” she nodded firmly as she looked up at her with those painfully mismatched eyes. The real one shimmering with amusement. “Now can I just trust you to hold still long enough for me to finish this armor? I don’t’ want to hear you complain because you didn’t stop moving around and the initial assembly was wrong.”

\tDefeated, the tigress sighed and slumped where she stood. “Yes Mistress.” she muttered. That unflappable, implicit trust and confidence were just so unnerving. Yet at the same time, she felt a funny little hit of pride. “Could you hurry up though? I’m kind of getting antsy here”

--------------------

\tRuna ducked, dodged and weaved as her teacher threw wave after wave of swinging arms and thrusting elbows shot out at her. A flurry that would have devastated most unagumented furs regardless of size or speed. Indeed it was only her own inbuilt genetically modified muscles that kept her at the edge of the shrews relentless assault. Something that seemed to slip more and more with each attack.

\t“You seem to be getting tired out.” Oda chuckled as she threw a particularly hard backhand. The padding on her gloves catching the blow as the older shrew returned a nice, hard, savage swipe to resume her assault.

\tIt wasn’t easy. As she’d grown older Runa found herself getting faster. Tone and development of her muscles actually helping her finally outpace her mentor, if only just barely.

\tStill the young woman felt a small swell of pride as she watched patiently. All she had to do was find an opening. A hole big enough. A punch, a kick. The attacks were keeping Oda off balance and driving her momentum. If she could just find a hole.

\t“Damn it girl, stop dodging and just hit me!” Oda growled “This shouldn’t be hard.”

\tRuna winced and took a deep breath. She slipped back from a particularly hard blow and dropped down to one knee with a sudden violent sweeping kick. Her swift athletic body managing to connect to Odas shin and the force starting to carry though.

\tAt that same moment she felt a hard crack slam right into the base of her skull. Runa fell almost instantly under the weight of the blow and collapsed in sight of her teacher who likewise hit the mat. Albeit landing with considerably less pain and on her feet almost a moment later.

\tThe shrew got up quickly and ran her hands over her shaven, heavily greyd headfur. She Shook her head “Why did you do that, girl?” The woman growled as she grumbled softly. “You had to know you were going to get hit.”

\t“Because you said to, lady Oda“ Runa muttered.

\t“And?” The old woman muttered

\t“A-and I figured it was some kind of lesson?” Runa said sheepishly

\t“And? That is no reason to do so. You knew it wasn’t going to work. You knew you didn‘t have an opening. Why do it?”

\t“But you said“ She was cut off with a sharp smack to the muzzle

\t“And you listened to me. You knew it wouldn’t work. If you know it won’t work, if you know you can’t win, then don’t do it. You could have defeated me in a movement if you’d done things differently. And do you know why, girl? ”

\t“Because I‘m the superior species?” Runa asked more than said. The words had barely left her muzzle before another blow came. Not a smack this time. A hard, fast swipe towards her head. Enough to knock the wolf nearly off her feet and send her ears ringing like a bell.

\t“Foolish girl” she growled softly. “Stupid pup. What have I been wasting my time with?”

\tRuna growled, then whimpered. She shook her head and looked up, not saying a word.

\t“Did being the superior species keep you from getting hit? Was your genetically perfected and refined body of any use when some beaten up old woman with some undeserved respected cleaned your clock for doing something stupid? Did hundreds, maybe thouands of man hours fixing or improving every little strand of DNA in that prety young body magically make my attack miss when you stupidly did as yo uwere told?” She spat

\tOda stood straight and narrowed her eyes “Look at this body. Do you see any chrome? Any scars from implants? The perfect tone of someone who has had anything more than a couple basic rejuv treatments in her miserable old life?” The shrew threw a backhand which Runa took on the chin. The teenage wolf slowly standing back up and shaking her head a bit. Those long slightly spikey tresses shimmering as she returned the gaze to her teacher.

\t“Your superiority means nothing, pup. Nothing at all if you don’t have the weapons to defend it. I can’t forge that for you. I can never forge that for you. I can make a fine weapon, girl. But my weapon. One I use. One I wield. What use is that to you? Do you think you can protect yourself, what is yours, claim what should be yours, with such a weapon?”

\tEach word was spat with venom and Runa took them all as she had the blow. Wincing, growling, fire growing in her bright blue eyes. She said nothing, merely watching as her teacher went to the wall and took a large, heavy two handed training sword off of the rack. She paced back towards the wolf and tossed it towards her. Runa grabbing the heavy hilt and quickly falling into stance while she watched Oda slowly adjust a pair of padded bracers to her wrists.

\t“What do you want from me.” The girl finally barked. “I’ve spent the past nine years coming in here like a fucking religion. I’ve put up with abuse, I’ve come home more beat up and broken than some ganer kids out in the rim after a brawl. Hel below I woke up in a med bay more than twice for you. I am sick, and tired, of getting the shit beat out of me hoping to puzzle together your next riddle. For Freya’s sake old woman will you just tell me what you want to say”

\tThe teen shoved her teacher, hard. Hard enough to send the old shrew flying. She sailed back into the armor and knocked it hard, harder than the mannequin gyros could compensate for. In one horrifying split-second the power armor buckled and collapsed, landing hard on the old womans leg as it crumpled into a heap.

\t“Oh Gods.” Runa yelped as she dashed over. She looked around frantically for something to grab on to. Her eyes trying not to make contact with the gruesome and surreal mess that was the old womans leg. Runa started to pull, then thought better of it as she saw just how deeply it had crushed. “Kenna, emergency call. I need a medical team up to the training room, Stat. Thanedottr, Clearance Runic.” She barked even as she yanked the sleeve off of her workout top, struggling to calm herself and tie it off where the impact had hit and stop the bleeding. Only when she had gotten it tied did she go for the nearby medkit. A small red and white box standing out beside the racks of weapons in clear view for situations just like this.

\tAs she nabbed the thing off the wall and hit the small activation stud on it the pup stopped as she heard the woman laugh, soft and weak, shaking her head with a small sigh.

\t“Just, just hold on Lady Oda. This isn’t that bad. I have things tied off, Just give it a few minutes and it’ll all be fine.”

\tOda was smiling, laughing as she looked up at Runa, patting her on the shoulder a bit and then slumping back. Not saying a word as her student diligently worked her way though the medical systems instructions, carefully checking the wound as per the helpful video display and running the included multi-sensor scanner over the wound to check the condition of the leg, the kind of foreign body, check for toxins or illness or the like. The old shrew did her best to get comfortable without disturbing the wound too much and watched the girl work as they waited for the paramedics to arrive.

--------------------

\t“The deer is in the dungeon, Mistress” Siv muttered softly as she walked up behind her owner. She watched the wolf as she stood on one of the small stairways going in and out of the prefab mess hall. Once again Runa gazed out at the sky to the southeast. The front gate faced that way with the view of the lake though it showing a massive majestic pond of mirror-clear water. There were forests, trees, mountains. But she wasn’t looking at any of them.

\t“It’s almost time.” Runa said flatly.

\t“Time?” Siv asked, her voice feigning an ignorance she wished she possessed. “I can’t keep pushing myself any further. It’s been more than long enough. One way or another I have to face down this disgrace.”

\t“No!” Siv said flatly. “No you don’t. Mistress I’ve kept quiet because I hoped you’d forget about it but now you leave me no choice. You can’t go after that woman again. I… I won’t let you”

\t“Won’t let me?” Runa quirked her brow as she looked down at the bunny.

\t“Y-you only survived last time because she presumed you were dead. This time. This time she could just... just….”

\tThe wolf wrapped her arms around Siv and sighed, kissing the top of her forehead She said nothing. Neither did. The pair just hugging each other tight for the longest time as Runa slowly guided her eyes up and smiled. “This is about something more important than my life, pet. You know that. I couldn’t lie with myself if I ran away.”

\t“Yes you could. You literally could. She’s some stupid woman in armor. You could literally hit her from orbit and win. You don’t need to risk yourself just to prove a point.”

\tRuna sighed and kissed the bunnys lips softly. “You already know what I’m going to say to that Siv.”

\t“Yes, and it’s stupid. I don’t care if you hate me, I don’t’ care if you never want to see me again. But just don’t do this. Please. Mistress please I’m begging you please. You’re my world.”

\t“I know, little Siv. I know.” Runa sighed as she hugged her close. For a moment, just one split second, it was easy to listen. It was so easy to let her resolve waver and entertain the idea.

\tThat was all she could do though. Runa traced her paw over her eye and sighed. “You know how this has to end, pet.” Runa said as she hugged her tightly “All I can promise is to do my best.”

She held the sobbing girl close to her chest and sighed as the two stood still in the sunset.

--------------------

\tIn a way it was almost amazing how much could be changed by doing so little. A small row of wooden chairs and a large matching desk at one side of the room, a large sealed metal case at the other. There were some banners up. The house emblem and a few honorifics all printed in genuine silk. The kind of thing that could have just as easily been a holo-projection. But odds were good her mother, or more likely whatever servant had been instructed by her mother to make this special, had wanted some kind of ostentatious display for even this relatively meager milestone.

\tThere wasn’t much room for people to attend. Sean was there naturally, a pillar of support as his large frame took up a chair. Next to him was Ilka. Also expected, also likely coerced away from her little games with dolls or toying with basic AI construction.

\tA member of the Corp security forces sat in attendance. His ornate black and silver dress uniform buttoned up to the sharp squared lapel and ornate cap. He was probably one of the people in charge of Tayas training, and also probably saw this as a way to get brownie points with Runa.

\tA few executives filled most of the other seats. People who probably bribed or threatened their way in hoping that she’d remember them on this ‘special’ day. She didn’t, and wouldn’t, and really just found the sight of a sour looking woman in a dress suit and a withered old man in more formal neo-goth attire trying to look stoic while they sandwiched a hyperactive and barley contained little Siv. Her special little plush of a lover doing all she could not to burst out of her seat and run around the room.

\tRuna strode forwards confidently. Her simple leather tunic, black leather pants and high-laced boots carefully chosen but painfully simple compared to many in attendance. Her hair was tied back and tipped silver, but otherwise the wolf girl hadn’t gone to that much trouble. She understood what this really was.

\tAt the far wall stood a rack of weapons. On one side stood lady Oda, her weight kept largely off the scarred and battered leg that had cut down on her ability to train others in the past couple years. Taya knelt in a ready pose beside their teacher with a huge grin plastered on her face. The ceremony would likely be far less extravert with her. Gods she was lucky.

\tAt the other end was a representative of Brokkr arms, the companys weapons division. A rather svelte looking weasel in a sharp white suit and thin rimmed glasses. “Lady Thanedottr. Allow me to thank you for the honor of choosing us to aid you in this most wondrous day.” the man muttered… as if Runa rally had a choice in the matter.

\tOda smirked and shook her had a bit I amusement. “Allrihgt pup. I have to say there were times when I never thought this day would come. You’ve been a real damn pain of a student, but I think it just might have been worth it.”

\t“Now for those of you who don’t know.” Oda said as she addressed the crowd. The old woman seeming to delight in taking a shot out of those who showed up to be seen “normally it’s my tradition to ask my students to chose a weapon, and then I’ll get them one made to fit that style. That weapon is then theirs. For a real warrior, their weapon is their heart, their soul, their very life. However,” the old shrew chuckled “it seems the R&D boys got a bit excited finding out that their princess was going to be one of my graduating students. So, since they went to all the trouble of providing this sort of selection, I figured I‘d let Runa simply choose directly.”

\tA big velvet cloth that had been covering the stand was quickly pulled away, allowing for people to ooh and ahh at its fruits. The whole thing looked more like the melee weapon selection in the B.A. Catalogue. Brightly shined spears and monofilament wire contraptions. A massive collider-hammer and even a pair of maser-monoblade hybrids. All polished, ornate and dazzling.

\tAt the center of the rack were the parts for a new set of armor, though Runa had already been told that was hers to keep. Her mother having commissioned it for this day, likely in some token show of something akin to support.

\tEveryone there was excited, or at least feigned excitement. The wolf smiled a bit to herself and decided to look over each weapon carefully. Inspect them, give them a fair shake. Empty hilts and fine, ergonomic shapes all inlaid with precious metals and real, expensive leather for many of the grips. She traced her hand along one of the silver mono swords and cast a glance to the increasingly impatient and anxious. She then cast her eyes to Oda and Taya, nodding her approval.

\tWithout a shred of further hesitation, Runa snatched up the weapon on the lower furthest-right of the board. A long, ornate pole about a meter or so long with an emitter sitting at one end, and a simple pommel on the other.

\tThe suit offering the gear seemed a bit taken aback, but said nothing. Oda on the other hand leaned up and looked the weapon over quizzically. Her trademark scowl on her face. “Mmm, are you sure, pup? Photonic weapons are difficult to master already, and this one is rather unwieldy, and plain. I am sure you have better options to choose from. Not to mention ones that look more befitting of one such as yourself.”

\t“Maybe, Lady Oda” she nodded “but this is my choice. Runa hit the activation stud with her thumb, a long, shimmering blade of pure blue light Snapping forth from the emitter as she held it up for all in the room to see.

\tThe old woman gave her student a proud, cowing grin. “Then the choice has been made.” She announced “Runa Thanedottr, I am proud to announce you are no longer a mere disciple. You are a warrior.”

--------------------

\t“No commander, I think you can send Taya in today. I should have some time free.”

\tOda waved her hand before the door to her small training room. The old shrew smirked to herself a bit. A rare sight. Thankfully there was no video feed on the small wrist-mounted communicator and thus no way for anyone to see it. “In fact I think I can likely give your little pet project considerably more attention. You’re strike teams too if they shape up. It’s starting to feel like they’re just not learning the basics”

\tThe old shrew felt her words fall flat in her throat. She looked up from below that shaggy mop of hair as the lights came on in her training room. There, in the middle, knelt Lady Runa. The wolf cub stiff and rigid. Her eyes bright and fists balled up tight. She held the same perfect position as before. But with the eagerness long vanished. Instead there was fire. Determination. A twisted little scowl on her tiny face as she did everything she could to keep in place with those puffy tear-filled eyes.

\t“Actually Commander you may have to scratch that. I think that opening just closed.”

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