{"submission_id":"1597349","keywords":[{"keyword_id":"743","keyword_name":"adventure","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"2922"},{"keyword_id":"2434","keyword_name":"bottomless","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"9483"},{"keyword_id":"72072","keyword_name":"dia","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"40"},{"keyword_id":"2113","keyword_name":"dinosaur","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"6711"},{"keyword_id":"178086","keyword_name":"dinosaurian","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"5"},{"keyword_id":"123","keyword_name":"female","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"520799"},{"keyword_id":"33","keyword_name":"fox","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"135563"},{"keyword_id":"29199","keyword_name":"introduction","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"137"},{"keyword_id":"165","keyword_name":"male","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"640478"},{"keyword_id":"27367","keyword_name":"plasma","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"143"},{"keyword_id":"4267","keyword_name":"science fiction","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"652"},{"keyword_id":"714","keyword_name":"sci-fi","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"2568"},{"keyword_id":"1105","keyword_name":"space","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"3956"},{"keyword_id":"1106","keyword_name":"spaceship","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"417"},{"keyword_id":"105248","keyword_name":"taleir","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"45"},{"keyword_id":"1308","keyword_name":"vixen","contributed":"f","submissions_count":"15920"}],"hidden":"f","scraps":"f","favorite":"f","favorites_count":"5","create_datetime":"2018-04-30 06:52:10.656238+02","create_datetime_usertime":"30 Apr 2018 06:52 CEST","last_file_update_datetime":"2018-04-30 06:43:15.357906+02","last_file_update_datetime_usertime":"30 Apr 2018 06:43 CEST","username":"superraptor77","user_id":"302841","user_icon_file_name":null,"user_icon_url_large":null,"user_icon_url_medium":null,"user_icon_url_small":null,"file_name":"2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","files":[{"file_id":"2273202","file_name":"2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_full":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/full/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_screen":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","file_url_preview":"https://nl.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/2273/2273202_superraptor77_taleirs_story_pt1.doc","mimetype":"application/msword","submission_id":"1597349","user_id":"302841","submission_file_order":"0","full_size_x":null,"full_size_y":null,"screen_size_x":null,"screen_size_y":null,"preview_size_x":null,"preview_size_y":null,"initial_file_md5":"b6c7c3a011ccb4f2a5f2e3b7f1dad81b","full_file_md5":"b6c7c3a011ccb4f2a5f2e3b7f1dad81b","large_file_md5":"","small_file_md5":"","thumbnail_md5":"","deleted":"f","create_datetime":"2018-04-30 06:43:15.357906+02","create_datetime_usertime":"30 Apr 2018 06:43 CEST"}],"pools":[],"description":"The introduction of a story for Taleir. https://inkbunny.net/Taleir\n\nAdventure always starts smooth doesn't it? Don't worry though, things will get interesting soon!\n\nAnyways this is only rated mature, but future chapters will be adult for sexual themes.","description_bbcode_parsed":"The introduction of a story for Taleir. https://inkbunny.net/Taleir
Adventure always starts smooth doesn't it? Don't worry though, things will get interesting soon!
Anyways this is only rated mature, but future chapters will be adult for sexual themes.","writing":"Running through the rainy forest came the lithe body of a hunter in her element. Taleir the vixen thief had her next bounty and was on the move. She wore her usual thief attire, green vest and cloak. Though she was bottomless she still wore a belt, daggers tucked in their sheaths. A pouch on her belt contained several alchemical ingredients; the young vixen was on her way to mastering alchemy. She considered becoming a mage someday, but until then it was business as usual. \n\nThe vixen skidded to a halt as the forest suddenly ended. Before her lay a massive clearing, what looked like miles of trenches, barbed wire fences, and bunkers stood abandoned. Behind them stood a great fortress. This was not your ordinary fortress though, this fortress belonged to the Dinosaurian Imperial Army. The DIA was one of many empires that dreamed of universal domination, and admittedly were off to a good start, with their current territory spanning several thousand, maybe even a million systems. The big reptiles had a reputation for cruelty towards furred folk and humans alike, no surprise given their sense of superiority. \n\nTaleir had little idea what her next bounty was, nor the identity of the payer. That was fine though. She had worked with anonymous clients before. This particular bounty was a challenge though, as it wasn't even on this planet! She had been given explicit instructions to infiltrate the DIA base to hitch a ride on a shuttle that was scheduled to go the planet Necros 3, one of the thousands of planets under DIA control. \n\nTaleir slid down one of the trenches, looking around to make sure she didn't catch any unwanted attention. The humans had tried to take the fortress a few days ago, obviously with no success. The trenches looked abandoned, but she knew the humans could return at any time to continue their siege, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain why a vixen bounty hunter was exploring the war torn trenches. Taleirs sharp ears swiveled as she heard an unearthly sound, mixed with footsteps. The vixen took cover under a tarp stretched over some crates just as a Sentry drone hovered over the trench top. The small drone hovered using two repulser engines pivoted on either side of its small body. Protruding from its body were antennae, sensors, and pivoting below it a plasma gun. The drone hovered about; making a strange sound that was something between vibration and humming. As the drone hovered about Taleir watched from her hiding spot as two DIA troops jumped down into the trench. One of them was a Ceratosaurus, a particularly nasty looking Dino, which was saying something. She couldn't tell what the other one was due to the high tech gas mask it wore. They both wore standard issue DIA body armor and carried plasma shotguns, the heavy multi barreled guns that fired incinerating plasma energy. The Ceratosaurus stopped in its tracks and smelled the air; even through the smell of carnage from the previous battle the monstrous creature could smell the distinct scent of a furred folk.\n\nTaleir had initially hoped the rain would cover her scent, but a good bounty hunter was never without another ace up their sleeve. Opening her pouch Taleir pulled out a small vial. Pulling the stopper off, she poured a fine powder over herself. The effect was almost instant as the Ceratosaurus trooper lost her scent. His comrade called over to him, gesturing towards the drone that was now hovering down the trench line, scanning the ground around it. The Ceratosaurus trooper shouldered his weapon and followed his companion. After a few minutes Taleir could no longer hear the sound of footsteps or the drone. The vixen emerged from her cover and continued with her infiltration. \n\nNow at the base of the fortress walls, Taleir took great caution to avoid the automated guns mounted on the fortress walls as they scanned the land before them. After a few minutes of searching she found a drainage pipe, much too small for a human, but only a bit of a tit squeeze for a vixen. Taleir sheathed her daggers and crawled into the drain, ignoring the trickle of muddy water flowing out from the fortress. She could see the dim light on the other side. The vixen quietly stuck her head out of the opening, making sure the surrounding area as secure. She was in a storm drain, looking up she could see a grate. Climbing up a few rungs in the wall Taleir took a quick look around before she lifted the grate as carefully as she could. As she emerged from the storm drain she saw she had rather fortunately wound up between the inside of the fortress walls and a parked Prowler APC. Taleir crawled under the huge six treaded amphibious vehicle. From her cover she could see the inside of the fortress, a large automated vehicle garage, troop barracks with a boxcar diner next to it, and of course the big command building with its landing platforms. Taleir looked up to see a spacecraft shaped like a barbed arrowhead begin its ascent towards one of the platforms. This must have been the craft Taleir had been instructed to board, the one that would take her to Necros 3. Taleir needed a way inside the command center, particularly a way past the automated doors; she knew the scanners would not only deny her entree, but would probably also trigger the alarm. Taleir heard a light hum mixed with the grinding of dirt and saw another drone, this time what looked a bit like a high tech tank the size of a small car headed towards the command center. Taleir had seen these guys in action before, they were called Brawler Drones and this one appeared to be finished with its patrol and was headed towards the command center. Acting quickly Taleir ran out towards the Brawler, the pads on the soles of her footpaws muffled her steps enough for her to slid behind the drone, between its treads. Taleir clung to the underside of the armored drone as it rolled towards the automated entrance of the command center. The drone stopped in front of the door, in that moment a scanner atop the entrance cast a green colored grid of light over the top of the drone. Taleir held her breath, daring not to make a sound. A second later the scanner emitted a gentle chime and the door slid open with a whoosh. The Brawler drone continued into the base. The drone rolled into what looked like a maintenance ward, stopping as it came to rest on a small lift. Taleir looked over to see the legs of two Dinosaurian troops walk over towards the parked drone. Once again Taleir held her breath as the DIA troops talked to one another, apparently inspecting the drone. Taleir prayed they would not think to check the underside. One of the DIA troops lowered its plasma carbine; she could see its coiled barrel. Taleir lucked out this time though, the DIA troops walked off, the vixens Dinosaurian was pretty rough, but she was sure one of them mentioned something about going to the pub after their shift. She heard a door shut with a hiss and like that the sound of the footsteps of the DIA troopers vanished. Taleir crawled out from the underside of the Brawler drone. She cautiously walked in front of the machine, it appeared to be inactive. Now she had a good view of the room, robotic arms hung from the ceiling above the drone, by the looks of it for repairs and maintenance. Tool cabinets and monitors lined the rest of the room, along with the door leading to the rest of the complex. Even though these doors appeared to be opened by a control panel next to them Taleir had no intention of taking the obvious route. Looking about she found a grate on the wall, an air duct seemed a good way to traverse to the landing platform. \n\nPrivate Calhoun the Dienonychus had never seen the briefing room so empty before. He sat on a hover chair halfway down the holograph projector table, and the quite room was starting to make him uneasy. Calhoun was a Dienonychus of modest size, about three meters long from the tip of his toothy snout to the end of his bony tail. He was mostly covered in reddish brown colored pebbly scales, with quill-like feathers on his forearms, neck, and the back of his head. He wore his standard issue DIA Special Operations armor. Black polymer fatigues with metal plating on his chest, back, shoulders, thighs, and knees, all plating made of Metamite, the DIA's top secret super metal. His taloned hand was on his plasma pistol, half expecting an attack of sorts. Finally the door to the briefing room opened with a hiss. Calhoun stood to salute, expecting a high ranking official. Before him stood General Rictor, a large Styracosaurus, fully adorned in his high class armor. As he entered the room there was a solid CLUMP from his metal boots, one his chest armor several gold and silver badges gleamed with pride. If all that didn't get ones attention than his cybernetic right arm would. Behind him a female Camptosaurus dressed in scientist garb stepped in. Something immediately didn't sit right with Calhoun, Dinosaurian officers, even the strongest of the bunch, virtually always had an armed escort of at least a dozen Red Shield Elite Guards. The fact General Rictor would show up unescorted, even in private this was unusual to say the least. \n\n``Seal and lock all entrances to briefing room 1-B and activate security countermeasures.'' General Rictor said in his baritone voice, a voice that demanded both attention and respect. The fortress's simple AI complied with his orders as the briefing room doors slid shut. \n\n``At ease trooper'' General Rictor said as Calhoun stood to attention. ``I would like to introduce you to Doctor Lema, she and I have an assignment solely for you to carry out. Doctor if you would please.''\n\n``Thank you General'' Doctor Lema said before turning her attention to Private Calhoun. ``I trust you know about the moon Necros 3, yes?''\n\nPrivate Calhoun nodded, ``I've heard of it, one of the most contested outer territory planetoids.''\n\n``The natives are giving us a hard time, but we believe they may be hiding valuable information somewhere in their underground complex.'' General Rictor interrupted. ``I must warn you now that the finer information on both the moon Necros 3 and your next objective are both highly classified, any break in protocol will end in your court marshal and termination. Do I make myself clear Private?''\n\n``Understood General'' Calhoun nodded as Doctor Lema activated the holo table, projecting a three dimensional image of the moon Necros 3. She pointed to a part of the moon near the equator. It zoomed in to show a temple of sorts. What looked like a large cylindrical building inside a ribcage shaped structure, with a large circular door on one side.\n\n``This is one the entrances to the moons inner catacombs'' Doctor Lema said, ``This particular entrance is about a mile west of Firebase Gamma. The original architects are long extinct, though their constructs are still very much operational and very dangerous.''\n\nCalhoun interrupted, ``By constructs you mean robots, correct?''\n\n``Hardly'' Lema answered, ``The Necrosians were experts at genetic modifications. With genetics science to rival our own, and that is where we, Dinosaurian kind come in.''\n\nDoctor Lema brought up another hologram, this time a chart showing a steady decrease.\n\n``This chart is the number of successful Dinosaurian hatchings by Earth years. You'll notice a disturbing trend; our birth rates are in decline. They have been this way for several decades now and show no sign of stopping. We have experimented in alternative methods of reproduction, mostly artificial methods such as growing young in tubes. These experiments have thus far all failed.''\n\nCalhoun found this information disturbing to say the least. The thought Dinosaurian kind could just wither away, die out from within. Though at the same time he understood why this information was classified.\n\n``We have traced the problem to our genetics'' Lema continued. ``It seems, rather ironically, that our previous generation's genetic enhancements have had the adverse side effect of gradual genetic degradation. With each new generation, our genes continue to decay.''\n\nCalhoun interrupted, ``We have some of the best geneticists in the known galaxy, aren't they working on a way to reverse this? Also how does this relate to Necros 3?''\n\nGeneral Rictor had an answer, ``Yes, they are. However the research will take a great deal of experiments, time, and resources. My sources tell me the Necrosians may already have the answer, or at the very least critical information.''\n\n``Your sources sir, who are they?'' Calhoun asked.\n\nRictor pointed his cybernetic right arm at the Dienonychus and answered in a firm tone, ``That is none of your concern Private. We have an Arrowhead class shuttle ready for you; it is equipped with the latest in weapons, shielding, and stealth technology, as well as a decent sized arsenal on board. It is on platform A-3 ready for you. If you complete this mission you can count on a major promotion. You are dismissed Private.''\n\nWith that the holo table deactivated and the doors opened. Private Calhoun made one last salute to the General before heading off to platform A-3, but not before Rictor mentioned another detail to him.\n\n``Oh and Private, just a heads up that particular shuttle just so happens to be my shuttle. Get it back in one piece.''\n\nTaleir emerged from the grate, making sure the area was clear. No Dinosaurian troops were on the platform, just the shuttle hovering a few meters off the ground, only the boarding ramp on its underbelly actually touching the ground. Finding the right platform wasn't too big of a challenge. Navigate a few turns, stay quite near vents, avoid a few cleaning robots in the ducts and she was there. Taleir put the grate back as quietly as she could, before making a dash towards the shuttle. She looked up inside the open door of the shuttle, climbing aboard she gasped as she saw the decadent inside of the spacecraft. Before her was a small theater with seating for at least two dozen, plus a bar towards the back. The sound of footsteps outside snapped her back to reality as she bolted towards the door next to the bar; in her haste this seemed to be the best option for hiding. Taleir looked around at her new surroundings; she seemed to be in a luggage room. The vixen leapt into one of the metal crates, closing the lid on top with as little sound as possible.\n\nPrivate Calhoun was in a good mood. He had been assigned what should be an easy mission with a big reward. Not only that, but he got to take General Rictors personal shuttle, the Silver Arrow! After boarding the craft he headed straight for the control room, taking the pilots seat. He ran a quick pre-flight diagnostic, seeing everything look in order he hit the intercom. \n\n``Flight Tower, this is Silver Arrow, all systems are in the green, we are ready for takeoff.''\n\n``This is flight control'' came the response. ``You are cleared for takeoff. We have alerted Firebase Gamma of your arrival, make haste.''\n\nWith that Calhoun took the controls and the Silver Arrow took to the skies, the craft soared upwards, gaining speed as it did. Its energy shielding and reinforced haul providing it protection from the heat and friction associated with leaving a planet's atmosphere. Minutes later the skies cleared until the only thing visible was the darkness of space peppered with starlight. Calhoun set the automated navigation to Necros 3.\n\n``Course set, estimated time till arrival: one and a half Earth hours.''\n\nCalhoun now watched as the shuttle was engulfed by the vortex that its warp engines created. At this point all he could do was wait. An hour and a half, what to do to pass the time? Calhoun looked over at the captain's chair, and the Dienonychus leapt to it. It was obviously too large for him, given its usual occupant was a Styracosaurus General. Calhoun sat in the bucket seat suspended from the ceiling, looking out past the pilot and co-pilots seats and control panel.\n\n``Pilot, take us away!'' The Dienychus said in a commanding voice.\n\n``Take them down comrades; paint the stars with their blood!'' He said to the empty co-pilots chair. \n\n``Uh....... To infinity and beyond! Hmm, I wonder what movies General Rictor has here.......''\n\nWith that Calhoun left for the theater, still unaware of his stowaway.\n\nWhen the load noises and rumbling ceased, Taleir knew that step one of her bounty was complete. Looking back on her previous escapades did, however didn't sit well with her. She had almost too easily infiltrated a Dinosaurian base, outsmart drones, and sneak past what in hindsight seemed like too few guards. Maybe she was just getting too good at her job, she reasoned with herself. This is how all the pros must feel, that they can breeze though any objective without any effort. Try as she may to reassure herself, none of this seemed to add up right. Either way she knew she was already on the shuttle and, looking out a porthole already on her way. She knew there was no turning back now. \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n","writing_bbcode_parsed":"Running through the rainy forest came the lithe body of a hunter in her element. Taleir the vixen thief had her next bounty and was on the move. She wore her usual thief attire, green vest and cloak. Though she was bottomless she still wore a belt, daggers tucked in their sheaths. A pouch on her belt contained several alchemical ingredients; the young vixen was on her way to mastering alchemy. She considered becoming a mage someday, but until then it was business as usual.
The vixen skidded to a halt as the forest suddenly ended. Before her lay a massive clearing, what looked like miles of trenches, barbed wire fences, and bunkers stood abandoned. Behind them stood a great fortress. This was not your ordinary fortress though, this fortress belonged to the Dinosaurian Imperial Army. The DIA was one of many empires that dreamed of universal domination, and admittedly were off to a good start, with their current territory spanning several thousand, maybe even a million systems. The big reptiles had a reputation for cruelty towards furred folk and humans alike, no surprise given their sense of superiority.
Taleir had little idea what her next bounty was, nor the identity of the payer. That was fine though. She had worked with anonymous clients before. This particular bounty was a challenge though, as it wasn't even on this planet! She had been given explicit instructions to infiltrate the DIA base to hitch a ride on a shuttle that was scheduled to go the planet Necros 3, one of the thousands of planets under DIA control.
Taleir slid down one of the trenches, looking around to make sure she didn't catch any unwanted attention. The humans had tried to take the fortress a few days ago, obviously with no success. The trenches looked abandoned, but she knew the humans could return at any time to continue their siege, and the last thing she wanted to do was explain why a vixen bounty hunter was exploring the war torn trenches. Taleirs sharp ears swiveled as she heard an unearthly sound, mixed with footsteps. The vixen took cover under a tarp stretched over some crates just as a Sentry drone hovered over the trench top. The small drone hovered using two repulser engines pivoted on either side of its small body. Protruding from its body were antennae, sensors, and pivoting below it a plasma gun. The drone hovered about; making a strange sound that was something between vibration and humming. As the drone hovered about Taleir watched from her hiding spot as two DIA troops jumped down into the trench. One of them was a Ceratosaurus, a particularly nasty looking Dino, which was saying something. She couldn't tell what the other one was due to the high tech gas mask it wore. They both wore standard issue DIA body armor and carried plasma shotguns, the heavy multi barreled guns that fired incinerating plasma energy. The Ceratosaurus stopped in its tracks and smelled the air; even through the smell of carnage from the previous battle the monstrous creature could smell the distinct scent of a furred folk.
Taleir had initially hoped the rain would cover her scent, but a good bounty hunter was never without another ace up their sleeve. Opening her pouch Taleir pulled out a small vial. Pulling the stopper off, she poured a fine powder over herself. The effect was almost instant as the Ceratosaurus trooper lost her scent. His comrade called over to him, gesturing towards the drone that was now hovering down the trench line, scanning the ground around it. The Ceratosaurus trooper shouldered his weapon and followed his companion. After a few minutes Taleir could no longer hear the sound of footsteps or the drone. The vixen emerged from her cover and continued with her infiltration.
Now at the base of the fortress walls, Taleir took great caution to avoid the automated guns mounted on the fortress walls as they scanned the land before them. After a few minutes of searching she found a drainage pipe, much too small for a human, but only a bit of a tit squeeze for a vixen. Taleir sheathed her daggers and crawled into the drain, ignoring the trickle of muddy water flowing out from the fortress. She could see the dim light on the other side. The vixen quietly stuck her head out of the opening, making sure the surrounding area as secure. She was in a storm drain, looking up she could see a grate. Climbing up a few rungs in the wall Taleir took a quick look around before she lifted the grate as carefully as she could. As she emerged from the storm drain she saw she had rather fortunately wound up between the inside of the fortress walls and a parked Prowler APC. Taleir crawled under the huge six treaded amphibious vehicle. From her cover she could see the inside of the fortress, a large automated vehicle garage, troop barracks with a boxcar diner next to it, and of course the big command building with its landing platforms. Taleir looked up to see a spacecraft shaped like a barbed arrowhead begin its ascent towards one of the platforms. This must have been the craft Taleir had been instructed to board, the one that would take her to Necros 3. Taleir needed a way inside the command center, particularly a way past the automated doors; she knew the scanners would not only deny her entree, but would probably also trigger the alarm. Taleir heard a light hum mixed with the grinding of dirt and saw another drone, this time what looked a bit like a high tech tank the size of a small car headed towards the command center. Taleir had seen these guys in action before, they were called Brawler Drones and this one appeared to be finished with its patrol and was headed towards the command center. Acting quickly Taleir ran out towards the Brawler, the pads on the soles of her footpaws muffled her steps enough for her to slid behind the drone, between its treads. Taleir clung to the underside of the armored drone as it rolled towards the automated entrance of the command center. The drone stopped in front of the door, in that moment a scanner atop the entrance cast a green colored grid of light over the top of the drone. Taleir held her breath, daring not to make a sound. A second later the scanner emitted a gentle chime and the door slid open with a whoosh. The Brawler drone continued into the base. The drone rolled into what looked like a maintenance ward, stopping as it came to rest on a small lift. Taleir looked over to see the legs of two Dinosaurian troops walk over towards the parked drone. Once again Taleir held her breath as the DIA troops talked to one another, apparently inspecting the drone. Taleir prayed they would not think to check the underside. One of the DIA troops lowered its plasma carbine; she could see its coiled barrel. Taleir lucked out this time though, the DIA troops walked off, the vixens Dinosaurian was pretty rough, but she was sure one of them mentioned something about going to the pub after their shift. She heard a door shut with a hiss and like that the sound of the footsteps of the DIA troopers vanished. Taleir crawled out from the underside of the Brawler drone. She cautiously walked in front of the machine, it appeared to be inactive. Now she had a good view of the room, robotic arms hung from the ceiling above the drone, by the looks of it for repairs and maintenance. Tool cabinets and monitors lined the rest of the room, along with the door leading to the rest of the complex. Even though these doors appeared to be opened by a control panel next to them Taleir had no intention of taking the obvious route. Looking about she found a grate on the wall, an air duct seemed a good way to traverse to the landing platform.
Private Calhoun the Dienonychus had never seen the briefing room so empty before. He sat on a hover chair halfway down the holograph projector table, and the quite room was starting to make him uneasy. Calhoun was a Dienonychus of modest size, about three meters long from the tip of his toothy snout to the end of his bony tail. He was mostly covered in reddish brown colored pebbly scales, with quill-like feathers on his forearms, neck, and the back of his head. He wore his standard issue DIA Special Operations armor. Black polymer fatigues with metal plating on his chest, back, shoulders, thighs, and knees, all plating made of Metamite, the DIA's top secret super metal. His taloned hand was on his plasma pistol, half expecting an attack of sorts. Finally the door to the briefing room opened with a hiss. Calhoun stood to salute, expecting a high ranking official. Before him stood General Rictor, a large Styracosaurus, fully adorned in his high class armor. As he entered the room there was a solid CLUMP from his metal boots, one his chest armor several gold and silver badges gleamed with pride. If all that didn't get ones attention than his cybernetic right arm would. Behind him a female Camptosaurus dressed in scientist garb stepped in. Something immediately didn't sit right with Calhoun, Dinosaurian officers, even the strongest of the bunch, virtually always had an armed escort of at least a dozen Red Shield Elite Guards. The fact General Rictor would show up unescorted, even in private this was unusual to say the least.
``Seal and lock all entrances to briefing room 1-B and activate security countermeasures.'' General Rictor said in his baritone voice, a voice that demanded both attention and respect. The fortress's simple AI complied with his orders as the briefing room doors slid shut.
``At ease trooper'' General Rictor said as Calhoun stood to attention. ``I would like to introduce you to Doctor Lema, she and I have an assignment solely for you to carry out. Doctor if you would please.''
``Thank you General'' Doctor Lema said before turning her attention to Private Calhoun. ``I trust you know about the moon Necros 3, yes?''
Private Calhoun nodded, ``I've heard of it, one of the most contested outer territory planetoids.''
``The natives are giving us a hard time, but we believe they may be hiding valuable information somewhere in their underground complex.'' General Rictor interrupted. ``I must warn you now that the finer information on both the moon Necros 3 and your next objective are both highly classified, any break in protocol will end in your court marshal and termination. Do I make myself clear Private?''
``Understood General'' Calhoun nodded as Doctor Lema activated the holo table, projecting a three dimensional image of the moon Necros 3. She pointed to a part of the moon near the equator. It zoomed in to show a temple of sorts. What looked like a large cylindrical building inside a ribcage shaped structure, with a large circular door on one side.
``This is one the entrances to the moons inner catacombs'' Doctor Lema said, ``This particular entrance is about a mile west of Firebase Gamma. The original architects are long extinct, though their constructs are still very much operational and very dangerous.''
Calhoun interrupted, ``By constructs you mean robots, correct?''
``Hardly'' Lema answered, ``The Necrosians were experts at genetic modifications. With genetics science to rival our own, and that is where we, Dinosaurian kind come in.''
Doctor Lema brought up another hologram, this time a chart showing a steady decrease.
``This chart is the number of successful Dinosaurian hatchings by Earth years. You'll notice a disturbing trend; our birth rates are in decline. They have been this way for several decades now and show no sign of stopping. We have experimented in alternative methods of reproduction, mostly artificial methods such as growing young in tubes. These experiments have thus far all failed.''
Calhoun found this information disturbing to say the least. The thought Dinosaurian kind could just wither away, die out from within. Though at the same time he understood why this information was classified.
``We have traced the problem to our genetics'' Lema continued. ``It seems, rather ironically, that our previous generation's genetic enhancements have had the adverse side effect of gradual genetic degradation. With each new generation, our genes continue to decay.''
Calhoun interrupted, ``We have some of the best geneticists in the known galaxy, aren't they working on a way to reverse this? Also how does this relate to Necros 3?''
General Rictor had an answer, ``Yes, they are. However the research will take a great deal of experiments, time, and resources. My sources tell me the Necrosians may already have the answer, or at the very least critical information.''
``Your sources sir, who are they?'' Calhoun asked.
Rictor pointed his cybernetic right arm at the Dienonychus and answered in a firm tone, ``That is none of your concern Private. We have an Arrowhead class shuttle ready for you; it is equipped with the latest in weapons, shielding, and stealth technology, as well as a decent sized arsenal on board. It is on platform A-3 ready for you. If you complete this mission you can count on a major promotion. You are dismissed Private.''
With that the holo table deactivated and the doors opened. Private Calhoun made one last salute to the General before heading off to platform A-3, but not before Rictor mentioned another detail to him.
``Oh and Private, just a heads up that particular shuttle just so happens to be my shuttle. Get it back in one piece.''
Taleir emerged from the grate, making sure the area was clear. No Dinosaurian troops were on the platform, just the shuttle hovering a few meters off the ground, only the boarding ramp on its underbelly actually touching the ground. Finding the right platform wasn't too big of a challenge. Navigate a few turns, stay quite near vents, avoid a few cleaning robots in the ducts and she was there. Taleir put the grate back as quietly as she could, before making a dash towards the shuttle. She looked up inside the open door of the shuttle, climbing aboard she gasped as she saw the decadent inside of the spacecraft. Before her was a small theater with seating for at least two dozen, plus a bar towards the back. The sound of footsteps outside snapped her back to reality as she bolted towards the door next to the bar; in her haste this seemed to be the best option for hiding. Taleir looked around at her new surroundings; she seemed to be in a luggage room. The vixen leapt into one of the metal crates, closing the lid on top with as little sound as possible.
Private Calhoun was in a good mood. He had been assigned what should be an easy mission with a big reward. Not only that, but he got to take General Rictors personal shuttle, the Silver Arrow! After boarding the craft he headed straight for the control room, taking the pilots seat. He ran a quick pre-flight diagnostic, seeing everything look in order he hit the intercom.
``Flight Tower, this is Silver Arrow, all systems are in the green, we are ready for takeoff.''
``This is flight control'' came the response. ``You are cleared for takeoff. We have alerted Firebase Gamma of your arrival, make haste.''
With that Calhoun took the controls and the Silver Arrow took to the skies, the craft soared upwards, gaining speed as it did. Its energy shielding and reinforced haul providing it protection from the heat and friction associated with leaving a planet's atmosphere. Minutes later the skies cleared until the only thing visible was the darkness of space peppered with starlight. Calhoun set the automated navigation to Necros 3.
``Course set, estimated time till arrival: one and a half Earth hours.''
Calhoun now watched as the shuttle was engulfed by the vortex that its warp engines created. At this point all he could do was wait. An hour and a half, what to do to pass the time? Calhoun looked over at the captain's chair, and the Dienonychus leapt to it. It was obviously too large for him, given its usual occupant was a Styracosaurus General. Calhoun sat in the bucket seat suspended from the ceiling, looking out past the pilot and co-pilots seats and control panel.
``Pilot, take us away!'' The Dienychus said in a commanding voice.
``Take them down comrades; paint the stars with their blood!'' He said to the empty co-pilots chair.
``Uh....... To infinity and beyond! Hmm, I wonder what movies General Rictor has here.......''
With that Calhoun left for the theater, still unaware of his stowaway.
When the load noises and rumbling ceased, Taleir knew that step one of her bounty was complete. Looking back on her previous escapades did, however didn't sit well with her. She had almost too easily infiltrated a Dinosaurian base, outsmart drones, and sneak past what in hindsight seemed like too few guards. Maybe she was just getting too good at her job, she reasoned with herself. This is how all the pros must feel, that they can breeze though any objective without any effort. Try as she may to reassure herself, none of this seemed to add up right. Either way she knew she was already on the shuttle and, looking out a porthole already on her way. She knew there was no turning back now.
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