ANTHRO V

Captain Matticus was the epitome of an aristocratic man; paws held behind his back cusped together with a straight spine, head held high as he paced the floor of the bridge; looking over the shoulders of the flight crew as they stared at the monitors.

“Give me an update on the ships log,” he gave the order to a middle-aged coyote who pressed a few holographic buttons on the image in front of him.

“Sir, fuel is at 63%, air is stable, I’m showing consisting of only 9% carbon dioxide. Food and Water is plentiful, no reported deaths from the morgue, I’m not showing any hull damages or power malfunctions. Everything seems to be in order.”

“Good…what of our destination? What’s our ETA?”

“If we continue using the boosters, we can expect to arrive at Prora-AE in just under a year, however, we will not have any fuel to power the thrusters when we land. If our shock drive was operational we could be there in a few days, but our flux core is currently not generating enough energy to power it; we need more fuel,” a young, lean gray fox said.

“Damnit! Our shock drive worked enough to get us light years away from Earth but not enough to turn back around, it will take several years to go back and get more fuel!” the captain spat.

“Sir…we could visit another planet, hopefully one nearby has radionucleotide compounds on it we can synthesize fuel from…”

“Negative! We are not using the last of our reserves of fuel for a chance. The nearest planet is still a long way away, a little over 7 months of traveling at our current speed, and for all we know there may be no fuel available, not without drilling into the planet which is HIGHLY illegal!” the captain scolded the fox’s suggestion, sneering at him with his teeth barred.

Branson and I were standing at the entryway to the bridge looking back at each other as the captain, an older Tiger dressed in a well fitted uniform embroidered with several patches on his shoulders and sleeves addressed his crew.

We couldn’t help but overhear their conversation and it seemed that the possibility of encouraging them to grant us permission to take the RRTS back to Earth was good. Maybe after-all, I get to see my home once more.

“E-Excuse me sir, pardon to interrupt…” the lion began nervously

“What is it?”

“Our friend here has asked for pardon to return to Earth, it seems as though he is a little ‘homesick’ and would like to see what has become of it…Now I told him…”

“Silence!” the tiger interrupted with a guttural growl, “You’ve come here to request to return to Earth?! Do you realize how far we have come?!”

“Yes sir…”

“Pardon me captain, but perhaps this proposal isn’t as illogical as it sounds; they could take the RRTS to Earth, the shuttle is much smaller and utilizes less required energy to power it’s own Internal Warp Drive; what reserves we have on the ship they could go there and be back in short order…perhaps while there they can collect proper resources to synthesize fuel for the entire ship?” the gray fox offered.

The captain’s eyes locked onto me like a true predator, glowing brightly with that instinctual drive to tear me apart. I could tell he was tense, as his tail swished back and forth behind him. “They are NOT engineers…nor HAZMAT Specialists…Branson is an Archeologist and the wolf there…he’s a stowaway!” the captain growled. “They are BOTH unequipped and unexperienced for such a trip, and I will not risk my precious shuttle for a suicide mission!”

“Sir…I beg your pardon, but I have been to Earth retrieving ancient artifacts of Earth’s inhabitants and a sample of one of their own, that was the whole purpose for venturing there in the first place,” Branson retorted, pointing to me. “I’ve set foot there, it’s not suicide…not without proper precautions.”

A low rumble echoed from the captain’s throat, “So that makes you an expert then?” he mocked. “Not exactly sir, but I am confident we can succeed.”

“And what of him? Are you confident enough that he will be can be controlled without jeopardizing the mission?”

My ears laid flat in annoyance, I felt my teeth clench together and my fists ball up. I felt like I was being talked of like a meager child, and I wanted so bad to knock those yellowed fangs from the captain’s jaw, but I knew better. What quality of life would I have been stuffed into the brig for all my existence? Despite my desire to ease my anger, I showed him I was capable of self-control.

“I will keep a watchful eye on him, Captain, he will obey my orders, or I will leave him there.” Branson warned, giving me a sharp look which made me redirect my anger to him.

“There is still the issue of gathering compounds for our flux core to power the warp drive; since the two of you are inexperienced in handling anything more than simple artifacts, I’ll be sending a Nuclear Engineering Specialists with you to Earth to not only gather the necessary resources we need, but to also make sure you two don’t go ill prepared,” the captain pointed out, “Mr. Reaves is currently at the flux core checking over the reactor there ensuring it’s functioning properly”

The two of us were escorted out and brought to the very back of the ship where the core rested. The temperature of the ship seemed to escalate as we approached, indicating the powerful energy being stored and released there…all nuclear. The acrid smell of acid and volatile chemicals filled the air around us as we entered the room where a brightly lit centrifuge rotated around an impression in the hull. The entire area was coated in the bluish green eminence of energy which buzzed through the air, giving it static and making me feel dizzy.

Reaves was there, looking over the monitors when we told him of the mission and that the captain had requested his involvement. The sergal seemed unhappy about being volunteered into duty but reluctantly he agreed, “I’m doing this for the captain and so that I may soon return to see my family on Prora-AE” he sneered.

“The faster we get this mission done the better…c’mon, let’s get this over with,” Reaves turned quickly, and we followed him away from the reactor, good thing too as I was beginning to feel nauseous. He led us into a chamber which held various synthetic high-tech suits and gear all vacuum sealed in a protective lining and hanging from racks.
He grabbed a few and handed them to Branson and I before taking one for himself.

“These suits are tightly sealed and can be pretty stiff to try and walk in, they are mostly made of carbon fiber with Tyvek insulation. They are light weight, and suitable protection from any forms of radiation, hazardous materials which you may come into contact. It also provides a little shielding from extreme temperatures, as well as provide some protection against anything sharp or puncturing, but it’s not bulletproof” he warned.

“The best preventative measure against radiation is limiting time of exposure, this suit will help you last much longer than without it, but we can’t stay there forever, not unless you want to join the rest of the population which used to exist there.”

He’s talking about my kind, or what use to be my kind! I could feel my blood pressure rise, as I was thinking of my family…my family was of the population which use to live there!

“We also need these,”

He hands us each some thick plated boots and a respirator of some type, along with a small square, thin micro-computer. “This is your Personal Environmental Surveyor; it informs you of any hazards in your area, including chemicals, radiological dangers, chemical compositions of the air, as well as serving as a database with pertinent information about safety concerns, what to do in emergencies as well as serving as a locator, so that we may find you.”

The device was small, able to easily fit in the palm of my hand. I looked it over, trying to find a place to put it, this suit was tight with no pockets to place it in. “Where do I…?”

“It attaches to your wrist, let me see…” the sergal stepped forward, taking the device from my hand. “The suit is designed with a particular place for your PES to go, see?” he took my paw and turned it over so that I may see the underside of my wrist. About 3 inches from my palm rested a spot reinforced with a solid piece of thin metal.

“The PES and the suit both have neodymium integrated in the design; in other-words, very strong magnets; you couldn’t get that thing off if you wanted to,” he said powering on the device. He held it close to my wrist and pressed a button, instantly the PES shot from his grip and attached itself to the reinforced metal plate. “Go ahead…try.”

Using my free hand, I pulled with all my strength, straining hard and gritting my teeth, trying to twist and pull and jerk the thing off, but it didn’t even budge. A smile crept on his sharp muzzle, “you’d be better off cutting your arm off than pulling it off…at least until you turn the device off, then it comes free with no resistance.”

With all of us suited up, boots clasped onto our feet, respirator in tow and ready to disembark, we made our way to the shuttle bay. The RRTS was a relatively large shuttle; similar looking to a small bomber plane with small wings jutting off the side. It was spacious enough to seat 4 occupants comfortably with a cargo bay about the side of a small room to it’s back.

“When we land on Earth, and before disembarking the shuttle, make sure you put your damn respirators on! It has built in Toxic Respiration Transmuter in it, able to convert virtually any atmospheric composition into breathable air; it also filters out any bad free-floating radicals which may be hazardous. Just know, it’s not foolproof! We need to complete our mission and get our asses back on the shuttle and leave ASAP, understood? No piddling around!”

Branson and I both nod in agreement as Reaves powered up the shuttle. The mechanical arm springs retracted, no longer binding the shuttle to the ship’s hull as it began to hover. I could hear the powerful engines begin to hum and the whole shuttle vibrated as Reeves propelled it forward, pressing a button in the cockpit as bright red lights, much like in a quarantine zone began to flash. It was a warning; for all personnel to vacate the vicinity, as the vacuum sealed bay doors were opening, and all the air was being sucked out into space.

The doors opened slowly as the shuttle shuddered violently, the vast power of depressurization quelled the ship as the pathway to the darkness of space opened before us. In a quick instant the shuttle was sucked straight out into that void, the shuttle being tossed out into space as ANTHRO, our large mothership…the one I awoke in, was trailing away in the distance.

With a tilt of the controls, Reeves reoriented the shuttle, the stars gliding ever so seamlessly across the face of the shuttle’s cockpit. Once settled in a direction, he input a code into the onboard hologram and immediately we were subjugated to bone breaking G-force. It took everything I had to keep myself from blacking out in those few seconds as the fabric of space seemed to rip open; we were tossed in a tunnel of blackness and small bright dots which littered the landscape around us, blasting past the shuttle in lightning speeds. There was no sound, nothing but the noise of our heavy breathing as the shuttle continued to violently shake and rattle. A blinding light soon filled the void at the end of the tunnel, which enveloped the shuttle and making me wince; closing my eyes momentarily as a large thunderous crack could be heard.

When I opened them, I was staring at a round spherical object. It was coated with dense black clouds which randomly became illuminated with bright flashes of light. In some places where the clouds did not cover, I saw hues of red, and oranges scattering the surface, all surrounded in blackness.

“Where are we? And what planet is that?” I asked involuntarily.

“That…is Earth, son…what’s left of it anyway,” Branson said with bated breath, after a brief pause he added, “Your home…”

I couldn’t believe it, I shook my head with respite, “No…can’t be!” I heard the distinct sound of a button being pressed as the holographic screen before us traced a white scanning light around the outline of the fireball of a planet before traces of white webs encompassed it. Shortly afterwards a smaller projection of the planet shifted to the side, and slowly the ghost of the former planet came to view, showing it in all it’s glory, wonderful rich white clouds, vast expanse of blue oceans, brown and green vivacious continents and an electrifying glow upon it’s poles; the northern lights.

“It is…Earth…”, Reeves said as the red letters flashed on screen. My maw drooped open as I felt my heart sink. Branson was right, this is the diabolical manifestation of hell on Earth!

“Let’s get this thing done…we’re going in,” the sergal said with finality as the shuttle roared back to life. The hell-spawned planet grew in size as we approached; and I just sat in my seat in utter amazement and bewilderment, completely silent as we descended into the blackness of the clouds.

I could feel the electrifying nature of the clouds as we penetrated the planet, and the cabin of the shuttle began to quickly grow hot and shake once more. I could see nothing but blackness and jolts of lightning around us as the warning signals of the shuttles began to emit an ear-piercing shriek.

We soon emerged from the blackness and into a world full of fire, and devastation. The underside of those black clouds glowed with the red and orange atmosphere which scorched the surface. Everything was in ruin, dilapidated structures and rubble coated the once lush soils in nothing but ash and smoldering coals. There were a few free-standing buildings, but they were all enveloped in a never ending burning fire.

The asphalt streets were cracked and broken apart, with very few remnants of former vehicles littering about like a junkyard. Dust swirled around, carrying with it still hot ashes and debris as the never ceasing winds traversed the landscape. It was a true nightmare, one that brought sorrow into my heart and leaving nothing but a tear scaling down my cheek. This was…my home?

The lion could sense my disbelief and sorrow as he looked at me with a frown, “Hate to say I told you so…”

“Th…this…hell, is where I came from? Where…you found me?” I managed to say amidst the heaviness in my chest.
“Well not here…but close enough” he replied softly.

“Our destination is 3 klicks that way,” the sergal pointed. “Adorn your respirator and prepare yourself, we need to gather the resources fast and get out of here before we become nothing but ash ourselves.”

With the lion’s help, I affixed my respirator and helped him in return. I found it rather claustrophobic in that tightly fitting mask, it snug tight to my muzzle, matting the fur of my face, but it was necessary for my survival. With the Sergal’s lead, we each grabbed a pair of thick insulated gloves. With all 3 of us ready, Reaves opened the shuttle’s doors and I got to taste for the first time the nature of this planet. It was scolding hot, even through the suit; I felt like I was stepping into an oven. Sweat began to immediately percolate through my pores and soak into my fur as I took the first step onto the dry, dusty soil. The duo walked forward and surveyed the landscape; but I fell to my knees. Looking at the ashy, barren soils of loose rock and rubble as I dug my fingers into it. Its head radiated through the gloves, and the sandy texture fell like a waterfall between my fingers as I broke down and slammed my fist into the ground.

I once again felt nauseous, like I had back on the ship, it was out of emotion this time as for once I realized they were right…the human race is no more, it’s GONE. It was the natural cycle of all living things, the natural course of life. We were no different than the dinosaurs which ruled the earth millions of years ago; surely, we were smarter…but even that came into question. After all we created our own extinction event, us humans…I was the last of our kind…I…was.

Now I am but a wolf, in the shadow of a man, much like all the others in our society. Another natural course in the direction of life – Evolution.

I finally found the strength to stand once more, hollow and humble more-so than I have ever been. This planet was no longer my home, it was the summation of mankind’s evil, an attempt to play god with complete and utter disregard to nature and her ways.

My eyes lifted to the two silhouettes of men who began to fade into the blanket of dust and ash which swept across the landscape. We had a mission to complete.

-END-

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This week's submission for the  Thursday_Prompt this week's prompt was "Nature"

A continuation of the story of Ray, a once man now wolf hybrid who was the subject of cryogenic freezing and genetic mutations which turned him into an Anthro. Now he wants to visit his home planet to see for himself that it is laid in ruins due to nuclear war, after-all he doesn't trust the lies he's been told up to this point.

However, the truth is far more hurtful than he can ever imagine! It can sometimes break a man! Hope you guys enjoy!