The Fall of Whitra Part 3

The stars surround Rick like a million plus pinpricks of light in the void of space as he a Maverick floated outside the ship examining the hull plating after the last battle with the demonic creatures known as the Nerrakkoo. Though superior in almost everyway, the fleet had been pushed back by the sheer numbers of the monsters. He himself had been on a anti-fighter turret and a kill count for that battle alone in the twenties as had Maverick. The officer in charge of the turret control had commended the two for their excellent reflexes and quick thinking.
Now he was on repair detail due to the fact a fighter had gotten through and hit an AFT gun causing its control panel to explode in it's operator's face. That fox had not lasted a few minutes before expiring. He had been shocked when he first saw combat and the enemy fleet. The media on the homeworld had downplayed the situation out here and he was horrified. He now removed a busted hull plate and was nearly launched into space when the monster who had been in the fighter vaulted out and tried to tear his suit open with its claws.
The monster was as horrid as terrifying as the marines had described to him. Humanoid in shape, resembled a human but only in the loosest sense. It's head looked like a human skull but it's teeth were exposed and as sharp as laser honed spikes and it's eyes burned like hellfire. It also had a curious metal plate on its skull as if someone had done crude neurosurgery. When he finally kicked it away he saw it in all it grotesque horror. Though similar to a human's, it's body was black and the muscles seemed off as if it was made double and triple jointed.
It hit the hull of the ship then braced for a spring. Two massive blades snapped out of it's arms and shone red as if they were covered in fresh blood. It jumped and he whipped to the side and drew his blaster. He fired a single shot that hit it in the head and killed it instantly. Before it floated past him, he grabbed the monster and dragged it to an airlock. Once there, they were met by a team of scientists and doctors. Before they left for medbay however, they gave their report to hull maintenance. The doctors then hustled him and Maverick to medical and were examined.
An hour later, his father, Admiral Scyth and his sister, Christy arrived to check on him. The Admiral took the doctor aside for a private conference while, Christy hugged Rick softly.
"Oh Ricky, I was so worried. When I saw that monster on you, I though you were finished." she cried.
Ricky wrapped his arms painfully around Christy. "The marines taught me a few tricks, Chris. I was just surprised to see it there, I didn't think it would have survived the crash."
She nuzzled him. "Oh Ricky… stop playing it down. You're not a soldier like those marines are."
Ricky softly scratched her ears. "It will probably hit me later, hon. But even now, I still have a lot of adrenaline going through my system."
She smiled at him. "True… but still…"
Ricky shushed her. "Hush, not here. We'll talk more later okay?"
She took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. There would be… bad rumors started. Alright, We'll talk again later, when you get out of here, K?"
He smiled up at the vixen who he'd known since he was five years old. "Sounds good. Oop here comes, dad."
She straightened and soon was joined by their adopted father and the doctor.
"Well?" asked Ricky.
The doctor sighed. "Well, the fact that you survived a direct hand-to-hand with that monster and came out alive is impressive." Then he smiled. "And to come out with only a few scratches is an even bigger victory. You are the first fox to survive such an engagement."
Ricky sighed in relief then straightened. "Wait… what about Mav? Is he alright?"
"Thanks to you, buddy." came the welcome voice of his friend. "A bulkhead I can handle, but one of those monsters?…. Not a chance. I was happy to deal with the ship part." He grinned and his tail flicked.
Christy groaned. "You mels, Don't you ever take anything seriously?"
Both boys looked at her pointedly and the doctor and admiral barked with laughter as she blushed.
Ricky chuckled. "Gotcha."
Maverick and Ricky as she stormed out of the medbay tail twitching and ears back, still red in the face.
Admiral Scyth laughed. "I have to admit that was the best counter I have ever seen you two give her."
The doctor nodded, grinning. "I agree, it was a good one."
Later that evening, Ricky got back to his work quarters and began to put away his gear. When was almost finished, a pair of familiar arms circled around his waist and held on tightly. He then felt the head that belonged to those arms as well as the body, pressing against his back. He knew what this meant and what she wanted. He looked up at the calendar and saw that today was within a forbidden series of days for love making for younglings their age. Then again, they had yet to even partake of each other in that fashion as of yet.
He turned and held her close. She was fully clothed but he could smell the pheromones she was putting out and he had to fight to keep his wits about him. Finally, she drew back and looked at him with a fond smile.
"Thank you, Ricky. Though I'm sure I would have enjoyed a night with you, I know we would have regretted it later." she said softly.
Ricky smiled at her and touched noses with her. "We need to wait at least until we're sixteen, you know that."
She smiled sadly at him. "If we live that long…"
"We will, don't worry. I would never leave you behind."
"Nor I, you." She said. Then she smiled at him and kissed him. "Thanks for holding me and reaffirming your commitment."
Ricky smiled back at her. "You know I keep my promises, Chris. Now get back there before they wonder what's going on."
She nodded and smiled at him. "Talk to you later."
"Definitely."

After she left, he sat looking out the small window at the stars beyond. He never said anything to anyone, but he know he would not be able to sleep for a while. Those red, hellfire eyes still burned in mind and into his retinas. The glow of those eyes made him think of the most horrible things that he could go through and even worse, what Christy would go through if captured. He shuddered and looked out at the boiling white star that this system sported. He stared at it, hoping it's pure light would burn the memories from his mind.
He then closed his eyes and there they were again. As if they had been waiting for the light to go away so they could return. He knew that all soldiers had scars but did they have this one? Were they haunted by the eyes of their enemies even after they were dead? He did not know. He looked down at a data pad that was on his small desk and picked it up. He had been reading about the history of their people, just so he could always remember the ones who uplifted them and gave them a new purpose in life. He knew that many of the White Clans thought of the old Terran Empire as an empire of gods but he knew that they were mortals just like he was.
He scrolled through the history. The First Contact War with the Reds, the careful meetings with the shadowy Greys, and the comical relations with the Chiros. He looked at the data pad a little longer and then sighed. He put down and went to bed, not closing eyes once except to blink.