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Aboard the Severance: in Transit to Yarrow 2
The lean alligator marched into the sterile bridge, their hefty spiked tail dragging behind them. They silently thanked the stars, for as the bridge door clicked shut, the sound of Junie and Jax “working out” one of their hatchling disputes in the nearby seating area became white noise in the distance, leaving Day feeling more relaxed already. They rolled out the knots in their shoulders, releasing the last of the tension in their chest through their nostrils creating a low hiss of air, as they stopped just before the captain’s helm.
The captain sat stiffly at the helm, chin high, shoulders tensed, and ears at attention, as he sized them up. Likely identifying how much of a threat the gator was. Day smirked, crossing strong, scaled arms over their naturally armored chest. “Heya Cap’in. Hope those hatchlings aren’t causing you too much trouble with all their squabblin’,” they said, trying to sound as friendly as a reptile could. They didn’t want to come off as a threat, or seem too cold. Others often stereotyped scalies as emotionless, uncivilized creatures. Little did they know just how far from the truth their prejudices were.
Almost like a creature of its own, heather brown hair fell like bundles of ropes adorned with gold cuffs around the gator’s pointed, olive scaled face. They wore black cargo pants and a faded black sleeveless top with an intense golden gaze and several sharp teeth poking out of their muzzle at various angles.
“It does not bother me, Dr. Creek, I’m used to tuning out the sounds of unruly passengers. I appreciate the concern nevertheless,” the stallion spoke with a robotic formality. “Do you need something, doctor?”
“Naw, just trying not to get scale rot from those two yappin’ at each other all cycle,” they lazily admired sharp claws upon their scale armored hands. “They are like this every excursion. Jax shovin’ his little round nose in Junie’s business, and Junie stuffin’ that nose right up his ass.” They shrugged with a toothy smirk. “Just another cycle with these croaks.”
With that, the stallion flared his round nostrils, releasing a puff of hot air. Day assumed this was his way of huffing with amusement. Mammals are so confusing. Flaring one’s nostrils in such a manner for most scalies was impossible. They usually opened their mouths in order to sense particles in the air, which was their equivalent of a mammal’s sense of smell. To show amusement, scalies pushed air out through their nostrils creating a hiss-like sound and showed their teeth. Most furs found Scaly expressions unnerving. Then again, most individuals found anything different from themself to be unnerving and uncomfortable.
Aries gestured to a nearby station with a swivel chair just beyond the captain’s helm. They recognized this gesture as an invitation to sit, so they did. The alligator’s clawed feet dragged their form over to the chair, where they swiveled it to face the captain, pulled their meaty tail to the side so it would hang off of the armless chair, and sat as comfortably as one with a large appendage out their back end could. Having an abundance of practice adjusting themself to sit in chairs not designed for their stature, Day appeared relaxed and comfortable to an outside eye, despite the discomfort they actually felt.
Aries scratched his chin with a gloved Digit. “Well, now that you mention it, Dr. Ceniza seems to be a tad,” he paused, his gaze drifting slightly up and to the right then back towards the alligator. He is choosing his words carefully. “…turbulent. You two seem to be well acquainted, has she always been this way?”
There was something in the way the captain held his shoulders and their gaze, like he was holding back a truth with practiced anatomical control. From them, or himself, Day didn’t know. If the scent of pheromones that subtly drifted into the air at the mention of Junie’s name was any hint, Day would bargain that the curvy lynx had caught the stallion’s attention. Most scalies could sense subtle changes in mammal pheromones, but only in a broad sense. They could sense if someone was afraid or excited or horny, but not much more specific than that.
They had to admit, it was hard not to notice Junie. The lynx radiated a bright, chaotic energy wherever she went. But Day had spent enough standard orbits with the lynx to know that the chaotic streak that that fluffy eared ball of energy radiated was a disguise for some serious trauma. If they had to guess, a mercenary didn’t live a life of comfort and security in the arms of a loving family. The private, High Fur society of horses must have outcast Aries for some reason, for one of his kind would never get caught up in dirty business. Heck, most horses didn’t get mixed up with any outsiders. Junie was going to love this mystery, and they had a feeling these two would gravitate towards one another like snakes on a full nest of eggs. This could be interesting. He doesn’t know what he’s getting into.
Day lifted a hairless brow, “Ah, Junie… Little lynxie has been through it. We met back in her hatchling days, when she first attended the university as a student. As far as I’m aware, she’s always been the way she is.” They released a heavy breath, air hissing through their nostrils. “But I didn’t know her before the whole public labor trial, murder case bullshit. But,” they leaned forward, “if I had to guess, that lynxie has always been a bee that buzzed to her own tune, if you catch my current. Comes from some small colony in the outer rim. Was colonized by Central Space. Lotta her people died. Culture stomped out. You know, all that colonizer shit. Pretty sure she doesn’t have any family left. Dunno how she even got to central space, if I’m being honest.” The gator shrugged. “She seems to be doing pretty well for herself despite it all. But that one has a wild streak, so you watch yourself, cap’in. Her feeling’s change like the tide, and you never know what she’s feelin’ at any given moment.” Their eyes rolled sarcastically, “Mammals. Always so emotional.”
The stallion leaned back and grinned mildly, lacing his gloved hands together in his lap, “I can assure you, not all of us, Dr. Creek.”
Something in the alligator’s sunny eyes glistened as their already wide mouth lengthened into an impossibly long, toothy grin. Scaled claws clicked against the metallic arm of the chair as air hissed from their nostrils. I knew I liked this Fur.
“So, how’d you come by this beaut,” they asked, gesturing with a scaled arm at the surrounding ship. “Why call it Severance?”
He looked down lightly, again appearing to choose his words carefully. “I acquired her second hand on the Void Market; she was not cheap.” His dark gaze then drifted back up to meet theirs once more, although this time it felt as if he was looking through them. “That name holds many meanings to me, but most importantly, it is a reminder of an inflection point in my life that began the moment I set hoof on this ship.”
Wow, dramatic… he’s like a dark, brooding Junie. And just as depressed… and horny. A perfect match. Yuck! Trying to avoid the equine’s mammal stench, they slowed their breathing to a halt, only exhaling to speak. Scalies have highly efficient respiratory systems, so Day didn’t need to take in oxygen for 20 minutes when active and up to two hours at rest. Convenient in moments like these.
“Well isn’t that touching,” Day jested, pausing a moment before rising to stand. “Nice chat, Cap’in, but it’s been quiet out there. Gotta make sure Jax’s head isn’t shoved anywhere it shouldn’t be.” Their eyelids slid horizontally across intense amber eyes as they dipped their snout respectfully before marching past the helm and out the door, hefty tail dragging behind them like a club.
They hadn’t been lying, towards the end of their conversation with the captain, a loud thud in the seating area was followed by more arguing then eerie silence. Something wasn’t right.