“She's just about back into shape. We've still got a few lift cars to fix, and a couple of lights, but we've gotten all the major damage from beating the heck out of a squadron of Black Fleet devastators, what seemed like a full Ohansu battle fleet, and barely escaping from the Citadel fixed.” Andre stepped to an almost musical beat as he marched down the corridor, heading for one of the portside lifts.

“Other than that, we have her repaired in all the right spots. You'll find the Long Shot to be a somewhat hospitable posting, as long as you pull your weight.” Andre neatly squeezed through a gaggle of engineers, Vulpine, human, and Catan. “Hmm... I hope they're working on our new Assault shuttles.”

Misha had to hustle to catch up with the fast moving chief. "Good. I'm no rookie pilot. I've flown avengers in combat before this whole ugly mess started. I want to be in the tick of things and paying those monsters back for what they did to us."

He looked around at everything as they move along. "She certainly looks like a good ship. Clean enough to be well maintained and dirty enough to show she's a tough warrior."

“Dirt? Where!?” He let Misha think that he's totally serious for a moment, before relaxing and chuckling. “Just don't let the captain know. After someone complained that we had gotten one of the Avengers dirty by sitting on it the Enlisted personnel spent a week cleaning the shuttle bay. “They reached the lift alcove for the Starboard shuttle bay, and Andre hit the door open button. “After you.” He waves his arm.

Misha laughed and stepped into the lift. "What’s our first stop?" he asked. "I'm eager to see what this lady is really like."

“Errant Knight.” The lift lurched slightly, the inertial damper's ultra-fine precision not an urgent matter. It shot to the forward end of the engineering hull, before heading upwards. “We've gotten a few modifications, but sometimes the best came first. Heh.”

Misha braced himself against a wall. "I hope you get to fine tuning those dampers soon. I don't appreciate being tossed around in the lift. I'll get enough tossing about in combat. Where exactly are we headed?"

“Oh, come now, it's just a little bump. Adds some excitement to your life.” Andre watched the diagram of the ship as the lift traces it's progress up into the saucer. “Besides, it's not like you're going to see combat much. Usually, when this ship needs help, it needs a huge amount of help.” Andre watched the lift cursor move to the deck 7 shunt, heading towards the port quarter of the saucer.

“Give us a moment, and you'll see... Blasted rush hour. Come on, just a little farther.” Andre wedged through the crowd, his rifle helping to move people away from him somewhat. “Here we are,” He squeezed through the door, helping Misha through. “Welcome to the Errant Knight. Our lounge, bar, arcade, you name it, it likely happens here.”

"I'm a fighter pilot. I ALREADY have way too much excitement in my life." he said as he looked around. "Now THIS I like already! This place is better then some planet side taverns I’ve been in."

"They have EVERYTHING!!!" he said in awe of his surroundings. He smiled. “How about a drink and a hot meal chief before we finish the tour?"

“One drink, then we complete the tour. It could take us an hour to work our way out of here. *The Marine Chief began working his way to the bar, holding his rifle up over his head to keep little kids from potentially grabbing a hold of it. “Almost there, let's move it! Clear out of the way! Some of the crowd saw him, the rifle, and decided it would be wise to move.

"I'm not sure which they are more afraid of - the weapon you're carrying or you!" Misha kidded as they head to the bar.

After a long trip they managed to reach the bar and Misha flagged down a harried bar tender. "You want a drink Chief?"

“I'm supposed to still be on duty.” Andre leaned against the bar, watching the very small oasis of space around himself. “Ah, they're probably a mix of being afraid of me, and of what I represent. I lead them for the longest time on Kalida.” His face turned sour. “The refugees aboard currently absolutely hated that world, and I can't blame them after what went on there. And when I practically became the poster-boy for the marines.”

"You were at Kalida?" Misha asks, surprised. "I've heard rumors about that place but never met anyone who was actually there."

"Let me have a glass of Malvarean ice wine please.” he told the bar tender. The man left and quickly returned with a glass full of a bright blue colored liquid.

Misha sipped the drink gingerly and smiled. "Been far too long since I’ve enjoyed this! Nothing like it out on the rim."

“Ug... I've never been able to understand how anyone could drink that stuff. Or live out on the rim. Nothing but haunted rotten old planets out there. Nothing like- wait, I take that back, Kalida was haunted in spots. Not to the extent that Aria was, but.... ah, well, I'm getting into things that don't need to be discussed.” He shook his head again at the blue stuff. “The stuff looks like Avenger engine coolant anyway.”

Misha laughed. "I've has stuff that was a lot worse. And the rim was exciting! New planets to explore, unexplored ruins and lost cities. Things were never boring out there. Terrifying perhaps but never boring." He gulped the drink down all in one large swallow. Then he carefully placed the empty glass on the bar.

"Aria? Never heard of that place. Seems like you have been to lots of places."

“Just come on. It's not a place to discuss.” Andre began shouldering through the crowd to the starboard exit to the lounge, managing to get through to the less congested side of the corridor sprawl. “Hmm, we should have come in this way to start with.... This way.”

Andre squeezed into the lift, holding the door for Misha. “Commons.” The lift lurched slightly as it got underway, moving up a level and shooting inwards.

"This ship is BIG! It'll take me time to get used to being on something this big." He leant against one wall of the lift. "Where are we headed?" Misha asked as the lift headed upwards.

“The commons.” Andre said and rolled his eyes. “We're almost there already.” The lift pings again. “Luckily, during the noon-time rush, the commons dries up mostly.” He lead Misha through a curved hall, with the soft sounds of music coming from a huge radial corridor just ahead. As the two squeeze through, the reason why is shown to Misha. The commons is a good-sized indoor mall, with the other side over 30 meters away. The throngs of people crowded the place.

"Wow! Impressive! I've seen lots of odd things on ships but I’ve never been in a mall in a warship before." He said impressed. "At least I won't be bored when I'm off duty."

“Well, we're not just a warship anymore. Each ship of the fleet has been forced to become a small town of sorts, permanently housing a group of refugees.” Andre started dragging Misha back to the lift. “But, I've got to show you the marine barracks, actually, my quarters, where I'm going to have to stick you for the moment.” Andre got the lift open and led Misha inside.

Misha shook his head. "We're all that’s left of the Federation? I'd heard the stories but it never really sunk in till now."

“I don't know if we're the last of the federation,” Andre stepped through the opening doors of the lift, beckoning Misha to follow him across a balcony overlooking the Marine bunks. “Considering the amount of traffic that was leaving earth according to the reports, there should be at least one other ship that escaped.” Andre pressed the unlock button next to a door right next to his office. Inside, is his rather Spartan quarters.

Misha followed Andre into his office. "I'm sure they are others out there. I hope. Nice place you have here. Where is my bunk?" he asked looking around.

“The couch.” He pointed to it along the kitchen counter. “I only have one bunk. Just don't break anything until 1600 hours!” Andre ran off suddenly, trying to catch back up to his marines.

Fade to black as Misha falls asleep on the couch.

“So this is the only one who fell for the study?” an odd voice asked. A few odd lights flicker through the room, annoying Andre in his sleep.

“Well, we couldn't tell the truth on this one, an vague usually makes people avoid such studies. We only need one test subject to perfect our trump, anyway,” a second voice answered. A light flickers near Misha, before moving away and keeping from disturbing him.

“Well, you're right. I don't think this is what he had in mind when he signed up, but, then he should have read the fine print,” the first voice commented. A brilliant stream of light lit up the room, rainbow colored as it smacked Misha in his belly. “Now, we wait and see.”

Misha felt an odd warmth fill his belly where the light strikes it. Soon the feeling spreads all over his body. In moments it changed to a tingling and then an itching. Looking down at his stomach he sees something strange - fur. Red and white fur slowly spreading across his skin. "This is interesting," he commented in an oddly detached tone of voice.

The sleeping chief stirs, from the lightshow, and the murmuring from the voices and Misha. He had his rifle snuggled up to him as an ever-present part of his duty. Thankfully, set with full safeties on. So, when he woke up, and relieved a childhood nightmare, Misha was relatively safe. “Wha- HOLY CRAP!!! They're back!” Andre jumped to his feet, snapping to full readiness after seeing Misha changing in the dark. He waved his rifle.

Misha is jolted fully awake by the chiefs shouting. He looked at his body. already he was covered with white, black or red fur. His feet are gone, replaced by black paws. "What's happening!" He shouted waving his fur clad arms about. "I'M CHANGING!"

“Oh crap, Oh crap, Oh crap, Oh crap, Oh crap,” he snapped out of it when he sees the feet changed to digitgrade paws. “Jeeze that must have hurt.” He hit Misha. “Come on, we've got to get you to sickbay while we still can!” Andre drags him to his feet, shaking him and trying to snap him out of it. “Come on, man! Hang in there!” He was going hysteric himself, but didn't let it show.

"I am changing into a fox!" Misha answered as the chief drags him down the hall. "And if I want to freak out I have a right to! "Looking behind he saw not one but 2 long bushy tails streaming out behind him. As they moved down the hall his face is already elongating into a muzzle.

“It's one of two things, one of which is something to be annoyed about, but not panicking over. That's the possibly that you're getting the Vulpine treatment.” Andre hit the lift-summoning button. “The other is that the canis are messing with you, and I won't get into that.” He noticed the twin tails, and then did a double-take at them before shoving Misha in. “Okay. We might have a problem, then.” He hit the sickbay button, just then realized he was only in his shorts, and that Misha could use some clothes as well “Okay, so more than one problem. But, number one rule in strange transformations is not to panic until you have an ultra-serious problem.”

"Clothes?" Misha said calming down. “I don't think my pants will fit anymore,” he explained and pointed downward with a black furred hand. Where there had been two human legs were now FOUR vulpine legs. "What am I?" he asked moving his entirely fox-like head about to see his new form. "I'm not really a vulpine."

Andre did a double-take when he saw Misha's extended rear end. “Okay, DEFINATELY a problem!” Luckily just then the lift door opened on the sickbay. “DOC! We've got a situation here!!!!

"Is that all you can say?" Misha shouted at Andre. "I'm a !@#$%^ freak!"

“Just get over to one of the beds. This is beyond anything I've seen.” He ran over to the comm console. “Captain Diess to sickbay, priority emergency. And will the doctor get here on the triple-time!?”

Andre made a 'get over to the bed' gestures wildly just before the captain's massive shout of surprise knocked him off his feet. “I think we'll have an expert opinion in just a moment.” “He shakily guided Misha to one of the beds, loosing his hands in the thick fur.

Misha looks at the bed. "Andre, do you think this half ton, four legged centaur like body will fit on that tiny little bed??" he asked in an odd tone.

“They make the mounts for these beds out of the same engineering and materials that they make repair cradles for Avengers out of. You'll be falling off the end on one side, but you'll be supported.” Andre pressed against him, feeling the weight. “Actually, I'd say you're centaur-like and closer to a ton and a half.”

His 180 lbs human body was gone. In it's place as a odd, fox centaur form that had to weigh at least 1200 pounds. The odd tingling and itching finally stopped, leaving him with the strange and new feelings as his brain came to terms it's new body. "Wow. This feels weird."

The good captain practically catapulted out of the lift and skidded to a halt in front of Andre and Misha. “Holy -&%^&.” She looked at him for a moment, dumbfounded, then shook it off somewhat. “Andre I can tell you this much... though he's definitely going to have problems. If THEY had done this to him, he'd be completely unable to function in society.” Akalia moved closer in over to Misha, pressing the fur with her hands.

"Who is they?" Misha asked in an ominous tone as he straightened up to his full height.

The captain found herself looking UP at the now completely fox like Misha. He was at least six and a half feet tall.

She looked up, un-intimidated by the far larger size of the now foxtaurish Misha. “THEY are need to know information, as while what just happened to you bears a few hallmarks of their kind of activity, it bears many more that suggest otherwise.” She looked up into the fox's eyes, a dangerous, disturbing and intimidating look being returned in them.

"You truly scare me female," Misha said honestly. He flexed all the limbs of his new form feeling the surprising power in it. He liked the feeling. "I have the right to know just what was done to me and who did it. I didn't volunteer for this."

“Yes you did, if not for this exact change. Just know that you are helping the alliance,” an odd voice said suddenly. Seeming to come from everywhere all at once . Akalia seemed unruffled but andre looked un-nerved.

“Admittedly, your current form was the result of an unexpected accident,” the voice answered. “But that's why we put out a study advertisement to help clear up problems like this,” The voice echoed through the room, oddly amused and annoyed at the same time. “However, if you prove to be capable of fighting, we may add the form to the Vulpine, and the other races to help in the fight.”

"Who is that speaking?" Misha asked looking around for the voice. "I did volunteer but no one mentioned being changed into THIS!”

“SHOW YOURSELF!" Misha turned his new, massive body in circles looking around.

“Ug... it would figure that they would show up... a big huge mysterious threat to the galaxy, and they're always there as the big brother,” Captain Akalia said. She neatly side-stepped Misha as he turned round and round. She grabbed him gently by his midsection with one arm, pulling on a huge rumple of skin. “Don't bother, they won't show themselves. They didn't when they made the vulpine race, and they won't now.”

“We apologize again for your... four legged new self, but it was an unintentional accident. Next time read the ultra-fine print,” the voice said. A copy of the contract Misha signed appears with a huge magnifying array in front of it. Displayed in what originally looked like border is a series of extra terms detailing what liabilities were in getting changed, and the whole subject. “As we had a small... accident, with you, you shall be doubly rewarded.”

"Misha settled down and stopped his twirling. "All right. It's not like I have a choice." I do have two questions. Who are you and what rewards do could compensate for this?" He started walking about the room and with each step he could feel the surprising power in his new body.

“For who we are, we cannot say, for the galaxies' sake,” the mysterious voice answered. Andre and Akalia in an annoyed tone. They both fidgeted as they waited for a possible hammer to drop.

“As for the reward, you will be getting several parts. The first is to know that you will help us turn the tide of war to the Alliance later in the war, and keep it turned. Another is to know that you will help in creating new life. The third is a generous sum of money, we owe it to a degree, to help pay for your future success. And, the fourth is to give you some new clothes to fit your new body, though that could take a bit to put together.”

“Well... that could have gone better,” Andre said and Looked at Akalia, who was giving him cut-it-out motions. “Oh, er, never mind.”

“Yeah, you'd better stay quiet here,” The voice said again. “Now, then, we have to stop some inter-creational evil to fight. We'll be back with something to help out in a week or two, and then we'll keep an eye out.” The voice faded out at this point.

Misha was quiet for a long moment pondering everything he'd heard. "The money means little to me. If it had I wouldn't gone scouting on the rim. Instead I’d be piloting a commercial shuttle. I don't know how this form will help change the tide of war. But I think I know what you mean by creating new life? am I going to find a female foxtaur sometime soon?"

He stretched and flexed his new body and realized just how big he really was. "I might need all that money just to pay a tailor.”

Misha turned to Andre and the Captain. How long have you known about THEM?" he asked pointing up to the ceiling.

“Let's just say that you might as well not ask,” Andre answered in an annoyed tone. “Because you won't get anything out of them, or us.” Andre sighed, laying down on a bed. “God, I hate that part about them.” He looked at Misha, seeing suddenly that he's rather exposed. “Um.... well.... that's not good.”

“Hmm... you might want to start wearing a robe, at least, to keep your rather private sections private,” Akalia pointed with a foot, as she leaned on Andre some. “And as for those... guys... I have to agree with Andre. No-one knows who they are, or why they do anything they do. I've never gotten a straight answer out of them, and I doubt I ever will.”

"Great! I'm at the tender mercy of an unknown group of beings.” Misha looked down at his body. "Can someone get me a robe or some sort of pants! A very big pair. "First we get me some clothes. Then some food. Then we see what this new body can do." He looked again at his body. "I've always wanted to be hung like a horse but this is ridiculous!"

“With the synthesizer rations out and saved for food, we'll have to scan your measurements and send them to the Metamor as an official requisition,” the captain commented. “We'll have to wrap a sheet under there in the meanwhile to keep standards of decency.”

“Hey, what about the suit problem? Andre said as he handed Misha a sheet.

“Oh,” Akalia head-slapped herself with her tail. “I can't believe we loose our pilot to a stupid regulation that does little good.”

Misha nodded. "Never mind the suit. How will I fit this huge body into the cockpit of an Avenger? As it is I'll have to reconfigure my own ship to fit into it,” he said as wrapped the sheet around him making a sort of large toga-robe type piece of clothing covering his lower body.

"How’s that?" He asked. "All the naughty bits covered up?"

“Yep. In what looks like a plaid diaper,” Andre chuckled softly. “As for fitting in an Avenger, forget it. Not gonna happen. And, unfortunately, the suit can't be never-minded.”

She sighs then pushes off the bed. “The problem is that regulations absolutely state that a pilot MUST have a suit on for every mission. No ifs, ands, or whiney buts about it. I hate to do this to you before you even get started, but you'll be grounded for a month or so.”

"A MONTH? You have !@#$% City ships with some of the most powerful warships in the galaxy and you can't make a single suit?" Misha growled deeply. "If I can't fly then what do you suggest I do? I'm not going to spend my life being tested and probed," he warned ominously.

“Now COOL IT RIGHT THERE, or you'll find yourself IN THE BRIG!” the captain ordered coldly. “We're running over twice capacity, and every ship in the fleet is strained while we are working up the resources for another city-ship. We're rather tight on materials, and it's not easy to gather more while on the run trying to keep your power-base discovered.” She was like a fountain of fire, raging hot against Misha.

“You're more likely to get good treatment here than anywhere else in the fleet, so sit DOWN!” She may be smaller but males throughout the ages have agreed never to annoy an older woman. “Now then, until we get your suit, hopefully sometime soon, you'll be training with the marines. The next time I have to raise my voice, you'll find yourself in the brig for a month, understood?”

Misha sat down and when he spoke it was in a calm voice. "There isn't a brig BIG ENOUGH to fit me in. You want me to be a jar head?" he asked. He nodded his head. "I can see how this body would be good. No one could be me in hand to hand combat."

“Well, trust me, I . . . At long last Dufray finally arrives. “Oh, yeah, sure... NOW he shows up. “The next time we need a red-shirt, Dufray, I'm recommending you for the job.”

Dufray looked from Misha to Akalia, to Andre, then back to the big huge foxtaur. “Okay, what world-changing event did I miss?” He got smacked upside the head by a boot picked up off the floor by Akalia.

Misha snarled at Dufray. "What makes you think something has happened? Nothings changed. All it did was put on a little weight." he answered sarcastically. “Say something that stupid again and I'll sit on you."

“He really didn't get a chance to see you before, so he doesn't really have a clue what's going on,” the captain explained. “Which isn't far from the norm.” She picked Dufray up, and shoved him over to Misha. “Just give him a full physical, then all of you go to bed!” Akalia started staggering to the door, her lack of sleep starting to affect her. She managed to get out before anyone could anything.

Misha tried to think of something to say but kept silent. "All right Doc lets get these tests underway." He looked at Andre. "I have a question. Where am I going to sleep? This massive form won't fit onto the sofa anymore. Nor the bed either. for that matter."

The foxtaur lifts Dufray easily off the deck. "First test - strength. I can bench press at least one doctor!"

“Our doctor... could be called French. He's more chicken than a chicken,” Andre commented as he watches somewhat amusedly as Misha hold a now snow-white Dufray overhead.

"Relax Doc," Misha commented as he lowered him to the deck. "I always try and stay on the good side of the person who can heal any wounds I get." He looked at the frightened doctor. "I think the doctor needs a doctor!"

“Not funny,” the doctor answered. He shakily pulled out medical scanners, and started going over Misha's body, recording as much as possible. “Okay... two lung and heart systems, one in that lower body, and what appears to be the originals upstairs.”

"Anything there that shouldn't be?" Misha asked. "Oh, why do I have two tails?” He asked looking at his rump. "That can't be normal." Misha swished both tails back in forth.

The doctor watched Andre find a swivel chair and swish round and round in it as he scanned further. “Well, the two tails I can't explain. Any more than you changing. Actually, the whole second set of lungs is odd. A second heart, I could un- wait, I see how they get air... you can probably breathe through your navel somewhat.”

Dufray pokes his hand into the small depression along the front of the taur. “Yep... a whole second coronary system.“ He looked at some of the other results. “Plus, something like 3 stomachs, and several other redundancies. You seem to be built to withstand great punishment.”

“My body was custom made for fighting it seems. How much food will I need to eat? And what kind? Am I just a carnivore or can I still eat whatever I want? I want to test out this new body of mine Doc!" he commented. "See what can of punishment I can dish out!"

“Well, as for what you can eat, that's likely going to be close to what you could before,” the doctor explaind. “There might be one or two things that your body will not like, but being this size, you'll know you're having trouble long before it gets dangerous. Vulpines can eat anything humans can for the most part, and all you seem to be is a modification of the vulpine race. And just because you're well built doesn't mean that you were built for battle. It may just be an accident that you were rebuilt as this.” Dufray scanned a bit further. “ Well, I suppose this can all wait until morning to test, we have the whole marine platoon to throw at you.”

“Agreed,” Andre said chiming in. “I don't know how we'll fit you in the lift, but I'm sure we can find a way. He slipped over to the sickbay lift entrance, holding the door for the ludicrously oversized foxtaur. “Well, move it. I want to sleep at least 6 hours.” He yawned.

Misha looks dubiously at the lift. "You want to fit my huge body into that tiny thing? You're kidding right?"

"Maybe if I rear up on my hind legs I could fit in." Moving carefully he managed to squeeze his massive bulk in the lift by almost standing on his hind legs. His front paws resting some 8 feet up the wall. “You're on your own trying fit in here Andre."

“You know, if you would curl up, it would work better” the chief commented. “You're something like three to 4 yards long, and the lift is at least 2 yards across, maybe 3 or so, so you should be able to curl up good enough.”

Misha backed out of the lift then walked in then carefully curled up on the floor. Looking around he saw that everything just barely fit into the tiny lift. Andre merely climbed in and sat on the foxtaur.

"Sure! Come up with a better idea AFTER I make my self look silly with gymnastics in this tiny little box. Push the button and lets get to your cabin. I need some sleep. Changing wears a person out."

“Well, you never asked,” Andre answered as hit the button with vindictiveness. He shifted around in tickement by the fur on Misha's back. “Hmm, the ship's barber will have his work cut out with you. Man, tomorrow should be interesting. And, I should be able to take you. Smaller people have taken on bigger opponents in my family.” Andre finally laid down on Misha's back, then just as suddenly starts snoring, fast asleep from the comfortable fur. He's not had such a good place to sleep in over 20 years.

Misha looks at the sound asleep chief with a mixture of anger and pity. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or complimented.” he waits for the lift to reach its destination. The door slid open and the foxtaur slowly stood up with Andre still on his back. He walked slowly down the corridor towards the cabin.

The marine chief twists some, but stayed asleep, turning over and draping his arms over Misha's barrel sides. His snores grow louder for a bit, before backing down some. A single marine out in the barracks looks up to see the pair pass, his mouth hanging open in surprise.

Misha padped thru the barracks with surprising quiet for something that big. He reached the chiefs cabin door and opened it. Walking into the room he picked up the marine and gently places him on his bed.

The taur looked at the couch and realized he'll never fit there. He took the cushions off and laid them on the floor. Then he curled up on them and with surprising speed he fell asleep.

Andes snores grew in intensity for a moment, growing to the level of an Avenger readying for takeoff, before dulling back down to main-core rumble level. He curled up around his gun again, before pulling a freshly replicated teddy bear reflexively from under his pillow.

Misha didn't hear the 6am chime but he did wake up when he heard a loud THUMP! The foxtaur bolted awake and stood unsteadily up on all 4 legs. "What?" he asked his head still groggy with sleep. He looked around and saw Andre sprawled on the floor next to the bed.

“Couldn't you just have an alarm clock like normal people?" he asked.

Andre lay there on the floor, an aching throb in the back of his head as usual. “I've got to get myself trained not to do that.” His rifle is laying across his chest, and he still had his teddy-fox in his left hand. It's was rather distinctive, bearing an odd resemblance to the captain.

"I can understand the teddy bear," Misha said calmly, "but why the rifle? I'd hate for you to have a bad dream and cut loose on full auto."

“Yeah, sure. Say that in a few months. I keep it with me just in case. Heck, since the thing is waterproof, I even take it in the shower with me,” the marine answers Andre just stared right back into the foxtaur's odd look. “After what I've been through, being ready at all times comes as second nature. There are things in space that just walk right through walls to kill you, and if I wake up at night, my baby's good for one of two things. Either knocking whoever was stupid enough to wake me for a bad reason; or blasting into little pieces whoever is stupid enough to attack me at night.”

Andre yawned, lifting his arm and noticing that he's still clutching the teddy fox. “Um, pretend you didn't see this.”

Misha laughed. "See what? Couldn't you at least use a pistol? they're a lot smaller." He paused for a moment. "You know what they say about a person who carries a big gun! Are you compensating for something ELSE that’s too small?"

The foxtaur chuckled to himself. "How about we get some breakfast!!! My 2 stomachs are empty."

Andre scowled at Misha. “Actually, I would rather have this over any other weapon in the galaxy, save one. This is one of the new Hyperlight Mrk 10-24 super rifles. They can blow a hole right through the shields of a leviathan super-carrier, and then finish up with a further hole right through the saucer big enough to fly an Avenger through. When you have lived through hell, you tend to take no chances.” Andre lifted up his bunk, hiding his mini-akalia under it. “Didn't the doc say you had three stomachs?” He chuckled as he stepped into the bathroom and came back out with a full uniform on in less than 2 minutes.

"Impressive speed. You dress faster then anyone else I know! But I prefer subtlety over overwhelming firepower. A hidden sniper with a rifle can kill a leader with one shot and do more then an Avenger with full combat load. Overkill just isn't my style. And can we please go and fill my 3 stomachs!"

“Yes, yes.” The marine opened the door onto the now bustling marine deck. “Ah, the smell of jarheads in the morning.” Andre adjusted his rifle on his back. “This thing can do subtle as well, though overkill works a lot better than sniping. If you glass an entire enemy planet, at least you can be 99% sure you got every last one, and you can be guaranteed to escape. “All hands, part the deck!” he shouted and watched as the marines hurriedly open a path for him through, saluting. “Lead the way, oh quadruped one.”

"What if you need what’s on that planet Andre? You can't mine and refine glass," Misha said and stepped out into the barracks. He slowly walked down the barracks moving past the marines who were staring at him in open amazement. Then again he felt the power of his massive body and he couldn’t help strutting a little to show off.

The chief shook his head. “If there is a large enough amount of Ohansu on a planet to warrant glassing, its probably not worth trying to mine it.” Andre hit the call button for the port lift. “And quit showing off. I'm supposed to be the impressive one here.”

"I outweigh you by a full ton and I’m the only foxtaur in existence. At least for the moment. Those alone make me more impressive then you."

The lift arrived and the two entered it. Misha curling up on the floor like before. "We'll need to see about getting me a proper uniform and not this oversized diaper."

“Well, a uniform isn't that bad, you're pretty much covered by fur so for most of your body, it's not needed, and we can just give you a collar with your department color and rank on it,” Andre explained. “And stick your badge into your fur most of the time. It's just that back end of yours that is trouble. We’ve only got to get you something for that really.”

Andre stepped in and lay down on foxtaur. “At least you're comfy.” He lounges on the reclining foxtaur.

Misha glowered at the chief. "I go from pilot to lounge chair!" he commented sarcastically.

The lift doors closed and it starts moving along. "So we just need to cover up the naughty bits. But someday we will have to get me a space suit. I'm on a spaceship and someday will need it!"

“We'll have that suit within a month, have no fear,” Andre got back up into a sitting position, then off the foxtaur as the lift stopped. “As for you, I'd even let you go without what you've got on right now if you wanted to. Problem is, a guy has much more visible piping than a gal, I'm afraid,” He chuckled slightly as he walked over to the lounge.

Misha follows Andre out of the lift and into the lounge. "I've never heard the differences between the sexes reduced to simple plumbing!” he laughed. “Finally we can eat!"

The foxtaur tried to ignore the stares of the lounges other occupants. "It seems I am the object of a lot of attention!" he commented to Andre as they make their way thru the crowd. He stopped and looked around. "I don't think theirs a chair large enough for me."

“You can just lay down in front of the bar or one of the booths. A four-legged body wasn't made to sit,” Andre patted Misha playfully as he got up to the bar through the thin crowd. “Anything you want? Ship's crew get a 50 percent discount on all the food over 5 credits.”

"I'll take 2 full orders or Marazaki Wuri with 3 side orders of Orilean potatoes and a gallon of coffee."

“Well, at least you know what you want,” Andre shuddered at the thought of the Wuri. The things tended to be... rather ugly. Tasted good though. At least Orilean taters could be instantly made into fries. “Heh, and for me, get me a breakfast pizza. The usual, Supreme.”

The shift cook nodded. “Hmm very good. You want your usual 64 ounce root beer float with that?”

“Of course,” Andre said ignoring the taur. “We'll take it out by booth 6 by the aft windows. I believe that's 14.28 credits, right?”

“Yep. Pay on up,” the cook answered and grabbed the offered credits. It's hard to tell where Andre pulled them out of, but it's clear he doesn't have a wallet anywhere on him.

“Come on, follow me, and I can show you our booth.” He headed for the one closest to the screen nook.

Misha followed Andre as they made they're way to a booth. "You always eat that way?" He asked. "I was getting indigestion just listening to you order it!"

The foxtaur settled onto the floor of the booth. "When we're done with this meal can we get down to some combat training?"

Andre nodded watching the counter. His meal was already being brought over from the kitchen on the far side of the hall. “Heck, I've had bigger, stranger meals. I think I was awarded the iron stomach last month.”

"You worry me chief." the taur commented as both their meals were brought over to their booth.

Misha looked at the pizza placed in front of the chief. It was covered with at least a dozen different toppings. "Good lord! Are you going to eat all that?" He looked at the enormous pile of food placed in front of him. Seeing it he realized just how hungry is and dug in and started eating with gusto.

The two are silent for a while as they concentrated on eating their meals. The food goes down Misha's throat with surprising speed being washed down with lots of coffee.

“Trust me, this ain't all that bad,” Andre explained We've got somebody up in the arboretum who has the ultimate pepper plant, transplanted from where it was developed on Cait. The stuff's powerful enough that even I don't eat it. We mostly use it as jerk repellant.” He Snerked as he finished off half his pizza already, and is almost inhaling the other half. The scary thing is that he's already drank 3/4ths of his drink.

Misha kept eating but has a hard time keeping up with Andre. "I've seen some strange and wondrous things out on the rim. Things I bet that would amaze even you! My favorite are the flying plants of Thentis 4. It's a gas giant with no real ground. Everything just floats around. A strange place to visit."

The food and coffee in front of Misha disappeared quickly but not as fast as Andre. He seemed to inhale everything, it disappeared so quickly.

“I've got one for you. Yaltos,” Andre replied as he finished the last of his food. “The entire planet is water, right down to the core. Not a rock anywhere. He gets up, leaving a single credit coin as a tip. “If it weren't for the fact I've been stuck on Kalida for the past couple of years, I could show you some really freaky things in the universe.”

Misha gave a sharp bark of laughter. "I bet you could!. I bet we both have some great stories to tell each other.”

The two leave the lounge reluctantly. In spite of sitting on the floor Misha had gotten quite comfortable.

“What’s our next destination?" Misha asked as they left the lounge and headed down a corridor towards a lift at the other end. “After meal like that I have energy to burn!"

“Back to the marine Barracks,” was the answer. “We're going- oh no,” the marine stops in his tracks and then slaps himself on the head.

"Don't beat yourself up! Leave some for me to do please!" Misha commented. "What's wrong? You forget something?" the foxtaur asked.

“Oh, no... something far worse.... Dufray.” Andre pointed down the corridor.

Coming down the corridor towards them is the doctor. “There you guys are! I've been looking all over for you! I'll need to run several tests while you work out.” The fairly mad doctor had a bag filled with rather ominous looking equipment.

Misha let out a long string of curses under his breath. "Quick run and hide!" But there was no where to run. “Doc, I said I wasn't going to spend my whole life as some sort of lab animal."

"What tests do you want to do?" the foxtaur asked coldly as he stepped into a lift. He shifted around for a moment before sitting down.

“Oh, the whole physical if possible. Including echo-cardiograms, etc, etc. I've got to take extra time this time, and record every last detail. Supposedly, according to what I got from the captain, you're the first of your race.” The doctor managed to somehow slip into the lift with Misha and Andre just before the doors close.

“Can't we schedule this for tonight?” Andre asked. “I was planning on finding out his combat readiness. Andre playfully kicked Misha's reflex spot on his right foreleg.

Misha's leg lashes out reflexively narrowly missing the Doctor. "Ooops! Sorry about that I’m still getting used to this massive form." Misha looked at the Doctor wondering how he managed to fit in the tiny, cramped elevator. "How did you do that? There isn't even room for 2 and you still fit in."

The doctor didn’t answer but just looked around and shrugged his shoulders.

"Just how long would all these tests take?" Misha asked reluctantly as the lift started moving.

“He's a blood-sucking doctor,” Was the chiefs comment. “They're close kin to vampires,” he smiles wanly at his joke.

“Oh, ha-hah.” Dufray gave Andre an icy look. “I should be able to complete most of the tests while you work doing whatever you're planning.”

Misha laughed. "All right. We were planning a little hand - er Paw to hand combat training. Really give this big body of mine a workout! We are headed for the training room. You're welcome to tag along and take your readings!" the foxtaur said. "Maybe you'd like to do a little working out yourself?" he offered.

“Oh, no... I'm a conscientious objector,” He held a rather diabolic scanner close to Misha's body. “I don't like this war, but I know it's necessary. I may have to implant a few sensors. It may be uncomfortable during your fight, but it's better to find out how you do in. A workout would be good though.” He held another one by Misha's navel, which whirrs a few times.

The chief glowered at the doctor. “You'd better not do something to him that'll keep him from fighting with me.” He paused for a moment, hearing something that wasn't right. “And what in sam berdini is a Conscientious objector?”

"A conscientious objector - don't they object to having a conscious?" Misha quipped. He pointed to the wicked looking device. “WHAT is that? It looks like something the enemy uses to torture people. I hope its a medical scanner of some sort."

Andre grinned at Misha’s joke. “I think that it means he's a pacifier,” he chuckled as he looked at the implanting sensor. “Hmm, doc, are you sure that's needed?”

“Um.. well, I suppose I could get the same data with Aloe Vera and an ultra-sound machine.”

"OH NO! I know why you'd need the Aloe Vera and where you'd be sticking whatever is coated with it." Misha answered forcefully. He pointd at the implanting device "THAT thing had better not hurt or you are liable to get a first hand demonstration of just how strong my kick is."

The lift slowed and came to a halt. "You'd better hurry as we're almost there."

The doctor rubbed across his forehead, getting a small headache. “Sheesh... note to self, the next time a patient tries to double-guess me, knock them out.”

“I don't think it does up there, I think it acts like what they do with females when they're... well, with kiddos. Rubbing along your belly,” Andre forced Dufray out with him. “Come on, wide load... we've got a big foxie to beat up on.”

Misha scowled at the chief. "You mean for a foxie to beat up on YOU? Don't you?"

Misha waited for the others to leave the lift before standing up and making his way out and into the room beyond."

“Oooh... you'll see,” Andre dragged Dufray along by the arm and deposits him in the lounge beside the training room while he leads the foxtaur to the room itself. Then he goes off to get equipment for the both of him, and to put out an all-call to the marines.

"I thought it was just you and me fighting?" Misha asked. "I don't want to fight an entire marine platoon."

"I know I can't beat all of you at once. I’m not sure I can beat any of you at all!" Andre said as they walk into the training room. “Who said they were for you? I'm training first! me against most of the platoon. You can train against the one or two that are left.”

The chief hoisted a quarterstaff. “Alright, you guys, bring it on! He gets into the center of the arena. “Arena program delta-2!”

The arena suddenly morphed into a rocky hill and gully, aided by the floor panels altering their shape, and holographic technology. Andre stood at the middle, between the hill and ravine, waiting for the charge.

Misha was suddenly standing on a dusty hill. "NEAT!!!! This is all holographs right? I miss having all these luxuries benign on a small scout ship."

Andre nodded as the first marine circled in close, only to get swept down into the ravine. It's clear that he does this a lot. “Hah!” Two marines jump him from behind to get slammed to the ground when Andre jumps onto his back. They let go, and when Andre gets up, he sees just about the entire battalion rushing him. “Bring it on!!”

Misha watched in awe as the chief and seemingly every marine on the ship tangle in a massive brawl. He saw Andre toss two hundred pound marines about like the were empty bags. He would get involved but he was enjoying the fight too much as a spectator.

“Oh, I was singing in the park one,” the chief sang cheerfully. Thump! “Day, in the merry-merry month of may.” He used his quarter-staff to swing a squad to the ground. “I was walking along.” Andre then used his staff to thump one marine in the foot, then crotch smack him, and then smack another marine in the chest, bowling him over. “When I saw. . ACK!” “A good pile of marines jumped on him, interrupting his little song.

Misha looked at the massive pile of wrestling marines and starts slowly counting."1 . . 2 . . 3 . . 4 . . 5.”

Suddenly an arm appeared from the bottom of the pile of marines. Soon it's joined by a second and then Andres head and shoulders. Then slowly he pulled himself free of the pile of marines.

The chief pulled out a small flag from a belt-pouch, with a big A on it in gold print, and tied it to his quarterstaff, before climbing to the top of the huge pile of marines, planting the flag on the rump of the highest up marine. “Any questions as to why you should let your enemies do your work for you?”

Misha laughed and shook his head in amazement. "Who needs a marine corp when all we need is you!" he kidded. "I never realized you were that good! I don't think I'm in the mood to fight you all by myself. How about a little sparring match instead?"

“Sparring is just fine... like I said, you'll still get beaten.” Andre flexed, releasing a continuous popping of fire-cracker noises as he worked his joints loose again. He started wobbling as the whole dog-pile grew unstable, a good 50 men or more, then fell into their midst when the whole pile collapsed into disorganized chaos. “Hah! Chief 15, entire marine core 0!”

Dufray shook his head. “I have got to figure out how he does that.”

Misha shrugged. "I've no idea. It is impressive.”

The foxtaur walked to the locker room and picked a long, stout quarter staff from a rack full attached to one wall. Moving slowly he walked back into the training room spinning the staff about in tight circles.

"All right. I'm ready! Lets have some fun,” he said to the chief.

Andre shook his head. “So much to learn, large one.” He stands at the ready, his staff whirling almost invisibly fast around him. “Attack!”

Misha stopped about 3 feet from Andre and holds the staff close to him. He was judging Andre carefully. Suddenly he rushed forward swinging the staff sideways.

Andre is suddenly just not there, dodging to the side, and swinging his staff at thigh-height for the foxtaur, knocking a painful knot into the taur's leg, before jabbing once at his belly, and jumping back.

Misha reared on his hind legs and spun around. He dropped down lashing out with his paws at where Andre was standing. The chief dodged deftly out of reach and lashed out with his own staff. Misha blockd the blow this time.

“You fight well, now... turn to the dark side!” Andre's mock-evil voice is more hilarious than annoying, even as he hammers a series of rapid-fire blows head to the foxtaur's legs. He knew the weakness, the legs are Misha's greatest weapon hand-to-paw, and if he can disable them, he'd leave the taur floundering.

Misha backed away frantically from the furiously assault Andre had unleashed. He managed to block some blows but not all of them. Suddenly he switched tactics and rushes straight at Andre suffering several hard hits before he threw his 1 ton body into the chief in a massive body check.

“OOOF!” Andre went flying as Dufray watched anxiously wringing his uniform. As Andre starts to get back up, he saw the foxtaur coming at him again, and decided to put that motion to use, positioning his staff to use Misha's own mass and momentum against him with a pole-vault trick.

Misha saw it coming but his momentum carried him forward. He rammed into the staff and he felt Andre pulling him upward. The deck, walls and ceiling spinning as the taur tumbled thru the air. Misha hit the deck hard and went tumbling before coming to a halt.

Andre stood up to some applause, before he went over to the foxtaur, carefully moving paws with his quarter-staff to keep from having the 'playing dead' defense used against him. “I think I killed him. He's absolutely quiet.”

Misha is still for a long moment waiting for his head to stop spinning. "I must be alive. Being dead couldn't hurt this much."

He slowly sat upright and then slowly stood up. "My entire body hurts."

“Well, you're not a zombie... you're good to go. HAVE AT YOU!” Andre charged again, swirling and twirling a mad dance of power.

Misha looked at the Chief. "Don't you EVER get tired?" he asked. "You've got the energy of 10 men!" He danced backward trying to keep his distance from Andre.

“That's why I had that soda this morning!” Andre boasted. It's becoming clear where part of his energy comes from, he'd figured out how to make the energy last a long, long time. Andre swept at Misha's feet.

Misha leapt upward and Andres blows struck nothing but air. He lashed out with his front legs the blow catching Andre on the shoulder and sending him tumbling backward.

The marine chief slid across the floor for a moment, before kicking at Misha's foot, giving the taur a hugely painful moment. He uses the pause to get back to his feet, staff starting to wind around faster and faster. The blows came tougher and harder, progressively so, starting to push Misha back..

Misha fought frantically trying to keep from having the stuffing knocked out of him by a person who is 1/5th his size. He blocked the worst of the blows with his staff. Then reared up and lashed out with both of his front legs as he slashed down with his staff.

The chief stood firm, only sliding back as he held his staff up to block both attacks. Everyone winced, thinking the chief dead, but suddenly, as he staggered back a bit. Then he lunged forward again, slamming Misha in the navel with the end of his staff, before jumping up onto the foxtaur's back, and running right across him to the back. Then Andre jumped to the side, smacking the foxtaur across the belly with his staff.

Misha spun around but not towards Andre but AWAY from the chief. Andre had a moment to realize what’s happening before the taur lashed out with both powerful, hind legs. The paws connected with the chief chest!

The chief slid to the ground again. This time, however, he's got the dark side type rage building up. It's not often he's beaten, and he doesn't intend to loose so easily. “HAVE AT YOU!” Andre jumped back to his feet, dodging and weaving at nearly untrackable speeds, before managing to grab a hold of Misha, starting to ride him like a bucking bronco.

Misha lost his cool completely. He spun violently and jumped up and down as he swung the staff around behind him. He twisted his torso and snapped at the Chief with his teeth. Finally he dropped to the ground and rolled over onto his back.

The chief was fighting smart and very tough now, pulling moves that seem impossible. He jumped from his sit, smacked the foxtaur on the head with his staff and then crouched into the hollow between the foxtaur's two backs. Laying there, under the somewhat confining bulk, he leaned up and over, whispering in Misha's ear, “Yield?”

"I yield," Misha said quietly. "I'm done fighting you." He waited for Andre to get off of his back.

The chief waited a minute or so, then let go, rolling out of the cleft of the taur. “Impressive, though. You fought wisely with your body, though you could still use much work.”

Misha stood up slowly feeling the pain and bruises all over his body. "I don't think anything is broken." He looked at Andre. "You don't even have a single bruise. What are you. No human can take that much abuse and shrug it off."

“Are you kidding? Andre showed his hands, which are most definitely bruised. “Most of your energy was wasted against my defense.” He showed the somewhat twisted and deformed staff. “Plus, my uniform covers up some of the others. Your biggest problem is handling the defense of your legs, and handling your mass properly.”

“Don't forget the bruise in his head!” Added Dufray cheerfully.

“Quiet, red-shirt volunteer!” Andre countered.

"My mass is my biggest advantage. Just hitting you with 1 ton of weight can be devastating! How do I protect my legs? I have four of them," Misha said as he rubbed his stomach and the nasty bruise there.

Andre nodded in agreement. “That's the problem that you must solve. Sure, you can afford to loose one, but if I had taken two out of commission, you'd fall flat on your face. Above all else, protect your back legs from attack, as one of them going out will most definitely cripple you. I'll see about getting that problem fixed with the suit we're ordering. A ton of mass can be devastating, but then, you wouldn't use a tank to pick a flower, would you? There are times and places for your mass, and just the same, times and places for your opponents to use that against you. Several times did I let your own mass strike you down. Watch for that.”

“Need I mention you're both suffering from terminal machoism!?” Dufray said and got beat upside the head by the nearby marines.

Misha laughed. "Why not a little machoism. I have BIG, new body to play with! I want a suit with ARMOR in it! Lots of padding and protection.” He started walking and every movement hurt. "Every part of my body hurts. I dread tomorrow I know my body will hurt a lot worse then!"

“Well, terminal machoism. I told you, and I won't cure it,” the doctor quipped and got smacked again.” “What? It's not like I said code-word dirtbag!” He got smacked again, this time with a far more practiced air.

“He'll never learn not to say that,” Andre patted the foxtaur right in a sensitive spot. “Come on, we've got to get down to sickbay. I know we've got to do your physical. Dufray was probably too busy making sure we didn't kill each other to take measurements.”

"Watch where you pat Andre,” Misha warned. “Just because it's bigger doesn't mean it's not sensitive." He slowly walked up to the doctor. "Lets get to Sickbay."

"You have anything for bruises there?" Misha asked the doctor.

“The best thing to do is to live with 'em,” Andre advised. “The best option hurts more than letting them fade away.” He patted again, ruffling the small mane of fur for the foxtaur. “We've got to find your reflex points. Getting you to do the scratch-paw bounce thing would be awesome.”

Andre grabbed a hold of the doctor as they passed, leading him away with the foxtaur.

Misha scowled at Andre, "I DO NOT do the scratch-paw thing!" he said indignantly as he followed after the doctor and Andre moving slowly and trying to ignore all the pain that was shooting thru his body.

The group made it's way to the lift and Misha walked in and slowly curled up on the floor.

The chief decided to test the protest and starts rubbing in spots along Misha’s back.. As he did, he found the spot, and the deck is soon rumbling. “Hah! What was that again?”

Misha's eyes closed for a moment and a look of pure bliss came over his face as a hind leg thumped the deck. After a moment he snapped out of his bliss and he slapped Andres hand. "Stop that!" he said half heartedly.

“Aww, come on, it's fun to watch you thump away like that,” Andre can think of more insidious spots to find, but desists from them for the Foxtaur's sake, choosing to keep on slowly scritching that one spot while the lift moves to sickbay. He watched Misha's foot move in time slowly still, slow enough for the taur not to notice.

The doctor took notes, titled in ways that probably should be kept from the foxtaur. He then whipped out his scanner, taking more notes on the still little understood reflex, and why it would appear in a higher life-form. As the lift door opened, he stepped out, beckoning to a new, improved bio-bed cooked up by the engineering team over-knight, big and sensitive enough for the foxtaur's body.

“I see you've got a biobed big enough to fit me!” Misha says.

He turned to Andre. "Please don't do that again in public all right? It could be embarrassing!"

Misha climbed up onto the new biobed and lay down. "That feel good! My weary body needs a good rest."

“Aww, come on, it'll be fun to see your leg go off. Just sitting there, then thump-thump-thump.” Andre scritched again, watching the leg go all the way to the ground, then back up to scratch at the fur. Doc, you find any other points like this, like one that'll make him roll over?” The good intentions of the ham are obvious, and the two somewhat mad officers had a quick laugh.

Dufray slapped a scanner-sticky pad on the taur's belly flank. “I've still got to run analysis on the body. Who knows what methods he has for making himself look silly?“

Misha shot the chief a cold stare. "Enough with the scritching please!” he ordered. Maybe more later?" he added after a moment.

The taur watched the doctor run the scanner along his large body. "Find anything unusual?"

“Nothing more yet, though it seems you're definitely going to have a tough skeleton. It's like some boron composite, instead of the normal calcium kind. It's an unusual feature. I've only seen it in a few species. Probably why you could take getting hit by Andre's punches. He doesn't pull them.”

The doctor ripped the sticky-pad off, taking some fur with it. “With this, I've got a good sample to work up a DNA structure from.”

"OUCH! watch it with the fur!" Misha shouted.

Dufray stuck a small hypo-spray to the foxtaur's skin, drawing some of the blood with a tiny prick. “This is to get a toxicology and blood chemical report on you,” he explained.

Misha looked at the bare skin where fur used to be. then he looks at the doctor and rubbed it with his fingers. "Did you say Boron composite bones? They use that in some forms of armor! That is great! Means my kicks and punches will be harder too!”

“It depends on your muscle power. The bones just mean that you're more resistant to crushing and breaking.” Andre thwacked again with his twisted staff to demonstrate. The full-power blow bends the staff instead of breaking Misha's leg, though it hurt as bad as a 5-year old shin-kicker.

“Would you please refrain from trying to kill each other in sickbay?” Dufray ordered, annoyed as he holds up a tranquilizer cartridge, ready to inject one, or both of them. Now then. You got lucky, as a bit further, and from what I read, you might have gone from being a he to being a she.”

"Andre would never have done that,” Misha commented. “And there's no need for the tranq's. Andre is the blood thirsty berserker not me! Having bones like that will be a great advantage in a fight. I wonder what else they built into this amazing body of mine. Are we done with the tests or are there more?"

Andre looked shocked, though not for the blood-thirsty berserker part. “Whoa, doc. You mean that poor Misha here came close to a really nasty event?”

Dufray nodded in answer. “Yep. From what I can tell, he just barely beat out with having his Y chromosome come out strong. There's another one that's in there, in addition to his normal sex chromosomes, that's another X. Plus, I'm reading what seems to be the very start of the female side of things, but they didn't turn out.”

“WHAT?” Misha shouted, surprised. I MISSED THAT little bit of your reading!”

“So... I think whoever did this to him realized their mistake, and corrected it before it got to the potentially problematic point,” The doc went over to his testing equipment, pulling out different sample analyzing equipment. “It'll take me a few moments to complete my toxicology and blood work.

Misha looked at Dufray for a moment. "You mean they almost made me into a female? Do I still have all the right plumbing?" he asks worried. "I mean I've still got all the male parts working?" He takes a peek at his hind quarters. "I'd hate to think of what other mistakes they made."

Andre laughed. “All you have to do for that is look down.” Andre da-dum-dumbs. “Actually, doc, I think I know what's up with that extra chromosome.”

“Well, now. Here's lawn chair Larry lecturing to Einstein. Do tell,” The doctor compared results to the norms for Vulpines, looking for changes.

“I know for a fact that you know about that shifting type ability of the vulpine, right?” Andre commented.

The doctor nodded in answer.

Andre continued. “Well, since I don't think you detected a non-tauric version of Misha's DNA, what if they had to put something in to fill that spot, and just gave him the ability to switch sexes? He could potentially sire the entire tauric race.”

"WHAT? Are you saying I can change my gender?" Misha asked, surprised. "You have got to be kidding! And exactly how will it sire the whole tauric race? You mean all by myself? If you think I’m doing with myself just to sire the whole race your nuts!"

“Well, you can always go artificial,” Andre suggested. “Plus, it might be interesting to find out what the girls do when we guys aren't looking. If we find that out, we could take over the universe.” A bleep interrupted his thoughts, signaling the end of the test. “Got the results?”

Dufray just walked over to his desk and sat down. A somewhat shocked look on his face lets them both know the results. “It's official. The taur has enough genetic material in him to qualify for his own genome. The full range is inside his double, well, quadruple helixes. He's got secondary versions of all the DNA in him, sometimes 3-20 versions are in places. Blood work confirms levels of the male AND female hormones, high enough for both sexes to work.” The doctor had a glazed look in his eyes. “I've never seen anything like it. His male plumbing works, and so does his female stuff, if properly activated.”

"Am I getting what you're saying right? I not only can change from male to female but possibly other forms as well?" Misha asked in an amazed tone.

"You do not have the DNA for a regular vulpine just a taur," Dunfray explained.

"Wow! That’s cool. I can change!" the taur exclaimed, amazed. "But will I be able to change into other forms as well?"

“All Vulpines can change to at least one other form,” Andre answered. “But, as Dufray says, apparently taking up all the room you need for your progeny will mean that you can't take any more forms at the moment, though you might get others if those guys are merciful.” He patted Misha's side. “So, iron-flanks, maybe I should get the captain down here to show you how to shift.”

Misha nodded his head. "That would be a good idea. I have to admit the idea of being able to change into a female taur is great! I'd like to see how SHE looks! Doctor. Are we finally done with all the tests? I’d like to get off of this table."

Dufray shook his head. “I'm afraid not. It'll take an hour to finish documenting your body. Like I said, you're the only example of anything close to you, ever.” Dufray further scans the taur, seeing what all else is in him. “Hmm, increased disease and poison resistance, thanks to that huge liver of yours.”

“Hmm, have you gotten a chance to see a vulpine change before?” Andre was wielding his own power, to plant in Misha's mind how to change. He felt the ability for his mother come while he watched her performance, so he knew how to do it. The problem was getting the taur to do it. “It'd probably go faster to give Dufray another sample to work on.”

"Just how do I change? It's not something they teach at the academy." Misha asked sounding unsure of himself. "I don't want to mess up the change and ruin this body. I'm just starting to like it."

“Well, um,” the doctor stuttered.

Andre gave him a look, while planting the suggestion so strongly in the foxtaur's mind the way to change.

“I'll just do some more blood work,” Dufray said..

“One of the new generation of Vulpin would be best to find out from, but the captain has some experience with training,” Andre explained. “There's supposedly some sort of energy spring or force that each can tap into. Most can influence their change, but it's usually based on what the individual would be if not vulpine. The change is then supposedly unleashed by concentration on that form, overlaying it using that power over the present form to change it.” Andre held up his hands. “Yeah, I know, complicated, and making no sense, but that's how it should work.”

The taur nodded his head "Let me try and see what happens," He said calmly.

Misha closed his eyes and tried to picture the change in his mind. He pictured his body shifting and rearranging to accept another gender. At first he felt nothing except growing frustration. Suddenly there was a surge of power rushing thru his body filling every inch completely. The flush of power faded away slowly leaving Misha feeling slightly strange.

Misha looked around for a mirror and saw one in the doctors office. The body that was reflected to Misha was smaller and daintier then it had been as a male. His - her mane was darker then before and her muzzles was slimmer. She slowly slid off the table and stood up. "I'm shorter then I was before.”

The doctors eye's nearly pop out of his head, surprised and overwhelmed by the surprising grace and beauty of the changed taur.” Wow. Hubba hubba!”

The chief tossed his staff at the doctor, knocking him upside the head. He moved over to the smaller taur, who was now down to about 6-7 ft tall, and about 6 ft long. “Well, now. See, there was some good of it after all. You're smaller, and a lot lighter from the looks of it. Good for nimble work. And, if nothing else, you'll be able to switch forms, and suck the eyeballs out of the enemies sockets.”

Misha fixes Andre with a cold Glare. "I'm not here just to give you some cheap peeks," she said coldly. “Maybe it's time I get back to my male form. My LARGER male form." She has a bad moment when he realizes she has no clue HOW to change back.

She tried to concentrate on changing. Thinking of how he had managed to change the first time but there is no sudden rush of power and Misha remained firmly a vixen. "This isn't WORKING!" she exclaimed with a tinge of panic in her voice.

“Um,” “It seemed to work that way before,” Andre slowly paced around the lithe form, before a small PING! from the lift indicated an arrival.

The doors opened to reveal the captain already walking out, stepping out so fast that the doors begin to close before they even finished opening. She took one look at Dufray rubbing his head, Andre looking stumped, and Misha looking like she wanted to freak out, and most definitely not a guy. “Let me guess, he taught you how to shift, but never bothered to learn from a vulpine how to shift back, right?”

Misha nodded slowly. "This is a neat form but I’d like my normal male one back please! You don't even look slightly surprised Captain. Were you expecting this?"

She glards down something Andre was about to say. “After a fashion, yes. Ever since I explained how the vulpine shifting works going into the shift to the chief here, I've been having to go all across the ship investigating strange surges. There are, unfortunately, some who use the power unwisely, which is why I only gave the instructions for going in.”

Andre started to say something again as the captain walks by, and was promptly thwacked, without the captain pausing a beat, or even looking at him. “Yes,” she said and sighed. “Men, even when they have our perfection at hand, they want to toss it back. Come into the office, and we'll get you fixed.”

She glared a 'And I'll have you in my office come this evening' look to Dufray and Andre.

Misha nodded and followed after the captain. Before leaving she stopped and turned to Andre and stuck out her tongue at him. Then she left the room before the Chief could reply.

“Dagumit, I found a girl, and she's already dumped me,” Andre commented sadly.

Dufray snorts. “Dumped you. HAH!!! A: She’s your fault, and B: she was never with you.”

“Quiet you fool!”

End part 1.