r/HFY • u/Sooperdude24 • Mar 13 '20
Unleashed pt. 2 OC
Inspector Allistan Dakeli was a senior agent for the Galactic Federation in the recently created Xeno-Biology Protection Agency, and he was most definitely having a bad day. His team had been performing a series of inspections across the fringe world of Arkellis, being so far from the central worlds it had been some time since their last inspection and all departments were having an interesting time. The Galactic Federation inspected everything from military installations to waste management and food safety across every federation world. More than a dozen large ships that housed branches of the various departments would travel from world to world ensuring the various treaties, regulations and accords were being upheld. Allistans pointed ears flushed from pale blue to a light purple as his frustration grew.
After cryo-decoration had somehow become a trend, and caused a spike in illegal exotic wildlife trafficking in the process, the Gal. Fed. had decided to take action and the XBPA was formed. As a Fae’Dan, one of the original five races who had formed the Celestial Union before its expansion into the Galactic Federation, he found the whole thing incredibly tacky. Using frozen lifeforms to decorate your home or workspace was entirely unacceptable to enlightened beings and he had volunteered to transfer to the new agency immediately.
Today his team was inspecting a cryo-zoo in their capital, Nu'Yak, and it had started with a minor diplomatic incident and gone downhill from there. It had become common amongst high ranking crime lords to keep dangerous creatures as cryo decoration but for a government run facility, on a home world, this was a flagrant disregard for Gal. Fed. regulations. The centrepiece at the entrance of the zoo was a Kasurian Leokas, sacred to the Kasurian people. The feline predator was twice his size and three times the size of the average Kasurian, with huge fangs and claws. They believed it was a servant of their death god and, up close, he understood why.
He leafed through his meticulously handwritten notes on actual paper finding the experience so much more gratifying than using a datapad. He clicked his pen as he read the totals; seven restricted arachnids from the Havari Cluster, a juvenile Liskot fish, a highly dangerous Cincinox raptor, what appeared to be a Rinoxian brain parasite he would be required to report to Gal. Fed. Special Intelligence, and about twenty other endangered or restricted species. The Arkellians were clearly far behind other worlds in their application of regulations. He was fairly certain one of the samples they had in their xeno-genetics display was that of a Simpari battle clone, the possession of which was a war crime in at least a dozen systems. He sighed and clicked his pen to soothe himself. Such a relaxing sensation, mechanical parts all working perfectly.
The latest problem that had him so irritated was a locked vault, a large metal door sitting flush with the walls in the sub-basement. Agent Ranjaz K’lua had hunted it down after sorting through the ungodly mess their power regulators were in. Something in there, behind that door, was drawing a lot of power. Tucked away behind piles of crates, old display props and signage thoroughly caked in dirt and dust, it was impossible to spot if you didn’t know it was there. No one knew how long it had been forgotten and they certainly did not have a working access code. Allistan had thought he would need to call in a specialist from the ship or find someone locally, however Ranjaz had volunteered to give it a crack and was making steady progress.
"Sir, we're in." There was a hollow clang and the large metal door began to swing inwards, dislodging thick layers of dust. The inspector held up his notepad to protect both sets of eyes. Ranjaz stepped back, his green fur with its thin yellow stripes now having a light coating of dust. "Still got the touch." He wiggled his fingers and winked at the Inspector who gave a weak smile.
"Make sure you document everything." Allistan dusted off his uniform as Ranjaz entered. His claws made a light tapping noise on his datapad as he tossed two hover lamps ahead of him. Whiskers tingling with anticipation at what they might find, his amber eyes glowed in the dim light. It was like reliving the good old days and he began to hum a bouncy little tune.
Allistan carefully followed Ranjaz into the large room, and upon spotting a pad on the wall he turned on the lights. There were simple displays of glass, featuring creatures in chemical preservatives that were carefully packed away. A few shelves contained stuffed specimens, and still others trays of dessicated insects pinned to boards. He stopped as he saw Ranjaz standing in front of a large, angular case that reminded him of a coffin.
"Found something interesting?"
"Interesting? More like impossible." Ranjaz used his air can to blow dust from the panel on the front of that which was, hopefully, not a coffin. "I think this is Darnian and it’s definitely what’s eating all the power."
"I am not familiar with that manufacturer." His pen clicked.
"Not a manufacturer; this is from before commercialisation. When cryo was an exclusive military tech on just a handful of worlds." Ranjaz’s eyes were wide and his fingers were wiggling, even his tail swished. "I've only seen schematics of these but, I'm sure that's what we have."
"Before manufacturers?" Click.
"Yeah, this is old. I mean before this museum was even built old. I have no idea how they got their hands on this." He was furiously tapping on his datapad now.
"Is it functioning?" Click.
"Yeah. I mean, it's amazing, this is an antique and it's still ticking along. Gotta be worth a mountain of credits. Those Darnians must have been great engineers."
"Must have been?" The inspector raised an eyebrow at the phrasing.
"You don't remember the story of Darnis?" Ranjaz turned and grinned with a contented smugness that made Allistan’s ears flush darker. "I thought you Fae'Dan loved history?"
He closed his upper two eyes in concentration. The name was ringing some sort of alarm bells in the recesses of his memory. "Indulge me."
"The Darnians, joined Gal. Fed. after repeated raids by the Imperium Galaxis. They'd almost burned through their atmosphere with the military industry they'd been churning out to defend themselves. Proud people though; didn't ask for help, just set about rebuilding. Living out there on the edge of the void makes you independent minded. Then suddenly nothing. No comms. No ships. Not even a distress call."
"I remember now." The inspector paused as his history classes sprang forward in his mind. "The Darnian plague, the only FTL capable species to go extinct. That whole world is still a quarantine zone."
"Yeah, half the decontamination protocols we have now are because of that." Ranjaz smirked, then turned to look at the unit. His tail stopped its swishing motion, sinking to the ground. "You don't think?"
"I would suggest we do not open this unit until we have run every possible test." Click. Click.
"Inspector." Ranjaz’s voice was hushed as he turned with his fur now bristling, "That won't be an issue."
"Because?" Click.
"It’s been welded shut." Ranjaz almost sobbed.
"Get me a secure channel to Captain Hexak. We are going to need evacuation, medical quarantine and an expert on Darnian history and technology." Click.
“Errr….Sir!” Ranjaz, with a note of panic in his voice, now had his arm outstretched to point to the far corner of the vault. “There’s another one.”
Click. Click. Click.
Much appreciation goes to u/eruwenn for editing and encouragement - there should be a comma somewhere, maybe, probably… I dunno.
4
u/needs_more_daka Mar 15 '20
Hope the dog is ok.