In the void above an Earth-like pnet, the silence stretched. Two moons hovered in the void and stars twinkled in the far distance, when suddenly a 300m long spaceship appeared out of nowhere, its engines glowing and weapons gleaming in the light of the local star.
Onboard the ship, on the captain's chair, sat a tall man, breathing out the breath he had held.
"Fuuuuuck, that was trippy," Victor excimed, remembering his first jump. Although it only took seconds to cross the unfathomable distance, the kaleidoscopic light and feeling of weightlessness left him in awe and shock. Coupled with the knowledge that, in the future, he would possess a fleet of ships, capable of reaching even the farthest corners of the universe in minutes, Victor could not help but ugh out loud as he imagined the sheer power at the tips of his fingers.
>Commander, we have arrived above the chosen pnet. First scans confirm the information given to us by U.C. Approximately 3 billion sentient individuals, 64% of which being human. To narrow down the search for the location of your first settlement, please state your criteria.<
Interrupting his daydream, Admin spoke matter-of-factly.
Still with a light smile on his lips, Victor responded after thinking for a few seconds.
"Well, abundance of resources, like water, organic material, ores, stone and wildlife, is a must. I also don't want to be too close to any bigger settlements, and especially rather far away from human kingdoms or empires. But there should be a smaller settlement like 20-50km away. Do you think you can find a spot like that? If not I'm willing to compromise."
Not even waiting a second, Admin answered her commander.
>No need, Commander. Already found a location matching all your requirements. If it is not suitable I would have to widen the search. Dispying initial location now, continuing scan.<
A bluish, semi-transparent holo screen flickered to life in front of Victor, showing a forest roughly 20km across, surrounded by grassnds with simir forests spotted throughout. Multiple indicators showed diverse animal life, from lower prey species to giant boars. The one marker that grabbed Victor's attention almost immediately was the one belled "Beastkin Settlement". Intrigued by it, he reached out to tap the marker, only to tap air. Nonetheless, the marker dispyed additional information, even though it was not a lot. Said information instantly shocked Victor.
Beastkin Settlement
Popution: 187 individuals
Subrace: Fox
"Holy Shit! Admin, you are the fucking best! This pce is perfect. Let's prepare for our first dive!"
Confused by the apparent etion of her commander, Admin responded nonetheless promptly.
>Yes Sir! Preparing for dive. Do you wish to also deploy the Settlement pod?<
Still engrossed in his imagination, Victor snapped back to reality abruptly and thought the proposal through.
"No. Let's hold off on that. Also please keep the Herald of War in outer orbit. While it will dey support, we do not know the extent of magic on this world. Since I still have two clones, risking my life is better than risking the ship."
Getting up and cracking his neck he continued, still looking at the Settlement marker.
"Get my equipment ready. By the way, do we have different armors for different purposes? Like stealth armor or heavy armor?"
>No Commander, we do not currently have the ability to provide different kinds of armors. The one provided currently is an all-round medium armor.<
*CLICK---HIIIIIIIISSSS*
With a low hiss, a panel on the wall slid aside and revealed a sleek bck armor with a fully enclosed bck helmet, as well as an assault rifle, looking simir to a Mk416, just bigger, as well as a rge revolver, grenades and multiple magazines and speedloaders.
Letting out a low whistle, Victor took the helmet into his hand and marveled about the quality of the gear.
>The Mk1 medium armor is fully enclosed, hermetically sealed and incorporated in the network of the Herald of War. The armor is able to stop multiple rounds of the accompanying Mk1 assault rifle, chambered in 7.62mm. The helmet possesses night and heat vision capability and integrated comms equipment, as well as a full sensor suite for environmental analysis. The revolver is chambered in 12.7mm and able to penetrate medium armor.<
Admin expined shortly to her commander.
Suddenly noticing a problem, Victor inquired.
"Hey Admin, will I be able to communicate with the natives of this pnet?"
>Yes Commander. The U.C. gave you and will give all reincarnated individuals the ability to communicate with all sentient beings in its universe. Your ability in particur relies on the support chip in your brain, which I impnted to link you better to me and the Herald of War. With it we will be able to communicate even non-verbally, once you get used to it. Please put on your armor now. All other preparations for the dive have been completed.<
Chuckling at the succinctness of Admin's answer, and putting the whole chip thing out of mind, Victor started to don his equipment, impatient to dive down to the pnet and meet the foxes.
A few minutes ter he checked through his equipment out loud.
"Armor on and sealed. Check. Helmet on, sealed, and comms working. Check. Life support and sensors working. Check. Mk1 Assault Rifle locked and loaded plus 6x 45-round mags. Check. Mk1 Anti-Armor Revolver plus 4 speedloaders. Check. 2 Fragmentation grenades. Check. 2 First aid nanite syringes. Check. All ready to go."
With a light spring in his step, Victor sauntered towards the center drop pod, clearly not knowing what an outer orbit dive entails.
>Commander, please dampen your enthusiasm slightly. Your life will be in danger, if only slightly.<
While stepping on the center ptform he chuckled lightly.
"Yes ma'am. I am ready to dive."
After uttering those words the magnetic lock on the soles of his armor locked itself to the ptform with a click. A second ter the armor went completely stiff, locking him in pce.
Simultaneously the ptform descended into a tight, barrel-shaped space with Victor on top of it.
Dim red light illuminated the cramped space, padding lining the wall. The lid closed and with a whirring sound was fixed in pce. Now sealed, the pod started to pressurize rapidly with a loud hiss.
>Last chance to cancel the dive, Commander.<
Admin spoke through the integrated comm system in Victor's helmet.
"I am ready. Proceed with dive."
He answered, unable to hide the slight tremor in his voice.
>Alright. Dive in 3....2....1....DIVE!<
With the sound of an explosion the pod rocketed out of the ship and straight down towards the forest bathed in early morning light.
"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!"
Feeling the force of his first dive, Victor screamed, alone in the endless void of space.
— Kana PoV —In a small vilge, one a certain commander was very interested in, a young woman roused from sleep. Slowly opening her blood-red eyes to the dawning light of a new morning. After blinking a few times she got up and stretched her limbs, four magnificent bck tails stiffening behind her, also stretching. The two fox ears on top of her raven-haired head started to flick around as she took in the sounds of her vilge, the birds in the air and the rustling of the forest not far from their walls.
Lazily walking over to a small basin filled with water she started to rub down her body. Long soft legs with spring-like muscles beneath the soft skin, good hips and a cute butt, narrow waist and a ft stomach with not an ounce of extra fat. As she wiped the night's sweat from her breast she clicked her tongue. -still not as rge as mom was, damn.... should I eat more meat?- Slightly annoyed by her perceived imperfection she went over to a wooden chest next to her bed and pulled out some rather worn-looking bck cloth — underwear, shirt, pants and some thick boots. Putting them on fast, she gnced at the bck kimono hanging near the door of her small hut and with a loud sigh changed her mind, tossing the shirt and pants back into the chest and donning her kimono.
With a huff she quickly ran a hand through her hair, which after years was now nearly reaching her cute butt, and grabbed the katana near her bed, ready to head out and face the world anew.
Stepping out of her small hut she was greeted by the sight of their bustling small vilge.
A group of young foxkin pying on the square in front of her hut, smoke coming from the chimneys of the other huts, female foxkin washing clothes or doing other household chores before work. At the edge of the vilge stood a 5m tall wooden palisade with watchtowers at predetermined intervals, the guards upon which keeping a watchful eye out for any danger. Turning around slowly she observed the whole vilge quickly. A task made easy by the small hill her hut stood upon.
Noticing a group of boisterous foxkin men heading out with bows strapped to their backs, she frowned slightly.
-those idiots, I can't sense any talismans on them.... reckless... I hope they spray the foot-
Thinking to herself, she turned away from them only to face a group of elderly foxes heading her way.
-oh great, I just got up and now here they come again, fuck, mom... why did you have to sacrifice yourself and leave me with this shit-
So thinking, she suppressed the anger at the older generation and the sorrow of losing her mother and put on a professional facade.
The group of old foxkin walked slowly up the hill, their tails swaying steadily behind them.
Arriving in front of the young woman they bowed, although not as deep as would be expected, and chorused:
"Good morning, Miss Kana!"
Acknowledging their greeting with a small huff, Kana fixed them with a stern gaze and wondered what new situation brought them to her this early again.
A dignified older fox stepped forward, two bck tails swaying behind him, and putting on the friendly face of a kind elder spoke.
"Miss Kana, have you considered whom you might take as your husband? You are the sole sorceress of our cn, as well as the vilge head. We know that it is a great burden to you and a husband might lighten it quite a bit, taking away all the heavy responsibility of ruling. Also all of us would be greatly reassured if you could bear an heir to your illustrious bloodline. Living outside the beast kingdom comes with many risks and, the heavens forbid, should anything happen to you we would be left without the bloodline of the great fox."
Facing the man, Kana's eyes narrowed.
"Kosuke, I have told you many times that there is no one worthy of my affection in this vilge. No one besides me has achieved 4 tails, none even achieved 3, so you want me to lower myself and dilute my bloodline? The one my mother, the former high sorceress of all foxkin, sacrificed herself to protect?"
Kosuke, unbothered by her tone, smiled even kinder.
"Miss Kana, no one has those ugly intentions you speak of. We are just worried about you and the cn. Have you considered Takashi? He is closest of all of us to awakening his third tail. He is also the greatest warrior and hunter of the cn. I am convinced he would make a great husband for you if—"
"He is weak, and he is also your eldest grandson, Kosuke. Don't think that I don't know what you are angling for. I have no intentions of ever mar—"
Just as Kana was about to y into Kosuke and the other elders for pushing marriage on her again, a bright light pierced the sky and headed straight to the heart of the forest.
Following its trajectory until the bright object impacted in the sea of trees, Kana fell silent.
After a few seconds she took out a talisman from her kimono and chanted quietly before speaking.
"Ayame, Koto, Izumi — meet me at the gate facing the forest. Come with your gear!"
Letting go of the talisman as it burned in bck fmes, she turned to the elders.
"Apologies, elders, but I have to go."
Bowing, the elders chorused in unison, with Kosuke being a beat ter than the others, trying to hide the scowl on his face.
"Have a good hunt, Miss Kana!"
Not minding them any longer, Kana stepped back into her hut, quickly pulling out lightweight chest armor and bracers from her chest and putting them on. Gncing down at herself she nodded in approval and flicked the hilt of her katana, now fixed at her left hip, with her left middle finger, suddenly vanishing in a puff of smoke as the sound of a lone small bell was heard ringing.
Seconds ter she appeared out of thin air, accompanied by the sound of a lone small bell, at the north gate. Standing there waiting was a group of 4 foxes, 3 female and 1 male, all with bck twin tails.
The 3 women bowed slightly and greeted her respectfully in unison.
"Lady Kana! We are ready as ordered!"
Quickly gncing and nodding at them, Kana fixed her stern gaze at the young man standing behind the three women with an arrogant smirk on his face.
"It is good to see you three. But Takashi, what are you doing here? I did not call for you."
Proudly sticking out his chest, Takashi answered.
"Yes, Kana, I know, but my grandfather sent me to keep you safe. So you don't have to worry."
"Sigh, yeah right. You protecting me, sure. I'm tired of dealing with those old fossils, so you can come along, but you are under my command — not to move even a muscle if I don't give the order. Also if you are about to die, well, I did not demand you to come along so you will have to deal with it on your own. Understood?"
Sighing in annoyance, she realized the chance to possibly get rid of him and agreed, noticing the wide grin spreading on his face. Kana just shook her head inwardly.
"Alright, let's head out. Our target is the star that fell from the sky minutes ago. We will scout the area around it and see if it has some valuable materials before calling back to the vilge."
Speaking, Kana looked at her comrades and seeing that they did not object, she started running towards the forest and an encounter she would have never expected.
