A cold day prevailed when we arrived back at Rhodes Island. Though it was the midday, the gloom was reminiscent of that from Volsinii. The autumn chill was permeating the Barrenlands.

  I had a feeling that Kal'tsit would be waiting for the both of us. And true to my expectation our phone-devices were pinged with her messages when we entered the landship's range.

  -Operator Provence, operator Tacet. I don't need to inform you how displeased I was when I have found out that the Doctor had approved, to my surprise, a third leave for both of you. And for an undetermined amount of time as well.

  -Do I really have to remind you that operator Provence still needs constant monitoring despite you having cured her of oripathy? Your gift, as wondrous as it is, is still an unknown quantity for any other species but for yourself.

  -''Please forgive me doctor Kal'tsit, I am well aware of the folly. But it was a matter I could not have left unattended.'' Provence spoke placatingly, with honesty in her words.

  -Or is it that you couldn't have left operator Tacet alone in whatever dangerous endeavour he took upon himself?

  At that question Provence was silent, unwilling to give anything away. This was enough to prompt Kal'tsit to continue her unravelling.

  -I am very much aware of the resources you've allocated for yourselves. From inside the landship as well as outside of it before you've left. Your special orders from operators Mayer and Closure are known to me as well.

  -This is... unusual for you, operator Tacet. To take on matters than don't concern you. It was what caught my attention in the first place.

  She already knew too much, though blessedly she wasn't aware of the main matter behind all of it. I decided I would intervene nevertheless.

  -It was something that would have affected all of us a great deal, sooner or later. You could say I have alleviated Terra from one forming blood clot in our already comatose world.

  -''And I would hear no argument against me coming along.'' Provence added.

  She looked at us strangely. Then, something clicked with realisation in her eyes.

  -''You have something to fight for now.'' She said to me simply in her self-revelation.

  She broke a slight and rare smile before resuming her line of thought.

  -At least you announced your departure this time around. But more importantly, I am glad to see you took care to have brought one another back safely. Whatever venture it might have been.

  -However, I would very much prefer if you remained on the landship until we deliver your newborn. You realise I say this out of care for you.

  -''I do doctor Kal'tsit. I don't believe that will be a problem.'' Provence replied.

  At her answer, I amazingly saw Kal'tsit actually chuckle for the second time that I have ever known her to have done it.

  -''Operator Tacet. I might have to hold you on a short leash if I want to keep operator Provence on the landship.'' She spoke with a rare humour.

  I laughed lightly at the matter at hand. Personally, I wouldn't have minded if I was held back in the comfort of the landship for an extended period of time at all.

  The road home was long. All in all we were gone from Rhodes for about five weeks. One could very well consider it a feat having achieved what we proposed ourselves. The gloomy weather that followed us from that accursed country was mentally trying to bring a sense of tiredness. But we were much relieved for what we achieved to pull off. And much grateful to have come out both unscathed.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  I stood in front of the large window doors to the balcony. Facing those grey, menacing clouds, and their insidious sense with a lively vigor and hunger for life.

  My lupa was then passing besides me. Slowing her pace as her large tail brushed by me before wrapping around my body. I felt I could never resist this charm of hers. Her warm fluffiness coiling, and unwilling to let go as she grasped me from behind. Her generous breasts pressing against my back as she grabbed onto my shoulders. I could feel she was lively as she could ever be, and I was grateful for it.

  -''Pondering?'' She asked.

  -For once, I'm not.

  -That's surprising.

  -It is peaceful.

  -Did I help bring it?

  -You are the reason I know such peace, my dear lupa.

  I turned to grasp her closely. Feeling that wonderful body full of warmth and love that I could never live now without.

  -And you are the solace that I never expected to ever find in the Barrenlands, my mate.

  -My dear wolf girl.

  -Yes?

  -I love you, so very much.

  Her visage brought that genuine smile which warmed my soul and disarmed me of the blackest thoughts I could ever have. She must have heard it hundred of times by now if not more. Yet her smile appeared, eager and real each time I uttered those words.

  -This lupa loves you with all her heart, Cassiel.

  I grabbed her by the bosom, lifting her onto me.

  -Where are you taking me, my strong husband?

  -To our bedding.

  -And what are you going to do to me there, my handsome man?

  -Plant another baby in you.

  -''My oven is full! At least wait until the first is ready! Oh, what beast did I marry!?'' She spoke, acting playfully.

  It was later that evening when my lupa was taking a well deserved nap after a vigorous love-making session that I sat at my desk finally. I booted up my laptop, checking the timetables and emails gathered in the weeks passed. Then, I pulled the crystal USB that I had retrieved from my former friend. I sighed looking at it, then I started preparing.

  I plugged in a spare laptop to the power supply and connected a special decrypt and securing device. Whatever it contained, if it had any viruses laying in surprise I would avoid the risk of endangering the whole of Rhodes Island intranet.

  As I stood there waiting for the laptop to boot my mind wondered somewhere deep. I realised I was going out of my way again.

  ''Hah. Kal'tsit's and Doctor's care of the world rubbed off on me as well.'' I thought.

  Looking back to the open bedroom I could see Provence sleeping soundly. It was her. It was her that reignited the furnaces of my heart and of my soul as a real human. I cared for her, and for that I wanted to make a better world. If not, at least safer for us and for the landship that was our home. I wanted to bring a semblance of normality from the tides of disaster that seemed too close to engulfing this tortured planet. I wanted to make a better place, both for ourselves and for the children she would bring us.

  This wolf girl... truly brought out the best in me. A rare thing to happen as I thought of the near unimaginable horrors of my past. Stains to the soul that usually tended to bring the worst out of someone.

  I focused back on the task at hand, plugging in the recovered memory chip. The Cryptonic device already beginning to read it. Thus, it was overlaid before me all that could be looked at. There was a heavy encryption system. It would take some time to break through, yet with the newest decryption software from Closure it would only be a matter of time.

  It was such that winter found me one day at the same desk as I reviewed several files on the newest operators, all while our wolf Grape peacefully rested his head on my lap. I was basically working overtime from home as Doctor's personal assistant. A task I took in order to increase my pay and cover all the foreseeable costs that a child and a family would bring. I would not be a wanting breadwinner. That thought I held with a steel determination, and so was my effort with the tasks I was given.

  Provence passed by with two cups of hot contents, mister Grape following closely together with her from the kitchen. Leaving one on my desk, kissing my cheek before she went to rest. Her belly was large now on her. And Grape licked her face cheerily before setting down himself at the foot of the bed on her side. Keeping her close in his care in her most vulnerable period as she was. Though prescribed a more eased lifestyle she loved to remain active. Participating almost daily in the Convalescence Garden as a part-time assistant to Lena, or operator Perfumer as she was known officially.

  I sipped the sweet aroma of the chocolate-rum infused cappuccino, feeling a wave of warmth wash over me. Some time after the cup was empty I would hear the beeping notice from the decryption machine working in the background. I switched on my secondary laptop and logged in. The USB key was finally decrypted, and I could access whatever was on that mystery chip. I would discover many things, expected and unexpected. An amalgamation of various details, as well as the last diary of my old friend. Since long back when he still had a semblance of humanity enough to write for posterity.

  I dived lightly in his last pages before gazing at the secondary window. Presenting me with several photos of deep earth scans conducted by Authority geo-scouting teams back in my days. I clicked ahead, going through the small gallery of the folder that caught my eye. Boards of calculations, estimations and geometric descriptions by several factors. It all flew over my head of course, as much as I tried to give it sense. I wasn't a scientist nor an expert mathematician. But I could gather the hint of what all this was aimed for.

  I closed the laptop, leaving all this for another day. I had neglected my lupa too long with my responsibilities.

  -Mmmhh~. Cassiel~.

  -''Hello there, my wonderful lupa.'' I spoke as I snuggled my wolf girl in bed. Stealing her from writing her messages on her phone.

  I rubbed her round belly as I shared in her warmth, cuddling her.

  -''Look what you did to me, you beast of a man.'' She said in good humour.

  -And it felt so fulfilling laying claim on an apex and prime lupa such as you.

  -I'm sure it did, my fallen human. Didn't you speak that in the antiquity of your kind, men were held in high regard for slaying great mythological beasts?

  -Yes.

  -''Now look at you, in bed with a wolf girl. Having a lupa carrying your bloodline.'' She said with a suave and teasing voice. She turned around towards me, brushing her canines onto my neck before I spoke again.

  -Whatever passion man does not bravely war against, becomes an object of his affection.

  -''Really? Then how does it feel knowing I will give you pups with the blood of the violet lupos flowing strong alongside yours?'' She spoke, sweetly, temptingly.

  -''Fulfilling, thrilling even.'' I spoke into her furry ear as I brought its fluffy wonder in the palm of my hand.

  -You've completely fallen for me.

  -I have for a long time, my love.

  -And this lupa will forever take care of you and our family, my mate.