User:Robotech Master/Prodigals original

FreeRIDErs story universe

Integration

by Jon Buck and Robotech_Master

Part 20: Prodigals

The XB-70’s arrival back at camp generated relatively little uproar. The inhabitants had gotten used to AlphaWolf and friends departing on various odd little errands that didn’t involve raids lately, though AlphaWolf was fully aware that each such trip he took without an intervening raid put him on ever more precarious ground.

“So this is your camp,” Diana Fuerst said as she and Hedy, Fused together, stepped off the gangplank and looked around at the scattered log cabins. “It is not as…impressive as I was led to believe.”

AlphaWolf snorted. “What were you expecting? A James Bond villain lair? A Cobra Terrordrome? We got what we were able to build with our own two hands, sister. Or, rather, someone else’s two hands.”

“It’s not much, but it’s home,” Paul said. “Ours…and now yours.”

As they stepped off the gangplank, a group of several wolves of various sizes trotted up, the un-Fused Sonja in the lead. “You asked us to meet you?” Sonja asked Paul. “Ve are here.”

“Hey, Sonja,” Paul said. “It wasn’t me I wanted you to meet, but our new refugee. This is Hedy, fresh out of Sturmhaven, and her pilot, Oberstleutnant Diana Fuerst.”

Sonja padded up and sniffed amiably at Hedy. “I am pleased to be meetink you,” she said.

“Uh, thanks,” Hedy said. “That accent…you’re one of the old crossrider training units, aren’t you?”

“Ja, I vas, but zose days are behind me,” Sonja said. “Now I only mold true girls into strong Sturmhaven vomen. Zough I am betveen girls at ze moment.”

“Diana? Really hope you’re proud of what you people have made,” Paul said matter-of-factly. “Just saying.”

“I didn’t make them!” Fuerst said. “They were all supposed to have been recommissioned to ordinary field duty five years ago after we finally tossed the Valks out of the Bundestag on their ears.”

Sonja perked up. “Really? Zere is no more moldink of crossriders in Sturmhaven?” Behind Sonja, a larger wolf perked up and started fidgeting, ears turning forward.

“No, it turned out to be too psychologically damaging to the RIDEs and the riders,” Fuerst said. “There was a case study on one unit, named Sonja…wait. That’s you, isn’t it?”

Sonja’s ears twitched forward. “Do go on?” The other wolf opened her mouth to speak, then fell silent in deference to her leader.

“Um…well, it turned out you were only the first of your kind to have…problems with being forced to serve as a crossrider brood hatcher,” Fuerst said. “And it didn’t even work that well on the vict—ah, volunteers to begin with. We don’t do it anymore. We’ve gone back to human trainers. It’s more flexible when any female RIDE can be paired with a male volunteer anyway.”

“Vell vell vell,” Sonja mused. “So if I vere to go back…ah, but no. They vould never take back a deserter to begin vith. Ah vell. At least I know no others vill be forced to do vhat I vas.”

“It helps that the political environment has shifted away from the misandry of the Valks, but that’s neither here nor there,” Fuerst said.

The larger wolf finally got up the courage to speak. “D…Diana? Is that