Dogs of War

Look at them Jack..." Helen said "...Do you ever think they'll ever be like Humans?"

Helen Troy (Yes she's heard every wisecrack about her name since she was 5) Was with her partner Jack, observing the birth of the Mutant Dog Soldiers...The First in what would be many Animal Derived Soldiers in order to preserve Human Lives during this intergalactic war.

"Helen." Jack said "Why do you hate animals so much? Were you like...Attacked by one as a kid?"

Helen shuffled a bit, whenever someone found out about her fear and hatred of all animals from the tiniest insect to the largest cetacean people assumed she must have had some traumatic animal related experience happen to her...No such thing ever happened, she had been born and raised in Space Station Number 22 a sterile environment with only Humans and algae grown for food. Simply stated she never even knew non-human animals existed until she was 12 and she learned about them in Biology Class...Being raised in the hyper hygienic society of Space Station 22 She thought the idea of their existence was absolutely abhorrent!


"Look." Jack said finally "It's better than sacrificing any more men and women to the enemy!"

Helen sighed she still hated the mere fact of non-human animals even existing. But she knew Humanity needed to do everything it could to survive the war against the Alien Machines...A strange race of extra-terrestrial androids that seemed hellbent on wiping out all organic life in the Galaxy.

Just then the ship rumbled and violently shook "The Machines are here!" Came a Voice on the PA "To the escape pods!"

Helen and Jack began running as fast as they could toawrd the escape pods, however another blast caused the catwalk they were running on the buckle underneath them, Jack fell down the a 500 foot drop below

"JACK!" Helen screamed as she clung to the edge watching her partner fall to his death below.

"Don't worry!" Came a Voice from Above as a furry and clawed hand grabbed her wrist "I've got you!"

Helen looked up in horror as she saw the furry face of one of the Dog-Soldiers having only been released from his pod moments ago...He was a Mutated Black Labrador Retriever designed with an enormous broad chest and arms strong enough to lift small cars.

Helen shuddered as the Dog-Man yanked her and held her in his arms.

"I'm Ryan Dog-22." The Dog-Man said "At your service Human."

"I don't want to at my service!" Helen protested as she tried to squirm out of his grip "Release me! You...Freak!"

"Unfortunately I can not do that." The Dog-Man said calmly "It is not safe for you to walk by yourself."

With that he leapt over the gap in the Catwalk with her in his arms, Helen screamed but the Dog-Man landed gracefully on the other side

"We must locate an escape pod." He said as he jogged with her still squirming in his arms.

They located the nearest escape pod, Ryan placed her in first before climbing in himself.

As they watched the space station be torn apart by the Machines. Helen glared at the Dog-Man furiously

"You...Filthy Animal..." She said with pure disgust in her voice

"I am not filthy." Ryan said calmly "During my Mutation Process I was sterilized of all harmful pathogens both on my body and in it."

"You're filthy because you're not human." Helen said


Ryan's face finally changed expression, to one of perplexion "Do you realize..." He said "...That that is the same rationale for why the Machines want to Destroy both you and me? To them, meat is filthy compared to cold hard steel..."

Helen felt herself choke for a few moments, she could not deny, because that is what the Machines had said multiple times...But she never thought about it compared to her hatred of all Non-Human Animals until this very moment when the Dog-Man pointed it out to her.

"As our Mutation Process finishes..." Ryan said "...We are given this message directly into our Brains...That if life is to survive against the Machines all life must stand together as one...We're all in this together...."

The Escape Pod found its way to a currently prehistoric planet and they landed deep in the Rain-Forest Part.

As the Pod opened Helen gagged at the smells of dirt and swamp water and other scents of the rain forest...Ryan's canine nose twitched "This Planet is dangerous...But I have the knowledge of how to survive here."

Helen let herself be taken in his arms again although she still shuddered, she didn't feel quite as mad...She knew it was either stick with the Dog, or die...And his arms were objectively cleaner than the rain forest floor comprised entirely of mud.

They began their journey of survival together.