Snap-n-nap repair

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Reddit broke its noraml editing functions, here's the next chap: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1by56k6/frontier_fantasy_chap_34/
Sensei u/WaveOfWire said my writing was good for once! (He still edited this chap, tho)
Harrison ambled into the workshop, already regretting not bringing the coffee machine back to the barracks. Having to walk all the way over to the other module should have been a crime because even though he slept through the sunset—Sharky’s seat-belt tail being to blame for that—it wasn’t enough to make up for how much sleep he lost the night prior.
The sound of a one-sided conversation reached his ears as he entered the main fabrication floor. It was Tracy’s, and… well, who else could it have been? He squinted in the direction of the barricaded corner, making out her shape alongside another two familiar Malkrin through his post-slumber haze.
The building’s cool ambient air morphed into the welcoming aura of the heat-vent as he approached the group. The human woman, the craftsman, and the ceramist appeared to be deep in conversation, the former two sitting upon stools on each side of the latter’s bed, which was situated against the metallic wall. The male and the technician moved their hands in gestures unbeknownst to the engineer while the ebony-colored female drew upon one of his notebooks with a pencil… Huh.
“...happened after that? There’s no way you could have dragged her all the way up that hill.” Tracy questioned the craftsman, a clear interest in her voice.
The olive-green Malkrin held a talon to the end of his snout in contemplation. “I will admit, that night was quite a blur, but I do recall going up the hill at an angle to minimize the difficulty of pulling the sled. After that, with all the courage I could muster, I marched up between the spikes and—”
The craftsman noticed Harrison’s presence, stopping his story to raise a tail in greeting. The technician took notice and turned around in her seat as the male Malkrin greeted him.
“Oh, welcome, high one. Are you well rested?”
“Hey. Yeah, I slept pretty well. Sharky and Akula are still out like a lightbulb, though,” he responded casually, curiosity slipping into his intonation. “So… what were y’all talking about, and is the ceramist…” he squinted at the swiftly scribbling Malkrin. “…drawing?”
“Hi. Welcome to the land of the living,” Tracy inserted with an uneasy smile, visibly cringing when she finished before clearing her throat and continuing. “ …Craftsman was filling me in on what happened before I got here. And yeah, Cera is trying to draw a map.”
He nodded along. “Right, I was meaning to ask them about the wider world outside our modules after everything got settled. Is that what’s on the map?”
“Yeah, sorta. She can’t remember everything during the walk with her sickness, but Craftsman has been helping her along the way. Everything around the settlement is pretty detailed tho…”
“ …The settlement? Ours?”
“Oh, uh, no. The… other settlement,” she responded hesitantly, turning loudly whispering to the craftsman. “Hey, could you give him the low-down?”
“Of course, Ershan-sent,” the olive-colored male accepted before addressing Harrison. “It is as you said before, with all that surrounded us, there was hardly a proper opportunity to discuss Kegara’s settlement. Where would you like me to start, high one?”
The engineer rubbed his eyes, slowly tracking the words dancing around his head. He was just finalizing his plans on what to do now, and here this little number gets dropped right into his lap like a pile of shit. “I… would like to understand what you guys are on first. There’s another settlement out there? Who is Kegara? Like, should I be worried? Is this something we need to deal with? How close is the place to us?”
The craftsman shook his head. “I do not believe you need to worry so much about such topics at this very moment. They are far away and know not of our castles.”
Harrison furrowed his brow, a tinge of unease at the sudden drop of knowledge still resting on his mind. “…You say that like they would attack if they knew.”
“They would be incapable of such if they wished. It is just that Kegara is quite brash… and rules with talons of iron.” A heavy sigh escaped the male Malkrin’s muzzle. He shook his head and continued with a more professional aura. “S-She is the chosen leader of the group, that is; a paladin of the Land Kingdom’s central island—the one which I presided—who was amongst the first of the banished to be sent to the mainland, destined to shepherd us ‘heretics.’”
“The banished? I thought this was supposed to be a colony?” The human crossed his arms.
An ashamed expression took over the other’s face, but his projection did not falter. “In a way, yes… I suppose it is. Our repentance is the labor we complete. If we are loyal and serve the tasks we are given, constructing a future on the mainland, we are assured to meet our lord atop the mountain.”
“…Okay,” he acknowledged warily, drawing some disgusting connections from what he was hearing to human practices outlawed hundreds of years ago. He pushed those thoughts away, focusing on the continued telling of the story. “Continue.”
“We stayed with the settlement until our first blood-moon. That was about when my beloved first became sick, and Kegara had noticed it. She was agitated by the drain of resources for someone incapable of labor, so…” The male closed his eyes and breathed in, beating back a snarl to maintain his professional aura. “My mate was sent away, and I along with her to make up for an expected increase in population. I am sure you can guess what happened next, given you were there to witness it, high one.”
“An expected increase in population?”
“I believe it is due to the inquisitors traveling from island to island, bringing the relic with them to out any heretics within the Land Kingdom. Thus, there is time between those exiled.”
“A relic?”
“Indeed. A polished gray stone imbued with yellow imperfections. Its aura is like that of the Sky Goddess’ winds of wrath, bringing decay and illness with it. Those who withstand it are… tainted by the deity of the sky.” The craftsman looked to be clenching his jaw, trembling ever-so-slightly, yet still focused on keeping his calm, practical manner all the while.
“Huh…” Harrison nodded along, piecing together the story, but neglecting to push the subject further. He learned a lot, but it was obvious the olive-skinned Malkrin wasn’t very happy with regaling the story. The engineer really wasn’t ready to breach the religious stuff yet anyway, though it all brought up some interesting questions. Shar fervently praises the Sky Goddess, and here the craftsman was, talking about her tainting people. Wasn’t Harrison some sort of chosen of the same deity, so why did they also worship him? Wasn’t the paladin a worshiper of the Land God at one point too? Christ, he was going to have to be more cautious with this kind of shit. Then what about the other encampment? Are there going to be more people showing up consistently? Should he be doing something about them? Should he be doing something about the ‘not-exactly-slavery’ settlement nearby? Actually, how far was it? He cleared his throat, changing the direction of the conversation. “Hey, Ceramist, do you think I can look at the map?”
The black-colored female nodded, grabbing the notebook on her lap and handing it over. He quickly looked it over, appreciating the unique art style. An array of trees, small hills, wetlands, and a central mountain were laid out in small caricatures of respective biomes. A portion of it looked pretty messy—almost like a children’s drawing—but the rest of it morphed into quite a detailed show of passion, using a mix of three-dimensional objects and shading.
“Would you believe it’s Cera’s first time drawing?” Tracy poked Harrison with a smile.
He looked up from the recreation of a familiar mountain. “Really?”
“Mmhmm. Her talon motor skills were a bit difficult at first, but she improved pretty quickly and I offered some of my drawing knowledge to her while she went. She’s been going at it for like, three or four hours.”
The ceramist smiled warmly, her tail gently increasing its tempo.
“It’s impressive, I presume this is the settlement here?” He turned the notebook over, pointing to the clump of rigid tents surrounded by a spiked wall. It was just within the shadow of the mountain. Tracy and the artist nodded. “That’s the one wayyyyy out west, right? Hmm. There’s a hell of a lot of forest between there and here…Yeah, I see our modules in the meadow, with the beach to the east… then there’s the swamp to the south and the rocky place up north with… another camp—your old temporary camp, I’m guessing. I suppose it’s pretty reassuring that—what was the name, Kegara?—Kegara is pretty far out.”
“What are we to do now, high one?” an uncertain question from the craftsman interrupted Harrison’s thoughts.
“Oh, uh. In regard to the settlement or in general?”
“I-In general, I suppose.”
“There’s a lot I have my sights set on, I guess,” he huffed. He really came in here to maybe set some of his ideas straight, asking the others for their input, given his other main confidant was fast asleep. He was a little bit at a loss for where to direct the group—all he had were a few scattered thoughts. His main hope was the second human; maybe she could offer some insight the Malkrin couldn’t.
“So, what I was thinking was…”
He went through his possible plans for a few minutes, going over the necessity of procuring more stable defenses. Though, he was forced to discuss the matters of AI cores and resource scarcity with the technician when it came up. She naturally understood all of it, but really dragged on the civilian fabricator issue after he explained to her why there weren’t chain guns lining every square foot of the workshop. She somehow had a million ideas on how to get around the issue, pulling up some ancient document on her laptop on how to jailbreak specific devices, which, of course, didn’t include fabricators at all. Unfortunately, he had either tried all the ideas she proposed or they just straight up wouldn’t work, given other factors. At least that last part led them to discover that any circuit board or significant part of the machine had a function that needed an encoded key from the normal operating system to work, so there wasn’t a chance they could just reprogram the entire machine with Tracy’s skills. And now, they just stood next to the machine they just bricked with their meddling, both staring at it without a word, thoughts racing at possible solutions.
“Well, why don’t we just build one from scratch,” she blurted out.
“Do you realize how much work that would be?” he countered.
She readjusted the pair of teched-up goggles atop her messy, dark, chin-length hair. “Not as much as you’re thinking. We could keep most of the frame; it’s just the technical parts we gotta swap out. There has to be a replacement for all of them in that blueprint folder. I mean, there’s several-hundred petabytes worth of files in there.”
He scratched at his chin for a moment. He knew how to repair a fabricator; it wouldn’t be impossible to make a new one by ‘scratch.’ It wasn’t a bad idea—not in the grand scheme of things, that is… but there were certainly some problems. “That’s still a lot of work. Do you know how many little servos, sensors, and what-nots there are in a fabricator? Just printing out those alone would take days with how slow the process is with intricate shit like that. Actually, I don’t even think it even can print out with the processing power the three AI cores have.”
“…Then we just go get another AI core? Plus, I’m sure we don’t need all the fanciest equipment, right? That shit’s probably why the normal fabricators are so slow anyway. These corpo-slop ‘commercial’—” She made a showing of her words with air quotes. “—appliances always have something extra that’ll need fixing and whatnot, so you have to pay some repairman to come along and fix a made-up problem.”
Is this really what he wanted to put his time to? Hours and, almost assuredly, days of work, just to get a machine to do a job for him? It's not like a non-civilian fabricator was that necessary, right? He could make the damn chain guns and particle projectile cannons himself if he really tried. There were blueprints for them already, and he had all the tools needed.
He stopped at the thought, the absolute absurdity of it dawning on him. How ironic, the ‘integrated systems and automations engineer’ believing he could do better than some machines. He scoffed. Had he really become so used to working with his hands? It was time to start thinking a little bit ahead, instead of the here and now. There was no telling what other items were banned besides firearms. Hell, it’ll probably be pretty damn useful to have later down the line when he wanted something more than small-scale automatic static weapons. The last blood-moon swarm was at least three times as large as the first one. He hadn’t noticed it in the drug-fueled chaos, but during cleanup, it was pretty obvious. There were at least five colossi this time around, alongside numerous spider-crabs and stick-bug imitators. Defense might not be so straight-forward next time.
He made his decision with a huff, a sarcastic tonality slipping into his voice, surprising himself with the sudden change in tone. “Alright. Let’s see where the nearest naturally spawning AI core is and go retrieve it. You want me to get milk on the way?”
Tracy stared for a second in stunned silence. Then, she smiled, taking on a lighthearted, incredulous look. “Yeah, is it that hard to go pick one from a circuit tree?”
Short pulls of his cheeks brought a smirk to his face. “Nah, it’s… not. Here, let me go scout out where the next circuit tree is. Do you think you can start looking into how we’re gonna strip this thing?”
“It won’t take long at all. Used to scrap a lot of nonsense back at the ‘shop. Go get us that AI core.”
He hummed his understanding, walking away toward one of the two remaining unsalvaged workshop interfaces.
The machine booted up with the same Micron Computing logo, quickly turning to the main page. He flipped through the GUI, settling on the little map and turning the legend on to scout out where the nearest modules were. There were a few pop-ups, lining up in a messy line from west to east, outlining the New Horizon’s crash trajectory. There weren’t a lot of ‘close’ modules; the vehicle bay and resource harvesting modules were clumped up out west, while the laboratory was even further. The only one he felt could be completed in a single-day trip was just a little further south than the agricultural center: the bridge.
Right… The bridge. All he had to do was get in there and take an AI core back. It would be a simple task, made even easier with his equipment. No problem. Just a quick in-and-out adventure… He added the coordinates to his data pad, returning to Tracy afterward.
The technician was busy prodding at the fabricator when he returned, several hatches on it open for inspection. She held a flashlight to inspect the deeper guts of the brick tower, humming some slow-paced tune.
Her head turned to regard him as he neared. “So, what’s on the chopping block?”
He inhaled deeply. “The bridge.”
“The bridge, huh?” She eyed him cautiously, examining his expression intently. He straightened his frown and flexed his brows, but he saw the way her posture faltered after a moment of consideration. Her uncomfortable words told him she knew exactly why he was hesitant. “Oh… right, yeah. If it’s the closest then, uhm…” She cleared her throat. “Yeah, t-that’ll be our circuit tree.”
“It’s a quick operation. You don’t have to come along if you don’t want to.”
She appeared to consider the offer, her eyes bouncing between him, the Malkrin in the corner of the workshop, and her own feet. “H-How far away is it?”
“Less than ten kilometers.”
Her face scrunched up in indecision. “My drones. Were you able to recover them?”
“Oh, yeah.” Brief memories floated up to his train of thought. He managed a small smirk, connecting a few dots in his mind. “Right, a few were hovering around the workshop and Akula managed to catch them out of the air with a net bolt. They weren’t too damaged—I don’t think—just a little bit roughed up. They’re somewhere with the mass of things at the front door.”
Her brows furrowed, a suspicious tone taking over her once hesitant aura. “…How ‘roughed up?’ I swear, if you hurt my babies…”
She stepped away from the fabricator, around him, and into the workshop’s main entrance without another word. He followed suit, finding her swiftly digging through the piles of bandages, crates of ammunition, and nets… holding heavily augmented quad-drones. He could have sworn they didn’t have that many delicate parts when he gave the fisherwoman the okay to capture them. Blame the painkillers and performance drugs, then.
The technician swiftly crouched down and looked over the flying machines, ‘tsking’ at every scratched and disfigured portion of the superstructure. She held an especially damaged drone up and spun it around, squinting at the very obvious places where it had hit the ground. “Well, not all of them took a beating this bad, but man… some of these have seen better days. I know this one is completely borked at the very minimum.” She frowned, shaking her head. “Some should work just fine, though.”
A zip sounded out as she took her data pad from a pocket within her overalls, her fingers tapping away at strange apps until she found the one she was looking for. It showed an array of black squares, each labeled with a unique name, spanning from ‘Baby A-10’ to ‘Jeremy:)’. He raised a brow at the sight.
Her eyes met with his as she held an arm up to him, hinting she was expecting something from him with a few crab claw snaps of her hand. “Here, gimme your data pad. I think you’ll appreciate this.”
“Uh… sure?” He handed her the device, watching her quickly snatch it and complete some sort of pairing sequence. Within moments, there were numerous download bars on the screen of his handheld computer, all sorts of icons and question prompts lining what once was a perfectly organized and not cluttered home page.
“Ah… right. Sorry,” she commented shyly, still focused on her task. “Forgot how much I had on here.”
He leaned in further, hovering over her. “…What did you even do?”
“Gave your data pad access to my drone army… or, used to be army.” She frowned, picking herself up off the ground with a small hiss of pain.
“Access in what way?”
She pointed to a few icons in his now unorganized screen. “There’s a lot of new stuff I slapped into them, and I’m not an app designer, so I had to make use of a few third-party systems to get everything to work. They reference each other, so you won’t have to do much besides pair it with the drones when they’re recharged and let it run in the background—you’ll come to appreciate the pocket warmer when your data pad heats up a little.”
He nodded hesitantly. “And this is to… what…? Control the drones? What’s their purpose?”
She nibbled at her top lip in thought. “Well, I wouldn’t say you get to control them—I still have their action controls. I’ve just set it up so you can see the heat-map they produce, and I can have them follow you. I, uh… I’ll also be able to see through their cameras, so I’ll be able to help… in some way… from back here” Her voice died out slightly in shame before returning to finish what she wanted to say. “Oh and, for your last question though, these are really just recon drones for detecting the roaming hordes of monsters. The little R.C. trucks and cars had a lot more functionality, but those are gone so…”
“Oh wait, actually? How’d you get them to do that?” he questioned, grinning after being given such a powerful tool.
She perked up, delving into her explanation readily. “I had some AI recognition software trained on detecting the crab thingies which took like… several days. Each creature spotted is registered into a matrix with all the related variables and has its distance calculated with some other function I found lying on my laptop, which is then sent to the data pad where it’s displayed on a blue-to-red heat-map.”
“That’s going to be so damn useful. Thank you so much, this is genuinely a life-saver, and I mean that in the most literal way. I couldn’t tell you how many times Shar and I have run head-first into full packs of those eyeless bastards.” His grin grew even wider, Tracy’s face coming to mirror his.
“O-Oh, you think? I mean, it’s… kinda basic. You should’ve seen what I had to do to get the drones to scout and land by themselves. That took days of trial and error, especially with trying to get them to land on the truck carriers.”
“Truck carriers?”
She nodded passionately. “Yeah! I put some charging platforms on some of the stronger long-range ground vehicles. You’d be amazed at what a change sticking some stronger axel complexes and sturdier wheels on them can make. I was even able to make some into mobile storage for things I couldn’t carry in my backpack.”
He raised a brow. “Storage, you say? You know, we’d probably be able to build all the required pieces to make more after we get this AI core. I’m sure we could make a regular R.C. car now, but I saw some of those components on the drone following Shar. I doubt the fabricators are ready for stuff like that.”
She looked a little guilty. “Y-Yeah, I’ll admit, I took apart some of the complicated mining rigs in storage to get some of the higher end electronics, but it saved a lot of space with their multi-functionality.”
“Like I said, it won’t be a problem in a day. Thanks again for this; I know it’ll save our asses. Anyway, you reckon we should start charging the working drones? We can have some dinner and figure out proper sleeping arrangements after. Sound good?”
“Mmhmm. Let’s get to it.”
The fire was nice. It was always something to draw back to at night, no matter what happened during the day. There was some cooling aura about it, despite the heat radiating off. He missed the way it brought a thoughtful mood, even if it had only been a day since he enjoyed the flames last. Maybe it was that a huge stressor was picked off his back, allowing his mind to settle comfortably into a trance while watching the flames dance.
“Hey, Harrison?” Tracy spoke up, snapping him out of it. She was the only one joining him by the fire that evening. The craftsman and the ceramist were content to stay in the workshop for the time being, while Sharky and Akula were still out like lightbulbs. He couldn’t blame ‘em, really. They pulled much more than their weight today, and then ate probably half of the remaining food stores before falling asleep. The big girls needed it to recharge, and who was he to deny them?
“What’s up?” he returned lightly.
She shuffled from her spot on the bench to his right. “I, uh. I wanted to thank you for the food. ‘Issa lot better than nutrient paste.”
He put a palm up to stop her. “Nah, don’t even mention it.”
She nodded, looking back to the fire, still holding onto the empty meal box. Her fingers rapped on its side as she sat there. A long few seconds passed before she spoke up again, her voice somewhere between mumbling to herself and to whoever could hear it.
“So… is this it?”
He responded slowly—talking above the mechanical separator’s ‘thocks’ all day and shouting all last night having brought a gravelly texture to his voice. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes widened, glistening with reflections of the fire. “N-No, sorry. I um. I-I didn’t mean it like that. I’m happy to have—”
“You’re fine. I think I get it.” He eyed her knowingly.
It wasn’t the best situation… not by a long shot. He couldn’t really imagine how she must have been feeling after all of this. She spoke of how she had been scraping by in the cargo bay, and it sounded miserable. Then, to be thrown right into the thick of everything shitty after traveling God knows how many kilometers… She woke up to a completely different world than she was expecting, filled with more alien concepts than human ones—especially in terms of how many pioneers were left.
He didn’t just let her fall flat into it all, though. He dodged around some topics like the main colony ship and how uncertain his future plans really were; the initial uneasiness with the Malkrin was curbed by showing how Human they were by tying Tracy into his interactions with them, showing off their loyalty, work-ethic, and empathy. That must have worked, given how willingly she interacted with the mated couple while he was gone. It was a pretty welcomed surprise, giving him hope in his efforts. Though, the way she was staring at the ground now, visibly piecing together whatever was on her mind, didn’t give him confidence.
“It’s not all bad,” he spoke up before she could say anything, causing her eyes to flick up, meeting his own. She looked unsure, but the angle of her raised brows showed aspiration. “Vicious creatures attack all the time, things feel out of my control, and everything is alien here, sure…”
He breathed in deeply, letting poorly shaped thoughts pour out. “But, that’s not all there is. I think of this part as a sort of stepping stone in a way. We have access to nearly every piece of technology in some form or another, we just have to work toward it, right? The problems we face right now won’t be there forever, eventually being replaced with freedom to do what we want, no?”
She nodded along, but the slight frown on her face showed she wasn’t fully convinced.
“Do you remember what the colony overseers said in that first address to the ‘future pioneers’?”
“…Yeah, they kept spouting ‘freedoms of a new world’ or something like that.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression lightening further. “Exactly. Have you ever had anything you wanted to do before? You joined an interstellar colony project that expressly said there wouldn’t be a return to the Sol system; there has to be some reason you came along. I mean, we’re technically not even getting paid.”
Her focus drained away from his gaze, turning toward the fire. She shuffled her seating arrangement around, bringing her legs up to her chest in thought. Her chin rested atop her knees, arms wrapped around her shins. “No… not exactly…”
That took him by surprise. He wasn’t expecting that kind of response. He was more or less banking off some goal that could be done with automation, but… Why was he even trying to dig this hard into her about it? Was it even his place to try and find the brighter side of things? Christ, ‘brighter side of things?’ When did he start acting like some mindless optimist? He should have just given her an understanding nod or something, why did he bother with something so forward? He practically just met her—
“Dad wanted me to change the solar system…”
Oh.
Tracy continued, her voice low, yet careless. “It didn’t have to be big; he just had high hopes, so when the opportunity came up to do… something, I took it. And here I am. So, that’s it… really. There’s not much to it. I just guess we gotta work on getting this place ready for the colony ship, and then maybe I can relax or make silly robots or something. That’s my goal.”
“…Right, right.” He cleared his throat, realizing the position he was in. Should he tell her? No… it wasn’t the time. It would have to be another day, probably tomorrow. “Fair enough. We should probably start setting up your bed for the night, first.”
Her head slowly bobbed up and down in understanding, eyes still locked onto the fire. “Mmkay. Where’ll I be sleeping? The bunk room?”
“Oh, uh…” Some part of him wanted to say no, and that it was his and Shar’s room, but… Why? Why did it feel like someone poking into his private space? Sharky was already in there, so it wasn’t really a personal space, right? Still, denying the technician was rude. There were some mattresses in the far corner beds, not taken up by the paladin’s nest of comfiness. “Yeah, of course. All we have to do is bring some blankets and pillows up.”
The balled up technician spread her limbs out in a tired stretch, lazily planting her feet into the ground before standing up. “Lead the way, man.”
The two of them disappeared into the airlock, grabbing some bedding materials on the way to the bedroom. They passed the rumbling Akula, happily snoozing in the dim living room. Tracy glanced at the fisherwoman fast asleep on the couch, then back at Harrison, giving him a ‘So this is what you guys were talking about’ look. A short ‘woosh’ of the bunk room door announced their entrance, hallway light scantily illuminating an awfully cozy Shar, bundled up in a white and gray mass of blankets. Her snout dug into a few pillows while the rest of her body made up the foundation of a fabric mountain, her tail forming the foot of it.
He smiled and shook his head, walking around her with his own bundle of cloth in hand. The other pioneer in the room followed, her eyes lingering on the sleeping ‘dragon.’
The two of them worked quickly, making her bed in the dark corner of the room. It was admittedly a good distance away, but it was one of the last two remaining mattresses in the room and she didn’t complain.
He gave a short nod of approval for their work, whispering to the shorter woman beside him. “Alright, looks like that’s it. Do you need anything else?”
“N-No, I’ll be alright. Thank you.” She looked appreciative but somewhat apprehensive, her eyes slightly widened to take in the scant light.
“I’ll just be in my bunk by the door, let me know if something’s up.”
She hummed her understanding, sliding onto her cot and underneath her covers.
Light taps of his feet against the ground soon became the only noise in the room, his oh-so-comfortable bed becoming the only thing to fill his vision.
But he was stopped.
His leg refused to step into the bunk, seemingly caught by… oh. A thick tail had managed to ensnare him into place while he wasn’t paying attention. His eyes followed it to the still unconscious Malkrin, her head softly pressing into the crease of her elbows as she slept in a ‘C’ shape, a purr now softly filling the quiet room. The tired part of him had already given up on even trying to reason with the slumbering beast, defeatedly bringing his free foot onto his mattress while allowing the other to stay within the squishy, yet firm hold. He laid on the bunk with one limb now handing off the side, blanket fully draped over whatever else.
That was fine. The nap he took earlier barely made a dent in the sleep he was missing. Now it was finally time to make up for it.
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Reddit broke its noraml editing functions, here's the next chap: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1by56k6/frontier_fantasy_chap_34/
Next time on Total Drama Anomaly Island - Cheeki Breeki (The ecologists aren't paying me enough for this shit)

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Edited by our chief creature, WaveOfWire
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Repulsive. Polluted. Foul.
The sunburned orange of the farmer's skin contrasted with the abhorrent corpse she hefted from the ground, her breaths labored after hours of dragging the waste to a budding bonfire at the rocky outskirts of the settlement. She threw it outward with a grunt, wiping the dirt from her brow and straightening her back, letting the gentle breeze wash over her as it swayed the sparse grass and blackened smoke, a distant shadow providing the lightest of shade for her to rest behind. The wretched stench of rot permeated the snouts of any banished who were forced to clean up the remnants of the crimson night. Several grunts of exertion from menial workers filled the windless air near the settlement’s pitiful defenses. Heavy clunks of wood echoed through their compact camp as the few builders repaired the spiked wall. It surrounded every hastily constructed tent, storehouse, and workspace the ‘settlers’ had, only stopping where it met the mountain’s feet.
The farmer’s back straightened after she released the heavy burden in her hands, her focus returning to the barricades outside the settlement where the last of the beasts lay bleeding and dead, as the lord of the mountain wished. Any that had breached the settlement’s defenses were already dealt with… alongside the few unfortunate souls who perished over the night. They were the first to be cremated, their souls ascending to the mountain’s peak through gray smoke.
She sighed, looking up at the towering mountain above, its peak glaring down at her. The sun peeked around the colossal landmark’s black shoulder, searing into her sunburned orange skin. She stopped in place, closing her eyes to shield them… and to offer a short prayer, the callused surface of her palms coming together as the words formed within her mind.
May those who have passed into the mountain’s grace receive righteous reward for their life’s honor and service to the Lord. I pray those innocent few have cultivated themselves to ascend beyond heresy and transcend into the favors of his majesty of the peak, ascending above the clouds themsel—
“Fah’mer!”
The field hand’s eyes snapped open at the deep and all too familiar shout breaching her crafted devotion, catching sight of the paladin’s glare. The older, yellow-skinned female jostled her oversized stone hammer, holding the haft tight in one hand as the head was thrown up and down by another. It would be an intimidating display if not for the faint shine of sunlight reflecting off of the copper armor that almost blinded the farmer. As usual, the agonizing accent of the northern islands punctured her mind with each emphasized syllable, though she had grown used to it after hearing the paladin yell over and over again.
“Tha’ lord won’t let’cha up the mountain if ye just offer’n pray’rs, *heretic*. Git ov’r there an’ git cleanin’. Havin’ yer rations taken will be tha least of yer worries then.”
The farmer’s head lowered in a bow. “Of course, high one. It shall be done.”
The paladin simply snorted, shouldering her massive maul and turning away to presumably bother the rest of the laborers. Holding back an exasperated sigh, the field hand returned to her task at hand, ignoring the way the muddied ground slipped between her foot talons.
“Farmer!” another voice broke into her mind from behind. Unlike the stiffened anxiety of before, a smile breached her maw as a short, gray male ran up to her. It was Baker! He was her… well, he was yet to be her mate, but it was practically set in stone—her horns had begun to grow and her skin had already thickened! His soft palm gripped her forearm quickly, pulling her through the wooden gate, meandering workers, and rows of shoulder-high bark-roof tents within the settlement in a sudden, frantic dash. Her legs kept up with the baker’s quick pace through the muddied pathways. He stopped within a trio of shelters hidden away from the other working settlers. “Crouch down before you are seen, I beg you.”
She did as asked, an uneasy smile growing over her cheeks at seeing him after such a draining night and morning. “Are you so desperate for attention you need to drag me away from my labor?” Her jovial manner quickly turned to dust when she remembered the repercussions of deserting her job. “But if… Baker, why are we here? If Kegara or any of the paladins were to see us here, they would have *us** sent out fishing next cycle.”*
He kept a keen watch for any observers or passers-by while he spoke. “That is what I wish to tell you! I-I believe you will be sent next, regardless of our actions.”
Her eyes narrowed. “...What do you mean?”
His dulled talons clacked together nervously, his voice barely coming out as a whisper. “A short while ago, I was preparing the meals for the high ones and I overheard Kegara addressing the priestess and paladins about more banished arriving along the eastern beaches. Since two of the fisherwomen perished during the crimson night, they believe it would be best to send a larger group to retrieve more meats from the ocean, and possibly find the latest arriving group…”
“A larger group? That is of utmost foolishness! It would only garner the ire of the abhorrent more than the fishers already do. Need I remind you that only one returned alive last time!”
He looked away, his digits anxiously scratching along his forearm. “T-They believe if there are more away, foraging elsewhere, our food stores shall last longer.”
“How many would that be?”
He completed the arithmetic mentally, his words coming out slowly. “She wishes to send out about a sixth of us alongside the five fisherwomen, so… fifteen total.”
That is… the same size of the group she was exiled with. A crawling sense of shame ran across her neck at the thought of her ejection from the Land Kingdom. Still, she had to redeem herself in the eyes of their lord somehow…
“…It would be fifteen souls on a two-day trip there and back, with more joining the return after a day of gathering fish for the settlement… I know not the outcome of a five-day journey, but if we were to be quick… it… it could be done.” Her tail found its place entwined with the baker’s, helping to remedy streaks of stress barreling down her spine.
His voice trembled. “Of course it can be done, but not without the loss of something. Please, dearest, you must understand. There is no guarantee of any guard’s protection. You have seen the havoc the abhorrent will wreak upon this settlement, even with the bulwark of our militia and barricades. At our strongest, those fiends have broken through and slaughtered several settlers within minutes… What would happen to a group without such advantages?”
An echoing horn sounded throughout the crevice of the mountain that the settlement sat in. The farmer sharply let out her held in breath.
The baker and the field hand understood their time to talk was over, silently slipping into the short trickle of Malkrin making their way to the central pyre of the camp. She knew many of their faces, each of which had become somewhat familiar with their long days of repentance together. Though, outside a few quick conversations dealing with tasks, their camaraderie never grew. The baker was different, of course, being a much-needed reprieve to the weary, drained glares that were common amongst the settlement.
Kegara stood tall in front of the roaring fire, standing well above everyone… even the females. A look of disdain marred her scarred snout. Her signature full-white skin stood out, contrasted by the black cuts of leather she wore as armor. A spiked pavise shield colored with black paint rested on her untainted side, her two other arms sternly gripping her oversized sword… no, that thing was too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough. It was more like a large hunk of iron. Countless hundreds of crushed and maimed abhorrent shells had dulled it considerably.
The white-skinned female’s strength was dominating and awe-inspiring, despite being host to only three arms. It was compounded further by her overpowering intent, visibly swaying the mass of the banished who stood around her, each flinching upon the first words.
“Listen, or it will be the last time you see food put in your talons! Tomorrow, a company of you will be sent to the eastern shore with the fishers. It must be larger than the regular band of fisherwomen. You shall decide amongst yourselves ten to leave, or I shall decide for you. The task will be further discussed with those who step forward.”
Her shielded arm gestured toward the crowd. “For the rest of you that remain within the settlement: expect to be working beyond dusk to replace what has been ripped from us last night—barricades, shelters, and your fellow banished. Know that those few who have perished are climbing the mountain above as we breathe, their labor showing proud faith in the Lord. You too shall find yourself within his grace; I shall make sure of it as your shepherd. You shall find your sins forgiven, honor on your frills, and a place atop the mountain.”
Her piercing blue eyes scoured the crowd. “I expect a group no smaller than ten females within my tent by sundown… You may return to your assigned tasks.”
The banished stood there hesitantly, tails held completely still, despite the white-skinned paladin’s promises of repentance. Some broke away to complete their jobs, but most were currently swimming through their own minds, ruminating over the two offered options: work more, or be sent on a dangerous venture.
“I… I had not expected them to announce such so quickly, especially after last night,” the baker projected quietly, pressing his shoulder into the farmer’s side warmly, looking up at her.
She brought her arm around his shoulder, pulling him in closer. The crusting blood of the abhorrent cracked against his skin as she did so, making her regret it immediately, forcing her replace her arm with her tail quickly. She spoke up quickly, embarrassed by her mistake. “W-Well at least it will only be more work for us, yes?”
He shook his head, leaning into her embrace further. “Only if ten show up of their own accord, and by the look of the other’s expressions, I believe they would also prefer longer hours of labor than to complete the fisherwomen’s journey.”
“I am sure there are others who wish to participate for honor.”
“You must not have heard, Kegara specifically requested *females*. There are only about fourty of you… so theres a good chance you will be taken… from me,” he urged, pushing his forehead into her stomach.
The rising storm behind her eyes was forcibly hidden by her soft smile. “They shall never separate us. If they force me to go, I will simply whisk the two of us off into the night, where we shall make a settlement anew.”
“Y-You know that is impossible…” he mumbled out.
Her palm rubbed along his back in circles. “Anything is possible with you by my side, dearest.”
\= = = = =
Of course, only three of the banished had shown up by their own volition by sundown. Each of them stood at attention before Kegara. She stared silently at the respectable souls who would volunteer for a job greater than themselves. Of the neigh irredeemable heretics, at least there were some who wished to repent and garner a place within the Lord’s presence.
She slowly chewed the last piece of fish jerky that she had allotted for herself, a portion of it sticking out of her maw as she paced outside her shoulder-high tent. Anxious eyes stared back at her, the singular fire close by illuminating the underside of their muzzles.
“Paladin Grech’khee?” she beckoned, the warrior standing at attention off to the side, her back straightening further at being addressed.
“Yes, high one?”
Her eyes singled out and piercing one of the volunteers as she spoke cold words. “Take the other two paladins and round up seven more banished. Pick out those with… less than necessary occupations.”
The defender of the faith left to complete her given task, leaving Kegara to continue. “As for the rest of you, since others neglected to show up, I will have you three inform the rest when they arrive here shortly…”
The addressed individuals nodded swiftly; the guard held a stone-cold expression, the stonemason looked uneasy, and the butcher appeared to be suppressing stressed breaths.
“Alongside a trip to refill our food stores, you are also to scrounge the beaches to ensure the arriving banished are found and brought here. The deciding relic should have already been moved, and the trial completed.”
Her gaze lingered on the eastern skies, the final purples of the sunset being enveloped in the foreboding blackness. She whipped her to leer into the eyes of the stonemason, their snouts only separated by a few inches of air.
“I expect them to arrive any day now, so there is no time to waste. Pack your things tonight, you shall leave by sunrise.”
Horror. Worry. Apprehension. Many emotions were splayed out along the volunteer’s faces. Never mind that this is an essential step to ensure the settlement’s survival. Their blood ran thick with a tainted curse of the heathen Goddess. This was their opportunity to repent for their heretical nature.
It must be done, if not for the banished group as a whole, then for their eternal souls.
\= = = = =
Tracy rested her black hair against the workshop’s metallic wall, sitting on the mattress that she woke up on that very morning… Damn, these last few hours have felt both like a week and a few minutes at the same time.
After her world was turned upside down, inside out, and everything else imaginable, Harrison gave her a quick tour before starting on the cleanup job, instructing her on how she might help. It felt like those short internships she took to try and build a resume for the pioneering expedition—the kind where you’re introduced to a higher-up who holds your hand through tasks, but you still don’t have a damn clue about your coworkers or what you’re really doing, so it all ends up being a blur as you mindlessly nod along to the person guiding you.
At least it gave her some escape from the gnawing uncertainty scratching at her mind. That was eventually replaced with even more questions for Harrison. Everything was so… alien. How could she not batter the man with queries when he carried on like it was nothing? She might’ve felt bad about asking so much, but it appeared to be quite cathartic for him, giving an outlet for some things on his mind that couldn’t be shared with the Malkrin.
He did dodge quite a few of them, though. Whenever she brought up the greater colony efforts, he would curve the idea and try to emphasize the necessity of survival first and foremost. She still got plenty of answers to the majority of things that confused her, like how the aliens could talk with her or what he felt about them. Well, she never actually asked that second question, but his attitude toward them told her anyway.
There seemed to be a lot of mutual respect and reliance on one another. The engineer was directly connected to all three—or four of them, she guessed—while the rest had their own interpersonal views of one another. The most eye-catching relationship concerned Akula… It seemed that ‘Sharky,’ the tall paladin, had some sort of… rivalry? Nah, it was more like a feud. She had a feud with the dark green fisherwoman, commonly coming at ends with her and spiking insults that were returned with equal poison. Harrison mostly let it slide, saying that it was a common occurrence, but when either went a little too far, he made sure to stand in and remind them how dumb it was to argue in their situation.
It was kind of funny, seeing a man half the size of the aliens chew them out and have both of them apologizing with limp ears and lifeless tails. It emphasized how much they deferred to him, and oddly enough, the technician as well. The armored giant wasn’t as warmed up to Tracy as she was with Harrison, but there were plenty of times when she would apologize for miniscule things or step in to offer to do the harder labor. She definitely kept her distance from Tracy in comparison to how… physical the paladin was with the other pioneer, somehow always being within a tails-distance to Harrison —even when they were doing completely different jobs.
The way Akula treated her was something she probably wouldn’t get used to, however. The skinsuit-wearing Malkrin started off treating her like Sharky had—with distant interactions and respect—though, she did refer to the technician with male pronouns until Harrison corrected her. Then… Well, Tracy could practically see the gears turning in the fisherwoman’s head, her eyes shifting the way they looked at the technician.
The amount of odd encounters with the dark-green-colored alien skyrocketed after that. Akula asked off-handed things like ‘Are all Ershan-sent females as short as the males?’ or ‘Were you not looking after Harrison before, why was he by himself?’ Tracy really couldn’t respond because… wow, oof, that first one hit her in the gut when she wasn’t expecting it. Yeah, she might have only been five-foot, two, but that shouldn’t have meant anything to the aliens… Akula must not have even comprehended the term ‘aliens.’ Harrison wasn’t lying when he said they really just assumed the two pioneers fell from the sky and didn’t suspect anything besides religious reasons, huh? Tracy didn’t hold it against the alien, though.
Like she said before, with the mess of information and sensations, everything felt like a blur. It was a challenge in and of itself to hold onto one train of thought at a time, but there were definitely some moments that she couldn’t forget.
A few ideas had sprung on the technician after the repetitive motions of recycling the crab-monsters were finally internalized. They removed the legs of the bugs for spikes and spears, turning the rest of their bodies into biofuel, and… that was it. She couldn’t help but notice the different pieces of the beasts that were being neglected, each time Sharky or Akula dragged a new bunch of them in. Were they really giving up hardened shells for simple fuel? That was a complete waste.
She brought Harrison off to the side after a new batch was brought into the workshop, swiftly informing him of all her ideas regarding how to make use of the afforded materials. He initially dismissed the idea, citing how long it would take to try and separate it all. All it took was one good look around the workshop to shoot that excuse down; not only was there a mechanical separator, but there were literally dozens of fabricators to assist with the task at hand. Her plan was too good to not be told.
“It’s simple, all we have to do is use the separator to take off the legs,” she blurted out, the ideas coming together as she spoke to the engineer. “A-And then have the recycler turn the guts into fuel and the carapace into building blocks… or something,”
His face scrunched up, telling Tracy he still wasn’t on board. “You do realize how long it’ll take the recycler to run the separating process—nevermind the absolute power sink that’ll be.”
She crossed her arms over her chest “Have you turned the safety off? That’d solve both of those issues.”
“Of course I haven’t. The contractor would have me liable for all sorts of shit if I… huh.”
A smile crept up on her cheeks. “See what I mean?”
He shook his head. “Still, it could be dangerous. You’ve heard those horror stories about recyclers turning entire ships into mini nuclear bombs.”
“That’s if you ask it to do too much at once,” she pointed out, nodding her head toward the mechanical separator nearby. “I’m not the automation expert here, but I’m sure you can limit how many corpses are thrown into it by this guy, right?”
He gave her an unsure look, but considered it nonetheless. His eyes moved from machine to machine, outlining his thought process visually. His hand came up to scratch the growing beard underneath his chin. “ I suppose that could save some time…” His intonation grew in confidence as he contemplated his options. “Yeah, yeah, that could definitely work. Maybe we could also…”
His voice petered out in Tracy’s mind as she recalled the next events. The group worked quickly, reassembling a previous line of machines into an entirely new string of appliances, turning dead husks into raw materials.
Akula’s turn of energy was something Tracy was not expecting, however. The fisherwoman perked up at the idea of further utilizing the ‘holy machine of the cycle,’ praising the technician for her idea. The way the green-colored Malkrin changed attitude gave the human woman whiplash and boosted her confidence at the same time. It was odd, certainly, but she wasn’t going to complain.
Later on, Harrison explained what little he knew about the three religions of the aliens, hardly giving her much in the way of what to expect. She wasn’t even given any sort of origin or central practices that were important… Well, he seemed to be getting along just fine with his surface level understanding, so she would be fine, right? At least not all the Malkrin were so… zealous. The craftsman definitely had his faith in the Land God, but it didn’t jump out at her. The olive-colored alien wasn’t as expecting as Akula nor was he as… worshipy—is that even a word?—as Sharky was. It was probably because of his more diminutive nature, acting more like… well, if she was going to be blunt, the ‘nerd’ stereotype. There wasn’t anything wrong with it; he seemed to fit it well, offering proper insight to her and Harrison when applicable.
And then there was his mate… wife… waifu… whatever. She was actually pretty sweet in spite of her limiting condition. Tracy’s interactions with her were usually short-lived, but the drone connoisseur could tell from the soft nods, easy smiles, and overall ‘gentle-giant’ aura that there was a kindness behind those green eyes.
The tradeswoman could see it now from where she currently relaxed on the mattress. The ebony Malkrin rested atop the wheeled-in medical bed, watching over her slumbering husbando on a chair beside her with soft eyes.
Yeah, everyone was asleep by then, even if it was only the afternoon. Akula dipped to her apparently favorite couch—a joke shared by everyone in the group at least twice—and both Harrison and Sharky left for a shower and their own nap after the work was completed. Now it was just Tracy and the Ceramist awake, evidently being the only two who got some semblance of rest last night.
She wasn’t going to be upset about it or anything. Honestly, it was probably best they slept after all that occurred. Harrison wasn’t reticent about sharing the events of the blood-moon, but in no way did he go into enough detail to accurately represent what chaos had really happened besides ‘shoot bugs.’ She found an open pill bottle of painkillers alongside two empty vials of some potent performance enhancing drugs by the workshop’s front entrance. Imprints on the module’s exterior told her some monsters attempted to crawl along the walls and roof of the module just to get to the people within. There were bug carcasses by the cargo bay doors, behind an area where the spikes had been broken. Green blood trailed pretty far into the module, implying some were only stopped after they made some headway. The engineer did describe that there were one or two times when he had to abandon his original post to deal with external problems, leading to the pressuring horde of bugs to nearly get through the main entrance.
It all sounded like a nightmare to Tracy. She was both glad she was asleep the entire time and very, very shaken by the fact that she could have just… died without even knowing. It was a relief to know they were capable of defending the module, but personally? There was no way she would have left the whole thing up to manual skill. Harrison was an automations expert, right? Why hadn’t he tried to get some more turrets to defend him, or at least manufacture a chain gun or something? Seriously, why did he only have a pump action? It was definitely altered to belt fed—which was pretty fucking metal—yet there were so many options that were just… better, so why not? Maybe there weren't enough resources? He had gunpowder to make plenty of shells, and there was a good bit of metal to recycle if need be. She really didn’t understand, so she’d just have to ask him about that later…
A wave of movement from the corner of her eye took her away from those thoughts. It was a black tail swinging in the air, gathering attention to itself. Tracy shook her head, quickly zeroing on the appendage, and the Malkrin attached to it.
The ceramist stopped waving her tail when they locked eyes, holding her gaze for a few long seconds before frowning. She made a beckoning motion with her hand, a soft yet uncomfortable look on her face.
“Oh, um, one sec…” Tracy slowly stood up from her own nearby mattress, her feet still definitely ruined from the hundred-kilometer walk. She approached the ebony female, stepping up beside the slumbering craftsman.
She raised her hand in a motionless wave, immediately regretting it with how awkward it must have looked… Why did she even care? The alien wouldn’t care, so… Nevermind…
“Uh…What’s up?”
The Malkrin stared at the ceiling in thought for a second before returning them, cupping two hands like a bowl and bringing it up to her mouth.
The technician simply raised brow, unsure of the alien gesture.
A waving motion came from the ceramist’s other arm, mimicking the waves of an ocean.
Tracy pursed her lips in thought, not getting the game of charades. Did she want… the ocean? Saltwater? That was an odd request…
The black-colored Malkrin frowned like a disappointed mother. Then, her eyes lit up suddenly, her talon pointing behind the human. She followed its direction, settling upon the stacked pile of metal water canisters. The movements all added up at once; the ceramist wanted a drink of water…
Man, she felt dumb for not getting it earlier—the ‘tism is strong with this one… A bottle was quickly snatched up and delivered to the alien, who bowed her head in appreciation before nearly downing the entire bottle in two massive gulps.
“You sure needed that, huh?” Tracy commented quietly, a little amused.
The ceramist nodded.
“Um… Do you want another?”
Another nod.
The tradeswoman retrieved two more canisters, speaking up with a little more confidence this time. “Here, I brought another in case you wanted more… You can keep it nearby if you don’t want to drink it yet.”
She received a warm smile in return. One bottle was set aside while the other was drank in its entirety, leaving an awkward silence between the two… two uh… Hmm… What would Tracy and the ceramist be called? Sure, pioneers could fit, but honestly? They were more akin to survivors of this fucked up ‘mainland,’ if Harrison's recalling of the Malkrin’s purpose on this island was correct. Everyone here was sent to set up some sort of settlement, but ended up barely scraping by.
…What was she just thinking about? Oh… right, the awkward silence that she just now zoned back in for… damn. This was the kind of thing she hated about interactions like this. You know, like when a mutual friend leaves you in a voice chat with someone you barely know and there’s that aura between you two. It’s like a gelatin wall where you’re tempted to push through to the other side and reach out, but there’s always that chance of just getting stuck trying to cross that barrier. You could speak up first, maybe reaching that person and starting a conversation, or they could just respond with ‘yeah,’ killing any momentum the interaction had. It left you with two options: awkwardly leave or keep trying and failing, both of which being mental torment.
She closed her eyes, scrubbing everything she was thinking. Letting her mind wander isn’t helpful in the slightest. Just… do something, Tracy.
“So, um… how are you, ah… feeling?” she let out nervously, having lost every ounce of confidence she built up in talking just a minute ago. “Harrison and Craftsman told me about what happened.”
The ceramist nodded once more, bringing all three of her four arms to bear—the last was being used as an impromptu pillow by the craftsman. She flexed and wiggled fifteen of her sharp digits, showing their individual maneuverability.
“Oh, hey, that’s some solid improvement—”
She was cut off gracefully by an open palm, the Malkrin silently asking for more time to show her growing capabilities. In a deft motion, her tail, which had been laying across the craftsman’s slumbering form, raised up into the air and curled in several circles like a coil. It wasn’t too far off from a spring with its form and compactness.
Tracy stepped back, getting a better angle at the fascinating solenoid forming right in front of her… with an actual limb nonetheless. Those things weren’t lightweight, either. Every time Sharky put her tail over Harrison, the technician saw how it weighed him down, and that was just a small portion of her lengthy appendage, so this display of not only holding it in the air, but moving it with agility was certainly something. Especially from someone who couldn’t walk.
“Oh… wow. You can do that with your tail? Huh… that's gotta take some effort.” The human considered the strength required, imagining the tensile force needed to hold that position. “Do you, uh, do you think you could walk? Since, like, you can do that?”
The tail was let down slowly, returning to its place atop the ceramist’s slumbering mate. She let out a short huff, shrugging with one side as to not move the arm underneath her husband.
“Do you want to try to walk?”
The female alien shook her head, pointing the end of her snout at the lightly snoring male.
“Ah… I see. That’s… fair.”
Her thoughts drifted for a moment, connecting the sleeping Malkrin, the ceramist’s coma, and the blood-moon.
“So… you and the craftsman. S-Sorry if this is something touchy… or anything like that, but how did you survive the blood-moons before now? If you’re in the woods without any of the defenses here, how is that possible? We’re you able to hide somehow?”
She received a shake of her head.
“You weren’t able to survive the blood-moons.”
Another shake of the ceramists head, this time with a little more emphasis, showing it wasn’t in response to the question.
“You… had defenses?” Tracy raised a brow.
The Malkrin nodded her head.
“Wait… you had defenses? Of what kind?” Tracy pressured further, her curiosity fully piqued.
The black-colored female put two of her forearms on top of each other, creating a wall. Then, her other two hands poked in between them, their talons pointing outward.
“Spiked walls?”
A nod. Her arms extended out wide, like she was playing a giant accordion.
“Big spiked walls?”
A head shake.
“…A lot of spiked walls?”
A firm nod.
“How did the two of you build so many?” the technician poked further, trying to piece together how many defenses the alien expressed and what the theoretical building capabilities just two Malkrin had.
The ceramist shook her head, waving her arms in a gentle ‘It’s not me, officer’ gesture while pointing to herself and the sleeping male.
“It wasn’t you? Then who?”
The Malkrin started lifting each of her available fingers up, almost like… counting…? She raised fifteen up to Tracy and then closed her hands, repeating the same motion three more times with one final hand of five finishing the counting off.
“Sixty-five?”
A nod.
“Sixty-five what? Spiked walls?”
A shake of her head. The ebony female pointed to herself.
“Sixty-five… Malkrin?”
The alien gave a firm nod.
Hold on… “Wait, there are sixty-five others? I-In what? Like a settlement? But… Harrison said you guys were scattered across the place.”
A nod.
“Yes for a settlement or yes for scattered? Uh… Nod for settlement and shake your head for scattered.”
Another nod.
But Harrison said… Shit. Did he know about this? No… No, he would have said something about it when she asked him. The fact that there was a large group just… somewhere seemed too damn important to not be mentioned, right?
Tracy returned with a slow voice, a mix of interest and trepidation seeping in. “…W-What are they like?”
The ebony Malkrin looked away, her face scrunching up in discomfort. There must have been some sort of reason she was here and not at the other settlement. A little piece of the technician’s stomach dropped. Her brow furrowed, a worried expression crossing her face.
“Not good?”
The ceramist frowned, shaking her head. So… not good. Not good at all…
“Are… Are they something we should be worried about? Are they close?”
A short look of relief crossed the ex-settler’s face. Her arms extended out wide, signifying a long distance.
“That’s… good. What else can you tell me? Actually, hold on. Mind if I grab a pencil and some paper?”
- - - - -
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Next time on Total Drama Anomaly Island - Drone girl Maxxing

{Previous Part} ~ {Chapter Library} ~ {Next Chapter}
Val and I pass into the outside and shuffle side by side down the rickety metal steps. My mind is so crowded on the walk back that I barely even notice when we reach the red house. Like husks, we enter and shamble to the couch before flopping down. I take a deep breath and look up to the ceiling as Val stares toward the window.
“Morgan is going to be devastated.”
I turn to her in shock, “They didn’t tell him yet?”
“I mean, they sort of did. They said the chances of Tyler surviving are low, but he might be okay if they can get the resources they need. They didn’t tell him there’s no chance of us getting them.”
“That’s cause there still is.”
“Wes….”
“I’m not saying we’re pursuing it. I’m just saying that maybe they’re holding out hope too. If I were Dr. Kaphila and the guards, I would want to give him as much faith as possible. They’ve seen what that does to people; the loss.”
Val lowers her head, “I’m sorry, Wes. I know you worked really hard on all of this.”
“You know, it’s fine. I think I honestly knew deep down that it wouldn’t be enough. At least now the guards know about Mason’s group.”
Val smiles, “Yeah. And we got a super cool helmet too.” She lifts it proudly, trying to lighten the mood, “Too bad we won’t ever really get to use it to its potential, seeing as we won’t be going out much now.” she laments.
“Eh, probably wouldn’t have held out long anyways. Speaking of, can you turn it off? I don’t want to run it too much in case the circuits blow or something.”
“Huh?” she grunts, looking inside the bowl and realizing the LEDs are still aglow. “Oh, whoops. I didn’t even mean to turn it back on.” Casually she flips the shell over with a toss and raises it to her head.
“What are you doing?” I question.
“I wanna’ play with it some more! We barely got to see what this baby can do.”
“Val,” I say with scolding amusement. “You sound like you’re four.”
She gets it snug on her head but then freezes her arms there, holding it in place. At first, I can’t tell what she’s doing, but I quickly realize that something has her confused.
I flick her leg, “What’s wrong?”
“Uh, did you know you can send messages with this?”
“I mean, I’m not surprised. Why?”
“We have a message from Eight. She, um… she told us what the city wants.”
I sit up so fast my stitches sting, “Wait, what?”
“She says they want one of ‘the chickens’.”
The excitement from the moment is quickly strangled into submission by the dread of Val’s words, “Oh… Is she talking about a-”
“I just asked.”
I put aside my feelings momentarily, “Wait, you can respond without saying anything?”
“Hang on-” Val says, raising a hand. After a few seconds, she drops it to her lap and squeezes her leg, “Um… yeah. She said that’s what she means.”
I bite my cheek and look down to the floor, “Oh… well, that explains why Six was so adamant.”
“She said that the city doesn’t care how it's gotten as long as its body is mostly intact. They want it for research.”
“That must be why they’re holding off on telling Morgan. Maybe they’re hoping a group of them will show up at the gate before Tyler… You know.”
“It probably won’t end well for anyone if one does.”
I nod, “We also don’t have that much time.”
Val turns so the visor faces me dead on, then shakes her head, “You’re such a liar.”
“What?”
“What did you just say literally two minutes ago?”
“What are you talking about right now?”
“I know you, Wesly. You’re already thinking of ways to pull it off.”
“I’m sorry, did I say I had changed my mind about us trying anything?”
“You didn’t. But you never said anything about just you trying something.”
I stare at her for a second, straight-faced and silent, while she stares back with an emotionless plastic pane.
“Wes, are you fucking stupid?”
“Whoa, Val-”
“Like, do you really think you could take down a basilisk by yourself?”
“I never-”
“Or are you just trying to pretend you think you can do it alone because then you don’t have to directly ask me, and I’ll volunteer instead?”
“Valentine-”
“Because you should already know that I’m coming, either way, Wes. And even if you did ask me to help you with this and I died, that wouldn’t make it your fault. I have never gone out there when I didn’t want to.”
“So you're telling me you want to go now?”
Val falters, “I mean, no. I never do. I didn’t want to when we went last time either, but we go out because we have to.”
“I mean, we don’t have to….”
“No, Wes, oh my gosh-” Val groans, throwing her head back, “Yes, we do. Are you seriously not getting déjà vu right now? This is the exact same conversation we had before leaving for the bus garage but in reverse. I wouldn’t forgive myself if we had left them out there to die. Now if we don’t go and Tyler dies, you will never forgive yourself. You’ve sacrificed trip after trip out there for me and my mom; it’s my turn to pay you back.”
“I don’t want you to pay me back. Not like this.”
“Okay, well, don’t think of it as payback, then. Think of it as me doing it because you’re my friend, and we need to have each other's back through everything.” When I say nothing, Val takes off the helmet and lets her eyes talk for her. They pierce through me with sincerity and love.
“This is different, Val.” I speak softly, “We’ve never hunted anything before.”
“We risk dying every time we go out, Wes. The only thing that changes is the probability of death, but it’s still always there.”
I sit back against the couch and take a deep breath, “Alright. So what are the chances this time?”
Val half snorts with amusement before leaning over on me, “High. So astronomically high. But I know if you really thought that there wasn’t a way we could do this, you wouldn’t be trying in the first place.”
I turn and press my head against the top of hers before closing my eyes. Her body is so warm against the endless chill the world has been gripped by.
“How’d you ever get to know me so well?” I ask.
“Cause you’re predictable.” She teases with a snicker before continuing more gently, “And cause I’ve known you my whole life. You're one of the few things I do know.”
My chest feels warm at her words, and a small blanket of joy slowly envelopes me, if only for a moment. Not romantic, not perverted, just pure admiration for my friend. I want to live in it forever; just sit here with Val. But there’s no time.
“We have a lot of planning to do,” I tell her.
“Yeah, we should get started.”
“We had about two days left for Tyler, that’s when my dad leaves again. We’ll go then.”
“Six said the radio will net us a few more cans, giving us, what, three days max after that?”
“Is your mom going to be okay on her own that long?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about her. She can pull it together enough to get by when I’m not around.”
“Alright. Then we spend the next few days getting ready and preparing.” I shift my head to lean toward her, “You’re sure you want to do-”
“Shush.”
“I just want to-”
“sh sh sh sh!”
“Val.”
“Shhhhhhhh.” she defiantly coos, placing a palm over my mouth. I shift up slightly and bite her hand. “Hey!” she giggles. She tries to grab my own palm to enact revenge, but I pull it away too quickly. “You jerk! I’m gonna get you back when you least expect it!”
“You can try,” I smirk.
Val and I laugh with one another for a few more seconds, letting ourselves enjoy the small moment. Our amusement fizzles quickly, though, and we’re once again forced to be grown-ups.
“We should get to work, huh?”
I nod.
My first order of business is fixing Val's helmet. So far, we had gotten by without any fancy features, but having them would have made our lives much easier during our time doing this. Now that we were going out to actively hunt something, they were almost a necessity. The sound map alone was a game changer, but being able to see in full night vision and speak to each other non-verbally in entire sentences? That was invaluable to something so high stakes.
Repairing the helmet is faster now that I know what to look for. There’s still a lot of damage, but I manage to chug along at a decent pace. Meanwhile, Val sits beside me, reading off our journal entry for the basilisk to jog our memories.
There’s a reason basilisks are so feared by us compared to other creatures. They seem to be a manifestation of death itself. There are certainly more horrific things lurking outside the lights of the grid, but none of them seem to specialize in killing as well as the giant birds do. I only say birds because that’s what they’re closest to, although any biologist would probably laugh at that analysis. They have a build almost like an ostrich, but beyond the massive, powerful legs, densely black-feathered torso, and nonfunctional wings, the similarities stop. Their neck is around the size of a horse’s, thick like a trunk and long, with an exposed spine and ribcage-like guards running its length. Beneath the bone is soft, red, fleshy tissue that glistens with a slimy coat. The spinal cord ends at its head, where it joins the beast's main feature. Their cranium is a long shape composed of hard bone. It ends in a point that one might think to be a beak at first glance, but it’s not.
It's a proboscis.
A basilisk's main food is blood. It doesn’t matter what creature, species, or animal; it will drink it. Once they’ve taken down their prey through one means or another, they stab into it and suck out every bit of fluid inside. Unfortunately, though, they don’t always finish their food off before digging in…
Usually, all of those things would be disturbingly normal for a creature outside, but a basilisk's true horror- and lethality- lies in its other attributes.
Basilisks, unlike most creatures, hunt in packs. Very few monsters in the dark get along, even with their own kind, but even fewer work together. The birds do so to an incredible degree. They function almost like wolves or hyenas, circling, flanking, and setting ambushes for their prey to most effectively take it down and share in their fresh meal. This level of hunting is only enhanced with its other abilities. Basilisks can mimic sounds or voices they’ve heard through a fleshy slit in their necks. This is similar to The Mocker, although without the mind-reading of its prey. They’ll mimic people screaming for help or injured beasts to lure in something else, and by the time it’s wandered into the death circle, it’s too late. The creatures have a strange function around its body that we’ve only read about in soldiers' logs. Apparently, an account from a guard who was lucky enough to escape from an ambush claimed that the beasts have a strange electric aura around them. Being close makes the skin tingle with pain, which is only amplified when you get closer. This can be crippling if surrounded and can put down creatures almost as effectively as their namesake: The eyes.
True to the myth we named them after, if you catch the gaze of a basilisk, it can kill you. It’s not instantaneous; during surveillance, we’ve seen the creatures caught by this effect writhe and squirm for a moment before finally collapsing. It seems, though, that once you look, you can’t pull away. Even if you could, you’d be bleeding profusely from your eyes, blinding you from seeing any claws coming your way. Collectors, another beast, are these goliath, human-like things that are scarily strong and incredibly hard for anything to take down. We once saw a group of basilisks kill one with a look before it could even sprint across the field to their position. The poor thing didn’t stand a chance considering they don’t have eyelids…
And if all of this wasn’t bad enough, it seems that nothing can touch them. Garrotes and almost every other threat die to their glare, snag won’t even go near the beasts and refuses to climb onto them, and hostesses can’t track them through the aura they emit, leading them to giving up and running off to find other prey. Even when a basilisk does get in a scuffle, its wounds can be healed almost instantly by regurgitating a strange liquid from their mouths onto an injury. The only real way to put one down is a clean strike (or shot) to the head, which is very hard to land due to their thick armored faces. I’m convinced that basilisks alone would have overrun the entire planet themselves if it wasn’t for the simple fact that they’re highly territorial. They usually pick a spot and don’t stray far from it, opting instead to lure food when hunting rather than venturing out.
With all their attributes, it’s no wonder the city wants one intact. If we could figure out why it is the beasts can do what they do, we’d be standing a lot better in the apocalypse. We could heal any physical wound with their crimson, engineer a weapon to give the same effect as their eyes, and make a powerful ‘back off’ field around every soldier guarding the walls. They’re the ultimate survival specimen.
That meant a difficult path ahead for the two high school dropouts that were about to try and take one down. As Val lists off everything they can do, each idea I had of how to kill one goes out the window. It really does seem impossible, but basilisks still lack something we have: Wit and strategy.
Val and I don’t have to win in a physical fight against a pack of the birds. All we have to do is devise a plan to isolate one of them and finish it off. We could even do that at a distance if we play our cards right. However, like I said, the creatures are territorial, so even if we hatch a plan where we don’t have to get up close, we’ll still have to enter their land to carry it out. Therein lies the danger.
The odds are stacked immensely high against us, and though I can tell Val knows that too, she’s not showing it. It’s unbelievably stupid to think that the two of us are capable of such a feat, and yet there’s a feeling in my gut telling me that if we’re careful and wise about this, we can pull it off by some miracle. Maybe it’s guilt, confidence, or ignorance talking; maybe it’s all three at once. Whatever the case, I don’t stop long enough to think about it. All I need to know is that if we pull it off, Tyler might live, and that’s enough for me.
We work for hours, me continuing to clean and solder while Val spitballs ideas.
“Are we going to aim for the pack at the ranch?”
“That’s the only one we for sure know about, right?”
“Well, there was that one mentioned in the expedition log from the city. The one at the old mall in Clackamas? That’s an option too.”
“Oh yeah. That’s farther, though.”
“Yeah, but it may give us more options for attack. Less space for them to circle us.”
“Yeah, that’s true.” I ponder, finishing up a trace, “Also, more spaces for us to get cornered, though.”
“Yeah, I suppose.” Val responds, “Hey, we’ve got two days to prep still, and we’ve been at this for a while now. Let’s pick it up again tomorrow, yeah? Chew on what we’ve got so far?”
“Oh, um, alright.” I say, setting my tools down and tapping the table with my finger, “Are you going to see Morgan?”
“Yes.” Val stands with a sigh, “Are you still not coming?”
“Well, his opinion of me hasn’t changed, so probably not.”
“What are you even talking about?”
“You saw how he was around me today.”
“Yeah, Wes, because you were acting weird about it.”
Her bluntness takes me back, “I-I wasn’t acting weird about it.”
“I mean, you kind of were, but it's fine. I get it.”
I shift uncomfortably on the stool, “Are you… mad at me?”
“Why would I be mad at you?”
“I just feel like you’re upset with me.”
“I’m not, Wes. Don’t start that with me too.”
My eyes nervously shift from her, “S-Sorry.”
Val steps over and puts a hand on my shoulder. I look at her again to see her smiling, “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
I nod.
“Early. We’ve got a lot to do.”
“I’m always up early.”
She snickers, “Noon is not early, Wes.”
I just smile, “Night, Val.”
She points to the workbench, “Please don’t stay up forever working on this? Okay?”
I nod.
“Alright. Goodnight.”
Her footsteps echo across the concrete of the garage and out the door.
I work on Val’s helmet for a bit longer, but when I’m finally worn out on the work and look at the clock, it’s only 7. Dad will still be up, and after this morning, I definitely don’t feel like going home yet. I stand up and prepare to sit in the neighborhood garden when a thought catches me.
‘If we’re going to do this, we might not ever come back, Wes. You’d better make peace with anyone who might miss you.’
In my head, I can’t convince myself that too many people fit that criteria, but at least one person might. I pull my jacket on and head out the door, starting the trek down the road.
‘I hope you’re happy.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Back out we go again.’
‘This is for Tyler.’
‘Maybe part of it. But even that is just to clear your conscience. Do you want to admit the other reason you were fixing that helmet up in the first place? Why you didn’t just bring that walkie straight to the guards?’
With my hands in my pockets, I continue walking in silence.
‘You knew we’d be back out there eventually, one way or another.’
‘No, I didn’t.’
‘That we’d need that helmet again. For more supplies. For info. For when the transfer happens, and we need to make the trip to the city.’
‘We would never be able to sneak a car through the gate and drive there. We’ll have to walk.’
‘Val doesn’t want to go with us, Wes. What will it take for you to get that through your head?’
‘There’s still time to convince her.’
‘We never will. She doesn’t see things like we do. She has people and responsibilities to stay for.’
‘Well, we don’t need her to come with us. We’ll just go alone.’
‘Ha. Right. Like we would be able to live without the only person left in the world who cares about us. Even if we made the journey to the city, we would die there anyways…’
My hand naturally crawls out of its burrow and anxiously rubs my arm.
‘I think you know that we have more people than her, though. If we didn’t, you wouldn’t be on your way to see Claire.’
‘She at least deserves a goodbye. Just in case.’
I see Claireese’s house ahead, and the closer I get, the more the butterflies in my stomach begin to dance. Is it weird for me to randomly show up at her door and ask to hang out? I mean, it felt like we were friends again, but were we close enough for that? Although, she did tell me that I could ask whenever I wanted, so it probably wouldn’t be a huge deal to her. But maybe she was just saying that to be nice? But she seemed to be genuine when she-
‘Would you just text her if you’re so worried about it?’
I pause by the park, take out my phone, and then spend a few minutes trying to type out the perfect message.
Hey, Claireese. You busy?
I stare at the screen blankly, waiting for a response to pop up, but after one doesn’t for five minutes, I slip the slab into my pocket. After ten, I take a seat on the curb. My leg bounces anxiously, and I begin to feel like I've made a mistake as I stare out at the neighborhood. I look to Claire’s house to see if I can spot signs of life inside, but when I don’t, my eyes drift to Paul’s house next door. The solar panels on the roof specifically catch my eye.
‘C’mon, Wes. You’ve got nothing else going on.’
Hesitantly, I stand.
~
Knock, knock knock!
If my body was antsy approaching Claireese’s place, Paul’s door is a whole new level. I don’t think I’ve ever visited without Val. I hear footsteps through the halls of the house approaching before they pause, and the door unlatches.
“Oh, hi, Wes.” Paul greets warmly.
“H-Hey, Paul. Sorry to bother you, but I just remembered you asked me about looking at the solar panels? I-If you have a minute.”
“Oh, um, sure! Come on in.” He says, stepping aside, “Sorry, it’s a little messy. I was doing some sorting for the transfer.” In the entryway and spilling into the living room and hall are boxes of clothes, books, and other random objects assorted by type.
“Oh, no problem.” I smile. I realize, too, that he’s wearing pajama pants, and it suddenly dawns on me how late it is, “Oh, shoot, you weren't in bed, were you?”
Paul holds up a hand and laughs, “No, don’t worry. I was just getting around to it. I’m glad you came, though. My curiosity about this has been killing me. This way.” He gestures.
I follow him back through his house and can’t help but notice that Paul’s ‘sorting’ doesn’t seem to be the only reason his home is messy. It’s not unclean, but piles of clutter are all over, as if several projects were started and left unfinished. A lot of it looks like drawings, maps, or old newspapers. “Thanks for taking the time,” He says over his shoulder as we press on, “I know you’ve probably got better things to do.”
“Oh, um, no problem. And no, not at all; don’t worry.” I chuckle.
Eventually, we break through into the garage, where Paul leads me through a path of boxes to the wall. There, a little LCD screen shows readings for the panels outside.
“Well, here it is. The panels aren’t powered right now cause it’s night, but you can see the battery has some charge.”
I lean in close to the gadget and look for myself. Sure enough, the indicator shows a 32% charge. The outside of the thing seems fine, but it’s rarely that easy with electronics.
I turn back to Paul and motion with my hands to the device, “May I?”
He mirrors my gesture, “Please, whatever you need to do.”
I reach up and gently tug the display from its socket on the wall. Turning it over, none of the connector pins seem off, and popping open the back of the case, I see nothing visibly in the interior. Even though I just spent all day doing this exact thing, the engineer in me takes over, and soon I have the device set on the top of a nearby box with some of Paul’s tools surrounding me. He watches curiously over my shoulder all the while, making small talk with me that I do my best at. I dismantle as much of the gadget as possible while still being able to put it back together, but still, with its innards fully exposed, I see no flaws with the tech. With a quick reassemble, I slot it back into the wall, then follow the exposed cable to the ceiling and around the corner of the garage to the side door.
“You still got the ladder going to your roof? And a flashlight?” I ask.
Without a word, Paul crosses to a counter and picks up a light before tossing it to me.
Solar panels are a bit out of my league, but I’m still reasonably certain that if something was wrong with them, I would be able to spot the damage. I lay against the roof tiles and shine the light underneath the slabs to see if there’s any wear and tear to the cabling or casing that might cause the things to wig out, but I still can’t find anything. The same feverish curiosity that I assume holds Paul also begins to infect me. Even if the panels were malfunctioning, it would be odd for the defect to cause the battery to appear charged. There was also something that Paul said earlier that caught my attention thinking back on it.
“Hey, Paul.” I call down to him, “What did you mean by ‘night’?”
He looks uneasily off to the side of the yard before returning his gaze forward, “Let me show you something.”
Back inside the house, I’m led to an office at the end of a hallway. The room makes the rest of the house look spotless by comparison. All over are the same books, papers, and drawings, but there’s a lot more than that. There are geographical maps, city utility grid layouts, pictures taken straight off the news, and a healthy dose of handwritten notes plastering it all. It is certainly not what I expected to find in ‘cool-and-collected’ Paul’s house. Apparently, I don’t do a good job hiding my shock from the sight because his expression goes sheepish when he turns to face me.
“Yeah…” he starts, “I know what it looks like…”
“What? Oh, n-no, it’s- I didn’t think anything was off.” I lie with the poorest recovery of my life.
Paul lets out a hearty laugh, “It’s cool, Wes. You can be honest. I’m a nutcase.”
His laugh eases me a bit, and I smile, “Pffft, no.” I jab, “I just- What is all this?”
“Well…” he starts, stepping further into the room and slapping the top of a paper pile nearby, “Our house did not used to look like this, I swear. Most of this stuff here is new- since the beginning, I mean. I either got it from others or printed off what was recorded on my TV and laptop. The books and maps I got from Myra and the city prints were from Craig’s work.”
“Well, that makes sense, but I was more asking… what is it?”
Paul sighs and puts a hand to his face, “Listen, could you promise not to talk to anyone else about this? I already feel dumb about having it.”
“You know I hardly talk to anyone.” I smile reassuringly.
He smiles back, “That’s why I know I can trust you.” He faces the room again then starts, “Craig used to be a bit of a conspiracy theorist, I guess. Not seriously, like he wasn’t a doomsday prepper who was scrawling insane notes in his free time. It was just an interest he had. Probably a side effect from working for the government.” He chuckles. “He would look into them sometimes if he heard one that he thought was cool. He just thought they were fun. I always thought they were silly, though. I guess once all this happened, though, I stopped being so skeptical. ‘Figured that if something like the Vanishing could happen so suddenly, maybe all of the people looking for hidden things weren’t so crazy after all.”
“That’s a fair assessment.”
“Yeah.” Paul nods, “I started looking into things just to keep myself entertained when all this started, but the more I kept looking, the more I got invested in things and, well…” He gestures around to the mountain range of parchment and cardboard.
I snicker in wonderment as I look a bit closer at everything, and my eyes fall onto a corner where a map of California hangs. The top left corner, where the state joins into Oregon, is sectioned off in its usual shape and greyed out. A bunch of notes are stuck up around it alongside various articles.
Paul sees me staring, “They teach you kids about the C.D.Z in school?”
I nod, “The California Dead Zone? Yeah, only briefly. They said it was a massive chemical meltdown at some fuel company’s plant.” I stare fixated on the map momentarily before turning to Paul and smiling, “Although, I’m assuming that might not be the true story?”
Paul chuckles, “Well, there are a couple ideas of other stories, but those are for another time. What I really wanted to show you in here is this.” He beckons me over to a desk, and I oblige. In front of us sits a notebook with an array of numbers charting panel wattage intake alongside hour increments in order throughout the day. Next to it is a crudely drawn line graph that makes a perfect symmetrical hump.
“Do you see it?” Paul asks after giving me a moment to study it.
“This is the time throughout the day?” I ask, pointing to the list of hours.
Paul nods. I furrow my brow at the page, trying to make logical sense of it when he simply spells it out, “It’s a daylight cycle. There’s no power till’ around 8am, then it slowly goes up throughout the day until eleven, when it starts to go back down. By five, there’s nothing again.”
I shake my head, “But… that would mean that-”
“I know. The sun is still out there somewhere.”
I step back to think for a moment, but my brain can’t seem to accept the idea, “How does that… But where is it then?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’m wrong. The data shows it, but the Vanishing could have caused the system to bug. Maybe it’s just repeating similar reading patterns every day.”
“How could the Vanishing have made that happen?”
“There was that big grid surge that first night, remember? Everything went down for about five minutes. Well, before it all went out at once, I mean.”
“Oh, no, I was… I was asleep when it happened.”
Paul spins around and ruffles through some papers before withdrawing some screenshotted articles, “Right here. A bunch of reports claimed a huge EMP hit the grid that night.”
“Huh…” I say, looking down at the sheet while my head spins.
“That’s not even the weirdest part. The weird part is that it hit literally everywhere. The info is a little muddy because of how fast everything went down, but from what I can tell, every city across the globe lost power at once that night.”
“How was this not reported on?” I ask in awe.
Paul shrugs, “They did briefly. But by the time the government got things under control and TV’s running again, there were more important things to report on. How to survive and all that. But you want to know the most mysterious part of all this?”
“I don’t know, do I?”
Paul smirks and points to a map of the world. Across the globe, Paul has times written next to several different cities in increments only a few minutes apart, despite their vast distance. They all move up in time going both directions, gaining more the further they get from the west coast of the states. It takes me a second to realize they’re recordings of when the city reported their outages. What catches my eye the most is a highlighted line along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington.
“That pulse from that night? If I traced it correctly, it originated right. Next. To. us.”
I can’t even think of anything to respond to that with, so I change directions, “Paul… Why haven’t you told anyone else this? This is… insane. In the good way, I mean.”
The man rubs his neck, “Well, I have, but it still comes off as crazy to some people. I’m sure the people in power already know, and everyone like us doesn’t really care how it happened. Like I said, surviving the now is more important.”
“Well, I’m impressed,” I tell him, scanning his collection one more time, “Honestly, thank you for showing me.”
“Hey, thank you for stopping by to confirm my theory about the solar panels.”
“Oh, my gosh, yeah, I forgot how this all even started!” I exclaim, “So what does that mean for everything? This could be huge.”
“Well, I’ve only been data collecting for a few days. Like I said, it could be some sort of malfunction, but if the numbers show bigger changes over time, then I’ll know something is up.”
“Well, I’m invested. Let me know if you learn anything else, please.”
Paul smiles, “Sure. But that means you’ll have to actually come visit with Val sometime.”
Embarrassment washes over me, and I shrink into my coat, “Oh, um, yeah, I’ll have to make time.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
I smile before pulling out my phone to check the time. My heart leaps as, on the screen, I see a missed text from Claireese; almost twenty minutes ago.
Hey sorry i was taking a way too long nap. Whats up?
“Oh, um, Paul, I actually gotta get going,” I tell him quickly.
“Oh, yeah, of course. I’ve eaten up enough of your time.” Paul chuckles, leading me back to the hall, “Thanks again for helping me out.”
“Yeah, of course,” I tell him. “And thank you again too. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
Paul opens the front door and laughs, “Well, don’t think too hard about it. Don’t make the same mistake as me. Stay away from the rabbit hole, Wes.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I don’t ever get up to anything too crazy.” I reassure him.
We both exchange final goodbyes and the instant the door is shut, I snap open my messages and rapidly tap at the keys.
Oh, nothing, I was just wondering if yoy wanted to hang out?
Yoi\*
You\**
Usually, I would be drained after that kind of interaction, but for some reason I can’t explain, even though I’m nervous as hell, I would still really like to see Claire. I once again find myself staring intently down at the screen, waiting for a response as I walk toward the sidewalk. I’m worried I might have been too late to respond, but then I hear a voice call from her porch.
“What, were you just waiting out here for me to say yes?”
My head whips in Claireese’s direction, and I guiltily try to shove my phone away in shame, “Oh, I, um, I didn’t know if you were free or not, so I didn’t want to bother you.”
“You coulda’ just knocked?”
“That would have been bothering you.”
She rolls her eyes, “You’re so dumb. Did you want to hang out, or what?”
“Um, did- did you want to hang out?”
Claire closes her eyelids and takes a deep, patient breath before smiling with amusement, “Yeah. Yes, Wes, I would.”
The butterflies in my stomach finally fly away, and I find a smile of my own grace my lips. I start forward down her path, and as I do, I try to forget about what lies ahead of me for a bit. I bury the thoughts of hunting monsters. I bury the idea of Val being upset with me. I bury the conspiracies of the sun being somewhere high above the darkness, and I bury my father's rage deep down inside me where I’ll never find it. I step over that freshly packed soil as Claireese lets me inside and closes the door behind me.
{Next Chapter}

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“You look worse than before, cat.”
Sunundra slowed in her lopsided stride, tinny speakers pulling her consciousness from the veil of training and instincts it had been under as she inspected the dim confines with a neutral expression, wondering just how far she had wandered while trapped in blank introspection.
Sparse light fixtures shone softly over long stretches of bare steel framing, their wires and pipes left exposed for easy access and repairs. There were no bloodied paw prints here, unlike the maintenance corridors she remembered traversing, the dusty yet pristine surfaces sowing a sense of muted unease. The map might tell her where she was specifically, but the urge to continue downwards was enough of a bearing. There was a location somewhat nearby where she could safely bore through the floor with an explosive, and thankfully, it wouldn't involve falling down a gap that encompassed an entire level this time. Her legs had taken the landing better than expected, though there was no telling if they could do so again—her limp was already worse than before. Regardless, a few more charges would get her where she needed to be.
Where that was, exactly, she couldn’t be sure, but she likely checked at some point and had since forgotten, choosing to follow the shadows of decisions made by some deep part of herself that wasn’t occupied cherishing what little was left behind.
And that was fine. It was fine not to remember things that didn’t matter anymore.
The irritated cadence of the alien, however, was well within memory, even as she ignored it and kept walking.
“You are going in the wrong direction,” the security officer continued, the deepness of its voice straining the address system. A moment of expectation went unmet by her indifference. “There is only more security awaiting you this way. The disturbance your actions have caused has not gone unnoticed.”
They were active? Perhaps it might mean that her kin have begun moving as well, and maybe there was someone who also smuggled contraband or weapons inside. She doubted that she was the only military personnel to have been brought here, and of those, at least one would have kept a secret or two during the onboarding process. Few were as blindly trusting as she had been, and her materials were taken in an effort to maintain her sense of usefulness more than anything else.
Ironic, considering that which was previously a fidget to ease her nerves had since become anathema to everything she once practised. She used to utilize her supplies to save lives and complete objectives bloodlessly. Now, she painted the walls with her enemy's viscera, enveloping entire areas with relentless fire and caustic fumes, regardless of if any would surrender or assist. The contrast felt sickening, persisting as she assured herself that it was necessary.
“What are you doing here? You were supposed to escape with him.”
Yes, she was. Yet she was here, a failure wandering the halls of her attempts, hoping to make a final wrong right.
“Is this all that remains of your determination to see him safe?”
It was all that remained of her, let alone something that had been vaporized by the explosion—that disappeared along with what it had been dedicated to. The once colourful shades of self-imposed delusions and newly found joys had desaturated to cracked, grey panes of unfeeling dullness, distorting any emotions that didn’t tear and wretch at her insides. It was a gap that would forever be left unfilled, placing monochromatic apathy where eager tones once lay.
No amount of wilful thinking would bring him back. Nothing would fill the emptiness surrounding the single fragment of a soul that was left behind in his wake. She couldn’t even keep herself together, nor offer her own life in exchange for his. No, she survived, losing what made her feel alive. Defective, abandoned, hated, and broken, she headed towards her captive kin with a condition that would only solidify their rejection. But the determination that moved her feet through the suffering? That was his. That was what was left in her grasp after everything she had endured, and she would hold it above all else. She would protect it at all costs, for she was nothing without it.
Just as she should be.
Two halves of a heavy door slid closed from recesses in the walls, blocking the path forward just before she could react, her retreat receiving a similar treatment. An unperturbed blink preceded her backpack slipping from her shoulders unceremoniously, the pale-furred female setting it on the ground and shakily crouching through the pain of reopened wounds. Her efforts to treat her bond fared poorly for the cauterized wounds, and the activity after that didn’t help.
Miscellaneous components, a needle, and some thread she had taken from the clinic were retrieved, the latter two tucked into her pocket for a moment. She favoured one arm and pushed against her knee with a paw, standing to place several bare, putty-like patches on the barrier, then connected them in a loop with a length of metallic wire. A loose battery completed the circuit, starting the reaction before getting tossed back into the bag, an implement locked away until circumstances demanded it.
Her eyes lingered on the discarded item, unable to shake the feeling that it was just like herself—needed, used, then stored for later utility. Separated, for intermingling might result in unwanted reactions. Unmonitored, for it would wait dutifully, then perform when called upon. When all was done, she hadn’t the privilege of truly knowing if her efforts were appreciated, only that she would be summoned again and again. Only when she had been drained to lifelessness would she be disposed of, replaced by another who could do what she no longer could. Just like the battery.
Her claws manipulated the needle and thread with a steadier touch than before, the numbness stilling her form as she sized up which of her wounds were still bleeding—most of them, it seemed. At least the need for anaesthetics had been rendered moot by painkillers and her now broken condition. She only felt the slightest echo of a sting in her leg while crudely stitching the torn flesh.
“Your antics have disabled multiple elevators,” the alien informed dryly, a wariness entering his tone. “If possible, I would recommend going back the way you came.”
She didn’t deign to look for where the video transmission devices were, pulling the thread taut then clipping it between her clawtips before moving to the next injury that needed treatment. The charges on the door would take a while; they were quick to make and material-efficient, but at the cost of potency. It bought time for her to mend herself, however, and wasting the opportunity would be unwise.
“Have you rendered yourself deaf? You have destroyed your escape route from here. You cannot leave this way.”
“I have not come to escape,” she replied airily, pulling the edges of a sewn wound. It will hold for now. Her stomach was briefly considered, but the utility of the macabre pocket outweighed the danger to her health.
Utility…
Her nonplussed expression crinkled the smallest amount, the shadow of a frown attempting to knit her brows. It was all simply utility, wasn’t it? This was useful, that was not—simple, painless, pragmatic… Empty. There was no expectation, isolation, or hurt. Just tools. Just applications.
Smiles made others less hostile, a proper posture assured none thought her disrespectful, and suitable distances meant that the most agreeable of her ship-packs would find her tact appropriate. It might even earn a dismissive nod or subtle act of tolerance, were she to be diligent in her considerations.
She had always been vacant beneath the mask of amiability—always categorizing what would be used when to achieve the optimal result. She had been obsessive about it, keeping notebooks and datasheets to track her findings, the tables and results hidden amongst the more esoteric of her experiments in chemical demolitions. She used her very flesh as a tool, exactly as her superiors had. Apply this stratagem, don that expression, polish and shine her appearance until it resembles what others preferred… Until the fateful sun where she would be appreciated and accepted for her ceaseless struggles…
Now, there was no one who would accept her, and there was value in having this new utility, no matter how unseemly. There was value in having more. Whereas she thought only her body was commanded by those of higher station and the orders that came through clipped tones, she had learned it was her entirety that had been the tool—from claw to mind. The difference was that she now followed the will of a singular desire that none could contest.
And if none could contest it, that would make it divine, no? An edict of the Mother?
The thought seeped into the gaping fissures of her psyche like a bitter poison, pulling from the already numbed senses. She was naught but an opportune existence to her kin, beholden to the whims of those who detested her. Bill never thought of her like that. He only saw what others were too disgusted to see: a hurt, pitiful female that wished for a smile in her presence more than witnessing another sunrise of solitude. Yet when that wish was granted, it was taken away just as quickly by those who set out to ensure she would never be given it again. There would be no more warmth and comfort, his sunrises forcefully ripped from his grasp and left to the one who wanted nothing more than to share them with him. She had received a distorted version of what she desired, never having communicated how much the brief period of being complete meant to her until the one who showed her was no longer there to hear it.
It was taken from her as soon as she realized how much she would give to keep it.
She had relished the bond stitching the torn seams of a soul that could hold no more suffering, then was subsequently destroyed for it, left as a hollow shell to witness time pass in some ironic punishment for sins unknown. After everything, all she could do was clutch the lingering mote of his essence, allowing a primal part of herself to act on instinct and training as something called to her from the abyss dwelling in her thoughts.
Silent, she rejected the world, convincing herself that she might succeed in a task which towered over her. Blind, she ignored the passages and let her legs trudge forward, only a thread of consciousness guiding the way. Empty, she sheltered within the idea that she would be able to abandon that which made her his Sunshine, suppressing the worry that it would leave a permanent darkness in its wake.
And again, she was a tool—a solitary implement, its owner unable to direct or wield it…
But she was directed; she was trusted with the wish that escaped the maw of the ever-hungering Void. There existed nothing of higher authority than the singular glow amidst the blackness, giving light to the ravenous stagnation that lingered, waiting to consume her whole.
“You said that you wanted to save him—save your people,” the alien continued, a bitter hatred seeping into his words. “I thought you wouldn’t waste the chance my human died to give you.”
Her slow blink coincided with the last of her major injuries being stitched shut, the thread snipped before all the involved materials were stored away, her bag donned once more. The mild pressure of the oddly-shaped terminal in her stomach confirmed it was still there, reminding her that she failed to repay more than one person’s kindness.
“If you care for your kind who are trapped down below—or the humans they’re with—then you should turn around now and find another—”
“—I do not,” she replied vacantly, her mouth moving before her thoughts could process what left it. Strangely enough, she didn’t disagree with the conclusion. Only one thing mattered now.
“…You…don’t?” it asked warily, apparently not expecting such a frigid candor. The pale-furred female adjusted the charges affixed to her backpack and waited in front of the barrier preventing her progress. “What of your vengeance? You made it quite clear that I would die by your actions.”
“You will.”
“…Yet you claim not to care about them?”
“Correct.”
An eerie silence stretched on. “…Then, why? Why regress?”
A soft sizzle signified the end of the placed charges’ reaction, a wisp of blue smoke listing off the metal. She lifted a foot and lightly pushed against the sectioned-off portion of the door, forcing it free from the rest. It thumped against the ground, kicking up dust. Her blank expression remained, even when she spotted the glimmer of a video transmission instalment, her placid gaze boring into the hidden lens. She could almost picture the bovine-like alien watching the monitor with confusion and hostility—and strangely enough, the thought was morbidly amusing.
It was such a foolish question, asked by one who could never understand the suffering that was held at bay by the light of a promise. Compared to its luminance, all of her previous wants felt shallow and meaningless, her prayers for affection never able to include the unfathomable purity and fullness she was always missing.
Why did she strive to please her kin, when the dullest ember he provided willingly could consume the largest inferno they could offer? Why did she sacrifice year after year to follow orders of those who despised her, when simply smiling at him returned joy in infinite volumes? Why did she suffer for them at all? True, one of appropriate background might venture numerous speculations, yet to her, only a single answer mattered. She had been moulded by the Mother’s claws for one not of her own, then shown the darkest depths so she might see how bright it could truly be.
Now, she was plunged back into those depths by another…but she had seen the light. She had learned there was more awaiting the Mother’s faithful. It awaited all kits—no matter their condition—with an offer of perfect pieces to match those jagged holes that others left within them. It waited…so, so patiently…
And she had been shown where it lay…
Her muzzle tugged into a distorted, wry grin marred and clouded by sorrow. Twisted revelation brightened her eyes. A tittering breath let slip her madness, yet it felt right. The security officer had not felt the embrace of the Void as it ripped his soul apart piece by piece, nor experienced what it was to be naught but a means to an end, and so it queried about that which it could not know. It never discovered how caliginous existence was, ignorant to the illumination that could be experienced. This naive being had yet to be enlightened, so it was doubtful of unblemished truth.
And it was truth. It was a pure, clear, immutable fact engraved into the bones of the Goddess’ offspring, yet hidden by layers of lies, deception, and life, only to be glimpsed when the granules of glass could refract the endless agony. She had been stripped of those blindfolds, cracked and shattered and ground to fine particulates until the infinite reflections formed a perfect image…
Sunundra had been given clarity through her torment. She had been given unvarnished knowledge through her destruction. Through breaking, she had learned of the Mother’s will, and through Bill’s small, flickering glow…
“Because I have been given a command, unlearned one, and this faithful will obey.”
…She had received a purpose.
= = = = =
Heroon frowned, unsure how to take the sudden change in tone. From her initial despondency, he assumed the defect would have detailed how she crawled her way to however she managed to occupy the shuttle she crashed in, yet she had instead come upon some delusion of divine purpose? Was such a thing unheard of? No. Was it rare? Still, no, not really; some who closely adhered to their specific branch of the teachings are said to be granted glimpses of what lies beyond. It was common enough that the church was quick to exalt the experience as proof that the Mother watched over them all, no matter how scattered her attentions or divisive her Aspects. He chose to remain skeptical on the exact level of the deity's involvement in the past, but this was a bit much. First a bond, now a vision?
Fine. Even if he were to humour the thought, placing which Aspect such an…interesting depiction belonged to was troublesome.
It was told that the Hunt Mother was far too great for her progeny to fully comprehend, and so she allowed pieces of herself to exist amongst the mortal young as they propagated—from the smallest of emulations to the manifestation of those traits. All was done to prepare them for the eventual return to her embrace, the souls carrying new lessons in her stead. She gathered her influence into concentrated Essences, then divided them further into Aspects that her young might learn from, tasking them with resisting the erosion of the Void and proving themselves worthy once more.
Sadly, that breadth of scope also welcomed a wide array of Aspects to be studied; the nature of Lilhun kind categorized and compartmentalized. Most in his field were required to know them to a degree—especially since quite a bit could be deduced by which one a particular individual placed faith in—but it was a challenge to remember every significant verse or tale, and some were more noteworthy than others. Though he refrained from judging others for which they aspired to embody, following the minutia of all of them was a task best left to the Grand Priests of The Hunt. He could only speculate and vaguely recall the scripture beyond his own belief in the Astral Mirrors, the Aspect that emphasized purity of mind.
‘Be he who gazes upon his form as he gazes upon his antithesis, and be he who sees beyond the veil of self.’
It was a strange verse to be memorized from the tomes, but one he found profoundly resonating, if an ideal that he would never perfectly emulate. The exact interpretations were left to the individual’s own discovery, but he believed it to be one of the more forward Aspects. For him, it was a lesson in rumination and to hold oneself to the standard they place upon others. It was that teaching that led him to becoming a Quesitar for the United Military, and now a male of high station. That faith was why he humoured the pale-furred female’s tale at all, and why he allowed that feeling of reciprocity to form while listening to her plights. Alas, one cannot merely ignore the absolute, and his begrudging willingness to look past her condition was met with the revelation that she was merely sick, maddened, or Void-touched, deluded into thinking she had achieved the impossible.
Yet…it itched at him. He felt something niggling at the back of his mind, a verse long forgotten over the years of his profession.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts, ignoring the impatiently raised brow of his assistant. At least Illia was chastened enough by his earlier rebuke to remain quiet in the face of the outlandish claims they were hearing. Still, the defect’s speech had slowed again, the troubled expression telling of difficulty organizing her memories rather than the emotional overload of before. Occasionally, her muzzle would open, only for her voice to falter and her mouth to close, a question only known to herself pouring doubt into the wandering gaze that looked so lost. It was starting to grate on his nerves, honestly.
Heroon tried to maintain at least the appearance of professionalism, but he had grown weary over the course of the interrogation, and simply wanted it to be over. He felt the need for rest pulling at his eyes, the monotonous cadence coming through the speakers becoming a signal of yet another line that must be analyzed and weighed despite his fatigue. Were it not for his orders, he likely would have closed the discussion as soon as she confirmed that her bond was false, but due to the other details, he was required to listen and respond.
His extended exhalation brought a touch of focus back to his mind, the silence while waiting for the contained one to arrange her recollections stretching for too long. He depressed the intercom. “And after your interaction with the alien?”
“I…” The defect’s words fizzled out, her concern visible. “I do not remember.”
His surprise showed involuntarily. “You cannot remember how you returned?”
“N-not to that extent, but it is…fragmented. Where the charge to descend was placed, how far I traversed within the halls…” Her eyes rose from the table, a perfectly formed smile spread across her face, the regret turning it somewhat bitter. It was…mechanical—an emulation of expression that had been executed countless times until it was burned into muscle memory. “I can recall that there was a firefight, yet not how many were involved, nor how long It had been going for. The explosives used during my time on the level had apparently damaged more than just the structural integrity of the passages, and some of the traps which had yet to trigger then did so during my absence.”
The rueful smile faded, her paws folding atop one another on her lap. “It inadvertently freed some of my kind, as well as their human counterparts. It is difficult to say if they were acting to protect themselves, or if they had felt something was amiss before, but they chose a small, locally networked server room to convene, and their meddling with the terminals therein alerted security. I arrived at a junction near the confrontation…and…”
He watched the carefully machined composure fade from her eyes. “And?”
= = = = =
Oh, how quickly her grip on success had slipped.
Instead of snapping from her melancholy to survey wherever she had ended up, she instead found herself pressed to the corner of a three-way junction, the blur of instinct that piloted her form determining she was required to deal with the circumstances. Weapons fire was the first indication that her plan to quietly break the others from their den-like cages was doomed before it began.
She knew not how long the engagement had been underway, nor how many of the security were firing rounds down a claustrophobic offshoot of the main corridors, but she knew it was an issue, and that it was one she was in a poor position to resolve.
The pale-furred female cautiously peered around the corner, trying to gauge her options. Unfortunately, the attempt was cut short as soon as she confirmed it was a fair distance away, the defect ducking back to stifle the curse that tried to escape. She could only make out the mouth of the assaulted passageway from her cover, which didn't offer much information. Without an angle to view what her kin were working with, she couldn't carelessly approach the siege, nor communicate covertly. The glimpse of numerous armoured aliens holding equally unknown firearms was enough to discard any inclination of charging in, and the slight radius of the curving corridor ended her line of sight prematurely, so there might be an even greater force present than she could see.
She glanced down at her bloodstained fur with disdain. No, running in blindly would only result in the enemy adding one more kill to their metrics—her ankle was too damaged to support that reckless inclination. She peered again, feeling ashamed of a new willingness to abandon them, but she would rather save the others than fail with this single group, and the chances of success here seemed bleak.
Return fire snapped and sizzled from the tight passage, forcing security to continue the stalemate as plasma threatened to gore any who were careless enough to advance. A male of her kind barked orders and insults from within, pauses of aggression earning more suppression fire from the enemy, likely forcing those he was with to hunker behind whatever cover was keeping them alive. Based on the sounds and number of shots, the defenders had one, maybe two weapons—nothing military-issued, but certainly Lilhun in origin. Unexpected, but not outside of her initial assumptions.
Another salvo from the offshoot was swiftly met with a counterattack by a particularly stupid alien, its head taking the brunt of a superheated projectile, but not before firing its own weapon.
The shriek was far from Lilhun.
Sunundra grew wide-eyed, frozen as she rapidly compared the agonized screech to every utterance from every alien she could remember thus far, only to return with the voice of Bill's past mate over and over—different, but close enough to be distinctly female. Distinctly human.
The delay was enough for the scent to reach her.
Fear. Love. Anger. Reluctance. Spite. Concern. Anxiety.
More humans, their maelstrom of emotions thickening the air into unpalatable syrup, bile rising in her throat as her broken form recoiled from what was reminiscent of her bond. Each came as jagged shards that didn’t fit her missing pieces, scraping, scratching, and gouging the surface of her far too damaged soul. They assaulted her olfactory, yet they were not the ones she welcomed so wholly. They did not pull at her own. They did not fill what was left behind. They were wrong. They were warped. They were not his.
The ire wasn’t his. He would never be so single-mindedly enraged.
The panic wasn’t his. He would never lose sight of his convictions so easily.
The love wasn’t his. He would never give it so shallowly.
The fear…
His eyes. His eyes strained to maintain clarity, pleading for her safety, and petrified at the thought that the pale-furred female would be yet one more thing he would lose.
T-the fear wasn’t…
A gasp for oxygen forced its way into lungs that were far too weak to process it, his hypoxic lips struggling to form his terrified words.
The fear…
‘It’s not the food, is it? Are you okay?’
The…
‘I’ll be here. You’re not alone.’
It wasn’t…
‘I'll be right alongside you the whole time to make sure. You don't need to be scared.’
He wouldn’t…
‘I miss you…so, so much…’
He would.
‘I promised her I would… I promised…’
Her claw twitched, the blood draining from her face. Her vision darkened as hyperventilation stole her consciousness piece by piece.
‘It’s nice to meet you, miss.’
‘You’re hurt…’
He was.
‘You have me. I'll be your friend.’
‘Well, you’re my Sunshine.’
Static deafened her, yet she still heard his words, each memory more vivid and painful than the last. She clamped her paws against her head, desperately pushing back the blackest pit that tore and consumed her insides. Something screamed, her own voice blaring from countless places at unbearable volume, but it couldn't drown out that final beat of his heart that echoed in her ears, never to beat again.
‘I'm sorry…’
He is.
And then it stopped. All of it. Everything snapped out of existence in an instant, leaving only a cold, vacant black that steadily crept in. The screaming…the memories… The Void swallowed her weakened core whole as she clutched the tiny glow which gave her purpose.
She wanted to cherish his desire and complete it as best she could, yet that too would slip from her grasp. There were too many foes, too many weapons, and too many injuries slowing her down, making her thoughts slur as they went untreated. Even if she would give anything to make it so, her form was all she had, and it had been rendered pitifully worthless, just as she always was.
Yet something disagreed.
Intangible, ephemeral, and playfully innocent, the something in the Void reached out, stroking her fur as she curled around the precious wish which kept her alive. Her nerves lit up like the fireworks her bond held such fond memories off, pain and comfort delivered in equal measure. The something pressed against her skin, interested in the hopeless proposal that wandered her mind.
The voices returned—multiple in origin, yet unison in tone. It spoke with kit-like curiosity, the small presence trying its best to understand.
Why do you not try?
Sunundra shook her head and clutched the ember tighter. She was weakened and hurt; her limbs would falter in the attempt. The something drifted around her, as if looking for the truth in her words. Confidence entered its prideful inflection.
Then release them to me. I will be your strength.
But her sight betrayed her. How could she fight if mere shadows seemed primed to attack?
Then surrender your eyes. I will find the enemy without fail.
Yet her ears were unreliable; she couldn’t trust what she heard anymore. What if she missed something in the height of conflict?
Then let them go. Nothing will escape my notice.
No, her mind was too sluggish. What if she was unable to make a critical decision? What if she chose poorly?
Then give it to me as well. I will not err.
Still, she was tired…oh, so tired. The drugs only went so far, and still she pressed them further and further, wearing herself down without respite. How much longer could she persist before collapsing when others needed her most?
Then rest. I will act where you cannot.
It was a soothing thought. However, there was more she needed to do…
It will not be long. I will make short work of it.
The empty expanse was peaceful, swirls of nothing gently swaying her while she hugged her purpose to her breast. It would be nice to take a brief nap and allow another to act in her stead until she was fit to resume. Even so…it was her responsibility—her duty.
You are a tool, no? That is what you always were. Is it not expected that a tool would be used? Will you not allow me to use you?
Its mirthful perplexion drew a snarl upon her muzzle. There is only one other she would truly submit to, and his will is why she persisted despite the pain of his absence.
The something giggled in youthful amusement as tendrils pierced and crept through her flesh, fully deadening sensation fraction by fraction. Her ears told her nothing, her eyes became vacant, and her thoughts slowed to a crawl, remnants of consciousness stuttering away. Just as she panicked, her form clicked back into place, the voice cooing its promises.
Then trust in me, and I will ensure you persist still. I do not need your permission, but I ask for it out of sympathy. You will still be free to pursue the others—free to save those he deemed worthy.
Fear kept her unmoving. She couldn’t accept. No matter how tempted she was, no matter how terrifying the consequence, she wouldn’t entrust his wish with another. It was hers and hers alone. She would breathe her last with it in her possession.
The image of a silent form flickered in her mind, a pale-furred kit looking up at her with a twisted, bloodlusting grin, violence playing in the gaze burrowing through her skull. Its expression softened to one of tender affection as its claw reached out to caress the fringes of light projected by her tiny beacon.
The change in demeanour did nothing to detract from the shadow of malice that remained on a tripwire thin enough to sever flesh from bone, sharpened by years and years of stretching beyond its limits, refusing again and again to snap by naught but hope that it never would. The strand vibrated as it was pulled by an unseen force, the piercing wail of over-tensioned wire growing louder and louder. The kit continued its address, unperturbed by the overwhelming screeches of metal, the sing-song cadence sobering Sunundra’s confusion.
The lies. The rejection. The isolation. The hatred. Why? Because you were different? Because you were never enough? You were quiet. You were obedient. You were loyal. You were everything they demanded of you and more, and *still** they despised you, locking you away in hopes that the next time they were reminded of your existence, they would only find a body to be disposed of, their problem ‘solved.’*
Small, half-lidded eyes raised to observe her with a serene expression, a storm of rending, shattered glass rolling in the infinite depth and bottomless agony of its pupils.
Yet you suffered willingly. Longingly. Endlessly. You begged the Mother for scraps of what others feasted upon, left to starve amongst her holy clergy, giving gratitude for their crumbs while watching them be nourished by the masses of those who would spare nothing for you to subsist on. You discovered death and destruction, yet refused to use it for anything but saving those who detested their saviour. Do you remember their sneers? How they showered the others in appreciation while you were dismissed, despite it being your work which liberated them from demise? How you were the one who treated the injuries littering your form after those acts of valour, smiling through the pain because you thought that maybe this was the time someone would show kindness? How you were critiqued and berated for performing flawlessly, your superiors cursing the fact you returned instead of exchanging your life for another’s?
A sullen sadness overcame its budding rage, its stare returning to the dim orange glow.
But him… You felt it, did you not? The fear of seclusion resonating with your own, the worry of if his growing affection for you would devalue what he held before… He did not lie to you, for he was tired of hearing falsehoods. He did not reject you, for he had become familiar with being unwanted. He did not isolate you, for he delighted in the company, your presence easing a weight he had forgotten could be lifted…
He did not hate you… No, he loved far too readily, seeing a reflection of himself that had even less than he was afforded. He hurt for you, he shed tears for your sorrow, and he was willing to sacrifice himself if that is what it took for you to be happy, just because you shared his pain. He sought to redeem himself, true, but he wanted little more than to give you your own redemption, making you a hero of your people that others would adore despite your condition. He planned to share his happiness with you as well.
It closed its eyes, opening them to reveal absolute stillness where flurries of sharpened crystals once flew. Cracks and fractures marred the gemstone-like orbs, refracting light into millions of distinct colours that formed incomprehensibly muddled images, yet it was in the kaleidoscopic regard that sincerity rang perfectly clear.
He surrendered everything in the vain hope that you would experience the love of others. That you would no longer pray for acceptance through choking sobs every moon your best was met by the worst of results. Still you refuse to surrender yourself to see his deepest want granted? This single heartfelt desire… How pure it is. How bestial its origin. How unquestionable its intention…
Do you refuse because you will never experience the circumstances which created it? Do you balk at never compensating for what is missing? No. You fear the cost of success. You fear that what awaits you at the end of it is but more torturous moons where the fantasy of love and fondness is unobtainable, leaving you with naught but a memory to ease your self-inflicted passing, countless prayers gone unanswered in spite of how dedicated and forgiving you tried to be. You fear losing that which gained a taste of the thing you pined for, condemning you to never having it again.
She couldn’t deny the words, her mind lost within the captivating spectrums seeing through her every doubt, effortlessly piercing layer after layer of carefully crafted filter she constructed to muffle the ceaseless call of the Void. Flecks and shards started moving within the blackened portals that stared at her, screams and shouting from beyond the vacant expanse leaking through the air, gunshots and alien tongues ordering the death of both human and Lilhun. Time paused with a blink of the kit, its glare severe.
You cling to that which has only brought suffering, unwilling to meet the needs that have arisen. Like him, you must make sacrifices. You were altered—*broken—and now it is time to* break those who oppose you.
It smiled, devoid of ire or judgment. Its comforting regard returned to the mote held against her chest.
This is not something you need to do alone, for he would offer the world to see his desire come to fruition. It is foolish and selfish, but it is untainted. It is him in the truest sense, and if you wish to achieve what he no longer can, then you too must be ready to let go. Not now, and not permanently, but soon, and for as long as it takes. For him.
The facsimile of her youth waited for her answer, despondency and regret staining the maelstrom of death in its eyes. They held every instance of bitter hatred that had tried to arise, suppressed by the delusion of seeing affection if she was just a little better. Every painful rejection and scathing remark chipping her soul sent fragments of suffering into the expanse, herself unwilling to acknowledge how much less she became. The gaze contained all of her wrath and anguish that she let erode her to naught but dust as she yearned for another to soothe the pain she endured. And now, it offered to protect those fragile remains, burning itself to the ground so that she might rise from the ashes.
For him.
Hesitantly, she nodded, the motions growing more firm. Anything for him. Anything for his wish. Anything for the one who gave up everything to see a sad, pathetic defect be loved. The something returned the gesture, raising a paw to block her vision, a blank slate of nothing left behind.
I will shield you from much, but some will remain. See what will be your anchor.
It touched her arm, her limbs ceasing sensation.
I will wield what I have been given with care. An efficient tool is one used properly, and you will allow none to do otherwise.
It tapped her ear. Silence, save for the voices which knew no volume.
Hear all, but heed few. You are to be beyond the whims of the ungrateful.
Its claw hovered above her head.
Rest now, and when you awaken, know that you have shed that which chains you. You need only use this freedom. Claim what is yours, demand what you desire, reign over your lesser as you would be reigned upon, and if any dare try to steal from you again, remember…
Consciousness dissipated in an instant, leaving behind only the something’s wistful call. Its dampened voices conformed to that of a single kit, unloved and abandoned, watching the possibility of ever having more slip through its claws from the corner of a cold, dark, and forgotten room.
…‘Hope’ died with him. Just as it should have.
= = = = =
“Special Tactics Officer, Demo,” Heroon barked, the defective snapping out of her rumination, her gaze clearing from the distracted wandering it had taken to. At least she had the decency to look ashamed for losing focus.
“Apologies. Might I request a reminder of what I was saying?”
He released a nasal sigh, urging her along impatiently. “You arrived at the junction, and…”
She stopped to think for a moment before sadly shaking her head. “I cannot recall, High Quesitar. I remember the corridors, the junction, and then…”
Her rueful smile returned.
“…I remember the corpses left in my wake, and the blood I had bathed in.”
Next

The results are in for Match 25. The winner is…
One hand clutched James to her chest, pressing his ears against the soft fabric of her sweater and turning his gaze away from the battlefield outside of the cockpit.
"N-No, f-fu–fudge! K-Keep us safe!"
Judith stammered as she fumbled with the Stand’s controls. Warning lights flashed all around her, visual klaxons to alert its pilot where sound would wake the user: the mech’s chassis had taken mounting damage over this fight. Despite the cracks in the armor, she steeled her resolve in the way only a single-mother could as her grip tightened around the levers and pushed forward.
The mechanical construct set onward with little deviation even as Judith had her hands full, carrying her infant. For all ｢Chichi Wo Motomete｣’s glacial might, she had to manage the foolhardy child trying to scale it, pincers for picks as he foolishly continued to cling on—and for what?
Grace grit his teeth, his red eyes focused on the cockpit and its inhabitants. They were roped into this outside of their own will. He can feel reticence in the mech’s strikes, even for how dangerous it is. If she put her mind to it, she could kill him without a second thought, but she wasn’t a killer, an evil spirit, a criminal, or a seasoned fighter. He knew he would leave this alive, even if he lost, even if he would come out changed—like that comedian with the museum.
No. He wasn’t going to lose. So much more than himself was on the line here, and concerns like these would have him trip up when it really mattered. Yet, he resolved to him that she and her child were going to leave this alive and relatively fine. If he had to be a ｢monster｣ now, he was going to make it worth it, make it all come to something.
The ｢Spring｣ needed to come, and he would be the one t—“You need to stop!”
A pained shout came from ｢Chichi Wo Motomete｣’s speakers as a large mechanical hand “gingerly” brushed Grace off its body and into the snow. Judith shook as she watched him fall, her breathing slow and steady. The fingertips of her right hand brushed by the switches that would open the missile bay; her thumb brushed by the button that would activate the beam saber, her grip loosened from the throttle that would ignite her shining hand. She couldn’t use such ordinance against a teenager, regardless of how many times he’d get up. Instead, she prayed that this would be the time he’d stay down.
｢Chichi Wo Motomete｣ took another step forward, hands out as if to soothe a child…or to ward a cornered animal. However, its leg buckled, the actuators damaged and torn out. Those same strange, strange crab-like flowers grasping onto the legs, trying to trip over the mech as they have been this whole time. She’s been able to correct it every time, but this time, the mech keeps falling, its legs now unable to correct its posture. Worst of all, the boy leaped at her.
He had pulled himself back upwards despite all reason and launched himself onto the cockpit. His mask had been knocked off, his bloodied visage taking up nearly every screen and windowpane inside as he looked to pry the cockpit door open, jamming a pincer claw into whatever crack he could.
The blood-red warning lights flashed as Judith tucked James away, repeating lullaby lyrics more like mantra as she panickedly looked around. With no options left, Judith tucked in her legs and, the moment Grace wrenched the mech open, drove both of her feet into his chest as ｢Chichi Wo Motomete｣ was dispelled.
The two fell almost a storey’s worth to the ground, Judith cradling and shielding James from the impact with her own body. She didn’t know where or how she landed, adrenaline pumping through her, but she sighed when the only thing James’s felt was a gradual rousing from his nap.
Again, Grace pulled himself to his feet, looking at Judith across the snow-covered battlefield. “This ｢spring｣...” He rasped out slowly, His tone remarkably measured even as it sounded like it dripped with bloodlust. “...will not bring peace.”
“Will still be scary. Will still be dangerous.” He raised a bleeding hand, curling into a fist leveled at her.
“But I will ｢bloom｣.” His voice cracked. For everything they’ve done, for how inhuman their gaze was, Judith can’t help but see a child breaking themselves right in front of her. As scared as she was for herself, her own heart broke at this sight. Why was a child doing all of this? “I need to ｢bloom｣.”
“We need to fight.” He takes a deep breath as he readies a fighting stance. “For it to come. For everything’s sak-”
“PLEASE, DON’T HURT HIM!”

Grace "Prodigy" Papāka, with a score of 83 to Judith Chen’s 32!

Category	Winner	Point Totals	Comments
Popularity	Grace "Prodigy" Papāka	25 (11+0.5+2) - 5 (0+0.5+2)	A resounding victory for Lotus Street Manifold!
Quality	Grace "Prodigy" Papāka	24 (8 9 7) - 8 (3 2 3)	Reasoning
JoJolity	Grace "Prodigy" Papāka	24 (8 8 8)- 9 (3 3 3)	Reasoning
Conduct	Tie	10-10	No concerns!

All at once, the wind went silent…or did it die? This mountain child howled no more, as a warmth began to thaw the jagged glaciers.
Yet, there was no silence. Instead, the still air was filled with the gnashing snarls of Grace Papaka, and the wailing cry of James Chen. Bloodied and battered, Judith used the last ounce of her strength to curl her body over her son, staring up at Grace.
Tears of pain and fear streamed down her face, yet she did what came naturally to her, a hand petting James’s hair to soothe him. Her voice warbled, choking back sobs as she begged. “You win, you win—I’m sorry I kicked you, I don’t know what you want, but I can help you get it, so please, don’t hurt my son, he doesn’t deserve any of this.”
As her gaze drifted back to her child, still protecting him with everything she had, Judith tried to force a smile. “Shh… shhh… it’s okay, mama’s okay, James. We’re safe, we’re okay. Don’t be scared…rest now, angel. I’ll keep you safe.”
When Grace stared down at her, they knew her embrace was more secure than the metal plating that they had broken himself to destroy. His own carapace felt brittle, on the verge of cracking. From the cracks, blood stained the snow with crimson and the air with iron.
“You’re hurt,” Judith whispered to him, though she kept her gaze on her son. “I’ll get you to a hospital right away, just—please-”
The world gasped, and the trial was gone.
All that remained was a grassy field, a mother cradling her child, and a teenager with an orchid tendril wrapped around his claw. He hadn’t even felt it raise skyward; the motion just felt natural to him. Grace turned slowly, to see Darling standing there.
“You’ve proven yourself, Heir.” Her smile was very small now, and her voice was soft. “It’s over.”
“...” Grace glanced back to Judith. Was he about to…? No, no- it’s not like he was really going to hurt her, or anything. It was just to end the trial, and now the trial was over. That’s all.
“You’re right. Even sunny days have their sorrows. But as you face the days ahead, you must know yourself. That’s the only way you’ll weather the storm.”
“.......” Grace couldn’t find the words. He didn’t want to open his mouth and risk that clattering sound spilling out. James needed his rest.
Darling looked to the infant, and then back to Grace, a quiet furrow in their brow. “I wish this City could be a better place for you to bloom, child.”
“Not a child,” Grace finally snapped, “I’m-”
“Fifteen.” There was a gravity to the way she spoke. A sorrow. “It is not my place to intervene in the affairs of the City. That is ｢Her｣ domain, but…” she pressed a gift into Grace’s hands. “Take this, and if you need me, I will find you.”
With a bow, she turned, before hesitating a moment.
“Take her to a hospital. Please.” Grace whispered, unable to look Judith in the eye.
The moment he spoke, Darling lifted the woman and infant into her arms. Judith stirred to gaze back at Grace, before she finally slipped into unconsciousness. “Only if you’ll come with us.”
With a quiet nod, Grace relented.
As the four of them made their way down the mountain, the sun beamed down above their heads, and snow crunched quietly beneath their feet.

If you’re looking to warm up after a cold battle, come join a trivia night fight at the local bar!

Scenario: Bedtown — 11:05 AM
It was a dreary morning.
Rain poured down from dreary gray clouds in thick droplets that felt the tiniest bit painful to be under. It was the kind of rain that you could hardly hear yourself think under, the kind that left everything else silent. Everything else, except the rumbling of an oncoming motor, and expensive car coming to rest.
Danny exhaled, watching the rain come down just beyond his umbrella. It was days like these that really made him feel like he was gonna get yelled at.
A car door slammed shut, and heavy boots stomped across muddy puddles. Danny didn’t have to turn his head to know whose presence had graced him. His employer had a distinctive walk, confident and brazen, and you could always hear her coming - for better or for worse.
At least he always had ample warning.
“Alright, Danny-Boy.” Jyotsna piped up next to him, already readying a cigarette to deal with the stress. “What’re we looking at today?”
“Nothing good.” He might’ve lit up a cig too, if he could.
“Hah.” Thick smoke poured from Jyostna’s lips, half lidded eyes surveying the scene. There was no humor in her tone. “No kidding.”
The Overcome Houses were the hands of the Overcome Foundation, and of the Dead City Haunts as well. A way to reach out across the entire city, pulling all within its grasp, under the guise of charity. With the completion of Bedtown’s very own Overcome house, there was one in every notable spot in Rakinagarh, excluding the Mountain itself - if Jyotsna had her way, even that wasn’t a guarantee. The local government couldn’t do anything about it. It was charity! No evidence suggested otherwise. At least, none that got out, thanks to her own ample efforts.
The Overcome Houses were as good as a mainstay. Why not put one next to the old theme park? A view of the ferris wheel was relaxing, wasn’t it?
In hindsight, maybe ignoring the concerns of her construction crew wasn’t the wisest idea. Looking over the rubble that had once been the latest landmark of the organization, Jyotsna grimaced. You could hardly call it a house anymore. The entire place had been smashed to bits, thoroughly, torn apart and scattered around.
“What’s the damage?”
“Nigh-unrecoverable.” Danny’s tone was cold. “Whoever did this knew what they were doing. Even the foundation’s been broken beyond repair.”
Jyotsna started mentally calculating how much it would cost to fix on this, and immediately didn’t like what she saw.
“Tch.”
“I had suspected a large group was involved, but...” Danny clicked his tongue. “No organization or group was seen approaching the area. This was likely a solo effort.”
“Stand user.” Figured. “Any idea which one? Any locals who can pull this sorta shit?”
“I figured you would have asked. Everyone I interviewed said the same thing. The leader of VULTURE, their ‘Lammergeier’. Had to be her, apparently.”
The pieces snapped together in Jyotsna’s mind. The bombing on VULTURE territory was a decision she made confidently, assured that a showing of power would keep them complacent. After all, apparently she’d had the new house constructed right next to their territory. Better to keep them a little scared.
She hadn’t imagined it’d just lit a fire under their ass instead. They were mostly teenagers, though, so maybe she should’ve expected a temper.
“I read through the reports of the ones you sent to a VULTURE hideout. Figured it might be related.” Danny was one step ahead of her. “They left no indication of which organization they were sent by, and disappeared quietly. Judging from Gugulethu’s account of the aftermath, the blame should’ve gone to another group entirely.”
“Meaning?”
“This had nothing to do with any of that.” Danny exhaled, afraid of what her reaction to this would be. “The likely story is that their leader didn’t like us being here. Got mad and tore the building down. From the accounts I’ve heard, that seems the most likely option.”
Jyotsna’s eyebrow twitched.
“Just cause they were mad?” She stomped forward, pointing at the pile of rocks that was once the entryway. “Do you know how much this shit costs?! They went and made an enemy of us for the hell of it, is that what you’re suggesting? You fuckin’ kidding me?”
Danny didn’t respond to that.
Jyotsna calmed down fast, mind already searching for the quickest response. He fully expected to be sent to deal with it. Truth be told, it wasn’t something he looked forward to. VULTURE’s leader, and their associates, were a dangerous bunch. Not the type he’d want to deal with alone, in any case. But Jyotsna never turned to deal him the order.
“God damn it.” She huffed. “I’ll do it.”
“...?”
“If they wanna send out their leader to fuck with me, then I’ll play their goddamn game.” Before he could question his leader’s decision, she was already stomping back to the car. “It’ll be duck soup! Duck fucking soup!”
He watched silently as she drove away, idly crushing the cigarette she’d left behind under a rain boot. He’d never seen her do anything herself. At least it wasn’t his job.
Scenario: Marvin’s Unbelievable Gallery of Wayward Reverie, Reshmerasta — 9:30 AM
Jyotsna may have had a bit of an explosive temper at times, but she wasn’t an idiot, far from it. She couldn’t walk in blind on one of the most respected criminals in Rakinnagarh. She needed an edge. She needed information.
Of course, just walking up to some VULTURE shmuck and asking about their leader’s Stand power wasn’t bound to go well. Jyotsna wasn’t dumb enough to tangle with HER, but she knew the sort of person similar. Mysterious, ‘friendly’, always a good listener but didn’t seem to say much. She’d picked up the trail of one Mrs. Mayura from a subordinate, a librarian who was a factor in the city for years, and who was known to have several dangerous people use her services. Specifically, Jyotsna knew a lieutenant of VULTURE was seen around the district her library was in; she was the most likely source of information.
A bit of searching and innocent questions over the phone, and Jyotsna found a place she could get the librarian fully alone- signing up for a private tour of a museum she worked at.
Marvin’s wasn’t the sort of place Jyotsna would ever have paid attention to normally, and as she walked in (exactly on time), nothing she saw changed that. The chandelier hanging above the reception was fancy in a stuffy way, and from what little she saw of the museum, nothing seemed of any interest to her. She walked right up to reception, holding out a hand.
“Jyotsna Mathur. Here for the 9:30 tour.”
Mrs. Mayura had been watching Jyotsna since she walked in, and met her with a smile that was generically genial. One Jyotsna could immediately see was practiced and purposefully slightly plastic.
“Hello there Ms. Mathur.” Her hand was shaken, and Mayura let go just as quickly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you; I’ve heard many things… you’re associated with the Overcome houses, yes?”
“Yeah.” Jyotsna nodded, lips pursed. Mayura was a Stand user. The telltale glow of supernatural ability hung around her, but that wasn’t what set Jyotsna on edge. “You’re the tour guide? I thought you ran a library.”
“Oh… I like volunteering, is all. Do you have any interest in the paranatural, Ms. Mathur?” Mayura glanced curiously at the flower in her eye.
“No. I’m a skeptic.” Jyotsna stonewalled.
“I see. Well….” The smile grew slightly more plasticine. “I hope that we can change that! Do follow me to the second floor; our tour starts there.”
What set Jyotsna off is that for all Mayura had talked, she hadn’t even offered up her name.
The second floor was about what Jyotsna expected- not much. The supposedly man-eating plant was in a food coma, the display for the Matte Money was empty, apparently stolen. The only thing of any real supernatural note was a vending machine that Mayura had demurred ‘ate coins’.
When they moved to the bottom section, Jyotsna stopped halfway through after more of nothing much. A massive pot, beautiful, with well polished displays behind it. Nothing but manicured dirt inside it. Speakers pumping smooth jazz. The Nightbloom exhibit.
Jyotsna smirked, glancing down to her right, a patch of Nightblooms on the ground, chilling. Time to get this farce over with. “Hey, Mayura; you’re a librarian, yeah?”
“As of right now, I’m a tour guide.” Her tone was clinical and distant, her polite smile razor thin. “The operating hours should be on our website.”
“Yeah. Well, what if I wanted to find information. Newspapers, criminal records, birth and death stuff… maybe about a certain someone. You help with finding information, yeah?”
“Hmm.” Mayura tilted her head slightly. “What is this about?”
“VULTURE.” Jyotsna’s kept her tone light, ‘friendly’ with an undercurrent of danger.
“Hm.”
“Oh, I see.” Mayura’s expression didn’t change. “I’m not normally in the business of information broking, Ms. Mathur.”
“Well, you should probably get into it. I doubt you’re above it. If you know who I am, that means you know a thing or two about what I do. And that means you’re in the business.”
“I’m a librarian. It’s my business to know things.”
“Well then surely you know what I’m looking for, yeah?” Jyotsna smirked. “Let’s cut to the chase.”
“Give me a moment.” Mayura’s tone had chilled to ice. She held up a small pager, which almost immediately buzzed. “Pardon the unprofessionalism, but stay here for just a few minutes and we’ll continue with the tour. Perhaps take some time to learn more about the Nightblooms… our curator has put quite a bit of effort into this display.”
Without another word, she swung around and walked off.
Jyotsna rolled her eyes, leaning down to the Nightblooms. “Hey there….” She brought her hand to them, stroking the flowers, handling them with more respect she’d give to any human. “Here to watch, huh? Bet I struck gold with her. Real freaky bitch.” She stood, marching around to the gift shop so she could snoop.
Jackpot. Mayura was with another woman, her arms full of books, and with the glowing aura of a Stand user.
“Ah, Ms. Eve Black. Pleasure to see you again.”
“L-L-Likewise!”
Ms. ‘Eve Black’ was a meek young woman who wouldn’t look out of place in a mouse hole. The makeup on her face made it painfully clear who she was and where she belonged. She was VULTURE, plain and simple. Jyotsna sneered.
“Have you been enjoying the books I lent you?” Her tone was kind, far more soothing than anything she’d showed Jyotsna; not like it would’ve worked on her anyways.
“Mmm! Th-They were super, uhm, informative. Ehe.”
The VULTURE goon plopped a pile of books onto the front counter. From what Jyotsna could see, they all looked to be those Japanese “Mangas” she’d heard so much about from Natalie. She didn’t get the appeal. Most of the books were covered in flowery images of young women looking passionately into each other’s eyes. Jyotsna winced.
“I’m glad you enjoyed them.” Mayura slid the books behind the counter, smiling away. “I snuck in a few of my favorites this time around.”
What the hell?
“Ah! Y-You’ve got s-s-stellar taste, miss!”
What the hell?
“You lend the books I give you to your boss, don’t you?” Mayura chuckled. “I hope she’s enjoyed them as well. She’s such a recluse, so I figure she’d be the reading type.”
“Y-Yeah! She’s a b-big fan of, uhm, the illustrations.”
This weirdo had a direct connection to the woman at the head of VULTURE - the goose had laid a golden egg right under Jyotsna’s nose, and she’d have to be an utter moron not to snatch it up the second she laid her eyes on it. She marched out of the gift shop, a shark’s grin on her face as the goon turned around.
“Ah, uh, wh-who’s, uh, this?”
Steam erupted from around Jyotsna, Susie barely putting her hands up in time to intercept a fist rocketing towards her gut, sending her stumbling back. The crime boss cackled, readying another punch that punched a crater into the floor where Susie had been standing mere milliseconds ago.
“W-Wait!” Susie bounced back, landing on a nearby wall. “I-I can’t do this right now!”
“Haah?” Jyotsna struck again, smacking her into the wall again.
“I-I need to p-p-prepare myself! Emotionally! I can’t just k-k-kill someone out of nowhere!”
“No need to worry, darlin!” Jyotsna rushed forward, readying another punch. “You won’t be killing shit!”
She skidded to a halt, lunging backwards just in time to avoid a massive silver claw that would’ve cleaved right through her skull if she hadn’t been so quick to notice. Something big was here, something that sent another claw streaking towards Jyotsna, who barely had time to leap backwards again -
And go flying, barely avoiding crashing into one of the exhibits. Something was off with the floor here; it felt like standing on a trampoline.
She didn’t have much time to experiment before Mayura was out from behind the counter, the massive beast beside her stomping forwards.
“I was having a lovely conversation with Ms. Eve Black, you know.” Mayura never stopped smiling, never blinked, but sheer unadulterated disdain was clear in her voice. “I was willing to entertain you, even send you off with some advice, and you match my gratitude by attacking a friend and damaging my museum?”
“It’s just a little hole in the floor.” Jyotsna went with a lower stance. This woman was strong. She couldn’t afford to take this anything but seriously. “Your museum? I didn’t see Mrs. Mayura’s Gallery on that sign up front. I’ll pay for damages if you want, even. Right after you spill all your connections with that gang.”
“I believe that all people should be able to use public services, nothing more. Do you disagree?”
“Ah, M-Mrs. Mayura!” Susie spoke up again from behind the counter. “I-It’s my Stand, ⌈Happy House!⌋ It activates everywhere wh-when I g-g-get nervous! And I’m r-really nervous!”
“I see. And what does this entail?”
“Everything g-gets super bouncy!”
“Hmm.” Mayura flexed her fingers, cracking all of her knuckles at once. “Take the books to one of the back rooms, would you? I’ll be finished before you return.”
“Okey d-dokey!” Susie was gone before either of them could speak.
“You’re awfully confident.” Jyotsna snickered. “You know what I do to folks who try shit like this, yeah? There’s a reason I’m at the top, and it ain’t the philanthropy.”
“You're not underestimating me. I won’t underestimate you. That’s common courtesy, Ms. Mathur.” Mayura’s Stand loomed behind her. “Perhaps I need to teach you a thing or two about courtesy.”
“Love thy neighbor, huh? I don’t believe in that shit. No one who does a damn thing for anyone else makes it in this world. You’re just a child.”
“You ought to stop looking down on children. They understand how the world works,” Mayura put on a thin, icy smile. “They understand far better than you.”
“You’re off your rocker.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. So quit prattling, and...” Jyotsna sneered.
”Open the damn game already!”
Location: Marvin’s Unbelievable Gallery of Wayward Reverie! The map is roughly 30x21 meters, and the Gallery is two floors. Each floor is 4m high. Mrs. Mayura and Jyotsna begin very near each other.
The entire stage has the effect of being ‘bouncy’, similar to a trampoline. They are mildly more resistant to impact damage, and will bounce anything that lands on them off, with the added effect of reducing impact damage. Someone could drop from several meters up, but be essentially unharmed.
Mrs. Mayura may temporarily cleanse this effect, but it will be reapplied once her salt is gone from that area. Humans and Stands are not affected, and thus have no special resistance to damage.
Goal: RETIRE your opponents!
Additional Information:
Mrs. Mayura’s salt doesn’t have special effects against Jyotsna’s Stand, but it does have the normal harmful effects of salt. Getting salt in Jyotsna’s eye will temporarily shut down her Nightbloom’s ability to see, but as the Nightbloom is not a parasite it will be unharmed otherwise, and Jyotsna will regain this ability once she cleans her eye.
Here are all the exhibits in the map. Most of these are ultimately for flavor, but are generally fairly durable and can harm Stands. Special or especially relevant effects will be bolded.
1st Floor:

Exhibit #	Title	Description
1	Dragon Skeleton	The bones of an ancient beast, found right in Rakinnagarh! (Note: most likely just skeletons of multiple animals haphazardly stitched together.) In front of it is a Wizard in a Box: Fortune Telling Machine! Supposedly has a 75% accuracy with its fortunes, though most fortunes are so confusingly worded it's hard to tell.
2	Motorcycle and Road Stuff	Props from a famous movie. Three actors died during filming, leading people to believe the movie was cursed. The keys are in the motorcycle. Attempting to use this or any of the other props will catch you in an accident, not harming your opponent at all.
3	Frog Statue	A mysterious statue with glowing eyes. Who knows what happens if you stare into them too long?
4	Line of people	Wax Statues of the most famous historical figures of Rakinnagarh! (Note: most of the statues are of people no one has ever heard of, and the fifth is of Monisha herself.)
5	Aquariums	Rare species of fish and eel found in the Brahmaputra.
6	THE NIGHTBLOOM EXHIBIT	(No nightblooms present, but there is a very elaborate display around it. Sprinklers, beautiful fertilizer, a beautiful sun lamp, and a gilded pot. There is a patch of nightblooms next to it growing, but don’t bother them and they won’t have any effect on the match- they’ll just walk away once the match is done.)
7	Frozen Man	An ancient time-traveler, frozen in ice and unearthed decades later! (Note: This is just Judge Coop; Marvin mistakenly believes that it's a Time Traveler)
8	Warrior Statue	A mysterious statue of an ancient warrior, said to come alive in times of great need. This is not a time of great need.
9	Carpet + Pictures	The Hall of Cursed Portraits! Each was recovered from various spooky locales, and each is said to contain a vengeful spirit within.
10	Arcade: The Arcade of Despair	An arcade full of famous cursed video games, such as Polybius and Berzerk. Looking at these for too long will cause loss of focus and horrible headache.
11	Big Stage: Roxanne's Stage!	Billed as "The Dancing Doll", Roxanne performs here daily, entertaining guests with dances and conversation. She’s currently out.
12	Mounted Heads	The mounted heads of many dangerous, unusual wild animals from around Rakinnagarh.

2nd Floor:

Exhibit #	Title	Description
13	The Mad King's Throne	The throne of a tyrant from ages long past, sitting in it is said to damn your bloodline to a thousand years of misery.
14	Man-Eating Plant	Exactly what it says on the tin. Has an accompanying bowl of eggs guests can feed it. Just been fed its breakfast; too full to eat anything else.
15	Pool Table	A pool table once owned by a prominent crime boss. The pool balls supposedly are embedded with remains of people who crossed him. Guests are encouraged to play pool.
16	Vending Machines	Not an exhibit, just a pair of vending machines with snacks for guests to buy. Ironically, the one on the left is actually the most powerfully cursed object in the whole museum. Marvin is unaware of this. Notably, in this situation, touching the machine will cause a mouth to form and bite off a chunk of flesh, after which a soda can will fall out. It’s not even your favorite soda….
17a	GEO's Coffin	A strange chained-up coffin donated by some guy named Jason. Occasionally shakes and moans, though Marvin has never opened it. ("The mystery is more fun than knowing what's inside.")
17b	Organ of Misery	A massive pipe organ which once belonged to a prominent musician from the 1800s, said to bring unending feelings of despair to those who hear its music.
18	An Actual Mimic	Exactly what it says on the tin. Will bite whoever gets near.
19	Coin Display: The Matte Money's Display!	Billed as "The Bewitching Coin". There are no barriers, and the glass case can be easily lifted up. The Matte Money is currently missing. It’s probably fine.
20	Demon Skull	Another big animal skull, though probably not from an actual demon.
21	Jewelry Display Wall	A large display of various supposedly enchanted treasures. Marvin had to sell the precious gems in the treasures to keep the museum out of debt, which she replaces with colored glass. This rendered several of them useless.
22	Conqueror's Axe	Picking it up drives people into a murderous frenzy, so it's behind a glass case. The case is unlocked. Will not have any notable effects on either players’ mindset.
23	Computer Room: Paranoia's Room!	Billed as "The Digital Death Maiden", guests are encouraged to sit down and chat with the sentient AI. Several signs warn male guests not to get too friendly with her.

Team	Combatant	JoJolity
Dead City Haunts	Jyotsna Mathur	“No kidding! I guess a lucky roll like that really can happen three times in a row!” You can respect the hustle up to a point, but this funhouse is just pathetic! Show them how it's really done! Take inspiration from the paranormal and occult in your techniques and strategy!
Gallery of Wayward Reverie	Mrs. Mayura	“This freshness makes it hard to believe they're from a 1900 year old corpse” If you have to teach this woman a lesson, it may as well be a comprehensive one. Take inspiration from the paranormal and occult in your techniques and strategy!

Link to Official Player Spreadsheet
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First Prev Extras linked In Comments Royal Road Patreon Discord
Prs: u/BrodogIsMyName & u/anakist
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Willin checked over the details of his assignment on his portable terminal again, though the simple list left him rather wary. He was to report on how relations were proceeding, the status of the staff assigned to the embassy, and finally, any concerning developments that may occur...
How reassuring.
Regardless, orders were orders, and after a year of sitting around waiting for the worst, he was on a transport to take the reins at the location of his ‘generous’ promotion. He spent most of his forced vacation with his parent’s den and helping them move to another planet. The initial stages of the alarmingly large relocation efforts were fairly disheartening, but thankfully, all the basic requirements for civilization were erected after two seasons, and his family’s new city was actually starting to look like one. It made leaving them behind much less worrying—unlike knowing that ‘Horizon’ was the entity behind both the selection of the planet, as well as the sudden boom in construction.
He wasn’t a fool; he was there during the congressional, locked away from the events behind barriers of rank and status. Even with all the hurdles in place, he was still aware of the notifications that reached the upper stations.
The High Elders were removed entirely, the Claws took their place, and new Claws were instated.
It didn’t take a genius to connect the pieces. Avalon, Horizon, and the United Military gathered, and on the second sun of the deliberations, there was an instant and brutal shift in command. With new leadership in place, the UM quickly accepted all conditions. It was only a season after when Geras was set to flame, and with it, the realm in which he was raised. Admittedly, it was a move required to escape the Union’s notice, but one he hated to agree with.
The shudder of the craft put an end to his reverie, a single low tone confirming that they had entered the atmosphere. He turned on the external view, but it looked about as he remembered—wild and unkempt. It wasn’t anything like a UM controlled space.
Or he didn’t think so.
He was proven wrong once they got low enough to notice some discrepancies. The treeline didn’t quite flow as it should, there was more silver on the forest floor than natural, and if he looked closely, a river diverged where it otherwise wouldn’t. It was all things that one would have to spend time on the planet to notice, but it was there. Odd.
They had built into the terrain and stuck to local materials—for the exterior of their constructions, at least. Not logging the entire habitable area was a strange move, but he supposed that when one’s hiding place was technically within enemy territory, it was wise not to draw attention to yourself. Place structures beneath the canopy, use the shade to hide from aerial view, and be selective with shuttle transit. Granted, it would slow expansion, but that was never really the point of relocating three colony ships here. It was a gene pool for if the worst came to pass; this planet would be their final hope.
A’lena would be their final hope.
At least he was on decent enough terms with his new neighbours.
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The shuttle had set down amongst the trees, navigating what seemed to be a carefully plotted route to avoid direct exposure from above. He was unceremoniously deposited at a UM checkpoint that doubled as their main headquarters, asked why he was there, swiftly escorted once they heard his answer, then left to his own devices while he waited for a surface-grade transport to be prepared.
Because of course someone forgot to account for the time difference when scheduling everything, and he was several suns earlier than they expected. At least he could wander the premises and take in how novel everything was while he waited.
As he suspected, almost every building had been embedded within the ground. The first level or two were accessible from outside, then any subsequent expansion was subterranean. Not a particularly popular Lilhun design choice—and the general architecture struck him as somewhat alien—so he suspected that blueprints were supplied by their mysterious allies as well. Entire hallways were hewn out of the very rust-coloured stone it was dug into, but despite that, each immaculate wall was deftly decorated with engraved scripture and ideograms, as if a religious sculptor had chosen masonry as a hobby.
His unasked question was answered as he curiously followed the sound of scratching stone while waiting for his transfer. Beyond the nascent portions of the complex—past guards who paid respect to his supposedly important role and behind temporary doors—laid the workers in the process of carving out another room.
Atmo.
It took a few moments for the implications to fully reach him, but the dangling lanyards around their necks sported a ‘contractor’ designation, as well as the security clearance that would give them free access to where they needed to be. The massive insects paused in their work to see who was disturbing them, and—lacking a more cognitive reaction—he waved, getting a small greeting in return before they continued their task.
The UM was hiring aliens to assist in building their cities?
That was...fine... Strange, but fine. He excused himself out of habit, receiving some chitters of confirmation and a ‘take care’ displayed by one who had a tablet terminal along with their badge. At least they were as polite as he remembered.
And not threatening to behead him, which was nice.
Even when he asked the staff, barely anyone seemed surprised by his discovery. As far as he could gather from idle conversation, they were offered the Atmo’s services in exchange for cultural resources and an open dialogue with the new city’s officials—or put simply: art, various texts, and an agreement to do business in the future. The Atmo were hired, paid, given creative pieces, then left or rotated out once their job was done. Those who worked at the complex admitted to being wary of the insects initially, but have since come to tolerate them at worst. Most varied on a scale of ‘idly conversing with them’ to ‘pleasantly surprised.’
The biggest complaints were the current reliance on written mediums, their general size making them tower over Lilhuns, and an eagerness to speak of their Queen.
All mundane then. Now if those concerns had larger consequences than bored participants, then he might have bothered noting it. As it was, a lack of entertainment gained from a voluntary activity was hardly worth the breath it took to sigh when hearing about it, let alone the effort of filling out the forms to submit a grievance.
‘Locals bored by conversation they initiated.’ Yep, that would look great on a report.
The transport did eventually arrive—though not until Willin had been given the dubious privilege of wandering the premises of the complex unbothered. He wasn’t sure if his position was actually that important, or if security was just that lax. Either way, he collected his belongings and made his way towards the pickup.
The smaller shuttle’s passenger area was really only big enough for himself and maybe a few more Lilhuns. He could somewhat picture three Atmo occupying it, but that would be fairly cramped. The ceiling could support them, he supposed.
The speaker crackled inside the gold and silver craft when he got his luggage settled away, informing him that the trip would take a while in an effort to keep down on noise and that he was welcome to catch a nap if he wanted to. It was surprisingly casual—given his apparent rank and all—but it was nice not to feel more important than he was. He took the suggestion to heart and closed his eyes once the feeling of initial takeoff had passed.
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“We’re almost there, ambassador.”
His eyes opened slowly. Unlike previous shuttles, this one was never intended to exceed any great elevation, so windows were actually installed as opposed to the visual feeds he was used to being provided. The sun was still high, though he couldn’t tell if it was because they travelled along its path or if the trip was shorter than he expected. Vaguely familiar patterns in the landscape passed down below, not provoking him to question anything.
Which, in turn, provoked him to question everything.
“Pilot, was there a mistake?” he called out, rubbing away the remains of his quick rest. “I expected more to have been erected by now.”
The female on the other end of the speaker laughed. “The ma—” He raised a brow. “The high one of this territory has put emphasis on utilizing the land, rather than supplanting it.”
“A Blade?” he ventured. The speaker remained quiet until a sigh was produced from it.
“Sorry, the UM didn’t have a shuttle ready. You’re supposed to be with us anyway, so...”
The green-furred male considered noting it on his terminal, but again, ‘UM failures rectified by allies’ didn’t seem like a great start to his politically inclined position. Might be a good way to end it though.
He returned to staring out the window, watching the golden expanse speed by. The rest of the trip was quiet, if short. Silver walls of the settlement he was relocating to came into view, making him even more curious.
Nothing had really changed. Sure, the place had filled out—the interior was littered with various buildings, decoratively allotted trees, and even public rest areas around fire pits—but the broad strokes remained the same. The surrounding forest had been thinned out to support the materials consumed, but not in an intrusive enough manner to draw suspicion. He had almost expected it to quadruple or more in size, but his expectations didn’t seem to matter much to the human who owned the place.
Fences extended from the broadest points of the wall to a somewhat nearby hill, a pathway cutting through the closed-off area from the settlement to the further terrain. As they got close enough for him to pick out individual Lilhun and Atmo, he could see that the enclosed area had animals wandering within. A fence wouldn’t be enough to keep them in, would it? His experience with the wildlife was thankfully little, but the reports were largely about how lethal most of it could be.
Then he noticed the ‘moss-wolves’ shepherding any overly-curious livestock away from a damaged section of the enclosure undergoing repairs. His jaw went slack as he watched several of them chase one of the other animals away from its escape attempt, then...return to the ongoing construction? They were hunting, but not committing?
“A greymaw got hungry,” the pilot chipped in over the speaker, chuckling when he glanced around for any video transmission devices. “You won’t find them. To answer the question on your face, the wolves have been working with the pack since Faye started training them. After we got rid of the greymaw, they were sent to keep the rest of our animals inside while we fixed the fence.”
Willin nodded, wearily eyeing the passenger area before looking back out the window, the shuttle slowly circling the settlement for landing. He let his curiosity return to other matters. “I thought there would be more done. It looks the same as the last time I was here, save for some minor differences.”
“The master has been selective in regards to who can join his settlement, and he’s a proponent of vertical expansion. The infrastructure is better, even if it’s not obvious, but most of the additions are out of sight. Every den has electricity, the pack has access to amenities, properly trained medical personnel... It’s a far cry from fire heat and outdoor toilets.” She paused. “The bath is still there, though. It’s nice.”
He perked an ear. “You seem well informed as to the previous state of the territory.”
“My job is to know things,” she replied nonchalantly. He hummed curiously for her to continue, but silence was all he was given.
They made one more loop around the settlement before the shuttle pitched downwards to land just outside of the walls. He was greeted by bright light—sun after sun in transit made it even harder to deal with—and a servant uniform he remembered surprisingly well.
“Ambassador,” the dark red-furred female greeted with a bow, releasing a yellow avian to the air.
“Scarlet, yes?” he replied as professionally as he could. He’d been away from stuffy ranks and military doctrine for a while, so it would take some getting used to again. His paw raised to provide some alleviation from the blinding environment as he watched the bird disappear into the settlement. “It’s good to see you are well.”
The Wraith smirked, her eyes looking past him. He followed her momentary gaze and stifled a jump at the unexpected presence. An Atmo was silently transferring the luggage off the shuttle and onto the storage area attached to their arachnid abdomen, the typically vibrant colours he was used to seeing in the species replaced by a muted dark grey. A hiss from the craft’s cockpit was ignored in favour of wondering how out of touch he was for an insect significantly larger than him to slip past his notice.
“The feeling is mutual, ambassador,” Scarlet assured in amusement, wiping the smile off her face when he looked back at her. “We have been awaiting your return.”
He exhaled, letting his concern over ‘rusted instincts’ leave with the breath. “I take it you are to guide me?”
The female shook her head. “I am here to retrieve the shuttle. Your pilot will act as your escort and is under orders to provide assistance or clarification—should you find yourself in need.”
Willin frowned, but accepted it quickly enough. “I was under the impression you were in charge of such things.”
“My duties are whatever the master wishes of me,” she clarified, nodding to someone behind him and stepping towards the transport. “It just so happens that his wish differed on this occasion. I pray the sun treats you well, ambassador.”
“You as...well...” He furrowed his brow as he turned to see Scarlet pass the female who had apparently piloted the transport. He knew that Avalon had been superseded by Tel—the rumours were quick to reach him when it happened—but he wasn’t sure how involved the Grand...Master Hunter was in the affairs of the Blades. Enough so that the usual servant or Blade attire he expected was replaced by something rather...different.
She had beige fur that shifted to a lighter colour around her jaw, an audio interface in her ear, a black jacket ending at her scarred midriff, a green shirt following the same length, and pants saturated with numerous pockets. All of her clothing looked thicker than appropriate for the season, but a glimpse of extensive wiring and various devices lining the outfit suggested that most of the garment’s bulk was for cable management. Her tail swayed in a lazy manner unfitting of a Blade, but nor was it an actively subservient display that the Wraiths preferred. The only thing stopping him from truly questioning if she was what she purported to be was the razor-sharp gaze that swept the area before dulling to a casual, half-lidded smirk.
She strode up to him, her paws stuffed loosely into her jacket pockets. “Ready to go? It’s hot out and I want to get back before mistress Volta starts recruiting for cleanup.”
“I... Yes?” He looked her up and down, but even her scent didn’t justify the sense of having met the female before. She tipped her head, gesturing for the Atmo to follow. Again, the insect moved with precisely placed steps that allowed it to make next to no noise. If he didn’t strain his hearing, he wouldn’t know they were there at all.
“Then let's go,” she declared tiredly, a yawn slipping out of her muzzle. The tilt of her neck allowed him to view another thin scar on her neck, but she was blinking away the tear of fatigue before he could wonder much about it. She walked on, keeping a few paces ahead of him.
The gate was as he remembered, save for some structural improvements. The security detail paused their conversation to see who was entering, but one look at the female was enough for them to dismiss their curiosity.
“Any weapons on you?” his guide asked, idly taking in the scenery as they made their way through the...streets? Close enough. He shook his head, remembering that although he was technically allowed to be armed, he wasn’t quite in the mood to be frisked to confirm. The Blade glanced back at him, her eyes falling to his hip, then his right leg. She stared, cycling a breath. “Don’t draw the pistol or the knife and we’re fine.”
“The knife?” he asked, feigning ignorance. Noticing his pistol? Fine, she was a Blade; she probably had something on the shuttle that checked for the cells powering it. His knife though? That was a new alloy given to him specifically because it would circumvent detection. Even the sheath it sat in wouldn’t affect the profile of his boot.
The beige-furred female’s ear flicked before she turned her regard forward and continued on her way. “Right side, slips from the outer edge. I don’t care if you have it, I’m just making sure you know what not to do with it.”
Willin halted his retort, deciding to let it go and keep following her. He was curious, but not enough to start trouble over it. He’d just make a note of it for his report later. “Understood.”
The expansion of the settlement didn’t have much of an impact on the general vibe of the place, surprisingly, but there were certainly changes elsewhere. Members of the pack conversed and carried on with more Atmo than he recalled there being. Agricultural plots were in full swing along the edges of the walls, staffed by the mix of species. He noticed a Trilaxin and a human he didn’t recognize tending to a disgruntled male who seemed to have injured his arm.
Moss-wolves wandered the settlement, following the few dressed in standard Wraith attire as they went about their duties. The animals would sit whenever their handler idled in one location for too long, their eyes finding and tracking Willin as he walked past.
“They won’t bite,” his guide stated. “It’s why I said not to draw your weapons—then they will.”
“They’re watching me.”
“You’re new,” she explained, pivoting to walk backwards. Her eyes unfocused every so often as she spoke, but even completely oblivious to the crowd behind her, she didn’t step into anyone or trip. “If you weren’t with me, they’d keep you out until one of us permitted you to enter. Don’t worry, they get friendlier once they know you belong.”
He glanced back at one of the watchful wolves, the vigilant stare replaced by a dopey expression as a kit pet it.
Wait.
“There are young?”
The Blade nodded, her eyes flicking to the edge of her vision for a moment. “Yeah. That one belongs to a new den that arrived recently. Curious little thing.”
He looked back at the kit, then at his guide. She didn’t even so much as turn her head to see who he was talking about. “How did you…“
His question stalled as they entered a more open area of the settlement, benches and trees surrounding a large circular pavilion. It was a hotbed of activity, most of it being members of the pack stopping in front of a towering sculpture that was host to a sermon being given by the priest and his mate, both walking from person to person to offer kind words. The Blade tilted her head, finally checking behind her to see what caught his attention.
“Oh, that.”
“What are they doing?” he whispered, watching a presumably mated pair approach the statue to give thanks and speak with the priest before going about their sun.
“Offering prayer,” she replied with a shrug. “Recent tradition.”
“Prayer for what?”
The beige-furred female gazed at the art piece with a conflicted expression. “Fertility, protection, and a peaceful passing of their young if the worst happens.”
“But isn’t that—“
“—Mama,” she finished with a sigh. He looked back at the sculpture in surprise.
The Atmo was meticulously crafted out of local woods, scorched to give it almost lifelike depth, and lovingly detailed down to the slight crease in every scale and the notch in her bladed arm. He didn’t know why, but just seeing it was enough to feel like the departed insect was affectionately welcoming him. She was lowered to her base, one arm to her torso, while the other offered the rounded joint of her wrist—as if to caress the face of the viewer. Even as unfamiliar with the original alien as he was, he could tell that whoever did it cared immensely for them. A plaque sat at the bottom, proudly declaring its contents for all to see.
[In memory of a twinned soul—The Mother of All. May she guide her kits to the Great Hunt, no matter who they may be.]
“Atrox spent entire seasons working on it in secret,” the Blade admitted wistfully. “Can’t say I’ve spoken with her before she passed, but I owe her in a way.”
He glanced at her with a raised brow. “You mean you could have talked with her?”
She turned on the spot and waved him to follow. “We’re almost there. Watch out for the wolf.”
A yellow blur passed in front of his feet as soon as he stopped to look for the animal he was to be wary of, said wolf sprinting to join another before both disappeared beyond a building. How did she...
A glimmer of light brought his attention to the corner of a den. A recording device... Sure enough, they were subtle, but interspersed around the settlement. He doubted there was a single section one could go without being on screen somewhere. That would explain how she was so aware of everything, but she hasn’t once taken out a terminal to reference. So how...
He swallowed the lump in his throat. “Technical Operations?”
His guide stumbled slightly, turning an ear back towards him. “I’m just a Blade. No names or titles.”
“Joseph names his Blades,” he noted, staring at her back.
She chuckled, gaining back her confident stride. “He names his Wraiths. The Blades belong to the mistress.”
“There’s a difference?”
She shrugged. “Yeah. Blades focus on elimination. Wraiths are a wider application.”
“With how you’re keeping tabs on the surveillance, I’d say you’re a Wraith then.” He smirked at a muttered expletive. “Your name?”
She stopped in front of a broad and tall building that was different from the others of the settlement. It had far more space around it, and used more traditional Lilhun architecture than the workshops it was near.
The Wraith sighed, her eyes peering over her shoulder with a strange hope in them. “Eris. Nothing more, nothing less.”
A part of him sunk, and yet he couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity pestering the back of his mind. He joined her side, gazing at what looked to be the embassy, and where he’d spend the duration of his deployment. The Atmo he forgot was following them stepped past and into the building with his luggage, disappearing within the confines of the structure. He drew a breath as he tried to stifle the uneasy disappointment he couldn’t pin the source of.
“I suppose I shall encounter you again at some point, Eris. Thank you for escorting me, and I pray the rest of the sun treats you well.”
She stared at him, her expression flickering between the relaxed one she had worn up to this point, and irritation. Eventually, she settled on a faint scowl, nodding tersely as she turned to leave, muttering once more under her breath. He missed most of it, but two words caught his ear.
Cold Room.
His head snapped towards her retreating form. “What was that?”
She tensed, staring at the ground in front of her. “I wished you well.”
“No.” His feet carried him forward, his paw reaching out. The voice was different, the scent was incomparable, and there wasn’t a vocal modulator in sight, yet the way she said it was the same. He’d never forget it, because it was a part of their usual banter for the entire time they had been assigned together. He had played over those conversations over and over, reliving times reminiscent of when they were just idly scanning planets, instead of being betrayed by their government and shot at by the people they were trying to offer help.
The beige-furred female flinched as he gripped her shoulder. She didn’t even resist as he turned her to face him, but her eyes wouldn’t meet his own. He needed to confirm it. He was either right, or going insane, and he’d rather know which it was. The green-furred male pierced her with his stare, uncaring of the looks he was getting from passing pack members.
“Who am I?”
Eris kept her gaze down. “You are the ambassador.”
His other paw joined the first, a wince alerting him that the pressure was hurting her. His grip loosened, his tone becoming more pleading. “You know me, don’t you? What is my name?”
She finally looked up, distressed and hesitant, but something else seemed stronger. Her lips pursed in silent debate.
“Please,” he begged quietly. “No protocol. No rules. Just tell me I’m not crazy.”
The female looked away, firmly brushing him off. “Goodbye, ambassador.”
With that, he let her go, reluctant to draw breath again. Maybe this was it. Maybe, after a year of holding his keepsake close, he had finally cracked the moment he met a female that looked like her. He couldn’t stop the feeling of loss as she walked out of view.
“Hello, Leader!”
He blinked away unwanted dampness, forcing a smile as he turned to regard the white-furred female approaching with a kit in her arms as she said farewell to the other seamstress of the settlement—Idee, if he remembered right. “Huntress Pan, greetings. Is he yours?”
The diminutive female shuffled her bundle of kit with a giggle, using a freed paw to play with the small male. Closed eyes led blind efforts to capture the claw brushing his fur, but his black and orange-furred tail eventually found the target, bringing it to tiny paws that happily grasped it.
Her eyes softened further as she returned her attention to Willin. “He is Harrow’s, but she is occupied at the moment, so I offered to care for him. I believe Sahari and Nalah are tending to his sister until Jax returns.” Pan tilted her head, an ear flopping alongside the motion as she looked around for something. “Is Tech— Apologies. Is Eris not here? She was rather insistent on greeting...you...”
He barely heard the fading voice of the Paw, the wind quickly assaulting his ears as he tore through the pathways without concern for appearances. Blurs of silver dens and workplaces passed, yet his vision remained sharp on where his guide had disappeared. A choked, frustrated sob in an alley brought him to a halt. He approached the shade behind a den, letting his eyes adjust to the difference in illumination. Another corner, and she was there, sat on the ground with her face buried into arms supported by her knees, her muffled voice catching in her throat as she noticed the intrusion on her privacy.
He crouched in front of her, her ear flicking erratically in the nostalgic habit she had when checking her augments. She finally looked at him, but she remained quiet, her gaze both fearful and expectant.
“You’re alive,” he whispered, terrified that he was wrong. “H-how? I... I watched your funeral...”
Tech...Eris wiped her face with the heel of her paw as she cleared her throat, the scratchy response weak and defeated. “I need to be dead, Leader. I don’t need to tell you what would happen if the UM found out. Just go. Pretend you don’t know, and go. I’ll stay away—“
“—No.” His paw caught her wrist when she tried to wave him off. “I lost you once. I’m not losing you again.”
Fresh tears built in her eyes as she struggled against his grasp, but she barely put effort into it. “The UM—“
“—The UM can burn,” he hissed, falling onto his knees. “The UM has your... Tell me... How?”
Eris’ tension melted at the firmness in his voice and the intensity of his stare. “Joseph used the body of another who perished. His kin had the equipment to bide time until replacements could be made.”
“Replacements? But they should have been top secret at best. You’d have to hack into...”
Her shy smirk ended his thought. Of course she would. Not only were the UM lied to about one of their experimental soldiers being disposed of, their allies had acquired the means to make their own. If word got back to command, the entire alliance would turn into a bloodbath by the end of the sun, Union be damned. He nodded to himself slowly.
“So, Tech is dead,” he murmured. The beige-furred female didn’t even try to deny the sorrow staining her fur, but her expression gained a tint of confusion as he smiled at her.
“Exactly. You should go back to the embassy and forget. That’s what’s best.”
“You’re right,” he admitted, shuffling to his feet. She let out a soft yelp when he tugged her up with him, weakly protesting when he wrapped her in a tight embrace.
“Leader, seriously. You should go before—“
“—What’s my name?”
She stiffened in his arms. “You know that I can’t—“
“—Please.”
Her paws reached up behind his shoulders, pressing herself further into him. “...Willin.”
“You’ve known for a long time, haven’t you?”
She buried her muzzle into his neck. “I know more about you than I should.”
His rumbling chuckle drew a questioning expression as he parted to arm’s length. “I don’t know anything about you, sadly.”
“...We should keep it that way. We can’t have people learning...” Her voice faltered as his claw caressed her cheek. Everything was different, but still the same. Same crafty nature, same dry sarcasm, same stubborn attitude, and same...
“Tech is dead,” he reiterated softly. “But Eris is in front of me, and I would very much like to know more about her.”
He watched the gears in her mind turn as her face ticked from expression to expression. Yep, still the same.
He wasn’t ready for her to lunge at him, the emotional tangle of joy and terror fuelling her cries as she lay on top of him, nor the passionate kiss that came after, but when her tail found his? Well, he suddenly found that a part of him had been ready for a long, long time.
He had prayed when he carried Tech’s dying form into the settlement that moon, then believed that the Hunt Mother spurned him for his lack of faith. It turned out that her blessing came through her Guardian, and he just needed a little patience to receive the reward for helping when few others would.
Eris raised herself off of him, her panting giving way to a shocked realization at what she had just done. “I... That was...”
He quieted her with a gentle claw, his paw slipping back around her neck. “I heard my room will be rather cold this moon. Perhaps you could help me stay warm?”
A blush betrayed her scowl. “Really? A pickup line?”
He smirked, losing himself in her eyes. “Will you not?”
She plunged in for another kiss, biting her lip when she came up for air. “I’m blasting the conditioner and disabling the heater.”
“I guess I’ll need you often then.”
Eris sighed, mirth colouring a small smile. “I needed to die before you thought to ask.”
His question was stopped by a paw over his muzzle.
“Shut up. I spent our entire deployment waiting, the last year convincing myself that I’d be okay when you got here, and the first thing you do is confront me by saying the title of a dead female.” She pressed her snout to his, their lips separated by naught but what silenced him. “Here’s what’s going to happen: when I move my paw, you’re going straight to your room, I’m slipping past security through a back route, and neither of us are leaving until all you can do is say my name. Okay?”
Willin nodded, already mentally drafting his ‘nothing of note’ report for the next few suns.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
“...And that’s what you missed, really,” Joseph finished, staring into the small cave and taking in the details long since abandoned. Shallow etchings on the walls designated shelving that had yet to be added next to measurements for a doorway that was never made. An indent in the floor held rainwater, and the remains of a firepit sat in the centre of the space. The red stone maw opened itself to him through the misting rain, memories of a man much more frail coming to the surface.
He could picture Mama sculpting away at her art, evaluating them before depositing them into the fire at random to start a new one. Violet would ensure he was comfortable, practising applying healroot on his palms and listening to stories as he escaped reality. They would lie together in front of the flames and eat the strange geological animal, or process what catch they managed with his snares. He could hear the river not far in the distance, the thing they had saved him from now being just another feature of a world he no longer feared.
He laid a sampling of all their latest creations where Mama used to sleep, the collection of crops, textiles, and Violet’s craft projects marking about a year since the Hatcher had passed. It was a sentimental moment to find where he had first met the Atmo and deliver his gift, but it felt right. The pack offered prayers, hoping that the Hunt Mother would see another like herself in the insect, and bestow upon her a duty she deserved.
‘The Mother of All.’
A cheesy title, sure, but it fit her to a tee. Mama always saw everyone in the pack as a child in need of love, and she had ample amounts to give. Maybe it was because of what she was, or maybe it was something unique to her, but the pack were steadfast in their decision. He never said a word against it; he was just happy that others missed her as much as he did. It was why he bothered spending the time to locate this out-of-the-way cave in the first place.
The pack knew of her kind heart at the settlement, but him? He experienced it here. He just hoped that she would be happy for all the progress they made since she left them. That she would see what her sacrifice let them achieve. He was even planning on bringing Harrow’s kits, but Lilhun infants apparently didn’t do well with flying. That was fine. One day, he’d bring the twins to see where he had met the Atmo that saved them, their human father, and their mother. They might never quite understand it, but Mama would’ve melted seeing the fluffy things, so even that was still worth it.
His earpiece chirped a distinct tune, alerting him of an incoming call. He smiled at Violet standing off to the side and gestured for her to go on ahead, his daughter reluctantly nodding before giving him a hug and walking off.
He tapped his ear once she was out of sight. “Hey.”
“I hate you.”
He chuckled, turning away from the cave to step into the shelter of a rubber-wood tree, resting his back on the trunk with crossed arms. “Did I call it?”
Harrow echoed him in a mocking tone, playfulness in her voice removing the sting. “Yes. Eris just jumped him, slipped away, and transferred control of the network over to me.”
Joseph shook his head. “I told you she had a thing for him.”
“Yes, obviously, but I wasn’t expecting Pan to mess up and blow her cover so quickly!” she moaned as a rustle in the brush drew his eye. A wild moss-wolf exploded out of the bushes a split-second after.
“You know as well as I do—“ A flash of an Atmo blade bisected the assailant before flicking back into the foliage, sending two halves of the wolf crashing to the ground at his feet. He adjusted his posture for the footrest. “—that she didn’t ‘mess up.’ Pan’s a romantic at heart; I wouldn’t be surprised if she just jumped in to save the poor female the wait.”
Harrow sighed. “I’m only counting it because you’ve been a great help with Kena and Rhylin.”
“Hey, they’re my kits too,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, they are…” The orange-furred female took a few seconds to continue. “Anyway. Bets aside, Nalah just finished another round.”
“Any progress with Sahari’s bond to her?”
“Nothing solid yet, but we think it’s working.” He could practically hear the smirk forming on her face. “You’ll have another one of us glued to you yet.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” he deadpanned, fighting his own smile. Jax had come back from visiting his family with his nose in a weird type of cast and an eye-patch. After a few weeks of it healing, he got them alone, tore off the cast, then promptly cried himself into a puddle while refusing to let Harrow or Joseph go. It never really crossed his mind that Jax had only minimal exposure to his scent, so he was surprised when the guy kidnapped them until he had ‘made up’ for the time without it. Harrow didn’t complain too much, but needless to say, she was over the moon when Jax reciprocated the bond.
“Made us love you,” she provided teasingly. He rolled his eyes.
“Love you guys too. Now if only you could—“
“—We’ll wear you down one sun, Joe.”
“It’s been like two years, Harrow.”
“Then you should know we’re not stopping!”
He forced his sigh, thankful that his friend was putting in the effort to lighten his mood, considering the occasion. His eyes turned to the cave as he was forced to address actual business. As welcome as some levity was, she wouldn’t contact him over this line just to carry on. “Funny. So what’s up?”
Her tone shifted instantly. Eris typically managed all communication and network traffic for Avalon, but with her...occupied, then that meant Harrow was in charge of it, and the female took her role seriously.
“We have requests you should look at.”
He pushed off the tree with his hip and snapped his fingers. Four Atmo and Lilhuns silently appeared from the foliage, one of each collecting the deceased wolf. He nodded approvingly to see that the other half had accompanied his daughter. “The Atmo aren’t ready for an external mission. Tel, Vi, and Daisy have done great, but…”
“Well we should be thankful no one knows about them,” she returned dryly. “But no, the UM wants a Blade and a Wraith to help clear out a Union data centre on an ‘abandoned’ homeworld; Intel suggests there’s a lot of notation on currently observed species they’ve quarantined. The second is from Horizon. There’s a public station acting as a ‘testing grounds’ for a new contact and they need us to observe and facilitate an escape without notice, if needed.”
“Both risky, but for different reasons… Payment?”
“Enough to finish furnishing the fifth level of the bunker and copies of whatever data we find. New friends too, if we’re lucky.”
He grunted, gesturing to his security detail that it was time to head back to the transport. “Let Tel know we’re going to want a Blade; I’ll see who’s ready on my end.”
“Will do. See you when you get back, Joe.”
“You too, Harrow. Later.” He ended the call with a tap, shooting one last glance back to the cave that played the role as his first home on the planet. Even if it started with a crash landing and an unexpected swim, he could only look back on it fondly. He adjusted his wedding ring with a sardonic smirk.
The vacation was over, but his work had just begun.
A/N and Extras In Comments

As always, thank you to u/SpacePaladin15 for the wonderful universe that is NoP! Thank you to u/cruisingNW for proof reading and helping me make this chapter as good as it can be, you're the man! Honestly LoM wouldn't have gone very far without him! If you haven't you should absolutely go read Foundations of Humanity! It's very good!
Also thank you to u/brotanics! For this wonderful fanart of Taisa. She's so cute I'm gonna die
And thank you to u/Jimdandy117! For this adorable fanart of Chris and Renkel! Dear god help he's adorable I love him so much
Thank you u/SlimyRage, or AsciiSquid on Discord, for makin' Vengineer Taisa Gamin'. She's absolutely adorable, I love her lil' workers apron. She looks so excited to get to work!
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Memory Transcription Subject: Taisa, Venlil Starship Engineer, Venlil-Human Exchange Participant
Date [Standardized Human Time]: September 13th, 2136
I sat at my model table, putting the last few details on my model of Polani. All that was left was to paint the star and wash it then I'd be ready to give it to Chris. Ready to tell him how I fe-.
The sound of my auto blinds flicking open and scattered the light of the sun over my room, the sudden assault on my senses breaking me from my thoughts and startling me to my paws as my wool stood on end.
Ah Shali-Shit, I... I did it again, didn't I...
I hadn’t slept, time flying by as I worried and worked my way through completing the model as quickly as I could. It’d been orbits since I’d simply not slept; almost always for the same reason, really, finishing some assignment or another at University or getting far too invested in putting that last little detail on a personal project like this one. It only happened for the important things. Those things that just had to be… perfect. In the back of my mind I knew I could just tell him how I felt but it… it didn’t feel right. I felt like I had to give him something to show how I felt, something more than just words. Something special…
I ran my paws up my snout and over my ears, fatigue suddenly settling into my wool. It was going to be a long paw, but at least we had it off. Videk had said something about us being ‘close to finished’ with our training so he was giving us the paw while he put together a test for us to take. If that didn’t bleat ‘your ship is almost here’ I didn’t know what did!
Maybe you’ll get to take a good nap in the forum later while we’re there. All cozied up and warm again… that’d be nice.
My heart fluttered, warmth building in my chest as I thought about him. I still felt a ball of worry and doubt festering at the back of my mind, that cruel voice that never really left. Telling me I wasn’t enough, that, even if Humans do love the way we do, he didn’t feel the same way.
You’re not Human; you’ll never be to him what he is to you. You’ll just be left behind to cry… again.
Quiet, you.
I started walking, leaving the whispering malignant thoughts behind me as I padded down the stairs, my tail groggily swaying behind me as I stepped into the kitchen. I poured myself a glass of water, taking a small sip before filling another for Chris. I turned, walking towards Chris’ room, I felt my exhaustion briefly fade as I pushed open the door. The soft sounds of Earth’s birds and rustling trees tickled my ears, the dim light of a distant sunrise filtering out of the screen as the sky turned to a deep featureless purple. I leaned in, peering at the scene on the screen; a thick mist had spread throughout the valley below, roiling like the basin during a Galetime storm.
I tore my eyes away from the screen, a small bubble of energy rising to the surface as I gently prodded at Chris’ shoulder, setting his glass of water on the table next to his bed.
“Wake up big guy…” A high whining yawn split my mouth as I spoke. “... can’t sleep away our entire rest paw!”
A heavy warm hand worked through the wool on my crown, shifting higher to softly scratch at my ears. “Good mornin’ Tai. Didn’t sleep too great, now, did ya?”
My tail flicked a weary ‘No’ as I shook my head slightly. “Not particularly. I’ll be alright though, just need a nap later is all.”
A soft murmur of a chuckle met my ears as he kneaded at my wool, a soft tired mewl slipping from my throat. Chris sat up, pulling his hand from my ear to run through his beard and rub at his eyes before swinging himself out from under the covers of the bed. “Well, ain’t no use layin’ ‘round in bed all day. Let’s get to it, I’m sure your Pa’s got plenty for us to do.”
Can’t we just stay like this instead?
My paws felt like iron as I trudged out into the kitchen, Papa’s idle whistling greeting me as I settled into my stool. Mama flicked a happy ‘good waking’ with her tail, rubbing my arm with a paw as she chewed at her stringfruit before going back to reading her pad.
“Good waking, lil’ Basinwood.” Papa chirped, stirring at the vegetables in the heavy black pan Chris’ Ma’ had sent us.
“Day warms you, Papa.” I yawned, resting my snout in my paws as I tasted the air; the tantalizing taste of crisping vegetables dancing on my tongue helped to put a little bit of spark back in me. “What’re you making this waking?”
“Ulren shoots, Stringfruit and Mel root with some Bundt leaves in fire fruit oil again. Chris seemed to like it last time!”
“It was pretty good, although maybe go a lil’ easy on that firefruit oil. I known chefs in Busan what go easier on the spice ‘n y’all.”
“I might like to try their food then! Assuming it's not meat of course.” He replied, a small shudder running down his spine and out his tail, before collecting himself. “I can never get enough firefruit.”
“Well, If’n ya ever come to earth I’ll see what I can do. He’s got plenty of vegetable-only dishes.”
“I look forward to it.” Papa chirped, his tail wagging as he dished out our First-Meals into the bowls on the island before sliding them across to us.
“Thank you Papa! I don’t suppose I could get a nice cup of Amarek this waking?”
“A little sleepy, are we?”
I nodded, papa turning around to pour me a cup of hot water, dropping in a teabag before pressing it into my paws and giving my snout a soft nuzzle as he whispered. “If you need to nap, Chris and I can handle the paw’s chores fine.”
“I’ll be alright, just need a little pick-me-up.” I responded, trying to force a little more energy into my voice.
Papa nodded, padding away to make his own First-meal. I took a sip of the tea, the warmth blossoming out in my chest as my wool fluffed out a little. A soft sigh slipped from my throat as I set the tea down, picking up my skewer and spiking a few Bundt leaves with a chunk of Mel root, popping them into my mouth.
Chime
Before I had a chance to savor them my pad sounded off, the sound I had set for the exchange program bouncing around the room. Everyone went quiet, eyes and ears snapping to the device sitting on the counter in front of me.
I picked up the pad, flicking up on the message with my claw. A stark white background with bold black text flashed onto the screen, a little too bright for my still-tired eyes.
Christopher & Taisa,
A deal has been reached with Radiant Skies Brokerage for the acquisition of One (1) Starliner M600C Light Freight (Armed) Starship. Current registry VP-2865-DC. Per the terms of the U.N.’s deal with Radiant Skies Brokerage, you are to collect this ship on September the Fourteenth (14) at 14:00 hours, U.N. standard time. Possession of one (1) Model R shuttle, registry C1-0V3R-HR-EX, is to be remitted to Radiant Skies Brokerage as part of deal for cost reduction.
Registry of VP-2865-DC is to be changed to VP-2865-HR upon acquisition of Vessel. A stipend has been allocated for Human-specific accommodations, safety equipment, and any other as-needed modifications to be added to the already existing Venlil stock onboard.
Additionally, a currently unnamed LLC has been created under jurisdiction of the U.N. to be used for the purposes of this endeavor. Failure to provide a name will result in assignment of a randomly generated one.
Lastly, an account has been linked to your pad containing your company’s earnings, with agreed upon U.N. reduction for training, ship acquisition and interest. This is a starting fund for purchase of cargo and/or personal modifications to be made to the acquired ship. One (1) full-size starship pad at the Heartwood River Shuttleport has been allocated for use as a registered port of call for VP-2865-HR.
Congratulations and Smooth Sailing, may the winds of fate guide you, and your ‘experiment’, well.
Thomas Ashforth
U.N. Acquisitions- Exchange Program Division
Peace, Dignity and Equality.
I gasped, locking eyes with Chris, my tail thrashing about behind me with excitement as I practically shoved the pad into his hands, an ecstatic squeal building in my throat. “WE GOT HER!!!”
“We got her?!” He quickly read through the pad, a wide smile spreading across his face before he set the pad down and pulled me into a tight hug. “Hell yea!”
“Congratulations!” Mama beeped, her ears high with pride as she watched us.
“Good to see it's all coming together! Guess we’ll have to get the bots to start packing some stuff up, eh Sweetheart?!” Papa whistled, his tail swaying happily as he wrapped an arm around Mama’s shoulder.
“Sounds like you know what you three are doing, this paw. I, on the other paw, need to do the last of Renkel’s shopping for school.
“That we do! Have fun sweetheart.” Papa responded, his tail coiling with Mama’s for a moment before slipping a part. “You two, finish up and let’s get to it!”
[[Advance Transcription by Time Unit: 3 Hours]]
The bots were up and running, shifting empty crates and containers around the storage barn before dropping them in front of the loader unit. A slow soft rain of Mel roots falling into some, packaged Shadeberries being stacked into others while Chris and Papa loaded bags of dried Bright Star Bean pods into another set of containers on the far wall.
I was busy working on one of the bots that had thrown an error code on its right-paw loading servos, tinkering away at finding the issue. Knowing Farm Fresh’s quality it was probably that same stupid sensor chip they cheaped out on at fault, rather than the machine itself.
After a few minutes of rooting around amongst the wires and cards in the bot’s body I finally found it! The chip had burned itself out again, just as I’d expected.
There ought to be a law about minimum quality standards for equipment this expensive. Stars; the amount of times I’ve had to do this.
I yawned, leaning back a moment before I removed the chip, my tail swinging lazily behind me as I rummaged through the pouch on my tool belt. I found the tool, disconnected a few sockets and then spun the card’s fasteners free.
The card had almost certainly overheated and melted the board, the ventilation fan’s motor was locked up stiffer than a Rocktumbler’s antlers.
Cheap cheap cheap. Bet Professor Yolern would have plenty to say about that.
I tossed the burnt card into the recycling barrel; it was getting full, Papa would have to take it into Hidden Plains in the next herd of paws or two to see what he could get for them. I popped the new one from its packaging, the fan spinning freely as I gave it a cursory flick, nodding as I started plugging the sockets into their new homes and resetting the fasteners before stepping back to the work bench at the front right of the bot.
The systems whirred to life as I switched on the power, my ears flicking with approval as I ran through the systems check on the replaced sensor card. Everything came back reading correctly, the system running through its checks as I ran the loading routine so it could get to work.
“Alright number 3 let’s get to it.” I muttered as I ran the program, the bot powering to life and buzzing off to the far side of the barn.
I let out a soft breath, fatigue settling into my wool again as I sat down on a crate next to the tool chest, rubbing my paws on my snout and eyes. It’d only been a half-claw since I’d woken up but it felt like two had gone by. I leaned against the tool chest, a low yawn slipping from my throat as I started to nod off.
Scratches would be ni-
Crash
I was startled awake by an oil can bouncing off my snout and smashing to the floor in front of me, the deep brown liquid inside exploding across the floor in front of me. Papa’s ears swiveled to focus on me as Chris’ head snapped around to look, concern on his face as he walked over to me.
“Hey there Sleepy, you alright?”
“Yea.” I mumbled, rubbing at the sore spot on my snout. I could feel a bright embarrassed bloom spreading up my ears as he leaned in, gently moving my paws aside.
“Looks alright, you need to go lay down for a bit? We’re almost done here, your pops and I can handle the rest.” He said softly, a warm look on his face as he rocked back onto his heels.
Always so warm, so kind. How’d I ever think he was scary?
“No, no I’ll be alright, it’ll get done faster if I pitch in. Then we can get to the forum.” I groaned, doing my best to lug my heavy tail through my exhaustion.
The next quarter claw crawled past as we worked, Chris and Papa moving far faster than I could. Blissfully we finally finished. The last bag of Brightstar beans fell into the crate with a soft crush as Chris set the lid down on it, the soft hiss of the sealing unit sucking the air out before locking up tight, marking that we were finished for the paw.
“Well that’s all squared away! I’ll get the machines all tidied up, thank you both for the help. Taisa.” he paused, an ear focusing on me as he approached and wrapped me in a soft hug.
“Yes Papa?” I yawned, squeezing into the hug a little before letting go.
“Go get some sleep.”
“I’m fine, just need a little nap is all.” I mumbled, my tail swaying lazily behind me.
Papa bobbed his tail, shaking his head a little as he laughed. “Just as headstrong as your mother, go take your nap then.”
“Let me know if’n ya need anything else, Taikel. I’ll try and get her to sleep.” Chris chuckled, patting my back as I passed him, my tail slapping against his side while he followed through the door behind me.
We walked to the Warren in silence, a happy look on his face as he watched the clouds floating through the sky high above us.
“Ya know, I’d much rather nap in the forum than here.” I mumbled, thinking about being warm and snuggled against him as he played.
“I suppose we can move up our time in the forum today a little bit.” He glanced down at me, thinking for a moment before chuckling and ruffling a hand through my head wool. “I’m driving this time, you’re about to pass out and I’d rather avoid bein’ wrapped around a pole if’n we can help it!”
“I’m fine, I can dri-“ My sentence was cut short as a yawn spilled out of my mouth with a high whine.
He looked at me, an amused expression on his face as he leaned in a little and raised an eyebrow.
“Point taken” I sighed, padding around the truck to climb up into the passenger seat as he adjusted the driver seat.
Warm air flowed from the vents and settled into my wool as he started the truck, easing us out into the road. His easy driving was a stark difference from how he flew, the soft whisper of tires on pavement pulling at my heavy eyelids. The world outside the truck strolled past at an easy pace, the rock and hanging shadeberry vines of the valleyside soon replaced by the warm shopfronts and cut stone of Heartwood River. The Heartwood’s canopy hung high in the distance, golden rays filtering through its canopy while a flock of Flowerbirds danced in the wind over the forum as I leaned my head against the window.
I watched as we pulled into a parking spot at the side of the road, Chris swinging us in and settling the truck to a stop as he turned the key, depositing them in my paws. “You ready to go?”
I nodded, cracking the door open as I whistled back. “I am, don’t get too used to driving the truck now, if I’ve gotta deal with your flying you’re gonna deal with my driving.”
“Oh come on now, you love my flying!” He retorted, dropping the tailgate and pulling his guitar case out. “If it weren’t for my flying we wouldn’t have all of those fun repairs to do!”
“Oh the horrors of a quiet paw off, whatever would I do?”
“I dunno, probably relax in the forum all day with me. Sounds kinda boring.” He shrugged, an amused teasing lilt in his voice as he bumped a hand against my shoulder, the visor obscuring what I was sure was one of those wide, adorable smiles spread out across his face. How did I ever think those were scary?
“You’re right,” I whistled playfully, my paws raised in mock abdication. “Guess I’ll just have to clean up your messes on the ship instead. At least I’ve got good help.”
“That’s the spirit! ‘Sides, better workin’ with me than for some other dickhead captain! At least I’ll give ya scratches.” He laughed, low and rumbling as we started walking to the forum, interested ears and wagging tails watching us as we went.
Not wrong, I’d rather be with him in the stars than anyone else. Not that anyone else would even have me on their ships in the first place anyhow.
I wondered if, without the program, Chris would have picked me anyhow. Would I have even thought to apply? Thought about how much the trajectory of my life had been changed with just the claw of a button. From thinking about going home to work on Papa’s bots again to… to this was just mind bending.
Best choice you ever made.
We stepped into the forum, settling down into our seat as Chris undid the case’s clasps with a loud Clack. Expectant ears and happy tails focused on us as the windows around the forum swung open, pups and parents alike crowding around to listen.
How fast the town shifted. Just a few paws of presence, a few paws of music. A few paws with the both of us.
I leaned back against Chris, pushing into the warmth as he scratched behind my ears, a soft happy mewl slipping from my snout. He started playing, plucking out soft notes as he tested his strings, a soft hum in his throat that thrummed through my body as he did.
I felt my eyelids dragging down, the weight of my exhaustion combining with the warmth of Chris and relaxation of the moment to take me away to the land of sleep. I opened my mouth, taking in a soft breath of the air as my eyes closed, the soft delightful tastes of Eltavi, Topo, Goldcores and Shadeflares dancing on my tongue.
I wonder if Chris likes flowers.
I sat bolt upright, a small squeak slipping from my mouth as I remembered his comments in our chats about the flowers in his Ma’s garden at home. I had found something else to give him as a gift, something more than just the model to make it special. Something from home as well as the future, something of me.
Chris startled a little as I hopped to my paws, the delightful music stopping for a moment, a note of concern in his voice. “You alright there woolball?”
I nodded quickly, bobbing my tail as I stumbled a little, quickly walking out of the forum. “Remembered an errand I need to run real quick, I’ll be right back!”
“Want me to come along?”
“Nope, I’ve got it handled, don’t you worry!”
I bolted out of the forum, headed off towards Hentel’s shop with the thought of a full bouquet on my mind. The soft hanging notes of Chris’ guitar dancing on the breeze behind me as I went.
I'm going to do it. I'm going to tell him next waking on the ship. Come freezing night or scorching day by the stars I'm going to do it.
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/authors note: any dialog with /abc/ is what Mat understands/learned from Vemi
I hope it’s not too confusing but its vital to the story, enjoy!/
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SHOT IN THE DARK [8]
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Thank you u/spacepaladin15 for creating such a wonderful universe.
First / previous/ next
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Chapter 8: Hearts and Minds
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Memory transcript: Mathew Puzro, Earth astronaut.
Date: 22nd day on the planet.
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So, aliens.
​
O rather the native little creature, it wasn’t tall and blue like they liked to depicture through my younger years.
And we weren’t the bad guys this time… I think… though I have a little different opinion on that…
Honestly I don’t know what awaits me if we get to her settlement, but I know I have to convince her that im not a scary alien that eats little ven-things for breakfast.
Better be on the good side of the locals at least … mother nature already wants me dead for the great sin of becoming this abomination…
And now that im faced with one of them im starting to question if I want to let my folks know that they exist.
I know what some of them did to their own kind, for a simple fact of having a different skin color, religion or just living in a particular patch of dirt containing some viscous black liquid.
And now, after 80ish years later, a span of time that took for my generation to finally break free and live in relative peace from nazis and crazy bolshevik communist is, a lot of time to change.
Mind you, everyone was happy that the WWI was over .
And yet there was a reason it was called an interwar period …
Or maybe they were tall and this is just a child…
I mean what are our own children scared of?
Dark- why?
Because the fear of being eaten by a scary monster lurking In the dark …
And it doesn’t help me with how I… approached her in the first place … shit.
What do they like? A T-Rex!
Why?
Because It can eat anything – you get the idea…
But what a sassy child it is… if… she is a child …
So here comes the military standard: operation hearts and minds!
With a twist , by yours truly.
Beside “torturing” the little fluff with questions I introduced her to our media.
It was a very interesting thing to explain to her, like the idea of cartoons.
Strangely she adapted very quickly to it… maybe they have something like theater? Or just dances? Ill learn later..
Firstly she said that she wasn’t interested in the *strange word she keeps calling me* cartoons.
But after forcing herself to watch one out of sheer boredom or choosing to talk to me she chose the first option.
Spoiled brat…
Seeing the first few episodes of Avatar the last Airbender she was hooked.
But she forgot I casted that fishing line heh.
So i ‘rationed’ the cartoons or just made a deal: you teach me your language and tell me about your world and I will do the same + you get the access to few episodes of cartoons daily.
And NO I am not showing her Pokémon, I saw her reaction to eating meat or hunting and that concept would be the same as betting on prison fights…
There are stuff I’ll have to ease her and her people in first that’s for sure…
And that little… she rolled her eyes and swiped her ears and tail angrily at me.
I swear to god… I didn’t travel for a century just to be stuck with a teenager in life death situation…I hate you fate… so fucking much!
“ok Vemi show me your leg, I want to make sure it’s good before we leave for the long road trip.”
She suddenly froze and took her leg closer to her body.
“*sigh* you know I don’t bite”
… ok a little lie never killed anybody… the guy probably survived …
IT WAS ONE- JUST TWICE OK?!
I had to get out of that bunker somehow! And I was bound!
The intel was very important…
Fuck I hope she can’t read my mind… because if that’s how she understands me then … she would probably not be so calm……
“/what you want?/” she asked sounding almost annoyed
”to see if you are ok”
Patience .. hearts and minds remember.
“/No./” she answered not even looking at me.
I swear im going to go Colonel Quaritch on your furry ass with that attitude.
And the time frame is about right…
“…”
“… no more cartoons”
She opened her maw in shock
“*incoherent angry squalling and huffing*” it went for a while.
“y’a done?” I asked disappointed. “Vemi, im not doing this to spite you, if you can believe this…”
“/Paw fine, it fine, you don’t need see/” she huffed annoyed
“so you are healthy now are you?” I just tilted my head.
“…” no answer
“then great! You can walk and go do your business without my help.”
She just looked embarrassed then sad and she showed me her hurt paw without giving me a single word.
“let me just get you a new bandage and I won’t bother you with it anymore…” I said untangling the old one.
“you are healing … but slowly… don’t overdo it on this leg ok?”
“/ok…/”
“does anything bother you?... beside my presence…”
“…/it get cold/” she said getting into the sleeping bag.
“I know… the batteries are dying and soon I’ll have to switch it from lights to your heater so it might get darker…”
Powercells are mostly busted, batteries ran out yesterday and the on that work I constantly charge when she sleeps not to freak her out that my right hand looks like god damn Swiss army knife with a giant tungsten slug rail launcher
Those lab rats love arm launchers …
I’ll admit cracking tanks with a railgun is always fun.
But I doubt my fluffy friend here would appreciate human war ingenuity the same way I do.
“but don’t worry, I think we have like a day max of this storm and we can get out of here!” I tried to make her feel better by saying that.
And there was a slight tail wag in response to that.
As annoying you can be, that was precious…
I had to admit, having someone else to talk to beside a rock with eyes and a Roomba was great.
It have been …
So long .
No matter how bad the situation would get, this little angry fluffy ball was probably holding me sane.
And im hiding the rock… things are already awkward. Sorry Wilson.
//////////////
Memory transcript: Vemi, Operator of the Orbital Early Warning Alarm System(OEWA), Venlil Space Corps.
Date: [Standardized human time] September 27th, 2136
Predator was still crouching in front of me, staring me down with some weird expression on his dumb face I haven’t seen before.
Quit smiling at me you creep… and what is that on your neck.
“/what is that?/” I pointed at 2 weird metal rings suspended on a piece of string.
“Hmm? Oh, that... are wedding rings, we usually wear them on this finger of your right hand.” He said
“but my line of work made my hands… dirty… so to speak…. and I keep it like this out of the respect for the other person.”
A wedding rings? Like they care enough to hold on to only one mate in their den.
“/you have/ special /someone/?” I just asked to keep it rolling, because his face again got weird
“i…”
“I had… and she was the most wonderful person I have ever met in my hor…. In my Life…”
He is …is he starting to cry?
Ok MOVING ON!
Work! He said something about work!
“/what did you do/ for /work/?” hand he suddenly changed from sad to just neutral, almost fake.
He took a step back and laid back on the ice, still playing with the rings on his neck.
“its … complicated” he tried to sway the other direction.
“/what is?/”
Come on give me some more juicy human incriminating information.
“… you could say … my line of work included … fixing things for other people… and sometimes cleaning their mess” he said trying not to sound pissed off.
“hmmm you could say I was like… a janitor.”
Really a janitor… you were a janitor ?!
And they sent you out in space… speh the humans have low standards for astronauts… then what was that Noah guy doing? Gardening??? A hair dresser???
“but before that I was an engineer and a pilot”
Ok that would make sense … to send him …
“and now? You could say im an astronaut… or even an ambassador Hah!”
What a buzz kill …
“come on, don’t look so displeased” I rolled back my eyes.
“you know it could be far worst heh”
“/How?! i/ am /closed in/ a stupid /cold cave with/ a primitive!” I huffed.
“heh I know its not nice and dandy but ~always look on the bright side of life~”
“shut up” i said giving him a side eye.
“~Always look on the light side of life,
If life seems jolly rotten,
There's something you've forgotten,~”
“/Quiet!/ I hate /you/!”
“hehehe not the biggest fan of my singing I see…” he giggled “fine I’ll leave you to your cartoons”
And with that he jumped from lying position on his arms and landed on his feet.
vanishing into the darker side of the cave.
That was kind of terrifying … how he did it … so easily …
///////////////////////////
Memory transcript: Mathew Puzro, Earth astronaut janitor.
Date: 23rd day on the planet.
Storm is finally clearing, and the wind is blowing sun side which will help.
I started to pack things up, well whatever I could fit in my little vessel.
Vemi is not going to be happy when she’s going to see what we will use as a means of travel I bet!
Nor the fact that we will be closer to each other then she would possibly like.
The cabin is small, well I didn’t designed it with a moody alien In mind.
But she doesn’t have choice heh!
It’s that or walk to the settlement herself and I bet she won’t choose the latter.
In the free time I made myself a good warm covering out of that wolf pelt, it took some time but time was something I had a lot in that cave.
Im not just constantly watching cartoons like certain SOMEONE!
Eather way, being stuck almost a month in this frozen desert I had enough.
But there was one thing I would do before leaving.
I need to see what’s behind that wall.
It was driving me crazy.
But thanks to my little collection of serious puddy I just might do it.
But before that I need the little Ven-thing packed up and safe.
-----
“/what’s that?/” she asked seeing me carry the crate with a big orange sign closer to the wall.
“ehhh … a .. weather experiment…” yessss “don’t you worry your fluffy tail about it”
Time to change the subject!
“I hope you are ready to leave, you will get to see my ship!”
“/you what?/”
“ship! Or rather ice boat that we are going to travel with.”
I might not be able to understand her fully yet but the unpleased look on her snout spoke more than 1000 words.
I bet she will love the skull on the front heh.
////////////////////
Memory transcript: Vemi, Operator of the Orbital Early Warning Alarm System(OEWA), Venlil Space Corps.
Date: [Standardized human time] September 28th, 2136
After agonizing few paws, sleeping in a predator’s ughhh den, listening to his crazy ideas I was really happy to finally hear that we would get out of here.
What wasn’t great though, it wasn’t a shuttle like I thought.
Once ‘Mat’ grabbed all the random junk that was scattered across his ‘man cave’ as he joked.
I want that sentence out of my head…
He finally grabbed me and started to head out.
“ok Vemi this here is my vessel!” he happily announced shining a flashlight at a poorly lit heap of JUNK!
t-this have to be a joke.. one of his unfunny jokes right?
Terror spread across my face when he indeed, confirmed that it was what we will use to get around.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA GET ME OUT OF HERE!
But not in that thing!
“What? I mean I crashed to get here ok? I told you.”
“/a-and how long/ will /we travel/?” I asked horrified
“Did you listen to anything I told you back- never mind… I’d say I would give it form 3-5weeks worth of travel, depending how difficult the terrain might get it could take longer”
My jaw dropped.
A [MONTH] ?!
Is he serious?!
I – oh no he did say that … I remember now…
“/I did/” I said covering myself with my tail in embarrassment.
“don’t worry im not mad… but it would be nice to be taken serious from time to time”
Don’t make me feel bad for you predator
The ‘ship’ as he called this peace of crap had a small cabin which was made out of various parts of his previous space shuttle. I could still see some components used as part of navigation and so on.
I do hate to admit, for primitive with very few tools he did build it from nothing. And it even had a heated cabin.
“ so we are all ready to leave, but before that I want to do one more thing” he said pulling a long wire.
“/where are you going/?”
“To do my little weather experiment!” he said happily before vanishing in the cave .
I have a bad feeling about this…
He appeared shortly after, smiling from ear to ear holding two wires and a small battery.
”It might get a little loud in a moment so cover your ears” he announced
What did you do?! And what the speh was supposed to be that weather expe-
“FIRE IN THE HOLE!”
OH SPEH!
I quickly covered my ears and docked back inside the cabin.
*BOOOOOMMM!!*
My ears were ringing from the explosion and suddenly it started to … snow? No it was the debris from the explosion.
What the speh was that?! And what’s wrong with him?!
Where did he get explosives?!
What a lunatic!
“/What was that?!/” I probably screamed, considering I still barely heard myself
“a miracle of chemical combustion!” he announced proud “wanna see what’s on the other side of the collapsed wall?”
“/N-no!/”
“ok, but I don’t know how long it will take me to explore whatever is in there… and you will be out here alone”
You go ahead and get yourself killed by whatever ate my ship!
“nothing? Ok. Ill be back”
//////////////
Memory transcript: Mathew Puzro, Earth astronaut.
Date: 24th day on the planet.
The fluff ball wanted to stay back on the ship.
Probably for the best, she freaks out about everything I do and constantly calls me stupid or something worst probably.
Im nice but not stupid you space furry.
Either way in front of me was a big hole in the wall, bunch of snow and whatever was left of the dead space bear.
Im probably breathing in the dead thing belhhh.
The ice corridor had a sharp turn right after where I was staying, I slowly rounded the corner with gun in my hand, not knowing what I would find.
And holy shit, I found something big.
And dead, fortunately.
I found the ‘tentacle’ monster or rather what looked like a giant slug.
“it has to be at least as big as the blue whale….”
Just to make sure I threw a piece of ice at it to know if it was really dead.
It was frozen in place.
Massive jaws were crushed with ice, and pieces of its shell were lying here and there.
“fuck… so this is what I almost stepped on…” shiver went down my body.
Maybe it’s better the fluff didn’t see it… I had enough of her attitude as it is.
I quickly took a picture and tried to take few samples.
I want a piece of its shell to see what it is made out of …
With that I grabbed one.
And oh boy was it heavy! A quick material analyses showed why…
“gold, titanium oxides, molybdenum, nickel….iridium…. There’s everything in it … If I ever get to the point of needing materials for advanced electronics you better hide or I will hunt you down to extinction…”
“heavy metal slug heh… where the hell does it get all those materials from…”
With that and a piece of the most expensive snail shell in existence in hands I started to head back.
Time to get out from this frozen desert… or at least die trying.
//////////////////////
Memory transcript: Vemi, OEWA operator, Venlil Space Corps.
Date: [Standardized human time] September 28th, 2136
“How long will it take him to get back! “ I said annoyed into the dark and cold night.
I might not really like the idea of being close to the predator, but being alone out here … was putting things into perspective… no matter how much I hated the idea.
Oh there’s light coming out, finally!
… tail stop wagging!
“/Took you long/ enough!” I said “/and what’s that/”
“Im back! And this?” he said excited “a little souvenir… yesss”
Where did he even find that thing… you know what I don’t care, let’s just leave please…
*clank* “ok ready to go?”
“/yes. How is it going to … ‘drive’/?” I asked still puzzled how exactly his vessel will get us anywhere.
“we are going to use the wind of course! Have your people never invented sailboats?”
Really?
Primitive…
“What? Why are you looking so disappointed? What did you expect?”
“/nothing/ …. Let’s /go/”
“sure princess…”
Hey! Quit it!
Thankfully he didn’t teased me much longer and started to do work around the ‘boat’.
After a short while he finally turned towards me.
“You ready? Im about to raise sail, in this wind it might get a little rough”
“/fine!/ just /go/ already!” I didn’t want to wait a quarter claw longer around his cave…
“Ok! Here we go!” he opened the sail, clearly made out of some weird looking fabric patched up together.
Once boat caught wind in its sails it tugged sharply and began to move.
“Yeah baby! We are moving! So long you icy wasteland!” he exclaimed enthusiastically and I couldn’t hide I also got a little happy about it myself.
“This shall be known as the day you once more, almost caught Captain Mat in your dead and frozen grasp you wench HAHA!” he screamed looking somewhere into the night.
“whatever happens now at least we are moving! I’d rather die trying than give up hahaha!” He turned around looking at me holding onto the mast.
I don’t like that last statement!
“come on! You know it’s true!”
“/that doesn’t/ make it /better!/” I huffed from the cabin.
“hahahahah”
Phehe… I guess … dumbass…
------------------------
Considering this human was from a more primitive time it was not surprising how easy it was for him to steer this ‘ice boat’.
What I couldn’t understand was why he put a skull of a dead creature on the front of his ship!
But then I asked.
And I wish I didn’t….
“So, /why do you have this thing here/” I pointed at the skull glued to the ship.
“AH! That’s an old human tradition to have a figurehead on the front of your ship. It’s used to scare away the sea monsters and deter ghost from haunting your ship. And considering what I saw on this little trip of mine it might be more useful than ever!”
He, he is mad…. What a barbaric way of living. How did they ever figure out FTL on their own with traditions like this…
“Now get back into the cabin, i don’t want you to catch a cold”
------------
We have been traveling for past three paws in this rust bucket.
It started to get really cold even inside the cabin.
And Mat?
Mat is spehing crazy…
He gave me his jacket because as he said ‘I looked cold and still didn’t feel comfortable around him.’
I mean he is not wrong… and I don’t feel comfortable with him too close to me.
You never know when he will finally snap and try to eat me out of starvation.
Now that I have his jacket he is out there in another fake pelt called ‘hoodie’ and that dead animal skin saying ‘its all good, just like the good old days’ and he is singing shanties or whatever that growling is called.
Whenever we stop for a little brake he keeps bothering me with teaching him the language and how to write it.
Thank stars for his primitive and predatory media. If it wasn’t for that I would die of boredom… those cartoons are … surprisingly fun to watch … even for something made in the last century or even two.
Music is another thing he gave me access too. There are some really aggressive sounding songs in there on his favorite playlist, no wonder predators never change.
But I was surprised with how much passion he spoke about the ‘classical’ music made centuries before even he was born. He would go on and on about some fun facts from a pianist life, how he made music or why the music had this tone and meaning based on situation he had in life.
And I have to admit… Some of the compositions could rival those of federations greatest musicians.
As much as I hated that thought.
Going back to my previous thought… I haven’t seen him eat anything … and he seemed even more skinny than before…
He said he would “rather starve” than eat me but I don’t really trust that statement…
And this is keeping me awake more and more whenever I’m trying to sleep.
I do not want to wake up with my paw half way to his stomach!
We are slowing down…
With that awful image still in my head I saw him slowly get inside.
“how are you feeling? Getting hungry?”
Don’t think about it don’t think about it
“ehhhh /… yes/” I said still worried.
“Vemi what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”
“/im fine/”
“really? You don’t look fine” he answered with a hint of worry in his tone.
Can you stop being so persistent…
Oh wait … wasn’t that the way they hunt?
My ears dropped even lower with that thought.
“listen, for the last time im not going to hurt you for…”
“/are you not hungry?/” I asked to confirm if my theory was correct.
“im doing fine… wait i-is this really about it?! You still think I’ll eat you? Like im fattening you up just to snack on you later?”
Oh Protector what an awful scheme! I didn’t expect to become a cattle on my own planet! And he-
“… for fucks sake…. You know what? Im tired, I really am. Of your bullshit.” He said disappointed, sat down not even looking at me which he always did whenever he spoke to me.
“Yes I haven’t eaten in few days, that’s true. There is nothing out here, and the ice is too deep for ice fishing” he continued “ and whatever I had left from ‘my food’ is already gone.”
So he is hungry oh star-
“and Yes, im doing it on purpose, so to not eat the only food YOU can eat, which may I remind you we can’t get out here.”
…
“I get it! I look scary ok? My own people looked at me same way you do… but do you really think, if I wanted to something to you I wouldn’t do it already? Think about it”
Its not really something I’d like to think about if you don’t want me to have a panic attack…
But…
…
“you are a constant drain on my very limited resources. Don’t get me wrong here, I will get you to your people safe, healthy and fed, even at my own cost. I don’t want you to love me, don’t even talk to me if you loath it so much, just give me a sliver of respect… please… don’t look at me like im the worst thing you could imagine… I had enough of that where I come from.”
So he is somehow different from the rest of them…
“/I-I … s-/”
“Don’t, you don’t need to force yourself… im not mad, hell at this point im not even disappointed… im just… so tired… I cross the empty and dangerous void between stars, lose everything that was important in my meaningless life… just to find out the first intelligent being I get a chance to talk to in 50 years is an alien that acts … like the rest of my ‘people’ who gave me one way ticket…for this purgatory…”
…I’m … h-he … bu-
“here’s your food, I will be outside if you need me*clank*”
…
----------------------
I can finally see a faint light on the horizon after another 2 paws of traveling.
It is doing wonders to my mental health to see we are getting closer to the sun side, even if it’s just a little.
The past two paws were very quiet… figuratively, the wind is still awful.
Mat has only visited the cabin every time I woke up to get me some food and check on my leg.
He’s not asking me anything else anymore. Not about the language, not about Venlil or … just about anything…
He is not even looking at me whenever he is inside the cabin… like I don’t exist…
I-i mean I don’t miss it, having a predator around you all the time is exhausting.
It’s just … quiet… he doesn’t even sing out there like he constantly did few paws ago.
He just sits out there, fighting the bone chilling wind… or staring at the sky.
I don’t get it, how can he not be bothered by the cold?? I have my fur, his pelt and sit inside a sleeping bag in a closed cabin and he is … out there … like its nothing …
Even the predator media is getting … I just don’t feel like doing anything…
Why do I feel like that ???
Why do I feel bad about a predator ….
////////////////
Memory transcript: Mathew Puzro, Earth astronaut.
Date: 29th day on the planet.
Honestly?
Screw the little furry bastards.
If all of them are like the one I have in my ship, I don’t really care.
I thought the first contact would be exciting, there would be an exchange of knowledge or they would be as excited to meet us as we … or I would be to meet them… but now?
Im just going to drop this one off and fuck off to do my own things.
From what I could get out of her, or what she so mercifully gave me about her people, they shouldn’t be more advanced than native Americans when Europeans got to them.
Or all of the things she said could be a lie.
At this point I don’t care.
We are weeks away from the twilight side, who knows how long until I can drop her off somewhere safe and I already want her off my mind as soon as I can.
I mean, I could …. But Im trying to be better… Kaia wanted me to be better…
Hearts and minds Mat…
Maybe Quaritch was right after all?
Still the situation she found herself was rather unfortunate so im not going to hold that against her.
People change when they are on the verge of death… and show their true self, I’ve seen it far too many times …
Its just sad she is that kind of ‘person’.
Who knows maybe she's some kind of chiefs daughter or something, though I still cant translate half the stuff she said back when we first met.
Honestly at this point I don’t even want to know, considering some of the stuff she said, she constantly repeats whenever she gets angry at me for whatever reason …
But beside the annoying ‘alien in my trunk’ there is something else that’s puzzling me.
There are dots in the sky that move in strange ways… like not on orbit or they are going every direction they please…
If I was back on Earth I’d say they were satellites or even spacecraft going interplanetary but I don’t have a telescope to see what they are and my long range antenna and receiver burned alongside the rest of the Odyssey’s.
I do have a short range one but its not in the best shape either.
Not like the things even would send out radio waves… I mean there was nothing when we looked at it from earth…
So I don’t know what the hell is going on out there.
Even back in space I couldn’t even see them… maybe they are some strange asteroid belt, or leftovers from an ancient moon that got destroyed…
Who knows, for now I just don’t know how could those things have such a strange orbits or just simply disappear while going around the orbit…
Fucking aliens man heh…
/////////////
Memory transcript: Vemi, OEWA operator, Venlil Space Corps.
Date: [Standardized human time] October 3rd , 2136
I wonder what lies they said to my family when I didn’t answer any calls for almost a [month].
Grandpa and dad are probably digging everywhere and trying to get why I’m gone or are trying to save me… I hope…
I had enough time to think about everything that happened after I came back to the office…
And what the predator… what Mat said … last paw.
He was still out there, looking at the sky for some reason…
Not saying a word more than he needed to.
Still, every interaction felt… dry… with every interaction focusing on my wellbeing ….
Why would a predator like him care… this goes against everything my family taught me… what federation said too…
I still felt … strange whenever I thought about what he said…
And …
Felt … never mind
It’s just weird that he would care.
…
I still can’t get over what exactly happened when we landed.
Everything happened so fast that paw…
For now the only thing reminding me of that is the torn wound on my left paw.
But it’s getting better… at least that’s what Mat said.
Why do I feel so … strange… it’s all your fault!
----------
Stars I can’t stand it!
The silence, not even a crumb of small talk.
He- he is just silent, like I don’t exist…
“/M-mat?/” I asked, once he finally came back to check on me.
“….”
“/Can I ask you/ a /question/?”
“*sigh* go ahead…”
“/a-are you ok?/” I asked trying to break the ice.
“im fine, just slightly tired”
6 paws and you are slightly tired… humans are weird….
“and you Vemi?” he asked still focusing on the pot while making me food.
“/… I-I am … ok… thanks to you…just…/”
He stopped what he was doing for a moment.
“just what?” he asked going back to what he was doing.
I started to fiddle with my tail out of nervousness.
Ok he started talking, think! Keep him busy let him talk about, about anything!
“that /song you where/ whistling few /days/ back, /what was it?/”
“the what? … song … oh you mean shanties?” he asked still not sure what I meant.
“/Y-yes! That one!/”
He stopped for a moment to type something on his ‘laptop’ before turning it towards me and going back to preparing food.
“here, there’s a Wikipedia page about it and links-annotations which send you to examples of songs like that if you want to know about them.”
“/thank you… but why/ did / you sang them?/” I asked to keep him talking.
He just looked me for a second and then continued finishing food.
Come on talk!
“/so?/”
“everything is in the wiki, besides I just felt like it.”
Ok that didn’t work…
Something different… he still cares about my wellbeing right???
“/umm Mat?/”
“… yes?”
“/did it get colder?/”
That it did, but it will get him talking I bet!
“it did, batteries are doing what they can but it’s not enough I guess”
“ill make you more hot tea, it should keep you warm” he said without even getting a glance at me.
Protector, why are you so difficult to work with … now…
“…”
“/why you don’t ask/ about /me or Venlil anymore?/”
“I’ve learned enough.” He said sounding … cold.
But … weren’t you curious?!
“besides, it takes 2 to play this game”
What do you mean by that?
“/huh?/”
“here is your food, I will be outside if you need me”
“/stay…please?/”
“I need to look for my own food too, and I doubt you want to me to stay next to you when im ‘hungry’“
I swallowed a lump that somehow formed in my throat.
“heh that’s what I thought.” He turned around and started to head out.
But I didn’t say anythi-\clank**
…
Now even I lost appetite…
-----------------
It is getting brighter, I can finally make out some things outside.
It has been 7 paws since we started traveling.
Or 7 and a half [days] as Mat says.
We stopped for a [day] to repair a ‘sled’ or whatever he called it.
He also made a hole in ice, which he worked on for claws!
I still don’t get it how he can do this after his long …
he grabbed one bag of ‘crackers’ took something sharp and waited in front of the hole after crushing some of the crackers over the hole and waited.
Nothing happened until he also placed a small flashlight over it and then … *STAB*
He caught something …
“God finally!” I could barely hear him say it with enthusiast.
O Stars is that the thing he called fishing?
I looked over the window to see him holding something that was still squirming…
Im gonna feal sick… I know it’s his nature but it still feels vile even if I don’t see it…
The good thing was he finally was probably going to eat something…
He just murdered some poor creature …
what if it was a predatory fish? Would I still feel bad for it ?
He said nothing out here was a herbivore… but still…
I only saw him clearly for a moment before he turned off the light after looking my way.
My stomach dropped thinking what he is going to do next…
Better that thing than me…
But beside feeling sick from … his actions, I’m starting to feel … not great.
I don’t know how to brake it to him without angering him much o rather I fear that this information might…
I’ll manage for now it probably just a slight cold and it will go away eventually.
//////////
Memory transcript: Mathew Puzro, Earth astronaut.
Date: 33rd day on the planet.
I caught a fish!
A big one at that!
“God finally!” I huffed under my breath, tired as all hell.
With a quick glance I could see fluff looking at what I was doing and turned off the light.
I don’t need you moody and scared … the first one is enough.
After almost a week of traveling through this ice I started to finally get a grasp for it.
It was one hell of a challenge and still i almost knocked one sled of the boat with a wrong turn.
So we are going to camp out for a little while here.
A break is what she needed, I could see it.
Besides for the first time in who know how long even I was ‘tired’.
A mix between hunger, getting overworked, constantly on the lookout for … well everything, considering what is out here, was starting to get to me.
And for one I wanted to take a nap.
Just to relax at least for a moment.
This time I might even sleep with full belly!
------------
It was nice to finally not feel like I was eating myself from the inside out.
I planned to leave some for later but… I just ate it in one go.
Besides, it was about time I had a little bit of sleep…
“Im going to res to a little bit in here ok?”
“/… ok/” she said quietly looking scared as usual.
”*sigh* before you even ask or even think, yes I am full… so chill out…”
God, why do I even have to explain myself like that … fucking aliens man…
But there was something off about her this time, she looked worse than usual.
“Vemi is everything ok?” I asked “besides you not enjoying my presence that is.”
“/I feel fine…/”
Oh are you now
“what, feeling like going on a little walk?” she just looked at me confused “it’s nothing, just a joke”
“come here let me have a look at you ok?”
“…”
“please?” I pleaded
She is cold … not like she used to and … o shit
“Vemi are you sick? Why didn’t you say anything!” she trembled a little
“/I didn’t want you angry/”
“I wouldn’t get angry about you being sick… but I am now about you trying to hide it”
She try to back off after what I said
“Not like that! I meant more like disappointed ok?”“Your body is slowly giving up, and im not letting you die. So you need to get warmer and As of right now I have one idea how to do it”
/////////////////////////
Memory transcript: Vemi, OEWA operator, Venlil Space Corps.
Date: [Standardized human time] October 3rd , 2136
He turned around and grabbed a big blanket and sat against the wall.
“come here sit beside me, batteries are dead so this is the only way, whether you like it or not”
o no no leave me alone! I backed off
he grabbed me, I tried to run but I was too weak to even squirm my way out of his grasp before my body just gave up.
I was now leaning against the predator, still in his clutches.
This is how I die! This is it
I cried out but he just… started to … stroke my head?
Huh?!
“stop wiggling around and scratching me I told you we would have to ‘improvise’ sooner or later”
“so /this is what you meant/ earlier predator!” I screamed exhausted
“yes now quit it and let me sleep, you should too, you need it”
He planned it from the beginning! Now he will just… just… just why is it so warm….
“see not so bad? God you are fluffy heh”
Don’t call me that…
“shut up human…”
“hehe probably just curse at me but you know I’m right, so chill out and sit next to me if you hate it so much”
I don’t really want to move…
…
… dumbass…
But at least he is talking …
Im so tired…
-------------------
When I woke up he was still sleeping.
I don’t know how to feel with the fact I was now using him as my backrest but I did feel better than before.
But this was a prime opportunity to look at him up close without him constantly looking at me with those awful front looking eyes.
He have so many of those ‘tattoos’ he called them on his arm, and … scars too.
Lets see the other one…
O Shit he is looking at me!
“found something interesting there?”
I kind of froze
“/s-sorry/”
“wasn’t so bad right?”
“…”
“see nothing to be so afraid off”
“/why… how are you/ so /warm?/”
“because my heart is as warm as a star haha” he joked
“Annoying predator” I swiped my tail at him
“heyy now no calling me names and starting a tantrum”
He is starting to figure it out … oh speh
Slight fear creeped across my face with that thought.
“hahaha see I told you I knew heh im not stupid” he started to ruffle the wool on my head “don’t worry, everyone can be sometimes annoyed, just treat me like a person and I wont bi**- be mad** yess he..heh….heeee”
That gave me a little hope and … made me happy … just don’t know why.
“would you like to know what these tattoos mean?”
“/yeah/” I answered happier than I should have.
“Ok! Haha, someone is finally opening up ay?”
I don’t know If I could get any more bright orange at that moment.
“Shut up!” I thought and said at the same time.
“haha so thats probably ‘shut up’ or something similar” he said smiling and pulling slightly my ear.
Speh…
“so this one is……”
--------------------------------
First / previous/ next
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There is another!
Quicker this time too!
I hope you enjoyed this one, see you next time!

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New Terran Refugee (Pt - 20) : An NOP fanfic
Thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for letting people write fanfics.
This is just a fanfic of course.
This chapter went through several iterations, I might have let myself think I could release it 1 week late (and failed). Also, I might have gotten sidetracked with other non-writing thing, oops.
TL;DR:
“OOPS! All Rewrites! And side projects!” – Me
In any case, here’s the chapter:
Memory transcription subject: Tayla, Venlil Widow
Date [standardized human time]: October 18, 2136
The first thing I became aware of was that I had awoken enveloping a richly warm pillow with a soft surface from above, and that not only was it hot but that it was also soft and squishy but without too much give, in fact it was somehow firmer below the surface, I snuggled closer to the material that was emanating heat below me and drove off my mind’s attempts at waking me up, this was too blissful an experience to stop suddenly.
The second thing I became aware of was that I didn’t remember replacing my heated pillow as the cold wind season was still expected to be a good deal of time away and that I had much more important things to spend my limited budget on.
The third thing I became aware of was that I wasn’t hugging a pillow, this only happened when I noticed that it wasn’t moving because I was snuggling into it, but rather moving in a steady motion against me, like when someone breathes while asleep.
The fourth thing I became aware of, were the memories of what led me into this situation ‘Just gonna close my eyes for a moment’; Why did I lie to myself like that?
The final thing I became aware of snapped me out of my musings, it was the reason I woke up, and the reason I had crashed so hard into sleepiness.
The consequence of drinking copious amounts of [shade root] tea to keep watch over Jorge until I could call the number in the email during the schedule it had included beneath itself, this was made worse by the cans of ‘Twilight Energy’ I had drank at the end when more drastic measures had to be taken.
I couldn’t ignore it I couldn’t help but feel the pressure mounting inside my bladder as I peeled myself off from on top of Jorge. Why did I move so much while asleep?
Oh Protector, I missed his warmth already…
I made a mental note to look into repairing my heated pillow for cheap due to a sudden urge to sleep with something warm more frequently, the abrupt thought jogging loose some memories about contact information of some local repairvenlil I’d called before for one reason or another, along with the memory of the number I called before… napping with Jorge…
A great feeling of chagrin manifested along with my bloom while closing Jorge’s bathroom door behind me as I remembered the text beneath the schedule, ‘Extended working hours during emergency situations’, the aftermath of antimatter bombing definitely applied… especially since that Mrs. Bennet sounded so exhausted so soon after the supposed start of her work claw.
I decided to chalk up my lapse in judgement to have been due to how Jorge’s expression before he sealed himself in had left my thoughts racing and heart pounding in worry over him.
With my thoughts somewhat settled, I examined the strange toilet that had been installed, before throwing caution to the winds when the urgency I felt reasserted itself with force.
…
After closing the lid and washing my paws, I finally found what had to be the equivalent of the pulley and chain, a small, recessed button parted into 2 asymmetric parts on the top middle part behind the seat.
I pressed both parts at the same time just in case.
FWOOOSH
A small eep escaped me but was drowned out by the noises that were still coming from the strange toilet!
Finally, the ruckus ended, letting me calm down from the unexpected loudness. Wait, did that noise wak-
THUNK THUNK THUNK
A bigger eep escaped me as I jumped a little into the air; However this time it wasn’t drowned out by another noise.
“¿you ok in there?” I could barely make out Jorge’s voice through the door, like he was putting in the barest effort needed to speak.
“Y-yeah, j-just startled…” I opened the door as I trailed off, a sudden realization had me asking him a question, “I guess I know how It felt w-when I s-startled you h-huh?”
His normally expressive face remained still, the only reaction to my attempt at lightening the mood a brief exhale from his nose; He simply slipped past me as I left the bathroom and muttered something I didn’t quite hear just before shutting the door softly.
I went back to the bed and turned on his pad, after a few seconds of waiting for it to turn on, and a few more waiting for my translator to parse the strange [date and time] format the humans used (Honestly, who separated the [hours] and the [days/months] like that?) I felt a bit of relief as I sank a bit into the still warm bed.
According to the pad, I’d just taken a short nap, I still had plenty of time until my children came back home, hopefully I had enough time to actually have some kind of talk with Jorge.
I’d have to somehow get him to talk about last Paw’s… reaction of his, and find a way to convince him to talk about his family, It’d be good for him to recognize that pain, maybe he’d even hold onto it like me…
^FWOOOSH
That thing that the humans called a toilet interrupted my train of thought before I could do more than think of the barest of ways I could breeze into such heavy topics, the small delay between the toilet’s sound, the groaning of water travelling to the faucet, and the door opening wasn’t even enough to get back on my mind’s [zephyr].
A quick focus on Jorge’s face made my determination start to breeze away a bit, it was much easier to think of how to talk to him when I couldn’t see just how heavily everything [to wear down like a long strong gale would] on him.
Jorge deflated slightly but visibly at how I apparently froze up at the sight of him.
“well, thanks, i… feel better, you can just… leave me be for now”
Jorge stood still, averting his eyes from me until he shrugged strangely after turning to look at the barricade, he then shuffled over and started to shift it to the side a bit, evidently wishing to put it back in place after I left.
“ah” he cleared his throat, “sorry, you can leave now” he returned to averting his eyes from looking at me and awkwardly motioned towards the wide opening he had made after dragging the barricade as he stepped away morosely.
“Jorge.” I paused to breathe; I’d managed to huff out his name just as I needed to exhale.
Jorge stood still for a moment before tentatively focusing on me, a strangely vulnerable expression sat on his face.
I patted the bed (an appropriate and proper distance away from me) with my tail before curling it away from the spot, he seemed to get the message and soon he had sat down beside me, brief moment of hesitation notwithstanding.
I turned my head towards him as I’d seen him do when talking, he flinched a little when his eyes met mine, closing them and averting his face, I reached out for his nearby claw with my tail and put it down gently on top.
I waited patiently for him to start talking; Thankfully the wait was short.
“this… ¿is this about… my reaction yesterday?”
“Yes,” I squeezed down on his claw softly with my tail in a comforting gesture, “I wanted to speak with you about that sooner, but for now…” another gentle squeeze, “I’m just glad you seem to be doing a little bit better.”
Silence enveloped us as Jorge seemed to mull over what I’d just said.
A small hint of a hunch had me examining him more closely, it seemed he was anxiously waiting for me to talk some more.
I chastised myself internally, ‘Of course he wasn’t going to be feeling very talkative…’, how could someone jump straight into talking about such a topic? It’d probably be better to start with other stuff and gauge things from there; With that my mind sifted through possible topics until one stood out.
“S-so, I kind of… used up a lot of your powdered ingredients… heh…” I took in his features, he seemed halfway here and halfway far away.
Maybe… Maybe if I somehow mentioned the call to remind him that there were more humans he could try talking to? Just in case he was getting tired of my clumsy attempts at talking with him…
“I, uh, didn’t think of asking Mrs. Bennet about their availability when I called her this Paw, s-sorry about that… b-but I’m sure they’ll get some more that you can use soon, right?”
That got a reaction, a small one, out of him; His eyes widened. It… felt wrong.
“o-oh, well, i’d better get started packing then…”
An impossibly heavy weight settled deep inside my stomach as he moved his claw out from under my frozen tail tip, my throat clenched up as Jorge got up and limply started wading to his bag.
I stared in mute horror as he dumped his clean body coverings into it, trying to communicate anything to him, and failing miserably as the sheer disbelief of just how horribly I had miscommunicated kept me frozen, while the pain and betrayal I could imagine him feeling kept my mind reeling.
He stopped just as he reached his bag, his claws clenched for a moment before he unclenched them slowly and turned around to look directly at me.
He’d shed more tears, his eyes were an ugly and fresher shade of red.
“y-you were waiting down here for me to wake up again just to have this conversation as soon as possible. ¿am i right?”
Th-this wasn’t supposed to go like this!
“I… I was-”
“I!” interrupted Jorge with an elevated tone of voice, “…Earlier, I woke up and went back to sleep a few times, I could see you sitting on the stairs, sometimes you and your pad would be missing, I kept thinking that maybe you were worried about me ¿you know?”
“I-” An intense look from him kept the rest of my response in my head; ‘I was!’ I wanted to plead.
“I guess you didn’t plan for me falling asleep after crying…” He trailed off and seemed to go into deep thought for a moment, before his eyes narrowed dangerously. “¿Did you just bring me that Atole to soften the blow?” He held up one of his claws towards me while making a stabbing motion with it, his voice came out as a much lower growl than normal from him. “¿Or was putting me to sleep part of the plan?”
My face felt as if I’d been hit by an icy gale. ‘Did he just insinua-?’
“You’re fucking heartless.” That last sentence from him was punctuated by a fresh set of tears from his eyes, though no sobbing came from him as he let himself fall backwards down onto the floor, like a puppet with its strings suddenly cut.
My heart was beating wildly, and my eyes stung from the horrible accusations that he was making, and from how I’d probably be doing just what he had said if this had happened a few days ago…
I gave myself a moment to recollect myself, I’d thought similar enough things when I was alone in the hospital after losing my family, not nearly as extreme but… my circumstances back then and his right now weren’t comparable.
I shuddered internally at how much worse I’d have fared if it had been Venlil Prime that had been attacked; I’d probably… I’d have tried to do what he tried last night…
With a sigh I focused consciously on Jorge, who was breathing a bit more steadily now, as I picked up the bottle and moved steadily towards his alert gaze.
I sat down in front of him and opened the bottle, he narrowed his eyes even further in response, making the redness and glistening more pronounced, the patches of fur above his eyes changed position as well; I didn’t quite know what it meant, but it couldn’t possibly have been from him feeling happy or at peace.
I pushed through the sense of fear that was starting to form from being under his stare and took in the rest of his body language… I readjusted my position and observed as he flinched away from me…
I slowly raised the bottle and drank; The patches of fur over his eyes returned to their normal position, overshot and stayed raised while the intensity of his stare diminished. Finally, he tilted his head ever so slightly.
After a few gulps more I stopped drinking and offered him the bottle, he still wasn’t accepting it; I wiped my lips and prepared to speak.
“…I wouldn’t do that to you…” A small quiver at the end made me trail off until I was certain my voice wouldn’t fail me. I wouldn’t do that now. “None of those things, I mean… Even after all I did… You gave me a chance…”
“When you put it like that…” Jorge wiped his eyes. “I mean, I don’t know what came over me…” He looked to the side and deflated a little.
“I understand… I was like this too…” A small shiver traveled through my spine, thinking about it always did… I ignored the shiver by standing up and offering him the bottle again, this time he grabbed it and drank deeply.
He trailed behind me, we sat down on opposite sides of the bed, him hugging his legs as he sat against the wall, and me with one leg over the edge of the bed with the other one crossed over it.
Dozens of starting points were flurrying in my head, I couldn’t decide on one, so I cleared my throat and let myself say whatever came out first.
“I’m married.” Jorge became extremely visibly confused. “I-I’m a Widow, I meant to say…” The familiar sting of pain grounded me as his expression changed into one I could recognize even from him, pity.
“He-” died “…It happened 11 years ago, I… I lost my family at the same time…”
Jorge’s expression softened even more, no longer out of pity, but out of understanding… of the pain we shared…
“It was my dad’s idea, he’s always wanted to have a big family homestead… when the latest batch of colonies were finally cleared for habitation he bought a plot immediately, my sister and her husband went with them first, then my brother and his wife, and finally me and…”
This whole talking thing was much harder than I thought… I cleared my throat; I couldn’t go on just omitting any names in my retelling…
“Krayla, that’s my mother’s name.” I paused, waiting for his reaction, he ‘nodded’ slowly, solemnly. “Tavk’io, my dad; Talnum, my b-brother; Tahyiya, m-my sister; …a-and Glim, m-my husband…”
I buried my head in my paws, this was too much…
A moment passed, I felt something brush against my tail; Opening my eyes I saw that it was Jorge’s claw, he patted the tip gently until his eyes met mine.
“Emiliano José Cauich Ayala, t-that’s my father’s name.” He paused to breathe and wiped his eyes. “Ixchel Paola Rojas Canul, that’s my mother’s name.”
We stayed in silence for a while longer, at least in my case recovering from the emotional toll that I had just gone through.
“S-shortly after we arrived at the colony,” I began. “I l-learned I was p-pregnant, G-Glim and I celebrated it with my family, we were going to name our baby after my brother and his wife, Kiyomi. It… It was something we had all come up with [years] before, everything was going just like we had dreamed and talked so much about…”
I squeezed my tail against myself, all those nights at the colony laughing and joking with each other about increasingly outlandish names (ones that we’d never use of course), gone just like that…
“G-Glim and Talnum were busy helping the colony expand by clearing new plots for development and as buffer zones, I helped around with Taylee and Talim when needed but I helped dad with the house most of the time; There were always things that needed to be taken care of after all. Th-then one day in the colony, I f-fainted while picking up Taylee and Talim from school, a f-few [weeks] after that… I had to be sent back here since the colony’s hospital had lost their last equipment shipment to an Arxur raid.” I paused and lowered my voice. “G-Glim stayed behind to take extra assignments, t-to cover expenses, h-he… he was… he was on his last pawful of shifts b-before leave wh-when…”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“…D-dad was at home looking after the kids, he’d sprained his leg while doing some maintenance, he called me early in the morning there, Talnum and Glim were in some kind of assignment together, and my mother had taken everyone else to get stuff from the market to prepare a farewell meal f-for Glim…” And after that… “The call disconnected abruptly, it had happened before so I… I j-joked to m-myself a-and the nurse that it was p-probably j-just the signal failing because I wasn’t there to maintain things p-properly…”
Tears started forming in my eyes again, Jorge shuffled closer, put his soft claw on my shoulder and gave a light squeeze, his warmth spread throughout me.
“…A few claws later I learnt the truth, that the colony had been raided and that the shelter had been breached, shortly after that, I… I lost my…” I did my best to look him directly in his eyes. “After that… I started planning how to get to the hospital’s roof…” There, a glint of recognition and pain in his eyes. “I was just waiting for the rescue fleet to finish up there, just in case, thankfully… my dad hid Taylee and Talim in one of the [Kitchen] cabinets after taking down the family pictures, since he couldn’t take them to the shelter, he… Taylee told me that he… he begged her to keep quiet before closing the cabinet. She stayed in there with Talim for I don’t even know how long… She… She hasn’t talked about it ever again.”
Another squeeze, then silence and cold as he retracted his claw back towards him, his face turning to another side while taking on some kind of thoughtful intensity.
“S-So… What I’ve been trying to say was… I kind of understand what you’re going through… A-and if you want to talk… I-I’m here?”
A small ‘nod’, and more silence. My eyes were beginning to feel heavy again, that nap hadn’t been enough it seemed.
Jorge harrumphed, causing a bolt of wakefulness to course through me as he began speaking, filling in the silence that had fallen on the room.
“…I don’t think I’m ready yet…” His face turned towards me once more. “But… thank you, for sharing, and for worrying about me, I… If you hadn’t been there when I drifted into and out of sleep…” His eyes widened in a flash. “Wait. ¿You haven’t slept right? ¿Are you feeling OK?”
“I-I t-took a nap after you f-fell asleep…” B-beneath him… “Y-you left a lot of space…” He did, but I couldn’t get to it from under his legs…
“Good, good…” His eyes flicked between me and the door. “Well… I suppose you’ve got stuff to do now. ¿Am I right?” Somehow, the expression that sat now on his face felt forced in a way. I kept quiet as I rummaged through my memories of The Aftermath.
Of course, he was trying to get me out to wallow in peace, just as I did…
That was the last thing he needed right now.
I needed to find a way to get him out of this room…
“Actually… I’m free until my kids get back, I’m used to taking care of chores quickly.”
“Right…” Jorge seemed to slowly steel himself, if I didn’t interrupt me, he’d just ask me to leave directly…
I tried to think faster, but the drowsiness was returning in force, it was no use… Unless…
“H-Hey!” My exclamation startled him, I pressed on to keep the momentum strong. “I uh, I kind of went through my whole supply of [shade root] tea to stay awake…” I didn’t. “And… I don’t really want to drink more energy drinks this Paw, I don’t suppose you have something to stay awake with you?”
Jorge blinked, again, once more, and again one last time before responding.
“¿I… think I have some coffee I could make?” He tilted his head adorably to one side as he scratched his head with one claw.
“Sounds perfect! Would you please make me some?” I stood up before he could even answer, reached for his idle claw and tugged at it towards me; He stood up in what seemed like a daze out of reflex.
We spent the next few [minutes] browsing the intact shelf, whatever this coffee was, it wasn’t there, the tentatively positive mood that had formed cracked a little as Jorge looked at the shelf barricade before he trudged over to it, stopping beside it where he gestured at vaguely with his claw.
We stepped past the barricade, tried not to look at each other, failed, shuffled in place for a moment and began sifting through the items strewn about the floor in an unspoken agreement.
It wasn’t long until I found myself holding a container that my translator insisted was labeled ‘Instant Coffee’. “Hey,” I started while turning, “is this the ri-” Jorge was looking intensely at something on the floor, I followed his gaze and saw it, the broken remains of the flame projector.
“J-Jorge?” I extended my tail cautiously towards his arm, his claws ceased to strain against themselves following the subtle flinch he had when the tip of my tail made contact with him.
I gave him the ‘Instant Coffee’ I was holding and scooped up the remains to dispose of them properly this time; Jorge held up the container and murmured an affirmation at me, I gestured for him to lead the way and proceeded to follow him to the [kitchen].
I raced my way directly to the trash container, separated the single-use fuel cannister from the remains I was holding, and dumped the inert bits inside; I’d have to take this last part to a proper disposal collection point in town some other time. For now, I glanced at Jorge and tucked it into a discreet spot in the cabinets when he wasn’t looking. Only after that did I notice what a mess I’d made up here despite my best efforts at cleaning up…
Jorge’s eyes were scanning all over the [kitchen], taking in every splotch, every spill and every crusted over utensil I’d used, he lingered noticeably longer on the open and haphazardly arranged containers of his that I had used, finally he stared at the Vanilla Extract bottle with a soft expression, it was the only container that had remained completely spotless and didn’t have a significant amount of its contents drained.
Yet another unreadable expression had settled on his face as he took a big pot and barely put any water in it, the other more reasonably sized ones just too dirty to deal with quickly, before putting it to boil on the [stove top].
“Uh…” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other a few times. “I… never did thank you for the drink earlier ¿Didn’t I?”
“N-no but there’s no ne-”
The patches of fur above his eyes furrowed together.
“You… mentioned before that you entered the program for money…” He looked confused. “¿Why didn’t you just… ask for me to be picked up? You’d have gotten someone else in no time… Hell, I’d still understand if you did it now. You don’t have to go through all this trouble for me.” The confused expression deepened as he gestured at the messy remains around us.
“…”
He was waiting for an answer.
“I… w-well I d-did enter for the money… b-but… I don’t want to just replace you… I like being around you. I d-don’t know if we’re there yet… But I’d like to be… f-friends! W-with you someday…” Oh Protector, I couldn’t be more obvious unless I just came out and said it…
“Well for what it’s worth… Thank you Tayla, you don’t know what that means to me right now.” He was looking directly at me, with raw emotion and palpable aliveness, my face started to feel as if I was standing under sunlight…
“I-It was the l-least I could d-do…” It was worth it even though he didn’t seem to understand quite what I accidentally meant before…
I was spared from further embarrassment by the pot of water sizzling violently behind Jorge who turned around in a blur to turn the heat off, while he did that I grabbed two (clean) mugs and set them down near him, though I didn’t move my paws quite fast enough as his claw brushed against me while he moved the mugs closer to him to pour the water on them.
He let the water cool down a little as he put his sugar and ‘Instant Coffee’ containers close to the mugs; He poured the less-than-boiling water into the mugs, stirred in a measure of ‘Instant Coffee’ and a measure of sugar as well.
He passed me a mug with a cryptic warning. “If it’s not to your taste, let me know.” Then he grabbed the other one, sipped a little and waited.
The mischievous glint in his eyes left me no choice, I’d have to play along for now; I raised the mug and sipped…
SPEH
WHY WAS EVERYTHING THESE HUMANS HAD SO BITTER?
I futilely attempted to remove the grimace from my face; Strangely, the roar of laughter I expected was nowhere to be heard, I found myself looking at Jorge with some amount of concern, though the clear, if understated, smile he sported calmed me down somewhat.
Wordlessly, Jorge reached for my mug and the can of powdered coconut milk, he then proceeded to mix in a little of it in both mugs, turning the liquid from a dark oily brown to a much lighter tone. Finally he mixed in a single drop of his Vanilla Extract in each mug and gave me back mine.
I gave him the best glare I could manage as I pouted at him, he took a deep drink from his own mug and held it up for me to examine.
With a sigh I tried mine again.
Warm. Flowery. Smooth. Bitter but not too much, like a perfectly harvested root. But most importantly of all, I could feel myself waking slightly more already, whether it was just self-suggestion or the drink having an effect so soon I couldn’t tell.
Once more, the reaction I expected from Jorge was missing, this time he seemed to be lost in thought, staring at a distant point in the air.
I took a moment to examine him, whatever he was thinking, it was starting to fester. It’d be better to get him talking “What’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s no-” He shook his head. “It’s just… I… my dad… he liked to drink his without adding anything, no sugar, no… coconut milk…, and… me and mom used to tease him about it…” He was retreating into himself once more.
I kept drinking my coffee; There had to be something else I could talk with him about…
Jorge straightened up, something about his posture, about the way he held himself had changed.
“Say… Tayla… ¿Can I ask you for a favor?” Despite the confidence he exuded he was running one of his claws over the back of his mug repeatedly.
“W-what kind of favor?”
“There’s something I want, no, something I need to make for the end of the [month], and… I’m going to need your help getting the stuff, I’d just ask you to get it all for me, but honestly that wouldn’t be right.”
“O-ok, but you still haven’t told me what the favor is?”
“I need to buy flowers, candles, a good tablecloth, and see what dishes I can actually make here that’d be good enough.”
“W-What for?” W-Was he? My heart was beating wildly in a peculiar mix of elation, nervousness and apprehension.
“I’m going to make an Altar for Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), it’s the least I can do for my family all the way over here.”
W-
Wh-
WHAT?

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Taiwanese scientist's research suggests that with a single genetic modification, existing stem cell transplant treatments could extend life spans by 20% & make people 2-7 more resistant to cancer.
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We found this baby under a bush at a gas station yesterday. She's a STEM genius and a biscuit master. (OC)
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I know these woods like the back of my hand. Being one of the rangers around these parts, I've spent a lot of time taking in the beautiful scenery. I could tell you God knows how many different stories about brawls I've broken up, kids smoking weed out here, and even reports of stalkers, just in this area alone.
Okay, in all honesty, I haven't exactly broken anything up, but I have assisted those who have. I'm not the best at confrontation, but I'm trying to get better about it. Some of the guys make fun of me for not being more forceful when it's necessary, but that's not my scene.
The forest surrounding Grady National Park wraps around at least half of the city. We've always had plenty of bizarre rumors and such, dating back to long before the series of strange deaths, when I was just a toddler. I suppose most small towns have their fair share of unsettling stories in their history.
Even over the years I've been a Ranger, people would go missing on occasion, or some freaked out tourists may claim they had seen some bizarre things. Sometimes a dismembered body will turn up, which I have fortunately not been around for, as I am not great with the sight of blood. Still, I could barely wrap my mind around what happened that day.
Granted, my mind wasn't what it used to be. The car accident that claimed the life of my mother, back when I was in junior high, not only left my heart heavy but changed me as well. The truck that ran the red light, plowing into the passenger side of my father's car, landed me in a comatose state almost immediately.
A month or so afterward, I came out of it, but the damage to my brain took some time to repair. While I was once a stellar student, on my way to bigger and better things before that wreck, the time it took for me to recover from my injuries, as well as my altered brain function, left me a shadow of the man I could've been.
The loss of my mom, the dramatically altered parenting style of my heartbroken dad, and my inability to focus the way I used to, made life far more difficult over the following years. My father was still a loving guardian, but we grew more distant over time. I knew he was hurting, but I was too. I just wish we could've remained as close as we once were after we shared such a devastating loss.
Before the accident, we would take a camping trip at least once a year. Considering that it was as we made our way back from that final vacation that our family was left in ruins, there wouldn't be any more excursions out into the wilderness, or anywhere else, for my old man and I.
Though that last trip had such an impact on my life, I still had so many fond memories of those happier times. I think that's why I ended up settling on this particular profession. It may seem a bit morbid to some, as this is the same spot we used to frequent in my youth–the one we had only just left behind before the accident, but I couldn't blame such a beautiful place for a tragic event.
I still felt connected to it, in a strange sort of way. Maybe it's simply because it was the last place where I really felt content. Perhaps it was just my inherent love of nature, and being there made me feel closer to my mom if that makes sense. Yes, she died not far from here, but this was the last place I saw her smile–something that was always contagious.
I like to keep moving, for the most part. Some of the guys keep to specific areas, plus they're a hell of a lot more sociable to the residents and tourists, but I like to take in the sights as much as I can while being left alone, if possible. It's beautiful countryside out here, so there's no shortage of spots to just immerse yourself in the wonder of it all.
This clearing, right next to the lake, where the waterfall from high above cascades into the rapids has always been one of my favorites. I couldn't even tell you how many recordings I've captured over the six years I've been a Ranger, but I always find myself coming back to this place.
Not to sound like I'm pushing aside my responsibilities or anything like that, but I've taken quite a few naps, leaned up against the base of the mountain, and just drank in the ambiance. Of course, as soon as I wake up, I end up having to find the nearest tree, as passing out next to rushing water has quite the effect on the bladder, but it's a fair trade for the peacefulness of it all.
It was after coming back to the waking world one day that I noticed it for the first time. Many of the trees surrounding the clearing are ancient, wide, and tall, damn near reaching as high as the peak of the mountain. While I shambled over to one of the more secluded trees, tucked away from any wandering eyes by the shadows cast by the rock formations above, I noticed the light of the setting sun reflecting off of something.
At first, I almost thought someone was out there, shining a flashlight in my direction, exposing my draining bladder to the world, but I would be very mistaken about that assumption. After taking care of my business, I wandered over to where the glow was coming from, immediately puzzled by what stood before me.

This tree was a beast, its trunk as wide as my truck is long, reaching so high you could very possibly step right off the mountain and onto the branches. Being one of the more imposing in this area, I knew it pretty well or was at least familiar enough with it to know that it wasn't like this before.
The simple, black, wooden door was recessed about a foot into it, the shiny, brass knob catching the light as the sun sank away behind the mountain. It didn't look painted if that makes sense. It was more like the wood the door was constructed from was black, or possibly burnt. I hesitantly ran my fingers across it, surprised by how smooth it was. It felt like stroking a chrome-plated bumper, rather than a door that looked as though it belonged in a creepy, old house.
It was that very thought that inspired me not to attempt to open it–the idea of some sinister mansion being somehow tucked away in the guts of an enormous tree. I came close, wrapping my hand around the shiny knob, protruding from the bizarre entrance to God knows what, but after a moment, I let go.
It may sound a bit nuts, but when I grabbed that knob, everything fell silent around me. Being that the door was facing the waterfall, maybe about twenty or thirty feet from it, at that moment, it may as well have been twenty miles away. It was as though some impenetrable wall suddenly formed around where I stood, blocking out the sounds of the rushing water, the wind gently brushing the leaves, and the cars drifting by on the interstate, off in the distance.
Though I was quite curious about what may lie behind the door, I was feeling more unsettled than anything. I just backed away from the thing as if it had me at gunpoint. The further I got from it, the more my head cleared up, which was enough to convince me to head back to the station.
During my walk, I was arguing with myself about whether or not to tell some of the other guys about this, while attempting to convince myself that I was just seeing things. It's not unusual for me to see strange things after waking up, my mind with one foot still in a dream and the other dragging it along in the real world.
By the time I reached the cabin that we worked out of, I had shaken the whole thing off, deciding it was best not to give the guys a reason to look at me like I'm crazy. It was still on my mind, of course: the unusual door as well as the way it made me feel, but that part only assured me that I was still half asleep at the time.
A week or so passed before I went back out there to see no trace of the door, just the thick trunk and rough bark staring back at me. I still felt a bit uneasy about dozing off out there, even if the absence of the bizarre entrance to something else convinced me of my suspicions about it not being real.
It was probably a month or two after that day, that I would find myself face-to-face with it again. It wasn't as I patrolled, but as I headed home for the night. The nearby highway that ran parallel to the waterfall was the second step in my usual return trip, after the back roads from the cabin to the wider, two-lane road.
There wasn't much traffic that night, so I kept an eye on the path ahead, and another thumbing through my playlists in search of music for the ride. It was during that silence as I sought out my driving soundtrack, that I heard the screaming. I practically skidded into the ditch as it caught my wandering mind by surprise so much that I jumped in my seat.
I pulled over to the side of the road, next to the woods that would lead to that waterfall, hearing that muffled wailing again. While I was reluctant to seek out the source of the agonized howl, I felt a strange sort of compulsion to pursue it. Though I'm not one to look for a fight if I don't have to, something inside me was begging me to check it out.
I don't want to come off like a coward or anything, but on any normal day, I try to avoid conflict like the plague. Not this one, though. I wasn't certain how far into the woods the sound was coming from, but I pulled the heavy flashlight from the center console and headed directly into the forest without giving it a second thought.
Though I was quite familiar with the area, it didn't make sprinting between the trees with only the torchlight illuminating the path ahead any easier. Still, the louder the screaming grew, the more I was certain I was on the right track.
After about ten to fifteen minutes of forcing my quickly weakening legs onward, I cleared the denser woods that led to that clearing. As soon as I passed through to where those thicker, far more ancient trees surrounded the cascading waterfall, the screaming fell silent. It almost felt like it was some insanely realistic recording that ended the moment I set foot in that area.
I panned my flashlight around the vicinity, desperate to locate the source of that pain-filled squeal, but there was nobody out there, not that I could see anyway. It wasn't until I stepped a few more places forward, passing by the first of the thicker trunks that I saw something that almost caused my fingers to lose their grip on my guiding light.
The warm glow emitting from the cracked open door, recessed into that same enormous tree almost looked inviting at first. There was only an inch of light peering through the opening, making me wonder if someone had meant to close the door, neglecting to allow it to latch all the way. That was a theory that made sense anyway, even if the door itself made none.
As I walked closer, my torch bouncing against my upper thigh as my arm swung limp beside it, I felt that same bizarre sensation of walking into a tunnel. Just as it had before, the sounds of the rushing water and wind sweeping through the branches drew further away with every step. When I stopped right in front of the thing, it was as though I had my head was dunked in the lake, with pillows strapped around my ears.
The world felt so far away from where I stood, my body beginning to slightly spasm from the cold and eerie grip of that warm hue, leaking from within. Before my mind had a chance of grasping what my body was doing, my palm pressed against the slick wood, nudging the entrance open a little more. The hinges squealed like a mouse caught in a trap, as the glow from whatever lay within that tree grew wider and wider, tracing my shadow across the autumn leaves behind me.
While I couldn't make out the sound of the rushing water to my back, the further the door swung open, the more I could hear the rapids on the other side. The vision of that same riverbed I had slept next to more times than I can count, caused me to turn my head to ensure the one behind me was still there. Sure enough, that very waterfall was both behind and before me as I stood in front of that splayed open entrance.
When that same scream echoed from somewhere beyond the threshold of that ancient tree, my somewhat reluctant instincts took over for my absent mind at the time, speeding me into the foreign and eerily familiar landscape. As soon as I passed through, darting my head from side to side in search of whoever may be in trouble out there, the sudden, jarring sound of the door slamming shut almost caused me to leap out of my skin.
Glancing back to see a white door, recessed into the tree, with the same, brass knob protruding from it, I almost forgot what had inspired me to enter. Again, I moved closer, back the way I came, hearing the ambient sounds of my new location fading further away. Though the screaming met my ears again, it was far more muffled than the last, taking me a moment to register. When the distant 'help' joined the wailing, though, I finally snapped my senses back to the situation at hand.
With the terrain being so familiar to me, I began to head to the left of the waterfall, where a trail should lead up around the side of the mountain. It wasn't until I almost ran straight into the wall I would often rest against, that I understood in what manner this place differed from the one I left behind.
After studying the flat, rocky surface for a moment, I made for the right–the opposite direction from the one I was more familiar with. Every west I knew was an east here, like a mirror image of the world I left behind. Though I wanted to dwell on this more: to unlock the mystery of my puzzling location, I had no time to waste with whoever provided that scream moving further away by the second.
Everything I veered around as I ran as quietly as I could in pursuit of the source of that agonized wail was so familiar to me, but so foreign at the same time. Even the steep, uneven and winding path turned in the opposite direction I was used to, but not in a way that caused me to stumble or slip.
If anything, as bizarre as it may sound, I felt as though I could close my eyes and find my way around without a second thought. Perhaps it was nothing more than the way our mirror image is the one we know, as opposed to how we look a little off in pictures or recordings. We can never truly look upon our own faces, not the way others can.
These thoughts and realizations didn't fully form in my mind until I ran into another clearing, near the midway point in the trail. It wasn't as much the shrieking woman who looked to be in her late teens, or early twenties, being trussed up to the tree. It wasn't the three other scattered bodies, two male and another female, bleeding from various wounds either. The man who was tying the rope around the screaming girl, however; he inspired me to stop in my tracks.
"I thought this might be enough to grab your attention," he said, my own voice sounding unnervingly confusing to my ears.
I had no words of my own to offer the man with the exact same facial features as me. Everything about him was like I was gazing into my reversed reflection, down to the scar across my right eyebrow, his being on the left.
The uniform he wore, down to the scuffed-up belt buckle, was the same as mine, just a slightly darker color scheme. When he smiled, raising the left side of his mouth a little higher than the right–again, mimicking my mirror image, I felt the blood drain from my face, my head spinning from this bizarre sight.
"I wasn't gonna hurt her," he said, a shrug accompanying his familiar grin, "not until you got here anyway "
"NO!" I yelled out, my quivering legs attempting to push me towards him, as he unclipped my father's pocket knife from his belt.
I couldn't even hope to close the gap between us by the time I convinced my trembling extremities to move, before he flipped open the blade, digging it into her chest. Blood streamed to the forest floor as he turned it from side to side, gaping the wound wider as he twisted his wrist, the woman only moaning as she had no strength left to scream.
My legs burned and my heart beat like a stampeding herd as I drew close enough to tackle him, taking us both to the ground.
"Wait!" he barked, his words stopping short as my fist met his jaw, causing us both to recoil from the hit.
I tumbled to the side of him, wrapping my hand around my swelling jaw, while he did the same. After a moment, we just started at one another, with his whimpering victim falling silent. It was at that moment that I fully understood the gravity of the situation, while we both wiped the blood from our split lower lips.
"What the hell are you?" I asked, gasping for breath.
"You don't recognize me?"
"That's not an answer! What…the hell …are you!?"
He cut his eyes from me to the scattered corpses on the grass, to the lifeless woman with blood still trickling from her chest and mouth, and back to me again.
"I'm your better half," he said, a sinister smile reaching across his lips.
This was the first moment in which I couldn't see myself in his face. His piercing gaze seemed to darken, as he bared his teeth in a way that made him completely foreign to me.
"I won't let you go…I won't let you…"
"What, exactly?" he said, the smile fading from his face, "you won't let me kill again? Is that what you think? How are you gonna pull that off? You can't hurt me without hurting yourself, even your stupid ass can figure that much out."
"You got some freaking nerve! How exactly am I any dumber than you!?"
"For one: you think you can reason with me, or stop me from being what I was born to be. Two: I was always the better part of us."
"What the..?"
In that second, the puzzle pieces fell into place, as though a veil was lifted from my eyes. Though it was not easy to deny facts that I was quite literally confronted with, I refused to accept what he was implying: that it was he that I lost in the accident that stole my mother from me and my dad.
"We're all two parts, buddy," he said, interrupting my reeling thoughts, "one good, one…well, not so much…"
The doctors told me that my brain was damaged in that collision–that I lost a part of myself, but that couldn't have been literal, right? We're not two physical beings, trapped in one fleshy husk!
No, I wouldn't believe it. There was no part of me capable of doing what he did. My whole life, I'd never so much as hurt a fly; not if I could help it. Though I wasn't the sharpest kid in high school, I never mocked or insulted anyone. My teachers would practically brag about my behavior to my dad, even if that was to soften the blow of my grades not being the best.
I had, and would never hurt…wait…that's not quite true, is it? Yes, I was smart in junior high and kindergarten–gifted, my teachers would even say, but that's not all I was, was it? I was egotistical, arrogant, and cold. I treated my popular friends well while pushing around the smaller and less fortunate kids.
I was a bully.
"You're getting there," my reflection said, that unsettling grin breaching his lips again.
"I…I like who I am…I like who I am, without you," I said, the weight of my former self weighing heavily on my conscience.
"Ain't about what you like more," he said, walking closer, "neither of us can be right until we're whole again."
"Back the hell off!" I shouted, drawing my heavy flashlight like a sword.
"You wanna stop me, don't ya…only two ways that can happen…"
"I'm serious! Back the…"
"ONE: you can beat me senseless with your little toy there, and hope to God you can end me before you bleed dry yourself…"
"You're not…."
"TWO: you can let me back in…you can let me come home…"
"Never," I said, shaking my head in denial, "I'll never let you in."
"Ain't like you'll go around, snuffing folks out when we're whole again," he said, tossing our dad's pocket knife to the ground, "I'm only like this 'cause I'm undiluted…got no happy, happy thoughts bouncin' around the old noodle. It's the same reason you're such a FUCKIN' PUSSY! You're all sunshine 'n' rainbows, y'see…ain't got no black blood pulsin' through you…"
I felt the tears streaming down my face, both in denial of facts I was still fighting to deny, as well as what I may have to do to prevent him from getting what he wanted.
"Time to make a decision," he said, hunching over as drew closer, spreading his fingers like a cat about to pounce, "LIVE OR DIE, LITTLE BOY!"
With that, he charged me, tackling me to the ground as I had to him only moments earlier. As we rolled on the dead leaves and grass, he thrust his fist into my gut, causing us both to cough and buckle from the impact. My elbow struck his chin, jarring my jaw so hard, I feared I had broken it.
We continued like this until we were equally as bruised and bloody, each of us wincing from every blow we traded. By the time I pushed myself back from him, back in the direction I came from, I hadn't even realized how far we had tumbled while we waged our battle of self-injury.
I pushed up from the bumpy ground, my head spinning so much that I didn't realize that it was not my dizziness that made my equilibrium so offset, but the steep slant I was next to at the time.
"No!" my doppelganger screamed as I lost my footing, leaving me tumbling down the uneven path.
It almost felt like I was moving in slow motion, seeing my own, anguished face yelling out as his arms reached for me. I can't say whether it was my back meeting the slanted ground, or the other me leaping into my midsection that felt more jarring at the time, but before I knew it, the two of us were tumbling down that hill, sharing more wounds as we bounced from rocks to dips in the path, over and over.
How long we careened from one object to the next as we poured like a poorly choreographed avalanche down that hill, I couldn't even tell. When our descent finally came to a close, mud, dirt, and leaves pasted to the sticky blood leaking from God knows how many places on my body, I found myself just lying there, gazing up at the moon, shining down from above.
My conscience wavering, every inch of my broken body screaming in agony, my eyes fell shut, sending me once more into blissful darkness.
I can't say if it was the ominous, humming sound, or my body being dragged across the ground that shot me back to consciousness, but my vision was still blurry, at best. With the still uncertain condition I was in, I hadn't the strength or ability to fight against the hands gripped under my arms, pulling me from the spot where my fall came to a close.
"Stay with me," a gentle, feminine voice spoke–one that felt so familiar, and so distant at the same time, "we're almost home, baby boy."
When my eyes finally registered the now violently shuddering tree, with the white door forming cracks in the trembling wood, my already thundering heart sank with the possibility of my way home crumbling apart before me.
When the hands slipped free from around me, my bones clicking and crunching as I attempted to face the one who brought me this far, I heard the hinges of that ancient door swinging open.
"You have to go the rest of the way on your own," the voice said, "I can't follow you through."
My eyes finally met those I had first seen in this world, the distant and forgotten memory of that moment, shooting forward from the depths of my subconscious. Fresh tears blended with the thick blood, crusted to my cheeks, my chest burning from this wondrous vision.
"Go!" she said, glancing from me to the door, "you have to go, baby boy…there's no time!"
While my fractured heart begged me to stay, my weary and agonized shell fought to push me free of the hard ground, a warm hard cupped around my split and swollen face.
"I'll see you again, my love," she said, her lips forming that playful smile I adored since I formed my first thought, "but not yet…"
I found myself standing on my own two feet, the shuddering, open door to my back, and the dark sky splitting like a sheet of heavily tinted glass.
"Not yet," my mom said, as the world around us crumbled apart, my body falling weightless through the opening to the one I belonged in.
•
My eyes sprung back open, uncertain of when they had closed, with my back pressed to the glass and dirt. I sat straight up, running my fingers across my face in search of injury, only meeting my stubble in the process.
The ancient, wide tree stood before me, with no trace of a door in sight, only the centuries-old bark, with the moonlight accentuating its hardened texture. My senses still reeling, while my mind fought to recall where I had just been. Ultimately, after understanding that I was only recently on my way back home, after a long day at work, I headed back in the direction of my truck, hoping it was still by the road where I left it.
The next few days came and went in something of a haze. There were reports of some missing college kids: two male, and two female, but there was no sign of where they went. Though the memories of my time behind that door took a while to fully reform in the back of my mind, it's not something I could really explain to anyone.
Not only did I not want people to think I was nuts, but I wasn't about to tell them what, or who had abducted the four who went missing. While the man I was before following the path they ended up taking may only be half of the one who came back, I won't be held responsible for what my sentient darker half did.
Once upon a time, my conscience would have been crippled beneath the weight of those deaths, but my more recently reclaimed, logical mind understands that it wasn't truly my fault. It was as he, well, I said, 'that he was the undiluted version', after all.
Whether it was that fall that linked us back together or the actions of the one who saved me from being lost in that place, I suppose I'll never know. It is quite amazing though, the feeling of being whole again for the first time in years.
I still don't fully understand how I came back to this side with none of the injuries I received there. Perhaps it was more the split parts of my soul who faced off in that bizarre, mirror world, rather than the physical form of my fractured body.
While that doesn't fully explain the missing teens, I suppose I'll never have all the answers to what happened that night, nor what truly occured after that collision that ripped my family apart. Life goes on, regardless of any of that, when all is said and done.
Though I'm planning to start taking some night classes, to finally earn some sort of degree, I don't plan to quit being a Ranger. I love my job, which is something that both sides of me can agree on. I suppose I just have something of a need to prove to myself that my brain is working as it used to before I ended up with quite the literal split personality.
Don't worry, I don't have any desire to stalk and murder anyone, well, not entirely. I have a few urges I didn't have before, but I'm certain it's nothing that I can't control. Yes, I'm a little more broody than I was not so long ago, but also a good deal less cowardly, so that's something at least.
Whatever happens from here, I will neither be taking naps on the job nor revisiting that spot by the waterfall, if I can help it. One thing I learned from all of this, is that there's far more to being content, than being happy. It's not all sunshine and roses, but that's life.
You have to take the bad with the good, in the end. One cannot exist without the other, after all.

I know these woods like the back of my hand. Being one of the rangers around these parts, I've spent a lot of time taking in the beautiful scenery. I could tell you God knows how many different stories about brawls I've broken up, kids smoking weed out here, and even reports of stalkers, just in this area alone.
Okay, in all honesty, I haven't exactly broken anything up, but I have assisted those who have. I'm not the best at confrontation, but I'm trying to get better about it. Some of the guys make fun of me for not being more forceful when it's necessary, but that's not my scene.
The forest surrounding Grady National Park wraps around at least half of the city. We've always had plenty of bizarre rumors and such, dating back to long before the series of strange deaths, when I was just a toddler. I suppose most small towns have their fair share of unsettling stories in their history.
Even over the years I've been a Ranger, people would go missing on occasion, or some freaked out tourists may claim they had seen some bizarre things. Sometimes a dismembered body will turn up, which I have fortunately not been around for, as I am not great with the sight of blood. Still, I could barely wrap my mind around what happened that day.
Granted, my mind wasn't what it used to be. The car accident that claimed the life of my mother, back when I was in junior high, not only left my heart heavy but changed me as well. The truck that ran the red light, plowing into the passenger side of my father's car, landed me in a comatose state almost immediately.
A month or so afterward, I came out of it, but the damage to my brain took some time to repair. While I was once a stellar student, on my way to bigger and better things before that wreck, the time it took for me to recover from my injuries, as well as my altered brain function, left me a shadow of the man I could've been.
The loss of my mom, the dramatically altered parenting style of my heartbroken dad, and my inability to focus the way I used to, made life far more difficult over the following years. My father was still a loving guardian, but we grew more distant over time. I knew he was hurting, but I was too. I just wish we could've remained as close as we once were after we shared such a devastating loss.
Before the accident, we would take a camping trip at least once a year. Considering that it was as we made our way back from that final vacation that our family was left in ruins, there wouldn't be any more excursions out into the wilderness, or anywhere else, for my old man and I.
Though that last trip had such an impact on my life, I still had so many fond memories of those happier times. I think that's why I ended up settling on this particular profession. It may seem a bit morbid to some, as this is the same spot we used to frequent in my youth–the one we had only just left behind before the accident, but I couldn't blame such a beautiful place for a tragic event.
I still felt connected to it, in a strange sort of way. Maybe it's simply because it was the last place where I really felt content. Perhaps it was just my inherent love of nature, and being there made me feel closer to my mom if that makes sense. Yes, she died not far from here, but this was the last place I saw her smile–something that was always contagious.
I like to keep moving, for the most part. Some of the guys keep to specific areas, plus they're a hell of a lot more sociable to the residents and tourists, but I like to take in the sights as much as I can while being left alone, if possible. It's beautiful countryside out here, so there's no shortage of spots to just immerse yourself in the wonder of it all.
This clearing, right next to the lake, where the waterfall from high above cascades into the rapids has always been one of my favorites. I couldn't even tell you how many recordings I've captured over the six years I've been a Ranger, but I always find myself coming back to this place.
Not to sound like I'm pushing aside my responsibilities or anything like that, but I've taken quite a few naps, leaned up against the base of the mountain, and just drank in the ambiance. Of course, as soon as I wake up, I end up having to find the nearest tree, as passing out next to rushing water has quite the effect on the bladder, but it's a fair trade for the peacefulness of it all.
It was after coming back to the waking world one day that I noticed it for the first time. Many of the trees surrounding the clearing are ancient, wide, and tall, damn near reaching as high as the peak of the mountain. While I shambled over to one of the more secluded trees, tucked away from any wandering eyes by the shadows cast by the rock formations above, I noticed the light of the setting sun reflecting off of something.
At first, I almost thought someone was out there, shining a flashlight in my direction, exposing my draining bladder to the world, but I would be very mistaken about that assumption. After taking care of my business, I wandered over to where the glow was coming from, immediately puzzled by what stood before me.

This tree was a beast, its trunk as wide as my truck is long, reaching so high you could very possibly step right off the mountain and onto the branches. Being one of the more imposing in this area, I knew it pretty well or was at least familiar enough with it to know that it wasn't like this before.
The simple, black, wooden door was recessed about a foot into it, the shiny, brass knob catching the light as the sun sank away behind the mountain. It didn't look painted if that makes sense. It was more like the wood the door was constructed from was black, or possibly burnt. I hesitantly ran my fingers across it, surprised by how smooth it was. It felt like stroking a chrome-plated bumper, rather than a door that looked as though it belonged in a creepy, old house.
It was that very thought that inspired me not to attempt to open it–the idea of some sinister mansion being somehow tucked away in the guts of an enormous tree. I came close, wrapping my hand around the shiny knob, protruding from the bizarre entrance to God knows what, but after a moment, I let go.
It may sound a bit nuts, but when I grabbed that knob, everything fell silent around me. Being that the door was facing the waterfall, maybe about twenty or thirty feet from it, at that moment, it may as well have been twenty miles away. It was as though some impenetrable wall suddenly formed around where I stood, blocking out the sounds of the rushing water, the wind gently brushing the leaves, and the cars drifting by on the interstate, off in the distance.
Though I was quite curious about what may lie behind the door, I was feeling more unsettled than anything. I just backed away from the thing as if it had me at gunpoint. The further I got from it, the more my head cleared up, which was enough to convince me to head back to the station.
During my walk, I was arguing with myself about whether or not to tell some of the other guys about this, while attempting to convince myself that I was just seeing things. It's not unusual for me to see strange things after waking up, my mind with one foot still in a dream and the other dragging it along in the real world.
By the time I reached the cabin that we worked out of, I had shaken the whole thing off, deciding it was best not to give the guys a reason to look at me like I'm crazy. It was still on my mind, of course: the unusual door as well as the way it made me feel, but that part only assured me that I was still half asleep at the time.
A week or so passed before I went back out there to see no trace of the door, just the thick trunk and rough bark staring back at me. I still felt a bit uneasy about dozing off out there, even if the absence of the bizarre entrance to something else convinced me of my suspicions about it not being real.
It was probably a month or two after that day, that I would find myself face-to-face with it again. It wasn't as I patrolled, but as I headed home for the night. The nearby highway that ran parallel to the waterfall was the second step in my usual return trip, after the back roads from the cabin to the wider, two-lane road.
There wasn't much traffic that night, so I kept an eye on the path ahead, and another thumbing through my playlists in search of music for the ride. It was during that silence as I sought out my driving soundtrack, that I heard the screaming. I practically skidded into the ditch as it caught my wandering mind by surprise so much that I jumped in my seat.
I pulled over to the side of the road, next to the woods that would lead to that waterfall, hearing that muffled wailing again. While I was reluctant to seek out the source of the agonized howl, I felt a strange sort of compulsion to pursue it. Though I'm not one to look for a fight if I don't have to, something inside me was begging me to check it out.
I don't want to come off like a coward or anything, but on any normal day, I try to avoid conflict like the plague. Not this one, though. I wasn't certain how far into the woods the sound was coming from, but I pulled the heavy flashlight from the center console and headed directly into the forest without giving it a second thought.
Though I was quite familiar with the area, it didn't make sprinting between the trees with only the torchlight illuminating the path ahead any easier. Still, the louder the screaming grew, the more I was certain I was on the right track.
After about ten to fifteen minutes of forcing my quickly weakening legs onward, I cleared the denser woods that led to that clearing. As soon as I passed through to where those thicker, far more ancient trees surrounded the cascading waterfall, the screaming fell silent. It almost felt like it was some insanely realistic recording that ended the moment I set foot in that area.
I panned my flashlight around the vicinity, desperate to locate the source of that pain-filled squeal, but there was nobody out there, not that I could see anyway. It wasn't until I stepped a few more places forward, passing by the first of the thicker trunks that I saw something that almost caused my fingers to lose their grip on my guiding light.
The warm glow emitting from the cracked open door, recessed into that same enormous tree almost looked inviting at first. There was only an inch of light peering through the opening, making me wonder if someone had meant to close the door, neglecting to allow it to latch all the way. That was a theory that made sense anyway, even if the door itself made none.
As I walked closer, my torch bouncing against my upper thigh as my arm swung limp beside it, I felt that same bizarre sensation of walking into a tunnel. Just as it had before, the sounds of the rushing water and wind sweeping through the branches drew further away with every step. When I stopped right in front of the thing, it was as though I had my head was dunked in the lake, with pillows strapped around my ears.
The world felt so far away from where I stood, my body beginning to slightly spasm from the cold and eerie grip of that warm hue, leaking from within. Before my mind had a chance of grasping what my body was doing, my palm pressed against the slick wood, nudging the entrance open a little more. The hinges squealed like a mouse caught in a trap, as the glow from whatever lay within that tree grew wider and wider, tracing my shadow across the autumn leaves behind me.
While I couldn't make out the sound of the rushing water to my back, the further the door swung open, the more I could hear the rapids on the other side. The vision of that same riverbed I had slept next to more times than I can count, caused me to turn my head to ensure the one behind me was still there. Sure enough, that very waterfall was both behind and before me as I stood in front of that splayed open entrance.
When that same scream echoed from somewhere beyond the threshold of that ancient tree, my somewhat reluctant instincts took over for my absent mind at the time, speeding me into the foreign and eerily familiar landscape. As soon as I passed through, darting my head from side to side in search of whoever may be in trouble out there, the sudden, jarring sound of the door slamming shut almost caused me to leap out of my skin.
Glancing back to see a white door, recessed into the tree, with the same, brass knob protruding from it, I almost forgot what had inspired me to enter. Again, I moved closer, back the way I came, hearing the ambient sounds of my new location fading further away. Though the screaming met my ears again, it was far more muffled than the last, taking me a moment to register. When the distant 'help' joined the wailing, though, I finally snapped my senses back to the situation at hand.
With the terrain being so familiar to me, I began to head to the left of the waterfall, where a trail should lead up around the side of the mountain. It wasn't until I almost ran straight into the wall I would often rest against, that I understood in what manner this place differed from the one I left behind.
After studying the flat, rocky surface for a moment, I made for the right–the opposite direction from the one I was more familiar with. Every west I knew was an east here, like a mirror image of the world I left behind. Though I wanted to dwell on this more: to unlock the mystery of my puzzling location, I had no time to waste with whoever provided that scream moving further away by the second.
Everything I veered around as I ran as quietly as I could in pursuit of the source of that agonized wail was so familiar to me, but so foreign at the same time. Even the steep, uneven and winding path turned in the opposite direction I was used to, but not in a way that caused me to stumble or slip.
If anything, as bizarre as it may sound, I felt as though I could close my eyes and find my way around without a second thought. Perhaps it was nothing more than the way our mirror image is the one we know, as opposed to how we look a little off in pictures or recordings. We can never truly look upon our own faces, not the way others can.
These thoughts and realizations didn't fully form in my mind until I ran into another clearing, near the midway point in the trail. It wasn't as much the shrieking woman who looked to be in her late teens, or early twenties, being trussed up to the tree. It wasn't the three other scattered bodies, two male and another female, bleeding from various wounds either. The man who was tying the rope around the screaming girl, however; he inspired me to stop in my tracks.
"I thought this might be enough to grab your attention," he said, my own voice sounding unnervingly confusing to my ears.
I had no words of my own to offer the man with the exact same facial features as me. Everything about him was like I was gazing into my reversed reflection, down to the scar across my right eyebrow, his being on the left.
The uniform he wore, down to the scuffed-up belt buckle, was the same as mine, just a slightly darker color scheme. When he smiled, raising the left side of his mouth a little higher than the right–again, mimicking my mirror image, I felt the blood drain from my face, my head spinning from this bizarre sight.
"I wasn't gonna hurt her," he said, a shrug accompanying his familiar grin, "not until you got here anyway "
"NO!" I yelled out, my quivering legs attempting to push me towards him, as he unclipped my father's pocket knife from his belt.
I couldn't even hope to close the gap between us by the time I convinced my trembling extremities to move, before he flipped open the blade, digging it into her chest. Blood streamed to the forest floor as he turned it from side to side, gaping the wound wider as he twisted his wrist, the woman only moaning as she had no strength left to scream.
My legs burned and my heart beat like a stampeding herd as I drew close enough to tackle him, taking us both to the ground.
"Wait!" he barked, his words stopping short as my fist met his jaw, causing us both to recoil from the hit.
I tumbled to the side of him, wrapping my hand around my swelling jaw, while he did the same. After a moment, we just started at one another, with his whimpering victim falling silent. It was at that moment that I fully understood the gravity of the situation, while we both wiped the blood from our split lower lips.
"What the hell are you?" I asked, gasping for breath.
"You don't recognize me?"
"That's not an answer! What…the hell …are you!?"
He cut his eyes from me to the scattered corpses on the grass, to the lifeless woman with blood still trickling from her chest and mouth, and back to me again.
"I'm your better half," he said, a sinister smile reaching across his lips.
This was the first moment in which I couldn't see myself in his face. His piercing gaze seemed to darken, as he bared his teeth in a way that made him completely foreign to me.
"I won't let you go…I won't let you…"
"What, exactly?" he said, the smile fading from his face, "you won't let me kill again? Is that what you think? How are you gonna pull that off? You can't hurt me without hurting yourself, even your stupid ass can figure that much out."
"You got some freaking nerve! How exactly am I any dumber than you!?"
"For one: you think you can reason with me, or stop me from being what I was born to be. Two: I was always the better part of us."
"What the..?"
In that second, the puzzle pieces fell into place, as though a veil was lifted from my eyes. Though it was not easy to deny facts that I was quite literally confronted with, I refused to accept what he was implying: that it was he that I lost in the accident that stole my mother from me and my dad.
"We're all two parts, buddy," he said, interrupting my reeling thoughts, "one good, one…well, not so much…"
The doctors told me that my brain was damaged in that collision–that I lost a part of myself, but that couldn't have been literal, right? We're not two physical beings, trapped in one fleshy husk!
No, I wouldn't believe it. There was no part of me capable of doing what he did. My whole life, I'd never so much as hurt a fly; not if I could help it. Though I wasn't the sharpest kid in high school, I never mocked or insulted anyone. My teachers would practically brag about my behavior to my dad, even if that was to soften the blow of my grades not being the best.
I had, and would never hurt…wait…that's not quite true, is it? Yes, I was smart in junior high and kindergarten–gifted, my teachers would even say, but that's not all I was, was it? I was egotistical, arrogant, and cold. I treated my popular friends well while pushing around the smaller and less fortunate kids.
I was a bully.
"You're getting there," my reflection said, that unsettling grin breaching his lips again.
"I…I like who I am…I like who I am, without you," I said, the weight of my former self weighing heavily on my conscience.
"Ain't about what you like more," he said, walking closer, "neither of us can be right until we're whole again."
"Back the hell off!" I shouted, drawing my heavy flashlight like a sword.
"You wanna stop me, don't ya…only two ways that can happen…"
"I'm serious! Back the…"
"ONE: you can beat me senseless with your little toy there, and hope to God you can end me before you bleed dry yourself…"
"You're not…."
"TWO: you can let me back in…you can let me come home…"
"Never," I said, shaking my head in denial, "I'll never let you in."
"Ain't like you'll go around, snuffing folks out when we're whole again," he said, tossing our dad's pocket knife to the ground, "I'm only like this 'cause I'm undiluted…got no happy, happy thoughts bouncin' around the old noodle. It's the same reason you're such a FUCKIN' PUSSY! You're all sunshine 'n' rainbows, y'see…ain't got no black blood pulsin' through you…"
I felt the tears streaming down my face, both in denial of facts I was still fighting to deny, as well as what I may have to do to prevent him from getting what he wanted.
"Time to make a decision," he said, hunching over as drew closer, spreading his fingers like a cat about to pounce, "LIVE OR DIE, LITTLE BOY!"
With that, he charged me, tackling me to the ground as I had to him only moments earlier. As we rolled on the dead leaves and grass, he thrust his fist into my gut, causing us both to cough and buckle from the impact. My elbow struck his chin, jarring my jaw so hard, I feared I had broken it.
We continued like this until we were equally as bruised and bloody, each of us wincing from every blow we traded. By the time I pushed myself back from him, back in the direction I came from, I hadn't even realized how far we had tumbled while we waged our battle of self-injury.
I pushed up from the bumpy ground, my head spinning so much that I didn't realize that it was not my dizziness that made my equilibrium so offset, but the steep slant I was next to at the time.
"No!" my doppelganger screamed as I lost my footing, leaving me tumbling down the uneven path.
It almost felt like I was moving in slow motion, seeing my own, anguished face yelling out as his arms reached for me. I can't say whether it was my back meeting the slanted ground, or the other me leaping into my midsection that felt more jarring at the time, but before I knew it, the two of us were tumbling down that hill, sharing more wounds as we bounced from rocks to dips in the path, over and over.
How long we careened from one object to the next as we poured like a poorly choreographed avalanche down that hill, I couldn't even tell. When our descent finally came to a close, mud, dirt, and leaves pasted to the sticky blood leaking from God knows how many places on my body, I found myself just lying there, gazing up at the moon, shining down from above.
My conscience wavering, every inch of my broken body screaming in agony, my eyes fell shut, sending me once more into blissful darkness.
I can't say if it was the ominous, humming sound, or my body being dragged across the ground that shot me back to consciousness, but my vision was still blurry, at best. With the still uncertain condition I was in, I hadn't the strength or ability to fight against the hands gripped under my arms, pulling me from the spot where my fall came to a close.
"Stay with me," a gentle, feminine voice spoke–one that felt so familiar, and so distant at the same time, "we're almost home, baby boy."
When my eyes finally registered the now violently shuddering tree, with the white door forming cracks in the trembling wood, my already thundering heart sank with the possibility of my way home crumbling apart before me.
When the hands slipped free from around me, my bones clicking and crunching as I attempted to face the one who brought me this far, I heard the hinges of that ancient door swinging open.
"You have to go the rest of the way on your own," the voice said, "I can't follow you through."
My eyes finally met those I had first seen in this world, the distant and forgotten memory of that moment, shooting forward from the depths of my subconscious. Fresh tears blended with the thick blood, crusted to my cheeks, my chest burning from this wondrous vision.
"Go!" she said, glancing from me to the door, "you have to go, baby boy…there's no time!"
While my fractured heart begged me to stay, my weary and agonized shell fought to push me free of the hard ground, a warm hard cupped around my split and swollen face.
"I'll see you again, my love," she said, her lips forming that playful smile I adored since I formed my first thought, "but not yet…"
I found myself standing on my own two feet, the shuddering, open door to my back, and the dark sky splitting like a sheet of heavily tinted glass.
"Not yet," my mom said, as the world around us crumbled apart, my body falling weightless through the opening to the one I belonged in.
•
My eyes sprung back open, uncertain of when they had closed, with my back pressed to the glass and dirt. I sat straight up, running my fingers across my face in search of injury, only meeting my stubble in the process.
The ancient, wide tree stood before me, with no trace of a door in sight, only the centuries-old bark, with the moonlight accentuating its hardened texture. My senses still reeling, while my mind fought to recall where I had just been. Ultimately, after understanding that I was only recently on my way back home, after a long day at work, I headed back in the direction of my truck, hoping it was still by the road where I left it.
The next few days came and went in something of a haze. There were reports of some missing college kids: two male, and two female, but there was no sign of where they went. Though the memories of my time behind that door took a while to fully reform in the back of my mind, it's not something I could really explain to anyone.
Not only did I not want people to think I was nuts, but I wasn't about to tell them what, or who had abducted the four who went missing. While the man I was before following the path they ended up taking may only be half of the one who came back, I won't be held responsible for what my sentient darker half did.
Once upon a time, my conscience would have been crippled beneath the weight of those deaths, but my more recently reclaimed, logical mind understands that it wasn't truly my fault. It was as he, well, I said, 'that he was the undiluted version', after all.
Whether it was that fall that linked us back together or the actions of the one who saved me from being lost in that place, I suppose I'll never know. It is quite amazing though, the feeling of being whole again for the first time in years.
I still don't fully understand how I came back to this side with none of the injuries I received there. Perhaps it was more the split parts of my soul who faced off in that bizarre, mirror world, rather than the physical form of my fractured body.
While that doesn't fully explain the missing teens, I suppose I'll never have all the answers to what happened that night, nor what truly occured after that collision that ripped my family apart. Life goes on, regardless of any of that, when all is said and done.
Though I'm planning to start taking some night classes, to finally earn some sort of degree, I don't plan to quit being a Ranger. I love my job, which is something that both sides of me can agree on. I suppose I just have something of a need to prove to myself that my brain is working as it used to before I ended up with quite the literal split personality.
Don't worry, I don't have any desire to stalk and murder anyone, well, not entirely. I have a few urges I didn't have before, but I'm certain it's nothing that I can't control. Yes, I'm a little more broody than I was not so long ago, but also a good deal less cowardly, so that's something at least.
Whatever happens from here, I will neither be taking naps on the job nor revisiting that spot by the waterfall, if I can help it. One thing I learned from all of this, is that there's far more to being content, than being happy. It's not all sunshine and roses, but that's life.
You have to take the bad with the good, in the end. One cannot exist without the other, after all.

Cover First
Previously
Story Discord (expires in 7 days)
O-O-O
The Heartless Ranger is brought to you by Gatling_Tech....and readers like you! Thank you!
O-O-O
1615, 4 July 2253, Ember Legion Base, Underneath Watney City
Jina ascended the stairs of their building. The guide had finally shown up, profusely apologizing for being late and took the former corporate crew off her hands. She had practically sprinted across the city to get back. Her heart sang with anticipation as she walked down their hallway. She took a deep breath and opened up the door. Finally, she was...not quite home, but somewhere familiar. “Hollis?” Jina smiled as the slim collie walked out of the kitchenette into the main room
Hollis smiled softly and asked, “How’d your mission go?”
“You lied to me.” Jina frowned mockingly. “I got shot at.”
Hollis bounded across the room to Jina and grabbed her, hands roaming across her body. She whispered, “I don’t feel any holes that aren’t supposed to be there.”
Jina laughed and said, “Perv,” before squeezing the collie tight and picking her up. Hollis yelped in pain as Jina quickly sat her back down. “Are you hurt?”
Hollis looked away, out the window, muttering, “It’s not important.”
Jina let some steel creep into her voice. “Hollis.”
She sighed, nodded and said, “Yeah, I got a bit banged up.”
“What happened?”
Hollis shied away and muttered, “It’s really not important.”
Jina groaned and said, “It absolutely is important. Did you get hurt in the battle?”
Hollis shook her head, tail between her legs. “No, no. Nothing like that. Just a little scuffle.”
Jina rolled her eyes. She was being defensive again, like when she’d accidentally let go of a spare part on EVA and it went flying off into deep space. Jina frowned and asked forcefully, “What happened, Hollis?”
She raised her hands and her tail hugged closer between her legs. “Look, I had a few words with the new pilots and...it got a bit physical.”
Jina’s mood soured, her face twisting into a disappointed frown. “Hollis, again? This can’t keep happening.”
Hollis bared her teeth slightly and muttered, “The other bitch started it.”
Jina sat down in the wobbly chair and massaged her forehead as she sighed. “Hollis, you’re not some mercenary pilot anymore. I left that ship and my friends to fight the good fight with you by my side.” Her voice rose a little. “Picking fights is not exactly the good fight”
Hollis shook her head and sat down across from Jina at the table. She thought for a moment and muttered, “Whatever, I’m sorry.” She looked away as she added, “Don’t tell the corpo pilots I said this, but they’re...not completely useless.” Hollis shook her head, “Probably all that fancy technology babying them, though.”
Jina decided not to comment and asked, “Does Moxie need any repairs?”
“Some armor is dented and caved in, but she’s fine. Better off than the PMC tanks.”
Jina offered, “You want to work on her tonight?”
Hollis thought for a moment and responded, “No, you need to work on your shot groupings more than Moxie needs armor repair.” The collie frowned, “I can’t protect you all the time, so you’d best be able to defend yourself.”
Jina chuckled and said, “Oh what would I do without my glorious knight in dented green armor?”
O-O-O
As the hug broke, Ana looked between the members of her crew, scanning them for injury. Sam had said everyone was alright, but she needed to be sure. Nothing was missing, no one was bandaged. She breathed a sigh of relief. It hardly felt real.
Lian asked in stuttering words, “D-did my p-program work? The t-telemetry killer?”
She raised an eyebrow, wondering why he was asking about that now. She answered anyway. “Aside from some graphical glitches, it worked just fine and probably kept us alive long enough to be rescued.”
“At least s-some of it worked.”
Sean squeezed the dark furred snow leopard into a hug and whispered, “Lian, honey. It doesn’t matter,” just loud enough for Ana to overhear.
Matt looked around and muttered, “I guess you guys can sit down for a while.” The support crew spread out among the couches as Ana took a seat at the table.
Ana took a deep breath and asked, “So...what happened? We got jumped on patrol by a dozen tanks, but...what did they do to you?”
Sam frowned and opened her mouth, pausing before she spoke. “It was...horrible. Right after your comms were destroyed, we heard gunshots outside the house. The Ember Legion got into a gun battle with a group from Sirius Security that had been sent to kill us.” Ana gritted her teeth, more anger bubbling up. Sam continued, “We got in a rover with a tigress and hid underground. After that we hopped a cargo rover train and then we got here.” Her entire body shook as she asked, “How did you guys make it?”
Matt answered. “It was a tough fight.... We were rescued by that modified construction frame.” He swallowed heavily. “The mech...is in bad shape, but we’re alright. Tank armor is really hard to punch through with the arm guns, by the way.”
Ana quipped dryly, “Don’t forget that we got a melee kill. We join the storied tradition of mech pilots who faced destruction within arm’s reach and won.”
“I’m still not sure how that shell didn’t....” Matt trailed off.
Sam’s face flashed with concern as she pivoted the conversation. “How are you...emotionally?” She looked around and added, “That goes for everyone, by the way.” She stifled a yawn before her expression snapped back to concern.
Sean clenched his fist as he sat up straight. “As best as can be given the circumstances. Pissed, ready to make Gold Horizon fucking pay.”
Lian shook his head and whispered, “B-better now. B-barely.”
Ana frowned as she tried to collect her thoughts. “I’m...feeling a bit lost to be honest. It’s so weird. This all feels like a dream.”
“Am I in that many of your dreams?” Matt chuckled slightly, “No wait, don’t answer that here.”
Ana groaned and changed the topic. “Do you have our go bags? I want to see what I still have and make sure...my jewelry is in there.” Matt shared a knowing glance with Ana and smiled softly.
“Right, of course.” Sam shuffled backwards and pulled a large bag off her back. Inside it were the air-tight go bags they’d made so long ago, right after they’d arrived on Mars. “We had to take out any devices and put them in Faraday pouches until we can get them cleared.” She corrected herself, “If they can get them cleared. They’ve got someone working on that now, I think.” Ana walked over and grabbed her bag.
As Ana shuffled through the bag, she said, “Feel free to help yourself to any food if you’re hungry.” Lian walked into the kitchen and started rifling through the cabinets as she continued to search. A flash of relief flooded through her as she pulled out the floral bracelet Matt had bought for her at the end of last year. She closed the clasp around her wrist, breathing a sigh of relief as its miniscule weight tugged on her fur.
Matt asked, “Do you guys want to do anything now that we’re back together?” Ana elbowed him gently. She thought to herself, Sam is barely awake, how do you not see that?
Lian shook his head and muttered, “N-not right n-n-now.” Lian grabbed Sean’s hand and muttered, “I...n-need to go.” He stood up and pulled Sean towards the door. Ana couldn’t help but overhear a bit of their exchange. Sean asked the snow leopard, “Are you okay?”
Lian’s voice wavered, “It’s j-just t-too m-much. Feelings—” The door shut behind them.
Silence hung over the room. Matt coughed, breaking the silence.
Sam’s eyes blinked for a fraction of a second too long before she responded. “Lian...has not been having a good time. He is convinced that his software was what gave us away and...for a while thought that you two were dead because his software failed.”
Ana hissed, “Ohhhh fuck.” After a moment, she wrinkled her brows and asked, “I mean, we’re fine, so he should feel better, right?”
Sam shrugged and stretched. “Eventually, yes.” The lynx probably hadn’t slept in a real bed in several days.
Ana gently suggested, “If you need to rest, you can check out your room. These beds are really nice.”
Sam looked between the two haggard pilots. “Are you sure?”
If Ana looked closely she could see bags under Sam’s eyes. Her posture was tense and uncomfortable. “We’ve already gotten a chance to rest. You need to as well.”
“Are you—”
Ana cut Sam off and snapped, “Sam for fuck’s sake, go take a nap. You need it. We’ll be fine. Right Matt?”
“Absolutely.”
Sam wordlessly raised her hands and picked up her bag. She backed towards the door, nearly tripping over a lamp. Her ears flicked in embarrassment as she walked back into the hallway.
O-O-O
1955, 4 July 2253, Ember Legion Base, Underneath Watney City
Sean jolted awake to someone knocking. Confusion swirled as to where he was. After he’d comforted Lian they must have fallen asleep on their couch. He rubbed sleep out of his eyes and twisted slightly. Lian was pressed up against him, wrapped around him as much as possible. “You feeling better cutie?”
“A little.”
Sean pried Lian’s tail off his leg and stretched. “I will need to answer the door, so...could you please free me?” Lian complained as he unwrapped his limbs. Sean popped his back, feeling the cracks shoot up and down his spine as he arched it. He walked to the door, wondering who it could be. He opened it to see Sam holding the tablet their guide had given them with a dour expression on her face. He gestured inside and asked, “What’s up?”
Sam stepped inside as Lian stood up and smoothed his fur. “They sent a few outside news articles to me so I could let you guys know. We’ve been declared the victims of a gang attack. Matt and Ana were supposedly killed by an Ember Legion ambush.”
Sean spat out, “Lying fucks.” The assumption he’d made when they jumped in that rover was true. “God...my family thinks I’m dead.” His eyes watered as his chest tightened. “Ugh.”
“I’m sorry.”
Sean wiped a tear off his face and asked, “How do you think your family is managing? Can’t imagine mine is doing too well. They lost their kid again.”
Sam sighed and shrugged. “I doubt my family cares. They haven’t spoken to me in well over a decade.” She shook her head. “They might not even notice the news.”
“With how you are with us...I’d assumed your family was amazing....”
She raised her hand as Sean trailed off. “It’s not for lack of effort on my part, but sometimes you don’t get what you give. I’ve come to peace with it.” Sam shrugged. “Don’t worry about me right now. I’ll be fine. Do you need anything?”
Sean looked back at Lian. The snow leopard shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think...I think we both knew this was coming.”
“I understand. I’m going to be at the hangar tomorrow morning to start working on a repair plan for the mech, will you two be coming with me?”
“Y-yeah.”
“You can count on us.” Sean gave a half-hearted thumbs up. “See you then.” Sam nodded and closed the door.
Sean swept Lian towards him and held him tight. “Are you okay? I know with your cousin how...rough that was on your family.”
“My p-parents and s-siblings are p-p-probably crushed. The extended f-family is probably h-helping out.” Lian broke the hug and muttered,“It’s...weird. I-I was m-more upset about Matt and A-ana.”
Sean leaned in closer and said, “They are a bit closer to you, and we pretty much live with them.”
Lian rocked his head. “I-I guess. They’re n-not really f-family though.”
“Aren’t they? We’ve been through hell together. In my book they might as well be.”
“I guess.” Lian asked, “How about y-your family?”
Sean took a deep breath, chest swelling against Lian. “It was harder the first time I was dead to my family, but I’ll be okay.” He thought back to that time, cringing at the memory. “I’m sure they’re hurting, but I can’t worry about it right now. I can let them know I’m safe eventually.”
Lian looked away at the ground. “I-I know it’s a change of topic b-but...it’s been a wh-while...could we....”
Sean snickered softly, picking up on the awkward snow leopards implication immediately. It was a change but not one he minded. That sounded like exactly the stress relief they both needed. With a smile he said, “Yeah, we can. Go get ready.”
Lian smirked, grabbed his still-packed bag, and scampered to the bathroom. With a slight chuckle he responded, “Okay.”
Sean began rifling through his bag. A sinking feeling began to grow in the pit of his stomach. He muttered aloud, “Where is it?” He reached the bottom of the backpack and frowned. He started over from the top. Clothes, his hormone gel, his toiletries kit, and the presents Lian had gotten for him. He unzipped the toiletries kit. It had all his personal care items, lube and protection, but...nothing else.
Sean sank to his knees, dramatically wailing, “Noooooooo!”
A half-dressed Lian stumbled out of the bathroom with his pants around his ankles. He asked nervously, “What’s wrong?!”
Sean answered dramatically, “We left something—someone behind.”
“Wha—who?!”
“My penis,” he paused for dramatic effect, “has been captured.”
Lian’s face wrinkled with confusion. “What? Your...what?”
“It wasn’t in the bag when we left.... Shit, I wish we had some spirits.” Sean saluted as he rose to his knees “I’d pour one out to the little guy. Well...not little, but—”
Lian sighed sharply, cutting Sean off. “Okay. I get i-it. I was w-worried about you. Jerk.”
Sean reflexively responded, “You love it,” before putting on the charm as he murmured, “We can still have some other kind of fun.”
O-O-O
0830, 5 July 2253, Ember Legion Base, Underneath Watney City
Sam braced herself against the seat in front of her. There was a tram that went from the main refuge to the hangar bays, through a sequence of pressure doors. The tram was open to the tunnel and a bit shaky. The hangars were well outside the refuge, which she was appreciative of, but the tram felt uncomfortable. It finally came to a stop and Sam unclenched her hands. She stepped off the tram, making sure that the rest of her crew had also gotten off.
She looked around the new area. It was well lit and heavily reinforced. The walls were covered in metal plates and harsh light bathed the area. The hangars were cut into bedrock and were sealed with heavy doors. At ground level, there was an airlock to enter the hangars. Over a dozen combat modified rovers were parked near the large airlock at the end of the hangar bay. Several workers milled around, entering and exiting the hangars. “Our mech is in the hangar furthest from the exterior airlock.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw the rest of the crew following her. Matt and Ana were walking in lockstep, her tail tapping his body. Lian and Sean looked nervous. The smaller outer door was already open. Sam was the first person to step through the door. She grabbed a hard hat and cringed as her ears were squished flat.
The outer door slid shut and the inner door slid open, much faster than usual since there was no atmosphere difference. As the others put their headgear on, she walked into the hangar.
Sam put her hand in front of her mouth as she gasped. The mech had already been reassembled and was standing on its own. It looked like it was dead. The once shiny blue paint was pitted and scraped all over the upper body and it was caked in reddish-brown dust that almost looked like dried blood. The armor directly over the cockpit had been pitted in by a large caliber round. The plate was ruined. Most strikingly, the head was nearly demolished. The faceplate glass had been shattered and the underlying sensors were exposed. It was a wonder they had been able to fight at all. Half or more of the sensors were just gone. The laser target designator was missing, along with the interior high band comms antenna. Several RCS thrusters clearly had leaked hypergolic propellant onto the paint. The main gun was missing and the missile pods were empty.
She finally was able to tear her eyes away from the ruined mech to survey the hangar. It seemed well equipped, a pair of lifts, two large tool chests, several sets of welding gear, isolation suits, breathing masks, a chemical shower, an APU with a set of adapters, and a huge wall rack filled full of standard parts. Sam purred slightly despite herself. She was impressed.
Matt asked behind her, “Can you fix it?”
“I...don’t know. I can’t say much without running a diagnostic, but...it could be worse, I think.” She spun around and asked, “Does the quickline still work?”
“Yeah.”
Sam walked towards the tool chests. Plans were already forming in her head. Finally, something she could do. She opened the toolbox and retrieved a tablet. She jogged back to the main group and thrust it toward the pilots. “Matt, Ana, one of you get up there and start a full engineering diagnostic and safe the systems. Copy the diagnostic data onto this.”
Matt tilted his head and replied, “Uh...roger that.” Matt took the tablet and started walking towards the mech.
“Where’s the person who’s supposed to know what goes on here? We’re going to need to manufacture a lot of parts. I don’t know if they can manufacture the sensors that we need.” Sam groaned.
Her ears twitched as a set of footsteps entered the hangar. Someone shouted, “Sorry we’re late! We were looking for you!” A group of a half-dozen mechanics walked towards their group. The mech hummed to life as the diagnostic began.
As they arrived, Sam asked, “Alright, who’s in charge of this repair?”
One of the mechanics tilted his head. “Uhhh...the plan was for that to be you, since you know this mech the best.”
She nodded and bit her lip. “Fantastic.” Sam frowned. “Do I want to know how you guys knew how to take this thing apart for transport?”
A borzoi laughed and quipped, “Corporate information security is pretty bad. Maintenance docs are not the hardest to come by, and it’s supposed to do that.”
Sam grinned slightly and asked, “Do you know how to remove the armor properly?”
One of the older mechanics ordered, “Stevens, Jamie, power up the crane and get the power loader.” He continued, “We can get the armor off just fine.”
“Good. Make sure to only do armor until the mech is safed.” Sam looked up to the open cockpit hatch. She shouted up, “Matt, how’s the diagnostic going?”
The Gunner shouted back, “Fifteen percent!”
“Alright.” Sam rubbed her chin. They were at a significant bottleneck until she knew exactly what was wrong. The huge doors slid open as heavy machinery rolled in, the thrum of fuel cells adding to the noise from the strong ventilation. “Ana, anything in particular we’ll need to work on?”
Ana sighed. “Well...we’re missing the main gun.”
Sean groaned and asked, “Is she—uh, is it still out on the surface?”
“No idea, but it’s fucking wrecked, wherever it is.” Ana smirked. “I’m sorry that your precious lady took a direct hit, but it’s fucked up and alone on the surface.”
“Well, fuck. That’s not a position anyone wants to be in.” Ana snickered as Sean shot back, “Hey shut up, give me time to grieve.” Sean turned to the idle mechanics and asked, “Can you make gigavolt high amperage solenoids down here?”
“Probably, but I doubt they’ll be durable enough for the sort of sustained fire you need.” Another of the mechanics added, “We can make combustion-type ammunition and make a traditional mech combat rifle scaled for that thing, though.”
Sean groaned in disappointment and muttered, “I guess that’ll have to work.”
Sam nodded, hand on her chin and turned towards Lian. “Lian, how easy will that be to integrate with the targeting systems?”
He thought for a moment and stuttered out, “I-I-I...probably n-not t-t-too bad. ROMEO f-frames are s-supposed to be able to use t-traditional b-ballistics so th-the firmware p-pathway exists a-at least.”
“That’ll have to be good enough.” Sam turned towards the older mechanic, thoughts turning to the damaged armor. “We can pressurize this hangar with something inert, right?”
The older mechanic replied, “Yes,” and asked, You’re planning on doing armor welding here?” Sam nodded in appreciation as her thoughts continued to run wild. She looked back up at the mech.
As she visually surveyed the mech again, she caught the lift in the wrong spot out of the corner of her eye. She spun around and yowled, “YOU THERE ON THE LIFT, UPPER TORSO ARMOR BEFORE LOWER, YOU’LL DROP IT OTHERWISE!”
“Sorry!” The canid mechanic refastened the armor, tail sinking in shame.
Matt’s faint voice echoed down a few moments later, “Diagnostic complete! Mech is fully safe for work!”
“Alright, everyone who’s trained and able, help with armor removal. I want this mech stripped to frame by lunchtime!” She walked towards the mech, waiting for Matt to descend the quickline. The winch whirred as he stepped off gracefully.
Matt handed off the tablet and said, “Here you go.”
Sam opened the diagnostic results and began reading. As she’d suspected, the head had taken heavy damage. Primary and secondary long range comms were not damaged, but destroyed and so was the radar. The port side sensor cluster was also destroyed and the forward facing sensor cluster was partially damaged. She moved to the next section of the report.
About 40% of the RCS ports on the upper body were damaged, concentrated around the torso. They’d need to manufacture new inconel thruster bells. Several secondary hydraulic lines were severed in the left arm, but the primary system was intact. The weapon coolant loop was damaged, but only slightly. Several armor panels on the upper body were nearly punched through, including the cockpit hatch and the left abdomen panel. A few other panels had minor dings from machine gun fire. Several secondary sensors on the lower body were unable to see, but that was likely fixable with a wash to get the regolith off.
She looked further down the diagnostic. The backpack’s forward armor jacket was damaged, but the hydrogen storage lattice was fully intact. They were missing a single heat sink, but the ground config was overloaded with cooling capacity so that wasn’t as concerning. She sighed in relief. The radiators on the backpack were somehow intact. Propellant was basically empty, but that was easily remedied. The mech had almost five hundred hours of reactor fuel still onboard. Sam was thankful the fusion process was so efficient and compact. If this was a fission mech, it would be nearly impossible to refuel. She kept reading.
The legs had taken a few hits from small arms but no major damage, somehow. Sam realized with a grim realization the corporate forces must have been shooting to kill, not capture. She pushed that aside for now. Work needed to be done and she knew what needed to happen.
Sam took a deep breath and shouted, “Alright everyone, listen up!” Sam waited for people to look towards her as the echoes died down. “We can fix this mech!” A subdued cheer rang out as she continued. “The most important thing is to get this armor off so we can confirm frame integrity and begin the process of replacement! If I could get the crane to help me remove the head once I’m ready, I would appreciate it! Additionally, I need someone to head to the manufacturing facilities with a bill of materials later! Let’s get back to work!”
A chorus of affirmatives circled around the room. Sam walked back towards the tool chest and began loading up her tool harness, grabbing a safety line. She pulled on a pair of safety gloves that went partially up her forearms. She quickly walked back to the unused lift and hopped on. She connected her safety line to the lift and ascended to the mech’s shoulder with a whine of servos. She looked down over the hanger, two mechanics were unfolding a net to drop parts in. As the lift reached the top, Sam swapped the line to a hardpoint on the mech and stepped onto the collar armor panel.
She knelt down and quickly unfastened the ballistic fabric around the mech’s neck. None of the connecting lines were broken in the neck, thankfully. She laid down on her front and began disconnecting the various sensor cables and coolant hoses. She took extra care with the power cables and the control lines for the head articulation servos. Mercifully the connections were still intact. After a few minutes, she stood up and waved to the crane operator. With a whine of motors, the crane hook dropped down and traversed towards the large head slowly. Sam connected the lifting lines and pulled out the socket wrench from her belt.
A set of five fasteners connected the head to the main frame. The entire head assembly contained the drive motors and much of the advanced targeting hardware, but the base of the neck was attached very simply. She slowly started unfastening the head, the clink of metal against metal filling her ears.
After a few minutes, she signaled to the crane operator before stepping clear. With a slow whine, the head lifted off the shoulders. Sam made sure to stay away from the moving hunk of metal and glass. As the head was lowered to the ground, she swapped her safety line back to the lift and descended. She wished for the simplicity of the manipulator arms back at Von Braun. As the lift descended, she mused, maybe they could make some....
As the lift came to a stop, she unclipped her safety line and vaulted over the railing. She slowly fell to the ground and landed in a crouch. Sam walked towards the head and sighed. This was going to be the most difficult part of the repair, she could already tell. She looked around the hangar for another set of hands to help with disassembling the head. Lian was helping Sean, handing him tools as they removed some of the ankle armor, Matt was helping remove a panel over the abdomen. All the Ember Legion mechanics were busy, but Ana was unoccupied and trying not to look it.
Sam sauntered over to Ana and grabbed her arm. “You’ve been conscripted. I need more hands.”
She jolted and asked, “I–why?”
“Because you’re not doing anything right now and it’s unsafe to open up the head without a buddy.” She shook her head a bit and said, “Come on, I taught you that.”
Ana nodded and replied, “Alright, alright. Point taken. Let’s do this.” As they turned back towards the head Ana grimaced. “Shit, I...did not look at it too closely until now.”
Sam nodded sympathetically. “It’s amazing nothing more vital was hit. A few centimeters lower and the head would have—”
Ana hissed out painfully , “I know.”
Sam drove her palm-pad into her face. “Oh gods, sorry. I should have...sorry.”
Ana gritted her teeth and muttered, “It’s fine. I’m better now.” She gritted her teeth and asked through a strained voice, “We need the faceplate off first, right?”
Sam looked over the head, noticing again the track where a bullet tore through. “Normally we’d take off the target designator but...that’s been taken care of courtesy of our former employer.”
Ana asked, “How are you even going to fix this?”
The lynx ran her gloved hand along the path the bullet had taken, looking at the groove it had carved through the mech’s skull. “The head frame itself is mostly fine. If it were any other frame section, we’d need to remake it, but we can patch this frame without significant durability concerns.” Sam nodded to herself. “We’ll take all the sensors out and then patch the frame while I see what we can do about replacing the damaged or destroyed sensors.” Sam mentally disassembled the components and added, “I’m hoping they can make or find a targeting radar. Gosh, the EM sensors aren’t simple either. We can make do with simple cameras, but a wider spectrum would be a lot better.” Sam motioned to the faceplate as she drew her socket wrench.
Ana chuckled and moved to hold in the broken faceplate. “Matt’s a great shot, but I don’t think he can quite do it blind.” Sam smirked and popped open access hatches around the seam of the faceplate before unlatching the glass plate. She’d missed this sort of work so much.
O-O-O
1245, 5 July 2253, Ember Legion Base, Underneath Watney City
Matt looked up at the nearly bare headless frame of the mech. It could have been a lot worse. There was no significant frame damage and the cockpit was fully intact. Damaged RCS thrusters had been stripped out of the frame and the mech’s broken armor laid on carts around them. The empty missile pods were discarded in the back corner of the hangar. The repair ahead of them looked much more feasible now. The mech’s head was mostly disassembled in the corner of the room, thanks to the efforts of Sam and Ana. He stretched and cracked his back. Armor panels weren’t difficult to remove, but you had to stand in weird ways.
Sam popped out from behind the head frame, covered in grease. She looked at the status of the mech and the components and shouted out, “Good work everyone, let’s get some food!” As she began to wash off, Matt took his work gloves off and got in line for one of the sinks.
Alex tapped him on the shoulder and asked, “How did it go? Well I hope?”
Matt turned around with a smile. He replied, “Yeah, more or less.”
“Both of you were probably shaken up from uh, well....” he glanced at the mech, “that.”
As Matt began washing his hands, he replied noncommittally, “Probably.” He changed the topic, asking, “How do you like working on a top of the line mech?”
“Your armor is really fucking light, and yet...it stopped shells that should have annihilated it. It’s pretty cool.” Alex thought for a moment and then added, “I’m also excited to work with inconel to replace those RCS thrusters. It’s literal rocket science!”
Matt grinned and replied, “Hell yeah.” He dried off his hands and waited for Alex to finish washing up. They walked towards the airlock. Sam had brought a huge cooler of wrapped lunches with them this morning, and he was so hungry. He jogged over to the airlock, hanging his hardhat inside as it cycled.
Alex pulled out a terminal and powered it up. As he began scrolling his notifications, he added, “I can get you guys some terminals, so you can start living in the twenty-third century.”
Matt laughed, “God, please. I feel so disconnected. Has anything important happened? Is there some fun post on the net, I wouldn’t know.” He added, “Assuming you have one of those down here, I mean.”
As Alex pushed the terminal back into his pocket he chuckled. “Oh yeah, of course we have a net. We may be underground, but it’s not like we’re living in the dark ages.” Matt grabbed a boxed lunch out of the cooler and handed it to the borzoi. Alex politely responded, “Thank you.”
As they sat their lunches on a small table, Alex pulled his terminal out again. His eyebrows went up as he quietly exclaimed, “Oh shit.”
“What’s up?”
Alex’s eyes darted back and forth as he rapidly read the screen. He exclaimed, “Dude, someone leaked a bunch of data implicating Gold Horizon and a shitload of other companies in the destruction of Nyx!”
Matt’s eyes widened in shock “Wha—who leaked it?”
“It doesn’t say, but it includes combat logs from the destruction of Nyx and comms logs from.... Holy shit.” His eyes widened again. “Unrest is getting a lot worse, people are fucking pissed.” Alex smiled toothily. “People are waking up to corporate corruption! This is amazing for us!”
Matt frowned slightly. Alex was being a bit optimistic—just because people were mad didn’t mean things would go better, but it was a start. Gears turned in his mind as he realized who was probably responsible. The idea began dawning on Matt as he stood up, lunch forgotten. “I’ll be right back.” He looked back towards the hangar exit, looking for Lian. Spotting him exiting the airlock, he loped quickly towards the snow leopard. He stopped the snow leopard and asked, “Lian, one of the mechanics and I have uh...some questions, if that’s alright?”
Lian nervously asked, “About wh-what?”
“The data we collected.” Matt continued, “Someone leaked a bunch of stuff that implicates corporations. Was it you?”
Lian straightened up and said, “Let me see it.”
Matt cautioned him, “You’ll be talking to a new person.”
Lian nodded and sighed, straightening his back. “Okay. Fine. Take me.”
They quickly walked back to the table and Matt introduced Lian, “This is Lian, my friend and general software genius. He wants to see the article because it might have been him.”
Alex tilted his head inquisitively and handed over the terminal. “Here you go man.”
Lian read quickly and laughed sharply and strangely. He suddenly yelled, “YES! It w-worked! Fucking SUCK IT c-corpos!”
Alex leaned towards Matt and asked, “What the fuck is he talking about?”
Matt ran his hand through his hair, scratching his head and said, “I have no idea.” He noticed other people looking at their table and nudged Lian. “What worked, exactly? What did you do?”
He lowered the volume of his voice. “My contingency t-triggered. I made sure that even if we...d-died of the s-stuff we found out would come to light.” He sat the terminal down and Alex picked it back up.
Alex asked, “How?”
Lian’s words sped up as he animatedly explained. “I set it up so that data we collected would become public from over a dozen servers across the solar system if my personal devices stopped connecting to the network. Once every server confirmed and agreed my devices were offline, it released all the data to a bunch of independent journalists and hacktivists.”
Alex sat in stunned silence for a moment and muttered, “That is awesome, but...I meant the data. Where did you get it? The article said there were internal communication logs, financial orders, combat briefings, a whole bunch of really classified shit.”
Matt grinned sheepishly, hand on the back of his neck. “We uh...hacked a Gold Horizon main server on Luna a while back.”
Alex looked between both of them, struggling to find words. He blinked a few times and then in a flat tone uttered, “What?”
“You wanna hear that story?”
“How the shit do I say no to that?! Tell me!”
“We already had suspicions about Gold Horizon, so while our mech was being overhauled in Von Braun, Sean, our weapons tech; Lian; and myself decided to find out more about our employer....”
O-O-O
Next

[First] [Previous]
Here is the rest of chapter 5. Enjoy.
"Rangers, come inside. Master Foehammer will be with you shortly.” A small figure, not more than four foot invited us in. Ryzahan went first, and I gestured for Cobalt to go ahead. The door was just barely large enough for the critter to squeeze by.
“I s’pose Leroy didn’t make it then did ‘e?” The dwarf pointed to the white shroud across Cobalt’s saddle. I shook my head.
“No. Poisoned by a Cave Crawler. My partner here killed the beast so your kin has been rightfully avenged. I also found where the breach occurred that let the crawler into your mine. It is near the bottom, in shaft thirty eight. I stuck my head in to see how big the chamber was, nothing but a vertical chute deeper than I could see downwards.” Ryzahan passed the dwarf a sheet of parchment, it was a diagram of where the breach in the mine was.
“Damned thousand leg freaks. They’re called Miner’s Bane in ‘re tongue. We’ll set up some traps and put a few cables up to block the chute. Thanks for this Ryza, I’ll make sure you get a bonus for the diagram. Here’s the Forgemaster coming now.” The Dwarf nodded his thanks, and stood to the side to allow his superior to pass by. The dwarf was covered in soot, and his hands wore their history of hard labor on an anvil. He stood quite tall for a dwarf, at least five foot four and stocky. His eyes wandered over Ryzahan, then to me, finally resting on the shroud covered corpse. His voice was even, but his eyes belied a great sadness.
“So that’s that then. Thank you Rangers. Have you uncovered what finished poor Jenki?” The sadness was gone in a flash, and I saw a steel edged anger being wrought and sharpened. Ryzahan reached into his pouch and withdrew a claw. I hadn’t seen him take one from the cave, it may have been found deeper down.
“Adult cave crawler matriarch. Jenki had hidden himself into a deep crevice, but got stuck. The crawler flooded it with gas. My partner, Leonard Willis, killed it with steel and sorcery. Last I saw, it was writhing in three pieces, with large chunks taken out of it by his beast, Cobalt.” Ryzahan gestured to my mount as he mentioned it, the dwarf nodded approvingly. I felt a surge of happiness in Cobalt as he accepted the praise.
“Thank you Mr. Willis. I am Master Foehammer, third of name, and first of the dwarven clan here in Lynx’s Lake. I can’t imagine ending such a foul beast was easy. The crawlers have a nasty habit of being hard to kill.” Foehammer stuck his hand out to me, I took it, preparing to be crushed in his grip. I was surprised when he only popped one of my knuckles. I patted my slung rifle after he released me.
“The rifle handles bugs pretty well it seems. I put about a hundred rounds into it, three bomb spells, and Cobalt chewed the damn thing in half. One of my rounds set off the gas bladder, cooked it from the inside out.” Foehammer’s eyes examined my weapon, his curiousity piqued.
“I’ve not seen a weapon like that in a very long time. I had heard you were from a place with great wonders. Would you mind if I looked the weapon over?” The dwarf asked. I obliged, removing the magazine and clearing the chamber. The Forgemaster took the weapon and set it down on a nearby table. As he studied it, he began to speak again.
“This rifle, I’ve seen the makers mark before. Fabrique Nationale, of Belgia, right?” The Dwarf asked, much to my surprise.
“Yes, Belgium, but yes. It’s the FN FAC. It’s designed as a lightweight automatic rifle. I suppose a gravewalker had a model similar to it?” I postulated as the dwarf found the take down pins of the rifle. The upper receiver slid off, and the dwarf inspected the internals diligently.
“He called his an eff-A-ell. Thing could take the head off a cave troll from six hundred lepos. This one looks newer, lighter weight, smaller ammunition. Much more reliable mechanism too.” The Dwarf hadn’t had it apart for more than ten seconds when he found the pin that held the trigger mechanism in place, and popped it out with a mallet.
“Hey! I said look at it, not take it apart!” I started forwards. Ryzahan put his hand on my shoulder to stop me from making a mistake.
“Relax sonny, I just want to see how the trigger works. I’ll put it back together better than it was, promise. Us dwarves have a knack for machines, and perfect memory.” I stopped with a frown, but let Foehammer continue.
“Alright. I heard you lot are also pretty good with Runes. Anything you can do for me as far as the rifle goes?” I ventured, hoping for a lightning gun. Foehammer let out a belly laugh.
“The young’n asks if I can do something to a machine. Friend, I can make this thing shoot fireballs when you run out of bullets. The other gravewalker, Roland, he ran out of ammunition, so we replaced the barrel with a focusing rod, the magazines were swapped for runic charge crystals, and the bolt carrier group we swapped for a dragon heart amplifier. The trigger we turned into a circuit switch to connect the crystals to the amplifier, and he was putting holes in drake hide from a thousand lepos. Now it only worked because he was a gravewalker, and he could recharge his crystals directly, or channel energy straight into the amplifier, but it was a weapon fit for slaying a demon lord. You bring me the reagents, I’ll do the work at cost, as thanks for avenging my cousin.” The Dwarf had stripped the rifle down to nearly every base part, and was staring at them all. It took me a minute to realize he was memorizing the dimensions of every single individual part.
“Can you really do that? Eyeball the size and shape of everything?” I asked as he began putting it all back together. The dwarf had one of the springs in between his lips, so he just gave me a thumbs up. He popped the spring back into place, and put the ejector lever on top.
“That’s right. Once I’ve seen it, memorized it, I can remake it. I don’t have the precision tools here to build one of these, but from a purely mechanical perspective, it is easily within my skills. Your ammunition is a different story, we tried for weeks to make a powder of similar quality to your people, and the best we got was something Roland compared to ‘Powder B’. It was usable, but not nearly as powerful. The stuff had a bad tendency of sweating out blasting jelly in storage too. I haven’t been back to Helbryn for about ten years, my son runs our shop there. I’ll send him a letter asking if they’ve made any improvements lately. Something of a pet project of his. Your weapon good ranger.” The dwarf handed my rifle back to me. I charged the weapon and pulled the trigger on an empty chamber. I hadn’t seen the dwarf make any adjustments, but it seemed a bit more crisp. I nodded my thanks, loading a fresh drum of incendiary rounds.
“Ryzahan, your payment. I understand you’ve given us a diagram of where we went wrong in the mine, and for killing the crawler I’ve included another eight thrones. If you need any work done, new armor, a blade, whatever it may be, you’ll get a steep discount, all of you. Thank you for this.” Foehammer handed a roll of gold coins to the ranger, they had holes in the middle for a string, just as my silver coins did.
“I only wish I could have brought him back alive, my condolences. Leon here might be up for pulling some security work for you in the mine. He needs a good flow of cash, and some repair to his reputation after nearly killing me.” Ryzahan put me forward. I turned to the Dwarf, who was now eyeing me again.
“You said he killed the crawler by himself? Well, him and his beast?” The Dwarf looked back to Ryzahan.“And before that he killed twenty or so goblins with my daughter. Before that, he single-handedly turned a goblin spitehunt, they were running from him when we first met. Then there is of course the fact that he nearly killed me. He’s a rookie in the caves, but he can fight with that rifle, and his sword work is alright. He could probably learn a lot from you all in the mine. Besides, you’d be able to ask him all sorts of questions about the technology of his home realm.” Ryzahan did his best to sell me.
“Leon, how’d you like a security contract? You keep our miners safe, we’ll teach you how to survive the caverns, how to survey a chute, and you teach us what you can about your machines. You’ll be paid fifty scutz a day, half a crown, fed and sheltered at the mine or here in the shop. Any fighting, I’ll give you a bonus for every head you take.” The Forgemaster stuck his hand out again. I took it, smiling at the offer.
“That sounds more than fair, thank you. I do have one question though… Ryzahan said he has two more contracts, one to kill the spiders on the west road, and one for the Wyrm. Would I be able to go with him to repay my debt to him?” I put down my one requirement. The Dwarf thought it over for a moment.
“That is agreeable, those damn spiders are making supply and export shipments difficult, and we’re all fucked if that Wyrm makes a home here. Ryzahan, let me know when you’re going out to handle that. I’d be willing to send Borden and Gorni out to help with the spiders if you need extra hands, they were raiders in the Helbryn Legion.” The forgemaster agreed, two dwarves at a furnace turned to look, I assumed they were the two that had just been voluntold to kill the spiders.
“I haven’t even gone to look for my self yet, only the sightings of a few matriarchs. If your merchant friends have any reports, send them my way. We may need more than a few extra hands if they’ve already begun laying eggs.” Ryzahan began to pocket the coins, before seeming to remember something. He took three of the coins and handed them to me.
“I thought I wasn’t getting paid for the Uruk or the Mine?” I looked at him quizzically.
“We’d be dead if you hadn’t have shown up and distracted the crawler. I need to go spend time with my daughter. Foehammer, if you’re willing to have that contract start immediately…” The dwarf held up his hands, waving them as if to say ‘Don’t worry about it’
“The gravewalker’s welcome here, Leon, I’ll have Iver show you to a room where we put the merchants up overnight. Thanks again, give my best to your daughter would you Ryza?” Foehammer pointed me towards the short dwarf that had met us at the door as Ryzahan waved his farewells. I looked to Cobalt and my equipment.
“Right, Gorni! Gorni show the noble beast to the stable out back, give him a red belly, and have one of the forgeboys cart Leon’s equipment upstairs.” The Forgemaster made my arrangements. A burly black haired dwarf came over, his hair had been shaved into a taper on the side, with just a bit of length on top. He was sporting a handlebar mustache, and I saw a faded tattoo on neck depicting a dwarven warrior beheading an elf.
“I’m Gorni. Pleased t’meet’cha. Bunkhouse is this way. You’re in luck, we’ve got one of the good rooms available now. So you’re the gravewalker yea?” The dwarf led me out of the shop floor, and into a well adorned lobby. Armor, blades, tools, and machinery decorated the showroom floor.
“That’s right, my name’s Leonard, but you can call me Leon, or Gravewalker. Still learning the ropes of this whole reincarnation as an immortal soul eating badass.” I joked as Gorni took a turn into a stairwell. The dwarf snorted at the joke.
“Y’killed a crawler less’n a week after you arrived. You’re learning just fine in ma’book. If you need some trainin’ though, some real brawling, elf killing, bonafide fuck t’other guy up s’bad they sing songs about it, I can help. You’re a bit stockier, a bit taller than the catfolk, so that jumping around the room shite they do won’t work. Y’need som’un that knows how t’plant they’re feet and stand tall lik’a’boulder. I fought with a few baselines ‘fore, one was a paladin, mountain of a man that brute was.” Gorni opened the door out of the stairwell and brought me to the door of a room. It was human sized, as had all the other doors been.
“I’d take you up on that Gorni. Ryzahan taught me how to dodge, how to parry, but his style is snap strikes and quick ripostes. I need to leverage my power. Those catfolk are light on their feet, but it works both ways. I tossed one of the guard corporals over my shoulder like he was a bag of potatoes.” I agreed with the dwarf. Gorni chuckled as we entered the room.
“D’ya really? He must’ve been licking h’self clean for hours. Is it true y’near killed poor old Ryza? I’ve only ‘eard that he was roughed up real bad, arm all broken and ribs broken.” Gorni asked as I found a seat on the bed. He pulled a chair from the desk tucked into the corner. I unbuckled my helmet and set it down on the table along with my rifle.
“Yeah. He had told me I could focus my power for short bursts of ridiculous performance. I didn’t really aim it, so much as will my self to win. We had talked about swordsmen being quick or dead, so it manifested as insane speed, it felt like I was fighting for ten seconds when less than two had passed. I broke his arm in at least two major places, and he was about two inches, this much, flatter after he hit the ground. Would have died if I didn’t have a little bit of power left to heal him.” I explained the fight. Gorni nodded as a series of soft foot falls approached the open door.
“Mister Willis! Your equipment sir.” A young catfolk arrived carrying my sword, my carryall, and a few other things off the saddle. I gestured to the wardrobe by the door.
“Set it down there boy. Hand me that sword. What’s your name?” I asked the young feline.
“Tyraz. I’m an apprentice. Pleasure to meet you sir.” The boy handed me my longsword. I took it, and passed it off to Gorni. The young apprentice turned to leave.
“What do you make of that blade dwarf? Any good, or is it shit? I killed a score of goblins with it from the back of my daggermouth.” Gorni unsheathed the blade, and looked it over. He grimaced at a few things, picking at a few chips in the blade.
“Guard issue. Castle steel but we didn’t make it. fine weapon when it was new, four decades ago. Tyraz!” Gorni called the apprentice back. I heard the pitter-patter of cat feet running back.
“Take this blade, you’re fine at sharpening n’tending them. Bring it up t’snuff for our new security man. Bring a few of the throwing axes, a halberd, a long heater shield, ‘n a set of the featherlight mail when you’re done.” Gorni sent the boy off with a task.
“I’ve been looking at the armor y’wearin. Lots of gaps, looks heavy. How well d’that protect ya?” Gorni asked as he opened a flap on his forge apron. I looked down at my plate carrier, there were massive gaps in the protection compared to older styles of armor.
“It covers the vital organs, protects them from a rifle more powerful than mine. The helmet won’t stop a rifle bullet, but it stops fragments. We’ve got armor with better protection. Powered full body suits, but they’re heavy and slow. Armor doesn’t mean dick if every tom, dick, and harry can hit you with a rocket launcher. This set is meant for high speed raids, when being able to sprint or run the distance matters. It’s still heavy though.” The clasps on my armor clicked as I thumbed them off, pulling the plate carrier over my head. Gorni took the armor and groaned.
“Talk ‘bout all’er nothin! Sure this’d save you from a lance or a crossbow square on the chest, looks like it did already, but it won’t d’a’thing if they shoot you in the dick! What happens then?” Gorni laughed as he looked the armor over.
“Crawl out of the fire, play dead, or pray your friends can get to you. We’re trained to shoot at the head, and the dick, if we see the enemy wearing armor up close. At range the accuracy is shit enough that they just tell us to shoot center mass, plenty of whiffed shots that hit the neck and arms. I got shot just below the plate once, hit my rib. I spent four weeks in the hospital getting my rib put back together by the auto-docs. That’s why I wear that extended vest with side plates now. I didn’t realize I had been hit until I couldn’t breathe.” I pointed to the side armor panels. Gorni nodded his appreciation for them.
“Different weapons call f’different protection. Good armor’ll stop a blade, talon, or arrow most of the time. Magic weapons are a different story. I’ll tell y’this Leon. Ditch this piece of garbage. The armor seems sturdy, if a bit on the brittle side, but an arrow in your hip will get you dead surely as one to the chest. If y’must, wear the big’uns front and back, but take out the side panels. I have Tyraz bringing you our light mail hauberk. It’s standard gauge, full coverage with a hood and under padding, but it’s got a thin breastplate with featherweight runes. It weighs a tenths much as this and it’ll give y’better coverage.” Gorni set the plate carrier down on the floor under the table. He was right, the equation for armor was coverage, protection, weight.
I could wear the plate carrier when I expected trouble, so good time coverage, but piss poor overall body coverage, I’d give it a five out of ten. Protection to the covered areas was better than most anything could hit me with, so a nine out of ten there, but the weight of the rig and armor alone was nearly twenty five pounds. Two out of ten, sixteen out of thirty.
“I think you’re right. I’ve been thinking I should see about commissioning a suit of heavy armor. I’ve got to ask about runes and enchantments though. Can you put runes on it that will amplify my strength, speed, stamina? Any of the core capabilities of a warrior?” My question seemed pretty straightforward, but Gorni whistled.
“We can, but that’s the top end stuff gravewalker. Reagents for a good set would cost you sixteen crowns for the materials alone. You don’t put those enchantments on just any armor either. You’d want an adamantine set of plate, dwarven mail, drake leather padding. Again, we can make it, we even keep the materials on hand. The whole deal, premium package, probably forty or fifty crowns. That’s a prince’s warsuit. How much do you have?” Gorni asked with a knowing smile. My carry all jingled as I brought it to the table and sat back down. I pulled out the iron banded chest I had used as my coffer and opened it.
“Five hundred or so scutz, the three crowns Ryza paid you, you’re short about thirty five crowns, but this isn’t an insignificant amount of money. You could buy a nice house, start a business, and buy the best whores for a month! Start smaller Gravewalker. Foehammer said he’d cut you a deal on equipment, and seeing as you’ll be working for us, it’ll probably be at cost entirely. We’ll measure you, talk over some styles, if you have the artist’s stroke, maybe you could make a few drawings. Paint you up in your house colors.” Gorni patted my hand as I closed the coffer, somewhat disappointed. Ryzahan said I could get a ‘better than guard issue’ set of armor with just the silver scutz, and they all wore full plate.
“Can I get any enchantments for two crowns on the armor, one crown on a better sword? Something to give me an edge.” Gorni grinned again.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t do something with that money Gravewalker! Now where’d m’print book get off to.” Gorni rummaged through his apron. He presented a small leather bound book, held closed by a glowing white leather strap. He opened the strap, and the book expanded to nearly the size of an encyclopedia. I gasped again, the magical world was full of surprises.
“Armor enchantment, full body, heavy plate, human, tall, sturdy build, two crowns.” Gorni said aloud to the book, and I saw it shimmer. A ripping noise sounded as the book exploded open with a flurry of loose pages. The pages reorganized themselves, and the book shrank down to a decent size. Gorni dragged the chair over to the bed, and set the book down where we could both see it.
“So here, first in the list, we’ve got arrowbane. It senses incoming arrows meant for you, that little trace of intent left on the weapon, shatters them, before deflecting them straight into the ground. Works on any projectile slower than about three hundred lepos a second. Faster ones will still hit you in fragments, or if it’s strong enough, it’ll hit you at an angle. Tidy for dealing with spitting spiders. Full body price is two hundred scutz.” I looked over the description, but the script was indecipherable.
“I can’t read it, the speaking stone I’m wearing only translates voices. The pictures are nice though.” I admitted to the dwarf. He slapped his forehead and made a raspberry noise.
“Should’ve realized that. Sorry, I’m no forgemaster, my memory issa bit shoddy after gettin’ knocked around a few times. Next one I think you’d like is Steelheart. Good for spell swords like all you gravewalkers turn out to be. Takes a bit of mastering. You can pour your magic into the plate to charge it, makes it stronger, reflects attacks back at the assailant. Shimmershield is a bit of cross between Steelheart and Arrowbane. Field flares up anytime something fast is coming for you, and pushes it off course slightly while slowing it down, that one you’ve gotta charge too. Good for turning a blade. You’ve got Silence, no more jingling mail to reveal you, Obscura, makes you hard to notice to anyone you view as an enemy. That part is important, you have to view the thing as a threat for the rune to work. You know goblins want you dead, goblins can’t see you. Spiders want you dead? Spiders can’t see you. You hate that cunt Jordyra? Jordyra knows you don’t like him, cause you’re like a half corporeal shadow on the wall when he tries to look at you, and it gives him a headache.” Gorni flipped through a few more. I stopped him as I saw an image of what was obviously a holy warrior, smiting the unclean.
“What is that one?” I pointed to it.
“Consecrated Strike. It’s a bit hard to master for some. If you truly, truly hate, despise, and would see your enemy fall to ruin, not just on the battlefield, but entirely, the armor will channel your fury into the strike. The degree of your hatred and determination to destroy them determines just how powerful it is, the rune feeds off of ambient mana released by the wearer. All dwarves have it on their gauntlets in case of a fight with an elf or orc. I don’t think you’ve been around long enough to hate anything that much, have you?” Gorni looked over, a questioning tone in his voice.
“Maybe not, but if half the shit I’ve heard is true, it won’t take long. Goblins seem like a scourge. The Fey deserve a boot on the neck and two shots in the back of the head. I hate spiders and bugs already. I do feel a bit bad about massacring the goblins when I first got here. Not human, or near human enough to be too guilty.” The goblins might have deserved it.
“If’n it makes you feel any better, those goblin fisherman killed three catfolk near water’s edge few weeks ago. That’s why t’bounty was posted. They weren’t just innocent people going about their business. Roll with the punches, they aren’t your kind, that means they want y’dead more often than not. If they’d caught you napping, they’d have slit your throat and used the rifle against us.” The goblins had completely deserved it. Gorni reached into his apron again, producing a flask and two shotglasses.
“Now, which’n you like Soul Eater? Ale or the Shine’o’Star.” Gorni let out a boisterous laugh. The flask had two caps, one on either side.
“Fuck it Gorni, you’re right, damn those goblins. We avenged a good dwarf today, I got a new job, and I learned a new spell. Give me a tall drink of the hard stuff.” I broke my melancholy. If I cried over every goblin I’d go on to kill… well, I’d never make a name for my self. Gorni poured two shots, clear as spring water and burning like the devil. I took my shot, and clinked it against Gorni’s. We both went bottoms up, and I nearly spit fire. I’d had moonshine before, but this dwarven drink tasted like it’d see use killing HIV in a hospital. I sputtered and coughed, but kept the drink down.
“That’s it, feel it burning. We’ll see where that gets you. Welcome to the company. Tyraz! Just in time boy, pull up a seat, we’re welcoming a new friend!” Gorni began the reveling as the apprentice returned with an armload of gear. Tyraz saw the glasses, and I swear I saw a gulp of fear as he set the equipment down on the bed. The apprentice grabbed the other chair from the desk as Gorni set out another shotglass.
“Now Tyraz, Crowns or Keeps?” Gorni pulled a silver coin from his pocket. It was octagonal, not like the round Scutz.
“Crowns or Double Down.” The apprentice called his bet. Gorni flipped the coin, caught it, and put it down on my coffer chest. It had landed on Crowns.
“Leon, this here’s a’time tested method of drinking t’much. See, y’call your bet, if’n’it lands on what you call, everyone else drinks. There’s two other players now, so y’cut the shot down to half. With three players, it’s a third, four, a fourth, and so on. That way the game goes on for a while. He just called a double down and got it right, so we drink double the usual, another full shot. If he had gotten keeps, and called a double down, he has to drink two shots for being an asshole cause he’s the only caller!” Gorni explained as he poured three more shots.
“So why’re you pouring a third?” My eyes tracked back and forth, trying to rectify the rules.
“Cause he has t’catch up! We lost the first round of the game, but we also had a drink before, this makes it fair.” Gorni finished pouring, I could feel a deep smile on my face. We all took the shots, and knocked them back. Tyraz looked like someone had just gut punched him. I wasn’t much better.
“So who wins? The last one standing, or the first one down?” I asked, setting the shotglass on my coffer. The other two did the same as a fourth voice sounded.
“That’s a matter of perspective. The first one down usually feels the best in the morning, but that means they get to cook, the last one down gets to sleep in after painting you with a grease marker.” The new dwarf stepped in with two chairs in hand.
“Borden! Sorry I left you down there, I was getting to know our new security man. Let’s get this more proper. Tyraz pull that table up in front of Leon here, watch the armor underneath!” Gorni directed the re-arrangements as my bedside table was put into place. It was big enough that four chairs and my spot on the bed fit comfortably. I slid sideways to squeeze out towards my wardrobe with my rifle under my arm. I opened the door, and put the rifle away, along with the belt that held my pistol and hand grenade.
“Leon, what gives, you aren’t going to show us your weapons?” Tyraz asked. I fixed the boy with a stare.
“If I catch you fooling around drunk with a weapon I’m going to beat your skinny ass black and blue, you hear me? When the liquor comes out, the dangerous tools go away. I do want to look over the halberd and the other stuff you brought me before I get proper drunk. Thanks for that.” I tried to be stern with the catboy, he was probably right at twenty. Borden pointed right at him.
“That’s right kid, the second you have to question if you’re safe with something while you’re drunk, you aren’t. Listen to him and you’ll keep all of your limbs. One screw up with that gun of his, and we’d probably all have a quick reunion in front of the judge, the last one. Leon, bring that kit over here.” Borden gestured to the assortment of blades and armor. I picked up the bundle and set it on the table before turning to reach for the halberd. It was a foot taller than I was, probably right under seven feet. I sat back on the bed, careful to mind the blade and the haft. The head sported a single piece axe and a spearpoint that reminded me of a tanto. The backside had a gnarly looking hook.
“It’s short for you, but any longer and its too big for work in the tunnels. See the engraving? Put a little magic on it. Our gloves have runic crystals embedded in the palm to power it.” Gorni instructed as I turned it over. I reached out, and let a bit of my magic flow. A red pop fizzled on the blade, electric sparks dancing lightly.
“That’s a ripper rune. Tears flesh to ribbons. Disrupts the blood, makes it jet out everywhere. Don’t cut yourself.” Gorni warned as I eyed the weapon over. I cut my magic flow, and leaned the halberd against the wall behind the bed.
“Sounds effective. Who are we waiting for on the next round?” My eyes crossed the empty chair next to me. Borden grinned.
“You know there’s a rumor around town about you Gravewalker. Those extra lessons with Ryzahan’s daughter… You’re always seen coming out of her place in the morning.” My face flushed, I should have known.
“Think she’s coming? She lost her daggermouth today because I dropped the ball in the mines.” I admitted. I knew it’d hurt like hell to lose Cobalt, even though I’d known the beast for less than twelve hours. The bond with the raptors was deep.
“She’s downstairs hashing out a deal with Foehammer for barding on her next mount. I invited her to come up and drink with us before the rest of everyone got here.” Borden clued me in.
Who was “the rest of everyone” ?
“We don’t have much room left in here, you got a common area?” I asked. Gorni looked at the other dwarf and shook his head.
“We’re dwarves Leon. You think we don’t have a hall to drink in? Shame on you.” Borden mock-scolded me. I put my hands up, feigning innocence.
“Leave the poor baseliner alone, before a week ago we were nothing but myths, legends, and fetishes.” I heard Aloris’ voice. She looked like she had been crying, her eyes were puffy, and her grin was missing something. I looked at her, feeling the drink set in to my smile. I couldn’t deny the fetish part, catgirls are hot.
“Clean up boys, a lady’s’present!” Gorni shouted with a toothy smile. Aloris made a gesture at him, probably a rude one.
“The lady that kicked your sorry ass at cards last week. Where’s my drink you talkative pile of orc metal.” Gorni looked hurt, but produced two more shot glasses, one for Borden, and one for the feline. Aloris took a seat next to me as Gorni looked around.
“Well y’furry tailed stray, your turn to call if’n you feel like insulting the drinkmaster, you and Borden have a back’t’back to catch up first.” Gorni poured two shots. The two took them, downed them, and Gorni poured two more. As Aloris was reaching for her drink, I felt her tail brush my elbow.
Don’t blush, don’t get a hard on, Ryzahan will blow your dick off, please body just cooperate this once, I know it’s been a long time but please. God damn you.
Tyraz was the first to notice, the slight kid was letting the drink get the better of him. He started to point, when his chair toppled over. I saw Aloris holding the shot glass, empty, and her foot return to its place.
“You’d best not be gettin’ on her bad side kitten, that’s a cat fight you don’t want!” Borden laughed as he set his glass down.
This isn’t a disaster yet.
“I hadn’t even said my joke yet!” The boy picked himself up. I just shook my head.
“And if you had it wouldn’t have been just her foot.” I pointed out before leaning over to my right.
Do or die!
I reached down to pull Aloris’ chair closer, and put my arm around her. It wasn’t audible, but I felt a very slight vibration as I did.
They do purr… Oh what am I getting my self into. Gotta own it.
“Well look at that, not every rumor is bullshit. Alright furball, Crowns or Keeps?” Gorni readied his trusty coin.
“Keeps.” The coin flipped, and flipped, and flipped. All of our eyes tracked to the door as the coin remained suspended. No words needed to be said, but I saw Ryzahan looking into my soul. I was ready for the mother of all cat fights to break out in the room, I felt my heart spiking. This was just like the first time I got caught by an angry father, minus the attempted vehicular homicide. Ryzahan looked to Gorni.
“Or Double Down.” The elder cat let the coin fall before disappearing as soon as he arrived. The coin landed on Crowns. Aloris looked at me, a slightly guilty tinge to her smirk.
“He’s protective. Give me two!” Aloris called for her shots as her father left. The drinks were poured, and the first gurgles started. Borden snuck off to the door to check if the coast was clear, before busting out laughing.
“LEON! YOU LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE GOING TO SHIT YOUR PANTS MAN! FULL ON, BRITCHES IN THE MUD UP TO YOUR COCK!” Borden howled. I waved my hand.
“The fossil can come, not before the lady though.” I looked to the lady in question. She was staring at me like I had slapped a baby. I held the gaze, deadpan, when the cracks started in both of our stonewalls. She started giggling, I couldn’t help but join her. Tyraz let out a cackle, the Dwarves had been roaring the whole time at the joke.
“My turn. Crowns.” I put my shot glass forward. I was getting thirsty. The coin flipped, and I lost. I took my shot, and we went clockwise around, Borden was next.
“Keeps or Double Down!” The Dwarf bellowed. He won. With four of us, that translated to half a shot. We kept going until all of us had had at least six shots. Another apprentice appeared at the door.
“Shift’s over, Hall’s open. Roast Red Belly is on the spit. Foehammer says not to show up like fools. Take these.” The apprentice handed a small case to Tyraz, the closest to the door. He opened it and produced five purple vials.
“What’re those?” I looked around the table before taking the vial.
“Poison cure. It’ll neutralize the alcohol. Won’t completely sober you up, but it’ll save you from a hangover if you take it early. Busy man’s best friend.” Aloris popped the stopper on hers and took it. I followed suit, as did the rest. As the rest of the group began to stand, the apprentice caught my eye.
“Leon? Foehammer said to give you these. Doesn’t want your first showing to be covered in dried goblin blood. Washroom is across the hall.” The apprentice set down a bundle of clothes. A quick inspection showed that they would fit near perfectly, dwarves and their measuring.
“I’ll catch up. I had kind of forgotten I was covered in gore.” I bid a brief farewell to the dwarves and the apprentices. Aloris was still sitting next to me.
“Are you going to watch me bathe or help me get dressed? Both?” I joked. Aloris looked me up and down, her tail flicking back and forth.
“Both, and a bit more.”
I’m in heaven.

First : Previous : Next
He smiled at Laesha reassuringly.
Brute strength I can do, but I won’t be able to beat inertia. Recommendations?>
If I put anything in her, she might evolve again. And if she does, there is no way to calculate the effects. Is it worth the pint of blood?>
Jared put a finger over her wrist as if feeling for a pulse but he wasn’t finding it. That alarmed him.
Jared felt his mind’s extra intelligence send small pulses of power through his hand and felt the return information signals.
I’m sorry but she’s dying. Something drained all but half of one pint of blood from her system and her regeneration is failing. Most of her internal organs have already shut down. How this thing has kept upright is a testament to Lillith’s brilliance. Yes. She needs blood but not just one pint. She needs nine. Are you authorizing me to initiate emergency lifesaving procedures?>
How is she even still functioning this way?>
The nanites took over and used her overproduced adrenaline as fuel to do what they could to mimic her blood. Her nanites are now undergoing a catastrophic failure since the adrenaline has begun wearing off and they are losing power. Over ninety percent are now nonfunctioning. If you authorize me to replace them, I will need fresh blood and will have to replicate an entirely new network within her. All of the existing materials will need to be purged afterward. In short, she needs blood and fluids now, Jared.>
Jared looked at Inanna and sent her a message alone. She’s dying. I can save her, but I don’t know the consequences. This is up to you. Should I try?>
Inanna held her mouth in shock and despair at what Jared at just sent her. She looked at the happy sleepy smile of Laesha, the loving black hand of Nibs gently rubbing through Allessandra’s hair, and then over to the determined love of Seth as he fed another syringe of water into Jessica’s mouth. She couldn’t lose any of them, not now nor ever. They were her only connections to Lillith now. She’d already pushed them through so much that to do so again would be an awful decision. But how could she ask more of them? Especially Allessandra who’d been through more than any human should ever have been subjected to. Damn. I have to do it again. Just like Laesha. And now Allessandra.
Inanna shook her head, No. I will not make this decision alone. Laesha must be the one to accept this one.
Inanna sent to Laesha’s mind. Allessandra is dying. Jared just confirmed it. He can save her, but like with you, there will be consequences. You must say yes or no. I will not be the one to take this decision from you. She’s your love. Tell Jared yes or no. I’m sorry.>
The nurse had just left Laesha and Laesha’s sleepy smile froze on her face as she sat up and looked at her Alley. She was barely breathing now, and her skin was turning blue. How had she not seen it? Her smile faded as she looked at Jared. “You save her Jared. No doubt about it. There are no consequences that I won’t endure for her. I love her. I owe her. I will take care of her no matter what happens.”
Jared felt Aine send his nanites around the needle and felt them bore into Allessandra’s synth-metal-carbide skin. Once the way was opened, Jared gently pushed not only the needle into place, but he felt Aine send in another army of his own nanite essence in as the cavalry. Jared also sent a quick jolt of his own will and energy through the needle into her system to spark it all as well. Then he helped the nurse tape the needle down. The nurse opened the bag’s drip valve and walked away. Aine reported that enough of Jared’s nanites had snuck in to begin their work.
Jared’s dose of nanites began reporting back almost immediate into his mind.

Following to heart for reinforcement.
Dead nanite purge begun and reproduction of new replacements increasing by a factor of seven hundred.
Compatible Overseer Installations found during reinitiating sequence. Files will be attempted again for reboot of bio-form.
Organ failures detected. Nanite overrides initiating. Restarting and reinforcing internal organ functions.
Bone structures have already been enhanced. Telusian upgrade protocols found and initiated.
Lillith’s Abomination program sequences found. Final sequence in program failed. Corruption found and repaired.
Final sequence initiating. Designation: Lillith’s Army of Abominations – End of Days.
Blood capacity critically low. Fluids are needed for regenerating processes. More blood is required as platelet regeneration is failing.>
Jared got up and walked over to the fridge and pulled an armful of water bottles out and put them in a cooler. Then he walked over to the fridge that held the extra blood bags. He snapped the lock casually and tossed it over his shoulder. This enraged the medical teams, but they didn’t try to stop him. He ignored their yelling as he took eight more bags out of the cold and walked back over to Allessandra amid yelling humans and worried non-humans.
Jared turned the valve on full, then gently squeezed the IV blood bag forcing the blood in it to plough it all into Allessandra. It emptied as her body and its billions of tiny new regenerating enforcers helped pull it all in. Once the bag was emptied, he switched to a new bag. Inanna and Seth had gotten up and stood between him and the rest of the nurses and doctors. A few of the guards came in to see what was going on. Jared stared at them and dared them to interfere. To a man, they turned around and walked back outside, ignoring the doctor and the nursing staff.

Blood capacity increasing. Regeneration of blood chemicals are at maximum. Transfer is still recommended.
New Lillith and Telusian subroutines installed. Lilith’s Army of Abominations – The End of Days has been successfully installed.
New subroutines in brain functions found and rerouted for maximum output.
Brain density doubled. New spatial and multi- inter and outer -dimensional processing realized.
Instant Clone Self now part of ability set.>
What does this mean?>
All are Allessandra and all are fully realized copies of the one Abomination including all material possessions on abomination’s person or held. What one knows, all know. What one can do, all can do. This is Lillith’s world reset program turned flesh.>
Why? She had to know that it could backfire against her? She had to know that letting a mentally unstable person out with this kind of power set could… it could… Aine, this woman alone can eliminate every human on this planet. Why?>
Infuse more blood.>
Jared switched bags again. And again. And again. And again. The doctor yelled like he himself was having an aneurysm. He heard Inanna yelling back at him and the others that it was for her own good and to save her life. She made it plain that Allessandra wasn’t human so inhumane measures were being taken. Jared waited patiently for Aine to explain.
Jared thought to Aine and to himself. <I can’t understand Lillith’s recklessness either, Jared. The only notation I found was a mention in the genetic record that only states – ‘the Oracle said to trust him. To trust Nibs. And to trust that I’d find the one thing in my efforts that would keep the Abomination sane locked away in the deepest dark of despair. So, that’s what I did. Lillith.’>
Aine’s reports continued. Nanite structures installed to increase and decrease at superior level management for future remediations.
Quantum out-phasing capabilities and senses realized. >
The nanites are nearly done rebuilding. Any extra energy and building materials will be ejected immediately after. Prepare clear fluids for immediate intake for purging procedures.>
Jared switched out the second to last bag and felt the tension in the room ramp up a little more as they awaited for what was about to happen. Allessandra hadn’t woken up yet and her body was spasming like she was having seizures. Laesha had crawled on top to hold her down and was trying not to sob all over Allessandra. Nibs seemed to stoically keep his post. The last bag went in.
“Nibs. Get the water ready. Just start shoving them in her mouth, because she’s going to start drinking like a horse as soon as I finish putting this last pint in.” Jared ordered firmly.
Nibs hopped off and raced to do as instructed. He put the water bottles near him and uncapped them all to be ready.
Upgrades Completed. Bio-Form stable. Nanite regeneration efforts are returning to standard. Initializing higher brain functions.>
When I say now, shove water in her as hard as you can.>
The last bag was emptied, and Jared ripped out the IV tube. Her skin immediately healed. All of her other recent wounds closed up and most didn’t even scar. Her skin rippled unsightly for a few seconds all over her body. Laesha got up and backed off a little. Then she looked at Jared questioningly.
The purge has begun.>
“Now, Nibs! Water!” Jared ordered as he leaned over to hold Allessandra down and hold her mouth open.
Just as he said it, Allessandra’s eyes flipped open, and she gasped for air. Nibs was ready. Just as she started breathing normally, he put a water bottle up to her mouth and she began drinking hard and fast until the bottle crushed under the suction. Nibs pulled it out from her clenched teeth and gave her another and she sucked it down the same. She went through seven more before she shoved him away. Her body was jerking so powerfully, Jared could hear the metal bed creaking as the frame was bending. It was all he could do to hold her down as she continued to bite a water bottle and suck that last one dry.
Her eyes finally cleared, and she yelled, “Oh, no. I. Necesito vomitar. ¡Mover!”
Jared pulled back and got out of the way. Allessandra got up holding her middle and her mouth. She stood at the edge of the bed in absolute confusion. Then she went seven different ways at once. Seven of her went to separate areas and began heaving black gunk out and into whatever she happened to be over. The only sound in the room was seven Allessandra’s puking into a couple of trash cans, two sinks, a large metal bowl, someone’s Yeti cooler that she emptied then shoved under her face, and the final poor Allessandra had shoved her head out of the tent flap and let go near some poor bastard soldiers.
Bewildered, Inanna looked back at Jared.
Jared shrugged. “Consequences, Inanna. My blood purifies and corrects, it seems. Lillith really was brilliant, if a bit reckless.” Jared turned to look at the little shadow guy named Tootles who was currently laughing his ass off and yelling that the whole place had just become a vomitorium.
“Hey Jackass. You’re the Oracle, right?” Jared asked heatedly.
Tootles slowly let his laughter die down as all of the Allessandra’s had seemingly finished and were now staring at one another in confusion. Laesha was just as confused and but not the least little bit unhappy with the situation. For her part, she walked to each one and began hugging them and kissing them on the cheek.
Tootles hopped off the stool and dodged around the semi-chaos of the room. “Yeah. I’ve been called an Oracle a time or two.”
Jared put a hand on his shoulder. “You are going to tell me if I have any more surprises in store like this. Understand? I can no longer go without some guidance, and it seems Lillith chose you for a good reason. Now, I’m choosing you too.”
Tootles cocked a hip and put an arm out to him. “I get paid in candy and sodas. Pizza if you need something really accurate. I don’t work on Saturdays or Sundays, and I want to be able to tell you to shove it as needed. Deal?”
Jared looked over at Seth as he’d heard what his minion had told him. Seth just grinned and shrugged at him, “Dude. Them’s the rules. Your choice, not mine.”
Jared shook the little boy’s hand. “Deal.”
“Wow. I never thought I’d shake the hand of the man who would look into a dead god’s eyes, let it look back at him, then punch it dead square it its face.”
“What?!” Jared exclaimed.
“What? Did I say something?”
“Yes. Yes, you did.”
“Oh good. I can’t remember those episodes, but since you heard it, you owe me a king-sized Snickers. And it’d better be one with the big ‘ol dick vein in it too. No substitutions, Jared. I’m watching you,” he said motioning to his shadowy blue eyes then to Jared’s eyes.
“You seriously don’t remember what you just told me?”
“If it’s prophecy, it’s between you and the future, bub. I’m the messenger and I’m not privy to the info. You have to either work towards it or away from it. But,” Tootles leaned in close to whisper into Jared’s ear. “just between you and me, Lillith ALWAYS listened and worked towards them. Now. You’re in the driver’s seat. Up to you, hoss.”
He stepped back and off he went to head over to Seth and Jessica.
Jed started hollering from the bed in the back, “Motherfucker! And I mean Samuel L. Jackson Mother Fucker! I take a twenty-minute nap and now I’m lookin’ at seven fine assed Allessandras walkin’ around in panties! Inanna! What tha’ hell lady?! What’s next?! Shove a rocket up Laesha’s ass and shoot her to heaven?! This shit just ain’t fair and you know it!”
Inanna yelled back at him from the middle of the Allessandras and Laesha’s happy hand-holdings. “You IDIOT! You’re in deep shit! You’re next after I deal with… this mess!” she said as she motioned to the very confused Allessandra’s who were looking at themselves and talking about who did what on her body.
The poor nurses and Doctor were speaking in fast hushed tones. The Doctor had radioed someone and that someone was General Carter.
When General Carter walked in to see for himself what had happened, he too was wide-eyed. The flanking three lieutenant’s faces went grim at seeing the Allessandras. One’s face went pure red in anger.
He couldn’t stop himself from speaking up. “Who the hell did all that damage to her!? How the hell could anyone do all of that. Am I missing something General? Did this woman go through Iraq or the Afghanistan war somehow and get caught? I mean, holy shit, sir!”
General Carter rounded on him, “Lieutenant Thiessen! You forgot your station! We’ll find that out AFTER we get to the bottom of what is going on!”
General Carter turned back to the group. “Now. Would anyone care to explain why there are seven women who look like the Spanish woman that ran through my men this morning? This isn’t helping the morale around here.”
Laesha began speaking rapidly to Nibs who in turn translated just as rapidly to the Allessandra hoard. To a one, they all looked at the general and the lieutenant and smiled at them mischievously. They all began walking towards them. Nibs tried his best to yammer at her in Spanish, but each Allessandra ignored him. Inanna tried to intercede, but they all brushed past her too. The general and three lieutenants didn’t know what to do. General Carter held firm. Two of the other lieutenants backed up and put their hands on their weapons. Halfway there, it became obvious that they were heading to Lieutenant Thiessen. As the first Allessandra stood before him smiling at him, she winked. The second one stepped up and into her and winked. The third did the same. Then to the fourth, fifth, sixth, and finally seventh. And then they sorta shimmered into each other and then there was only one Allessandra. She reached out slowly and took the Lieutenant’s hand. As she brought it up, she turned a little around and put his hand on the mass of whipping scars going down her back. She said softly to him, “Un hombre del ejército de los Estados Unidos me hizo esto. Le encantaba azotarme cuando era adolescente. Él fue mi primer asesinato.”
Nibs sidled up to her and translated to him as the Lieutenant slowly rubbed the scars in horror. Like watching a trainwreck, the poor lieutenant couldn’t pull away from what she was showing him. “Uh.. Sir. She said that the guy who did that to her, was an US Army man of some kind. He did that to her many times when she was growing up. Uh… She killed him a few months ago.”
The Lieutenant pulled his hand away as if it burned. Allessandra backed up and said, “Pero aprecio su preocupación y espero que tal vez pueda evitar que alguien haga esto en el futuro. Hombre del ejército.”
Nibs reached up to take her hand. “She hopes that you stop someone like that in the future. She appreciated your concern.”
Lieutenant Thiessen spoke hesitantly, “Uh. Ok. But why’d she make me touch it?”
General Carter said softly, “Because she wanted to make sure you understand that if you don’t act to stop evil, they make more victims like her. She just made it very real to you, sir. She made it very real to me, too.”
The General then rounded to the rest of the monsters in the room as Allessandra walked back over to a bed and came under the attention of the black woman Laesha and a nurse. “So! My question still stands. What the hell is going on here and what did I just witness?!”
The older Indian man who apparently just woke up a few minutes ago hollered at him, “You jus’ witnessed what the hell I’ve been complainin’ about since day f’n one, sir! How I keep gettin’ shafted when my so called friends learn sumthin’ new! Sir!”
Inanna and the General both shouted at him, “SHUT! UP!”
When they looked at each other, they both began chuckling at it and at Jed’s downtrodden face as he humpfhed to himself and folded his arms like a rotten kid.
Inanna stepped over to the four of them. “Sir. I must apologize. What you’ve witnessed is what Lillith helped create. This is what happens when we go to war or are saved from the brink of death. We become stronger. That woman over there, sir…” She pointed to Allessandra who had walked over, laid down and fallen asleep in exhaustion again after eating a couple power bars and drinking another bottle of water. Her hand was being held by Laesha who happened to be in her own bed being attended to by another nurse. “Allessandra is a warrior of incomparable power.” She turned back to the general. “What you saw was her last gift from Lillith. A unique gift that will give us the edge in this upcoming battle that even I didn’t know about until now. It’s a boon we desperately needed.”
“So, she can copy herself? Wait. How many times can she do that?” Carter asked anxiously as the ramifications of that thing mowing through troops like a weed eater on a golf green flitted through his mind.
Inanna grimaced. “From what Jared just mouthed to me, way too many for even me to be comfortable with. This is why we need to work together to get off of this rock in the near future. You humans are going to begin creating more and more people like them. They won’t be as powerful as these monsters, sure, but they’ll be enough to create pure havoc if all they have to cut their teeth on is the rest of the human race.”
“So, this is a threat from within as from outside? That’s what you’re saying?”
“Yes, sir. Human societies have always been a bomb, even in the most peaceful of times. You know this. You live for some kind of conflict or challenge. If it’s outside of you, it can bring out the best in you. If it’s you, yourselves, well, that’s hit or miss as to what you do to yourselves. Right?”
General Carter looked to the ceiling of the med-tent, “So, tell me something. And tell me honestly.” General Carter stepped up to look directly into the girls’ lavender cat slit eyes and see if she’d hide the least little bit from him, “What happens after we make the De’Nari our allies? And by that, where will your monsters go from there?”
Inanna smiled at him trying to be reassuring. “General. I will have to hide them away from you all. You and I both know that I can’t truly let them be free to do as they please. I’m not too worried about the boy or the Indian. But the girls…” She gazed at the Allessandra and Laesha sleeping, Jessica still unconscious and then over to Jed where Seth, Nibs and Tootles had gathered around to talk.
“Sir. Whatever you and your other leaders do, let me and Jared handle them. That is what our jobs are after all.”
“Yeah. After this is over, they need to go into hiding and fast. We probably can’t even trust my own government with them, so I’m definitely not gonna chance any other nation getting one of them.”
“Well, there is an exception. The young woman over there. Yeah, the yawning red head being fawned over by the boy, yeeeaaahhh. That’s your new ambassador to the Draxian aliens also incoming. You’ll like her. Be nice.”
“And what can she do that makes you say that?” General Carter asked curiously.
Inanna smiled mysteriously at him. “Well, I didn’t choose her. The Draxian did. If you want that information, you’ll need to ask her. It’s just not my story to tell.” The General was about to step that way, but Inanna held his arm. “Be careful, General. Remember the boy. He’s in love and he’s abso-fucking-lutely not what he seems. That’s my only warning to you on the situation.”
The General looked at his lieutenants and they shrugged. They’d begun getting used to the mysterious warnings and weird shit already. Amazing how quickly humans get desensitized to shit they have to deal with.
Inanna headed over to Jed as the General and his men w alked over to Jessica. Tootles made room for her on the bed as Nibs got down.
Nibs asked. “Inanna. Is Allessandra really okay now? I mean, really? I can’t lose her either, you know?”
Inanna picked him up and hugged him tightly. “Nibs. You are by far the best friend that girl could have. I assure you; she will be just fine. She has Laesha, but honestly, the person she needs the most right now is you. Go on. Go lay down with her and take a nap. It’s been a rough afternoon.”
Jed started chuckling at her.
Tootles was swinging his feet as he sat beside her. “Hey Inanna. Now that Jared’s back to being distracted by that girl of his,” Tootles said as he casually pointed to the big man in question who was sitting with a nurse and Angela at a table talking to the two of them. Angela was tight up against him again. “I gotta ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Did he buy that bullshit about him getting the mantle first?”
“Oh yeah. Mainly because he did. I really tried to get there first. I still wanted it, damnit. But I believe that big bastard will make one helluva ambassador for us going forward. And he’s already promised to get us off this world if we want to. Best of both worlds, Tootles. Best of both worlds.”
Jed looked between the two schemers and the gears in his head went whirring hard. They didn’t come up with much at this point, but he put all that talk into the back of his mind for later. “So, you two think yer’ so damn smart…”
Inanna glared at him, “Jed. Hear me now and remember this well for all time. I am Lillith’s protégé and I’m privy to a much larger view of the machinations of this world than you are. For the time being… no, I will come back to that. Jed, I know you don’t trust me, and I haven’t earned it yet in your eyes, but at least tell me that you know that I care deeply for them.”
“Inanna, I say this with all tha’ sincerity in my heart, I don’t know if I’ll ever trust you, but I know you care and that is good enough for me. It always will be.”
“Good.” Inanna moved up and onto all fours so she could get in Jed’s face, “Now. What. The. Hell. Were. You. Doing. At. That. Henge. Dumbass?!”
“Hey!” Jed exclaimed as he sat back.
Inanna clamped a hand over his mouth. “Shush. No more yelling. You need to tell me right now while the General and his men are distracted by Jessica, Seth and Nibs. They aren’t listening now that Jessica is awake and walking around chatting with everyone. Jeezzz, she talks so much with her hands, it’s unreal. Anyway, I am gonna interrogate your ass. Now spill it.”
Inanna sat back down on the cot.
Jed looked at Tootles, “Okay. Tootles back me up on this.”
Tootles nodded sagely.
“Hmmph. Seth was the one who wanted to look at the henge. When we got there, we saw the guards and the science guys taping stuff off and trying to take samples and using all this fancy equipment on the rocks and the obelisk. Seth is truly scary now, Inanna. He really is. He covered my boys here with some of that shadow misty gunk as if it were five thousand proof sunscreen and then walked around the henge with Laesha, knocking guys out one by one. I swear Inanna, whatever Laesha is now, vampire movies don’t come close to describing her. Which again brings me to my point…”
Inanna popped the side of his head, “Yes, Jed. I know. It ain’t fair. I got it. Now continue… if you please?”
Jed rubbed the side of his head and knew that’d if he punched her back, he’d probably just break his hand. “Okay ya hussy. Okay. So. Guards were down. Me an’ Jessica came outta hiding with the boys. Nibs and Tootles were assigned perimeter detail while us three went to the obelisk.”
Jed rubbed his eyes and scratched the back of his head to end up pulling some tangles out of his long jet-black hair. “Man. Split ends are the worst. I’m gonna need…”
Tootles was sniggering as Inanna’s face got furious once again.
Inanna growled at him, “Jed, I swear I’m gonna shove a bottle of Adderall down your throat! Get to the point, asshole!”
Jed smiled at her which made Inanna even madder because he knew he was pushing her buttons.
Inanna took a few deep breaths to calm down. “Please. I’m sorry. Please continue. This is important.”
“I know it is. I also know that whatever Lillith did to that Obelisk thing, she used a whole slew of symbols from a damn lot of Native American, Native Inuit, Aztec, and a few other people’s religions all down the Americas. And that was on just one side. The other sides per Tootles were even older from Africa and the Mediterranean regions. Each side was entirely dedicated to the oldest of the old pictogram languages.”
“Did… did you.. understand any of it?”
“Some. But only some of the Sioux and Cherokee symbols. Tootles here said he saw some familiar stuff but even he couldn’t figure out what she’d done.”
Tootles confirmed it. “He’s not wrong. Lillith has carved that thing up with instructions going back to the foundations of human civilization. But here’s where it gets spooky, Inanna. The symbols are almost accurate. Every one of them has a deviation somewhere in it. And if you can’t figure it out, maybe Angel-heart-throb-Bob over there can shed some light into it.”
Inanna stared at the floor. “Damn. I don’t know either. She never told me much about it except she tinkered with it and honestly, I was too wrapped up in my own crap to care. Stupid. Ok, what next?”
“Well, this is where it gets bad. I found a Sioux symbol I recognized. It meant ‘The Sky’ but as I traced it with my finger, I found the flaw. It was right next to another Cherokee symbol that I’m pretty sure meant ‘Earth,’ but again, I traced it with my finger and found another flaw. The last Aztec symbol I understood and touched meant ‘Walks’. Inanna, I swear I only traced them with my finger. I didn’t add any juice to the thing or nuthin’.”
Tootles put a hand on Jed’s shoulder. “Inanna, Jed didn’t see it, but I did. Jessica was coming around and she tripped. I swear, it was a completely damn stupid accident. She tripped and Jed tried to catch her. Jed’s hand was on the obelisk and when he caught her, she put her hand on it too. That’s when the fucker lit up like a nightmare disco-tech on steroids.”
Inanna sat back. “Honestly, I believe you. Flaws in the symbols. Those are flaws in instructions. Maybe they mean something slightly different than what they used to mean? Flaaahhhh… so frustrating.”
Jed looked at her. “Wait. You intended to use that thing for something, right? If the stuff on it is f’d up, ya’ still gonna try?”
Inanna pulled her leg up under her and pulled her other leg up so she could rest her chin on her knee. She rubbed Jed’s leg not thinking about her hand, just to give it something to do while the wheels in her head spun.
“Yeah. It’s the only way I can get you guys up to the damned aliens. I’m not strong enough to get you up that far on my own. The NeverNever connects points in the Earth, not in the sky, so that’s out unless Seth has more crap up his sleeve that he hasn’t shared with me. Lillith told me once that it used Mesopotamian for the controls, so I figured I could take a day to figure it out. But, since I can’t trust the symbology that I’m used to now, I may have to ask the big lug over there and see if between us we can figure it out. It’s the flaws that’ve got me stumped and how the hell they activated when Jessica touched them.”
A shadow crossed over them all. Jared stood above them. “It’s because she’s a Draxian hybrid, Inanna. That’s what activated the obelisk.”
The small woman Angela peeped around him, “Hi! Uh, Inanna? Nice to meet you. I’m Angela. Jared’s being a bit obtuse, but he said he may have figured something out for you and wanted to chat. Mind if we sit?”