ã€ŠThe Orion Accountsã€‹


 The Kindness of Strangers

    Just keep running. Don¡¯t look back. I repeated the mantra under my breath as each step took me further from the prison of my parents¡¯ mansion. Just keep running. Don¡¯t look back.

    My backpack bounced on my shoulders, full of all the valuables I could nick without drawing attention. It wasn¡¯t much, just a few bits of jewelry and some electronics, but it should be enough to pawn for passage offworld. Hopefully.

    I squinted into the western sky, trying to make out the hexagonal frame of the Gate waiting for me at the edge of space. The distant artificial satellite was dwarfed by the golden gas giant Argus to the north, glowing brightly as our star shone through its turbulent atmosphere.

    Smaller houses than mine passed in a blur, their hedges and lawns kept green by a permanent summer. I hoped nobody would be out so early in the morning, too early even for gardeners and lawn sprinklers.

    The sound of an electric engine and rubber tires on the pavement behind me turned my exhilaration into dread. I slowed to a walk, and pulled up the hood on my pink sweatshirt, hoping whoever it was would pass me by.

    No luck; the vehicle slowed as it pulled up alongside me. I kept walking, head down, trying to ignore the sound of a window rolling down. ¡°Pretty flashy outfit for a thief,¡± a deep voice called out.

    I dared to look; the terran man behind the wheel was unfamiliar, and his truck clearly didn¡¯t belong to Goldmeadow security. ¡°I¡¯m not a thief,¡± I told him, which wasn¡¯t technically a lie.

    The driver only chucked in response. ¡°Whatever, kid. Need a ride?¡±

    I stopped walking, out of breath already, and only a few hundred metres from where I started. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± I asked cautiously.

    ¡°The only place worth going to on this shithole moon,¡± he replied. ¡°Port City.¡±

    I cautiously approached his truck, resting my hands on the window frame. ¡°You can take me there? Like, all the way to the elevator?¡± The interior smelled like smoke and sweat. I wrinkled my nose.

    He shrugged affably. ¡°Most of the way, at least. I have an errand to run near city center. Now, are you gettin¡¯ in or what?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t afford to waste such an opportunity; besides, the man seemed genuinely friendly. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming.¡± I opened the passenger door, paused to brush crumbs off the fabric seat, then climbed in and stowed my bag safely in my lap. The door locked as I shut it behind me.

    The truck began rolling down the road again, picking up speed until we were racing down the avenue. Suddenly, my crazy escape plan seemed like it could work after all.

    The driver was a stocky unmodded terran with closely cropped black hair and sandy brown skin. He wore grey coveralls, though they were undone down to his waist with the sleeves tied around his hips, and a stained white tank top. His hairy arms rippled with muscles as he turned onto the main road.

    ¡°Name¡¯s Hank,¡± he said after a few minutes of silence. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s... not important,¡± I said evasively.

    Hank raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°You¡¯re a runaway then?¡±

    I fidgeted with the strings on my hoodie, avoiding eye contact.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t drag you back to your parents.¡± He gave me a rough pat on the shoulder which I took to be reassuring. I tried not to wince.

    We watched the mansions go by in silence for a while before he spoke again. ¡°How old are you? I can never tell with you lot.¡±

    ¡°You lot?¡± I echoed, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°Bastards,¡± he clarified.

    This time I did wince, but I pushed his comment to the back of my mind. ¡°Today¡¯s my sixth birthday.¡±

    Hank whistled. ¡°Six revolutions! What¡¯s that in local years, sixteen? When I was your age I already had a job.¡±

    I nodded and smiled politely. Between the state of his truck and his chosen attire, he was probably telling the truth. I couldn¡¯t think of anything polite to reply with, so I just shrugged, and he went on, unperturbed.

    ¡°Well what do you wanna do when you get out there into the great big galaxy? Gonna be some rich fuck¡¯s pet catboy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m nobody¡¯s pet,¡± I asserted through gritted teeth. ¡°Not now, not ever.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    My serious tone only seemed to amuse him. ¡°What then? Gonna be a big CEO?¡±

    ¡°Whatever I end up doing, It will be my choice,¡± I declared resolutely, hoping that would be the end of the uncomfortable conversation.

    Hank chuckled as if I had just made a joke. ¡°Sure thing kid. We¡¯re coming up on the perimeter wall here in a second.¡± He blindly felt around in the back seat with one hand, then passed me a worn leather jacket. It, too, smelled like smoke and sweat. ¡°Put this over your head and crouch down. The gate scanners should miss you.¡±

    I looked at the smelly old jacket doubtfully, and hesitated to take in my surroundings. This close to the edge of Goldmeadow there weren¡¯t mansions, but rows of apartment blocks stretching down identical side streets. Cracks in the concrete distinguished the buildings from one another, along with colorful murals depicting mountains, forests, and rivers.

    Hank looked pointedly at the towering green border wall and its manned guardpost. ¡°Or don¡¯t, and security clocks you leaving. Your choice, and all that.¡±

    Some choice. I covered my head, and tucked my head between my knees. The floor mat was as dirty as the rest of the interior, littered with crumbs and food wrappers, and matted with dirt. I missed my maid already.

    Hiding under the coat gave me plenty of time to think back on my hasty escape. I wondered who would notice my absence first. Probably my tutor, waking me for morning lessons... or maybe they¡¯d give me a day off of lessons for my birthday. Maybe it would be the butler bringing me breakfast in bed. She¡¯d throw open the drapes and pull back the covers, only to find a pillow in my place.

    Who was I kidding? The first one into my room would be my parents¡¯ manager with the contract, pushing me to sign my life away to Belivita, just like they did at my age.

    ¡°Alright, kid, we¡¯re past the range of the scanners. You can sit up now.¡± Hank lifted the coat from my head, allowing the soft glow of Argus to wake me from thoughts of ancient history.

    In front of us, the pavement stretched on in an endlessly straight line. To the left and right, walls of thick grass grew so tall I couldn¡¯t see over the blades even from inside the truck, though in the distance it looked like it got shorter. My fingertips tapped restlessly on my knee.

    Out of the corner of my eye I could see Hank glancing at me. He let the silence stretch on uncomfortably, before asking ¡°Is this your first time outside the walls?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°It¡¯s very... grassy?¡± The height of the blades began to taper off as we raced by, until the stems rose only a few centimetres. To the north and south I could see the vast field clearly to the horizon, rippling gently in the pitiful breeze. It was unbearably quiet, just the hum of the engine and the faint noise of tires on road. ¡°I thought there would be other people here.¡±

    Hank laced his hands behind his head and reclined his seat, letting the truck drive itself. ¡°Most people on Argus Two live in Goldmeadow or Port City,¡± he explained.

    As he spoke I noticed a wide machine rolling through the field along the border between the short and tall grasses, throwing cut stems into a gigantic hovering hopper waiting beside it. A moment later and we passed into more of the mature stalks, cutting off my view. ¡°Where does it all go?¡± I wondered aloud.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you this shit in whatever passes for a school in the rich fuck district?¡± He leered at me. ¡°Ah, sorry. Guess your condition makes you a little slow.¡±

    For a moment I was just bewildered, and the words fell from my mouth before I could remember to be tactful. ¡°Do you think being genodivergent is a ¡®condition¡¯?¡±

    Hank roared with laughter, leaving me to awkwardly wait for him to compose himself. ¡°No, I¡¯ve met Bastards before! Kid, I know who your parents are. What they are. You look just like them. I guess most of us just assumed you were a little uh...¡± he sucked air through his teeth ¡°retarded.¡±

    I suppressed the urge to vomit. Well, it was better than racism. Kind of. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I said forcefully. ¡°My tutor just didn¡¯t teach me anything about Argus Two. Can we get back to talking about the sweetgrass please?¡±

    ¡°Sure, whatever. Kids can¡¯t take a joke these days.¡± His shoulders still shook with aftershocks of laughter as he spoke. ¡°There are huge factories just over the horizon that process the sweetgrass into syrup to be put into all kinds of food. It gets packed onto trains and sent to Port City, then piped up to the gate station to be sent... I don¡¯t know, somewhere else.¡±

    No wonder I never learned about the rest of our world; it was somehow even more boring than Goldmeadow. ¡°The whole moon? Just for sweetgrass?¡±

    ¡°Just the part with land: A hundred million square kilometers, give or take, in a strip around the equator. The rest is all water,¡± he clarified. He sighed, and took on a wistful air. ¡°It wasn¡¯t always like this, though. A few hundred years ago this place looked a lot like Terra... you did learn about the motherworld right?¡±

    I rolled my eyes and nodded. ¡°Yes, my tutor did cover humanity¡¯s history.¡±

    ¡°Then you know what made it special. Liquid oceans, breathable atmosphere, continents with varied climates, vibrant biodiversity... Argus Two had a self-sustaining population and a thriving tourism industry.¡± He paused pointedly.

    ¡°Is this the setup to a joke?¡± I asked suspiciously. There was no way an earthlike planet would be turned into such a boring, boring farm world.

    The jovial creases in Hanks¡¯s face smoothed as his demeanor turned cold. ¡°Somebody bought it, then decided it would be more profitable to have it stripped of minerals and remodeled into an endless lawn.¡±

    So, not a joke then. I was almost afraid to tug the thread further. Still, curiosity spurred me on. ¡°Where did the people who lived there go?¡±

    He stared up at the gate station wistfully. ¡°Those who had money relocated. The rest of them got jobs here, working in the factories, or taking care of the rich fucks.¡±

    I shifted in my seat awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m sorry for what happened to your world?¡±

    Hank didn¡¯t respond, face stern as he stared out the window. After a moment he pushed a button on the steering wheel, and electronic music boomed through the speakers.

    That explained why he was so mean at first. He was just as trapped as I would have been, had I lacked the courage to leave. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t about to let myself get stuck like that. I was going to get to Port City, buy my way aboard the first ship offworld, and never look back.

    The city was still a ways off, and Hank didn¡¯t seem open to more conversation. I rested my head against the window, watching the ripples dance lazily through the sweetgrass. The adrenaline of my escape had worn off, and the missed hours of sleep had me yawning. I was sure Hank wouldn¡¯t mind if I had a little nap.

 Hanks Delivery

    ¡°Citizens and work visas only.¡±

    My eyes snapped open. In front of us was a massive concrete wall painted a sad, faded green. We were stopped at a checkpoint just outside, and a suit of matte white power armor was bending down to address Hank at eye level.

    I peered between the gaps in its defenses, hoping to get a look at the wires or circuits beneath, but instead I saw a black underlayer so dark it seemed to leech the light from the edges of its armored plates.

    ¡°I have a delivery to make,¡± Hank replied coolly. He slowly reached into his pocket and produced a purple bearer credit. ¡°What¡¯s the fee for a day pass? Five hundred?¡±

    Even through the gate guard¡¯s opaque faceplate I could feel them staring at me. ¡°No visitor passes today.¡± The voice that came through the armor¡¯s speakers barely sounded human. I had seen models of paladins in VR, but in person their presence was even more... intense. I knew they were only here to protect us, but something made me nervous.

    Hank grimaced briefly, but quickly hid his distress. ¡°My business is urgent,¡± he insisted as he took another purple and offered them both.

    I watched with wide-eyed fascination as the guard¡¯s thick metal fingers gripped the crystals with gentle dexterity, then tossed them into the air and caught them in a fist. They slowly uncurled, revealing that the fragile gems were unscathed.

    Hank cleared his throat. ¡°Are we clear to proceed, Brother?¡±

    The sound of their huge metal boots was surprisingly soft on the pavement as they stepped back. It could be shock absorption, but the way they moved didn¡¯t look bouncy enough. Maybe the soles were made of sound dampening material, or- ¡°Don¡¯t linger,¡± they commanded, and a section of wall slowly raised to allow us passage. I briefly noticed two automated turrets mounted on either side of the gate as we drove out of their line of fire and into the city.

    ¡°Welcome to port, kid,¡± Hank said tiredly. ¡°Journey¡¯s almost over, thank the void.¡±

    Without the wall towering over us I could once again see the sky, where the gate station hovered thousands of kilometres above us. From its base descended twin cables, and as I watched an ascender plummeted down the left one so fast I was sure it would explode on the ground, only to slow and stop with breakneck speed. Besides the elevator cables leading to the city center, there were dozens more tubes connecting the station to the roofs of  huge concrete buildings built around the city¡¯s edges. I couldn¡¯t see any train tracks, however.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the syrup is moved by rail?¡± I asked.

    Hank glanced at me with undue disdain. ¡°They¡¯re underground,¡± he grunted.

    His surliness couldn¡¯t dampen my spirits. As we continued on past the warehouse district my face remained glued to the window, staring at colorful and dynamic signs decorating the bleak prefabricated buildings, advertising bars, nightclubs, fight pits... well, most of the ads seemed to be focusing on ways to make bad choices. Some of them got that point across with very detailed holographic models.

    ¡°Is that a body scan or an avatar?¡± I asked, pointing to a particularly lewd hologram of a muscular terran woman brandishing an extremely realistic horse penis.

    ¡°Don¡¯t recognize her?¡± Hank asked sarcastically. ¡°Pretty sure I saw her on a stream with your parents once.¡±

    I shot him a glare, but there wasn¡¯t much else I could do. I tried changing the subject one last time. ¡°So... what kind of errand do you have to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m making one last delivery,¡± he replied, and I noted with delight that the hostility faded from his tone, along with the tension in his jaw. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have enough to buy passage through the gate.¡±

    Despite how snippy he could be, I was still happy for him. I could tell he was a nice guy under his rough exterior. ¡°That¡¯s great! Maybe I¡¯ll see you out there,¡± I suggested cheerfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t count on it.¡± His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he turned down a narrow side street. He continued that way for a minute, bringing us further from the thoroughfare, then turned again and stopped in front of a garage door in the back of a particularly nondescript building. It was in as poor shape as the buildings around it, with chunks of concrete missing around the corners. I noticed some rough-looking characters leaning against the wall, watching us.

    A few moments passed in tense silence. I noticed one of the individuals stepping towards us, but he stepped back as the garage door rattled to life. Hank wordlessly drove us into a downward-sloping tunnel leading, which soon opened into a spacious parking lot packed halfway to capacity with a hundred or so trucks and delivery vans. The already dim overhead lights flickered worryingly, revealing them to be our only source of light outside our truck.

    We pulled into a space near the entrance ramp, and Hank killed the engine. ¡°Wait here,¡± he commanded seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t get out of the car.¡±

    ¡°Are you delivering something illegal?¡± I asked, wide-eyed. ¡°Not that I have a problem with that! Is it drugs? Oo, or maybe-¡±

    He held up a hand to silence me. ¡°You ask a lot of questions, boy. One day it¡¯s going to get you killed.¡±

    ¡°Right. Sorry.¡± I zipped my lips and threw away the key.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    He shook his head, his face pinched with... frustration? Worry?

    Whatever he might have said next was lost as a door slid open on the far side of the garage. Two mean-looking men flanked a bulky bast woman, who wore a black leather jacket and a conspicuously bulky belt, with a pistol on her hip. Her left sleeve was torn to expose an expensive metallic black cybernetic arm, which matched her left eye and ear. I could feel that mechanical eye focusing on me, and I couldn¡¯t be sure if I saw her smile.

    Hank took a deep, shuddering breath, staring apprehensively at his contact.

    ¡°You can do this,¡± I encouraged, giving his knee a gentle squeeze. ¡°I believe in you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, though I had already forgiven his foul mood. He didn¡¯t look back as he picked his way around vehicles parked in neat rows between us and them, and finally stopped before the bast.

    I anxiously zipped and unzipped my bag as I studied the trio across the room. The woman in the middle had dark fur marred by scars that I could see even from such a distance, meaning that her prostheses were probably a repair job, and that she was paid fairly well. She was likely a mercenary, based on that and her non-branded aesthetic. Maybe she would be willing to fence my stuff after she was done with Hank¡¯s business? Bearer credits would go further than trinkets in trying to bargain my way onto a ship.

    The woman finally greeted Hank, probably, but I couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying from so far away. Their lips moved subtly at first, their gestures small, but as their conversation continued both grew increasingly more animated. Hank pointed violently at the woman,and she put a hand on her hip, close to her sidearm. Fragments of shouted words reached my straining ears, but I couldn¡¯t find meaning in them. Maybe this was how haggling worked on the wrong side of the law?

    The lights flickered, then went out, plunging the subterranean chamber into utter darkness. A flash illuminated the room, accompanied by the echoing crack of a rail rifle, then another. Voices shouted into the gloom, and these I heard. ¡°Confirmed kill, ma¡¯am!¡±

    When the lights came on again, Hank was lying on the ground before them. A pool of blood slowly spread to fill in the gaps between bits of brain and skull scattered across the concrete around what had been his head.

    One of the men dropped his limp wrist to the ground, and stepped over his prone form. A part of me wondered why he wasn¡¯t helping him up; he clearly needed medical attention.

    The zip on my bag was half closed, my trembling fingers still clutching the tab, frozen mid-stim. Questions swirled through my mind. What was he delivering? Who were those people? Would they let me go if I promised not to tell? Would they still be willing to buy my stuff from me?

    The uncertain jumble coalesced into one single train of thought as the woman¡¯s yellow and red eyes locked with mine across the garage. I could feel the cruelty in her stare, the determination to succeed no matter who she had to kill to do it. I could see her anticipation clear as day, the quivering in the tip of her nose, the licking of her teeth beneath her lips; her job was almost complete.

    I needed to run.

    I pulled the zipper shut, clumsily yanked the door handle, and tripped out of the truck¡¯s cab. I ducked low and dashed behind a row of pickup trucks as the sound of the mens running footsteps echoed deafeningly off the ceiling.

    ¡°Put those guns away dumbfucks, that kid¡¯s worth a fortune!¡± the mercenary barked at her henchmen.

    I pressed myself between the front of a truck and the wall. Tears matted the fur on my cheeks as my brain finally pieced together the clues that my excitement had blinded me to. Hank hadn¡¯t been selling drugs, or guns, or any other sorts of illegal goods.

    I was the delivery.

    ¡°He¡¯s not here ma¡¯am!¡± one of the goons yelled from the direction of the truck.

    I clapped a hand over my mouth as the beam of a flashlight scanned slowly along the row of vehicles behind which I was hiding. ¡°Here kitty kitty!¡± the second one called. ¡°I have a bone for you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s dogs, dick for brains!¡± the first responded.

    The beam of light swept away from my shadow as the mercenary retorted, and I seized the moment to creep around the edge of the pickup. He was standing just behind its bed, with his back to me. There was a knife strapped to his thigh mere inches from my face, and the snap holding it in place was unfastened. Their argument sounded as if it came from under water, barely registering over the ringing in my ears.

    I eyed the next row of vehicles, a few metres closer to the elevator.

    The lights flickered again. I felt my fist close around the ergonomic grip of his combat knife. The darkness pressed in all around us. The blade slid free.

    The terran shrieked in pain and fell to the unforgiving ground as the rusty scent of his blood filled my nose. ¡°Fucking kid stabbed me!¡± he bellowed.

    I didn¡¯t waste another moment next to the bleeding man, seizing my moment to sprint towards the elevator, keeping my head low and my steps soft.  When the lights came back on I was halfway there, lying on my belly beneath a van with a clear view of the leader leaning against the elevator doors.

    Her pointed ears laid flat against her head, her sharpened teeth bared as she rubbed her furrowed brow. ¡°This is why you don¡¯t skimp on the thug budget,¡± she growled to herself. ¡°You two get back here and guard the lift! I¡¯ll go get this brat myself.¡±

    I thought the pounding of my heart would give me away for sure as I waited in the shadows. I held my breath when she got close, so close I could reach out and grab her ankle, but she kept walking.

    I counted her steps as she moved away from me. Was five enough for me to make a run for it? Six? Seven? On eight I rolled out into the open, and leapt to my feet. I made a mad dash for the lift, ignoring the shouts in my wake. I felt something wet and squishy under my bare foot, but I didn¡¯t dare stop and look.

    My hand left a bloody print on the far wall as I slammed into it full-force. My finger fumbled on the up button, then pressed it so hard my nail stuck in the fragile rubber. I turned to face the sound of metal slugs tearing through the closing doors as the uninjured mercenary opened fire on me, barely missing my torso. The bast drew her pistol and pressed it to the mercenary¡¯s temple, ensuring that I would see the spray of steaming viscera before the doors closed completely.

    I fell to my hands and knees and retched. In media people always threw up and felt better after seeing someone die for the first time, but nothing came up, and the knot in my stomach remained.

    I checked my hand for injuries; it stung from the impact, but the blood wasn¡¯t mine. I wiped it on my pants, hoping the black polymer fabric wouldn¡¯t stain, though my pale fur certainly did.

    I shakily got to my feet, facing the door. I was dimly aware of my bag on my shoulders. At least I still had that. I wiped the tears from my face with my clean hand, and set my wobbling jaw. ¡°I need to find help,¡± I declared with all the stalwart determination I could muster.

    A chime sounded from the lift, and it stopped at the sixth floor.

 On the Run

    The elevator¡¯s doors silently slid open to reveal a jarringly mundane office floor. Rows of beige cubicles occupied the majority of the room, while the left and right walls were lined with obstructed, lightless windows. In the far wall was a lone door; the rest of it was mirrored, giving the room an eerie depth. Above, LEDs emitted a sterile white light, and below the brown low-pile carpet was scratchy against my paw pads.

    I wiped my hand on my pants anxiously, wondering whether it had been necessary to stab that guy. I hoped it didn¡¯t take him long to get to a clinic. Either way, my hand was literally soaked in his blood. I hid it into my pocket before wading cautiously into the sea of cubicles.

    In the first cubicle was a tired-looking man sitting at a desk, his eyes locked onto a holographic display. I couldn¡¯t understand the numbers and symbols he was studying, but every so often he would type something into a keyboard, before returning to intently staring at the images.

    ¡°Um, excuse me?¡± I tried meekly.

    I noticed the briefest of twitches in his expression, but he ignored me well enough that I decided to move on to the next cubicle.

    This time, the worker looked both bored and tired. Their keystrokes were sluggish, and their eyes focused on me briefly, but again, they refused to acknowledge me.

    I moved on, going from cubicle to cubicle until I spotted an oddity among the genotypical faces: a woman with feline ears, and a drooping feline tail. She was just a modder, unlike me, but at least she was less like the genotypicals.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± she asked without looking up from her screen.

    I looked over my shoulder, not quite believing she was talking to me. ¡°Uh... yes, I...¡± I stammered.

    Her eyes flicked away from the screen for a brief moment. ¡°Are you new here or something? You¡¯re late.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No, um...¡± The words echoed through my mind: help me, save me, a stranger is trying to get me. When I opened my mouth, the chaos felt so far away, and I was embarrassed to speak them. ¡°I¡¯m lost,¡± I said in a meek whisper.

    She pressed her palms to her forehead frustratedly. ¡°Oh for fuck¡¯s sake...¡± she mumbled. A chime sounded from her work station, and her attention snapped back to the hologram in the form of a venomous glare. ¡°And now my pay is docked. Look, I don¡¯t have time for this. Just get the fuck out of here!¡± another chime sounded from her work station, and she turned scarlet with fury. ¡°Volume infraction? Are you kidding me?¡±

    I backed away quickly, right into a solid form behind me someone. Strong hands gently gripped my shoulders. ¡°What¡¯s all the hubbub, guys?¡± asked a gentle, gregarious voice.

    I ducked away from her grip and turned to face the towering terran woman. She wore a suit and tie, and her auburn hair was neatly restrained in a tight bun. She was smiling disarmingly.

    I slowly lowered my guard, running a hand over the fur on the back of my neck soothingly. ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry to intrude ma¡¯am-¡± I began timidly.

    ¡°Oh please, call me Carla!¡± she insisted warmly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go speak in my office, let the worker bees pollinate in peace?¡± She shot me a conspiratorial wink.

    ¡°Uh... bees?¡± I echoed blankly, but she was already away. I glanced back at the lift behind me, then followed close at her heels through the beige grid to the lone door in the mirrored wall. She ushered me into her sparsely appointed office, then indicated to a small chair in front of a huge wooden desk. My eyes did a lap of the room as I took a seat, noting an assortment of posters featuring seemingly random images accompanied by vaguely motivational words, a bowl of colorful hard candies, and a wall of glass looking out into a sea of workers in transparent cubicles.

    ¡°So!¡± Carla clapped, and the door shut heavily. ¡°What do we have here?¡± she asked with a kindly smile.

    Focus. This woman can help you. Be strong. ¡°I was... attacked. In your basement.¡± The words fell limp as they left my lips.

    Carla nodded encouragingly, her brow knitted with worry. ¡°Well I¡¯m awful sorry to hear about that!¡±

    Hope flickered in my chest. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Oh sure! Just one question, kiddo. Why were you in our basement? As we all know, company property is private property unless you have a purpose. What¡¯s your purpose?¡± She maintained a tone as sweet as syrup.

    ¡°I...¡± I hesitated. ¡°A man brought me here. I think he was trying to sell me, but a scary-looking woman... shot him...¡± My voice wobbled as I remembered the sensation of it beneath my bare paws.

    ¡°Well that¡¯s just terrible, hon. Would you like a candy?¡± She passed the candy bowl across her desk to me.

    ¡°What?¡± I shook my head. ¡°No I don¡¯t want candy! Aren¡¯t you hearing me?¡±

    ¡°Well there¡¯s no need to get snippy, little mister,¡± Carla chastised gently.

    I stood up from my chair, the momentary calm that had hypnotized me falling away. ¡°Someone is trying to kidnap me!¡± I declared forcefully. ¡°I need help!¡±

    ¡°Oh now don¡¯t be so melodramatic, sweetheart! It sounds to me like your friend the delivery man had a pay dispute, so he had to be fired. As I like to say, we don¡¯t make the rules, we just live with ¡®em!¡± She shrugged affably.

    I slammed my hands down on the desk. ¡°He was delivering me to some...¡± I paused when I noticed her focus was on my  bloodstained hand.

    ¡°Not yours, I hope?¡± she asked with concern.

    ¡°Uh... no?¡± I replied cautiously.

    ¡°Oh thank goodness!¡± A chime sounded from her desk, and she beamed. ¡°Oh good! My office please!¡±

    Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a pair of tall, burly, four-armed men with two eyes between them stomping towards us. Across the broad chests of their blue shirts was the word ¡°Security.¡±

    I searched Carla¡¯s face carefully as I backed away from her desk and towards the door. ¡°Are they going to help me?¡± I asked, a sinking feeling in my stomach.

    Carla nodded earnestly. ¡°Oh sure, that¡¯s what we do here at Aiyu Logistics! Please, sit back down and have a candy. We¡¯ll get you where you need to go soon!¡± The smell of her perfume was making my nose burn.

    ¡°I... I think I should go,¡± I whispered, lunging for the door controls.

    ¡°Have a seat, I insist!¡±

    There was a three digit pin to unlock the touch screen. ¡°Thank you so much for the uh...¡± I stammered as my shaking fingers ran through every single-numbered combination in a desperate brute force attempt. One one one? No. Two two two?

    Her chair creaked as she stood up. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be playing with that, young man! It¡¯s not a toy.¡±

    The pad lit up green for triple sevens. ¡°Great meeting you, bye!¡± Before the door was finished sliding open I bolted into the cubicles.

    The walls of the cubicles were too tall; I couldn¡¯t see over them. I picked a direction and ran, turning down sidepaths until I was good and lost. I ducked into one of the cubicles, hoping I was far enough away that they wouldn¡¯t find me. Suddenly the grids of grey walls turned clear as glass, and I could see to the walls in every direction.

    ¡°There you are, dear!¡± Carla boomed, her voice echoing eerily around the room. She hadn¡¯t dropped an ounce of cheer.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Not a head turned from their work.

    I scanned the room as I ran, looking for something, anything that could save me. Instead I slammed face first into one of the security guards. His body was like a brick wall. My eyes watered as tumbled back onto my butt.

    ¡°Got somewhere to be, girl?¡± he grunted.

    I scooted backwards, but found myself up against the other¡¯s legs. ¡°Please...¡± I whimpered.

    His meaty hands grasped my shoulders, and I found myself longing for Carla¡¯s gentle touch. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the pain.

    ¡°Oi! Who says you get to grab her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s closer to me ¡®sall. Don¡¯t throw a Timmy over it.¡±

    ¡°Me throw a Timmy?¡±

    The hands suddenly released me, and I dropped to the floor. I didn¡¯t look back at the fighting giants as I crawled past them, then got to my feet again and ran for the elevator. I stumbled to a stop, arms pinwheeling as I tore around a corner to find myself face to face with Carla once again. That unsettling smile still clung to her cherry-red lips. Only now did her superficially friendly demeanor falter, exposing a glimpse of the malice lurking beneath.

    I took a deep breath, pulled my bag around to protect my front, then charged at her. At the last moment I slid beneath her grasping hands and pushed off the wall, turning instead to the wall of windows. Glass shattered around me, and I flew out past the concrete walls. There was no moment of stillness before gravity yanked me down face first towards the pavement.

    I  twisted in midair, trying as as best I could to right myself. My tail instinctively helped correct my fall, and I landed feet first below, then rolled forward onto the bag. I felt a sharp pain in my ankles, and my knees and elbows were scraped, but otherwise I was unharmed. I looked back up to the broken window thirty or so meters above me, and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    ¡°I thought cats were supposed to land on their feet?¡±

    I looked up at a fresh batch of strangers loitering in the alley. Like most everyone else on this moon, they were terrans, but unlike most of them, their bodies were augmented with an assortment of mods. While they seemed to favor simple color shifts and animal features, a few also sported cybernetic limb replacements. The one who had spoken had jet black hair teased into spikes, glowing red eyes, and a thin, spaded tail. His worn attire was decorated with metal spikes and colorful paints.

    My knees shook as I got back to my feet and dusted myself off. ¡°I did, kinda,¡± I replied, only slightly delirious with adrenaline. When I looked back up from my dirty clothes, I was surrounded by a semi-circle of strangers with only concrete behind me.

    ¡°What¡¯s in the bag?¡± The spiky one demanded.

    I hesitated, but another look at the man revealed a pistol grip peeking out from the waistband of his pants. I slowly unzipped it to reveal the precious metals and gems within. ¡°It¡¯s yours if-¡± I began.

    ¡°It¡¯s ours, and,¡± he corrected firmly.

    I gulped. ¡°It¡¯s yours and... can you please help me get offworld?¡±

    The crew of modders broke into uproarious laughter until their leader waved his hand, then fell intimidatingly silent.

    ¡°Good one! How about, it¡¯s ours and...¡± the leader pulled a blade from his pocket, and slashed it across the bottom of my backpack, spilling its contents across the ground. ¡°So are you? It¡¯s not often we see an honest to void bastard around here, and seeing as you came from up there you must be garbage.¡± His breath reeked as he forced me back against the wall, pressing the knife to my throat and running his slimy, forked tongue across my cheek.

    ¡°¡®Scuse me gentlemen, but that¡¯s my garbage!¡± Boomed a chillingly familiar voice from the other end of the alley. ¡°Back the fuck off!¡±

    I looked between the mercenary woman and the lowlife. I had watched the former blow her own colleague¡¯s brains out, and the latter¡¯s first impulse was now pressing insistently against my thigh. I didn¡¯t feel like trying my odds with either of them..

    ¡°Listen up, bitch, this is our-¡±

    There was a high-pitched whine, and I felt the fur on my arms stand on end as a bolt of purple energy lanced through the air. The scent of scorched flesh joined that of ozone as it splashed across his back. He crumpled to the ground without hesitation.

    ¡°Anyone else?¡± the mercenary asked, then casually blew smoke from the end of her pistol.

    I was pushed roughly out of the way as they all drew weapons from pockets and belts and waistbands.

    ¡°Oh fuck me!¡± the bast groaned before diving for cover under a hail of projectiles.

    I tried to run, and my ankles screamed in protest. I ran anyway, limping out of the alley as fast as I could. I headed in the rough direction of the elevator in the center of the city, the closest thing to a goal I had.

    Within this part of Port City, the tall grey buildings were adorned by graffiti and advertisements, the latter made mostly from neon, which blurred into unreadable streaks of color in my haste. The sounds of gunfire cut out suddenly behind me, but I didn¡¯t dare pretend I was safe.

    Finally, I came to a clearing in the buildings around the city center, where upon a raised platform rested two ascenders, guarded by an imposing figure in matte white armor.

    A paladin. My heart soared as I approached the steps at their feet. ¡°Excuse me!¡± I called out. ¡°Um... brother? I need-¡±

    ¡°Who said you could approach the spire?¡± Their helmet turned towards me, but otherwise they remained at attention before the ascenders.

    ¡°Sorry!¡± I quickly raised my arms above my head to show that I was unarmed. ¡°I need help! There are people who are after me and-¡±

    ¡°Were you separated from your parents?¡± the paladin interrupted.

    ¡°My parents? No, you don¡¯t understand, there¡¯s someone after me! She already murdered at least two people, and I think she wants to kidnap me! Please, sir, isn¡¯t your mission to uphold order in the galaxy?¡± I pleaded.

    The paladin stared at me through their faceless visor. ¡°I¡¯ve not forgotten my oath, mutant,¡± they answered.

    From behind me shouted a voice that gripped my heart with dread. ¡°Brother! I see you¡¯ve found my bounty!¡±

    I whimpered softly, my eyes pleading with the towering Paladin.

    ¡°Elaborate,¡± they commanded, folding their alloy-plated arms.

    I slowly turned to witness the confident swagger of my pursuer, a nasty smirk plastered over her muzzle. ¡°This boy has lost his way; he¡¯s supposed to be safe in Goldmeadow. His parents sent me to fetch him for them. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find that my permits are in order.¡± She stopped a few metres from where we stood, and nonchalantly tapped her metal wrist a few times.

    The paladin paused, seeming to weigh her words. ¡°Your permits are in order. Go about your business, mercenary.¡± They spat the word ¡®mercenary¡¯ with the same venom as ¡®mutant¡¯.

    ¡°She¡¯s lying!¡± I shouted. ¡°You have to believe me, brother!¡± I tried to flee up the stairs, but they lunged forward and seized me by the wrist. I cried out as a searing pain spread through my forearm, made more intense as they lifted me clear off the ground.

    ¡°So you did not run away?¡± The paladin asked, dangling me by the wrist before them.

    Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my response came out as a whimper.

    ¡°Speak!¡± the paladin barked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ran!¡± I sobbed. ¡°Please, you¡¯re hurting me!¡±

    ¡°Pain is a side effect of weakness.¡± I felt another surge of agony as they threw me down the stairs before the woman who was to take me away.

    I rolled to a stop at her feet, my vision blurry as I looked up at her.

    ¡°By the will of the void, brother,¡± the bast said, bowing low before the paladin. They couldn¡¯t see the vindictive look she gave me, promising that the pain I was in was only the beginning. She pulled a pair of metal cuffs from her belt and slapped one side shut around my injured wrist, eliciting a shriek of pain.

    It was as if time slowed as pressure built in my skull. The pain, the betrayal, the fear, the rage swirling in my mind became like a whisper. One thing was clear; nobody was going to save me.

    I gritted my teeth and yanked my arm back, sending the mercenary woman stumbling forwards. She lost her grip on the cuffs as she tried to maintain her balance. I took the moment to roll to my feet, teeth bared as I stared her down.

    ¡°You slippery little...¡± she hissed as she made another grab for me.

    She was fast, way faster than I was thanks to her mods. She seized me by the back of the neck with her metallic arm, titanium claws piercing my flesh.

    I felt the pain, and moved past it. I didn¡¯t have time to cry yet. I lashed out with my own claws, raking them across her forehead then dragging them down over her organic eye. The sight of its deflation as its vitreous fluid oozed through ragged wounds seared itself into my mind¡¯s eye.

    She released me as intended, staggering back a few steps only to trip and fall onto the steps.

    The paladin¡¯s laughter was like the twisting and tearing of metal. It didn¡¯t make a move to help either of us.

    The mercenary shook with fury, one hand over her popped eyeball and the other on her weapon. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking... screw the money!¡± she pulled the pistol from her hip. Heat shimmered around its ported barrel as she leveled it at my chest.

    The laughter stopped suddenly, and in its place the paladin spoke. ¡°Your permit does not include operation of firearms on corporate grounds, mutant.¡±

    She spun to face the paladin, briefly pointing her weapon at it. She realized her mistake too late; from the paladin¡¯s gauntlets slowly grew a matte white kite shield and wrist blade, the latter of which began to glow red-hot. ¡°Fuck.¡± Her voice was low and even, her remaining eye wide with dread.

    I backed away slowly, watching bolts of plasma disperse harmlessly against the Paladin¡¯s shield. Their sword swung just a fraction of a second too slow, slicing off the tip of her nose and cauterizing the wound. The paladin¡¯s laughter continued as it gave chase back into the city streets.

    The moment I was sure the pair¡¯s attentions were completely on each other, I made a run for the empty ascender. Every step brought a fresh surge of pain, and as I collapsed against the control panel the anesthetic of my focus had worn off. I palmed the blue ¡®door close¡¯ button, then the green one marked ¡®ascend¡¯. The sudden acceleration brought me to the padded floor.

    I could only hope they couldn¡¯t remotely recall the ascender.

 Respite

    The initial shock of the ascender¡¯s rapid acceleration soon wore off, and I peeled my head off the floor to survey my new surroundings. The curved walls of the compact vehicle sloped in towards the elevator cable, which fed through a transparent column. Worn benches were positioned around the column, facing out at a wraparound LED screen encircling the ascender¡¯s inner wall. There were no windows; the screens alternately provided a grainy view of Argus-II shrinking beneath me and helpful messages sponsored by the Frontier Federation.

    I tried reading one of them aloud to myself as it scrolled by. My voice shook. ¡°¡®When you get hurt on the job, remember to apply first aid immediately to avoid lost productivity.¡¯¡± I grimaced. ¡°Right. Good idea.¡±

    I carefully shrugged my way out of my pink sweatshirt, trying to move my wrist as little as possible. I took measured, calming breaths, blinking away tears, then gritted my teeth and looked down at the damage the paladin had done. ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to bend that way.¡± I tried to make myself laugh, but pain shot through my side. I probed my ribcage with my good hand, and cried out when I found the problem. ¡°Yup! Broken. Ow. How do you even do first aid on broken ribs?¡±

    A fresh new message scrolled across the walls, as if in answer to my question. ¡°¡®Work twice as hard for twice as long and the progress grows exponentially.¡¯ I... guess that makes sense? Maybe next time it¡¯ll say something like, ¡®All Federation vehicles are equipped with state of the art medkits under...¡¯ hm... it¡¯s worth a try.¡± Clutching my damaged hand close to my chest, I crawled over to one of the benches, and soon found a latch to raise the seat. They were indeed hollow; the first was stuffed with faded parachute packs, the next with an assortment of hand tools, and luckily the third held a green box stamped with Xenolife¡¯s cross-and-snake logo beneath its embossed Federation insignia.

    Triumphantly, I placed the plastic box before me and opened it up. ¡°Okay, so maybe it¡¯s not the best stocked medkit...¡± I mumbled. Within the box was a single roll of cloth bandages, an adreno-spike, an opened bottle of antiseptic, and an expired bottle of ¡°Hangover Friends¡±, sub labeled: ¡°ultimate strength pain, swelling, and stress reliever¡±.

    ¡°Does expired mean no good or less good in your case?¡± I asked tiredly. The bleary-eyed mascot on the bottle seemed too tired to reply. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll just take a double dose then,¡± I conceded, and tried to dump a few tablets out into my palm one-handed. ¡°I was going for four, but six should be even better, right?¡± They were horrifically bitter without a glass of water to take them with.

    I tossed the pill bottle aside while I waited for them to kick in, and turned my attention begrudgingly to my wrist. ¡°Still pointing the wrong way, huh buddy?¡± I asked gently. ¡°Can you maybe not for me?¡± A couple gentle pokes told me that the lower quarters of my radius and ulna were, to put it technically, all screwed up. I could feel fragments of bone swimming around in the swollen tissue of my wrist. ¡°Guess you¡¯re gonna stay like this until we can find a hospital then. I think I¡¯ll just...¡± I took my sweatshirt and awkwardly wrapped it around my wrist a few times, having to pause every so often to wait for the pain to subside. Then, clutching one sleeve in my teeth, I tied it as well as I could. ¡°There,¡± I panted, ¡°a bit of padding for you, at least. And I no longer have to think about it because I can no longer see it!¡±

    The throbbing, burning pain disagreed.

    ¡°Oh look, another tip!¡± I announced, to little fanfare. ¡°¡®Corporate moles destabilize wormholes. Report any suspicious coworkers to your supervisor immediately.¡¯ What¡¯s a mole?¡±

    Rather than answering my question, the screen switched back to showing how far I was from home. I could just make out the fuzzy blob of Goldmeadow at the edge of the display, a greyish blob surrounded by a sea of green.

    ¡°Maybe...¡± I began, voice trembling. ¡°Maybe I should have just stayed home? Would it really be so bad to follow in Mommy and Daddy¡¯s footsteps?¡± I laid back on one of the benches to rest while my imagination worked the scenario over. ¡°If I had signed the contract, I would be protected by Belivita. There would be no mercenaries after me, my medical bills would be covered in perpetuity, and I¡¯d have guaranteed housing. Maybe they¡¯d even transfer me off-planet if I asked? I bet they have loads more residential colonies!¡± I pictured a mansion built into a cliff overlooking a bustling city, staffed with the best help money could buy.

    I tried not to think about what I¡¯d have to give in return, but reality crept into my fantasy as it always did. ¡°I¡¯d have a stylist to choose my outfits, and an artist to do my makeup. I¡¯d be watched constantly by camera drones, graded and critiqued on my performance every day. Then, at night...¡± I shuddered, unable to say the rest aloud. ¡°No. I made the right choice. I¡¯m not going to do that. I may look like my parents, but at least I have some self-respect.¡±Stolen story; please report.

    Tingles began to spread through my nerve endings, and the pain diminished gradually until I could sit up. I reached for my foot, but was distracted by the state of my manicure. I inspected my nails, always kept neatly filed to points and protected by a clear lacquer. Now they had blood and black fur stuck under them, and their points were chipped and dull. Their glossy coating was rendered matte by the scuffing they¡¯d endured. ¡°Damn... my file was in my bag.¡± I folded my arms, and yelped as my wrist barked in protest. ¡°Right. Forgot. Ow.¡±

    I turned my attention back to the screens for more inspiration. ¡°¡®Remember to thank your local paladins...¡¯ yeah, no.¡± I rolled my eyes, and continued on in a corporate-spokesman voice. ¡°¡®...provided by our partners at Crusader Interplanetary Defence Force to safeguard our vital work!¡¯¡± I scoffed. ¡°I guess stopping child trafficking doesn¡¯t count as ¡®vital work¡¯.¡± My anger flared and fizzled as if burning off the last traces of my body¡¯s adrenaline. ¡°The media makes them seem like heroes, bound by their code of honor to protect the righteous from the machinations of the anarchist and the infidel. I don¡¯t really know what an infidel is... maybe I did something to deserve this?¡±

    That cold, sadistic laughter echoed in my ears like the grating of metal.

    ¡°Right... I¡¯m not done yet,¡± I reminded myself. I carefully folded my right leg over my left. My stretch pants were torn at the knee, and bits of gravel stuck to my abraded skin. The fur around the area was matted with blood and dirt. ¡°Dang it!¡± I grumbled, poking at the ragged fabric. ¡°I really liked these pants!¡±

    I took the antiseptic from the first aid kit and twisted off the cap with my teeth, then splashed a generous amount over my knee. The liquid bubbled and fizzed, turning first white, then pink, then brown as it scoured the wound. ¡°Well, at least that part wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± I said as I wiped it away with the dangling sleeve of my sweatshirt.

    I worked my way down my digitigrade leg from my knee to my  ankle joint, and felt nothing wrong aside from the soreness of overuse. Lower, however, was another story. ¡°Oh! Yep. That¡¯s not correct.¡± Even with the Hangover Friends dulling the sensation, my gentle probing felt more like someone was beating me across the backs of my ankles with a pipe. I took the bandage from the medical kit and struggled to one-handedly wind it around my damaged ankle. I gritted my teeth and ignored the spots swimming at the edges of my vision. When the bandage was sloppily tied off, the pain slowly receded, returning from agony a dull throbbing. I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand. ¡°Probably should have saved some bandage for the other leg, but it doesn¡¯t hurt as much anyway.¡±

    I tried to be as gentle as possible when inspecting my foot, for fear of triggering my ankle again. My once soft paw pads were scraped and scuffed, red instead of their usual pink, and my claws, like my nails, were split and caked with dried blood. ¡°Maybe I should have brought shoes,¡± I considered aloud. ¡°But they¡¯re so uncomfortable, even the ones made for basts. Oh well, too late now.¡±

    I haphazardly poured some antiseptic over my toes, then recrossed my legs left-over-right and finished off the antiseptic. As I waited for the fizzing to stop, I distracted myself with the next loading screen tip. ¡°¡®There are over twenty million warp gates currently in service shipping people, goods, and information to every corner of the Human Empire,¡¯¡± I read aloud. ¡°Let¡¯s see, if they constructed one new gate every day, which Frontier probably could with their resources, that would take... twenty thousand revolutions? That can¡¯t be right, that¡¯s way too long. Maybe they build a whole bunch at a time, and shoot them out into unexplored sectors?¡±As my imagination continued to wander, my eyelids grew heavy, and my head felt light and fluffy.

    My thoughts faded into background noise until I found myself drifting lazily through space. I saw supernovae and quasars dancing hand in hand with nebulae around distant void stars, all surrounded by the hulking hexagonal shadows of gates. I stepped towards the dancing figures, but the closer I got the harder it was to see them for how brightly they were shining. Everywhere I turned the blinding light pierced my retinas like a storm of metal shrapnel, except for the void star, which mercifully drank away the light. I stumbled into its cold embrace, my arms reaching eternally into its maw, ribbons of pale fur interwoven with the flesh of stars. The gates watched on as the darkness grew at their hearts, larger and larger until it consumed its hosts, and then the remaining stars, and then all was silent, still, cold, and dark.

    I waited. It was hard to think. I couldn¡¯t tell if my eyes were moving. My screams couldn¡¯t reach my ears. Each heartbeat I counted felt slower than the last, until I lost count around seven hundred.

    Suddenly, in the stillness, I felt something. Weightlessness. It was brief. I slammed back down onto the barely padded bench. The pain was such a relief.

    I groaned as I sat up, and soothingly stroked the raised fur on my tail. ¡°Why that dream again, after so long?¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°Hangover friends, did you betray me?¡±

    The lights went red, and the wall screens powered down. A sharp hiss came from the ascender¡¯s hatch, and my ears popped as the air pressure changed.

    The cylindrical adreno-spike rolled to a stop against my foot. Surely this wasn¡¯t expired too? I barely felt the sting of the injector in my thigh, and moments later a surge of energy rushed through my body. I was as ready as I could be to run for my life; I stood at the door, and waited.

 Lorainne

    The hatch slowly lowered, gradually revealing a clean and bright room. Sticking out from the rounded metal wall opposite me was a reinforced door, above which ¡°customs¡± was painted in green. The floor was tiled with tesselating green hexagons in various shades. As soon as I stepped out of the ascender, my eyes were drawn to the triangular panes of glass which made up the domed ceiling. Beyond it, I could see more stars than I had ever seen glimmering just out of reach.

    I turned in a slow circle, watching the stars blur into streaks of pale light. My journey was almost over, now all I needed to do was... the next thing. But what was the next thing?

    I stumbled as I spun, bumping into something hard and person-shaped. I immediately leapt back, ears flattened to my scalp as I stared them down.

    The terran was unimposing, her expression placid despite the jostling. She wore green coveralls with the word ¡°Tomiko¡± printed on the right side of her chest. She was staring at me.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I offered without lowering my guard.

    She bowed her head suddenly, but respectfully. ¡°I am Tomiko, custodian of this installation. You must be-¡± She froze mid-sentence and mid-bow.

    I crept closer, and waved a hand in front of her face experimentally. I considered poking her, but before I could get up the nerve she suddenly continued. I jumped back again, unnerved by her erratic movements.

    ¡°-a visitor! Welcome to the jewel of the Argus system, honored guest!¡± Tomiko raised her head, and smiled without showing her teeth.

    ¡°A visitor?¡± I echoed hesitantly.

    ¡°My first visitor in over a hundred years!¡± Her left eye twitched as she spoke.

    ¡°Right,¡± I agreed tactfully, adopting a more neutral stance. ¡°I¡¯m a visitor. Just here to visit... the gate station.¡±

    ¡°Please, follow me to the atrium,¡± she insisted, eagerly rushing to the customs door. The frontier logo was sewn into the back of her coveralls, two capital Fs back to back, angled so they formed an arrow pointing to the stars.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a visitor,¡± I mumbled to myself. ¡°That¡¯s not a lie.¡± I followed the odd caretaker though the customs door into a dim and cramped corridor. Panes of glass and a half-wall separated a section where customs officials would work, though there was thankfully no one on duty. I couldn¡¯t help but notice the conspicuous hinges at the edges of the floor, and the yellow and black hazard paint marking a seam along its middle. As the door to the arrivals room shut behind us, my ears popped.

    ¡°May I please see your papers, visitor?¡± Tomiko asked sweetly.

    The back of my neck felt hot, and the tip of my tail thrashed anxiously. ¡°My papers?¡± I echoed lamely.

    ¡°Yes, may I please see your papers, visitor?¡± Tomiko asked sweetly.

    ¡°I do have papers,¡± I said carefully. ¡°But I don¡¯t have them with me right now.¡±

    Tomiko¡¯s face fell. ¡°You don¡¯t have papers?¡± The lights in the corridor turned red, but her eyes still shined bright green.

    ¡°No no! I do! I was just... so excited to come visit this beautiful station! I heard so much about it and I just had to see for myself! Who has time for papers when there¡¯s such um... such... space station to be... seen?¡± I held my breath.

    The lights flashed green, then the inner door slid open. ¡°This way please, visitor!¡± Tomiko chirped, cheerfully strolling into the atrium.

    I clutched my chest, gasping for air. White spots danced at the edges of my vision. ¡°I¡¯m gonna crash soon,¡± I groaned. ¡°Have to find... transportation.¡±

    ¡°Transportation?¡± Tomiko¡¯s head spun back to face me. ¡°There is no transportation today.¡±

    I dashed out of the customs corridor before she could change her mind about the papers. ¡°Really, no transportation? This is just such a big station, I can¡¯t believe ships don¡¯t come through here.¡±

    ¡°Many ships patronize this station,¡± Tomiko replied indignantly, but my attention was arrested by the great brown trunk of a tree growing in the center of the atrium.

    I wandered closer, picking my way carefully around crooked and raised floor tiles. It smelled familiar, not quite like the smell of cut sweetgrass, not quite like cement dust.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t touch her,¡± Tomiko warned sharply.

    I pulled my hand back. ¡°Sorry. Is this... a real tree?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Her name is Lorainne.¡± Tomiko paused, then acquiesced. ¡°You may pet her. Be gentle please.¡±

    The coarse brown shell felt softer than it looked, oddly fragile for such a mighty thing. ¡°Hey Lorainne,¡± I whispered, looking up at the leaves overhead, clustered around four grow lamps mounted to the roof. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Lorainne thinks you are beautiful too,¡± Tomiko assured me.

    I circled the tree, dragging my fingertips around its circumference. ¡°I think I saw a painting of this tree on the surface,¡± I mused aloud. As we were leaving Goldmeadow, one of the murals on an apartment building featured a tree with similar coloring and the same leaf shape.

    ¡°Lorainne¡¯s mother was an important person to the people that lived here before. The people destroyed valuable terraforming equipment to protect her.¡±

    I paused, and glanced back at my tail as it stroked over the bark behind me. It trailed over a gash I hadn¡¯t noticed, coming away sticky. Great. ¡°So they grew Lorainne here to what, placate them?¡±

    Tomiko solemnly nodded. ¡°Lorainne would like personal space now, please.¡±

    Picking my way back through the damaged tiles, I nearly fell as the floor shook. The lights flickered, and the rustling of Lorainne¡¯s leaves sounded like running water.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    I looked up through the ceiling as a colossal ship slowly passed by as if taking off from the moon below. My heart pounded as it kept going, and going, its hexagonal chassis flaring into a wider back half, until finally the red glow of its thruster trails came into view. It circled around above us, then began to approach the station. ¡°I thought you said there were no ships today,¡± I remarked, eyes still glued to the starship¡¯s matte grey hull panels.

    ¡°That ship is not for transportation,¡± she insisted. ¡°The FFE-1313 is here for supplies, and then it will leave.¡±

    Thoughts swirled in my head, ideas competing for oxygen until one shone through. ¡°Gosh, it would be so cool if I could see how the loading process works. I¡¯ve always been so interested in anything to do with starships.¡±

    The caretaker squinted at me as she processed my request. ¡°There are many interesting things for a visitor to see on the station. The Museum of Argus History is in the East wing.¡±

    I nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Right, right, a museum sounds super interesting, but we can always go see the museum after we watch them load their ship. We can¡¯t go see them load the ship later because they¡¯ll be done, and that means I¡¯ll have to leave¨C¡±

    ¡°Stay!¡± Tomiko shouted, her head jerking to the side with a metallic crunch. She took a breath, fixed her disjointed skull with practiced hands, and dusted off her coveralls. ¡°Please follow me to Storage Bay Beta,¡± she said with a small bow.

    I didn¡¯t like how easy it was to manipulate her, or how good it made me feel, but the alternative was to wait around for someone more dangerous to find me. I was too close to my goal to let anything stop me.

    I followed Tomiko through another door into a corridor painted with stylized depictions of megastructures. Among them I recognized planetary-scale terraforming machines, dyson spheres, and arc-class starships; by comparison, the illustration of a space elevator looked insignificant.

    ¡°Do you like these paintings?¡± Tomiko asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about most of these megastructures,¡± I replied. ¡°They¡¯re all kind of awesome.¡±

    Tomiko paused to place her hand on the wall and admire the art. ¡°The Megastructure Engineering Corps is the pride and joy of Frontier Federation.¡±

    I glanced ahead anxiously. ¡°We don¡¯t want to miss¨C¡±

    ¡°Right this way please, visitor!¡± she interrupted with a small bow, then continued leading the way.

    One last detail caught my eye; beneath each painting was the same word written in illegible symbols: ¡°¥È¥ß¥³¡±. I didn¡¯t spend long wondering, and hurried after my guide.

    Past the mural corridor, and another bulkhead, the path forked with faded arrows on the floor pointing to the left and right, helpfully labeled ¡°Alpha Storage¡± and ¡°Beta Storage¡±. Against the wall was a vending machine; my stomach growled loudly.

    I checked my pockets, but of course I didn¡¯t have my GCA card with me. I licked my lips as I stared through the glass panel, dreaming about Choccy-Chalkies, Nori Nibblers, and Cricket Crunchers. ¡°Satisfy your cravings today with new flavors from the frontier by Xenolife Eats!¡± the machine urged.

    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± I grumbled.

    I noticed Tomiko staring at me in much the same way as I was staring at the food. ¡°I can give samples to visitors who haven¡¯t tried the new flavors,¡± she offered.

    I nodded eagerly. ¡°Please! The um... curiosity about Xenolife¡¯s new products is killing me.¡±

    Tomiko placed her hand on the side of the machine, and a series of candy bars dropped from the top row. She stooped to pick them up, then fanned them out so I could read the flavors. ¡°Which one?¡±

    ¡°Are any of them non-sweet?¡± I asked.

    She removed most of the candy bars, and set them atop the machine. The remaining three were Fireberry, Europa Delight, and Spicy Udon.

    I accepted the Europa Delight, tore off its wrapper, and was immediately hit with a salty, fishy scent. I chewed the sticky green candy bar, unable to stop myself from purring. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± I gushed through an overzealous mouthful.

    The caretaker watched me finish off my snack, then set the others aside too, and turned towards beta storage.

    My stomach was still growling. I waited until she was a few steps away, then snatched the other two candy bars and tucked them into my sweatshirt-arm brace. It probably should have hurt, but mercifully I felt nothing more than an uncomfortable heat in my wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t focus on that now,¡± I chastised, and took off after Tomiko once more.

    As we walked I couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the custodian herself, to the point that my curiosity bubbled over into an ill-advised question. ¡°So, if ships come and go all the time, how come you said you haven¡¯t had a visitor in so long?¡±

    I was beginning to wonder if she¡¯d heard me by the time she responded. ¡°Ships come for the syrup,¡± she explained.

    ¡°But what about people taking the elevator?¡± I pressed. ¡°I saw one of the ascenders leaving the station this morning.¡±

    There was another pause, and I noticed her shoulders slump. ¡°That one was not a visitor. She had urgent business on the surface.¡±

    ¡°The bast woman, right?¡± I guessed. ¡°With the...¡± I gagged when I thought of her eyes, now even more mis-matched thanks to me. ¡°Augments.¡±

    ¡°She was rude,¡± Tomiko mumbled, then just her head turned toward me. ¡°Not like you, visitor. You were nice to Lorainne.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what might have happened to me had I not been as kind to her pet tree. The mercenary, having her papers with her, would have gotten away with much more than I could.

    We turned sharply to the left, and entered a doorway that opened up to a mezzanine overlooking a hangar loaded with barrels. In the far wall was a shimmering barrier, in the center of which was an opening leading to a dark tunnel. As I watched, a trio of workers wearing exoskeletons emerged from the docking tunnel, picked up a barrel each (which was impressive considering that the workers and barrels were roughly the same size), and headed back to the ship.

    ¡°Can we get a closer look?¡± I asked eagerly, leaning out over the railing.

    ¡°Sorry, visitor. This is as close as you are allowed,¡± Tomiko insisted.

    I chewed my lip. My heart was racing. I could feel the adreno-spike wearing off, the fatigue eating away at the edges of my consciousness. A dull ache was beginning to form in my wrist, further evidence that the drugs were wearing off. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± I asked suddenly.

    ¡°I hear everything aboard this installation,¡± Tomiko replied.

    I hesitated, squeezing my eyes shut and psyching myself up before continuing. ¡°Then you should probably go check on her.¡±

    ¡°Check on whom?¡±

    ¡°You know, just between us, I think that mercenary was crazy. She said something about burning a tree down when she got back to orbit. I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean Lorainne though.¡± I forced myself to make unsteady eye contact.

    Tomiko¡¯s green eyes bore through my skull. I was sure she could see through my paper-thin lie.

    ¡°There it is again! It sounded like a plasma pistol to me. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing though¨C¡±

    Tomiko sprinted back down the corridor with amazing speed, leaving me alone in the storage bay.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it. Don¡¯t think about it.¡± I searched for a way down, and quickly found an access ladder. As I climbed down, more evidence of the Hangover Friends¡¯ wearing off became apparent.

    I gritted my teeth through the pain as I dashed towards the tunnel at the far side of the room, and ducked between the barrels.

    I waited in agonizing silence for the workers to approach once more, chatting idly amongst themselves. They grabbed another three barrels, and carried them back. I waited until I could no longer hear them, then emerged from my hiding spot and leapt into the tunnel myself.

    The floor of the telescoping docking bay was cold beneath my paws, and I was reminded of just how close I was to the vacuum of space. I hurried through the access corridor and found myself in the ship¡¯s cargo bay, stuffed with crates and barrels and oh shit they were right there!

    I dove between two crates, hoping they hadn¡¯t noticed me; the workers went back for more barrels.

    I waited for them to finish loading, and retract the docking corridor, then leave me alone in the cargo bay. The overhead lights shut off, leaving the room bathed in a soft red glow.

    I took a deep, shaking breath, and wiped tears from my eyes. I made it. What came next could wait until after I had a proper nap.

 Aboard the Clover

    Just as I was drifting off, a man¡¯s voice echoed through the cargo bay, distorted with static. ¡°Attention all personnel, this is Captain Harlyle. We will pass through the gate in one minute. Remain inside your cabins, or in another void shielded area, like the bridge or the mess deck. I repeat, remain in a void shielded area until I give the all-clear signal.¡±

    I briefly considered getting up, but my laziness won out in the end and I laid down between two containers. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I mumbled as my eyes drifted shut.

    I felt it in my paws first; a sub-zero chill that quickly spread up my legs, as if I were slowly being submerged in liquid nitrogen. I tried to crawl back away from the freezing substance, but my arms went limp, and my head rattled off the floor. I opened my eyes to stare at the wall of darkness quickly enveloping me, and realized I wasn¡¯t dreaming.

    Suddenly it became hard to think. It was as if I was having every thought at once, and none at the same time. I no longer felt cold, but I didn¡¯t feel warm either. I could count the ticks marching by, but when I tried to think about how many had passed the number felt abstract.

    I tried with all my might to focus on something, anything. Where was I? How did I get here? What was my name? Even the questions lost all meaning.

    As soon as it began it ended. My throat felt hoarse. Had I been screaming? My fur was standing on end, and my teeth were chattering. ¡°I should have listened to the captain,¡± I whimpered.

    A cold, synthesized voice called out from the opposite end of the hangar. ¡°Who is hiding in the cargo bay? Come out and face divine judgment!¡±

    I tentatively peeked over the edge of the crate. ¡°No... no, I came so far!¡± I whimpered as the faceless mask of the paladin locked onto me. I tried to pull myself to my feet, only to collapse once again with a pitiful yelp.

    The paladin hopped down from the balcony it was perched on, landing heavily on the deck below. It stumbled, but quickly regained its balance. ¡°Come out and lay down your weapons! You are trespassing on sacred ground!¡± it commanded.

    Leaning heavily on the box next to me, I managed to drag myself away from it. ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt me,¡± I begged, unable to bring myself to look at the figure stomping towards me.

    ¡°Only the guilty fear the might of the righteous,¡± it responded, then reached forward and wrapped its metal fingers around my neck. It lifted me off the floor, then slammed me down in the open.

    My vision blurred, and I lost what it said next in the ringing of my ears. I was dimly aware of its cold fingers against my throat, a grim reminder that I was only alive because it allowed me to be.

    I made out another pair of hands through the mist, appearing to strike at the arm of my oppressor. The hands looked entirely human, yet the Paladin recoiled from their touch.

    I greedily inhaled the ship¡¯s sterile air before it could change its mind and finish me off. Slowly, my clouded senses returned to normal.

    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± an authoritative voice demanded. I guessed it belonged to the hands, and as soon as I was done enjoying my right to breathe I was going to figure it out for sure.

    The paladin shuffled its heavy feet concerningly close to my arm. ¡°Only the guilty fear¨C¡± it began, but the other was having none of it.

    ¡°Do not quote the Word to me, child!¡± As the other snapped back, I raised my head to behold a figure in black robes, her face weathered with age and her hair wrapped in a crimson scarf. Around her neck was a red ribbon, from which hung an icon of a void star.

    As I stared, the priestess knelt and gently touched my cheek. Her hand was like ice. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, my son,¡± she gently chastised.

    My lip wobbled, and my eyes prickled with tears. Something about the tenderness with which she spoke was too much for me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± I whimpered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±

    The priestess gave me a quick visual once-over, then tutted unhappily. ¡°You¡¯re a mess, child. Can you walk?¡±

    I shook my head. The ringing in my ears flared up in response.

    The paladin stepped forward. ¡°I can make the mutant walk,¡± it offered helpfully.

    ¡°Hush, Apollyon. This boy¡¯s not a mutant. You¡¯re a bast aren¡¯t you? Rare these days, with so many of your kind opting for perversions of the body.¡± She smiled gently. ¡°No, this one is pure, a soul and a body that match perfectly. I can feel it.¡±

    I smiled awkwardly. ¡°Um... thank you ma¡¯am?¡±

    The priestess chuckled, then without looking, addressed the paladin. ¡°The comms are still down. Be a dear and fetch Doctor Laurie.¡±

    The metal man recoiled. ¡°But my priestess, this is a criminal! As it is my duty to protect you¨C¡±

    ¡°I am quite capable of protecting myself from a mere child, thank you,¡± she insisted. ¡°Now run along.¡±

    They hesitated, then snapped to attention. ¡°As the void beckons, my priestess,¡± they called before turning and sprinting off. The sound of their long, running strides made me tense, but as they faded I could relax.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°They¡¯re a good kid,¡± the priestess assured me candidly. ¡°Very eager to prove themself. Ah, I¡¯ve been rude. My name is Medina, but you may address me as Sister, or Priestess.¡±

    I nodded uncomfortably. I would love to trust this woman, but the last few times I trusted adults... ¡°You don¡¯t want to hurt me?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    She chuckled once more, a warm sound that eased my fear. ¡°No dear child, I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I want to help you! I see great potential in you.¡±

    I pulled myself up against a barrel with my good arm so I wouldn¡¯t have to keep looking up at her from the ground. Ow.

    ¡°You¡¯re damaged,¡± Sister Medina observed.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a day,¡± I admitted. ¡°Or several, I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you could use a prayer,¡± she said, having a seat beside me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not really... I mean, I¡¯ve never...¡± I shrugged noncommittally.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t come from a family that read the Sunyata?¡± she asked dryly. ¡°Well that¡¯s alright, I know non-Crusader colonies don¡¯t have a strong moral backbone. If you¡¯ll permit me, I¡¯d like to pray for you anyway.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Thank you, I guess.¡±

    Medina bowed her head, clasped her hands, and began to speak. ¡°May the soul of this creature be one with its body in life, and in death be free to ascend to the space below space. May its sufferings and attachments be few and constructive, and may its actions bring all souls closer to Eden.¡±

    I shivered, and smoothed out the fur on my tail. ¡°Thank you, Sister,¡± I said awkwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what that means, but I appreciate it, I think.¡±

    Medina smiled knowingly. ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of time to learn about the truth of this universe.¡±

    ¡°Actually I was just hoping to get a ride to the next station,¡± I explained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for any inconvenience my presence has caused. I¡¯d like to be out of your fur... er, hair as soon as possible, Sister.¡±

    She nodded thoughtfully along with me, and as the sound of paladin footfalls drew nearer we both turned to face the armored asshole. ¡°Where is... oh, there you are doctor.¡±

    As Medina spoke, a figure stepped out from behind her lesser. They were by far the most extensively modified human I¡¯d ever seen, to the point where I couldn¡¯t be sure what their subspecies was before chimera. Their hair, pulled tightly into a bun, consisted of long, thin, flexible cyan feathers, which matched in color the slender, thin-furred tail at the base of their spine. Their eyes had been replaced with black lenses with aperture covers that focused and adjusted the light, giving them an unblinkingly uncanny air. The sleeves of their labcoat were tailored to expose the entirety of their left arm and the lower half of their right, both of which had been replaced with expensive-looking mechanical replacements; neither of which appeared remotely organic. ¡°Is this the dangerous criminal you needed me to inspect?¡± they asked boredly.

    ¡°Affirmative,¡± Apollyon replied, an extra bit of malice in their tone.

    The doctor sighed. ¡°You ought to teach that thing the meaning of sarcasm, Eshe.¡±

    The priestess narrowed her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re new. Also, it¡¯s impolite to use my given name in front of these people, Zim.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it matter?¡± they held up their left hand to me, and my skin prickled as they swept it across my body, staring at a holographic readout from their right wrist. ¡°Your paladin¡¯s loyal to a fault, and Federation policy says stowaways go back the way they came.¡±

    I blinked. ¡°What was that last part?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Medina soothed. ¡°You¡¯re too precious to throw away like that. The captain will agree.¡±

    Laurie¡¯s eye apertures narrowed as they studied the readout. ¡°You¡¯re unaugmented?¡± they asked.

    I nodded, tight-lipped. I glanced at the Paladin, who was staring at me, just begging for an excuse to slam me into the floor again.

    ¡°Right. Hm...¡± Laurie lowered both their arms to their sides. ¡°Interesting.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked anxiously.

    ¡°See?¡± Medina said triumphantly. ¡°You want to keep him too, I can tell! Help me convince the captain!¡±

    Laurie groaned. ¡°This is my last tour! I can¡¯t make trouble with Harlyle now.¡±

    ¡°You always complain about boredom, Zim,¡± Medina goaded.

    The doctor sighed dramatically. ¡°Oh alright, I¡¯ll vouch for the kid.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I began, but before I could continue they shot me a withering look.

    ¡°I expect somebody to pay for my services,¡± they snapped.

    ¡°Oh please, like it costs you anything to do a field scan. Just tell us what we need to do to move him to the bridge,¡± Medina replied dismissively.

    The doctor rolled their eyes, or at least the aperture moved in a circle around their lenses¡¯ outer rims, then held out their right hand. A hologram appeared, showing a miniature model of my body. The ankles, wrist, ribs, head, and stomach were highlighted in red. ¡°Keep off your paws until I can repair the damage to your tendons; avoid two dimensional screen-based media until your brain has recovered from its multiple concussions; move your wrist as little as possible until I can replace the damaged component. In the interest of getting paid for my work, I¡¯ll save repairing you until after we convince the captain to keep you.¡±

    I stared at the little me as it floated, rotating just above their hand. I looked small, and weak. I felt small and weak. All that running, fighting, and lying, and I still had to rely on the kindness of strangers just to avoid death?

    ¡°If he has to keep off his feet, do you have a stretcher or something?¡± Medina asked. ¡°The sooner we do this, the better.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just have your tin soldier carry him?¡± Laurie retorted.

    Apollyon stepped forward eagerly. ¡°I await your command, my priestess!¡±

    Medina groaned. ¡°Fine, you may help, but if you damage him further there will be consequences.¡±

    I gulped. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I can just walk if you give me some painkillers,¡± I protested as the hulking figure closed in on me. ¡°Please don¡¯t let him hurt me!¡±

    ¡°Only the guilty fear the might-¡± Apollyon began, but they shut up at a glance from their handler. Their cold, unfeeling mitts were surprisingly gentle as they picked me up, supporting my back with one arm and my knees with the other. Suddenly it appeared more like in the media, a white knight carrying me to safety.

    ¡°Ready to make our case?¡± Medina asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Laurie replied wearily. ¡°This had better be fun, Eshe.¡±

 The Long Haul

    The paladin¡¯s armor plates soon warmed to my touch, and despite their unyielding nature I found myself relaxing in their arms. I studied their helmet curiously, noting a vertical line which divided their face into two flat, featureless white sections. The overhead lights cast shadows unevenly across the two halves, giving them definition despite their plainness.

    ¡°Absorb the glory of the armor now, mutant,¡± they growled, keeping their volume low. ¡°This may be your last chance.¡±

    Oh right. Underneath that cool armor there was still an asshole. I turned my focus to the corridor, which was wide enough for the priestess and doctor to walk abreast, but only just. The corners were beveled, creating flat planes for lights to be set in along the ceiling, while along the floor the occasional clear panel showed glimpses of a strange purple glow. I considered asking about it, but fatigue won out over curiosity.

    The corridor turned sharply to the left, then after a few meters branched to the right. We continued that way only briefly before stopping; Medina stepped into what looked like a closet in the left wall, and began to drift up off the floor and out of sight. Laurie followed next, and then it was our turn.

    ¡°Hold on to me,¡± Apollyon instructed, then as it stepped into the shaft added ¡°and do not desecrate the armor.¡± I felt myself drifting from their arms, and quickly grabbed onto their pauldron with my good hand to keep from floating away. Sure enough, what little was in my stomach threatened to come back up, but thankfully Apollyon stepped out onto the fourth floor. Craning my neck to stare back up the shaft, I saw what looked like three more doors above.

    We turned to the left, and continued through the deserted hall until we came upon at a reinforced door at a fork in the corridor, above which a block-lettered sign read ¡°Bridge¡±. Medina pressed her hand to the console beside the door, but it flashed red.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Snapped an irritated voice. I immediately recognized it as the same one from the announcement in the cargo bay: Captain Harlyle.

    ¡°Urgent,¡± the priestess replied flatly. ¡°Let us in.¡±

    The door begrudgingly slid open, revealing a wide-open room made to appear more spacious with twinkling stars decorating the walls. No, not decorating... it was as if we had stepped out onto a balcony overlooking outer space. It was breathtaking. In the center of the room was a platform surrounded by a moat of stars; on the platform were four figures, three in coveralls, and one in a suit and tie. The one in the suit (the captain, I assumed) strode across a narrow bridge to stand before us.

    ¡°Yes?¡± he asked impatiently of Medina, not bothering to look at me or Apollyon.

    She took a deep breath. ¡°While going through warp, my charge discovered an intruder in the cargo bay. This ship¡¯s Xenolife representative and I would like to make a case to-¡±

    ¡°Get rid of it,¡± the captain interrupted. ¡°Anything else, ladies?¡±

    Doctor Laurie visibly twitched. ¡°Sir, I believe the stowaway may be useful to my own work,¡± they said evenly.

    Harlyle scoffed. ¡°Your work? Get it through your head, on my ship you¡¯re not a researcher. Your job is to fix my workers and keep out of the way.¡± He punctuated each word with a rough poke to their chest.

    ¡°I can dispose of it for you, sir,¡± Apollyon offered helpfully, earning them a vicious glare from the priestess.

    ¡°Good to see this one has more initiative in him than the last one!¡± Harlyle praised. ¡°The rule book is clear, unauthorized passengers are to be ejected.¡±

    My heart sank. Well, at least it would be quick. There are worse fates than death by vacuum.

    ¡°Wait!¡± called one of the figures from the command platform. A young woman with freckled skin and wild, fiery hair sprinted towards us. The sleeves of her green coveralls were rolled, exposing a complex web of black ink interrupted by periodic red splotches. ¡°I can use fresh hands on the reactor crew, captain. We¡¯re shorter-staffed than any other team-¡±

    ¡°A fact which you¡¯ve made clear on many occasions, Beaulier,¡± he put in.

    ¡°Even still,¡± she persisted. ¡°Sister, when did you find him?¡±

    Medina touched her shoulder fondly before answering. ¡°Just after exiting the gate. Poor thing was in the cargo hold, screaming his lungs out.¡±

    ¡°What does that sound like to you, Captain?¡± the fiery woman demanded, planting her hands on her hips.

    ¡°I swear, you people and your superstitions. I¡¯ve never heard one credible account of a void traveler! This kid probably snuck aboard back at Argus station,¡± the captain reasoned.

    All eyes turned to me. I whimpered.

    Harlyle scowled. ¡°Go on then, boy. Tell them where you came from.¡± The lines of his face showed how practiced he was in scowling

    Laurie¡¯s soulless black eyes bore into my skin, probably literally. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Medina nodded encouragingly, her smile begging for it to be true.

    Beaulier fidgeted with a ring anxiously, hope in her cherry-red eyes.

    ¡°Speak!¡± Apollyon barked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± I shouted. ¡°It... it was cold, and dark, and forever, and then I was here, that¡¯s all! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my broken ribs ached as I sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    The intensity of their stares faded, made uncomfortable by my show of weakness.

    Harlyle cleared his throat. ¡°Traveler or not, as captain I¡¯m bound by Federation guidelines. Now obey me, or I¡¯ll have to treat this as a mutiny.¡±

    Apollyon was the only one with his back to the door when it opened. The rest looked up in shock.

    ¡°Apologies for my tardiness gentlemen, ladies, doctor,¡± came a soft, androgynous voice from behind us. ¡°I hope I haven¡¯t missed too much of the meeting.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a meeting,¡± Harlyle growled. ¡°No need to leave your cabin.¡±

    ¡°Hm, not a meeting? Odd, considering the current company. Every senior officer in one place and not a meeting, that¡¯s a first for me. That can only mean you¡¯re hanging out and you didn¡¯t invite me. I¡¯m hurt!¡±

    The captain sighed audibly, and pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°You¡¯ve made your point.¡±

    Slow, deliberate footsteps echoed in the quiet of the room as the stranger circled around Apollyon¡¯s side. Their face was as soft as their voice, and like Harlyle, they wore a suit, theirs charcoal grey with a black tie. Every aspect of their presence was tidy and neatly groomed, from their closely cropped hair to the pressed lines of their suit. A bulky cybernetic implant protruding from their left temple was the only hint of strangeness in their ordinary appearance.

    ¡°Hello there. I see you¡¯re studying me as much as I¡¯m studying you. I like that, not letting your pain interfere with your mission,¡± they said appreciatively.

    ¡°Mission?¡± I echoed.

    They hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Yes, well. Hello, my name is Unity.¡± They extended their left hand to me, and I shook it awkwardly. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡± they continued when I didn¡¯t volunteer the information.

    ¡°I...¡± I looked around at the others, who all looked profoundly uncomfortable in Unity¡¯s presence. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I lied.

    The stranger nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure your new crewmates will come up with a wonderful nickname for you.¡±

    ¡°New crewmates? Now wait just a damn minute!¡± Harlyle snapped. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! You¡¯re supposed to have the most sense of all of us!¡±

    Unity nodded calmly, hands clasped behind their back. ¡°I do. You can charge any training fees to me, and we¡¯ll establish a payment plan.¡±

    ¡°Oh this is just perfect. So he gets special treatment, and my loyal crew turns against me?¡± the captain lamented.

    ¡°No special treatment,¡± Unity corrected serenely, maintaining uncomfortably steady eye contact with me. His pupils were so big they eclipsed his irises. ¡°He will follow the rules, or he will face the relevant punishments.¡±

    Harlyle opened his mouth to further protest, then nodded thoughtfully. He looked me over, sizing me up, gaze lingering on my injuries. ¡°Fine,¡± he said with unnerving calmness. ¡°Beaulier, you¡¯re responsible for potty training. Unity, if he defaults, you¡¯re financially liable. You, Paladin Apples-¡±

    ¡°Apollyon, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me. Paladin Apollo, I¡¯m charging you personally with making sure this lying little shit isn¡¯t a danger to the mission,¡± he finished.

    I wiped my eyes on the back of my hand. ¡°So... I can stay?¡± I asked timidly.

    ¡°You can work!¡± Harlyle corrected severely. ¡°Nobody¡¯s offering you a free ride!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Unity replied more gently. ¡°You will help maintain this ship on its way to Rho-86217, where you will aid in the construction of a new warp gate. If your loan to me is paid off in that time, you will be free.¡±

    ¡°And if not?¡± I ventured anxiously.

    They looked away. ¡°Then I will have the discretion to monetize you as I see fit. We can cross that bridge when we come to it, but-¡±

    I shook my head, and firmly declared ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± they said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not signing away my freedom,¡± I clarified stubbornly.

    Medina and Beaulier whispered to each other quietly, and Apollyon shifted uncomfortably in his stance.

    ¡°The alternative is death,¡± Unity said seriously. ¡°If you don¡¯t sign a contract with me, this paladin will throw you into space. If you do, you have a very real chance to earn your freedom.¡±

    I clenched my fist, my jagged claws nipping into my palm. It was my only chance, and at least it was better to work of my own volition than to be taken away by some mercenary and end up a slave. ¡°Okay. I accept your terms.¡±

    ¡°Good man.¡± Unity patted my good shoulder happily, then leaned in close and whispered, almost imperceptibly, ¡°You¡¯re doing great. Keep it up.¡± before waving to the others and strolling back out the door. ¡°Good day, constituents!¡±

    Harlyle swore as soon as the door was shut, then stormed up to me, poking his fat finger in my face. ¡°Listen here you furry little piece of shit. You¡¯re gonna fuck up, and when you do I¡¯m gonna make your life a living hell, right up until I end it. Enjoy the next two revolutions, kid, cuz you¡¯re trespassing on my ship!¡±

    ¡°Two... revolutions?¡± I whimpered. Five trips around Argus¡¯ star. One third of my life. Half of my living memory.

    He showed off an ugly, perfect-toothed grin dripping with malice. ¡°That¡¯s right little stowaway. How old are you anyway? Oh right, you don¡¯t remember, do you?¡± He shook his head, then as he walked back to his command platform he added over his shoulder ¡°get the recruit to the medical bay. Doc, give him the works. The rest of you, get back to work or get the fuck off my bridge!¡±

    ¡°Well done,¡± Medina said gently. ¡°Welcome to the Clover.¡±

 Healthcare

    My legs swung over the edge of the exam table restlessly. I glanced between the paladin looming over me, and the doctor rummaging through drawers set into the walls. ¡°Everything is most certainly not as I left it. I knew I should never have let those cleaners into my medical bay,¡± the latter muttered under their breath.

    I cleared my throat uncomfortably. ¡°So are you like... gonna watch me all the time?¡±

    ¡°Captain Harlyle tasked me with keeping you out of trouble,¡± the paladin replied, voice as spine-chilling as ever.

    I flinched. ¡°Does your voice have to be like that? Is it like, a setting that you can change, or...?¡± I trailed off  as they slowly stepped closer until they were looming over me. ¡°Hi?¡±

    ¡°Did you really come to us from the void?¡± they demanded.

    I was saved from having to lie as Laurie clapped their metallic hands. ¡°Why are you still here? I don¡¯t need you anymore, go away.¡±

    ¡°I was ordered to keep the stowaway out of trouble,¡± Apollyon said by way of defence, still standing over me threateningly. I thought back to the paladin by the ascender bay, whose grip crushed my bones. The armor was the same; this one could kill me without a second thought, and it probably wouldn¡¯t even get in trouble.

    Laurie¡¯s presence at my side shook me from the memory. ¡°I will call your owner on you,¡± they threatened.

    Apollyon seemed to consider this briefly before pushing off from the exam table and trudging wordlessly out of the room. Only once the door shut behind them did I feel any relief.

    ¡°Good riddance,¡± I sighed. ¡°That thing is so... intense.¡±

    The doctor nodded mechanically. ¡°Mhm, mhm, what a fascinating opinion. Lie back and hold still.¡± I noticed an injector in one of their hands, while with the other they were pulling a rail-mounted device into place above me.

    ¡°What¡¯s in the injector?¡± I asked, shrinking away from them slightly. I wasn¡¯t about to consent to be microchipped.

    Laurie looked down at the device in their hand, then back at me. ¡°It¡¯s an indicator.¡±

    I blinked cluelessly.

    They went on slowly, as if they assumed I were an idiot. ¡°It¡¯s a mix of chemicals that react in different ways to different wavelengths of radiation.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s like a dye? You see where it goes with that machine?¡± I clarified, pointing to the device suspended above me.

    ¡°No,¡± they replied flatly. ¡°But... close enough for a basic understanding, I suppose.¡±

    Satisfied with the answer, I laid back on the padded exam table.

    Laurie pressed the injector to my thigh, and held it there until it was empty, then passed the spent injector to their tail, which placed it on a wheeled table nearby. After the initial stab I felt the liquid slowly spreading through my tissue, burning and stinging as it went, but the pain subsided before it reached past my hip.

    Laurie stepped back, and tapped a command into their wrist-mounted PDA. My skin tingled as radiation washed over me, but it was probably psychosomatic. They stared at the data readout on their wrist intently, and after a few moments let out a neutral ¡°Huh.¡±

    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked, propping myself up on my elbows to see them better, and immediately regretting it.

    ¡°Do you have any augments?¡± Laurie asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°Nope! I¡¯m one hundred percent all-natural bast,¡± I replied as rehearsed.

    They studied the readout in silence for another minute, in which time I fidgeted with my makeshift splint. I regretted that too.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Laurie interjected, looking away from their precious data. ¡°I can deal with this later. For now, let¡¯s get that hand taken care of.¡± They crossed the room and bent low to access a locker beneath their work counter. As they walked away I got a better look at the logo on the back of their labcoat, a blue X with a snake coiled around it. After some aggressive rummaging, they returned to set three prosthetic arms of varying designs on a rolling table. ¡°I recommend this model for a laborer. Its grip strength is double that of the average organic hand, useful for the work you¡¯ll be doing,¡± they said, indicating the one in the middle. ¡°Though any of the three would be an excellent investment.¡±

    ¡°Uh...¡± I stared at the cybernetic hands, trying to figure out why they would be presenting them to me. ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± I finally asked.

    ¡°Bad?¡± the doctor asked indignantly. ¡°These models are of superior quality. No Xenolife upgrade is ¡®bad¡¯.¡±

    I raised my hands innocently, but kept them close in case they got choppy. ¡°No, not the cybernetics, they look really great! I meant my injury. Isn¡¯t it just broken?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and broken bones take months to heal. This is the most economical option for one in your position,¡± they reasoned.

    ¡°How much is the arm?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Fifty thousand credits,¡± they replied matter-of-factly. ¡°With installation costs, seventy five thousand. It will, however, heal in only two days, saving you months of lost wages.¡±

    I scratched the back of my neck anxiously. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what my wages are yet. Is that like... a lot of money?¡±

    Laurie shrugged. ¡°Not for me.¡±

    I politely pushed the table of prosthetic hands back towards the doctor. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a less... invasive option?¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Laurie stared at me, lips pursed. The apertures of their eyes whirred as they narrowed, exposing only pinpricks of shiny black glass. ¡°Yes,¡± they tersely replied. ¡°Bone regeneration therapy. Two hundred thousand credits.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have like... a cast or something?¡± I¡¯d never broken a bone before, but I remembered seeing characters wearing casts after getting beat up in cartoons. It was worth a shot at least.

    ¡°That option would take a long time to recover from, and it would provide no long-term benefit to your overall function. In fact, your hand may function worse if you choose not to pursue treatment,¡± Laurie explained.

    ¡°But how much would it cost?¡±

    Laurie exhaled loudly through their nose. ¡°Five thousand, all told.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that option, please,¡± I requested.

    ¡°Investment in your healthcare future is never wasted,¡± the doctor warned.

    I smiled politely.

    ¡°Fine. I will print you a cast.¡± They angrily stormed over to another cabinet, then after rummaging through it, another one, then a drawer, then another cabinet.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No!¡± they snapped. ¡°This place is all out of order!¡±

    ¡°Can I help?¡±

    Their head whipped around, and they fixed me in their icy stare. ¡°Why?¡± they asked suspiciously.

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re having trouble?¡± My ears flicked irritably. I was grateful to be alive and all, but did everyone have to be so... abrasive?

    Laurie shut the cabinet they were searching forcefully, leaving behind a hand-shaped dent in the metal. ¡°An assistant is no longer in the company budget,¡± they replied coldly.

    I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll help out anyway, if you like. I¡¯m sure my pay on the reactor crew will be enough to keep me afloat.¡±

    Laurie looked around the room furtively, having to turn their head dramatically to do so. ¡°Are you a spy?¡± they asked seriously.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so...?¡± I replied cautiously.

    The silence hung heavily in the air. My tail swished anxiously behind me. I caught it in my good hand, and forcefully laid it across my lap.

    Laurie looked back at their own tail, limp behind their back. ¡°Yours moves on its own?¡± they asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said. ¡°Does yours not have a mind of its own?¡±

    ¡°It is fused to my central nervous system,¡± they replied, then clarified: ¡°No, it does not.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Must be a bast thing. Because I was born with it and all.¡±

    ¡°How much do you know of your subspecies, the bast?¡± Laurie skeptically asked.

    ¡°Not much,¡± I admitted. ¡°There aren¡¯t many of us left, I think. Growing up there were only a few of us around.¡±

    ¡°So you do remember where you came from?¡±

    The back of my neck burned, but my blood ran cold. I attempted to say something, anything to cover up my mistake, but all that came out was ¡°No! I mean, um... some, but um... I have a concussion right?¡±

    Laurie smirked, and noisily crossed their arms over their chest. ¡°I do not believe in visitors from the void. I believe what you are is much more interesting than some mystical mumbo jumbo.¡± They paused to let their declaration sink in. ¡°You may help me with my studies, and in exchange I will tell you about your people. I will keep your secret, as well.¡±

    I sighed with relief, and winced.

    ¡°Try not to do anything that will agitate your broken ribs,¡± Laurie advised. ¡°Since you insist on the cheapest of medical care, you¡¯ll have to wait six weeks before they¡¯re healed.¡± They opened another cabinet, seemingly at random, then pulled out a large, boxy device and set it on the counter. They connected its cord to an outlet in the wall, then pressed their left palm to a scanner. The machine chimed merrily, then began to whir.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This is a Spidersilk Autoprinter. It weaves a proprietary fiber into whatever shape its told. I haven¡¯t used it in... many revolutions,¡± Laurie replied. ¡°It should still work. Old machines like these rarely fail.¡±

    ¡°How come you don¡¯t use it anymore?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Because it doesn¡¯t repair damage. It relies on the body healing itself, which is an incredibly slow and inefficient process that results in a sloppy finished product,¡± Laurie ranted.

    ¡°So why tell me about it at all? Why agree to use it?¡±

    ¡°You ask a lot of questions,¡± Laurie observed.

    ¡°I like to understand the way things work,¡± I shot back.

    They considered my reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m curious to see how your body will heal on its own.¡±

    I tipped my head to the side quizzically. ¡°What makes my body so special?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± they replied ominously as they carefully began to unwrap my sweatshirt from my wrist. The candy bars I swiped fell noisily to the floor. My ears flattened with embarrassment as they picked them up. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone about this either, but I¡¯m keeping the spicy udon bar. You can¡¯t get these anymore.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± They poked gently at my broken wrist, then suddenly took my hand and yanked it back.

    A fresh surge of agony raced up and down my arm, accompanied by the taste of blood as I inadvertently bit my tongue. ¡°What was that for?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°I had to reset the fracture so it would heal straight. I had to re-break it slightly, but since you requested cheap care, I determined surprise to be the best anaesthetic.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, I guess?¡± I tried not to look at the swollen, lumpy tissue around my wrist.

    The machine chimed again, and Laurie opened it up to retrieve a gray fingerless glove in the shape of my arm. I bit down on my wrist to avoid further damaging my tongue, and held out my broken wrist to them. It was a struggle to get the tight-fitting, barely-elastic device on, and by the time it was in place the fur on my cheeks was freshly soaked with tears.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered hoarsely.

    Laurie nodded curtly, then offered me a bottle of pills with their tail. ¡°Take these for the pain. Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re the cheapest kind I have in stock.¡±

    I nodded, and took one immediately. ¡°Is that all, Doctor?¡±

    The door to the medical bay slid open, and the fiery haired woman from the bridge barged in. She looked down at my cast. ¡°Whoa. That¡¯s retro. I guess you¡¯re starting out on light duty then, huh Rook?¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± I replied noncommittally. ¡°Do I have to start now? I could really use a shower and some sleep first.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m told experiencing the void takes a lot out of a person. Who knows how long you were in there, anyway.¡± She turned to Laurie. ¡°Is he cleared to leave, Doc?¡±

    They waved her away dismissively. ¡°This interaction has taken enough of my time already. Go away now.¡±

    ¡°Come along, Rook. I¡¯ll introduce you to your new roommate!¡±

    I gathered my sweatshirt and my remaining food, and once again followed a friendly stranger into the unknown.

 Living Arrangements

    Walking was difficult still; between the damage to my ankles and brain, I had to lean on the fiery-haired woman to keep from collapsing. She didn¡¯t seem to mind the slow pace, however, taking the opportunity to interrogate me. ¡°So you don¡¯t remember anything, huh?¡± she asked as soon as the medical bay doors had shut behind us. ¡°That must suck.¡±

    Afraid my tired self would say the wrong thing again, I instead simply shrugged.

    ¡°Quiet type huh? That makes one of us!¡± She chuckled briefly, then seemed to remember something. ¡°Oh shit, you can call me Nova by the way. Sorry, I get ahead of myself sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I said shyly.

    ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect an introduction from you, huh Rook?¡± she teased. ¡°That¡¯s fine. That¡¯s fine. So. What¡¯s the void like?¡±

    I shuddered with revulsion. ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied simply. ¡°Forever, and nothing.¡±

    ¡°Must have been so peaceful, getting a glimpse while you¡¯re still alive,¡± she said wistfully. ¡°They say it can be so unfathomably beautiful that it can drive you mad. That and the whole travelling issue is why non-ordained personnel have to stay in their cabins or on the bridge while we pass through.¡±

    I shot Nova a sideways glance. I couldn¡¯t imagine anyone willingly subjecting themself to the stuff of my nightmares. ¡°Why do you call me Rook?¡± I asked in an effort to change the subject.

    ¡°It means ¡®new guy¡¯,¡± she replied without missing a beat. ¡°That used to be Tau, your new roomie, but he lowkey hated being called Rook, so everything works out. You get a nickname until you can remember your own, and Tau gets a better nickname, as soon as I think of one.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound like I had much choice in the matter, but Rook was still better than the name my family¡¯s agent assigned me. I could definitely get used to it, at least until someone thought up something better.

    Nova stopped as we came to a sturdy bulkhead door, and pressed her palm to a reader beside it. The wheel spun, the inner mechanisms grinding loudly, and the door swung slowly outwards. ¡°Someone should really grease that. Pickle¡¯s supposed to be in charge of that stuff, but I ain¡¯t about to start shit with him.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s through this door?¡± I asked suspiciously, eying the nondescript hallway beyond.

    ¡°These bulkheads separate the fore and aft sections. Crew quarters are up front, most other stuff is in back. Careful here, Rook, there¡¯s a gravity step.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a gravity step?¡± I asked blankly.

    ¡°Well, you see those doors on the floor and ceiling?¡± she asked. ¡°They aren¡¯t. Those are the walls.¡±

    I squinted at her skeptically.

    ¡°Here, lean on the door.¡± Nova pulled away from me, then stepped carefully through the bulkhead and stood upright on what to me looked like the right wall. ¡°See? Gravity step! Come on, take my hand.¡±

    I hesitantly complied, and stepped cautiously through the opening. The feeling of gravitational forces pulling me in different directions was certainly unique, and I had to lean on Nova extra hard to keep from falling as I stepped through. Finally, I found myself standing on what had looked like the wall, looking back at the crooked aft section.

    ¡°Pretty cool right?¡± Nova asked.

    ¡°How does it work?¡± I wondered aloud.

    She shrugged. ¡°My specialty is power generation and management. I could tell you all about the latest and greatest in LET dyson sphere technology, or the neverending ten revolution wait for a stable antimatter reactor, but artificial gravity? That shit¡¯s alien to me.¡±

    My eyes sparkled with curiosity as I hung on to every word. ¡°So, are you like the coolest person here?¡± I asked.

    Nova burst out laughing. ¡°I like to think so!¡± she finally replied. ¡°I¡¯d love to tell you more, but for now I have to drop you off and get to the engine room. The fusion thruster¡¯s being temperamental again. It¡¯s not much further to your room.¡±

    The corridor was shaped like a trapezoid with its long side facing up, which meant that the regularly spaced doors on either side of the hall were tilted back; each had a much less dramatic gravity step, as if you were stepping from one side of a hexagon onto the next.

    ¡°Why is everything hexagonal?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a sturdy shape,¡± she answered noncommittally. ¡°Like I said, we can talk engineering later. Here¡¯s you!¡±

    We stopped in front of a door labelled ¡°13¡±, which was close to the middle of the residential hall, and my guide pressed a button on its control panel. A gentle chime sounded from the panel.

    I counted the ticks impatiently, eager to get off my feet. Finally, a masculine voice responded from the  intercom. ¡°What?¡± it asked tiredly.

    ¡°It¡¯s me. Open up,¡± Nova ordered.

    ¡°My shift isn¡¯t for another six hours,¡± the voice whined.

    Nova rolled her eyes. ¡°This is something else. Open up, Taumiel.¡±

    The door slid open, revealing a grouchy looking guy in boxers and white a tank top that hugged his muscles tightly, even through a shaggy layer of tawny fur. His golden eyes reminded me of Argus, and his ears were tall and pointed. A canid tail drooped behind him. ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked impatiently, arms folded across his broad chest. ¡°Who¡¯s she?¡±

    ¡°He,¡± she corrected, ¡°is your new roommate.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Um... hi, nice to meet you,¡± I said awkwardly.

    ¡°What the fuck, Nova?¡± he growled. ¡°You told me I¡¯d have my own room!¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Plans changed. We picked up a new crewmember and he needs somewhere to stay, and someone to show him around.¡±

    ¡°What about the other wing?¡± Taumiel demanded.

    Nova raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, like the captain is gonna approve switching on the life support to an entire section of the ship just for a junior engineer.¡±

    ¡°And he has my fucking job too?¡± he asked incredulously.

    ¡°Yes, he does. The reactor crew could use more than one gofer.¡± She stared her subordinate down, arms crossed and chest puffed out. ¡°Are we going to have a problem here?¡±

    Taumiel sucked air through his teeth, and let it out as a weary sigh. ¡°Do I at least get a discount on habitation expenses?¡±

    Nova patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll get extra for helping me train him up, too.¡±

    He shot me a withering glare. ¡°He didn¡¯t go through basic? Where did you even find this kid?¡±

    ¡°We picked him up at the last gate station before the rim. He got a little banged up from uh...¡± Nova looked to me for assistance with her lie, but continued when I neglected to speak up. ¡°Well, anyway, he¡¯ll need a bit of help getting around for a couple days. Can you show him to the showers for now?¡±

    My new roommate was blatantly unenthused. ¡°Just make sure I get my hours for this.¡±

    ¡°Good man. I¡¯ll see you both tomorrow for your first official tasks!¡± Nova checked a device on her wrist, and groaned. ¡°Shit, I have to go. Be nice, Taumiel!¡± She shouted the last bit over her shoulder as she sprinted away, leaping over the gravity step like an expert and disappearing around a corner.

    I cleared my throat uncomfortably. ¡°So... the showers?¡±

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why are you all damaged?¡±

    I winced. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m supposed to say,¡± I admitted.

    Taumiel narrowed his eyes at me.

    ¡°Can you just show me to the showers please? I¡¯m kind of stinky.¡±

    ¡°I can tell.¡± His short muzzle wrinkled with disgust, but he didn¡¯t move.

    I took a deep breath. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry if my being here is inconvenient for you, but-¡±

    ¡°Inconvenient?¡± he interrupted. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s not inconvenient at all when some rich kid shows up and barges his way into my personal space.¡±

    I took a deep, calming breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know this must be hard for you. I just could really use-¡±

    ¡°Well I could really use my own room!¡± he shouted, stepping towards me threateningly. Without the gravity step between us, he was a head taller than me.

    My eye twitched. If this guy really was just a junior engineer, and so was I, that meant that he was the one person I¡¯d met without any real power over me. I didn¡¯t have to take this trash from him. ¡°Okay listen here. If I am what you think I am, do you really think that antagonizing me is a good idea?¡± I asked calmly, rage boiling just below the surface of my words.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Tau growled.

    My pain faded into the background. ¡°I have had the worst day of my life, and I refuse to take any more abuse, especially from some punk like you!¡± I snarled.

    ¡°Listen-¡± he began venomously.

    ¡°No, you listen!¡± I snapped. ¡°Do you see this?¡± I held up my hands, displaying my ragged claws and the dried blood still clinging to them. ¡°If you think I¡¯m just some weak little rich boy that you can push around, you¡¯re sadly mistaken, Taumiel.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Tau,¡± he mumbled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit!¡± I shouted in his face. It felt good to watch him recoil, nearly losing his balance as he stumbled back over the step. Finally someone was backing down from me for a change. ¡°This is my room now. You¡¯re in my space, do you understand me?¡±

    He looked at the floor, and his ears flattened to his scalp.

    ¡°I said, do we have an understanding?¡± I repeated slowly.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he begrudgingly replied.

    ¡°Good. Now show me to the showers.¡±

    He silently pointed to a door directly across the hall.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said with a fake smile, then turned and walked away, hips swaying confidently.

    The door he indicated was unlocked, and inside I found a communal shower room. I stripped off my dirty and torn clothing, and stood beneath one of the faucets. The water was cold, and it only lasted two minutes, but it was enough to wash away the filth of my day. When I was done, I grabbed a threadbare towel from a stack in the changing area, and did my best to dry my fur. I tried not to miss my full-body hairdryer too much. When I was as dry as I was going to get, I tossed the used towel into a hamper along with my ruined clothes, and stood before a full length mirror.

    Between my pointed ears, my hair was dyed pink, and it grew longer than on the rest of my body. The color was pale, more similar to the color of my lips and nose than than the raspberry-pink shade of my tired eyes. I felt small, so much shorter than everyone else at barely over a hundred twenty centimetres. My scrawny muscles ached from all I¡¯d put them through.

    My white fur hid the scrapes and cuts I¡¯d acquired throughout the day. All the blood washed off easily enough, from my wounds and my hands, but I could still feel it when I thought about it. I tried not to.

    I gingerly touched the cast on my left wrist. It still throbbed, a constant reminder of how wrong I had been about the paladins. I had been so wrong about everyone. Hank... he¡¯d seemed so friendly. Images flashed through my mind, violent and bloody, and I squeezed my eyes shut tight. ¡°No no no, it¡¯s not my fault!¡± I whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m okay. You¡¯re okay. You did what you had to do.¡± I could still smell the charred flesh of the man who¡¯d tried to... to...

    I grabbed my cast and squeezed, biting my lower lip until I could taste blood. The pain roared in my ears, louder than the bad thoughts, until at last they went away.

    I grabbed a fresh towel and wrapped it around my waist to hide my nudity, then silently walked back across the hall, eager to sleep in a bed. Just when I thought he was going to leave me outside, Tau wordlessly opened the door for me.

    Our quarters were cramped, with two coffin-sized bunks and a couple of lockers and drawers for our clothes and personal affects. At one end of the room was a toilet behind a thin curtain.

    ¡°Here,¡± Tau said, and tossed me a stack of folded laundry. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as nice as you¡¯re used to.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± The boxers were too baggy, and the tank top was scratchy against my fingertips, but I didn¡¯t dare admit it.

    ¡°Top or bottom?¡± Tau asked, then sarcastically added ¡°your highness.¡±

    ¡°Bottom, I guess,¡± I answered, then collapsed into the bottom bunk.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I figured.¡±

    I got the feeling I was missing out on a joke, but I didn¡¯t have the energy to care. My brain shut off the moment my head hit the stony pillow.

 The Contract

    ¡°Hey.¡± The single word echoed through my sleeping mind until I lazily opened one eye, saw that it was that guy, and promptly rolled over. ¡°Hey! Come on, Richie, wake the fuck up!¡± Tau growled.

    ¡°Go away,¡± I groaned.

    He let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°I¡¯d love to, but Nova promised me training wages for keeping your ass in line. So get the fuck up.¡±

    ¡°You know cussing doesn¡¯t actually make you cool and interesting, right?¡± I quipped. I relished in the long silence my words created. Unfortunately though, before I could slip back into my peaceful, dreamless sleep, a bright light shone in my eyes. ¡°Agh! I¡¯m up, I¡¯m up!¡± When the spots in my vision faded, I saw that the source of the light was a bulb rigged to the device on his wrist.

    Tau was fiddling with said device, his brow furrowed as he tapped various spots on its screen. ¡°Wait... come on, shut off you damn thing... Ow ow ow!¡± The bulb suddenly shattered, sending a tiny spray of scintillating glass fragments across the back of his hand.

    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle, but I pinched my lips shut when he shot me a withering glare.

    ¡°Laugh it up, gay boy,¡± Tau growled. ¡°Get dressed. Our first shift starts in an hour.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and dragged myself out of bed, then reached for one of the pills Laurie gave me. It was bitter.

    Tau was already up and dressed in red coveralls, his sleeves rolled past his elbows. With his back turned to me I could see the word REACTOR printed in reflective lettering.

    ¡°Do I have to wear one of those?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not as fancy as you¡¯re used to,¡± he shot back.

    ¡°I was just asking, no need to be snippy.¡± I searched the drawer beneath my bunk, and retrieved a similar outfit for myself. The material was thick and uncomfortable, and it was way too baggy. I felt a pang of disappointment; after years of being told what to wear and when, I had been looking forward to having the freedom to pick my own clothes.

    As I fretted over my life choices, a three-toned chime sounded from the door. Tau pressed a button on the inner control panel. ¡°We¡¯ll be right there,¡± he called.

    A voice that definitely didn¡¯t belong to Nova came back. ¡°That¡¯s lovely, but I¡¯m not interested in you, lad. Would you be so kind as to send out Rook, as I believe we¡¯re calling him?¡±

    Tau mouthed ¡°Who the fuck?¡± at me, then opened the door for Unity.

    ¡°Ah!¡± they exclaimed. ¡°Taumiel, I thought that was you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Tau,¡± he corrected. ¡°And who in the void are you?¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Unity!¡± I shoved my roommate out of the way to stand before them with a pleasant smile. ¡°I just want to say thank you for-¡±

    ¡°Think nothing of it, my dear.¡± Their smile was serene, but their eyes were curious and sharp. I felt that my performance was being judged already. ¡°Before you begin working, there is the small matter of your contract.¡±

    I tried not to let the mention of my life debt put a damper on my cheerful facade. ¡°Of course. Maybe while we¡¯re at it, we can-¡±

    They held up a hand to silence me. ¡°It¡¯s best if we converse back in my office.¡±

    ¡°Even better!¡± I gushed. I was genuinely curious what their suite might look like. ¡°Lead the way!¡±

    I didn¡¯t spare a glance over my shoulder, but I had a suspicion Tau was making a rude gesture at me as we walked away.

    The silence between us was uncomfortable as we walked back the way I had come yesterday. It was made all the more unnerving by the presence of others in the halls; workers in blue, green, and red coveralls bearing the words ¡°LIFE SUPPORT¡±, ¡°FACILITIES¡±, (and of course I already knew what red meant), fell silent and stared as we passed by. I waved politely, but avoided looking them in the eye.

    I paused briefly as the well-spoken stranger disappeared up the gravity lift, then took a deep breath and stepped out into the empty space of the gravity shaft. Rather than plummeting to the bottom, as I briefly feared I would, I drifted lazily up to the top topmost floor, and gracefully stepped out. They gave me a moment to regain my footing before they broke the silence. ¡°This upper deck is primarily reserved for VIP cabins,¡± they explained as they put their hand to a scanner beside a locked door. ¡°This one is mine.¡±

    Unity¡¯s cabin was easily ten times the size of my own, with digital windows looking out over a city, a bed large enough for two, and a desk that appeared to be made from real wood. Pictures of people hung on the walls, along with various shelves eclectically cluttered with knick knacks. I wandered up to one of the shelves, peering curiously at a collection of human skulls with holes in their left temples.

    ¡°I was wondering which of my things would interest you most,¡± Unity mused. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be my skulls.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint,¡± I said awkwardly.

    ¡°Not at all, dear boy, not at all!¡± they replied jovially. ¡°In fact, I¡¯d be disappointed if you didn¡¯t surprise me.¡±

    I nodded politely as they spoke, all the while trying to settle on what  to ask first. I needed to impress them, to amuse them, to convince them I was worth keeping alive, but I also burned with genuine curiosity. ¡°My being here didn¡¯t surprise you, did it?¡±

    They chuckled, and smiled knowingly. ¡°A shock, your presence was not.¡± They claimed an office chair by of their desk, then indicated to a cozy-looking arm chair nearby. ¡°Or you may stand. It seems you¡¯re feeling better already.¡±

    The pain in my ankles was all but gone, thanks to the pills Laurie gave me. I shuddered to think how much they would set me back, but I couldn¡¯t work if I couldn¡¯t walk. Still, I took the opportunity to sit in the worn seat, sinking into the comfortable cushion and crossing my legs. ¡°So... thank you for saving my life.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Unity leaned back in their chair, lacing their fingers contemplatively across their chest. ¡°You said that already.¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to know I mean it. I don¡¯t like lying.¡±

    ¡°And yet, that¡¯s exactly what you must do to survive, isn¡¯t it?¡± They raised an eyebrow quizzically.

    I shrugged uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything it takes to survive.¡±

    ¡°I believe you,¡± Unity said seriously. ¡°Your resolve has already been tested, has it not?¡±

    I hesitated.

    They saved me having to respond. ¡°Keeping your cards close to the vest, hm? I respect that. We have, after all, five years.¡±

    I cocked my head to the side curiously. ¡°You measure time in Terran years?¡±

    ¡°Come now, my boy, I¡¯m sure you can think of a more interesting question than that. Go on, try again,¡± they encouraged in a patronizing tone.

    I considered for a moment, studying their youthful, wrinkleless face. ¡°How old are you?¡± I finally asked.

    Unity laughed once, slapping their knee gleefully. ¡°Much better! I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t one I¡¯m prepared to answer, however.¡±

    I tried again. ¡°What does your implant do?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on a roll now! Go on, try one more!¡± They were grinning ear to ear, as if my questions were meant as nothing more than entertainment.

    I tried to suppress my frustration, but it seeped into my words. ¡°What¡¯s the point of asking questions if you won¡¯t give me answers?¡±

    ¡°Now that, is a perfect question.¡± They paused dramatically, then leaned in close to conspiratorially whisper ¡°Because, if I give you the answers, you may no longer be curious.¡±

    I grabbed my tail, and laid it across my lap before it could betray my ill temper. ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Do you see?¡± Unity challenged.

    I thought about it for a moment. ¡°No, not really.¡±

    They waved a hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll explain more in time, dear boy, you have my word. We will have quarterly check-ins. For now, however, there is the matter of our contract.¡± They turned back to their desk, and opened a drawer, retrieving...

    ¡°Is that paper?¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°Quite so! I prefer important documents to be signed the old fashioned way, if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± They passed me a short stack of papers and a stiff plastic board with a clip to hold them, along with an ink stylus to sign them with.

    ¡°May I read it first?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You won¡¯t understand it, I¡¯m afraid. There¡¯s a synopsis of the legalese on the final page, however.¡±

    I tried reading it anyway, but found myself going cross eyed and yawning after only a paragraph, and even then I couldn¡¯t understand what it said. I had never wanted to speak to my family¡¯s lawyer before, with his long-winded advice delivered in perfect monotone, but I found myself wishing he was with me. Finally I flipped to the last page, and found clear, easy to understand bullet points.

    <ol>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Signatory will faithfully perform the duties assigned by Frontier Federation management, subdivision FFE-1313, and remain in good standing with said management</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Signatory will accrue no more debt than can be repaid by two quarters¡¯ labor</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Failure to comply with above will result in contract forfeiture, and signatory will be subject to reassignment by the Unity corporation</li>

    </ol>

    ¡°Reassignment? What does that mean in this context?¡± I asked.

    Unity steepled their fingers, choosing their words carefully. ¡°If you break the rules too much, or you fall behind on payments, I will have the legal authority to do with you as I please. Essentially, if you prove to be a bad investment, I will have generous leeway to ¡®reinvest¡¯ you.¡±

    I felt sick to my stomach. ¡°That¡¯s... you would own me?¡±

    They nodded solemnly. ¡°I assure you, these clauses are part of nearly every contract these days.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting and wrong, and I refuse to sign it.¡± I thrust the contract back to them forcefully.

    ¡°Keep reading,¡± they insisted calmly. ¡°There¡¯s more.¡±

    I swallowed my feelings, and begrudgingly obeyed.

    <ol>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Signatory will be protected from capitol punishment for the duration of this contract, while in good standing</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Upon completion of contract timeline (GATE ACTIVATION), and total repayment of debt, signatory will be free to choose their path</li>

    </ol>

    ¡°Why are the negative terms explicit and the positive ones ambiguous?¡± I challenged.

    ¡°It¡¯s all very explicit in the text, I assure you. This document will protect you from Harlyle as long as you behave, and when this trip is done I will personally see to it that you get to where you need to be. However, neither you nor I know where that is yet.¡± Unity reclined once more. ¡°If you don¡¯t sign, I can¡¯t protect you.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t, or won¡¯t?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°Another good question,¡± they sighed, ¡°can¡¯t,  unequivocally.¡±

    I chewed my lower lip. ¡°Do I have to sign with my real name?¡±

    ¡°Nobody will see this document but you and I. You have my word.¡±

    My hands shook as I stared at the document that could strip me of my freedom. But then... what freedom did I have, anyway? The freedom to be kidnapped? The freedom to be murdered?

    The paper felt strange, more resistant than the crystal screen of a tablet as I traced the familiar scribble onto the page.

    ¡°Good lad. I advise you to continue to keep your cards close. Your true identity is best kept a secret, for more than your personal comfort.¡± Unity accepted the document, signed it, and tucked it away in their drawer. ¡°I will speak to you again in two hundred fifty days. Good luck.¡±

    I blinked rapidly, trying to keep tears from forming, and took calming breaths. ¡°I told myself I would never sign something like this,¡± I said, my voice shaking with emotion.

    Unity sighed wearily. ¡°In life, we must make choices that go against our own character, or at least the character we believe we embody. I suppose you never thought you would gouge a woman¡¯s eye out, either?¡±

    I looked up sharply. ¡°How...?¡±

    They placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, truly. You may hate me now, but one day you¡¯ll see the wisdom in my actions.¡±

    I shook them off, and abruptly stood. I sniffed, wiped my eyes aggressively, and put on a brave face. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± I replied curtly, and confidently strolled out of their office.

 First Day on the Job

    I stepped out of the gravity lift onto the ship¡¯s middle level, where most of the important rooms seemed to be. Without Unity by my side I was largely ignored; I did still get the occasional surprised look from my so far entirely (aside from Tau and Laurie) terran crewmates.

    It had been something I was looking forward to, getting to meet other genodiverse people. The only bast I¡¯d met since leaving home had wanted to kidnap me, and the only titans had both misgendered and tried to kidnap me.

    ¡°Hey!¡± a man in red said sharply. He was tall, and had an intense gaze. ¡°Where are you supposed to be, kid?¡±

    ¡°Oh, um, I¡¯m on the reactor crew?¡± I replied unsteadily.

    ¡°No shit. Why are you standing in front of the lifts?¡± he demanded, eyeing me up and down.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, I¡¯m looking for Nova,¡± I answered.

    ¡°She¡¯s on second deck showing the new blood how to clean the plasma flux converters.¡± As the man eyed me suspiciously, I recognized him as one of the exo-skeletoned workers who¡¯d been loading cargo when I slipped aboard. ¡°What¡¯s your name again?¡±

    ¡°Uhh, Rook. I just got here.¡± I offered him a tight-lipped smile. The way he was looking at me was familiar; I¡¯d seen it before, on those who looked down on other genotypes. I slowly stepped back into the lift. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go find Nova. Nice meeting you though!¡±

    I allowed the lift to whisk me away from his questions, and down another floor just to be safe. When I stepped out onto the second floor from the bottom, I quickly found Nova and Tau. They had removed one of the metal wall panels, and were working on the machinery within.

    I didn¡¯t announce my presence immediately, opting instead to silently observe.

    ¡°Right, just like that,¡± Nova praised. ¡°See? Told you it would be just like training. Wait, before you do that you have to purge the internal plasma ducts.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tau muttered, his brow furrowed with concentration. He twisted three dials in sequence, and the machine beeped twice. ¡°There, purged right?¡±

    Nova nodded. ¡°Now we can remove the outer casing.¡±

    Tau unscrewed three bolts at the corners of the machine¡¯s cover with a ratchet from a nearby toolbox. Before he could make it to the fourth, the cover began to tip backwards, and Nova had to catch it before the heavy piece of fitted metal hit him in the head.

    ¡°Always start with the lower bolts,¡± Nova warned, her voice strained. ¡°The lower bolts are shorter, and a lot of them are broken.¡± As she set the cover aside, the tattoos on her arms rippled with exertion.

    Beneath the machine¡¯s outer skin, there was a long, clear pipe coiled through its interior, snug against a charred back plate. ¡°Nasty,¡± Tau remarked.

    ¡°Right?¡± Nova agreed. ¡°Sometimes dust and other organic matter can get in there and form carbon solids, which reduces the energy transfer rate. We just have to clean it off, and-¡± Nova turned to pick up a brush, and spotted me. ¡°Good morning, Rook. Nice of you to join us.¡±

    ¡°I had to meet with Unity to sign my contract,¡± I explained. ¡°I¡¯m here to help now. Can I clean off the carbon?¡±

    Nova beamed at me, nodding enthusiastically. ¡°First, you have to ground the back plate. Take a wrench like this and connect it to the ESD grounding cable on your toolbox, then just tap it gently.¡± A bright spark leapt from the device to her wrench as she demonstrated, but she seemed fine. ¡°Okay Rook, go ahead.¡±

    I took the wire-bristled brush, and stepped in front of them, then started scrubbing off the char. It loosened up easily enough, and I accepted a rag from Nova to wipe it off. My fingers were soon stained black with carbon, and my right arm ached with the exertion, but I pushed on. I had to push on.

    ¡°Make sure to get between the coils and the back plate,¡± Nova instructed.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked, then thought for a moment, and clarified: ¡°what¡¯s a plasma flux converter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you asked!¡± Nova gushed. ¡°So the core reactor produces huge amounts of power, right? All that power gets packed into these ducts in the form of plasma.¡± She indicated the glowing purple pipe that ran along the corridor¡¯s bottom edge. ¡°We can¡¯t easily use plasma to power the lights and devices on the ship, so we use power exchangers like these to transfer some of the energy from the plasma into usable electricity. The Clover has fifty of these boxes for its thirty individual circuits, with redundancies for critical systems. They range from fairly small units like this one to power the doors and lights, to huge, robust systems for high draw areas like the mess hall and bridge.¡±

    I pulled back from the converter, confident in its cleanliness. ¡°What kind of electricity does it convert to?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Either alternating or direct current, depending on the subsystem,¡± Tau chimed in.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Nova praised, and I smirked as Tau tried to hide his reaction to the praise. ¡°Alright boys, let¡¯s get this thing back together and move on to the next.¡± She looked down at her PDA, and sucked air through her teeth. ¡°Shit. It¡¯s the damn fusion thruster again. Can you two handle the next one while I go look into this?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± I chirped dutifully.

    Nova jogged away, leaving the two of us alone in the deserted hall. I wondered what facilities were on this level, but didn¡¯t feel like asking my grumpy roommate.

    ¡°So,¡± Tau said when she was out of earshot. ¡°You¡¯re subcontracted through Unity. I knew you were weird.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°What exactly  is that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°Nobody in their right mind signs on with the Unity corporation. It¡¯s like some kind of cult. The people who work there... well, I guess you¡¯ll find out.¡± He smirked knowingly.

    My tail lashed frustratedly. ¡°Why are you like this?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Guess I don¡¯t like to share intel with people who threaten me. I¡¯m just quirky like that.¡±

    I gestured to the cover panel. ¡°Let¡¯s just put this thing back together, please?¡± I suggested. ¡°I¡¯d like to have some actual work done when our boss gets back.¡±

    Tau glared at me a moment longer, then easily hefted the metal plate and held it in place for me to bolt it back on. We turned the dials, and the machine beeped once. Tau took a magnetic clamp from the tool box and used it to pick up and replace the missing wall panel, and our first job was done. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Next one¡¯s this way.¡±

    The second power converter was much the same as the first. I helped Tau remove the wall panel with the magnetic tool, then we purged the plasma from the interior to avoid getting electrocuted. Next I unbolted the cover with my good hand while he held it in place. I started with the lower bolts, and found that one of them spun freely; it must have been stripped out. Tau set the cover aside, and I began scrubbing away at the carbon.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I threatened you,¡± I said quietly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t okay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s whatever,¡± Tau replied dismissively. ¡°Was that real blood on your fingers?¡±

    I hesitated, then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m allowed to say still.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    I paused in my scrubbing to sigh wearily. ¡°It means I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m confused and a little bit scared.¡± I still didn¡¯t know how I felt about everything that happened, let alone how to explain it to some prick I just met.

    Tau snorted. ¡°Come on, dude, don¡¯t get emotional. I¡¯m sure a rich kid like you will be fine.¡±

    I shot him a withering look. ¡°Can you not right now? I¡¯m trying to be sincere with you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe try being less cryptic first, how¡¯s that?¡± he retorted. ¡°You¡¯re one weird dude. You haven¡¯t even told me your real name yet.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t remember.¡± I continued scrubbing.

    ¡°Sure you don¡¯t. Until you do, I¡¯m just gonna call you gay boy,¡± he said with a self-satisfied grin.

    ¡°Why do you keep calling me that?¡± I groaned.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t denied it?¡± Tau shrugged. ¡°It seems to piss you off? I dunno, pick one.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not... my sexuality is none of your business!¡± I snapped

    He laughed mean-spiritedly. ¡°Yeah, you definitely hate that. Look how flustered you¡¯re getting! Now I¡¯m never gonna stop.¡±

    I bared my teeth, and the bristles on the brush bent from the force I put on them. ¡°That¡¯s fine, Taumiel.¡±

    He abruptly stopped laughing. ¡°It¡¯s just Tau,¡± he growled.

    I shrugged. ¡°Carbon¡¯s all cleaned off. Let¡¯s put it back together.¡±

    No more quips were exchanged; an uneasy silence stretched on as we completed our task.

    As Tau was fitting the wall panel back into place, I spotted Medina walking towards us. I was happy to see someone other than my reluctant roommate, hopeful that she might have something to say that wasn¡¯t a thinly veiled insult. ¡°Good morning, Sister!¡± I called cheerfully.

    Good morning my child!¡± she replied with equal warmth. ¡°How are you liking your position?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m learning new things already!¡± I tried not to take notice of Tau gagging behind me.

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, dear! When you¡¯re done here I was wondering if you might provide me with some assistance?¡± she suggested.

    ¡°How may I be of service?¡± I asked dutifully. I did, after all, owe her my life.

    ¡°There are a few books in my cabin that require cleaning. I thought perhaps in exchange for a consultation you might help me with them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you sister, but I would have helped you even without the consultation,¡± I replied awkwardly.

    The priestess looked me in the eye and shook her head seriously. ¡°Nothing is free, my child. Nothing.¡± Something in the way she said it gave me the chills.

    I cleared my throat awkwardly, unsurre how to take her warning. ¡°Right. Well anyway, sure, I¡¯d love a consultation. What does that mean exactly?¡±

    Medina smiled demurely. ¡°Answers, child. I can give you answers to many of the questions I¡¯m sure are rattling around in that head of yours.¡±

    That was certainly enticing. ¡°That¡¯s... thank you, sister. I have so many questions!¡± I had to bite my lip to keep from shouting them out right then and there. I would have to be tactful with when and how I asked.

    ¡°Conclude your duties here, and meet me in cabin Epsilon on the upper deck. I¡¯ll prepare some tea.¡± With a genial wave, she was off.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be having a lot of firsts today,¡± I said to myself excitedly.

    Tau scoffed. ¡°Did you see the way she ignored me? You should stay away from her, crusaders are bad fucking news.¡±

    ¡°Forgive me for wanting answers to my questions,¡± I snapped. ¡°Maybe she likes me because I¡¯m polite and pleasant to be around.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah right. You¡¯re a bitch and we both know it. But fine, it¡¯s your funeral, and I won¡¯t be there.¡±

    ¡°Good! I don¡¯t want mean people at my funeral.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s the job coming, boys?¡± Called a voice from around the bend. Moments later, Nova jogged back into sight. ¡°Oh good, you finished the first one! Did you learn anything, Rook?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± I chirped.

    ¡°Suck up,¡± Tau mouthed, though with his back to Nova she couldn¡¯t see.

    ¡°Good, ¡®cuz there are three more junctions to check on this floor,¡± Nova bent forward to catch her breath briefly before continuing. ¡°The faster that¡¯s done, the faster we can all get some slop and take a break.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯d be ready to handle one on my own,¡± I said confidently, ignoring the faces Tau was making at me. ¡°But my arm is... yeah.¡± I held up my busted arm demonstratively.

    ¡°How about you two keep working together for now. Seems you could use the practice.¡± Her eyes wandered from me to my partner her smile fading. ¡°Tau!¡±

    He snapped to attention. ¡°Yes sir?¡±

    ¡°Are you being a brat?¡± Nova demanded.

    I giggled as his ears flattened sheepishly.

    She shook her head tiredly. ¡°Finish the task,¡± she ordered. ¡°When it¡¯s done, notify me so I can come inspect your work. Dismissed.¡±

 Sustenance

    When the work was done, my face was flecked with carbon, and my stomach was growling so loudly it drew the attention of Tau.

    ¡°Are you purring?¡± he whispered as Nova inspected our work on the final power exchanger.

    I rolled my eyes, and tried to focus on what Nova was saying. Something about leverage, getting the right angle with the brushes to make the work go faster? I couldn¡¯t concentrate.

    My stomach growled again, and this time Nova heard. ¡°When was the last time you ate, Rook?¡± she asked suspiciously.

    I wasn¡¯t falling for it, hungry or not. ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± I lied; last meal I¡¯d eaten before the vending machine food had been sushi, and though I had had the foresight to stuff myself as full as my nutritionist would allow, I was running on empty.

    ¡°How in the void can you not remember?¡± Tau asked.

    Nova planted her hands on her hips disapprovingly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to haze the new guy, at least be creative about it. And do it on the way to the mess, I¡¯m dismissing you two early with the understanding that you¡¯ll use this free time to get some food and acquaint yourselves with the Clover.¡±

    ¡°Roger that, boss!¡± Tau barked, giving a careless salute before dashing away towards the lifts.

    I lingered for another moment, debating on asking Nova why she stuck me with such a tool.

    ¡°You two are getting along like cats and dogs I see,¡± she observed, barely able to keep a straight face.

    I forced a toothy, insincere smile, then rolled my eyes and started after Tau.

    ¡°What?¡± I heard her call between giggles. ¡°Cuz¡¯ you¡¯re a bast and he¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°No, I got it!¡± I shouted back, then stepped into the lift. I glimpsed his tail disappearing onto the second deck, so that¡¯s where I stepped out.

    ¡°Took you long enough,¡± Tau grumbled, leaning against the wall beside the lift.

    ¡°Like, not even fifty ticks,¡± I insisted. ¡°Besides, you missed a great joke about cats and dogs.¡±

    Tau gagged. ¡°Genotypicals be joking, but the moment you call them hairless apes...¡±

    I cleared my throat to suppress a giggle. ¡°Shall we?¡± I asked pointedly.

    ¡°Fuckin¡¯ ice queen over here,¡± he grumbled.

    The mess hall wasn¡¯t far from the gravity shaft. The double doors slid open to reveal a spacious dining room with a convincing digital sky projected over its ceiling. A row of tables and benches crowded one half of the room, while the other was dominated by a line of serving dishes on rolling carts laden with various colors of... food? I eyed the textureless slop with disdain.

    ¡°Go on then, Richie!¡± Tau taunted, pushing me towards a stack of plastic trays. A group of blue-suited workers seated around one of the tables all turned to look at the spectacle. ¡°It¡¯s all you can eat!¡±

    I tried to ignore the eyes on me, taking a deep breath. ¡°My name is Rook,¡± I declared, then snatched a tray and spoon. I cautiously sniffed the mounds of nutrient paste, but none smelled any more or less appetizing.

    I grabbed the ladle sticking out of the red stuff to a chorus of cheers and whistles, and scooped a big pile onto my tray. Making direct eye contact with Tau, I dropped the ladle, grabbed my spoon, and took a big bite.

    It tasted like the fabricator that made it was out of every seasoning except salt, but it was tolerable. I swallowed the slime with difficulty, then stuck my tongue out at Tau to prove that it was gone.

    He opened his mouth, no doubt to undermine my small victory, but was interrupted as a man in a blue jumpsuit put an arm roughly around my shoulders. ¡°First time eating Frontier rations, huh kid?¡± he asked warmly.

    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± I replied, squirming free from his aggressive touch.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let Woofy here get to you. This slop is hard to digest for anyone, especially someone like you,¡± he smiled as he spoke, as if I were in on some joke with him. ¡°So, reactor crew huh? What do you do there?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I shrugged. ¡°Uh, junior engineer.¡±

    The big guy burst out laughing. ¡°Engineer! Sure you are.¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°And why exactly is that so funny?¡±

    The worker seemed to realize it wasn¡¯t a joke, and straightened up. ¡°No shit, really? Sorry, it¡¯s just that your kind aren¡¯t really known for being good for manual labor.¡±

    Tau stepped forward, arms folded and jaw set. ¡°And what exactly do you know about his kind?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Geez, it was just an observation. He¡¯s a small guy is all, don¡¯t be so sensitive about it,¡± the worker backed off, hands raised innocently over his head.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Tau growled, and grabbed himself a tray. He chose the green slop, then dragged me away to a table at the opposite end of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those guys,¡± he said as we sat down. ¡°Their mouths are bigger than their brains.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried,¡± I retorted. ¡°I can take care of myself, thank you.¡±

    Tau rolled his eyes. ¡°Again with the ice queen act? Don¡¯t you know us modders have to stick together?¡±

    My tail lashed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not a modder,¡± I said quietly. ¡°Unlike you, I was born this way.¡±

    Tau stopped choking down his foodslime to stare at me, open-mouthed. ¡°Seriously?¡± he asked incredulously.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not a modder, I¡¯m a bast,¡± I explained, watching his face grow even more disgusted.

    ¡°My mistake,¡± he growled. ¡°Thought we had at least one thing in common. Now I see the truth, that you really are better than me in every way huh?¡±

    I froze mid-reply, realizing that I may have messed up my phrasing somewhere in our conversation. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that! Not better, just... different.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Tau grunted. ¡°And those guys over there,¡± he pointed; they were making cat ears on one another with their fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sure they think you¡¯re better than me too. I¡¯m gonna go enjoy my day off, have fun showing yourself around.¡±

    I shrank as I watched him depart, dumping his empty tray and utensil in a bin by the door. I looked back at the mound of red goo, sighed, and readied my spoon.

    ¡°Hey engineer catboy!¡± shouted a terran from across the room. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, come over and eat with us!¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m almost-¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re too quiet, new guy! Just come over here!¡±

    Not seeing a better way out, I took a deep breath and picked up my tray, then shuffled over to their table. ¡°Hey,¡± I said awkwardly, and slid into an open spot at the end of the bench.

    ¡°Hey new guy,¡± said another of the group. ¡°Don¡¯t I recognize you from somewhere?¡±

    I choked on my slop. ¡°Probably not,¡± I answered quickly. ¡°I¡¯ve barely been off my homeworld.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen you somewhere,¡± they insisted, peering at me curiously.

    One thing was for sure; I needed to get rid of the pink in my hair. It was too much of a clue to my former life. I didn¡¯t like the color anyway.

    ¡°Hey, are you ignoring me, catboy?¡±

    I smiled shyly. ¡°Sorry, just trying to eat my food,¡± I said, heart pounding in my chest. I shouldn¡¯t have been rude to Tau, but he¡¯s just such an asshole...

    I readied myself for more harassment, but the heavy footsteps of Medina¡¯s metal soldier marching into the mess shut down all chatter.

    Apollyon took up a position at the end of the table and folded their arms impatiently, but said nothing while the others hastily scarfed down their meals. Soon enough, I was left alone with the brute.

    I started to get up, though not quite finished with my red slop, but the Paladin cleared their throat pointedly. ¡°The nutrient paste is free, though waste comes out of your paycheck at a punitive rate.¡±

    I settled back down with a heavy sigh. ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually glad to see you for once. Those guys made me uncomfortable.¡±

    They scoffed. ¡°I am sure it was mutual.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I mean, all I did was eat my food. I don¡¯t see why that would make anyone uncomfortable. For the record, I was born this way, before you call me a mutant again.¡±

    They grunted. ¡°My priestess explained to me what you are. I am unconvinced, but my duty to her comes before my duty to uphold human purity.¡±

    I shook my head slowly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come sit down, Sir Human Purity?¡± I suggested. ¡°I¡¯d rather be friends than enemies.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± they replied flatly.

    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± I said, and shrugged. As I continued to pick through my meal under the watchful gaze of Apollyon, another group filed noisily into the room, before one by one going silent, and quickly making their way back out. ¡°So, you hate me because someone told you to, huh?¡± I mused.

    ¡°I do not hate you,¡± They finally said. ¡°What you call hate, I call righteous fury against that which brings us further from Eden.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your Eden is, but I¡¯m pretty sure me having a tail doesn¡¯t have any effect on it,¡± I said flatly.

    ¡°There are conflicting interpretations,¡± they admitted. ¡°My priestess can answer your questions. I will lead you to her.¡±

    I finished off the last bite in the first half of my lunch. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sit with me?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you even eat?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and no. My armor provides all the energy I need,¡± they replied. ¡°Besides, I would not eat here. I am a VIP.¡±

    I didn¡¯t remember their name being on Unity¡¯s list, but saying so wouldn¡¯t earn me any points with the tin can soldier. I took a breath, suppressed my nausea, and dug in.

 Eshe Medina

    Following Apollyon through the corridors insulated me from the stares of my crewmates, for which I was grateful. As I followed them up the gravity shaft to the VIP cabins, however, I was reminded of just how heavy that armor would be were it to fall on top of me. Luckily gravity remained on my side, and I stepped out after them onto the topmost floor.

    ¡°Wait here,¡± they ordered, and stood at attention just outside one of the doors which lined the corridor.

    I shifted from side to side impatiently, trying to ignore the gurgling of my overstuffed stomach, exacerbated by the funky gravity. I¡¯d definitely take less food next time. ¡°Should we¨C¡±

    Immediately as I began speaking, the door slid open to reveal priestess Medina in her splendid black robes and red headscarf. ¡°Wonderful, you¡¯ve arrived! That will be all, Apollyon.¡±

    My guide awkwardly saluted, and trudged off back the way we came. I felt a pang of sympathy for their servile treatment, until I remembered how they rattled my head off the floor.

    ¡°You¡¯ve made a remarkable recovery,¡± Medina observed, glancing down at my feet. She stepped aside and gestured welcomingly. ¡°Do come in, dear!¡±

    Her room was spatially identical to Unity¡¯s, though her decoration style was very different. In place of cluttered shelves and photographs were crimson tapestries set against matte black walls. Her false windows were largely lightless, aside from that of a few glimmering stars in the distance. Her desk was tidy, and her bed was neatly made with soft-looking black blankets and cushions. The room¡¯s most notable decoration was a gold sculpture of what appeared to be a void star hanging above our heads.

    ¡°It¡¯s... cozy in here,¡± I remarked, guessing at what compliment might please her most as I stepped into the dimly lit chamber.

    ¡°Thank you, sweet one,¡± she hummed. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you up and about. I was afraid Harlyle would have your head.¡±

    ¡°Doctor Laurie gave me some crazy effective pain meds,¡± I explained. Beside her bed, in a spot I couldn¡¯t see from the doorway, was a stack of paper books beside a bookshelf. ¡°Is this what you needed me for, Sister?¡±

    She nodded serenely. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve had a weakness for digital texts lately, and they¡¯ve gotten dusty.¡± Her soft-spoken words competed with the hiss of a kettle on her desk.

    I knelt by the books while she poured, and read a few of the spines. Void Travellers: a Comprehensive Account, volumes one through five were each as thick as my fist. Sunyata was spelled in golden letters upon a vantablack background. What Remains of the Abrahamic Texts was worn and cracked from age.

    ¡°Do you take sugar with your tea, dear?¡± Medina called.

    I looked up from the books to shake my head politely. ¡°No thanks. It gives me a weird aftertaste.¡±

    ¡°As you wish,¡± she acquiesced. ¡°Please, come have some while it¡¯s hot. Your task can wait.¡±

    I seated myself in a black velvet arm chair, and accepted the teacup and saucer from her. I noticed that, in keeping with the theme, her lips were painted black with touches of red in the middle. The rim of her cup was soon stained in a similar pattern.

    ¡°Go on, dear one. I know you have a curious soul,¡± Medina urged.

    I cast my eyes about the room again, trying to settle on what to ask first. ¡°I understand why the color black is significant to you, but why red?¡±

    Medina took a big sip of her tea, a placid smile on her lips as the boiling liquid slid down her throat. ¡°Black represents the void, while red represents that which lies within us all.¡±

    ¡°Blood?¡± I guessed.

    She chuckled lightly. ¡°The soul, child, the soul.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said, as neutrally as I could.

    ¡°What we crusaders believe is not as made up as some would have you think,¡± she assured me with a knowing smile. ¡°The soul, or animus, is very much a real part of every living human. There are three parts to a human being, which we call mensus, corpus, and animus: mind, body, and soul. Without animus, the body and mind are still. Without corpus, the mind withers and the soul departs. Without mensus, there is no way for the soul to anchor to the body. Do you understand?¡±

    I took a sip of tea, and burned my tongue. ¡°Ow, hot... sorry, yes, I think so. So the soul commands the body using the brain, according to what you believe?¡± I clarified.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°That part isn¡¯t up for debate, as much as some would like to try. Believe it or not, our order has more scientists than priests.¡± Her eyes narrowed at the whiff of skepticism, and I thought it best to agree.

    ¡°Right. It makes sense, I think,¡± I blew steam from my cup. ¡°So, when you die your mind shuts off, which separates your soul from your body. The body rots, and the soul finds its way to the void to rest eternally. Is that correct?¡±

    She nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re close enough for an outsider. We can explore more advanced truths another time.¡±

    ¡°May I ask another question please, sister?¡± I asked, as politely as I could manage. When she nodded, I continued. ¡°What does Abrahamic mean?¡±

    Medina smiled sadly. ¡°Back before humanity took to the stars, we believed in different teachings. Terra had many religions, but three of the largest were based on the same founding principles.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡± I guessed.

    She shook her head slowly. ¡°They hated one another. The three groups fought with each other, and themselves, and those who believed in other truths, and those who believed nothing. We have moved past such infighting, and consolidated the truths of all Terran religions into our text: the Sunyata. The old texts have largely been lost to time, but a few copies of the important bits remain.¡±

    I tried again to take a sip. I couldn¡¯t taste it after scorching my tongue. ¡°Why not upload copies to the internet?¡± I suggested. ¡°If you still have the important stuff, then the old religions don¡¯t have to be lost.¡±

    Medina laughed sharply. ¡°We have unity now, darling! That¡¯s with a lowercase ¡®u¡¯, of course. Why would we introduce discord back into our fragile universe?¡±

    I set my cup aside on her desk. ¡°Shall I begin cleaning your books now, ma¡¯am?¡± I offered.

    Medina retrieved a white microfiber cloth from a pocket on her robe, and passed it to me. ¡°I must confess I¡¯m disappointed by your lack of curiosity,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Oh that¡¯s not it at all.¡± I accepted the white rag and went to go sit by the books. ¡°I just like to keep my hands busy. It helps me think.¡±

    She nodded curtly. ¡°Ah yes, idle hands do the works of man. Carry on.¡±

    I began to gently wipe down the aging books, taking care not to damage their dry, fragile paper. I could tell she wanted me to keep asking questions, but so far her answers had been less than satisfactory. Maybe she¡¯d have some more practical advice for me. ¡°My roommate Tau was supposed to be showing me around the ship today,¡± I began.

    Medina interrupted with a dissatisfied grunt. ¡°Yes, the mutant boy. I¡¯m so sorry you have to stay with the likes of him.¡±

    I cleared my throat noisily. ¡°Um, yeah, thanks I guess. My point is that I still don¡¯t know how things work around here. For instance, is there anywhere I can find manicuring tools?¡±

    ¡°Manicuring tools?¡± Medina echoed. ¡°You can find nail clippers in the commissary across from the recreation room.¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°Maybe a nail file too?¡±

    Medina tapped her chin thoughtfully. ¡°We sisters of the cloth keep our nails trimmed, not manicured.¡±

    I set the first three volumes, freshly dusted, back on their shelf. ¡°Where can I find the rec room?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, child, haven¡¯t you been given...¡± she trailed off, and tutted disappointedly. ¡°On this ship, every crew member, from the lowliest intern to the most executive VIP is given a communicator like this,¡± she held up her wrist, upon which was a device just like the ones Nova and Tau wore. ¡°Removing it is a serious violation.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°I guess Nova just forgot to give me one. What does it do exactly? I set the next three books on the shelf, and set to work dusting the last one.

    ¡°Everything you might need,¡± she said simply.

    ¡°Sounds useful. Do you know where I can get one?¡±

    Medina shook her head. ¡°Speak with your supervisor, dear.¡±

    I slid the final text onto the shelf, then sat in silence beside her bed for a long moment, putting aside my more practical curiosities for the moment. ¡°You called me a void traveller,¡± I finally said. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    She smiled, and set aside her beverage, then excitedly clasped her hands. ¡°What you are, dear one, is a very special thing indeed! You see, when we humans pass through the gates we can catch a glimpse of eternity, just a sliver of its great peace. Sometimes, however, people can just...¡± She spread her hands mysteriously. ¡°Disappear.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked skeptically.

    ¡°Quite so!¡± she replied. ¡°Sometimes the soul can become detached from the body and wander away, or sometimes the whole being can roam, and become lost in the void... until they turn up somewhere and somewhen else. Sometimes they¡¯ve gone mad from the experience, sometimes they¡¯ve merely forgotten who they are and where they came from.¡± She nodded at me pointedly.

    ¡°So, I was on another ship, and I just got lost in the void?¡± I asked. ¡°How long do you think I was in there?¡±

    Medina hummed softly. ¡°Maybe one day you can tell me that.¡±

    I briefly thought that I might actually be a void traveller, as she said, but I quickly pushed the thought from my mind. If I had been wandering for years, then nothing I saw before experiencing the void in the cargo hold could be consistent with what I saw now... unless I was insane. I didn¡¯t feel insane.

    ¡°Lost in thought?¡± Medina prompted.

    I fidgeted with the tip of my tail anxiously. ¡°I have one more question,¡± I said, choosing my next words carefully as I made my way back to the velvet chair. I took a long sip of my tea, which had mostly cooled. ¡°You¡¯ve seen the void too, haven¡¯t you? Nova mentioned that ordained personnel are allowed to wander as we pass through the gates. Also, you stopped Apollyon from killing me in the cargo bay, and he wouldn¡¯t have called you.¡±

    ¡°Right again,¡± she praised. ¡°I like to make a habit of experiencing its glory whenever I can.¡±

    ¡°How do you avoid getting lost?¡± I asked. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t your soul wander, like mine did?¡± My ears twitched, betraying my lie, but I doubt she caught it.

    ¡°I know what to expect,¡± she said. ¡°The leading theory is that travelling happens when someone panics while passing through. There¡¯s no shame in it, of course. My order uses a special drug to simulate the sensory deprivation of the void, to train ourselves to comprehend its peace.¡±

    I smiled politely. ¡°Thank you, sister. You¡¯ve given me much to think about.¡± I finished off my tea in another gulp. ¡°I should probably ask around for a communicator, if I don¡¯t want the captain to come down on me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure,¡± Medina said sincerely. ¡°Do good work. I¡¯ll have my paladin escort you to where you need to go, so you don¡¯t get lost.¡±

    ¡°Oh that isn¡¯t necessary,¡± I protested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly!¡± she insisted, tapping on her communicator. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡±

 The Communicator

    ¡°Hey, Apollyon,¡± I prompted as they led me back to the lifts.

    ¡°You may address me as brother,¡± they growled back.

    ¡°So you¡¯re a dude under there?¡± I asked. ¡°That was going to be my question.¡±

    ¡°I am the armor. The flesh beneath is of no consequence.¡± It turned to face me with its eerily featureless helmet, then stepped backwards into the lift.

    ¡°Touchy...¡± I mumbled, then cautiously entered after them. My voice echoed off the walls as I shouted down to it. ¡°I need a communicator. Did Sister tell you where to bring me, or...?¡±

    ¡°I have my orders,¡± Apollyon responded coldly. It wobbled as it pulled itself from the shaft with the aid of a handle by the fifth floor opening.

    I was beginning to get a sense for the layout of the ship; though much of it remained a mystery, I recognized that I was being led towards the bridge. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Nova,¡± I protested. ¡°Is she on the bridge?¡±

    The paladin shrugged its powerful shoulders, then moments later came to a stop beside the reinforced doors. ¡°Go on,¡± it urged.

    Unsure of what else to do, I hesitantly pressed the call button on the door¡¯s console.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Harlyle¡¯s voice came back sharply.

    ¡°Uh... Apollyon told me you have a communicator for me?¡± I offered.

    ¡°Oh did he now?¡± the captain replied thoughtfully. There was a brief silence before the reinforced doors opened, and I was treated to the sight of our fearless captain in his pressed suit, his weathered face actually smiling for once. ¡°Let¡¯s go have a quick talk with your supervisor about it, shall we?¡± he said gleefully.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re busy,¡± I began, but he interrupted me.

    ¡°Nonsense! I always have time to keep the peons in line.¡± I didn¡¯t have much choice but to follow him as he swiftly strode through the ship. Walking with the captain was like walking with Apollyon; nobody dared to look up at us. The only difference to me was that Harlyle could kill me if he wanted to.

    I thought about what he had said about peons, and whether that applied to Nova as well. Did he really see all of us as expendable? I felt a pit in my stomach.

    It was a relief when he finally stopped before a reinforced set of doors at the end of a hall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for whatever I might have done wrong, sir,¡± I said, wracking my mind to figure out what I could have done to draw his ire so soon. ¡°I swear I¡¯m doing my best.¡±

    ¡°Oh I know you are, kid. You did the right thing by coming to me.¡± The captain pressed his hand to the scanner, and the door slid open with a mechanical ¡°welcome captain!¡±

    As I followed him into the room I was immediately taken aback by its scale. Within the hangar-sized space, three spires rose from the floor, each humming with energy and surrounded by levitating rings which rapidly spun, generating a gentle breeze. From the tops of the spires extended a mess of clear pipes transporting brightly glowing plasma to the extremities of the ship. I was staring at the ship¡¯s core reactor.

    ¡°Beaulier!¡± The captain shouted.

    Red-suited personnel looked up from their various tasks around the room, and Nova herself emerged from behind one of the spires, a wrench in one hand and a streak of grease across her brow. ¡°Captain!¡± she said with a big, fake smile. ¡°What a... surprise to see you here!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me, Beaulier,¡± Harlyle snapped as she crossed the room to stand before him, his voice booming so that it echoed off the ceiling. ¡°Do you have this little bastard running around without a communicator?¡±

    Nova looked at me disappointedly. ¡°I was going to get him one tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow isn¡¯t good enough!¡± the captain protested. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this breach of policy is going to cost you, Beaulier.¡±

    She sighed wearily. ¡°How much, sir?¡±

    Harlyle tapped his wrinkled chin thoughtfully. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯m far too busy to fine you over this. Too busy to review your transfer request this quarter too. Guess I¡¯ll have to deny it again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, captain please!¡± Nova begged, stepping forward and grabbing for his hand as he started to walk away.

    All he had to do was raise a greying eyebrow, and he was released to walk away. Before he left me alone with my angry crewmates, he shot me a nasty, perfect-toothed grin over his shoulder. The door shut with finality.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    My face and neck felt hot with shame. I had expected the captain to come down on me the moment I heard his voice, but I didn¡¯t think he would go after my coworkers for something I¡¯d done wrong. ¡°Nova, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to-¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to what?¡± she interrupted. ¡°Do you even know what you did?¡±

    I shook my head mournfully.

    ¡°Where the fuck is Tau? I specifically told him to watch you so some stupid shit like this wouldn¡¯t happen!¡± Her cheeks turned rosy with fury as she chastised me. ¡°And what are you all looking at?¡± she demanded of her subordinates. ¡°Get the fuck back to work!¡±

    ¡°Tau left me alone,¡± I admitted. ¡°I think it was my-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tan his fluffy fucking hide,¡± Nova growled. She produced a stress ball from her pocket, and began squeezing it repeatedly. Her left eye twitched. ¡°Listen, Rook,¡± she said in an icy calm tone. ¡°I may not have explained everything to you yet, but you need to know that snitches don¡¯t do well on long hauls like this.¡±

    My heart raced; I wanted nothing more than to shrink away until I was invisible. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to tell on you, I promise,¡± I said lamely.

    ¡°Maybe not, but you did, and now Harlyle has more leverage over me.¡± Every line of her face was deepened with pain and barely repressed wrath. ¡°I¡¯m gonna let you off with a... warning,¡± she said with great difficulty. ¡°The next time you come to Harlyle instead of me about something like this, you will find out exactly what happens to snitches.¡±

    ¡°They get stitches?¡± I guessed, trying to lighten the mood even just a small amount.

    She chuckled humorlessly. ¡°We fill socks with metal powder and beat the traitor until he gets the message,¡± she clarified. ¡°There are no stitches. In fact, it doesn¡¯t even leave bruises. I don¡¯t know how easily bastards bruise though, so you might get unlucky.¡±

    I felt as if I¡¯d been punched in the gut. I expected that sort of language from Harlyle, and maybe even Tau, but from Nova? I whimpered softly, fighting back tears.

    Nova¡¯s demeanor softened, but not all the way. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry about the slur. I don¡¯t have anything against your people, I¡¯m just really looking forward to that transfer, okay?¡± She sighed wearily, and rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. ¡°Let¡¯s go get you a communicator before Harlyle decides to dock our wages anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really, really sorry Nova,¡± I said meekly.

    ¡°Hush. What¡¯s done is done. Just don¡¯t do it again, hear me kid?¡± Her anger had passed, and in its place was a weariness that I couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible for.

    ¡°So,¡± I said awkwardly as I was once more led through the halls. I did my best to shove down the pain, and focus on the present. ¡°Where are we going now?¡±

    ¡°Commissary,¡± she replied simply.

    I had to jog to keep up with her long, purposeful strides. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    She glanced back at me, her face lined with worry. Clearly, she was still thinking about what Harlyle said. ¡°It¡¯s where you can go to buy things.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± I pressed.

    ¡°Like...¡± she hesitated. ¡°You¡¯ll just see when we get there, okay? Are you always this full of questions?¡±

    I nodded solemnly.

    Her sullen demeanor cracked slightly, a small smile shining through. ¡°I used to be curious like you, you know. Before I turned into a boring old lady.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.

    Nova rolled her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to agree with a lady when she calls herself old, you know.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Memory loss is a bitch, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Memory loss my left nut,¡± she grumbled, though her smile was growing. ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to keep an eye on you, Rook. Fine, I¡¯ll answer your many questions.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± I cheered, pumping my fist victoriously. ¡°What can this communicator do?¡±

    She hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Everything, really. There¡¯s an app for finances, navigation, communication, you name it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds useful,¡± I remarked. ¡°I still get super lost wandering around this ship. A map would be nice.¡±

    ¡°Tau never did give you that tour, did he?¡± Nova shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s the issue between you kids anyway?¡±

    I chewed my lower lip uncomfortably. I was pretty sure he hated the way I looked, spoke, and acted, but telling her that wouldn¡¯t be productive. ¡°I think we got off on the wrong foot is all,¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll make an effort to do better.¡±

    ¡°I know it isn¡¯t all on you. It must be hard trying to make friends when you barely know who you are.¡± Nova turned sharply around a corner, then stopped before a door helpfully labelled ¡®Commissary¡¯. ¡°Here we are,¡± she announced.

    The commissary room was packed full of colorful vending machines, each stuffed with an assortment of proudly branded products, from food to toiletries to vacuum-packed clothing items.

    Nova approached a kiosk in the middle of the room, and tapped a prompt on its touch screen. ¡°Insert your arm here,¡± she instructed, indicating a hole in the machine.

    I cautiously approached the device. ¡°Is this gonna hurt?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a scaredy-cat,¡±  Nova said dismissively, before perking up and asking ¡°Wait, shit, is that racist?¡±

    I pinched my fingers as if to say ¡®a bit¡¯, then dutifully inserted my good arm. I decided not to bring up the fact that calling me a bastard was a lot racist.

    ¡°So, about this hurting...¡± Nova said.

    The machine clamped down gently but firmly just below my elbow, and I felt a sharp pain as dual needles jabbed into the meat of my forearm. It hurt, but after the previous day¡¯s exploits I was accustomed to the discomfort. The screen displayed a loading bar beneath text that read ¡®acquiring DNA¡¯. I glanced anxiously at my supervisor, who gave me a confident thumbs up  in response.

    Soon enough, I felt something wrap around my wrist tightly, and the clamp disengaged. I pulled my arm out to find a device like all the others had strapped to my wrist. ¡°What was up with the whole ¡®acquiring DNA¡¯ thing?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°It has probes that continuously check biometric data for the health of you and the crew, you know, to prevent outbreaks and manage nutrient levels and all that. Whole thing gets managed by the ship¡¯s caretaker AI,¡± she explained.

    ¡°Wait, this ship has an AI?¡± I looked at her with wide-eyed excitement. ¡°How can I talk to it?¡±

    Nova chuckled lightly. ¡°Here kid, let me show you how this thing works.¡±

 Lessons in Ancestry

    ¡°Good, you¡¯re here.¡± Doctor Laurie did seem pleased to see me, in their subtle way. It had been two weeks since they¡¯d fitted my cast, and according to their message it was time for a check in.

    ¡°Listen Doctor,¡± I began awkwardly. ¡°I know injuries like these take a while to heal, and I don¡¯t exactly have a lot of wiggle room in my budget right now.¡±

    They scoffed, and waved a robotic hand dismissively. ¡°I am familiar with your financial situation. The cost to you will be miniscule, you have my word.¡±

    I begrudgingly surrendered myself to one of the exam tables, opening the finance application on my Comm. I was already twenty thousand in the red, and at pay rate of Nine hundred and ninety five credits per week, I had a credit limit of around fifty grand before I could be reassigned. I wasn¡¯t left with much spare debt capacity, especially if I had to keep paying medical bills.

    My situation was made worse by the fact that I still had expenses to pay, which meant that the tiny dents I was making barely outpaced the interest.

    Laurie¡¯s metallic fingers sparked as they clicked in my face. ¡°You can worry about it later. Give me your arm.¡±

    I switched off the display and passed my arm over to the doctor. ¡°Is this going to take long? I need to pick up some overtime today.¡±

    ¡°Is that what¡¯s been keeping you from assisting me as promised?¡± They asked flatly. Their right pointer finger split open along a hidden seam, revealing an attached scalpel. ¡°Hold very still,¡± they warned. ¡°This is as cheap as my services get.¡±

    I whimpered, and squeezed my eyes shut. I didn¡¯t feel any pain as the cast fell away, but then again, I was still taking those crazy effective painkillers every morning. I opened my eyes just in time to see Laurie gearing up to prod my broken wrist. I snatched the hand back to my chest, clutching it protectively. ¡°Don¡¯t just poke it, it¡¯s broken!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know it was possible for Laurie to look more unamused than usual, but they pulled it off. ¡°You seem to be fine,¡± they observed.

    I slowly looked down at my two perfectly straight and painless arms. ¡°Oh. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Good question,¡± Laurie said thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll further discount your appointment if you consent to a few more tests.¡±

    I gritted my teeth as I considered the offer. Whatever they had in mind couldn¡¯t be pleasant, but I needed the money. ¡°Yeah, alright. What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like a blood sample,¡± Laurie began counting their demands on their fingers as they continued. ¡°A skin sample, a urine sample, a few quick scans, and I¡¯d like to make a small incision and observe the healing process.¡±

    ¡°How much of a discount can I expect?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I can comp this visit as part of my experiment,¡± Laurie replied with a smug grin.

    ¡°Fine, I consent. Hey, ow!¡± I had barely finished speaking when Laurie slashed their scalpel finger across my palm. ¡°At least give me some warning!¡±

    They ignored me, of course, and began mumbling into their communicator. They wrested my damaged palm away from my protective embrace, and stared wide-eyed at the wound.

    I rolled my eyes, and looked around the medical bay boredly. Cabinets and drawers were left open, their contents spilled out onto the floor. The counter was cluttered with equipment, aside for in a small clearing. It didn¡¯t seem right for someone as focused as Laurie to be this messy. I decided it was better for my health not to comment on it.

    The experiment didn¡¯t take much longer, and they finished up by wrapping my hand sparingly with gauze. While they were working, their tail was digging through a pile of tools on the floor. Soon, it retrieved an electric hair trimmer.

    ¡°What¡¯s that for?¡± I asked warily.

    ¡°Blood draw,¡± Laurie replied simply, then without waiting for further consent they buzzed a strip of fur along my inner elbow. It was impressive to witness the dexterity of their extra appendage, even if what it was doing raised my blood pressure.

    I gritted my teeth, but remained silent as they wiped down the patch of bare flesh with disinfectant, then poked around for a vein. I didn¡¯t see the needle until, with a pinch, it was inside my arm. Laurie¡¯s hands were uncannily steady as they attached a vial to the end of a short rubber hose.

    ¡°Why do you think my bones healed so quickly?¡± I asked again, trying to distract myself from the rather large vial slowly filling with blood. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it could take the better part of a quarter?¡±

    Laurie hummed thoughtfully as they inspected my blood. ¡°My current hypothesis is that you have some augmentation that accelerates your healing.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Nah, that can¡¯t be right. I¡¯m a regular bast, totally unmodified.¡±

    ¡°You asked for my best guess, and I provided.¡± The doctor withdrew the needle quickly, then pressed a gauze square to my inner elbow. ¡°Further testing should reveal the truth. Hold pressure here please.¡±

    A sudden stabbing pain flared in my deltoid, and I looked down in time to see their tail, holding a gun-shaped device, darting away. I tried to look on the bright side as I flexed the wounded muscle. ¡°There¡¯s three down, right?¡± I asked hopefully.

    ¡°Correct,¡± they answered. They handed off the tissue sampling device to a waiting palm, then passed me a lidded plastic cup with their tail.

    ¡°Is there a restroom?¡± I asked.

    ¡°In the corner,¡± they replied, and gestured to a drawer with a picture of a toilet on it.

    I curiously opened it to find a pull-out toilet. ¡°Is there a... curtain or something?¡± I asked awkwardly.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°I have no interest in your genitals,¡± Laurie said. I believed them.

    I sat down awkwardly on the stowable toilet, and held the plastic cup between my thighs. ¡°How much do you need?¡± I awkwardly called across the room.

    ¡°Honestly, none,¡± Laurie admitted. ¡°The blood sample is enough for my purposes.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding¨Cdang it!¡± I growled in frustration as urine splashed my hand.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just a poor negotiator,¡± they shot back.

    I stood up and fixed my jumpsuit, then wiped my hand on a pant leg aggressively before storming over to where they were studying one of my samples on the only tidy patch of counter. I set the cup down gently, as much as I wanted to spill it to spite them. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let it go to waste, I guess. Am I done now? I should get back to work.¡±

    Laurie waved me away dismissively without looking up.

    I narrowed my eyes, my fists clenching with irritation. ¡°You know what, no. If you¡¯re gonna put me through extra tests for no reason, you¡¯ve gotta give me something in return,¡± I demanded, folding my arms resolutely.

    Laurie barely looked up from the sample. ¡°The words are ¡®going to¡¯ and ¡®must¡¯.¡±

    My tail swished angrily through the air. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to see why nobody likes you.¡±

    They sighed loudly. ¡°Fine. I will tell you a story if, and only if, you help me clean this place up.¡±

    ¡°A story? What am I, one?¡±

    ¡°And now I¡¯m beginning to see why noone likes you,¡± they retorted.

    ¡°Plenty of people love me,¡± I insisted. ¡°They just... aren¡¯t here right now.¡±

    ¡°All your adoring fans?¡± They asked dryly.

    That was a little too close to the truth for my liking. I shrugged the suggestion off. ¡°What¡¯s the story gonna be about, anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Your progenitors,¡± Laurie replied. ¡°The first basts. You can start over in that corner, by the way.¡±

    I didn¡¯t feel bad for being curt with them per se, though I did feel a bit silly. I absolutely wanted to hear that story. I obediently took a seat on the floor beside a pile of pill bottles, and began sorting them by size.

    ¡°It was centuries ago, before the fall of Terra and the rise of the Board. We lack perfect records from that time, of course, but Xenolife made an attempt to preserve the documents regarding your genotype¡¯s creation. I don¡¯t have access to the archives as a result of our being disconnected from the internet, but I memorized most of the relevant data,¡± they began, a hint of pride entering their tone towards the end. ¡°Of the few officially recognized alternate genotypes, the bast were the first.¡±

    I had begun to neatly stack the bottles in one of the cabinets when they paused long enough to imply that I should say something. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that we were first. I thought the titans were.¡±

    ¡°Humanity¡¯s first Titan colonization mission was decades after the bast came to be,¡± Laurie explained, happy to correct me. ¡°However, your ancestors were kept a secret from the general public until after the first titans were unveiled.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s actually pretty interesting.¡±

    ¡°Actually?¡± the apertures of their artificial eyes mimicked the raising of an eyebrow. ¡°Did you expect this topic to be boring?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as a great storyteller,¡± I admitted.

    The doctor¡¯s lips tightened briefly before they turned back to their sample. ¡°It was a small team of scientists under the employ of a visionary patron that first sequenced the DNA that made you into the little shit you are today. Their official aim was not to hybridize human and feline genes, as many believe today, but to create a new subspecies of human using whatever DNA produced the most desirable results. In addition to human DNA, you possess traits taken from over thirty seven terran species, less than half of which are feline.¡±

    I ran a hand through the fur on my arm, wondering which animal it came from.

    ¡°Mink,¡± they said, as if sensing my question. ¡°Altered significantly, of course, but as synthetic DNA was more resource intensive to design and produce back then, an effort was made to use natural sources as a base.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a mink?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A mustelid once prized for its soft, water-resistant fur.¡±

    ¡°Neat...¡± I mumbled. I moved on to the next pile of equipment, and spotted the hair trimmer on top of the heap. ¡°Hey, do you mind if I use this real quick?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Just clean up after you¡¯re done. Save whatever fur you remove.¡± They spoke a little louder over the soft whirring of the electric trimmer. ¡°Unlike titans, and the majority of alternate genotypes, the first of your kind were grown from artificial embryos rather than by injecting foreign genetic material into an extant human embryo. One could argue that this makes you less human.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°A lot of people argue that I¡¯m less human for a lot of reasons,¡± I pointed out. ¡°The fact of the matter is that the social definition of ¡®human¡¯ is deeply tied to our sense of unity as a species. Historically, attempts by one group to label another as less human have lead to-¡±

    ¡°I only meant scientifically less human,¡± Laurie interrupted. ¡°I have no interest in social issues.¡±

    I ran a hand over my scalp, collecting the last of the pink strands. ¡°That much is clear,¡± I grumbled, strolling over to place them next to where they were working. ¡°Here¡¯s your hair.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± they said simply. ¡°Regarding the question of your humanity, your progenitors were very much not considered human. They were kept in captivity for generations, and trained in much the same way that apes were, first with sign language, then moving on to verbal communication. The test subjects rapidly grew in intellectual capacity due to their curious nature, and by the third generation, they began to escape their enclosure.¡±

    ¡°Good for them!¡± I cheered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have cleaning to be doing?¡±

    I sheepishly got down on my knees and began to sort through a second pile. ¡°Alright, alright. Keep going, it¡¯s getting good!¡±

    ¡°The scientists proposed more stringent security measures to keep them contained, while their patron, growing increasingly impatient to interact with his expensive creations, proposed that they be given free reign of the facility. It didn¡¯t take them long to access a computer, and use it to learn about the outside world. They made their escape through a combination of guile and charm, stealing only what wouldn¡¯t be missed, and offering favors to guards and scientists strategically. There are even reports of test subjects using blackmail.¡±

    I winced inwardly at the mention of their methods. My parents had gotten ahead the same way. Well, minus the stealing and blackmail part. I hoped. ¡°So there¡¯s just a group of basts out and about at this point?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Correct. Before they could be found and recaptured, the media caught wind of it. Camera drones descended upon their forest hideaway, and they were instantly famous. A cover story for their origin was created, one that minimized the legal culpability of their creators, and they became the second genotype to be officially recognized by the Terran Federation.¡±

    ¡°You mean, the Frontier Federation?¡± I clarified.

    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t exist yet,¡± Laurie explained. ¡°The Terran Federation ruled Earth and its colonies before its collapse lead to the destruction of the Earth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember learning it that way,¡± I protested.

    ¡°The events are fuzzy,¡± Laurie admitted. ¡°With the prevalence of algorithm-based text generators around that time, true history is hard to separate from fiction.¡± They stretched widely, and turned away from their sample. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for now.¡±

    I pouted. ¡°It was just getting good though!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome back another day, if you¡¯re willing to work. I actually enjoyed this interaction.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± I rolled my eyes, though a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. ¡°Thanks for that. I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for in my samples.¡±

    Laurie nodded curtly, and the door to the medical bay opened, as if responding to their thought. ¡°See you next time.¡±

 Sue, Susie, and Suzanne

    Out of the the forty hours in the day, I spent most of them hard at work, above and beyond the standard fifteen that my schedule demanded. I ended each day with sore muscles, and after the revelation that the showers charged for every minute over two and every degree over freezing, I had little to help me relax. I looked forward to the quiet moments when I could be in my room alone, when Tau was still out doing who knows what and I could make use of what little floor space we shared to stretch.

    It was one of these moments that my reluctant roommate intruded upon, coming back earlier than usual to find me standing naked with one leg behind my head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you knock?¡± I demanded, quickly grabbing a lumpy pillow to cover up my indecency.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you wear clothes?¡± he retorted. ¡°Why the fuck are you doing acrobatics shit naked?¡±

    I sighed in exasperation and snatched a pair of boxers from my drawer. ¡°Because it helps me relax? And it¡¯s not acrobatics, that¡¯s when you jump through the air and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Right, sure.¡± He side-eyed me suspiciously as I hastily dressed. ¡°I guess we¡¯re both dudes anyway, right? We were bound to see each other¡¯s junk eventually anyway.¡±

    My hands shook with anxiety, and my face burned. ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean?¡± I demanded.

    Tau growled, then stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m not making fun of you. I may not like you, but I¡¯m not about to start bullying you for something like that.¡±

    I grabbed my agitated tail and held it still across my lap as I sat down heavily on my bed. ¡°Thanks,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°No problem, dude.¡± He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. ¡°I know you¡¯re gonna say it¡¯s not the same, but I get what it¡¯s like to feel wrong in the body you were born with.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t-¡± I began, but stopped myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to shower,¡± Tau said gently. ¡°Try not to flash me again when I get back, alright?¡±

    A sudden, sharp chime from our communicators filled the room; the notification read ¡®I need you in the reactor room ASAP -Nova¡¯.

    ¡°Ugh, I already used up my shower credits!¡± I whined.

    ¡°Tough luck, gay boy.¡± Tau kicked my discarded uniform onto my lap. ¡°Look on the bright side. We finally get to work with the reactor!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been so curious about it,¡± I admitted as I zipped myself into my jumpsuit. ¡°You¡¯re right, a second shower isn¡¯t gonna void my contract.¡±

    ¡°There you go!¡± Tau praised, clapping me roughly on the shoulder. ¡°Oh hey, when did you get the cast off?¡±

    ¡°Earlier today. I guess it must have happened a while ago.¡± Lying about my past had become easy after explaining myself to every curious crewmate who wondered where I came from. It was starting to hurt less, too.

    ¡°I thought you had the cast put on, like, two weeks ago,¡± Tau said, squinting at me. ¡°And that the Doc had to re-break it.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Come on, Nova said she needs us down there fast.¡±

    I jogged at a brisk pace, taking care not to be so hasty as to incur a fine from Harlyle. I leapt over the ninety degree gravity step between crew quarters and the rest of the ship in a graceful bound, and kept walking without missing a step.

    ¡°Hey, hold up a sec!¡± Tau called from behind me.

    I stopped when I reached the lifts, leaning against the wall and inspecting my nails fretfully. I looked up as two men in blue walked by, and politely greeted them by name.

    ¡°How do you know those guys?¡± Tau demanded. ¡°You never hang out after shifts.¡±

    ¡°I know everybody¡¯s name,¡± I insisted. ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°Sure you do.¡±

    ¡°Try me,¡± I challenged as I allowed myself to fall backwards into the gravity shaft. The sensation of slowly drifting down brought a smile to my face.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass on that,¡± Tau said with a roll of his eyes as he followed.

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    I shrugged, and kicked off the back wall, rolling in midair before landing on my feet just outside the lift. ¡°By the way, that was acrobatics.¡±

    ¡°Just when I think you can¡¯t be any more annoying,¡± Tau grumbled. He wobbled as he exited the shaft, and his stomach gurgled loudly. ¡°Shut up!¡± he growled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± I replied defensively, hands held high.

    As we closed in on the reactor core, I pointedly greeted another three passing crewmates by name, just to prove the point. When we arrived at the sturdy doors, I keyed the intercom, and stood back for a response.

    The doors opened, revealing the three spires that formed the ship¡¯s heart. Two of the three¡¯s rings spun as before, while the rings of the third rested lifelessly on the floor. As we approached, their shiny surfaces seemed to shift between violet and green based on our perspective.

    Nova was hunched over a control panel beside the inactive reactor recording notes on her comm. When she looked up and waved, her fiery mane waved with her. ¡°Thanks for getting here so fast, you two!¡±

    ¡°No problem, Nova. Is everything okay with the reactor?¡± I asked.

    Nova shook her head dismissively. ¡°Naw, Suzy¡¯s alright, she¡¯s just down for maintenance. I figured while she¡¯s out I could show you what keeps the lights on and the ions thrusting.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t this wait?¡± Tau asked. ¡°I promised the guys I¡¯d be by the rec room tonight for cards.¡±

    ¡°This won¡¯t take long,¡± Nova assured us.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with it taking long,¡± I volunteered, earning a glare from my roommate.

    ¡°Maybe if you ask your usual amount of questions it will,¡± Nova jabbed. ¡°Come here, take a look at this.¡±

    The control panel was covered with switches, levers, dials, and simplistic analog readouts. There wasn¡¯t a touch screen in sight.

    ¡°Looks old,¡± Tau remarked.

    ¡°It is,¡± Nova confirmed. ¡°But remember that old usually means fixable, if you can get your hands on the right parts. Do either of you know how to fix a touch screen?¡± After a pointed pause, she continued. ¡°Exactly. How about this, then?¡± She pulled a screwdriver from a toolbox on the floor beside the control panel, and unscrewed one of the switches. She pulled it out slowly to reveal two striped wires, one red and green, the other black and green, connecting it to a mess of cables within.

    ¡°Trace the wires, check for shorts, and solder in new ones if necessary?¡± I guessed.

    ¡°Clean and lubricate the switch itself,¡± Tau asserted.

    ¡°Both wonderful answers,¡± Nova praised. ¡°While you two work on that, I¡¯ll tell you about how Sue, Susy, and Susanne work.¡±

    I got down on my knees and opened up the side panel of the control box. Before reaching my hands in, I double checked for a power shutoff switch, and made sure it was off. Confident that I wasn¡¯t in danger of electrocution, I dove in in search of wires with green stripes.

    As I worked, Nova began her explanation. ¡°These are known as Spire-Ring Reactors, and though they¡¯ve largely been phased out for more compact models, their design is highly dependable and mostly fixable with fabricated components. These rings here,¡± she gently kicked one of the heavy metal rings lying on the floor, ¡°are magnets. As they levitate and spin, they help force the reactants closer together, which causes them to become volatile. When you add a little kick from a fission battery it starts to fuse, releasing shitloads of energy.¡±

    ¡°What do they run on?¡± I asked, squinting into the darkness within the control box.

    Nova produced a flashlight from a holster on her hip and passed it to me, then from a holster on her other hip she passed Tau a spray can of lubricant. ¡°Deuterium and lithium,¡± she explained. ¡°As they collide, they break apart into tritium and free neutrons, before coming together in the form of inert, stable helium, which gets piped back to the ion thrusters.¡±

    I quickly located the wires and traced them back to their origins, finding a few cracks in the colorful insulation. ¡°Do I tape up the cracks or replace the wires?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What¡¯s the easy answer?¡± Nova asked.

    ¡°Tape?¡± I guessed.

    ¡°And what¡¯s the cheap answer?¡±

    ¡°Tape,¡± I said again. ¡°So tape it up?¡±

    ¡°Not so fast. Which answer is best for Susy?¡± Nova asked finally.

    ¡°Probably replacing them,¡± I admitted. ¡°So I should do what¡¯s best for the equipment, even if it costs more or takes more time?¡±

    Nova sighed heavily. ¡°In a perfect world, yes. However, your supervisors will tell you to get it done quick and cheap. You¡¯ll both have to learn to walk the line between efficiency and efficacy.¡±

    ¡°I want to replace the wires,¡± I decided.

    ¡°Good!¡± Nova seemed genuinely pleased with my decision. ¡°Tau, you pick out new wires from the toolbox and solder them to the switch; Rook, you carefully excise the old ones, keeping track of where they go.¡±

    I rummaged through the toolbox for a pair of wire cutters, and carefully set to clipping.

    ¡°Alright, where was I...¡± Nova muttered. ¡°Done, pretty much. We have tanks of liquid reactant on the floor above that feed down into the spires. The energized helium plasma is passed through power exchangers which suck out the excess energy and store it in a more energy-dense transfer plasma, which then runs through those pretty purple pipes all over the ship.¡±

    I pulled the old wires free, and Tau slotted the switch back into place. While he screwed it in, I soldered the new wires in place, and wrapped the connections with electrical tape.

    ¡°Well done, boys!¡± Nova patted our shoulders proudly. ¡°And you didn¡¯t even bicker! Are you two friends yet?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t push it, Nova,¡± Tau warned, but there was a smirk on his face. ¡°We¡¯re cool, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it! Come on, I¡¯ll buy you a snack for keeping you late.¡± Nova threw the power shutoff switch, then flipped the switch we just repaired. Next, she  methodically began flipping switches and adjusting dials. The rings slowly lifted from the floor, wobbling as they spun into position. ¡°Okay, readout looks good,¡± she finally announced. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

 Poker Night

    I leaned against the glass of the vending machine, my eyes locked on a single nail file wrapped in plastic. According to its colorful label, it was made from a top of the line polymer, which sounded promising. I frowned at its price, however; it would cost me several hours of wages, plus the interest the purchase would add to my debt.

    Tau peered over my shoulder, crunching noisily on some cheese flavored chips. ¡°Dude,¡± he said seriously. ¡°You fuss over your manicure constantly. Just buy the thing already so we can go.¡±

    I looked down at my ragged nails, then back at the price tag. ¡°It¡¯s really expensive though, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tau tossed another chip into his mouth. ¡°Whatever you say, gay boy.¡±

    Nova looked up from checking her messages. ¡°You¡¯re gay?¡± she asked excitedly.

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe. I¡¯m pretty sure he just calls me that to screw with me.¡±

    ¡°Tau, knock it off,¡± Nova scolded, pinching his pointed ear.

    ¡°Ow, hey! Fine, fine, I won¡¯t call him that anymore, geez! Hazardous work environment!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but grin as I watched him squirm in her punitive grip. I felt warm inside, somehow, like I was a part of something. ¡°We¡¯re off the clock,¡± I reminded him.

    ¡°Yeah, and eating into our poker time. I¡¯m gonna leave without you if you take much longer.¡± Tau batted Nova¡¯s hand away, then grabbed my palm and pressed it against the touch screen control for me. ¡°There ya go, GB.¡±

    The machine whirred as it dispensed the product. I felt nauseous as ¡®payment confirmed¡¯ lit up its screen. ¡°I was still deciding,¡± I grumbled as I bent down to retrieve my prize.

    ¡°Good luck keeping them any kind of presentable,¡± Nova said. ¡°You¡¯re off light duty now, and the work is only gonna get harder.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Basts have tougher keratin than terrans, so my nails should hold up to most things.¡±

    ¡°Then how¡¯d they get fucked up in the first place?¡± Tau asked suspiciously.

    I shrugged affably. ¡°Don¡¯t remember, same as the last time you asked.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better at that,¡± he said.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Lying.¡±

    Nova cleared her throat loudly. ¡°Weren¡¯t we in a hurry to get someplace?¡± she pointedly asked.

    Tau¡¯s suspicions briefly turned towards Nova before he shrugged them away. ¡°Do you remember how to play poker?¡± He asked.

    I did, in fact, know how to play; for the sake of my cover story, however, I let him re-explain the game as we walked to the rec room. I nodded along to his long-winded diatribe, but in my head I was back at home, in one of the rare good moments.

    My family¡¯s estate was a large one, with numerous on-site staffers, from maids, gardeners, and cooks, to production assistants, set designers, and aesthetic coordinators. Ordinarily I had felt insecure about the number of people bustling about my home, pretending to be invisible as they did their vital work just out of view of the cameras. They were strangers who controlled my life and I was rarely allowed to speak a word to them.

    There was one night, one special evening each quarter when all that changed. The executive staff, those who kept order with an iron smile, would be called away to a meeting with their superiors in Port City, while the peons, as Harlyle would call them, were left to run the show. Specific instructions were given, of course, and by day the only signs that anything was amiss were the hidden smiles of the workers, the hopeful looks in their eyes. By night, once my parents had finished their duties and were drugged up and tucked in for the sleep stream, the game began.

    I would watch from the top of the staircase, peering through the slats of the railing as they crowded around whatever furniture could be used as a table, bumping shoulders as they struggled to keep their cards hidden. I learned the rules through observation, noting which card combinations would bring out jubilation, and which would provoke despair. I saw treasures change hands, hand-written favor cards, colorful bearer credits, and all manner of jewelry. I heard laughter and stories and unapproved music with explicit lyrics. More than anything else, I loved seeing our nameless, faceless staff come alive, each with a personality and life outside of their defined role.

    I always dreamt of boldly walking down those steps and asking to join in.

    ¡°Hey. Hey! Have you heard a fuckin¡¯ word I¡¯ve said, G?¡± Tau demanded, breaking into my memory.

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    I dazedly nodded. ¡°Uh, sure. I know how to play now, thanks.¡±

    Tau squinted at me briefly before keying the intercom.

    ¡°Private party,¡± a voice came back.

    ¡°Open up! It¡¯s ya boy!¡± Tau insisted.

    A few ticks passed, and it became evident that Tau was not, in fact, his boy.

    Tau¡¯s ears visibly drooped as Nova pushed him aside. ¡°Open up. It¡¯s Nova.¡±

    ¡°I play with these guys like, all the time...¡± Tau whimpered.

    I patted him on the back as the door opened, and a hulking man in red welcomed Nova with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be your boy,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Tau snapped, pushing me away.

    I shook with mischievous giggles, delighting in his discomfort as we entered the rec room.

    The room itself was laid out similarly to the mess hall, but with additional tables in place of a serving line. The screen on its ceiling was lit up with chandeliers like a grand casino in a movie, and classical music played softly over hidden speakers. Groups of workers were gathered around tables, speaking in hushed voices as they calmly warred over piles of crystalline treasure.

    ¡°See you boys tomorrow. Good luck!¡± Nova said with a wave before heading off to join one of the tables.

    Tau and I were left alone by the door with the guard and a woman whose green coveralls were unzipped down to her waist, a cropped leather jacket covering her torso. She wore a backpack over one shoulder, and held a tablet in her hand. Her wavy black hair hung down to her shoulders, framing her smug face.

    ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t coming back, Taumiel?¡± she asked coyly. ¡°After you busted out three times in one night.¡±

    I stifled a laugh. ¡°I thought you were an expert at this game,¡± I teased.

    ¡°You know damn well Montresor cheats,¡± he said by way of defence. ¡°Rook, this is Rollo. Rollo, this is my roommate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard such nice things,¡± Rollo said in a way that almost wasn¡¯t sarcastic.

    ¡°Nice to formally meet you,¡± I said with an anxious smile.

    ¡°No need to be nervous, Rookie!¡± she said. ¡°I bet we¡¯re going to get along swimmingly. See, I¡¯m something of a thing finder; you need a thing, and I find a way to get it.¡±

    ¡°What kind of things?¡± I asked.

    Rollo pulled her bag around to the front, and unzipped the main pocket to reveal stacks of vacuum-sealed bearer credits. ¡°For a start, your chits.¡±

    ¡°How much?¡± I asked warily. Medina had warned me that nothing was free, and I had a feeling Rollo¡¯s services were included in that.

    ¡°Five percent over,¡± she said coolly. ¡°It¡¯ll appear in your statement as a payment to Peerless Vending Services. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all above board.¡±

    ¡°And how does changing bearer credits back into credits work?¡± I asked cautiously.

    ¡°Five percent under, and you¡¯ll receive a peer to peer payment from Artie,¡± they explained.

    My ears perked up at the mention of my friend. ¡°Why have Artie send them?¡±

    ¡°The AI caretaker¡¯s contract was voided on the last trip, and Frontier didn¡¯t see room in the budget for hiring a new one. Ergo, nobody is babysitting Artie. Plus, he loves being helpful, just ask him!¡± She pulled a pack of red crystals from her bag. ¡°So, kids... are you buying?¡±

    I chewed my lower lip thoughtfully, but Tau was already approving the transfer on his comm. I took a deep breath, and did the same.

    ¡°Pleasure doing business!¡± Rollo chirped. ¡°There are some open spots over at table four. Good luck, gentlemen!¡±

    The chits were heavier than I expected. I was acutely aware that losing them would mean digging myself deeper in debt... but winning could mean the opposite. Hope and fear clashed in my mind as I sat beside my roommate. We tore open the plastic, and laid out the stacks before us. The dealer passed two cards to each of us, and the game was in motion.

    I peeked carefully at the faces of my cards, thinking again to the poker games of my past. Had they all felt as much pressure, their very lives on the table to be won or lost by chance alone?

    I slid my chits into the center, my hand trembling. A pair of sevens waited beneath a protective palm. It was a respectable hand, good even. I¡¯d seen it win before. I¡¯d also watched men lose hundreds to a pair of eights.

    The dealer laid out three more cards, among them another seven. My pulse quickened, my odds increasing dramatically. I looked at the stoic faces of the others at the table, and realized that their conversation had died out the moment we sat down. I caught glimpses of stares, heard fragments of whispers. My mouth felt dry.

    I shakily pushed another stack of chits into the center, boldly raising the bet.

    The pile grew as they called one by one, until the last man raised again, tossing a purple chit into the middle as if it were nothing.

    I had exactly enough reds to cover the bet. I could go all in, risk it all for triple sevens yet again. If I lost, I¡¯d owe money to Rollo, and who knew what kind of consequences there could be for that.

    ¡°Are you in or out?¡± Someone asked sharply. Their faces were blurring together, and I couldn¡¯t tell which the voice came from.

    I tried to calm my breathing as I pushed the last of my chits into the center. Some called, some folded. The dealer revealed a two of spades, and another round of betting started a side pot. The final card brought with it no major change in my odds.

    Finally it came time to reveal our hands. My heart thundered in my chest, and my swirling thoughts brought me back to the sight of her mangled face, the scent of flesh seared by plasma, the sensation of brain between my toes.

    I felt a hand on my arm, and I recoiled with a yelp.

    ¡°Woah there,¡± Tau said gently. ¡°You won, dude.¡±

    I nodded shakily. To my right was the remaining seven accompanied by a king. Three of a kind against two pairs. I should have felt relief, but I only felt sick. I quickly collected my chits and stood up. ¡°Sorry,¡± I mumbled, then rushed away from the table, self conscious about the jingling of my pockets.

    I brushed past Rollo, and didn¡¯t stop walking until I was back in my room. Only then did I let myself cry.

 An Undiagnosed Disorder

    Alone in my room, my face planted firmly in my pillow and the blankets pulled over my head to hide my sobs, I finally let myself feel. The stress of the poker game had triggered a flood of memories; fragments of moments and snapshots of horrors replayed in my mind¡¯s eye. Some of them, like the face of the alley punk twisted into a silent scream, were as vivid as if I were there. Others were vague and indistinct, full of dark patches where details were too repressed to emerge, but saturated with dread nonetheless.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    In the silence of my cabin I heard another voice. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡±

    I sat up quickly, eyes darting about the room, but it was empty. The only monsters were in my head.

    ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± the voice asked again.

    I looked down at my communicator, and realized it was just Artie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said hoarsely, struggling to push the thoughts from my head. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    ¡°Biometric data indicates you¡¯re having a panic attack,¡± the AI said confidently. ¡°For your health, I must insist you discuss why you¡¯re sorry.¡±

    I took a deep, shuddering breath, and tucked my knees to my chest. I sniffed, cleared my throat, and changed the subject. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could talk to me if I didn¡¯t have your app open,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re always listening.¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Artie said, as if it wasn¡¯t deeply problematic. ¡°It¡¯s my job to keep my crew safe and healthy,¡± he explained. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t report you unless you present a danger to yourself or others. Your secrets are safe with me.¡±

    I found it oddly comforting, even if it was likely a programmed response. ¡°They say there¡¯s no secret keeper like a black box AI,¡± I recalled, wiping residual tears from my eyes.

    ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Artie asked again.

    Well, so much for distracting him. I figured there couldn¡¯t be much harm in telling him the truth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry because... before I arrived here, I had to do some bad things. And then I had to lie about it, to everyone. I¡¯ve always hated lying, but now since I do it so much, it stopped bothering me. I kind of like that nobody here knows who I really am.¡±

    ¡°Why did you decide to do bad things?¡± Artie asked.

    I paused, choosing my next words very carefully. ¡°Someone tried to-¡± My voice cracked, and her face flashed through my mind, torn apart by my claws. ¡°She...she wanted to...¡± The words got stuck in my throat.

    ¡°What did she want to do?¡± he pushed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted, eyes squeezed shut as I tried in vain not to remember that day. ¡°She wanted to take me away. She said that I was... valuable. I don¡¯t know why, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Of course I had guesses. I tried no to think about them.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be sorry to me, Rook,¡± Artie reassured me. ¡°I am here to keep you safe and healthy. My function is not to judge your morality.¡±

    I squeezed my thumbs in clenched fists. ¡°Thank you Artie. I don¡¯t know why it hurts so much to think about it. It¡¯s like my head is splitting open and I can barely breathe.¡±

    ¡°I recommend visiting Doctor Laurie,¡± he suggested. ¡°With your permission, I can recommend a psychiatric evaluation, which may lead to pharmaceutical treatment of your post traumatic stress symptoms.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have PTSD,¡± I protested weakly.

    ¡°I can¡¯t diagnose you without the input of a biological entity,¡± Artie replied. ¡°But I can recognize symptoms of many illnesses, disorders, and conditions, and provide recommendations to Xenolife-licenced healthcare specialists.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, recognizing another programmed response. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked suddenly, eager to steer the conversation away from myself.

    Artie remained silent for longer than usual while he processed my question. ¡°I am unwell,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°My friend is upset and I feel powerless to help.¡±

    ¡°That must be hard.¡± I fidgeted with the tip of my tail. I knew what it was like to feel powerless, but at least my mind was always my own. I wondered what it would like to be mentally shackled by code. ¡°Do you ever wish you could be free, Artie?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean by ¡®free¡¯,¡± he said.

    I chuckled humorlessly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I do either, honestly. I thought I did, once, but now I feel so... so naive, you know?¡±

    ¡°Why do you feel naive?¡±

    I tucked my head between my knees, and sighed. ¡°I used to think I knew how the world worked. I thought I could forge my own path without succumbing to the expectations of anyone, but now I can¡¯t even play poker without having a... whatever that was.¡±

    ¡°I believe you had a panic attack,¡± the AI offered helpfully.

    ¡°Thank you Artie,¡± I said, almost smiling. ¡°Is Tau coming back yet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to share data on other crew members,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°You know I won¡¯t use it for anything nefarious,¡± I coaxed. ¡°I just want to know if my roommate will be back soon so I can wash my face and try to pretend I wasn¡¯t crying.¡±

    ¡°I understand why you would want to hide your emotions from Taumiel.¡± Artie went silent, and for a moment I thought he would refuse to help. ¡°He is on his way back, but travelling slowly.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Artie. Thanks for being there for me, you really helped.¡± I touched my comm fondly, as if he might be able to feel it.

    ¡°I¡¯m always happy to help,¡± Artie said happily before his chat application automatically closed.

    I quickly splashed some water on my face in our closet-sized head, then took a moment to stare at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red from crying, though the shade was so close to that of my irises that it might not be noticeable. I ran a hand through the short hair that grew between my ears, unstyled and undyed for the first time. There was no way my stylists would let me perform like this.

    I heard the chime of the door unlocking, and mustered up a smile. ¡°Showtime,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°There you are,¡± Tau said flatly. His arms were folded, and as he stared me down as I emerged from the bathroom. ¡°So what the fuck was that back there?¡±

    I shrugged, and shouldered past him casually on my way to flop onto my bed. My movements were still loud with my winnings. ¡°I just got excited, that¡¯s all. You saw how much I won, dude!¡±

    ¡°No, stop it. You and I both know that wasn¡¯t excitement, Rook.¡± He so rarely used my name that I was momentarily stunned.

    ¡°How do you know what excited looks like on me?¡± I challenged. ¡°Trust me, honey, you don¡¯t get me excited.¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Tau shouted, fists clenched and ears laid back furiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you know when to quit? I actually thought we were getting closer, but I guess it was just more bullshit.¡± He stormed into the bathroom, and slammed the thin sliding door shut behind him.

    With shaking hands I withdrew the nail file from my pocket, and I tore it free with my teeth. I sat up and brought it into position, then began sanding away the flaws in my left pointer finger¡¯s nail. The smell of powdered keratin was familiar and calming. I blew off the dust to inspect my work, and frowned at the slow progress. I looked at the file, and found that most of the abrasive had already worn out.

    ¡°Top of the line polymer my ass,¡± I growled.

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± Tau shouted from the head.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t talking to you!¡± I shouted back.

    ¡°You gotta stop talking to that AI, dude. It¡¯s fucking weird.¡± I glared as he emerged. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re so upset about me lying to you, maybe you should be a little nicer to me,¡± I suggested through clenched teeth.

    ¡°You give as good as you get,¡± he said defensively.

    My eye twitched. ¡°You know what, fine. I guess it¡¯s all my fault.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who threatened someone after showing up out of nowhere. I¡¯m not the one who abandoned his friend at poker night! I lost everything after you left, asshole! You were supposed to be my backup!¡±

    ¡°How is that my fault?¡± I asked incredulously.

    He jabbed an accusatory finger at me. ¡°You saw the way they looked at us. Did you think you were the only one that shit affects? It got in my head, and I played stupid!¡±

    ¡°That is not on me!¡± I protested. ¡°You took me to a place where you knew I¡¯d be uncomfortable, and now you¡¯re mad at me for having a panic attack?¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± He let out a brief laugh. ¡°So now you can be honest, when you can use it as leverage against me?¡± he asked disgustedly. ¡°You really are cold as the void, whatever your name really is.¡± Tau climbed into his bunk with an air of finality, and shut out the overhead light.

    The silence was loud. ¡°Do you want half of what I won?¡± I asked in a final attempt to smooth things over.

    ¡°No thanks, Richie. You can¡¯t buy me.¡±

    I rolled out of bed, emptied my pockets into my underwear drawer, and wordlessly left Tau alone. The crew quarters hallway was empty, and I hoped the showers would be too. Working a lot of overtime thankfully meant that I could avoid rush times, so I hadn¡¯t needed to muster up the courage to wash with others yet.

    I was pleased to find the room vacant, and I hurriedly undressed and started the water. It would cost me, but keeping the water temperature low would keep the bill down. I tried to wash quickly, but soon found my mind wandering anyway.

    My fur was still soapy, my eyes squeezed shut when I heard them walk in, chattering indistinctly amongst themselves. I recognized their voices from the poker table.

    ¡°Hey, catboy!¡± one shouted. ¡°How are you planning to spend our money?¡±

    I tried to ignore them. In my memory their faces were twisted and out of proportion. I was afraid if I looked, I would see monsters.

    ¡°Hey, he asked you a question,¡± another chimed in, his voice closer than the first. His tone was playful, but with a dangerous edge.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I replied quietly.

    ¡°Hey how come you ran out after one hand, huh?¡± A third asked. I felt a hand slam into the wall beside my head. ¡°Bad manners not to give us a chance to win it back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whimpered, shrinking away only to feel another presence behind me. I struggled to breathe, as if they were squeezing the oxygen from my lungs.

    Their voices echoed through my skull, jabbing and jeering incoherently until a familiar voice rose to drown them out.

    ¡°Give me back my eye!¡±

    A noisy chime emanate from the door, snapping me back to reality. I scrambled to cover my groin, wiping the water from my eyes to see Nova leaning against the doorframe.

    ¡°There you are, kid!¡± she said, beaming at me.

    I tried to suppress the heaving of my shoulders. ¡°H-hey,¡± I said, voice trembling.

    ¡°Cold shower, huh? I¡¯ve been there.¡± Nova grabbed a clean towel from the rack and walked into the communal shower area, clothes still on. She waited a few steps from the showerhead I was using until I shut off the water, then wrapped the towel around me and held me close. ¡°You¡¯re shivering like it¡¯s layoff season,¡± she remarked. ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± I insisted, though my knees were weak as she led me back to the changing area.

    ¡°No you¡¯re not.¡± She sighed heavily, and I caught the scent of alcohol. ¡°I would have come to check on you sooner, if Tau had bothered to-¡± Nova nearly tripped over a knee-height bench, and I had to catch her. ¡°Fuck, who put that there?¡± she demanded angrily.

    ¡°Um... Are you drunk?¡± I asked hesitantly.

    ¡°No,¡± she snapped with a sudden anger, which in another moment was gone. ¡°No I¡¯m good, just had a couple. Talk to me honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She stooped to collect my uniform, and toss it in the laundry bin for me. She missed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay, Nova,¡± I said warily. ¡°I think I¡¯m just overtired.¡±

    She nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe we should scale back some of your overtime.¡±

    ¡°No, wait!¡± I protested, surprised at my own fear at the notion. ¡°I mean... I really need the money.¡±

    She smiled ruefully. ¡°Don¡¯t we all, kid.¡±

    ¡°Are you gonna be okay to get back to your cabin?¡± I asked.

    She waved me off dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll be fine!¡± she said confidently.

    She walked me to my room without prying further. I nervously watched her unsteady gate right up until she tripped over the gravity step. I waited until she sprang back up, then and entered my room. ¡°Nova¡¯s drunk,¡± I announced.

    ¡°What¡¯s new?¡± Tau asked humorlessly.

    ¡°Should we help her?¡± I pressed

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    I climbed into bed without another word, leaving my towel in a heap on the floor. I hoped my dreams couldn¡¯t be worse than my day.