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Anyway since one person wanted it. Chapters 7 and 8.

Warnings - more self harm, nudity (not described but it's there), transphobia and misgendering and misogyny (generally the man being referenced is just shit), mention of past suicide attempt, some body talk that might not be for everyone, violence, imprisonment, dunno if it merits a warning but there's a dried up corpse in rubble at one point.

5800 words. I am so fucking sorry about the length of chapter seven.

Chapter 6, with a link to chapters 1-5

I said I wasn't going to post again until I had bigger increments done but I'm an idiot and a liar so for the maybe three people who care ha

Sentinel Station

Sector 17, Ward 29, The Club Callisto

2283, 3rd Standard Cycle

Vren, Age 25

The stench hit him first, as if the walls themselves were full of trash and excrement. Ward twenty-nine was small, he reminded himself, and mostly human at that. Disposal systems had been substandard on the ship it had been, and now were poorly maintained.

The noise hit him second. Even in the hall discordant music swelled from every room that wasn't walled off. It was at least dark, even if it was quite warm. Bright signs ignited the air above every room, switching languages every few seconds. He wove through the crowd to the Club Callisto, where a throng had formed by the door. They were mostly avaki men, a current of black and brown clothing, blue fur and colorful paint. A few quiet humans scattered among them. Their faces turned to him with apprehensive expressions. He looked away. Even after seven years he wasn't used to being the tallest person in a room. He kept in step with them as well as possible until he reached the avaki man guarding the place.

"Huh."he said. "We don't see many of your kind here." He crossed his arms. "Well, no matter if you manage to pass the cred check."

Vren held out his hand to be scanned.

The guard's eyes widened but he made no comment. "Sorry, quick check for weapons now, ve'ek-sen."

Vren nodded, still as the man ran another scanner over his body.

"Clean, and cover charge processed, of course. Have a good night, ve'ek-sen." Mechanically he scanned the next man in line. "Cred check failed."

"What? But I- Let me in!"

"Cred check failed. Move along."

The man yelled and raged. Vren hurried through the door and a wave of low red light washed over him, broken by waves of dark blue. While the music from other rooms had been deafening even outside, here it was softer - a low melody of human instruments that filled the room but did not overtake it. A smooth voice drifted along with them, unintelligible.

A human woman approached, a tray of drinks balanced on one hand. Her face was painted, black around her eyes and bright red on her lips. A lace trimmed corset pushed up her chest and a minuscule feathered skirt flared out at her waist, leaving her legs only covered in ripped black tights halfway up her thighs and tall pointed shoes. He lowered his eyes.

"Well, you're a... new face."she said. "I'm off soon, handsome, but..." She put a hand on her hip. "...I can make time for you. Terra Skye in your catalog."

"My... catalog?"

The woman laughed. "Your netpad, silly. It downloaded when you came in. Take a look. I'll make your night. I'm worth every cred."

He was still for a moment, unsure.

"Well... I've got to take these."the woman said. "Really, look me up."

"M-my thanks."he said. Paper scraps and bits of glass littered the floor, and the whole place smelled of ashes. He stepped around as much of it as he could on his way to the nearest empty seat, at a table in the middle of the room. The room was dotted with them, with raised platforms between - women and men on little stages, some in pairs, all human, and all dancing in various degrees of undress.

He sat, noticing only then that a man knelt on the table in front of him, slowly unbuttoning a black vest. Chest shining in the low light, he leaned forward, beckoning before his glassy eyes flickered over Vren's face. They widened with recognition and then narrowed. It was Nova's friend from The Tevell.

"A-apologies." Vren looked away.

"Well, if he doesn't want you...." The avaki man in the chair beside him grinned. "I'll take a more personal dance now, Cygnus."

"Could... could you tell me-"

"I'm not available." Cygnus joined the avaki man, hips grinding against him. The acidic scent of sweat hung around them both, liquor on the avaki man's breath. Vren turned away, opened his netpad and found the catalog. It presented three options: drinks, drugs, and companionship.

"That's... straightforward." He chose companionship, narrowing the request down to women at the next prompt. For a second an array of faces filled the screen before all but three disappeared, only one named Nova. He opened the profile.

Her face was not as thin, and her skin appeared softer - an even darkness broken by crimson lips and framed by straight black hair that looked too long to hide in a hat. There was a hook to her wide nose. He wondered if it was natural or an old injury.

Only her eyes were recognizable, though even they looked larger due to the red, flaring makeup she'd lined them with. Nova Nyx , read the text above her picture. There was a symbol next to it, one he hadn't seen outside of medical texts and a few patients' charts. It was strange here, like a sign in a market rather than a way to refer to a person.

Age 18 , the text continued. Submissive. Now on front stage. Open for reservation.

He looked up. The front stage was a wider and taller platform than the rest. A woman stood there, alone under pale white light. He blinked, wondering how he hadn't realized before.

A glittering red dress clung to Nova's body, floor length with a slit up the side revealing one thin leg almost to her hip. Two more were cut into the sides, light hitting her ribs. A thick necklace shone on her neck, red beads flowing down and stopping just above bundled translucent fabric that barely covered her chest.

And her voice. The voice he'd heard when he'd first come in - it was hers. Even with his translator still charged he couldn't understand the words of her song, but it hardly mattered. Her voice was low and soft, each mournful note blending flawlessly into the next as if she didn't need to breathe, like currents meeting without pause. She swayed slightly as she sang, a far away look in her eyes.

"Good, isn't he?"

Vren started. The avaki man sat closer now, listening to Nova's song.

"He? But-"

The man scoffed. "You saw the catalog."he said. "He is good, though."

"I... I suppose."Vren said. "She... has a good voice."

"He sure does." The man laughed, the bitter smell stronger on his breath now. "Sounds even better muffled." He took another drink. "He's not that pretty. None of them are, but you could blow off a lot of steam on him."

Vren turned away. He studied the page for a way to request some time alone with her, seeing a tip button beside her name. It cost almost nothing. Curious, he pressed it.

A light blinked under Nova's necklace. She pulled back the side of her dress, revealing yet more of her leg as stepped off the stage. She wore the same tall shoes as the other women yet was steady on her feet, moving like water, like the black waves spilling down her spine and over the sharp points of her shoulders. In front of him she stopped. Mouth half open, the tip of her tongue ran over her lips. Her teeth pulled at shiny red fabric, the finger of a long glove. It came away slowly. She grinned and his cheek stung hot from the brush of her hand against it. Bending forward she let the fabric around her chest fall. It was bare underneath. Another light flashed under her necklace.

"Thank you."she whispered and turned away. Two men at a different table pulled her over to them. The light above them dimmed until they were fully hidden in darkness. His hand had been stiff in his lap, then raised, unbidden and unnoticed. He lowered it.

"Nice."the man said. "Shameless little thing likes you." He grinned. "Bet he could take a lot of your old war rage."

Vren studied the catalog page further. "Rage? I... I doubt she would enjoy that."

The man laughed again. "Who cares? He's practically an animal. Besides, you're the customer."

Vren stared, first at the man then back into the dark around Nova. "That.... Why would you...? Why would I...?"

The man shrugged and absently pressed a few buttons on his netpad. "Suit yourself. You!" He pointed to Cygnus. "Got us a room. Come. He'll meet us in a bit." The two disappeared into the crowd. Soon the light returned and Nova followed.

Reserved, her profile now read. Sessions still available. Request . He clicked and another screen opened, presenting an array of options. He could ask for anything from an half an hour to multiple days and nights with her, and there was a long list of 'extras' he could add. Much of it he'd never heard of, and some sounded downright frightening. He wondered whether she actually enjoyed any of it. He could pay more to have their session recorded or photographed, or buy pictures and videos she'd previously made. The previews were, thankfully, blurred, though their titles said enough.

"Goddess."he whispered, struck by how extensive it all was. A timer started, counting down to when she could see him. A different woman had replaced her on stage, her voice higher but just as plaintive, yet the club was strangely quiet, and darker than before. He glanced through the drugs on offer, all mild but still illegal in avaki space, then the drinks. K'tet would be angry with him. Nerves knotted in his chest. He ordered the only drink he could safely consume, a tall glass of blue glowing liquid, thick and sweet.

War rage, that man had said, but Vren had no such feeling, and even if he did there would be no reason to direct it at Nova. Practically an animal, the man had said. Vren shuddered. His drink was half gone. He ordered another. Bitter red smoke wafted over him. The music was at once distant and burrowing under his skin. She was a stranger. They all were.

A half dressed man brought over his next drink. He tried to slow down, to empty his head and look at nothing. That other woman was still singing. She had a similar far off look to Nova. It was familiar but he couldn't place it. He turned away. Finally, a message flashed on his netpad.

I'm almost ready , Nova's message read. What should I wear for you?

You decide , he replied. Room fourteen, correct?

That's the one. And surprise you? ,Nova wrote. Alright. I'll look my best for you, handsome. I can't wait.

He doubted that. Three manual doors led out of the main room into side halls, long dimly lit corridors with thick carpet that muted his steps. It was clean, but the air was thick and heavy, a sterile smell to it. He tapped on door fourteen. The sound echoed. The door swung open. He ducked beneath the frame.

"Ara-Ketra."said a high, soft voice. "Are'envothetlan." May the late hours find you well. "Treth ara ven kathal." It honors me to see you. Nova spoke without translation again, in the lilting, slow tone reserved for those greatly superior to oneself, a bridge between a servant and his mistress.

A bed with pure white sheets and blankets had been folded down from a grey wall. She sat there on her knees. A band of black lace was tied tight over her chest, a wider one loose around her hips. Her necklace was gone, replaced by lace as well, with shiny black stones woven into it. She smiled and beckoned to him.

He closed the door. "Your... your room is very small." It was barely wider than two sleep pods, though it was at least taller, and while he was sure some of panels on the walls could fold out or pull away for storage, there were no furnishings besides her bed and a large box in front of it. "And sparse."

Nova laughed. "There is room enough for us, ara-Ketra. And... the walls are soundproof." She leaned forward, arms pressed against the sides of her chest, hands overlapping on her knees. "No one will know what you do with me, ara-Ketra."

He stood there stiffly, wondering how well she could read his face. "Sen-Ketra is fine."he said. "Or fera-Ketra, if you like. Or Senan. Just... at least not that. Please. My apologies."

She looked up at him, blinking slowly. "Mr. Ketra?"

He nodded. It sounded strange, but wasn't overly deferent, so it would be alright if she insisted on a title.

She grinned. "Then come here, Mr. Ketra. We only have so much time."

He sat halfway off the edge of her bed, facing her but looking mostly at the wall, his fists clenched around the sheets.

She leaned forward, staring. Her eyes were still bloodshot, and shadowed even beneath her makeup. The scent of cura hung on her skin, strong and sweet on her chest and arms.

"Nervous?" She smiled. "Don't be. I belong to you right now, Mr. Ketra." She reached behind her back and the lace fell away from her chest. Her hand hovered over his. That far away look had returned to her eyes. He wondered if humans had always been so small.

He pulled away. "May I ask you something, Nova?"

She stopped, her head tilted to one side. "Of course."

"Are... are you able to...?"he started. "Did that man hurt you?" As they had hours before, the words tumbled from his mouth, quick and thoughtless. Perhaps it was the drinks, though his head was still clear.

"Umm...." Her lips pursed, mouth downturned. "Who are you talking about?"

"The... the one who was... with you... before me."

"Oh. There's no need to concern yourself with him ." She grinned. It cracked her makeup. She took his hand, fingers unable to meet around his wrist, and pulled it to her chest. A shudder ran through her. Even through his gloves her skin was hot beneath his, the heat lingering now. "I made sure to be ready for you, Mr. Ketra."

He pulled away, and breathed in deep to steady himself. "That was not my intended question. Nova, may... may I request your help? There is a problem in my life that I believe you can help solve."

Nova backed away, sat with her legs parted and feet pressed together, hands around her ankles, leaning forward. "You mean besides the usual problem people see me for?"she asked, her tone more familiar. She nodded. "What do you need, Mr. Ketra?"

He glanced over at her then quickly away. "Earlier today..."he said. "...you fixed my translator, but... but it breaks often."

"Well it is old."she said. "If you need me to now, I can fix it before... before we get started." She laid back on her pillow, legs extended in the air, and took his hand again. "Mr. Ketra?" She pressed his fingers to her thigh.

He pulled away, staring at the wall past her. "That... that is not why I am here."

Nova blinked, eyebrows raised. "Then...? Ah." For barely a moment her breath caught before she smiled again, a rift across her gaunt face. She grasped his arm. He wanted to stop her but couldn't move, fog in his head as his glove fell onto the sheet between them. She dragged his first two fingers down her chest. Claws broke cleanly through her skin, red blood behind and beneath them.

"You can do anything you want."she whispered. Her eyes met his, dark and distant, then darted away. "No one will know, and I won't complain."

She dragged the claws deeper in. "You understand, don't you?" She pulled them down, past her ribs.

All at once, his frozen body obeyed him again. He yanked his hand away and rummaged through his pockets.

"My apologies. Here."

She blinked. "Shouldn't that wait until later, Mr. Ketra?"

"P-please." He tried not to look at her.

Without another word, Nova took the cura. The sweet scent intensified as the trenches in her skin filled and disappeared.

"Nova."he tried again. "You're the first human I've met able to speak my common tongue."

"Oh?"

"Can you... help me to learn that of your race?"

She sat back up, a brow raised. "Why?"

He stared into his lap, picking at his skirt. "My job is at a hospital."

"A doctor?"

He nodded. "Immunologist, with a focus on human diseases."

"And human patients, I assume. I guess some of us...." She shook her head.

"Yes. It is... detrimental when my translator breaks or dies. I've sent for a replacement, but it would be best to simply have less need for it. Not all of my patients own one."

"They probably can't...." She shook her head again. "I can imagine it is difficult."she said.

"I've learned some Aerkaath."he added. "And scattered t'ka'et - not spoken but understood. I would pay any amount you wished."

"Did you...?" Nova laid on her side, head rested on her hand, looking up at him. "Did you come here... just to ask me to tutor you? That's all?"

He nodded. "This is where you instructed me to visit you. Have I angered or offended you?"

She laughed and rolled onto her back. "Why would you?"she asked in a more familiar tone. "I'm just surprised. That's really all?"

He nodded.

She pulled at her collar. "Sure, I'll try that. I only have one day off out of every ten, but I do go to The Tevell most mornings. It would have to be in cred sticks. I don't have a bank account. Please don't ask. What rate can you do? It's simple work, but it might take a while, so...." She pursed her lips, fingers tapping on her knee. "You could pay half my base hourly rate here, or a third if you can help me in other ways, too."

"Other... ways?"

She sat up and held her knees to her chest. "I try to be careful here. Cura. Immune boosters, and of course the standard protection with humans. But I still end up at Master Tallov's doctor sometimes, and he's expensive. If you could help instead, for cheaper than him, I'd really like that. I... I'm sure you'd be very good at it, Mr. Ketra."

"My work is mainly performing and interpreting tests."he said. "That is different from direct aid, but I am trained in that as well and will do as much as I am capable of. Was there-"

"Also...." For the first time she looked down, one painted red nail between her teeth, again picking at her collar. "It's a hospital, so maybe you can get me some pills. Relax. I'm not asking for hard drugs. Those would just cause more problems, and Master Tallov doesn't let us use anyway, not even the stuff they sell here. It's just...." She stared wide eyed up at him, gripping his hands again. "I'm tired a lot but it's hard to fall asleep but then it's hard to stay awake, Mr. Ketra. I have a friend who sends me some. They're these little red ones and blue ones, mild stimulants and sedatives. But she can't see me that often, and she only ever brings a few day's worth." She rolled her eyes. "I try to take a whole bottle of my mom's antibiotics once and suddenly I'm a risk for my entire life. I'm not ten anymore."

"That is... unfortunate."he said. "May Seva bring you clarity."he added. It was a standard way to wish someone well after adversity, though he wasn't quite sure it was warranted, as she'd spoken with no change in tone or speed.

She blinked slowly. "Thank you, I suppose." She shrugged. "Anyway, do you think you can do that? Or is it too much trouble, Mr. Ketra?"

"I will do as much as I am capable of."he said again. "Is there more you need?"

She bit her lip then shook her head. "Your hour- Oh." A netpad on the floor flashed and she turned away. "Your hour is nearly done."she finished. "Oh, humans ."she whispered, now in her own tongue, her eyes brighter. Muttering unintelligibly to herself, she stood and rummaged through the box in front of the bed.

"I'd rather Master Tallov didn't know we were meeting somewhere besides here.'she continued. "Ah, there it is." She pulled out a shiny black garment. "So basically I'd rather not talk on the net much." She took out more, silver cuffs and a spiked collar. "Tomorrow? 1100? The Tevell?"

He nodded.

"Alright, great. Now, since I've got everything ready - wait, do I?" She inspected the pile of black and silver on the bed, counting on her fingers. "Yes, everything. Anyway." She spun to face him again, hands behind her back and her chest forward. "There's still time before my next clients." She tilted her head toward the bed and smiled, eyes wide. "We'd have to be quick, but, if you still want me...." She reached for his hand again.

He stepped back from her. "That... that would harm you."

She laughed. "It wouldn't be that bad. And pain's usually the point, isn't it?"

"I... I should go." He took a few more steps toward the door, a haze creeping into his heavy head. "But, Nova...."

"Yes?"

He glanced back at her, his throat suddenly dry. "V-veru keep you."he said, the words foreign and distant in his mouth.

She paused, a length of rope wound between her fingers. "That's... more or less 'take care of yourself', right?"

"I believe so."he answered, though he couldn't be sure.

"I know what I'm doing." She sighed. "But I suppose I can't help you if I really get hurt."

"That... that is not what I-"

Nova shrugged. "It's alright. I'll see you tomorrow, and I'm here if you get stressed. You should go now, though, Mr. Ketra."'

"Right."he said. "M-my apologies." The door closed behind him, leaving only a sharp silence.

Arrae

Svala, Northwestern Seas, Border of The Poison City

2283, 3rd Standard Cycle

Taano, Age 38

“Alright, all seals read secure.” Taano pocketed her scanner. “The barrier only opens briefly.”she continued. “Are you ready, fera-Tethrei?”

The woman beside her nodded, silent and stiff in her tight white protective suit. Only her face was visible, protected by a layer of translucent red glass. It was barely lighter than her eyes, crimson trained on the wall of swirling, crackling black energy before them both.

“Will the shocks stop?”she asked. “My apologies.” She hung her head. “Will the shocks stop, veth-Senra?” Sparks jumped and faded in the water before her. She still backed away.

“Of course.”she answered, choosing not to correct the woman's overly familiar tone. She turned to face the wall, pulled off her glove and raised her right hand. Black coral twisted around red stone, thick artificial bones ending in pointed fingers.

Fera-Tethrei backed away further. “Th-that… I thought women couldn't-”

“Relax .”Taano responded. “I'm not a Feraath-krii, though you ought to have words with whoever told you women were immune.”

“Then how-”

Taano rolled her eyes. “There are other kinds of sickness and injury, especially when working here. They informed you of that, of what can happen if your suit malfunctions for even a moment, did they not, fera-Tethrei?”

“Well, y-yes, but-”

“Then be careful.”she said. “And keep your suit in good repair. Have you ever left the water, fera-Tethrei?”

“Why… why would I-”

“It's quite jarring the first time.” She reached out and touched the wall. The water buzzed and prickled around her before it faded away. She stepped through, pulling the other woman along.

“I….” The woman froze. They always did. “I can't….” She fell onto her side. “I can't….”

“Yes, you can.” She stifled a laugh, as if women like this deserved any sympathy. “Right yourself.”

“But-”

Taano pulled her up. While her eyes were still wide with shock, her massive tail flattened to keep her balanced and she did not fall again. A meter on her suit indicated stable breathing.

“So… so there was a time when-”

“No one would leave this world if there had not been, fera-Tethrei.”

“Right. Of… of course, veth-Senra.” The woman stood still, taking in the scene before them. Platforms and ramps had been built and rebuilt time and time again - avaki metal, sevala stone and slabs of hardened coral all leading down or, with more difficulty, up. Light spilled through the spiral from the water’s surface. The ice of Arrae’s surface was broken in other places, skin carved and peeled away so the avaki could trade with them - fuel for the Erathis’ continued independence, so they could be left alone while an alien empire expanded around their singular world. But far above the spiral, was the only place the ice had stayed broken, where it had dissolved and never regrown.

“Take great care.”she said. “The fall is long and harsh.”

“Is that how…?” Fera-Tethrei stared down at her arm.

“No.” Taano turned and slithered down the first ramp. “And don't stare, fera.”

“My apologies, veth-Senra.”

They continued downward. Water rippled beside them, barely held back. This near to the surface, fish should have circled them in curiosity and hunger, kept back only by the retracted spears fastened to both their hips, but all life shied away from the barrier and was only visible as distant dark blots. Not even travelers passed by, the waterways long empty. All the better for them - they'd live a few heartbeats more if the shield ever fell.

“It's so… empty, veth-Senra.”

“Afraid already, fera?”she asked without a pause. For a murderer, this woman was talkative - and weak. An act, most likely, but a good one. “Well? I would like an answer.”

“N-no.”she answered. “No, I am not, veth-Senra. But this place feels….”

“Empty? Yes.” She let go of the railing, just long enough to avoid the dry dark green ribbon that hung over it - a remnant of the kelp that had grown thick here long ago, anchored to itself with the homes of Svala’s poor tethered on.

“I had been told it was all ruins, veth-Senra.”

“Further down.”she answered. They continued. Fera-Tethrei muttered under her breath. The water around them turned black except for distant blue lights. Life shied away here as well.

“I… I've never been so far-”

“I am well aware of that.”she said. Fera. Parasite. She had spent her life near the surface, in a home carved from the ice. She lived up to the title, far more than most did. “We are here.”

As they all did, the woman froze again, all six of her eyes wide. They darted erratically about in an effort to take it all in. Now, generations after the war, there were no traces of the homes that had been above, all built to wither and die, but here edifices of sandstone and bone still stood, empty and faded to an unnatural white. The streets were silent, strewn with debris and desiccated corpses. The city's original name had long been lost to history, yet bonding necklaces and rotted childrens’ dolls still lay on the ground of this untended tomb. Bundles of bones and flaking white skin rested there, twisted in white fabric. If it had always been white or had been damaged by the poison - whether the dead man and his children had lived here or in the slums above - she couldn't tell. It didn't matter, not here. She inspected the man's hand, a bonding necklace still clutched in it.

“Veth-Senra?”

“I nearly became a priestess, before I was signed on to this project.”

“I… I do not-”

She traced the scars in the man's hand. Fabric crumbled away into dust. More led up his arm. They were the only scars a healthy man would ever have, a mark of devotion that had withstood all this time.

“Vettara.”she said. “That was his family name.”

“I… think I understand.”

She didn't. It was unlikely that she could.

“Your file said you rarely attended temple.”she said. “Do you pray often?”

Fera-Tethrei shook her head.

Taano nodded. “May the worthy find a cold balm in His home.”she said. “And may those with empty hearts repent alone, and be reformed in Her image.” The dead hand fell from her own. They continued down the road. She wove around more white bones. They might have been people. They might have been animals. They were nothing now. Flat, broken slabs covered the ground ahead.

“They told me what you did, fera-Tethrei.”she said. “To those men, then to your mates and children.”

The woman nodded. “I… assumed as much, veth-Senra.”

"You should have died for it, instead of being sent here."

She nodded again.

Taano waited. The woman said nothing more. They went on. Soon a crater gaped before them, an expanse of rubble that was empty in the center.

“Is this where… the first alien vessel…?”

“Removed.”Taano responded. “But its poison remains. Follow, fera-Tethrei. Careful.”

They slithered down over the sharp incline. There were no relics now, no bones, not even a suggestion of the life that had once been. The path wound, and no matter how often she came here, it always seemed endless. It at least remained cold.

“Here.”she said when they'd finally reached the bottom. She gripped the nearest rock and pulled it back, revealing a sloped metal door beneath it. A combination and series of scans later it slid open.

The first hall was empty, but women bustled about the next room - her fellow researchers. While the facility's interior was protected from the miasma outside, they all still wore their suits.

“Ah, veth-Senra.” A woman turned away from a display on the wall. “The latest tests have returned promising results. We may have something ready for wider trials soon.”

“I will evaluate them myself, sen-Kaathre, but thank you for the update.” Taano crossed her arms. “Is there anything else I should-”

A high, mechanical shriek cut her off, followed by a woman rushing in from another corridor. Blood spread over her suit. Her eyes glowed bright blue under her visor.

“Stay still.” Sen-Kaathre moved into her path. “Please.”

“Unnatural.”the woman whispered.

“I know, but they're useful.” She squeezed cura into the wound, then spread a patch over the tear. The damage mended as if it had never been done. “And really, you could have fought it.”she continued. “Still, it's a pity we can't sedate the things.”

“Yes, certainly.”Taano said. “Wing four?”

“Yes.” The woman nodded, inspecting her suit.

“Right, thank you. Follow, fera-Tethrei. And, sen-Kaathre, if there's been any damage, the repair costs will come out of your wages.”

“Of course, veth-Senra.”she responded, but Taano had already started down the hall. “Good, she at least locked both doors behind her. Weak woman, but she's not here to keep the things contained, fera.”

“R-right, veth-Senra.” The woman extended her spear. “Should I…?”

“Yes.” She scanned her hands and eyes. “Subdue the creature, and any others it may have released. Avoid the head, and do not kill it.”

Fera-Tethrei nodded. The first set of doors locked behind her before the second opened. As it did, three aliens rushed at her.

Taano watched through the glass. These three were pale as death, and like all the rest they were small, about a third the height of fera-Tethrei, and had an unnatural number of stiff limbs - somehow too many and too few all at once, and bent in disturbing ways when they moved. Yet they dodged every spear thrust, agile and fast. With a guttural scream one jumped, its arms wrapped around fera-Tethrei’s head. With glowing eyes she thrashed, grabbed the alien by the thin tendrils on its head and tossed it forward. It crumpled on the floor, bleeding and limp.

The two other aliens reached for her spear. She shoved it forward. Blood splattered over the floor, then stained her suit as the blade ripped back through the thing's stomach. The last alien ran at her. She batted it away, then lodged her spear into its leg. It fell, quivering on the floor.

“Messy.” Taano slithered into the entryway. “And I told you to avoid the heads.” With the butt of her own spear she prodded the alien that had fallen first. It let out a high pitched gurgle. Taano sighed. “I suppose it's not dead, at least.”

“And… and no damage to me, veth-Senra.”

She nodded. “Go to the front, Fera-Tethrei. You'll be properly signed on, your record sealed and debts forgiven - as long as you follow facility protocol. Do you understand?”

“Yes, veth-Senra.” The woman bowed her head.

“And remember,” She pulled the spear from the alien’s leg. It spasmed and bled anew. “all communications and movements here are monitored.”

“Yes, veth-Senra.”

“And summon someone to clean this.” She slung one of the aliens over her shoulders, the others under her arms. They didn't fight anymore. “Their unaltered blood can be dangerous. I don't know how they live, so full of pathogens.”

She took the aliens further down the hall, into wing four proper. She'd wanted to visit the testing halls first, but things rarely went according to plan here. She sighed and glanced up at the ceiling. The artificial lights still looked wrong, but even in jars Tava fish couldn't survive here. The alien groaned and muttered under its breath.

“Stop that.”

One by one she tossed them back into their cages. The last one pulled itself into a ball, recoiling from her. She pulled it forward and rolled it onto its back, just long enough to squeeze cura into its wounds. Its bones were still broken, but it would survive that. The thing spit and screamed again. She paused outside its cage, looking down at it. It had too few eyes, and there was little light in them now. Once, that light had tugged at her hearts, and while she'd never doubted that all this was necessary, she'd tried to minimize the aliens’ suffering. Whether they knew it or not, whether they wanted to or not, they were instrumental in this work far greater than themselves, this work worth all of their lives.

It continued, louder. She twisted its arm. Bones cracked and it was silent. She glanced into the cages on either side. Energy barriers would have been better, but every kind they'd tried had damaged the aliens’ skin, so avaki metal bars it was. Small eyes stared out, stumpy fingers reaching through from those who still tried to escape, those who had not yet become useless. They all stopped eventually, all broke. Pathetic things. They could not be improved.

The thing blinked and rubbed its eyes. Blood dripped from its nose. Adjusting the cover on her artificial hand, she turned away.

#maggot original

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