Chapter 6 – Duty Before Self

512 A.R. February 14, Etemenanki’s Chamber, Evening

There were whispers in my mind as I awoke. I couldn’t understand them; in fact, it felt as if it was dangerous to try and understand the things that were now rummaging in the back of my mind. Warmth embraced me like a cocoon, and as I tried to move my arms, I could feel that they were restrained.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and tried to lift my head. I could see some of the walkway, but there were things wrapped around my muzzle. Without warning everything began to move. The warmth was slithering off me.

Full consciousness slowly flowed back to me, and I felt my heart thump harder. It sounded like something was sloughing off me, and gravity was once more pulling on my body. I was starting to tip over, and I managed to extend my hands to lean over on all four.

The whispers in my mind faded away and took a new form. Reality itself seem to hum with its presence, and I lifted my gaze upward.

Etemenanki...

Every bug in the air seemed to carry its own little tune in the orchestra that I was witnessing.

A hive mind… A great many small parts, joined together in one song…

I knew these things already, but now it felt as if I could feel it; an echo that had been left in my body. A connection of some sort. Etemenanki’s unified voice cut through the symphony, and I heard her inside my mind.

‘Do not worry… We have not changed you,’ Etemenanki whispered, as her presence loomed next to my ear.

‘It feels different,’ I thought.

‘These things have always existed, but you and everyone else consider it little more than background noise. Now, you are awakening to it. Seeing, hearing, experiencing it…’

‘You are awakening to the things that always existed in your surroundings; you had just never learned, or cared to listen,’ Etemenanki mused.

I drew a deep breath, and leaned back on my haunches, ‘It feels good.’

Etemenanki’s voice chittered, ‘Yes—it does, doesn’t it…’

I felt my thoughts wander, and I thought back to Marcus and Milly, ‘There’s more regarding Mars, I hope?’

‘Of course… But that’s for another time,’ Etemenanki answered.

I looked down and held up my hands. My fur was damp with some kind of mucus, and it felt slippery as I rubbed my pads together.

I need a shower…

‘Yes, and then you should meet up with Corvyn. He will no doubt be eager to teach you another lesson,’ Etemenanki added.

It took me a moment to realize, but it appeared that had forgotten that I had forgotten my mental focus once more, ‘I forgot to shield myself.’

‘There’s no reason to hide from me, Vilkas… I know you, inside and out. You are welcome.’

Nonetheless, I closed my eyes, and focused. The great orchestra of Etemenanki’s voice began to fade away until little more than a sliver of her presence remained on my shoulder. A gap within the shield so that we could talk, nothing more.

‘So eager to return to your individuality… But you are welcome back at any time, Vilkas…’

I looked toward the elevators at the end of the walkway, ‘I will return another day.’

What few tendrils that remained along the walkway slithered away, and my passage was clear once more.

512 A.R. February 15, Etemenanki – Vilkas’ Room, Evening

I leaned my head against the shower wall and listened to the roar of water. Compared to the noise of my recently discovered telepathy, and the void of silence when I shut it out, this had the quality of white noise. It drowned everything else, washed away the scents, and left me with the feeling of a blank slate.

As my mind wandered, I came to wonder what I would tell my parents about all this. When my father would ask what I did at Etemenanki, what would I tell him then? Which of all the secrets, changes, and new knowledge would I share?

Would I tell him that I spent my days being stabbed by a wild coyote? My dreams of long-lost events while cocooned by tentacles like some weird fantasy?

I could imagine him either perking his brow with that concerned gaze of his, or that he might reveal experiencing something similar.

I’m not sure which option would be more bothersome…

I shut my eyes and took deep breaths of the steamy haze of the water that poured through my fur. Something poked the back of my mind, and as I turned on my focus on it, I could feel Athena’s presence. With little more than a thought, the connection was let through.

‘Yes, Athena?’ I thought.

Her presence settled in the back of my mind, but something felt off… different somehow. As I focused on her I could feel numerous sensations tingling in my mind.

Silk… Flowing fabric… Shades of blue… The presence of a woman, not hybrid, not human…

A cool sensation, the breath of winter… A foundation of logic and intellectual discourse…

She peered out from these sensations, or rather, she arose from these things. Like a ghost being brought to life by a great many machines working in unison.

I could sense that she was peering at me, somewhat befuddled to a point where she was uncertain of what to say. Something about my presence had thrown her off balance, and her predictions no longer made sense. I smiled, not on my face, but within my mind.

‘Ah, I see…’ Athena whispered as if something fell into place.

‘Good evening, Athena,’ I thought.

‘Good evening, Vilkas… How are you?’ Athena wondered.

‘Fatigued, but good,’ I thought.

‘Then how about I offer a chance at some fresh air?’ Athena asked.

‘What do you mean?’ I thought.

‘Do you know why there are no walls in this region of the island?’ Athena wondered.

‘I would suspect that the ice is too unstable to support a wall… Instead we use long range artillery, dreadnoughts that crawl along the safer routes, and plenty of tanks, drones, and more.’

‘That is correct, would you want to visit one of these dreadnoughts?’ Athena wondered.

I opened my eyes, grabbed the knob which controlled the water, and turned it off, ‘This seems a bit sudden, and I still have lessons to learn here.’

‘This mission will be a short one, and you’ll be back soon enough,’ Athena answered.

‘… Sure, I wouldn’t mind visiting one of the dreadnoughts. What is the mission?’

‘You remember James, yes?’ Athena asked.

James…

I stepped back, reached outside the shower, and grabbed a towel, ‘Yes, I do. He was Jason’s psychiatrist, and he’s the one that kept an eye on the human cult. When Jason decided to follow Hedwig into the wastes, it was James that told me where they were going.’

‘James is on a self-imposed exile in the dreadnought named Fenrir. I want you to go there, talk some sense into him, and bring him back into the fold.’

I began to towel myself off as I perked my brow in concern, ‘Tell me more of this self-imposed exile?’

‘It would be better if I did not taint your perceptions of it. Go there, find out what troubles him, and resolve the matter,’ Athena ordered.

Another mystery where I'm intentionally kept in the dark…

I put the towel aside, and grabbed another, ‘I take it Ares is alright with this as well?’

‘He has been informed, adjustments have been made to current plans,’ Athena said.

I chuckled to myself, ‘Plans that you won’t tell me of.’

Amusement grew in Athena’s presence. I could feel it shimmer over the link that we shared.

‘Very well, how do I make my way to Fenrir?’ I wondered.

‘Once you’ve had breakfast tomorrow morning, head to the hangars on the upper floors. I have been told that there will be a shuttle waiting for you,’ Athena answered.

A shuttle… The lunar shuttle? Or something else?

‘I understand,’ I thought.

‘I’m looking forward to your results, unless there’s anything else-’

‘Actually,’ I thought, and interrupted her.

‘Yes?’ Athena wondered.

‘What can you tell me about the orbital docks of Mars?’ I wondered.

‘… That is a very specific question and an unexpected one,’ Athena answered.

‘Nevertheless,’ I thought.

‘The orbital docks of Mars served several purposes. For one it acted as a maintenance and refueling station for passing spacecraft. It also had an active asteroid mining operation, and the facilities to refine raw materials. There were limited construction capabilities, and it mostly built long space probes to investigate points of interests around the solar system.’

‘I’m guessing the docks are no longer operational?’ I wondered.

‘The remains can now be found on the surface of Mars. It is suspected that they fell out of orbit a few decades after the Collapse.’

‘… Isn’t that a long time for the docks to remain in orbit?’ I wondered.

‘It is… It is likely that some the automated systems of the orbital docks tried its best to keep everything running for as long as possible,’ Athena answered.

‘I see, thank you, Athena,’ I thought.

‘You’re welcome, Vilkas… Until next time,’ Athena answered, and the link faded once more.

512 A.R. February 15, Etemenanki – Kitchen Area, Evening

I stepped into the kitchen and looked around. Shay was sitting at the table as usual, tablet in hand, while Corvyn was on the sofa, head turning as he looked back at me.

“And where have you been all day?” Corvyn asked while his brow tightened into a frown.

“He’s been downstairs,” Shay said out loud.

Corvyn glimpsed toward the table, and then looked back at me, “Oh… Have you now?”

I forced a smile, “Etemenanki has a few interesting stories to share.”

“There’s a price to pay for those stories,” Corvyn retorted.

“Yes, a few of my own memories,” I said, and walked up to the sofa.

Corvyn raised one hand into the air as if philosophizing, “The defining moments of your life, forever locked away in a vault, a glimpse into your very spirit.”

“I don’t mind that much to be honest,” I said, and loomed over the sofa as I peered at him.

Corvyn huffed, brought his arm back, and leaned his head onto his hand, “I take it you’re here for your lesson.”

I nodded, “Sure, and a talk if you don’t mind.”

Corvyn perked his brow, “A talk about what?”

“You were rather quiet this morning, I was hoping I hadn’t offended you after last night,” I said.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see as Shay perked up from her tablet.

“Eh, I'm used to the behavior of wolves,” Corvyn murmured, swung his legs off the sofa, and jumped up on two legs.

I started walking toward the fighting area, “So, how does one alter how you perceive time?”

“Shay, throw me an apple, will you?” Corvyn said out loud.

“On it,” Shay said, and got up from the table as she stepped over to the refrigerator.

Moments later an apple flew across the room, and Corvyn caught with ease as it smacked into his hand, “You already do it, almost everyone does it, they just don’t know how to control it.”

I nodded as we both stepped into the corner where we had fought last night, “I’ve understood that much already.”

Corvyn faced me, threw the apple upwards, and caught it as he began to repeat the movements, “Control over how you perceive time requires focus, lose said focus and you’ll immediately get snapped back into real-time. Fear, strong emotions, etcetera, make it more difficult to maintain focus. Adrenaline, a fair amount of it, can help one’s focus. Get it?”

“Mm,” I said and nodded.

“Some people stumble upon these abilities on their own, others find it with ease as soon as they learn that it’s actually possible. A few generations ago only a few could master it, these days you’re one of the unlucky few if you can’t grasp it.”

“… And what if you’re one of these unlucky few?” I asked.

Shay spoke up, “Implants can help a few, but that’s a curse of its own. Medication and focused training help some of them. The rest will just have to learn to live with the fact that there are some things in life they won’t be able to do.”

I glanced over at Shay, “I thought hybrids rejected implants, yet you’ve mentioned them several times as if they’re in use. Why is that?”

Shay averted her gaze and let out a sigh, “The topic is complicated, but there are methods of partially subduing our immune systems so that an implant can be used for a time. It’s not something anyone would recommend though, as the price is considerably, both mentally and physically.”

Corvyn spoke up, “That being said, short term use of an implant, even if it’s dangerous, can help awaken abilities that would otherwise be locked away.”

I looked back at Corvyn, “Is that how you activated your telepathic abilities, despite being…”

Shay made something of an annoyed murmur, “Old?”

Once more I looked back at Shay, and made a sheepish grin, “Wise in the ways of the world.”

Shay frowned for a moment, and then drew a deep breath as she fixated on me, “Yes…”

I nodded, “I see, and since we’re a long-lived species… Then that also means that there is a fair amount of people who either don’t know how to—or can’t—master this.”

Shay answered, “True, there is. Which is why these abilities are considered esoteric in some ways. You don’t flaunt them, or use them unless the situation demands it.”

“They are abilities that should be used to serve Sophos, nothing more, nothing less,” Corvyn added.

I looked back at Corvyn, “… I can see a few problems inherent in that.”

Corvyn made a knowing smile, and perked his brow, “Such as?”

“For example; I’m a wolf, and while we don’t establish rank by fighting, it would be… overly idealistic to say that physical ability had no sway on the matter,” I said.

Corvyn motioned to me, “Which is why you’re bigger, stronger… It’s why certain instincts take root in you, and why your pheromones inspire a certain… respect among your subordinates.”

“… It sounds manipulative when you say it like that,” I said.

Corvyn tipped his head, “Because it is. If you were just like the rest of your pack you’d likely be involved in constant power-struggles. With a stronger Alpha in charge, one driven by instincts that strive to stabilize the pack as a whole, there’s a far steeper hill to climb for a struggle to take place.”

“You’re right, of course, but it still feels wrong,” I said.

Shay raised her voice, “It’s supposed to feel wrong, it’s what keeps you grounded. Can you imagine what people like us would be like if we had a god-complex?”

It would be bad… Very bad…

Corvyn spoke up next, “You were saying?”

I looked back at Corvyn once more, “Wolves fight, it affects things. Am I supposed to keep these abilities a secret?”

Corvyn drew a deep breath, “I’m not an expert in pack-relations, so I can only offer my humble advice as someone who has had the opportunity to witness a few things.”

I perked my brow, “Your advice is appreciated, Corvyn.”

“This might sound like it’s in contradiction of what we just told you, but I’d say that there’s no reason to hide your abilities from those that are close to you. In fact, I'd say it’s in your interest, or even your duty, to teach them,” Corvyn said.

Shay spoke up once more, “Using your abilities among equals is fair, using it to net yourself an advantage within society would be like bullying a regular canine into submission just because you have more raw strength.”

I have to wonder if this advice would sound the same if he knew about the Zephyr…

“With power comes responsibility,” I said.

Corvyn nodded, “Yes, and now that we’ve riled you up a bit, it should be easier for you to learn.”

I blinked, and drew a deep breath as I realized that I had once more played into his plans, no matter how benign they were meant to be, “Ah… I see.”

Corvyn caught the apple and held it up in front of me, “I’m going to throw it once more, and you’re going to follow it with every bit of concentration you can muster. Understand?”

“I’ll do my best,” I said.

“I’ll move slowly at first, and then speed up… Ready?” Corvyn said, and grew a devilish grin.

I glimpsed back to make sure that Shay wasn’t up to something, and then looked back at the apple as I focused on it, “Ready.”

“Here goes,” Corvyn mused, and began a slow wave as he moved the apple back and forth.

It felt silly, but I did as told and followed the motion of his apple with a stare. Seconds passed, half a minute passed, and Corvyn was still swaying the apple.

Nothing had changed so far, and despite my attempts at trying to ‘will’ the apple into moving slower, or for my perception of it to slow down, nothing changed.

After a whole minute of staring at this stupid apple, I-

Without warning, Corvyn pulled his hand back, leaned back with his whole body, and threw the apple as if hurling a baseball at me. My heart jumped at the sudden change, and I felt my eyes bulge as the apple left his hand.

As I stared at the apple, heart still feeling as if squeezed by a tight hand, I realized something.

The apple was moving far too slowly. The rest of the world seemed blurred, but the apple itself remained in focus as it inched its way through the air in slow-motion. My heart relaxed, and as I focused on it, I could feel its thump as if it was a slow drum. It was a strange sensation, woozy in a way, nerves tingling, feeling as if I was caught in a vat full of molasses.

With each slow moment that passed, the apple moved closer, and I began to worry. In my amazement I had ignored that there was an apple hurtling straight at my head.

I need to move…

The tingling in my nerves grew more pronounced as I did my best to move. Willpower shunted to my legs, and arms as I tried to think of the best way to avoid it. The apple seemed relentless in its slow approach, and it had reached halfway by now.

Move… Move… Faster…

As I began to move, I could already tell that it was too late. That in itself was a good lesson. This ability gave one time to think and plan, but action still remained important, because there was no way to beat simple physics.

For a moment I considered whether the Zephyr could solve this problem. As the thought occurred to me, I felt something akin to a buzz deep in my brain. An answer bubbled to the surface, and I could see the trajectory that the tendrils would take to intercept the flying apple.

Yes… Yes, the Zephyr could deal with it, but at a price I'm not willing to pay…

The apple was little less than an inch away from me, but my head had only had time to partially move out of the way. As the apple hit, everything seemed to collapse.

A split second later I was stumbling to the side, disorientated, barely aware of what had happened. I reached up with my hand to feel the edge of my temple, and as I glanced back, I could see the apple’s remains spread out across the wall as if it had hit with far more energy than I had expected.

Juice from the apple flowed down along the wall, and scraps began to fall.

Volkov’s presence arose within me, and he whispered, ‘I calculated it at around 200 km/h. Corvyn hurled it at us at a speed that broke the human record for a baseball throw.’

I looked back toward Corvyn, and he had this amused smirk that was made grim thanks to the exposed bone on his muzzle.

“Not perfect, but I have my doubts that you would be able to dodge that without what I just taught you,” Corvyn said, and flicked his hand in the air as if to loosen it up.

“… It did work, I just took my time reacting to it,” I said.

Corvyn reached back, and I heard a click as something was unlatched. His grin grew as he brought his hand into view and revealed the knife from yesterday.

“… Ready or not, here I come,” Corvyn said and lunged at me once more.

At least give me a moment to-

I leapt back as the knife flew at me again in one big swing. A split second later he was at it again.

“What’s the matter!? Can’t focus!?” Corvyn snapped and lunged once more.

I could feel the knife brush against the fur of my hand, another close call barely avoided as I jumped to the side and ran toward the nearby wall.

“Running won’t work!” Corvyn snapped as he followed.

I jumped high as if leaping over a garden fence, set my paws against the wall, and launched myself off it with a heavy thump. Something on the wall cracked, but I ignored it as I moved through the air and glanced down. Something seemed to trigger, and the world slowed down once more.

Weightless… A surprisingly nice feeling…

Corvyn was skidding to a halt underneath me, and he was already starting to move toward the place where I would land.

Is there a way out?

I began to ponder it, but there seemed to be few options unless I wanted to hurl the sofa at him, or just let him have the first strike so that I could grab him.

Maybe that was the point of it all, to learn that sometimes there is no way for a clean win…

I moved my paws to catch the brunt, and as I made contact, my focus seemed to slip once more.

A thunderous thump shook the air as my full weight came slamming down from high, and I could feel as my legs compacted like springs thanks to the digitigrade nature of my legs. I had expected myself to recover much faster, but it seemed like my recent additions were weighing me down.

As I looked once more, Corvyn was already upon me. Panic and the rush of adrenaline shot through me, but to my surprise it felt as if I had more time to think. My perception of time had been slowed down, but not as much as earlier.

Like before, he was using his body as a shield to make sure the knife had a clear shot. It was an utterly reckless move, but Corvyn didn’t seem to care about the danger he put himself in.

The knife was heading toward my side, underneath the ribs. I did my best to rotate my body, and to swing my arm in an attempt to hit Corvyn in the shoulder.

Between the panic, the fear, and the sudden rush of everything happening at once, my concentration was in tatters. As the knife neared my abdomen, the last of my focus evaporated into thin air.

Pain struck deep. Cutting and tearing as my mind went wild once more. My arm connected with his shoulder, and suddenly he was hurtling through the air once more.

In a split second, I had suddenly crumbled onto my knee, and my hand gripped my side in pain as my teeth were bared in a snarl. A loud thump was heard, and in the corner of my eye I could see as Corvyn literally bounced off the nearby wall.

Warmth seeped into my hand, and I could feel myself tremble as the beast threatened to take over. It gnawed on my nerves and raged within the back of my mind as it screamed.

I was holding it back with nary an inch, as I turned my focus to Corvyn. He’d crumbled onto a heap along the floor, and the knife was nowhere to be seen.

He’s not moving… Fuck!

My chest heaved with exertion, and I could feel saliva dribble out as I forced myself to stand up once more.

“C- Corvyn,” I hissed.

There was a twitch in his body, and his ears perked up without warning. I froze in place, clutching my side, with my muzzle hanging open.

Slowly, he pushed himself up from the side, and blinked in surprise as he reached up to feel his head, “Huh… Seems I blacked out for a moment there.”

“… You people are fucking idiots,” Shay murmured from the table.

Corvyn chuckled to himself as he rubbed his temple, “Aww, don’t be like that, Shay?”

I could hear a loud sigh, and as I glanced toward the table, I could see Shay walking toward us.

“You all right?” Shay asked and looked at me.

I looked to my side and removed my hand. There was a cut in the uniform, and I could see dark red blood matting the fur. My hand was filled with it, but as I watched, it looked like the bleeding had already stopped.

Shay leaned in for a moment and peered at the hole in the uniform, “Lay down on your side, make sure the wound shuts itself for a few minutes, and you’ll be fine.”

My heart was pounding surprisingly hard in my chest, and the sight of the blood made me feel… weird. As the world began to swing, I recognized the sensation. Nausea, low blood pressure, a human condition… apparently one that could still affect me.

Shay moved on and I eased myself down on the floor. Moments later I curled up, hip held high, and put my hand back on my side as I let my head rest on the floor.

Deep breaths helped as I stayed put and lifted my gaze to look at the others.

Shay stepped up next to Corvyn, leaned down a little, and lowered her voice, “Is anything broken?”

Corvyn made a grunt and settled into a sitting position as he shook his head, “No, just got a bump from the wall.”

“Being throw like that against a wall will do that, Corvyn… You’re lucky you didn’t break your neck,” Shay said.

“Whatever,” Corvyn whispered.

Shay made another sigh, and reached out with her hand as she put it on the fur between his ears, “It’s not ‘whatever’, hun…”

Corvyn’s ear wiggled in either frustration or embarrassment as he made a sigh of his own, “Just find the knife, and let me sit here for a while, okay?”

“… Okay,” Shay whispered, and stood up once more.

512 A.R. February 15, Etemenanki – Kitchen Area, Night

I wasn’t sure how long I'd been laying on the floor. Sleep seemed to beckon, but I kept it at bay as I opened my eyes to peer at the world. Corvyn had laid down on his back and seemed to be staring up at the ceiling in silence. My hand was still clutching my side, and while it hurt as I gave it a poke, it seemed like the flesh had stitched itself together.

It didn’t make me feel very big and strong as I lay there, still feeling a hint of nausea.

A small cut on my side… Well, maybe not that small given all the blood…

It reminded me of how I felt after being shot. Stumbling around, trying to make sure Jason was safe, fighting my own mind going mad with chaotic panic.

I blinked and felt as my ears flickered while they scanned the room. Shay was somewhere near the kitchen, stirring something from the sound of it. As I listened to it, I could feel that part of me was still on edge. The beast was keeping watch, deep underneath it all, in the primal portion of my mind that tried to keep me safe. It made me shut my eyes and ponder.

Maybe it was the wrong way to think about it, to separate the beast from my own self.

I could feel its subtle influence on my mind, the way it wanted me to curl over and clean up the blood to remove the scent. How it wanted me to stop this stupid game where I got myself hurt. The way it pleaded with me to make up with Corvyn so that we didn’t have to fight anymore.

Primitive, simple minded, not understanding the goal of the process.

Yet at the same time these thoughts existed in the back of my mind, and it all coalesced into a desire to make my way over to Corvyn so that I could hold him close to me.

But it’s not that simple, is it?

I sighed to myself, and opened my eyes once more, “Corvyn?”

“… What?” Corvyn barked out as if annoyed.

“Help me understand you better,” I said.

“That wasn’t part of the deal,” Corvyn retorted.

“I’m not asking about your past, I'm asking why you throw yourself at me as if you want to die?”

“… I’d say those two or somewhat related to one another,” Corvyn murmured.

“Are they?” I asked.

Silence followed.

I removed my hand from my side, brought it up to my muzzle, and stared at the drying blood that made the black fur appear clumped. Part of me urged myself to lick it clean, but the rest of me recoiled at the thought. Instead, I simply held it close to my chest.

Corvyn raised his hand in the air, and pointed at the wall, “You made a dent.”

I glanced up along the wall, and I could see that part of it had collapsed inward. To my surprise the surroundings were flickering as if they were made of screens, and the hole itself revealed rough-looking concrete.

“Even the plain walls are made of screens,” I said.

Corvyn let his index finger perk up, “And a whole buttload of sensors… I mean, why have cameras when you can capture the light emanating from the room at large?”

“Heh,” I chuckled.

Corvyn’s hand sank down once more, “… Are you scared of blood, Vilkas?”

My ears perked, and I shifted my gaze to Corvyn, “I’ve been neck deep in prey, so I'd say no.”

“I meant, scared of your own blood?” Corvyn asked.

“… It is unsettling to see that which keeps you alive outside of your body,” I said.

“Because it reminds you of your own mortality,” Corvyn said.

“… Sure,” I whispered.

“But a small cut like that won’t end your life.”

“I know that, but it’s still…” I said.

“Related?” Corvyn asked.

“… Yes,” I said.

“You encounter a hybrid, a Lusus infestation has taken hold in the leg, what do you do?”

“… Cut off the leg?” I wondered.

“Too slow, and too dangerous. By the time you’ve started cutting it’s already within the chest.”

After just a few moments, Corvyn spoke once more, “You cut off the head, and bag it. Preferably in a medical bag with nanite-fighting gel.”

“… You serious?” I asked.

“The head is all that matters. Preserve that, and you preserve the person,” Corvyn said.

“And there’s no risk of… death?” I wondered.

“Your definition of death is simple, but the answer is no, at least for a mature hybrid… The brain itself will automatically shut-down, begin its crystallization process, and build barriers to keep out any further infestation.”

“… Grim, but effective by the sound of it,” I said.

“Yes, after that all you need is a medical pod, and time…”

“So, was the point to move our discussion away from you, or…” I asked.

Once more there was silence.

It made me sigh, “All right, how about another question?”

“I wish I had a drink right about now,” Corvyn murmured.

“When we spoke last night, you made it sound as if we were all dying. Shay on the other hand phrased it as if the big question was whether humanity should live or die.”

Shay raised her voice so that we could all hear, “Sophos will survive, one way or another.”

Corvyn lifted his head for a moment, and glanced back toward the kitchen, “Something will survive, yes… but what eventually emerges won’t be the Sophos of our dreams or hopes. Nor will we ever find our way back to what we have now.”

I couldn’t see it, but I could imagine Shay staring back at Corvyn.

“The Archives will guide the way,” Shay said.

Corvyn huffed and eased his head back onto the ground, “You’re far too optimistic, Shay.”

I perked my brow in wonder, “What exactly are the two of you talking about?”

My ears perked as Shay walked closer, and then stopped in front of us, “Without looking it up in the Archives, or checking your own senses, can you tell me what the percentage of oxygen in the air is right now?”

“… 21 percent?” I said.

“16 percent, and for every year that passes it gets worse,” Shay said.

“… 16 is low enough that it should cause a lot of side-effects,” I said.

“And it does. Genetically engineered humans—like those raised in Sophos—can mostly deal with it, but the average human on the island will both tire easily and suffer from impaired mental function.”

Corvyn spoke up, “A hallmark of the human upper-class is that their schools, working places, and homes, are augmented with additional oxygen.”

“I’ve never heard of this before,” I said.

“Because it’s not a problem for us,” Shay said.

Corvyn raised his hand, “It’s not a problem for us, yet.”

Shay sighed, “The oceans are dead, and there’s no vegetation left on the planet, but the supplies in Earth’s atmosphere should have lasted us for millennia.”

Corvyn waved his hand, “But then the Lusus lifeforms across the planet discovered that oxygen was an excellent way to extract energy. So now they breathe oxygen, and in just a hundred years, or less, there won’t be any oxygen left on the planet.”

Shay crossed her arms, “There will be adjustments, yes… But many of us already spend a good portion living or working in airtight environments.”

Corvyn lowered his arm to the floor, “Forced to live underground. Walking the surface clad in environmental suits. Life as we know it will be at an end, and we’ll start adapting in ways that will lead to us becoming something entirely different. It’s not a world I want to be part of.”

Shay was silent for a few moments, “We’ll figure something out… What matters right now is how we deal with the humans.”

Corvyn seemed to curl up, and even his tail slipped between his legs, “We were wrong, Shay. We should have wiped the humans out centuries ago… Then we would’ve had a chance at fixing this.”

Shay opened her muzzle, wavered for a moment, and raised her hand as if just waiting for the right word. Seconds passed, and nothing seemed to come of it. She lowered her hand once more, and shifted her gaze to look at the nearby wall.

This isn’t just about the colony or all the people that died… It’s about the fate of everything…

“… There’s no plan?” I asked.

Shay looked toward me, “There are many plans, Vilkas. Many of them are-”

Corvyn raised his voice, “They’re all awful, with little hope of success, and in the end we’re all-”

Shay gritted her teeth and snapped to attention, “Shut it! Just shut up! You- You miserable twat!”

Silence followed for a few moments, and then there was a sudden chuckle, “You’ve been tiptoeing around me for so long that I was starting to wonder where you had disappeared to, Shay.”

Shay uttered what sounded like a growl of frustration, then shook her head as she turned around to walk away. Corvyn lifted his head moments later and stared into the distance as I heard her leave the room.

“Crap,” Corvyn whispered, and let out a deep sigh as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

I drew a deep breath, “Corvyn?”

Corvyn looked back at me, “What?”

“… Maxwell doesn’t have a plan for this?” I asked.

Corvyn shrugged, “I don’t know… Part of me hopes he does, part of me fears we’ll just end up being another failed experiment. Either way, it’s not as if he, Moonbase Alpha, or the Space Initiative have told us about it.”

“Mm,” I murmured.

Corvyn’s shoulders slouched, “You okay over there?”

“… I’m fine, just tired,” I said.

“Well… You have a good night, because I need to go make sure I didn’t piss Shay off enough that she’d leave the tower,” Corvyn said.

Alone, no matter what you do, you always find yourself alone…

I smiled back a little and waved my hand, “Go, fix things.”

“… Righto,” Corvyn murmured, and pushed himself onto two legs.

512 A.R. February 16, Etemenanki, Early Morning

A shudder moved through me, and then I was awake once more. I opened my eyes, saw the flat expanse of the floor near the fighting area, and realized that I hadn’t returned to my room last night.

Light slowly flowed over the room, and I could feel it bathe my ears with a warm glow. It was early in the morning, and I lifted my gaze toward the glass walls. The sun shone bright as it peeked above the distant mountains, and the halo of it appeared strange.

I eased myself up onto all four and felt a brush of relief that the wound no longer hurt. Slowly, I eased myself back until onto my haunches and looked out at the distant sky. The visage of the sun had a pair of bright halos on each side, and the air seemed to glitter in beautiful cascades.

Sun dog… An atmospheric phenomena created by ice crystals in the atmosphere…

I reached down to my side, felt the dried blood in my fur, and gave it a poke.

Nothing…

I eased myself up onto two legs and looked around. The scents belonging to Shay and Corvyn were faint, which meant that they hadn’t been here since last night.

So, what’s the plan for today?

A shower… New uniform… Breakfast for myself and the others…

I should hurry unless I want to explain where I'm heading…

Yeah, a quick shower, eat, and head to the hangars...

512 A.R. February 16, Etemenanki – Kitchen Area, Morning

I dipped the spoon into the bowl, brought it to my muzzle, and tasted.

Mashed strawberry… Not too sweet… Frozen from the start, but it turned out nice enough…

I tore off a large piece of foil and wrapped it over the pancakes that sat on the big plate.

Pancakes make a nice breakfast once in a while, yes? With a side of bacon to add contrast...

I fetched a nearby napkin, folded it a few times, and then looked around.

Pen? Where can I find a pen in this place?

The place didn’t look like it would have a pen, nor had I seen any proper paper since arriving here.

I wonder…

I froze for a moment and consulted the Zephyr’s interface in the back of my mind. There was a solution, not a perfect one, but good enough. My ears perked as I listened for any noise, and to make sure I glanced at the kitchen entrance.

No one was around yet, so I leaned over the napkin and held up my wrist. With a bit of focus I urged one of the tool-focused tendrils to come out. The slithering sensation of it was still uneasy, but it followed my will with ease, and opened itself up.

The exposed tip of the tendril glinted in the light, and I thought of the words I wanted to print.

‘Morning! Here’s breakfast! /Vilkas’

An invisible beam shot out of the tendril’s tip, and I could a soft hiss as the laser light began to etch the letters into the folded napkin. A few hints of smoke could be seen, but within moments it had written the sentence in big letters.

They might find it peculiar, but I'll let it be a mystery for them to ponder…

I waved the smoke out of the way and placed the napkin in front of the stashed food.

Done…

With a deep breath, I stepped back, gave it one last look, and moved toward the exit. As I stepped up to the main hallway, I heard something.

A shuffling noise, tired, and grumbling.

Upon looking to the side, I could see Corvyn walking towards me, clad in little more than a pair of shorts. He noticed me, perked his brow in confusion, and spoke up, “You’ve been here all night?”

Seems awkward to tell him I fell asleep on the floor…

I shook my head, “Nah, just had an early breakfast.”

Corvyn glanced into the kitchen, and audibly sniffed at the air, “Bacon… and strawberry?”

I couldn’t help but smile, “A bit different from the omelet, but I hope it’ll do.”

“You’re going somewhere,” Corvyn said, and looked back at me with a curious stare.

“… Maybe,” I said.

Corvyn froze for a moment as if his brain had locked up. A moment later he began to move, inched closer to me, and raised one hand to point a claw at my nose, “No, you are… I just checked, and the hangar with the Lunar Shuttle is already running its pre-check procedures.”

“… Ah,” I whispered.

Corvyn crossed his arms, “… I would strongly advise against visiting the moon, many don’t make it back from there.”

I blinked in wonder, “… I’m not heading to the moon, but now I'm suddenly concerned.”

Corvyn repeatedly blinked, and perked up with a smile, “Oh, well then… Forget I said anything.”

I drew a deep breath, and made my own frown as I leaned closer to him, “Why do people seldom return from the moon?”

Corvyn raised his hands along with a sheepish grin, “I wouldn’t know, only been there once, not interested in visiting again.”

“… But why? There’s supposed to be a whole city up there, are they prisoners?” I asked.

Corvyn raised his hands, and idly let them tap against each other, “No… They just have no interest in leaving.”

“… But you did?” I asked.

“I never visited the city to be honest…”

I stared at him, hoping that his mind would reveal something, but as usual it was locked down tight like a fort, “… So how do you know they don’t want to leave?”

Corvyn sighed, “Listen, you ought to have learned how a few things work around here by now. You don’t fuck with the moon, you don’t talk about it, at least in public, like this…”

“… Ah,” I whispered.

Corvyn tipped his head, and shook a finger, “And no, that wasn’t an invitation for us to talk mind to mind, because that’s not going to happen.”

“… Well, you’re no fun,” I said.

Corvyn glanced to the side, and his shoulders slouched, “That’s pretty insulting, but I guess you might be right about that.”

“That said, you seem to be in a surprisingly good mood,” I said.

Corvyn let out an audible groan, “It’s the second morning I wake up without a lick of alcohol or those additives. It helps… clear the mind somewhat.”

I inched closer, and lowered my voice, “Please, keep at it.”

“Yeah, you saying that doesn’t make me eager to keep at it,” Corvyn murmured.

I tipped my head and smirked, “… If you end up drunk again, I'll find a way to snuggle up with you.”

Corvyn shook his head, and stepped back, “That’s better, I guess.”

I nodded, “Will you be alright while I'm gone?”

“And there you go again, making me wish I had a bottle right here and now,” Corvyn said with a roll of his eyes.

“Sorry about that. Anyway… I’m not sure when I'll be back,” I said.

Corvyn raised his hand to wave, and then walked past, “Good luck, wherever you’re going.”

Guess the lack of booze doesn’t make him any more pleasant…

I sighed to myself and set my sights on the elevator.

512 A.R. February 16, Etemenanki – Hangar, Morning

The elevator slowed down and came to a stop moments later. A soft shuffle was heard as the doors opened, and I stuck my head out to look. It revealed a gargantuan hallway that seemed to curve in the same angle the tower’s hollow core. Lights lined the walls, and the floor seemed to almost glow as I stepped out.

A glance toward the right revealed a far, far larger cargo elevator. Running throughout the entire hallway were tracks within the floor. Those tracks in turn led to four large hangars, out of which only one of them was open.

I began to walk, and I could hear each step echo throughout this place. The sheer scale made me feel small, and it made the tower itself seem that much bigger in turn.

My pace picked up, and as I marched, the echoes began to intermingle in a way that made it seem I wasn’t alone. It made my ears perk and swivel as it tried to make sense of it all. Upon reaching the hangar, I walked up to the edge, and then peered inside.

The lighting within the hangar was a lot more subtle, but the highlights seemed to be focused on the center, illuminating the Lunar Shuttle where it sat. Even from a distance it was clear that it wasn’t a small craft, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the hangar itself.

It had the overall shape of a heavy drone. Compact and thick, like a large insect that could take one hell of a beating. But that’s where the similarities ended.

There were two short wings attached to the shuttle, and rather than the kind of muffled rotors you’d find on a drone, the drive system seemed very different.

I approached with caution as I stepped into the hangar, and my focus was drawn to the rear of the shuttle. I’d seen many rocket launches growing up, but most of them had always had a series of big bell-nozzles at the end to provide thrust.

This was… something different. It jutted out like a rectangular box that had been squeezed together on one side.

Volkov’s presence bubbled to the surface in my mind, ‘It’s an Aerospike engine, efficient at a variety of altitudes, though difficult to master.’

My gaze wandered to the underside of the shuttle, where I could see four large engines of some sort. They all looked as if they were maneuverable, which in turn made it capable of vertical take-off and landing.

‘I searched the archives for something matching it’s profile, and I found several references. This is the kind of shuttle that is used by the Space Initiative. According to the specs it has two micro-fusion power plants, each capable of producing up to 100 megawatts in short bursts.’

‘… Since I'm not seeing football-field sized radiators, those must be some very short bursts,’ I thought.

‘True. Even at low power, I'm not sure how they deal with all the excess heat,’ Volkov answered.

‘I’m guessing the four smaller engines are based on some kind of plasma propulsion?’

‘Yes, but the Aerospike engine is only used when leaving the atmosphere, utilizing a chemical propellant as its source of fuel,’ Volkov answered.

‘So the fusion reactors are mostly used to enable flight in the atmosphere,’ I thought.

‘It would seem that way,’ Volkov answered.

The shuttle was beginning to loom over me as I approached. From a distance the hull had a dull gray hue, but the closer I got, it seemed like it had the texture of finely interwoven strands.

A sudden noise made me grind to a halt, and as I watched, a big hatch along the rear opened up. It lowered itself onto the ground, which provided a sloping path into the ship itself.

A presence made itself known in the back of my mind. It was subtle but the signal was clearly coming from the ship, even stranger was that I couldn’t sense any way of interacting with it.

I stood there, staring into the depths of the ship, and waited with the expectation that someone would step out. No one came, and as I moved to the side to get a better look, the inside of the ship seemed empty.

‘Are… are we supposed to fly this thing on our own?’ I thought.

‘… Might be on autopilot and it’ll snatch us away the moment we step on?’ Volkov whispered.

I drew a deep breath, and looked toward the hangar’s exit, ‘No one’s coming from that direction either.’

‘Then I guess there’s only one way to find out…’ Volkov mused.

I walked up to the lowered hatch, took my first step onto it, and lifted my head as I walked.

The interior of the ship consisted of a slim passage which led up to a cockpit without any windows. I stopped in the center of the passage and looked around as I sniffed the air.

There was no hint that others had been in the ship. I even leaned close to the wall and looked at the reflections, but there were no fingerprints or smudges either. I then lifted my gaze to the ceiling and saw what looked like ventilation grills.

No fur… No dust… It’s as if this ship is brand new or something…

I raised my hand, and let it trail along the metal wall. There were subtle lines in the wall, and I imagined that some of them were maintenance panels. Disturbingly enough, there didn’t seem to be any way of opening them up.

‘A ship with just one seat? Isn’t that odd?’ I thought.

‘I’m not an expert at shuttles capable of going to the moon, but this ship basically looks like a giant set of engines with a small habitation module in the middle,’ Volkov answered.

I stepped back, found the edge of the wall, and tried to wedge a claw in, ‘Why make this thin passage to the cockpit?’

‘You think the wall is a fake and something is hiding behind it?’ Volkov wondered.

‘Perhaps… It’s just that this design rubs me the wrong way,’ I thought.

I pulled with my claws wedged into the edge, but the wall wouldn’t budge. With a sigh I relaxed, and then gave the wall a solid knock with my hand.

Hollow…

‘This is probably the same tech that Arjali’s box was made of; only certain people can open this wall to reveal what’s within,’ Volkov suggested.

I stepped back from the wall, ‘So there were parts of the ship they didn’t want us to see.’

‘The kind of micro-fusion generators within this ship don’t exist within Sophos, hell… A single fusion reactor is as big as this ship,’ Volkov added.

My gaze drifted toward the cockpit, ‘I’d love to have a talk with someone from the moon and learn why they insist on keeping stuff like this from us… Aren’t we allies? The same species? The same nation?’

‘Good questions, entirely irrelevant at the moment, but good questions nonetheless…’

I frowned to myself, ‘Guess we have no choice but to move on then.’

With little else to examine, I kept walking, and poked my head into the cockpit. It was shaped like a dome, and I reasoned that its surface consisted of screens.

There was also a large chair in the center of it all, and based on its appearance, it had automatically adjusted itself to fit my size. The chair also faced me, which suggested it had some kind of maneuverability.

I turned around, raised my tail to the side, and then eased myself back into the chair. Upon leaning back, the chair seemed to activate. In a silent, sweeping motion, the chair turned around to face the front of the cockpit.

For a few moments nothing happened, and I looked down to inspect the chair. The cushioning was hard, and the armrest had what looked like two balls of silver.

Interfaces… Activated by touch…

I leaned back until my head came to rest on the supports, and then settled my hands on the two interfaces. A tingle ran along the pads, and I felt a connection being formed between us. My eyes widened with a sudden surge into my arms, and my neck stiffened as I pushed back against the headrest.

The ship itself hadn’t changed, but a sudden awareness was rushing over me.

‘Oh my,’ Volkov murmured.

My hands clenched the orbs, and a confusing set of sensation began to infiltrate my mind.

I felt heavy, and the floor of the hangar was hard. My insides hummed, and I could feel an eagerness to get going. The air tingled on my wings, and the fusion reactors were standing ready.

The sheer weirdness of it all made me shut my eyes, but to my surprise it didn’t rob me of my vision. I could see the inside of the ship, and I saw myself sitting in the chair. The outside of the ship was no different; radar-beams scanned along the surfaces, and finely embedded photo-sensors in the hull enabled me to see it all at once.

This is… overwhelming…

‘It’s amazing,’ Volkov whispered in my mind.

I opened my eyes once more and tried to focus on the wall in front of me. It worked, and I drew a deep shuddering breath as the sensory overload became something more manageable.

“Oh, hmm…” I murmured to myself.

As I drew deep breaths, everything began to calm down, and I became aware of something else.

There was a presence within the ship, and I could feel its eyes on me. Observing in silence.

‘Hello?’ I thought, and directed my thoughts to the entity.

Nothing…

No answer came, and Volkov whispered, ‘I’ve tried as well, whatever this intelligence is, it’s not interested in talking with us.’

I exhaled slowly and blinked. Something was still going on in my head. A transfer of knowledge and information. Subtle, but present, as if I were listening to a gentle trickle of water flowing through a stream.

Whether I wanted to or not, I was learning things, about this ship, and how to control it.

The windows…

The thoughts sparked something, and my own mind reached into the ship.

[Primary systems switching to Active]

I could hear clicks and whirrs along with a hum as the inside of the ship powered on. The surface of the dome began to glow, and the inside of the hangar was revealed.

[Closing Hatch]

My ears perked as the hatch began to move, and then closed with a loud thump. I drew breath a deep breath as if my instructions to the ship were mimicked by my own body.

[Pressurization in progress]

A hiss was heard, and I felt information being fed back to me.

[Pressurization complete] [No anomalies detected] [System pre-check complete]

[Lunar Uplink Stable] [Nav-system online] [Launch Approved by “LinkEtemenankiCentral”]

Something was missing. My gaze wandered, and I realized that I hadn’t strapped myself in. Belts weaved their way along my body, and I felt them tighten around me.

[One passenger – Hybrid – Wolf Alpha – Designation: Vilkas – Stable – System Access: Limited]

The presence of the ship within my mind was a seductive one, just like Etemenanki’s dreams. I was aware of who I was, and why I was here, but my body wasn’t the focal point any longer. The ship had in some sense integrated itself into me… or was it the other way around, had the ship integrated me into itself?

My own body seemed to have faded into the background. Perhaps that was also why the AI within the ship seemed simpler in a way; a ghost in the machine, meant to ease you into taking control of the ship.

‘You’re adapting awfully quickly,’ Volkov thought.

‘You’re feeling this as well, right?’ I thought.

‘No… No, I'm not. Sure, I can piggyback on your link to the ship and explore the systems that are unlocked to us, but the way this ship is integrating itself into you as if it was an extension to your nervous system is alien to me.’

I forced myself to draw a deep breath, and I began to realize how strange it all was.

‘I have no idea how to fly a ship, but this thing is making me feel as if it’s second nature to me.’

‘I sure hope that’s not just a feeling, because if we plummet to the ground and end up in a wreckage, then I'll be pretty damn pissed at you!’ Volkov said.

‘I’ve got this, I think… Just need to get the Nav-System going, cycle the hangar, rev up the reactors, dial in the thrusters, and make our way out before we melt the deck we’re standing on.’

‘Ah, just that, a walk in the park, yes…’ Volkov murmured.

I smirked to myself, closed my eyes, and focused on the ship’s Nav-System. Another surge washed over me as I drew a deep breath, and within my mind’s eye I could see the entire planet come into view.

We can go anywhere…

‘Shame there’s only a few places worth visiting,’ Volkov thought.

As my mind wandered through the Nav-System, I could feel highlights popping up here and there.

Veripolis… Defense Force hubs… Dreadnaughts... The Lunar Docks… Moonbase Alpha…

I tried to focus, and all except two were filtered out.

Dreadnought Class Ice Crawler – Designation: Fenrir…

Moonbase Alpha – Docking Port 32…

I removed one hand from the interface and reached up to feel my head. My claws brushed through the thick fur, and I let out a groan as I tried to stifle the thought that had just occurred to me.

‘Volkov,’ I thought.

‘Yes?’ Volkov wondered.

‘You’re seeing this, right?’ I wondered.

‘I am,’ Volkov answered.

‘Well?’ I thought.

‘I’m not the one making this decision,’ Volkov answered.

It gnawed at me, and I couldn’t help but grit my teeth. Why were we here? In a lunar shuttle of all places? Was I supposed to believe that this was the only means of transportation? Was it another fucking test? If so, what was the right answer here?

‘Am I being stupid?’ I thought.

‘… I can’t involve myself in this,’ Volkov whispered.

‘Why not?’ I thought.

‘Because I'm not in control of this, Vilkas. I’m not the one who can push the button which will either take us to the moon, or to the dreadnought that Athena wants us to visit.’

‘Why did she put us on a lunar shuttle?’ I thought.

‘But she never mentioned a lunar shuttle, remember? She probably has no clue,’ Volkov said.

I eased my hand down, and put it on the interface again, ‘So, this is a test… One where the right answer depends on whoever or whatever issued the test. Lovely.’

Volkov was silent, and I found myself in silence as well. I sat there, thinking, pondering, weighing options back and forth.

This ‘test’ felt as if it was based around temptation. At the same time, one could reason that it was based around one’s willingness to make a leap of faith. To break orders and reach for that which one desired.

Answers… Answers to a great many questions.

I drew another breath and had to admit that I had already my choice. Perhaps I had made it from the very start, and just needed to torment myself for a while.

‘I’ve made my decision, I assume you’ve reached the same conclusion?’ I thought.

‘Yes… We should head to Moonbase Alpha,’ Volkov answered.

It took me a moment to notice what he had said. In the moments that followed it felt as if a lead weight had dropped into my gut.

‘… That was your conclusion?’ I wondered.

‘Yes?’ Volkov answered.

I gulped, ‘I don’t agree.’

‘I know… I know you don’t,’ Volkov whispered.

I felt my ears fold back, ‘Ah, I see… We’ve diverged enough that we can’t even reach the same conclusion on something like this.’

‘… It’s not that simple,’ Volkov answered.

‘How so?’ I wondered.

‘I know you, Vilkas. In many ways I am you, even now. Therefore, I also understand what you think, and what you value. You have your family. You have your pack. You may not want to admit it, but there’s a bond between you and the AIs which govern Sophos as well. You care about Athena, and you respect Ares. You may not trust many things in this world, but you want to believe in the idea of Sophos, that it can become something great.’

‘And you?’ I thought.

‘I have none of those things, Vilkas… I seek answers. I am you, from before, alone and driven by questions that burned brighter than the sun. I would be content going to the moon and facing whatever it is that exists up there,’ Volkov thought.

‘You’re not alone, Volkov,’ I thought.

‘I know, but you get what I mean…’

I drew a deep breath, ‘I want to think that we’ll unearth the secrets of Moonbase Alpha one day, but that we’ll do it together, with the support of everyone, and the pack,’ I thought.

‘I know… Which is why I didn’t want to be part of this decision, despite my own personal desires.’

I swallowed hard, and lowered my head, ‘I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait to find your answers.’

‘I understand,’ Volkov whispered, and his presence faded into the background once more. My throat felt a little tight as I looked up once more, focused, and brought up the Nav-System once more.

[Navigation Point selected: Dreadnought Class Ice Crawler – Designation: Fenrir]

[Autopilot Engaging] [Hangar Doors are cycling]

512 A.R. February 16, Etemenanki – Hangar, Midday

I had found myself amazed when the shuttle had departed, and its engines engaged at full thrust.

I’d never been in the air before, not like this at least. Sure, I had seen drone footage, but flight used for transport wasn’t really a thing unless you were leaving the planet.

That amazement I'd felt hadn’t lasted long. The inside of the cockpit, despite its impressive display, couldn’t match the sensations brewing in the back of my mind.

I had given myself over to it, and I had found myself feeling as if I had become the shuttle.

The wind soared over my skin, the thrusters flared with power and heat. Electric power ran through me as if it had replaced my blood. I could see the entire world spread out around me, and while I could focus on a singular thing, it was more relaxing to just go with the flow.

I could feel our destination, the steady pings of the dreadnought washing over me as we maintained radio-contact. There was also Etemenanki’s presence, and from up high the moon loomed with a pressure that would not abate. It was as if the whole craft was weighed down by the influence of an alien star.

Whatever the odd feeling was, I could not understand it. Just experience it. It was an annoying characteristic, and I found myself attempting to filter it out.

As I focused on the ground below me, I could see valleys of cracked ice. Giant ice-shelves that slowly rearranged over a span of centuries. Every once in a while, the white surface lit up with the presence of secret emplacements. Tanks buried under the snow. Artillery pieces hiding under ice-covered shutters. Railguns waiting to blow missiles out of the air. Drone bases housing thousands—if not tens-of-thousands— of mothballed units.

An alert flared within the systems of the ship. My own gaze shifted in an instant, and the optics focused on an event that had occurred near the horizon. A flare of light, an explosion. Within moments a report regarding it flowed over my senses.

A Dyssian tank had momentarily passed over into Sophos territory, an artillery piece had fired at the location, and it was already moving to ensure no counterattack was possible.

For a moment I felt worried, but the ship itself seemed to counter it with a whisper of information.

Events like this was a daily occurrence, nothing strange, nothing out of the ordinary.

Still…

My skin tingled, and I could see as the ship’s hull activated its camouflage. Within moments it had taken on the appearance of the sky above us. Shifting clouds in hues of gray and white.

I felt safer now… the ship felt safer.

Once more the ship whispered into my mind. It had observed me with caution, but now felt comfortable in my presence. I inquired about the moon, but the response was clear.

[Restricted User]

The intelligence of the ship offered something akin to apologies, or rather, dismay at not being able to fulfill my desires.

‘It’s okay,’ I thought.

The sensations from the ship flared, and I could interpret it as, ‘No, it’s not, but I can’t help it.’

The line between the living and the machine has already withered to dust. So where does one draw the line between sentience and sapience, when even a ship like this can feel ‘anger’ at being restricted by others?

A new alert flared, and my focus was drawn to a peak in the distance. There was a relay tower on it, an optical one. The ship began to shoot its com-laser at it, and a connection was made with Fenrir.

Moments later, the ship went radio silent.

[Lunar Uplink disabled] [Radar Disabled] [Radio Disabled] [Silent Mode – Optics only]

Camouflaged and radio silent, even the engines shifted to a low power mode while the wings extended a little to provide more gliding power.

We were coming closer to the Dyssian border, where danger loomed.

The sensors caught the first sight of the Fenrir. A gargantuan ice-crawler hidden in the shadow of a large ice-shelf that reached out of the ground like a giant hand with claws.

[Line of sight contact established with ‘Fenrir’] [Docking and guidance information received]

I turned my focus on the dreadnought, but it wasn’t through the screens in the cockpit. Instead I saw it all through my mind’s eye. Focusing on it didn’t show an image, but instead built a 3-D representation, and highlighted it with grid lines.

The dreadnought had the rough shape of a large rectangular box. The rear seemed to have a large docking bay, while the front had something akin to the mouth of a large insect. It made me focus on it, and I could see what looked like a huge set of utility tendrils.

Volkov whispered in my mind, ‘I’m looking through the specifications, and it appears that dreadnoughts like this have everything they need to be their own manufacturing platform. Droids, drones, ammunition, you name it.’

‘How do they get the resources?’ I thought.

‘The Dyssian forces that venture into the area are considered scrap once destroyed, and they’re brought here by flying scavengers. The dreadnought picks it apart, recycles it, and out pops a friendly unit.’

I turned my focus to the top of the dreadnought, and I could see large laser domes, artillery cannons, and missile tubes lining the sides.

‘Heh, this is fun… On clear days they use mirror drones up high to reflect beams fired from the dreadnought,’ Volkov answered.

‘Isn’t that risky?’ I thought.

‘Sure, but at the same time… Can you imagine the kind of power a vessel that size could generate? It could bypass any kind of interceptor and turn its target into molten slag in an instant.’

We were closing in on the dreadnought, and the sheer scale of it was becoming evident. The ship I was in felt big, but the hangar we were heading toward looked like nothing more than a small window on the dreadnought itself.

‘A weight of 100 000 tons, if it wasn’t shaped like a fat toad there’s no way it’d be able to crawl across the ice,’ Volkov thought.

‘No wonder it’s called a dreadnought then,’ I thought.

Along the bottom of it were numerous sets of tracks like one would find on a tank. But, the strangest part of it all was a large set of legs that had been folded up. Eight of them in total, like a spider.

‘When it can’t crawl… it walks,’ Volkov whispered.

Fenrir was growing in size with haste, and the ship lowered its altitude to match the designated hangar. As my senses shifted to peer behind us, I could see snow being whirled up in our approach.

[Docking Approved – Hangar opening]

I looked in front as the ship began to slow down, and the thrusters shifted to point downward.

The hangar was opening, and we were going inside.