"The Secret of Biosyn"

By MrNelg

Act: I

Ian

The rain fell in drenching sheets, hammering the house's tiled roof, roaring down the metal gutters, and splashing on the ground just outside the metal grate in a torrent. Ian Reily sighed and stared out the grate. The wind outside ruffled his white button-up tee shirt with sky blue jeans and chestnut woollen jacket. He could hardly see the front yard or the forest beyond, cloaked in low fog, from the opposite side of the metal bars. He sighed again, pulling off his beige flat cap and brushing his short, blond hair from one side to the other for the thirty-ninth time as he crossed his black sneakers.

For the past three days, it had rained non-stop.

He didn't want to spend his free time like this. Ian spent most of his days lounging around the one-room apartment he called home. He prepared food, cleaned, made and mended clothing and valuable tools. His job was one of the top five dangerous ones. He was a Forager. Someone who journeyed above the floorboards into the halls of the Gods. Unfortunately, Foragers had to wait until they were required to do so. So, during his days off, Ian would climb up through the walls to the very top of the house.

When the sun was out, you could see everything that went on in the world outside. Especially the giant golden rings that circled the whole planet high in the sky. The Gods believed the Rings were the souls of the departed, watching over all the world from the heavens. But science had proven that, long before the planet had a breathable atmosphere, the rings were the remains of the planet's third moon that had drifted too close, and the gravitational field tore it up. Ian often stared at those rings, wondering if his mother was up there, watching over him. Now, he couldn't even see the front gate—stupid rain.

He sighed and leaned against the brick wall, closing his eyes and listening to the world's sounds outside. This grate was the house's highest point. If he concentrated, he could hear gurgling water coming from the river, which the forest hid from view. No one in the colony knew the secret route you had to take to get up here, so Ian could monopolise the privacy if provided.

And at the moment, he wanted privacy. He was twenty years old now. Which meant today was the fifteenth anniversary of the Great Escape. Fifteen years since he lost his mother. A deep sigh escaped his lips. Birthdays were a time of celebration and fun. But only with family and friends. Ian had no family. He didn't even know who his father was. His mother told him the Gods at Biosyn bred her with five men before she became pregnant. No one knew who those men were, and it didn't help that everyone told him he looked like his mother.

After the colony settled beneath the floors of the Ylimaf family farm, he was placed in a school. A home for orphans until his thirteenth year, when he was old enough to work. He'd started repairing tools, but he found it boring and mundane. When he overheard some Foragers in a pub talking about their night topside, he knew what he wanted to do. Foraging. Journeying up past the floorboards into the home of the Gods to scavenge was what he was born to do. It had been an intense training course, but he'd passed, journeying up, first as a scout and then as an apprentice. Now, he had graduated to the rank of full Forager, and the next mission would take him to a more dangerous part of the house.

He should've been ecstatic. Yet he was more gloomy than the weather.

Something interrupted his foul mood, and he leaned out of the grate. As he listened, another sound became audible through the steady beat of the rain. A deeper rumble built and emerged until it was clear. A car. Ian's eyes flew open, and he climbed out of the grate as far as he dared, looking out towards the driveway. Cars fascinated him. They were sleek metal boxes that the Gods travelled in. The ones in Thorn Valley had wheels, but the cars from Rosebush City could suspend themselves off the ground without them, which made Ian want to see one up close.

The car's sound increased until it burst through the fog and emerged from the forest before following the driveway to the garage. The vehicle halted just in front as something raced towards it from the porch. Ian saw the God, Throp Ylimaf, the family's patriarch, half-hidden under a large dark blue umbrella, moving towards the car. He could hear the murmurings of the rest of the Gods just below the porch awning.

Craning his neck, Ian watched the driver's side door open, and a Goddess stepped out. He recognised her as Throp's sister. Aside from their gender, the two were almost identical in appearance. Charcoal fur with plum-coloured hair. Their large, rounded furry ears and long, pink, thin, furless tails were visible from Ian's vantage point. He smiled at a long distant memory back at Biosyn of a Goddess who cared for his class, remarking to another Goddess how funny he looked with his tiny, flat ears, muzzle-less face and no tail.

Looking down at the Gods from his vantage point, one would never know they were giants—enormous beings who towered over humans and could comfortably hold one in a furry hand. Humans, by contrast, stood at two and a half inches compared to the giant Gods, who reached as high as six feet. Despite growing up around and interacting with them, Ian still felt awed and frightened by their presence.

His thoughts were derailed as Throp's sister struggled to get her umbrella up before rushing around to the passenger's door as her brother opened it. Another Goddess slowly climbed out. Ian tilted his head. He'd never seen her before. She was considerably younger than the other two Gods, with a white short-sleeved buttoned-up shirt and long purple dress that almost reached her ankles. Her fur was lighter charcoal but beige instead of white fur underneath her muzzle, like Throp's and his sister's. Her long, midnight blue hair was pulled back and held in place by a gold headband while the rest was done up in a plaited ponytail that rested over her right shoulder.

Throp helped her as she walked, forsaking his dryness for her. His sister shielded her with their umbrellas as they helped her cross the wet grass towards the house as fast as possible. Ian watched until they disappeared under the awning, and their chatter was muted by the closing of the front door.

Turning around, Ian hurried back towards the ventilation shaft. He climbed down until he could hear voices. Within the hidden safety of the shaft, he could listen to the conversations in the house, mainly when the Gods talked on the telephone. However, their enormous size gave their voices a colossal volume, which, combined with the echoes caused by the ventilation shaft, made conversations hard to hear.

So, listening now, he could make out snippets of the Gods' conversations.

<...fine. She'll be well…>

<...Operation took a lot out of her. She…>

<...For the next three months, she needs. I can…>

<...In three months. Then she can come home to…>

<... Won't we, Therisa? The family's got…>

<...Uncle Throp. I'm sure Aunt Thrace and Cousin…>

Ian's brow furrowed. Therisa? That wasn't Throp's sister's name. It had to be the name of the new Goddess—the younger one. So, another Goddess would live in the house for the next three months. He hurried back down the vent shaft, climbing into the space between the walls and making his way towards the very bowels of the house. He made his way down the ladder, nails hammered into the wood, before taking the elevator - an electric-powered glass lamp case - that led down through the pipes.

Down here was the house's foundation. Ian raced along the wooden bridge that separated the wooden beams above from the rocks, weeds, abandoned building materials and dirt far below. He slowed down as he spied the thorny vines that formed a tangled mess below. He reached the tunnels leading down even further before exiting onto the soft dirt floor. When it rained, particularly a lot, the rain would soak down and dampen this area, causing the ground to get muddy sometimes. So, engineers installed a wooden road along the bottom, leading to the various exits around the open area.

Ian raced across one of those bridges, his path lit by the numerous multi-colour lights strung along the ceiling, towards the wide but short tunnel, ignoring the guards' outraged cry to slow down. Instead, he increased his pace, his boots thudding loudly on the wooden floor as he reached the end and came to a halt.

Before him lay the colony—his home. It was a narrow, abandoned cellar sealed off from the house above, stretching back into the illuminated darkness. It was fourteen meters long and five meters wide. Hanging from the ceiling were numerous ceiling fans designed to suck out and disperse smoke and stale air while bringing in fresh air. Buildings constructed of wooden crates, cardboard boxes, baskets, suitcases, and children's backpacks are connected via walkways constructed from plumbing pipes and rest atop the foundations of cans, bottles, bricks, and concrete blocks. Their windows glowed from the tiny light bulbs inside. These occupied the ground level, while high above, five levels of housing climbed the red-brick walls of the cellar.

Here, houses, huts and tents fashioned from milk cartons, cereal boxes, soda cans, lunch bags and clothing were set haphazardly on jutting platforms constructed from bookshelves, wooden planks and even Balsa Wood without regard for harmony or accessibility. They lined both sides of the walls, going up and down like levels in the massive multi-story buildings the Gods lived in. Above him, connecting the two sides were walkways made of rope and ice-cream sticks that stretched back and forth like telephone cables, while stairs and even platform elevators ran up and down on both sides.

And atop everything else were the decorations for the celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of the Great Escape.

A pretty young woman with long blonde hair and no shoes startled him as she swung by on a rope, making her skirt fly teasingly upwards. She used the rope to get from one side of the colony to the other. Ian watched as she leapt from the rope with ease, landing gracefully on a platform just above him and chatting to the people who lived there. Ian waited until the rope swung back before snagging and using it to swing across to a platform on the opposite side. From there, Ian climbed up a ladder made from nails hammered into the wall before using a vertical zipline to reach a large building composed of two wooden packing crates.

As he walked in through the front door, the first sight to greet him was the large celebration banner, not for the fifteenth anniversary, but rather the death of a rather annoying Titan predator at the hands of a God yesterday. The colony nicknamedd her Sha'shi after an infamous Red-Tail villain in a God's children's book. She had been responsible for eating many human Foragers who journeyed beyond the boundaries of the Ylimaf family farm to lessen the chances that the Gods would become suspicious about too many things going missing. The sight improved his mode somewhat, as Ian had been very good friends with Lisa. She'd been Sha'shi's last victim, swallowed whole and alive a week ago.

He screwed his eyes shut before casting a quick glance skyward towards the Great Rings before continuing on. The woman behind the desk didn't even look up from her paperwork but called out a greeting. Ian returned the 'Hello' as he continued past her and down the tight, narrow corridors of the building. Taking a left, then another left and a right, Ian descended a set of steep steps and opened a heavy wooden door.

A cacophony of sounds blasted Ian as he walked into the tool room. Like the woman at the front desk, the man didn't look up from his bench as Ian entered the room. Instead, he momentarily halted his welding to call out a 'welcome' to Ian as he closed the heavy wooden door behind him. "What's wrong, Ian," Tholop said, loud enough to be heard over the background racket of the workshop. "I already told you I don't have anything for you to fix, and your next scavenging trip isn't for two more days."

Like every one of the first generation, Tholop had a God name, not a human name. Even after the Great Escape, the first generation kept their God-given names. "We have a new Goddess in the house for the next three months." All noise in the workshop ceased. Tholop stared back at him.

"Do you know what room the family has her staying in?" Ian shook his head. Tholop put down his welding torch. "Well, that's just complicated things. When is she turning up?"

"She just arrived," Ian answered, and Tholop's eyes widened.

He snorted as he snapped, "Well, chalk another failure up to intelligence." He turned to a short, blonde-haired man to his left. "Fire off a nasty worded communique to those idiots tapping the telephone. I can't wait to hear who they blame."

"So does that mean the mission is on hold?" Dave, a dark-haired man, asked.

"Until we know what room the family puts her in, I'm not sending anyone topside." Nobody responded, but Ian could feel the disappointment in the air. "Hey, don't be like that," Tholop cried out. "Have you all forgotten tonight's big event?" A few smiles appeared. "It's going to be a night of celebration, so I don't want to see any down faces." He turned and pointed a gloved finger at Ian. "Including you, birthday boy." Ian nodded in reply. "Good, now, as for the rest of you, get back to work. Even if we aren't going topside, our work schedule isn't going anywhere."

Therisa

"And here we are," Aunt Thrace said as she turned on the light. "Now, you just sit, dear, and we'll get you settled in." Uncle Throp carried Therisa into the room, sitting her in a chair. Therisa inhaled loudly, drinking in the unique scent the room contained. It wasn't just this room, but the whole house which suddenly appeared fifteen years ago. Uncle Throp told her the house had been rebuilt numerous times, so no one knew where it came from. Aunt Thrace believed some flowers must be growing somewhere below the foundations. It was a lovely, pleasant smell that relaxed you, which is just one of the reasons it was suggested she recuperate here.

Uncle Throp checked her one last time before leaving so Therisa could have some privacy. Aunt Thrace helped her change into her nightgown and settled her into bed. The bed was a vast king-size bed so that all three of her cousins could nap on it anytime they were in the children's playroom. Up here were toy chests, board games, playsets, action figures, dolls and doll houses. She'd been up here numerous times with her cousins when her family had visited her uncle and aunt's Farm. As a child, she thought this was fantastic. As a young adult, it felt so lonely. Well, Thrisica's room was just across the hall. If she wanted some company, her eldest cousin was readily available. But she had a job in town, working at the grocery store.

Her cousins loved visiting her family's townhouse in Rosebush City. There was so much more to do: movie theatres, arcades, drive-in restaurants, and milk bars. All within a ten-minute walking distance. Thorn Valley, by contrast, was just a cross intersection with buildings surrounding it. No traffic lights, just a couple of stop signs. Walking into town would take forty-five minutes, and once you arrived, the most exciting thing was the grocery store or, depending on your age, the bar. At least they had a television set. But that was on the first floor, and Aunt Thrace didn't want her exerting herself journeying down two flights of stairs for at least the first month.

Therisa looked out the rain-slashed window and sighed. Three months. While she was lucky that the Biosyn Corporation had successfully cloned her a new heart, it was still weak and adjusting to her body. So she couldn't be engaged in any strenuous actions or stress. While she was recovering from the operation, Uncle Throp suggested that she recuperate at the family farm while her new heart settled in. It was quiet and isolated from the stress of Rosebush City.

The only positive aspect of the situation was that everyone in Thorn Valley was Mou'nae, like herself, not the smaller-eared, thicker-tailed, and more sizeable Rod'tia. While a significant Mou'nae population did reside in Rosebush City, most of the city's inhabitants were Rod'tia. Mou'nae always seemed to prefer the country, while Rod'tia tended to inhabit urbanised centres.

"I know what you're thinking." Therisa turned to see her eldest cousin, Thrisica, placing her bags by the door. She was more like her father, with charcoal fur and her long, plum-coloured hair pulled back in a bushy ponytail and secured with a pretty pink bow. "What will do you in first? Your heart or boredom." That drew an outraged cry from Aunt Thrace. Cousin Thrisica dismissed it with a half-hearted apology and turned back to Therisa. "My next shift starts in two hours. I'll try to find some time to visit you." Therisa nodded. It took her cousin twenty-five minutes to ride her bicycle into town.

"Are you gonna be okay, Cousin Therisa?" From behind Thrisica, a little light-charcoal face with bushy blue curls blinked back at her. Thrisica patted her sister's head.

"She needs rest, Theesa. The operation was a success, but her new heart needs time to adjust to her body."

"But why," the little one asked. "The doctors said it was the same as her old one."

"Cloning organs cannot be explained with a one-sentence answer, sweetie," Aunt Thrace said. "Think of it like moving into a new home or school. It takes time to adjust." Therisa chuckled at Theesa's expression. Her youngest cousin had never changed schools or houses her entire life. In fact, the Thorn Valley School was a one-room schoolhouse that taught all ages.

Aunt Thrace packed the last of her clothes in the cupboard before shooing her cousins away. "Cousin Therisa needs some rest, and I have to get dinner ready if your big sister is going to have anything to eat before she goes to work." Then she was all alone.

Therisa placed a hand over her heart, tracing the almost invisible scars down her chest. She had been born small, Five-foot-five and with a weak heart. It had been a massive handicap her entire life. She was lucky the recent developments made by the Biosyn Corporation finally gave her a new lease on life. She was now in her early forties, and now, if what the doctors told her was true, she could finally play sports. All throughout school, she had enviously watched on the sidelines as other children played physical games. Not anymore. The first thing she planned to do was swim in the river just beyond the Farm.

But that was still three months away.

Therisa sighed again and turned back to the window. The distorted image of the world outside didn't offer any relief from the boredom. She kicked off the sheets and tugged at the collar of her nightgown. Despite the rain, it was relatively warm up here. With a slightly lesser sigh, she carefully lay down and tried to get some sleep despite how hot she was feeling.

Ian

The celebrations were spectacular. The cellar in which the colony was built had long been abandoned by the house's original owner. From what they discovered, dangerous reptiles and insects kept infesting the cellar, no matter how many times they cleansed it. Finally, after one of the Gods died from a poisonous reptile, the basement was sealed and forgotten. Over time, numerous owners made new additions to the house, knocked down sections, and rebuilt atop the old. But the cellar remained forgotten about.

It turned out that the Gods couldn't stop the infestation because of a series of large trees cut down during construction. Their roots had created a natural underground tunnel that led to the river. That tunnel was how they had found the cellar in the first place. It was protected by layers of forgotten foundations and was soundproof. Thus, it is the perfect place to have a colony. There had been an argument against settling too close to the Gods, but those who were against it conceded after the fact that they weren't self-sufficient enough to settle anywhere else.

The council was still considering settling somewhere isolated in the foreseeable future. Everyone understood the Colony couldn't keep living off the Gods forever as it grew. It would be a matter of time before they were seen or caught. And every human knew that they could never go back to Biosyn.

Ian ignored these thoughts as he wandered the streets, trying not to get blinded by the flashing coloured lights that crisscrossed high above. He couldn't walk past a street corner that didn't have a lone musician or a band playing a rendition of the latest hit song the Gods played on the Radio. And just like the Goddess' on the Television, the girls all whooped and screamed as the men sang to them. Around them, other people danced like the Gods did, even mimicking their swinging hips as they swished their non-existent tails.

In an ample open space, which housed a market district, a play was being performed for the children. A small band added a musical score to the show, dramatising how the humans left Biosyn and settled here. The Gods were represented by humans dressed in rodent suits and two giant paper mache puppets. Ian had to admit they were impressive, even if they were just hands and heads. The puppeteers, all dressed in black, pulled levers, tilted cross braces' and moved pulleys, bringing life to paper mache giants, much to the delight of the young audience. They gasped in awe as they appeared from above the stage and even shrieked with delight as their giant hands picked people up and held them over their heads.

Ian watched the show out of curiosity but left once the story reached the Great Escape. One of the main reasons the search for a new settlement took so long was that many humans had been lost during the escape and their journey here. The council vowed never to make that mistake again.

Further on, Ian reached a large building converted from an old crate with a black curtain for a door. He paused and eyed the sign announcing that all shows tonight were free. Above the curtain was a giant billboard with the night's shows and start times, and Ian's eyes gravitated toward the show that had just begun. Hurrying up to the man by the curtain, he asked, "Are there any spare seats tonight?"

He checked the mud map in his hands, almost obscured by markings. "No, but if you don't mind standing, we've got some space against the back wall." Ian nodded, and after the man made another mark on the map, he pulled the curtain aside. As he said, "Head left," the show's theme song blasted him from inside.

<Good ol' Thrac is on his way, we're going to have some fun today, so put away your worries, you'll soon be feeling fine, watching The Thrac Show each night on RBTV-Nine.>

The bright glow at the far end showed Ian that all the seats inside the darkened building and the aisle were occupied. He went to the back and leaned against the wall as the announcer's voice explained how the Thrac Show was filmed in front of a live studio audience and was proudly sponsored by Tarax Cola.

At the opposite end sat a scavenged Television screen, which engineers had rigged up a connection to the Gods' antenna to catch the radio signals. Everyone loved watching Television. This was undeniably the greatest of all the Gods' inventions, other than Tarax Cola. The children loved watching cartoons, while the adults enjoyed soap operas and comedies like 'The Thrac Show.'

'The Thrac Show' was Ian's favourite show. Even though Thrac was a God, Ian loved his adventures. He loved seeing all the Gods look up to him. He loved seeing how Thrac was so amazing at everything. But most of all, Ian loved how Thrac solved all his problems in the twenty-two minutes each episode ran.

Ian's attention was glued to the black-and-white images on the Television screen, ignoring the flickering of the lousy connection as Thrac solved the day's problems. Staring at the Gods on the screen, Ian could lose himself in their world. He could forget that, standing next to one, he was eye-level with their ankles as they were human-sized on the screen. As Ian laughed when the audience laughed and cheered when they cheered, his problems disappeared.

Suddenly, the screen flickered and went black. Outraged cries filled the theatre, and some of the audience, who were part of the Engineering Department, rushed forward to see what could be done. After some back and forth, it was discovered that nothing was wrong with the connection. There was no power. After sending a messenger, he immediately returned to reveal the power had gone out all over the colony. Ian left the theatre, and the disappointed groans behind. He wouldn't want to be the Engineering Department's representative, who would have to be in front of the council tomorrow morning.

Outside, the entire colony was shrouded in darkness. There were cries of outrage and disappointment, but thankfully, no one was panicking. A few people whooped and cheered as everyone gathered around small fires lit to help with whatever entertainment didn't require electricity. Frustratingly, there were few options with the power out. Bands still played, drinks were still served, and some bright spark had used the light from one of the fires to put on an impromptu shadow puppet show for the children.

As he watched, he overheard some people asking about the fate of a friend injured when the power went out. Although he'd broken both his legs, he would be fine. Ian breathed a sigh of relief and found he wasn't upset anymore. It was then he remembered something Tholop once told him. 'As bad as you think you have it, someone else always has it worse.'

Theila

Dr. Theila Yad's high heels echoed on the floor as she walked through the front lobby of the Biosyn Corporation building, the security guard's watchful eye following her to the elevator. The sixty-six-year-old Rod'tia, with white fur and curly blue hair, swiped her ID card, causing the door to open with a pleasant ding. She rode it to the fifth floor and hurried toward Room E-5. As she walked the empty corridor, she sighed with nostalgia. Once, these halls had been alive with people rushing to and fro, everyone shouting greetings and their latest breakthroughs. Even security had been on a first-name basis.

As she neared the closed door, she could hear the raised voices. Taking a deep breath, Theila mentally prepared herself before opening the door. Dr Yrgna wasn't yelling but talking loudly to the technician next to him. Both men were gathered around a silver sphere with four insect-like arms and a single eye-pod in the centre. Theila recognised the robot as an Octo-Pod Service-Assist Robot. From what she could hear, it appeared that its left and rear arms were on the fritz again, and they would need to send it back to the factory. Which would take two weeks to ship. "Can't you fix the servos like you did the last time?"

The technician rubbed the bridge of his muzzle with an exhausted sigh. "The last time, I had a 'little' help," he said, emphasising the word, little as he held up his hands. "I can't fit my fingers inside. We need to send it back to the factory to take it apart to fix the problem." Anyone who didn't work here wouldn't understand what he was implying. Dr Yrgna understood, and he turned away with a disgusted grunt.

"Fine! Send it back to the damn factory, but without the robot, I will have to let the Director know why our schedule has gone out the window."

Theila barely managed to stand aside as the technician hurried past. Closing the door behind her, she walked over to Dr. Yrgna, now sitting at his desk. He didn't look up as she placed a white-furry hand on his shoulder. "What's gone wrong this time?" she asked.

"Director Ydoom is in a meeting with the Grey Suits." Theila visibly winced. The Gray Suits were the nicknamed given to the government bureaucrats who acted as liaisons. No one knew whether they were from the government, military, or both. All anyone knew was they were the project's funders. Ever since the escape, their presence had always been foreboding. Every time they showed up, Director Ydoom looked positively ill, and he looked even worse once they left.

"Do you think our division is next on the chopping block?" she asked.

"It's only a matter of time," Dr. Yrgna answered. "This place has been skating on thin ice since the escape." He opened his mouth to continue but couldn't bring himself to. Theila nodded in understanding. The last time the Gray Suits visited, the division had nine staff. Now, they only had three. He didn't even look up as the phone rang. He just grabbed it before it could ring a second time. "Animal Behaviour Department?" he answered. His face was emotionless as he just listened. "Yes, Director, I'll be up right away." He placed the phone down and turned to Theila . "This could be it," he said. "Theila , you've stayed with me the longest. Do you want to be in at the death?"

Theila 's muzzle twitched at the metaphor, but she nodded. "I'll face the firing squad with you, sir." For the first time in a long time, he smiled at her. Straightening his tie, he left the room with Theila in tow. The two rode the elevator up to the ninth floor, the very top, and headed for Door I-3. Just as they caught sight of the door, it opened, and five grey-suited men stormed out. Both she and Dr Yrgna moved aside as they filed past. Once they were out of sight, they continued.

Director Ydoom shocked Thelia. He seemed to have aged considerably since she last saw him, resembling a tired old rodent, while his expression would've had to lighten to seem grim. Both she and Dr Yrgna took a seat and waited. He looked up and gave half a smile, to Thelia's surprise. "I know what you're thinking," he said. "You're out of a job, right?" Nobody replied. "Well, someone is out of a job, but neither of you." Theila's eyes bulged.

"They dismissed you!" Dr Yrgna said. "But that's-!" Director Ydoom stilled him with a white-furred hand.

"Our backers and the board of directors have unanimously agreed that restarting the whole project is impossible. Biosyn will continue forward but with a new director."

"So what happens to us?" Theila asked. Ydoom shrugged.

"They have other projects that require your talents, but I have no idea what they are." The room was silent as no one knew what to say. Finally, Dr Yrgna rose and extended a white, furry hand to the director. He accepted it and then slumped back into his chair.

"So it's over," Theila said, breaking the silence. Nobody answered.

The rest of the day passed in almost total silence, with talking related to instructions. Finally, the day ended, and Theila headed for home. Leaving, she paused to look up at the towering building. The large logo of the Biosyn Corporation, a red 'X' within a green circle, appeared to glare down at her, like an angry eye with the same disapproving stare the Grey Suits gave her. She shivered as she climbed aboard the bus, almost colliding with a man climbing down.

His more prominent ears and smaller build identified him as a Mou'nae, not a Rod'tia. His chocolate fur and short green hair looked unkempt, and his rustic clothing made him stand out. He carried a shoebox, which was sealed with rope under one arm. He gave her a reproachful look for nearly colliding with him before making a bee-line for the Biosyn Corporation main entrance. Theila frowned but dismissed it when the bus driver asked her if she was getting on.

When she walked in through the front door of her apartment, Theila let out a gust of air she didn't know she'd been holding. Mulling over the day's events, Theila was emotionally conflicted. Should she be relieved? Sad?

Hanging up her coat in the closet, she removed the loose plank, exposing a hole in the wall. Reaching in, she pulled out the A4-sized black-and-white photo and stared at it. It had been taken fifteen years ago. She smiled back at the camera from the middle of the group. Director Ydoom stood to her left, and three Grey Suits occupied the right and behind.

At first glance, one wouldn't overthink it. Just a simple photo. But if you were to look closely, you would see four tiny figures. Two were peeking out from her curly, blue hair, while a third stood at her shoulder, clinging to her small, rounded, furry ear for support. A fourth adorably poked its head out from her lab coat pocket, staring curiously towards the camera. Her eyes drifted down to that one. He'd been the friendliest of all the little Yoman children. When she first started at Biosyn, he'd been the first to approach her, to let her pick him up and climb all over her body.

Her smile warmed at the memory. The children were so adorable, and how they clung to your hand as you picked them up warmed your heart. Everyone was careful when handling them, but she had been the first to let them explore her body like a mountain climber. This one had gone first. She had let him run free around her shoulder, and he loved exploring in her large, blue curls. Once the other children had seen this, they, too, wanted to explore her gigantic body.

It became common to see researchers performing their jobs with the little ones clinging to their ears or playing in their pockets. She had four of them running all over her the day the Grey Suits showed up with Director Ydoom. When they saw her, she thought she would've been terminated on the spot. Instead, they were ecstatic. They kept commenting on how well trust was being established with this new generation at such an early age. That was when the little one poked his head out of her pocket to see what the commotion was all about. It was the first and only time she'd heard the Grey Suits laugh.

That's when they took the photo. Theila wasn't supposed to have it, but one of the Grey Suits sneaked her a copy and told her to keep it hidden. When they raided her apartment four days after the escape, neither the Grey Suits nor the police found this photo. Did the Grey Suit who gave her this forget? Or just didn't care? Before the escape, they'd been cordial and genuinely interested in people's work before Director Ydoom rushed to greet them and whisk them away to the conference room to share his latest update.

Her sigh was almost a sob. This photo was a time capsule of a happier time—a time she wished would have continued forever. Her gaze settled on the little face poking out of her lab pocket, and she touched it with a single finger. "Where are you?" Then, her finger left. "And why did you leave?"

Ian

"Okay, listen up." Everyone gathered around Tholop as he spoke. In one hand, he clutched sheets of recently delivered papers. "Intelligence finally got back to us. This whole stay had been arranged at the Rosebush City Hospital while the Ylimaf family was there." A few heads just bobbed. Many were still hungover from the night's celebrations. "They have also managed to pin our guest down to the children's playroom on the third floor."

"Is the mission still on hold?" Someone behind Ian asked. "After last night, the Engineering Department has switched from begging to screaming for some new wiring from the spare cables the Gods keep in the attic." Tholop's face darkened.

"I heard they're trying to shift the blame onto us for last night's blackout," someone else said.

"It's not our fault Engineering keeps eating through wiring like candy," another answered.

"They say that all this rain and the dampness of the cellar is causing the cables to rot."

"Would that allow them to shift blame onto us?"

"Well, if they do, they should send some of their people topside. Get them to deal with Titans."

"Speaking of Titans, what's the word about Theesa getting a Titan pet?"

"Intelligence answered that last week. Her parents agreed when she's older and responsible enough to look after one."

Inwardly, Ian chuckled. Theesa was the same age as him. She turned twenty last week and wanted a Titan pet for her birthday. Although Ian had the maturity of a young adult, Theesa's maturity was similar to his when he was eight. The Gods had a longer lifespan than humans. Humans aged and matured faster than Gods. While the average human life span was roughly ninety years, a God lived twice as long, reaching just over two hundred years.

As everyone swapped stories about how greedy and underappreciative the Engineering Department was, Ian lost interest and turned back to Tholop. The man looked conflicted. On the one hand, he didn't want to risk going upstairs with a new God in the house, one whose habits weren't known. Foragers always journeyed upstairs at night, never during the day, and having a God who wandered in the middle of the night was something a Forager didn't want to encounter, nor one who was a light sleeper.

On the other hand, the colony desperately needed some new wiring, and if the Engineering Department did shift the blame onto them, the council would be breathing down Tholop's neck if he couldn't solve the problem. Suddenly, his face lit up. Flipping through the pages in his hand, he found one and smiled. He silenced everyone, saying, "This new Goddess is recovering from an operation. So she'll be resting, if not sleeping quite a lot." He pointed randomly into the crowd and said, "We'll make the journey tonight, but only a select few."

Ian sulked. That meant Tholop wanted experienced Foragers tonight and he wouldn't be going. Ian turned to leave, only to stop as Tholop stopped him with a hand. "Not so fast," he said with a smile. "I am going to need an experienced Scout up there tonight." Ian's face brightened, and Tholop laughed. You won't be doing any Foraging tonight, my boy, but you will join us upstairs, understood?" Ian nodded furiously. "Excellent! Now, get ready for your first night out in the open."

The rest of the day was a flurry of activity, although, for Ian, it passed painfully slow. He just couldn't contain his excitement and wished that night would come. He went over the rules of a Forager in his head to pass the time. Remember to keep to the shadows. Remember to keep a watch for vermin traps. Remember to be on the lookout for vermin also. Keep your ears alert. If you hear a noise that sounds like a God, hide, or failing that, freeze.

The experienced Foragers who were going were busy double-checking their equipment. Foragers needed tools to open drawers, lids, containers, and boxes, gathering only what they needed and nothing more. The Gods wouldn't miss a few items here and there but would notice significant discrepancies. The primary goal of foraging is not to leave your presence behind. This was one of the reasons Foragers also voyaged beyond the Ylimaf family farm. These assignments were the most dangerous as the woods beyond were filled with Titans.

Finally, as the sun vanished below the horizon and when the clock struck nine—just as they always did—the house went dark, and the Gods all retired to bed. They were ready to go. Everyone gathered in the mission room as Tholop read aloud the checklist of what they needed. Then, everyone rattled off their job for the mission. Tholop nodded satisfactorily at every answer. When the last team member finished, he motioned for silence.

"Now, let us pray." Everyone gathered around Tholop and knelt before him as he led them in prayer. "Oh, omnipotent Gods, we ask that you, who breathed life into us, spare us from your gaze this night. As we journey into your world, we promise not to take more than is necessary from your plentiful bounty. We promise to take only what we need and nothing else. We promise never to deprive you of what is yours and never interfere in your lives. This is our solemn vow." He then made the gesture with two fingers of an 'X' within a circle, and everyone followed suit.

Everyone filed out of the room in silence. Outside, people waved and cheered them, and others still made the sign of the Gods. There were few people out at the moment. The time between eight and nine was commonly nicknamedd the Dead Zone, as the Colony transitioned from business day into nightlife. Merchants and workers would pack up for the day, and bars and entertainment would open up in their place. Finally, they left the Colony behind as they exited the tunnel to the main entrance.

The group marched single file across the bridges just beyond the colony's main entrance. Above, the numerous multi-colour lights strung along the ceiling illuminated the wet mud beneath. Behind them, the guards' called out well wishes, which the crew returned as they headed for the main tunnel. As they ascended the tunnel towards the house's foundations, everyone began doing personal last-minute checks on all their equipment while Ian tested the device his backpack contained.

At the top, everyone lit their lamps before continuing along the wooden bridge, ignoring the rustling that emitted from the dark, rocky, and weed-infested tangled mess below. Ian couldn't help but look nervously downward, spotting a black shape moving among the shadows. Was it a Belly Crawler? A Scuttler? Or had a Titan somehow found a crawlspace big enough to squeeze through?

No one said anything until they reached the electric-powered glass lamp elevator. Tholop gave the orders for everyone to get inside. Since they were such a small group, their weight shouldn't strain the elevator too much. As the glass lamp elevator took them up, Tholop reviewed everyone's assigned duties again. Ian answered him with pride, and Tholop gave him a smile and a nod. When the elevator stopped, they all filed out and began individually climbing the nail ladder. Tholop waited until everyone had reached him before moving on.

The group squeezed through a hole in the wall before walking through the ventilation shaft. At the end, they squeezed through another hole into the spacing between the walls. Another glass-lamp elevator took them up to the house's third floor. They exited this and took a series of bridges to a platform elevator.

It was here that Ian bid the group farewell. They would journey up to the attic, while his job as a Scout would be to keep an eye on the Goddess. They waved goodbye to him, and he reciprocated, watching as they vanished into the darkness above. Then he quickly turned about and left. Hurrying back the way he came, he paused before squeezing through a hole into the ventilation shaft and, following it for a while, squeezed through another hole where he found a nail ladder. He climbed it before reaching a small platform with a piece of cardboard in front of it. Ian moved it aside to reveal a hole that he squeezed through.

Now, he was out in the open. He found himself standing on a desk that contained numerous toy soldiers. He marvelled at the sight of everything as he arched his vision across the entire room. From the grates and grills, everything seemed so small. Being out in the open reversed it, and Ian was suddenly aware of his size. Despite growing up around the Gods, walking around their world reminded Ian that he would never fully adjust to living in a world of giants.

His gaze landed on the enormous bed lamp before it settled on the bed directly beyond. The Goddess slept soundly in the bed, her back to him no more than three feet away. The sheets were pulled across her from the top and bottom, leaving only her waist covered. It left the back of her upper torso and long legs exposed to the world. Being so close to the Goddess, Ian felt more insignificant than he'd ever felt in his entire life. When he'd been a child, they seemed so majestic and not at all terrifying. But those were old memories. Now, he stood just a few feet from one and was aware of how massive they were.

Her long, midnight blue hair spilled out behind her while the top half of her light charcoal-furred body rhythmically stirred with the deep breathing of sleep. Putting down his backpack, Ian opened the flap to reveal an electronic device with a piece of wire and a staple attached. Resting his backpack against the lamp, Ian powered up the device, extended the wire and began tapping the staple. It sent a faint radio transmission to the Foraging party in the attic above. A series of dots and dashes let them know that the Goddess was fast asleep and most likely not getting up any time soon.

After half a minute, the staple began tapping as the Foraging party relayed the acknowledged signal. Ian smiled before returning to his post, watching the Goddess. She was staring right at him. Ian froze, not daring to breathe, only to relax as he realised she'd rolled over in her sleep. Then he froze again.

She wasn't wearing anything. Her light charcoal fur stood out in the darkness, contrasting with the beige fur on her lower jaw, neck, and chest… Ian wasn't sure how long he stared at her breasts. They were huge and unlike anything he'd seen—two rounded furry beige orbs with dark grey nipples in their centre. Ian felt his breath coming in heavy, ragged gasps as his pants began to tighten uncomfortably.

As she slept, Ian scrutinised every angle of her body. It was supple, firm and gigantic. Despite the enormous differences between humans and Gods, he found himself sexually aroused by the sight of her human-like qualities. With a deep sigh, the Goddess rolled on her stomach, and Ian's eyes almost fell out of his head as he watched her light charcoal furry orbs squash and stretch with the action.

He tore his eyes away as he leaned against the bed lamp, blinking himself back to reality. What was wrong with him? Did a Goddess sexually arouse him? What would his friends say? He shook his head. "Get a hold of yourself, Ian," he muttered. There's no way he'd be telling anyone about this. He turned back to the Goddess to see her eyes were open.

Ian's body functions ceased at that moment. He couldn't move, breathe or even blink. Did he wake her up? Was she already awake? Did she need to go to the bathroom? A million thoughts flooded his mind, but above all, he kept his cool and remembered his training, staying as still as he could. Her giant, rounded ears visibly twitched as the Goddess continued to stare in his direction before she slowly closed her eyes with an audible sigh.

Ian continued to stare, not daring to budge an inch until he was sure she was fast asleep. Gently and soundlessly, Ian released the breath he'd been holding before looking over at the bed. In the darkness, the Goddess lay still. So still, that one might consider her dead. Only her massive chest's constant rise and fall told that she was still alive. Ian smiled. She was asleep. Good.

Ian mentally cursed himself for being so stupid. He was almost seen. Damn, he should've known better than speaking in the presence of a God. Even if you thought they were asleep. Ever so quietly, he hoisted his backpack and crept around the lamp. He looked back at the sleeping Goddess, only to find she'd rolled over on her side, displaying her enormous, round furry assets. He stared before gritting his teeth and returning to the hole in the wall.

Once inside, he unslung the backpack and waited until he got the mission-completed signal from the Foragers. As he hurried back to the regrouping point, he composed himself. He wouldn't let anyone know what he'd done or what had happened. Nearly being seen would torpedo any hope he had of becoming a Forager. And if he had been seen, well, losing his Forager rank would be the least of his worries. While the council had an emergency evacuation plan in case of discovery, they still hadn't picked a suitable location to set up a new, permanent colony. Which is why they were still living under the Ylimaf family farm house.

The others noticed his nervousness when he caught up with them. He lied, telling them how the Goddess rolled over in her sleep, facing his direction, and how he mistook it for her waking up. He stood still for ten minutes before realising what had happened. No one laughed or mocked him; instead, they just nodded. Tholop congratulated him, telling Ian he'd done the right thing. Ian kept to the back of the group as they returned to the colony.

He was lucky. He decided to go home, sleep it off, and start fresh tomorrow morning. No one must know what really got him flustered that night, and thankfully, no one would.

Therisa

Therisa was already awake when the knocking came at her door. "I'm awake," she called out. The door opened, and Thrisica carried a bowl of porridge on a stable table. Usually, Therisa hated the stuff, but Aunt Thrace could work wonders with food. Even better than Mom's cooking.

"Hey, how's my favourite cuz!" Thrisica said, sitting down on the bed. "Can you sit up?" Therisa pulled herself into a sitting position as Thrisica placed the stable table across her lap. Therisa inhaled the smell before staring at her eldest cousin. She was wearing her work uniform.

"Didn't you work a shift yesterday?" Thrisica nodded.

"Yeah, but I was asked to work today." Before she could reply, Thrisica said, "I want to get as much money as possible before leaving. The more I make here, the easier life will be in Rosebush City."

"And what do your parents think?"

"Dad knows he can't change my mind, and Mom won't fight him on this issue. Th'lick is happy to take over the Farm once Dad grows too old." Th'lick was her second cousin and the only boy in the family. He had popped in to say hi but had chores to do.

"Moving to Rosebush City is a big step," Therisa said. "Plus, you have to put up with all the Rod'tia."

"Rod'tia, I can handle," Thrisica said. "What I can't handle is being cooped up in this cage while there's a big world out there. Come on, Therisa, you know how boring life here is. There is no future for me in Thorn Valley. Rosebush City? There are endless possibilities. I can get a better-paying job and a better education there. I don't want to sit here, watching through the windows as the world passes me by. I want to go with it."

Therisa nodded as she spooned some porridge into her mouth. "There's a million things that can go wrong in the big city, cuz," she said. "I know what it's like to have my hopes dashed, time and time again. I don't want to see you disappointed."

"But you got there in the end," Thrisica said with a smile and leaned back. "Besides, that's how life works. You must endure the rain if you want to see the rainbow." Thrisica got up to leave and stopped by the doorway. "I've got to go in the next half-hour. I'll be just across the hall if you need me."

"Hey, Thrisica?" Her eldest cousin leaned back into the room. Therisa nervously licked her pink rubbery lips, then asked, "Have you noticed anything… odd around here?"

"Define odd."

Therisa mulled over her words. Then she asked, "Like strange sights?"

"UFO's?"

"No, No. I mean…" She cast a quick glance at the desk beside her bed. The one with all the toy soldiers and the bedside lamp. Then, turning back to her cousin, said, "Little people?"

Thriscia didn't laugh. Instead, she tilted her head. "Nooooo." She drew out the word as if unsure if this was a joke or a serious question. Therisa waved her away.

"Never mind. I don't know what it was, but I think I saw it."

"You see something last night?"

"I… thought I saw a little person. Right there on the desk." She pointed at the desk, and Thriscia looked.

"You mean those little guys?" She said, pointing at the toy soldiers.

Therisa didn't even realise her mistake until that moment. She rolled her eyes as she waved her cousin away again. "It was dark. It was late. I was half awake." She waved her cousin away for a third time. "Just forget it. You've got a shift to get ready for." Thriscia watched her for five seconds before slowly closing the door.

Therisa groaned in frustration and buried her muzzle into a pillow. By the Rings, that was embarrassing. She looked over at the toy soldiers, frozen in a ready stance and sighed as she turned away. Her cousin probably thought she was still high on sedatives after that. She turned back to the soldiers.

But she had heard something back there. She'd looked and listened, but there was nothing. She had rolled over to get a better look, keeping her eyes lidded, and she saw a dark shadow moving like a rodent along the back wall. She was positive. She rubbed at her forehead.

Right?

Theila

Even before the Grey Suit moved to intercept her as she entered the lobby, Theila knew she was his target. "Dr. Yad?" Even though her ID badge was visible, she refrained from a sarcastic response and affirmed his question. "Come with me." She obediently followed him to the elevator. To her surprise, he inserted a key and hit the button for floor Seven.

The Genetic Engineering Labs, or as the staff nicknamed it, 'The Black Box' because no one knew what happened inside. Even those who worked there never talked about it when they were in the cafeteria. The only way to access the floor was through the elevator with a unique key. If you didn't have it, pushing the button wouldn't work and alert security.

They rode the elevator in silence before reaching the seventh floor. Theila obediently followed as they hurried down the halls. Since she started working at the Biosyn Corporation seventeen years ago, this was her second visit to The Black Box. Her first occurred after securing a position here. She was given a tour of the incubating room and was introduced to the Yoman children she'd be in charge of. They were so adorable, even as newborns. They crawled up to the glass walls and stared back at her with curiosity and wonder in their tiny eyes.

Their scent was something else. It was so pleasant to her nose and quite relaxing. When she'd been taught how to pick them up, she marvelled at how soft their skin was to her touch, and it filled her with joy how they clung to her. She had commented that every rodent, not just children, would want one as a pet.

Theila had never seen anything like these tiny creatures before. They were so small, furless, and rodent-like in their physical structure. Their furless skin was adorable, as it reminded her of newborn babies. She'd been even more surprised when they introduced her to the adults and they spoke to her. She hadn't been allowed to ask questions about what they were or where they came from. All she was told was they were called Yoman. It was hard to pronounce, but the little ones had no trouble.

She couldn't stop her tail from tensing with fear as she followed the Grey Suit through a set of double doors. At least a dozen Grey Suits were gathered around a table with Director Ydoom and Dr Yrgna. She stared at the Director in shock before the escorting Grey Suit asked her to come to where everyone was gathered. The table was covered with a large map with a big blue circle in one section and a shoebox lined with newspaper.

"Good morning, Dr. Yad," Dr Yrgna greeted her. "I'll fill you in as quickly as possible. Yesterday, we had a visit from a Mou'nae farmer who brought with him an unexpected surprise. I asked for you because I wanted your expertise on the matter." He gestured to the shoebox. Inside were a bunch of scattered bones—tiny bones.

Theila took one look at the little skull and gasped with recognition. "Yes," Director Ydoom said, pointing at the box. "The first lead we've had in fifteen years. Four days ago, a farmer tracked a Red-Tail to its lair and killed it. As he was gutting it, he discovered these bones inside its stomach. Curious, he took it to the local vet, who suggested he take it to the museum in the city. They had no clue what they were, but suggested it might be a mutation, so he should bring the bones here."

"What did you tell him?"

"We will look into the matter," the Grey Suit who escorted her said. "He was curious at first, but the whole mutation theory has him worried that some new vermin plague is infesting the area. We paid him handsomely for the bones and told him we'd deal with any further mutations he might find."

"How old are the bones?"

"Testing revealed the Red-Tail ate this Yoman about a week ago." Theila's eyes widened. A week.

"The farmer was from Thorn Valley," Director Ydoom said, pointing at the centre of the big blue circle on the map. Thorn Valley was a small town one hundred and ninety miles south of Rosebush city. Leaning over, Theila saw the map was of the local area. "This is where the Red-Tail's den was."

"We know that Red-Tails have a maximum hunting range of at least twelve miles from their dens," Dr Yrgna said, stabbing the centre of the circle with his pinky finger as he traced the outline of the circle with his thumb. "Which means that Yoman was eaten within this area." Theila looked at what lay within the circle. The only things of interest within were a river and a bridge. However, there were at least half a dozen farms surrounding it.

"Which one of these is the farmer's?" Theila asked, and Director Ydoom pointed to a farm south and a little east of the circle. Theila's gaze drifted from the Farm to the circle and the town which lay northwest. She tapped at its borders. "While I would suggest targeting the surrounding farms, it would be best to approach the townsfolk." She turned to look up. "We know the Yoman have rodent-like intelligence and are very good at covering their tracks. This-" she pointed back to the circle, "Could be misleading. What if the Yoman wasn't from any of these outlying farms but was raiding them?"

Her finger circled the entire map. "There are lots of farms out here, gentlemen. Hypothetically, would you continue to raid the same six farms if you wanted to remain hidden? Or would you rotate your raiding, like a farmer does with his crop?" All eyes were drawn back to Thorn Valley. "If the Yomans have a colony somewhere out here, it has to be very well hidden, allowing it to remain isolated from rodents and animals. In the countryside, that would mean an underground cave system. While locating their Colony close to a large rodent population would be stupid, it would also disguise the loss of numerous items, supplies and other paraphernalia."

"So where should we start?" a Grey Suit asked.

"Where is the local hardware and grocery store?" A white furry finger pointed to a large building in the middle of town. That was the grocery store. A smaller building opposite was the hardware store. "Ask them specific questions like, have people noticed discrepancies in their inventory, the disappearance of produce or stationery items and if their vermin traps don't seem to work."

"And if they don't?" Theila smiled at the Grey Suit as her finger gravitated back to the buildings surrounding the blue circle.

"Then that narrows down our needle to these six haystacks."