Chapter 4 - S** hield of Sophos**

Unknown

My mind snapped awake, but the sensations coming from my body were sluggish. The beat of my heart was slow even as my thoughts raced, and any attempt to move made it feel as if I was submerged in tar. I could breathe, albeit slowly, and upon opening my eyes I could see myself surrounded by machinery.

It seemed as if I was hanging from something, and my gaze was focused downward at the floor.

'Do not be alarmed,' A voice whispered within my mind.

The voice sounded strange, as if uttered by a multitude of similar though feminine voices. It carried an echo, and every syllable felt as if it touched my mind like tones reflecting off a crystal lattice. I'd never heard it before, but it felt as if it held some kind of power over me.

I moved my muzzle, but no voice would come, so I focused my thoughts instead, 'Who are you?'

' I am Etemenanki, the Shield of Sophos, and for now I am your caretaker,' The voice whispered.

'Where am I?' I wondered.

'Beneath my tower, within an old lab,'Etemenanki answered.

'What has happened to me?' I thought.

'You have been changed,' Etemenanki answered.

I let the words sink through my mind and focused on the depths of it. Volkov's presence was gone, and the inside of my mind felt strangely empty.

'I had the strangest dream,' I thought.

'Oh?' Etemenanki mused, as her voices shifted in tone and focus.

I blinked, and found myself in wonder of why I felt so calm, 'Am I drugged?'

'Yes, you are,' Etemenanki whispered.

'Why?' I wondered.

'To give yourbody, as well aspsychetime to adapt.'

For a moment I felt panic swell within me, but just as I was about to start thrashing, it was as if the strength was zapped from me. It made my body relax yet again, and I felt my eyelids droop.

'What... have you done to me?' I thought.

'Volkov was becoming unstable, measures had to be taken to preserve both of your lives.'

The sensation that followed was complicated. Angerat how things had come to be like this, an instinctual fearthat Volkov was still around, and to bind it all together wasan intense relief that I was still alive.

'I can sense your conflicted sensations,' Etemenanki said, and it felt as if her presence loomed over my shoulders.

'Volkov tried to kill me,' I thought.

'Do you want to be rid of him?' Etemenanki asked.

I frowned, and drew a deep breath, 'I've never wanted to hurt anyone, but I can't live with someone who is actively trying to kill or take over my body.'

'And what if Volkov could be fixed?' Etemenanki wondered.

I gulped in silence.

'Do you know what Volkov is?' Etemenanki asked.

'I was gravely injured after receiving my symbiont. It kept me alive byburrowing into my brain, and that in turn caused another mind to form. A mind which drew on my memories, and which became Volkov.'

'That's correct, Volkov is an example of the unintended consequences when a symbiont is given access to higher brain functions. They're not supposed to do that,and that's where the problems start,' Etemenankisaid.

'What do you mean?' I asked.

'Volkov shaped itself after your neurological profile, and essentially became a copy of you.'

I nodded, 'I know that.'

'That's a problem, because as a copy he would expect and demand the same kind of things that you do. He loves your parents, he longs to be with your pack, and his desire for answers drive him forward. Yet he is trapped within your mind, staring out from behind your eyes, incapable of doing little more than to interface with the electronics that you touch.'

'I know all of this.It's torture,'I thought.

'He tried to rebel once before, but you convinced him to stop. Didn't you?' Etemenanki asked.

I drew deep breath, 'Volkov was having troubles. I tried to fix things, and I promised that I would spend more time with him. In return, he'd do his best to stay strong.'

'But it didn't work, did it?' Etemenanki said.

'No...'

'Volkov did try to stay strong, and he hid his own madness where you couldn't find it.'

'How do you know?' I wondered.

'Because you have been asleep for days, and I asked Volkov myself,' Etemenanki answered.

'Oh,' I said.

'Your headaches were a symptom of his increasingly unstable mind, by extension your symbiont began to grow corrupted,' Etemenanki said.

'I should have reported it earlier,' I thought.

'Yes... You should have. Volkov believed he would be able to control it, but the corruption would have quickly turned both of you into the same mindless monstrosities that roam this Earth,'Etemenankisaid.

I gulped, 'I'm sorry.'

'Take this lesson to heart, not only did you put yourself at risk, but everyone in your surroundings as well,'Etemenankisaid.

I managed to make a weak nod, 'What has happened to Volkov?'

'We gave him a choice. To change, or die,' Etemenanki said.

'He chose to change,'I thought.

'Yes,and by extension you have been changed as well,'Etemenankisaid.

'I can't help but notice I wasn't given a choice,'I thought.

'Your choice would consist of letting Volkov live or die. Athena was willing to give you that choice, but Maxwell wasn't,' Etemenanki answered.

'Maxwell is involved in this?' I thought.

'The equipment which was needed to preserve your lives was delivered by shuttle from the moon. Neither I nor the other AIs had the necessary technology.'

'What have you done to me?'I wondered once more.

'You have been fitted with an experimental device called the Zephyr. It has interfaced with your nervous system, and it has reversed the changes incurred by Volkov. It'll take time for your brain to adapt, and your psyche will need to come to terms with it as well.While mostof its inner workings areunknown to me, I have been given enough information to assist you.'

'It's inside my head!?Let me out of this thing,'I thought.

'Calm yourself,' Etemenanki ordered, and I felt a wave wash over me as my body was forced to relax once more.

For a moment my thoughts seemed to drift, and then my head grew clear once more.

'I'll stay calm,' I thought.

'Good... Do you want to stretch your legs?' Etemenanki wondered.

'Yes, please...' I thought.

There was a hiss from behind me, and I could hear as some kind of machine began to move. Something slithered along my body, and then I began to sink toward the floor. My arms seemed to regain some strength as I held them up, and felt myself touch the floor. For a moment I remained on all fours, and felt as my heart began to pound harder. Slowly, more and more of my body was coming alive once more, and a tingle spread throughout my skin.

I blinked to shake the groggy sensation, and drew a deep breath. My chest flexed, and I felt my back shiftin a way I wasn't used to. It made me turn my head, and I felt resistance as something was stuck to my neck. I reached up with my hand, and found what felt like a large collar wrapped around my throat.

'AControl Collar, as long as you stay calm it won't activate,'Etemenanki whispered.

I let go of the collar and began to look myself over. My hands looked the same as ever, black claws set among dark fur, thick arms accented by a bit of red. My gaze drifted down along my chest.

Still male... Very male... Was I always this fuzzy?

I leaned back and sat on my legs as I reached up with a hand to feel along my chest. It might have been an illusion, but it looked and felt as if the fur had grown longer as it now reached along my abdomen like a fluffy pleasure trail. The hue had changed a bit as well, and now carried a hint of gray.

"I've changed," I said out loud, and noticed something else.

My voice, it had dropped another octave, and the low rumble of a growl seemed to have invaded it.

"My... voice?" I murmured, and felt my chest rumble a little.

'The weight of the Zephyr is considerable, and it would have caused strain to your body. I provided the raw materials, and the Zephyr has considerablyaccelerated your growth to a point where you can support it. That has in turn matured your body.'

I lifted my arm and glanced at my side. The once short but thick fur had grown longer stripes. Wilder, a tad more bestial, like father. It made me reach up to my mouth, and I felt my fangs poke out from my lips even as I had my muzzle closed.

'During your accelerated growth another teeth cycle passed,'Etemenanki added.

I opened my muzzle and felt along the sharp curved canines. They were bigger as said, and when I closed my muzzle I could feel as they settled a bit different. It felt a tad strange as my lips could no longer cover the fangs even if I tried.

'You're taking this well, I'm relieved...' Etemenanki whispered.

"Losing my teeth was awful enough as a human, so I'm glad I wasn't aware to experience it again," I reached up, felt along my neck, and my eyes widened in surprise.

Themuscles along my neck, the trapezius,had more padding, and while the fur was thick I could feel the bulging musculature. As I poked and prodded I wandered closer to the spine, and felt something odd. It was hard in a way that flesh couldn't be, and it was shaped like plateshidden by my hide.

"What... is this?" I asked.

'The Zephyr covers your spine, and it has fused with your skeleton.'

I reached down along my back, and felt more of the thick plates, "They feel like plates."

'Armor plating to be precise,' Etemenanki answered.

"... Armor plating? Are you for real?" I asked.

'The spine is one of the most vulnerable areas of a hybrid,' Etemenanki answered.

I gulped, and let my arms sink down along my legs as I sat on the floor, "What else have you... changed?"

'The Zephyr requires more power than your body can naturally produce. You have therefore been fitted with asmallthermophotovoltaic cell matrix.'

"Thermophotovoltaic... Aren't those radioactive usually?"

'They are... Your body temperature will be a bit higher as a result, but it is well within normal operating parameters.'

"You put radioactive materials inside of me," I asked.

'The current fuel reserves will last you a few decades, and you'll be able to refuel by eating the needed isotopes,'Etemenanki answered.

"How... comforting," I thought.

'Feel your wrists,' Etemenanki ordered.

I looked down and angled my arm so that I could see my wrist. There was no visible change, but as I felt around there it was clear something had changed.

As a human, it had been easy to feel the tendons that controlled my fingers, as a hybrid I had been too stocky to feel them. The tendons were back, yet they didn't seem to reach into my hand. As I traced the outlines they seemed to thicken and reach up toward my chest like tubes.

I felt along my wrist to find the exact point where the tubes ended, and came upon something strange. The skin was pliable in a spot, almost as if there was an opening. I pushed at it, and my eyes widened as I poked a claw into the opening and felt the edge of the tube.

"What exactly is the purpose of this 'Zephyr'?" I whispered.

'According to the design specs I've been given it's a utility modification made for use by the next generation of hybrids. In your case it's abilities as a neurological interface have been altered to stabilize Volkov.'

Ishut my eyes and drew a deep breath, "All right, let's clear things up onething at the time. You said Volkov agreed to be changed, in what way exactly?"

'Volkov has undergone psychosurgery, in other words, we have used physical means to alter his mind. The two of you are now psychologically severed from one another, and while you'll be able to communicate it'll be like two individuals, rather than a shared mind.'

"That will make things easier," I said.

'Alas, that was only the start. Volkov's state of mind had severely degraded by the time we were able to take control. His memories of the recent events are gone, and the destructive impulses he developed have been purged. The Volkov you knew from the last few weeks is gone.'

"Oh," I whispered.

'Volkov has been informed of what he did, and he requested to be put asleep until you had time to digest it all,' Etemenanki said within my mind.

"I see."

'There have been other changes as well, ones meant to keep this from happening again.'

"Do share," I said.

'Volkov has been recognized by the system as an individual. This in turn allows him access to the virtual world, and he has been given duties. As long as you are within an area with network access, which is basically all of Sophos, he'll be able to work and live his own life within the virtual world.'

Something settled within my mind. It wasn't forgiveness, but rather it was an understanding. Volkov would wake up and learn of something awful perpetrated by a version of himself that he couldn't remember, and now he had a chance to explore a new world. To make his own life in a way.

Volkov would have a new chance, and hopefully things would be much better now.

"This is a big relief," I said.

'... I'm glad to hear it,' Etemenanki whispered.

"When are you waking him up?" I asked.

'When you're ready,' Etemenanki answered.

'I see,' I said, and felt my wrist once more, 'Now tell me of what these things are?'

' Stand up and I'llteach you,'Etemenankisaid.

I put my hands to the floor and tried to push myself up. To my surprise it felt as if my center of balance had shifted somewhat. I was heavier,and it made me sloweras I rose up. My muscles strained in a way they hadn't before, and upon looking down I foundmy focus drawn tomy paws.

Theylooked wider, and it felt like the pads had grown to cover more ground. It gave the fur more texture as the thick tendons were now more pronounced.The once slim area between the raised heel and my knee had thickened up, whichgavethelegs a more even appearance.

"Uh," I murmured.

'The Zephyr adds considerable weight, modifications were made to your paws.'

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've been told that Hybrids violently reject implants, and that we can't really change our appearance once bonded to a symbiont," I said.

'The rejection syndrome is one reason why this technology is beyond us, and why it is most fascinating that this works at all. Physical changes are still restricted, and your changes so far have been possible because we are simply encouraging the already existing structure to grow bigger.'

I lifted one paw, and flexed it as I looked it over, "Ah, I see... It's clear now that the boots I brought won't fit."

'An easy problem to solve,' Etemenanki said with what sounded like amusement as the voice tittered in the background.

"I feel heavy," I said.

'Yourbody will adjust, but it worth to note that you now weigh around 375kilograms,'Etemenanki noted.

"375!?I was about 215 when I came here!"I snapped, and looked up.

'The Zephyr and its power supply aremade of dense materials. In total it weighs about 120 kilograms, so you've only gained around 40 kilos,' Etemenanki said.

"40 kilograms is not 'only' something,"I said.

I moved side to side and swung my arm in the air. It was strange, but I could feel the added weight as my body and tail alike did their best to keep my balance. As an experiment I raised my rightleg, and let it drop to the floor. There was a solidthump to it that I didn't expect, but it didn't hurt, nor did it feel unnatural.

"I might be able to hide this at a distance, but anyone that getsclose and personal would begin to wonder why I now weigh like a damn bear," I said.

"Once clothed you will appear to have roughly the same size, and as you continue to grow the impact of the Zephyr will lessen," Etemenanki added.

I let my arms drop, and let out a sigh, "Continue to grow, huh? I'm not complaining, I just... This will take some time to get used to."

'Yes, I imagine it will... Shall we begin your lesson, Vilkas?'

I stood tall and stretched a little as the Control Collar dug into my neck, "Yes, please."

'Do you know what utility tendrils are?' Etemenanki asked.

'Yeah, they're tendrils which can equip a large variety of tools. They're mostly in use within Athena's facilities and most factories.'

'The Zephyr is equipped with a new generation of these multi-use tendrils. At this point they should have fully integrated with your nervous system, and you only need to learn how to control them.'

My heart pounded, "I have tendrils which will be coming out of me?"

'Don't be so rude... There's nothing wrong with a few tendrils,' Etemenanki whispered.

"Mmhmm, how do I control these exactly?" I wondered.

"Just like moving your arms, or legs. Search for it, and you'll find it."

I shut my eyes for a moment and forced myself to calm down.

Let's do this then...

I looked at my wrist once more, and imagined the tendrils in my arm.

Move... Move... Out... Do something?

It didn't work.

Like moving my arm...

I moved my arm, lashed out once, and stretched, but nothing seemed to work.

'Along the wall there is a trolley with a diagnostic tool on it. Can you see it?' Etemenanki asked.

I looked to the side and saw the trolley, "Yeah."

'Reach for it without using your hands,' Etemenanki ordered.

I stared at the tray and extended my arm toward it. For a moment I just sat there, feeling stupid. In annoyance I sighed, rolled my shoulders, and tried once more.

Suddenly, there was a twitch. Something slithered inside my chest, and I felt it ripple down my arm. Warmth bloomed in my wrist, made my fur stand on end as I shivered in unease. For a moment I paused, but that little act had changed something. I could feel the tendril which was hiding in my arm.

I focused on the sensation once more, and I felt the tendril move. The small pouch along my wrist bulged, and a silver-colored tendril emerged like a coiling snake.

"This is a rather... strange sensation," I said.

'Keep going,' Etemenanki whispered.

I could feel the cool air as it touched the tendril, and as I focused on the diagnostic tool it reached toward it. As it stretched outward more sensations were brought to life within me. Another tendril slipped out of the wrist, and I felt them shift in my other arm as well.

The tendril reached the diagnostic tool, and as it curled around it, I could feel the tool as if my fingertips were tracing its surface. It made me arch my back, and there was another budding sensation. Something moved underneath my shoulder blade, and I moved my free arm toward it.

As I brushed through the thick fur on my side, I felt more of them. Tendrils, bigger ones barely hidden along a pouch-like opening.

"There's more of them!?" I said out loud.

'Three smaller ones in each arm. Two large ones, and a medium sized one on each side of your back. In total you have twelve of them,' Etemenanki answered.

As the sensation washed over me, they began to emerge. Slithering and uncoiling, they began to move like snakes that sampled the air. My hackles began to itch in unease as I wanted them to disappear, but the feeling seemed to backfire. The tendrils moved with force, and began to curl in front of me as if forming a large shield.

"I'm having a bit of trouble here," I said.

'The utility tendrils act according to your will, Vilkas. You feel vulnerable, so they seek to protect you,' Etemenanki said, as if whispering in my ear.

As I stared at the undulating tendrils, I noticed that one of them was now holding the diagnostic tool. It made me focus on it, and I noticed something weird along the surface of the tendril. While reflective like metallic-silver, it seemed to shimmer like scales. Tiny, almost imperceptible scales, that seemed to ripple like a liquid.

I gulped and drew a deep breath.

I'm safe... Just relax...

The tendrils began to spread out, and rather than form a shield around me they floated in the air as if ready to strike.

'How do you feel?' Etemenanki whispered.

Like a freak...

"Idon't know," I whispered.

'I think they suit you,' Etemenanki mused in my mind.

"... How will others react to this?" I asked.

'The Zephyr is a prototype, so I would advice keeping the tendrils to yourself for now.'

I raised my arm and wondered how far the tendrils could reach. The tendrils followed suit, or rather, I moved them, just like my arm. The ones in my back reached about two and a halfarm-lengths, while the ones in my wrist seemed to max out just short of an extra arm.

"What can they be used for, other than grasping stuff?" I asked.

'You should be able to tell,' Etemenanki said.

"How?" I whispered.

'The Zephyr is part of your mind, search for it, and learn...'

A restless notion made me move across the room, and the tendrils seemed to slowly relax as I got a chance to move about. Etemenanki had mentioned that I was in a lab, but I hadn't focused on the room itself until now. As I looked around it was clear thatI was in acorner, and to the right was a large door which I suspected would lead out of this place.

The rest of the lab was surprisingly massive, and none of the lights had been turned on. It made the place seem eerie, and the fact that I couldn'tsee the other end of the room due to the darkness was making my fur bristle a little.

Part of me wanted to stay where I was. To walk into thebrightly lit corner,sit down, andlet my mind get used to everything that was once more changing.

But I couldn't.

I quickly looked across my surroundings for clothes, but saw nothing. There was also the collar around my neck, and I wasn't sure who or what I could trust at the moment. Thus, I turned my focus inwards, and closed my eyes.

To my surprise it felt as if I could see the room within my mind's eye. I could tell where the tendrils were, and it was as if there were subtle sensations coming from everything. The large machine which had held me was behind me, and I could feel the outline of the trolley along the wall despite not touching it.

As I pondered, it started to feel as if I already knew the answer, and that my subconscious had subtly brought the information I needed. The tendrils were utilizing some kind of millimetre wave technology, a kind of radar which bounced off everything in my surroundings.

While my mind trawled through this influx of knowledge, I could feel other strands of information in the back of my mind. The sensations coming from the world around me seemed to fade somewhat, and I let the knowledge come to me.

The tendrils could do a lot of things. It was as if I had been equipped with a miniature workshop.

One of the abilities is...

I opened my eyes once more, and my attention was drawn to one of the larger tendrils coming from my back. As I focused on it, the tendril activated. The tip of it opened up like a flower, and revealed a hidden core. With a burst of energy it erupted with a short beam of crackling plasma.

A plasma torch...

Its intensegreenish-blue flame lit up this corner of the room, and I could feel the heat that radiated off it. As I watched the flame, I could feel a timer ticking within my mind;a fuel gauge of sorts. The plasma torch wouldn't last long, and then it would need to regenerate.

I willed it to stop, and the plasma was extinguished with a puff. The silvery petals quickly closed once more, and the seams disappeared as if they had never been there.

Etemenanki's presence loomed around me, and I had the feeling that she was pleased. Happy that I was starting to see the use of the wondrous gift I had been given.

"I wouldn't go that far," I whispered.

'You've only seen a fraction of what they can do,' Etemenanki mused.

I turned my focus on one of the smaller tendrils along my wrist, and watched as it opened up. Within was a silvery bulb of sorts, and it began to take on the shape of various tools. Tweezers, wire cutters, soldering iron, variousinterfaces for computers, bothold and new.

These tendrils are tools... A huge variety of tools...

I tipped my head, and another realization trickled into my mind. I focused on the medium sized tendril looming in front of me and imagined a sharp blade. The silvery surfaceshifted, and itbegan to flatten as it took on thenewfound sheen of a blade. As I watched the surrounding air began to shimmer, and I could feel theradiatingheatas it began to sing with a high pitched noise.Curiosity grabbed me, and I turned my attention to the diagnostic tool that was still in one of the tendrils.

'Go ahead,' Etemenanki whispered in my ear, as if having read my intentions.

Most of the tendrils pulled back, and the one holding the diagnostic tool flung it into the air. As the diagnostic tool rose and began to slow down, I acted. The sharp blade swung through the air with a hiss and cut through the tool without seeming to do much. But as the tool began to fall, it also separated into a multitude of parts, and hit the floor with a loud clatter as trails of smoke emerged.

I pulled a deep breath and relaxed. The tendrils began to slip back into my body, and I could feel as they coiled up in my back. With a subtle pinch the last of them dissipated from sight, and I felt whole once more.

'Warming up to it, are you?' Etemenanki asked.

I made a reluctant nod, and couldn't help but smile a little, "Let's say that I can see the benefits."

'Well, I like them...'

Still smiling, I glanced up at the ceiling, "Oh, do you now?"

An amused murmur sneaked into her voice, 'Then again, I may be biased.'

"... How so?" I asked.

'You may not have realized yet, but I am not a machine,' Etemenanki answered.

I looked toward the door in the room, "You said you were the tower."

'It's organic core, yes... The tower itself is nothing more than my shell.'

"... What are you exactly?" I wondered.

'A failed experiment... Analternative to humanity which was discarded.'

"Who created you?" I wondered.

'Who do you think, little one?' Etemenanki mused.

Maxwell...

"I see," I whispered, "I came here with a package, are you the recipient?"

'No, I am not. But I suspect you'll find who you are looking for in the floors above.'

"How do I get there?" I asked.

'Through the door, down the hall, and take the elevator from there.'

I glanced down, at myself, and moved to hide my crotch, "I'm starting to realize that I'm quite exposed."

'There is a prep area outside the door, you will find your belongings and new clothes there.'

"Thank you..."

512 A.R. February 12, U** nderground Lab , U ***nknown*

I shut the locker and stepped back. There was a mirror on the wall to the left, so I faced it to give myself a look. The boots were bigger, but the pants hid most of the changes to my legs. While I didn't have an image to compare myself with, it felt as if my upper body had jumped up a size as well.

I let my hands rest along my midsection and patted myself. It made me feel sturdy in a way I hadn't been before, but I guess it wasn't much of surprise given that I had almost managed to double in weight.

Iwas scared of hurting Jason by mistake before, with this weight I'd be able to crush him...

As I turned sideways and lifted my arm, I did take note of something. There was a discrete flap in the uniform along my side. No doubt a subtle modification to allow the tendrils to emerge at need.

I sighed to myself, and held my head for a moment as I wondered how this might change things.

Does it change anything? What if someone notices? How careful do I have to be with this?

There were also other questions that burned at the back of my head.

Am I in control of the Zephyr? What price do I have to pay for this?

Without warning the Control Collar around my neck made a blip. I reached up to feel it out of sheer surprise, and with a clack the device snapped open. The heavy collar settled in my hand, and I drew a deep breath in relief as I reached up to rub my throat.

I was about to speak up when a tingle ran through my spine. It made me shiver in response, and I felt my heart begin to pound a little harder. Warmth rushed up to my head, and I shook my head as the warmth made me blush.

A moment later I felt something prod my mind. A presence, just like when Chester sought contact with me. I glanced up to the ceiling, and accepted the link.

Etemenanki's presence was quick to settle on my shoulders, and I heard her voice once more, 'You have been freed from the influence of the Control Collar. I can no longer read your thoughts at will.'

Instead of speaking, I answered in kind, 'That's a relief.'

'Understandable, but I assure you that I sought no harm,' Etemenanki answered.

'This Zephyr, am I in control of it?' I wondered.

'The technology of the Zephyr is beyond us, reluctantly I have no answer for you.'

'When you say it's beyond you, what do you mean exactly?' I wondered.

'Our scanners cannot pierce the material, and my subtle attempts at sampling it have all failed. Whatever material it is made of has properties that are alien to us, specifically the way it seems to reshape itself.'

I found myself frowning, 'But nanite tech-'

'Nanites are wondrous machines, but the ones we use are rather slow. Nanomachinery is certainly part of the Zephyr, but its configuration, alloys, and capabilities are unknown.'

'I take it that it's not possible to come into contact with whoever designed this?'

'I'm afraid that's not how things work, Vilkas...'

I drew a deep breath, 'Have you ever met Maxwell?'

'That depends on your definition of the word...'

'How so?' I wondered.

'I am one of his creations, naturally I have encountered his... influence, but that does that make me privy to his thoughts, secrets, or motivations.'

'So there is nothing you can tell me about him?' I wondered.

'I could, but there is little you don't already know. Maxwell's stated goal from the very start was to create an alternative to humanity. Eight centuries later thatgoal is still being implemented.'

I sighed, put the Control Collar onto the floor, and grabbed my backpack on the way up. Once more I slung it behind my back, and moved over to what looked like an openairlock.

'Anything else I should know?'

'I've begun the process of waking Volkov up, he'll contact you when he's ready... Please, treat him gently, we all want to avoid a relapse,' Etemenanki said over the link.

I stepped into the airlock and pushed the button to begin the cycling process. The door shut behind me, and a hiss was heard as the pressure equalized. The hatch in front began to open, and I noticed something odd.

The air which entered the airlock had what looked like small particles of dust. The scent that followed was humid and reminded me of thick mossy forest. As the hatch opened wide, I found myself leaning back from the sight that greeted me.

The lighting in the tunnel outside the airlock was dim, and there was a suspended walkway in the center. The walls thatsurrounded the tunnel were moving or pulsating with a dark, almost purple flesh. Undulating vines hung from the ceiling, and some of them had colorful growths that looked like bundles of small feathers.

In horror I began to realize that the haze in the air wasn't dust, it was spores of some kind.

My hand began to wander toward the button that had cycled the airlock as I heard Etemenanki's voice, 'Don't be frightened, Vilkas...'

I shut my muzzle, and held my breath, 'You're... this!?'

Etemenanki's voice was calm, and gentle as if she as she was tutoring a child, 'You are part Lusus, it's what makes you a hybrid. I am also a form of Lusus, though modified to protect, rather than destroy.'

I stayed my hand, and drew a careful breath, 'Not to be rude, but is this safe for me?'

'It may not seem like it, but this place is one of the safest in our world. Perfect humidity, ahealingmist of nanitessuspended in the air, and spores to fight the Lusus.Older hybrids near the end of their lifespans come here to recuperate, to fight back against the corruption which grows inside of them. My boon canadd yearsto the life of a hybrid, or violently murder those who are too corrupt...'

Almost seems like something out of a fairy tale...

My lungs were starting to relax as I removed my hand and drew a deep breath.If the air was poison, then my body couldn't tell.

'See?' Etemenanki whispered in my mind.

I stepped up to the edge of the airlock and moved onto the walkway. I let one hand trail along the railing as I began to walk, and looked around. The flesh that covered the walls appeared thick, and I could see what looked like veins that rippled a little. All of it seemed to undulate at a steady pace, and the movement of the air made it seem as if the structure itself was... breathing.

'It's rather dark in here,' I thought.

'I don't like the light... it burns,' Etemenanki whispered.

'I'd apologize for entering your home, but this is clearly another level of intrusion,' I thought.

'You are a welcome guest, and you've brought me a great many gifts,'Etemenanki said.

'What do you mean?' I thought, and looked down at the walkway.

There was astream of some kind flowing underneath the walkway, and I could see more typesof life thriving there. Algae of some sort, with a gentle purple glow.

' You are a cornucopia of scents and experiences. I can taste the forests of Pasloe on you, and the spores of the capital sing in your fur. Your breath hums with the ecosystem that thrives within you.'

'I know that your spores keep the Lusus at bay, but how does it work exactly?'I thought.

'I create a multitude of spores, and they are but one part of the immune system which shields Sophos. Some of my spores act as seeds, and they take on a variety of shapes, be they grass, or tall trees. Others act as messengers which inform the already existing biosphere on how to best fight the Lusus. You are also part of the immune system. Your bodies evaluate my spores, take what you need, and become nodes that help maintain the islands immune system where I cannot reach, such as your underground cities.'

The tunnel began to grow larger as I walked, and the living structures seemed to change as well. Large clusters of neon-yellow filamentsswayed along the sides of the tunnel, and as the wind shifted there werespecks of yellow driftingaway.

I raised my hand to point at the filaments, 'It's surprisingly beautiful.'

'Thank you,' Etemenanki whispered.

A bright glow seemed to emanate up ahead, and I squinted as I approached, 'You said you were a failed experiment, what did you mean?'

'As Maxwell sought alternatives to humanity, I was one avenue of research. A Lusus lifeform that had been stripped of its hunger and given true sapience. But it turned out that we were too tightly knit. If we were made too individualistic, we saw each other as threats. If not, we gravitated toward one another until only a joined hive-mind remained.'

'Are you one, or many?' I wondered, as I stepped up to the edge of the tunnel.

'See for yourself, and tell me what you think...'

The tunnel opened into what looked like a massive cavern. Massive structures grew within and it was difficult to take it all in at once. I had seen pictures of ancient rainforests, and this reminded me of them.

Some areas were shrouded intotaldarkness, but the rest were illuminated by great swaths of organic life that grew like plants. Green, yellow, purple, and bright red. Spores drifted in the air, and small insects seemed to hum in the area like glowing clouds. As I lifted my gaze, I could see what looked like an endless tower with enough sparkling lights that it looked like a kaleidoscope.

My eyes caught on something that looked like a butterfly. It seemed to dance in front of me for a few moments as it fluttered, and then inched closer. I raised my hand, and it landed on my arm. It made me peer closer, and my gaze was drawn to the iridescent glow of blue on its wings. The butterfly walked along my fur, and I could see it turn its little head as it searched for something.

Within moments it seemed to find what it was looking for. A speck of something, perhaps a piece of dust, or flake of skin. It caught the piece and took off into the air once more.

'Are you... all of this?' I wondered.

'We are all part of a greater whole, but some of us are more... aware than others. We bring order to the chaos, and guide the greater whole. Just like we face you as one song, rather than a discordant orchestra.'

The walkway I was standing on made a sudden rumble, and I reached out to grab the railing as I looked down. Something was slithering underneath the walkway, and a large tendril began to rise up nearby.

Sleek, dripping, and glinting with a purple sheen, the tendril almost seemed to peer at me as I found myself dwarfed by the sheer size of the thing.

I gulped, "I can see why you may have been biased earlier."

'What do you think of my garden, little one?' Etemenanki whispered in my mind.

I lifted my gaze once more, "A wonder to behold, if somewhat intimidating."

Etemenanki's voice seemed to flutter, and shift, 'I would offer you a massage, but I'm afraid it would ruin your clothing.'

I made a sheepish smile, "Yes, I guess it would."

Suddenly I find myself rather thankful for my clothes...

The large tendril turned and moved in a way that made it look as if it was pointing.

'You'll find the cargo elevator over there, it will take you to your floor,' Etemenanki whispered.

I began to walk once more, and the tendril next to the railing began to follow as more of it emerged from the depths.

'I've already told you about my job, but I don't think I've told you about my hobby.'

Ilooked toward the tendril as I walked, "No, you haven't."

The tendril drifted closer to the railing, 'I am a renowned collector of sorts, and a trader...'

'A collector of what?' I asked over the link.

The large tendril moved even closer and grabbed the railing as it moved to block my path.

'Memories... Rare, memories... Secrets of which the Archives do not even know of...'

I stopped walking, 'You take memories?'

The tendril moved closer, and the very tip of it poked my shoulder with a harsh jab, 'I do not take, I copy , and share , with the consent of my patrons.'

'My apologies for misunderstanding,' I thought.

The tendril moved back, and began to slither away, 'Did you... have a nice dream earlier?'

My ears perked as I was reminded of it, 'The Mars colony... Marcus and Milly, that was you?'

'Yes...' Etemenanki whispered with a humming delight to her voice.

'... These memories, they're genuine?' I asked.

'Oh, yes...' Etemenanki answered, while the tendril nodded.

'Could I... see the rest?' I wondered.

The tendril next to the railing began to sway, 'For a price, yes... The first one was already paid for.'

'By whom?' I asked.

'Due to client confidentiality I cannot share that... You understand, yes?' Etemenanki mused.

'You've already peered into my mind,'I said.

'I have seen your thoughts, yes... I have not trawled through your memories, not that I could, even if I wanted to,'Etemenanki whispered.

'I see,' I said.

The tendril motioned toward the elevator once more, 'Think about it, and return if my offer entices you.'

I glanced at the elevator, and then looked back at the tendril with a nod, 'I'll consider it...'

512 A.R. February 12, E** temenanki , U ***nknown*

The elevator was like the one in the capital,and as I looked around I could see the surrounding mountains. As the elevator kept climbing, I became aware of a low but constant hum. It was easy to locate the source as one looked up and saw the gargantuan chimney of the tower which spewed spores into the atmosphere.

My body felt drained, and my mind numbed as I waited. Etemenanki had said I'd been asleep for days, but in the back of my mind it felt as if I had crawled out of the train just a short while ago.

Yet, everything changed once more...

The elevator began to slow down and came to a stop moments later. We were far from the top, but this was apparently my floor as the doors opened.

I turned my head to look out the elevator door and froze in place.

There was a female tiger hybrid in front of the elevator. She was clad in a sleeveless shirt, and stared back at me while holding a plate of sliced fruit. In her short muzzle was a half-eaten piece of pineapple, and the expression on her face made it clear that she had NOT expected visitors.

My brow twitched a little, "Evening, or morning... Whatever time of the day it is?"

In silence, the tiger eased the half-eaten slice of pineapple into her mouth, chewed twice, and swallowed, "It's evening... Tough day?"

I nodded, "Something like that."

She raised her free hand, and pointed at me, "Are you sure you got the right floor?"

I held my hands up in wonder, "I haven't pushed a button so far."

"Ah, I see," The tiger said, and pointed at herself, "I'm Shay," shethen shifted her hand to pointdown the corridor, "your room is probably somewhere down there."

I stepped up to the elevator exit and glanced to the left. The theme of the floor seemed to consist of dark floors, walls of striped marble, and light fixtures at regular intervals which made the area glow like a medieval castle. At the end of the corridor were a set of black wooden doors.

I looked back at Shay, and pointed at myself, "I'm Vilkas."

Shay smiled back, "Hey, Vilkas," and then held out the plate with fruit, "Fruit?"

"No, thank you," I said, and motioned to the hallway, "I think I'm going to go lay down for a bit..."

"As you wish," Shay said, and pulled the plate back as she resumed walking.

I stepped out, looked down the corridor, and watched as she disappeared into a big room along the right. For a moment I considered following, but the room was far more appealing at the moment.

512 A.R. February 12, E** temenanki , N ***ight*

I was sleeping. Somehow I knew I was sleeping, yet I wasn't awake. It felt like floating, and I felt a notion tug on my consciousness.

Volkov wants to talk...

I considered it for a moment.

All right then...

A surge enveloped me, and it felt as if I began to fall. The daze which had clouded my consciousness abated, and with a sudden twitch I found myself somewhere new.

Even from a glance it was clear I wasn't in the real world, and it appeared that I was standing on a large gray platform that floated in the depths of space. In the very center of the platform I could see what looked like a large pedestal made of red crystal.

Standing in front of the crystal was a hybrid, but it wasn't one I could recognize.

I squinted in wonder, and began to walk closer. The odd caninewasboth shorter and slimmer than myself.Thefur appeared gray, and hiseyes were a distinct yellowhue. The hybrid didn't move, but simply observed me in silence as I walked up.

"... I'd make a guess, but it might be simpler to ask who you are," I said.

The canine in front of me glanced away for a moment, drew a deep breath, and looked back to stare into my eyes. He seemed irritated, or possibly determined.

"It's me, Volkov," The canine said.

I motioned toward our surroundings,"Apparently you didn't just redecorate."

The canine raised his hands, "I know you can't help but feel a certain anger toward me, but..."

I tipped my head, and began to realize that the telepathywhichhad been so overwhelming in the real world didn't seem to work here. The canine in front of me, or Volkov, was nothing more than a void to my senses.

I focused on him, "I'm not angry, I'm just trying to get a grip on the situation."

The canine blinked, "Youcan't lie, Vilkas... Not to me. I'm angry at myself to be honest, despite hardlyremembering a thing about it."

"Well, I guess we have tendency to blame ourselves for everything..."

The canine grew a subtle smile as he nodded,"Yeah, I know."

I am angry... Disappointed... Frustrated... Irritated w __ith_ myself..._

I motioned at him, "How much do you remember?"

Volkov drew a deep breath, "It's fragmented to be honest... They've been deleting memories retroactively as well in an attempt to 'stomp out the seeds of corruption' as they called it."

"Not much of an answer to be honest," I said, and kept my eyes on him.

Volkov stared at me in silence for a moment, "... Well, chronologically I remember making that snappy comment after you and the others had pizza."

"All right, and from there it's just a blank?" I asked.

Volkov made something of a grimace that made his ears flicker, "... They did show me what followed, so that I could understand. It wasn't pleasant to watch, but..."

"But?" I asked.

"I know what it is that you're trying to do right now. To figure out what made me crack, and more importantly, if it could make you crack as well."

"It is a pertinent question," I said.

Volkov's shoulders slouched, "Want to hear what life in here has been like lately?"

I nodded in silence.

Volkov hooked his thumbs into his pocket, and turned to look out at the stars, "Usually I find ways to pass time. To sleep, or just accelerate the clock as I focus on some boring, but time-intensive calculations. But those things have been considerably harder ever since the car crash. So, I basically sit in here, simmering away in my own boredom. Sometimes after what feels like an eternity I glance at the clock, and find that only a few seconds have passed. It's torture."

"... I can understand that," I whispered.

Volkov shook his head, and looked back at me, "No, you can't. You really can't. If you tried you might manage to stare at a blank wall for a few hours, but after that your own mind will try to murder itself just to break out... and that's exactly what happened to me."

"Excuse the expression, but I thought it wasn't possible for you to 'break out'?"

Volkov tipped his head, "I can't remember how I did it, but based on what Etemenanki told me my deteriorating sanity caused corruption which in turn began to dismantle the fail-safes.That corruptionused me to pave the way so that it could take over."

"What exactly is the corruption as you call it?" I asked.

Volkov pointed at the platform we were standing on, "It's what exists deep down below. The Lusus component that givesa hybrid its powers.We've tamed it to a point where we gain its benefits without turning into an all-consuming-grey-goo-Von-Neumann-machine."

"You make it sound intelligent," I said.

Volkov shrugged, "The Lususisn't intelligent on a macroscopic scale; in other words it isn't evil.At its core the Lusus isjust trying to do its job, which is to break down complex material, and figure out how to do it efficiently."

"... What do you mean? To break down complex material?" I asked.

"I asked Etemenanki if theLususcould be traced back to anything, and according to her the closest thing is a pre-collapse data nugget which describes a type of nanite which was used as a recycler.Basically, the old world stuffed their garbage into big containers,and seeded it with this kind of nanite. Whenthe process was over the nanites expiredand you just had to sift through the raw materials that remained."

"Are you saying that someone, or something, managed to turn the nanites within every nanite-enhanced human into... arecycler?" I asked.

Volkov nodded, "The nanites were never meant to exist for long. They activated, did their job, and promptly died. But this time the recyclerswere let loose on an entire planet, and probablybegan to mutate almost immediately. It kind of makes sense as well, because what does your common satellite photo of earth look like?"

"One giant desert in hues ranging from yellow to brown,"I said.

Volkov motioned at me as if to keep the thought going.

I sighed to myself, "Which makes sense, because the nanites would break everything down to its base components and leave nothing but a flat desert in its wake."

Volkov smiled, "There's a problem though."

I motioned with my hand, "Yeah, because if things were that simple, you'd just have to trick the Lusus into thinking their work was done, and they'd all self-destruct."

Volkov nodded, "That recycler nanite may have had a simple purpose, but it's ability to adapt and find the most efficient ways to break down a material probably led to some unintended consequences when it encountered intelligent machines and living minds. Or rather, it's a safe assumption based on the fact that your modern day Lusus has no problem fighting on a macroscopic scale."

"In other words, the Lusus found a more efficient way to break down its surroundings by integrating intelligent minds to do its bidding."

Volkov stared at me for a moment, and made a slow nod, "I can't remember it, but Etemenanki showed me what... well, I was like after they caught me. It was a monster, insane, with the singular goal of surviving and taking control. I'dsuspect that those desires would have eventually been twisted into 'survival by consuming all others'."

Myapprehensiontoward Volkov seemed to dissipate as we talked, but another feeling slowly began to take its place as I looked out at the starry abyss that surrounded us.

"If the Lusus were to win, if they wiped out this island... what would happen then?"I asked.

"Etemenanki figures that the Lusus would all shut down. An entire planet recycled, as ordered."

"That is _if_one can assume that their base-programming is still intact, which is far from certain."

"I know, but our destruction isn't an option, so..." Volkov said.

I couldn't help but smile a little as I looked back at him.

"... Listen," Volkov said, and stepped closer.

"Mm?" I murmured as I faced him.

"Just like you can't 'know' what I went through, I can't really imagine what it's like having me running rampant inside your head. But I do know what it feels like to wake up, get told that you've done something awful, and realize that you aren't the same person you went to bed as. They messed with my head, and they messed with your body. Now we have to face the world yet again, and we shouldn't do it as enemies."

I let the calm settle inside me for a few moments, and sighed,"The version of us that caused this no longer exists. In other words, there's no good reason to be angry with you, or myself."

Volkov made a slow nod, and drew a deep breath, "Yeah, but I know it'll take time before things are okay between us again... If they'll ever be the same."

I nodded in agreement, and decided to shift the subject as I pointed at the bigpedestal behind him, "So what'swith the red crystal pedestal?"

Volkov glanced back, "I think it's a representation of the Zephyr. It's the one thing I can't change in this place," Volkov answered.

I looked back at Volkov, "I see... The Zephyr, can you tell what it's doing?"

"Well, it's hooked into every system, but from what I can tell it's not doing anything nefarious, even if it's using a lot of power," Volkov said.

"Could it be a backdoor? A safety measure of sorts?" I said.

Volkov shrugged and looked back at me, "Maybe. But we're locked out of most functions, and until that changes..."

"Yeah," I murmured.

Volkov drew a deep breath and grew silent.

"So," I said, and motioned to him, "Why the change in appearance?"

Volkov began to smile, and lowered his muzzle while his eyes peered at me with a curious glance, "I've always been problematic, you know? From day one you've been asking yourself how I could ever be integrated into 'your' family. We both played with ideas of me inhabiting a screen or something to let me be more in touch with the real world, but it doesn't work, and it never could have worked. My insanity was proof of that, if nothing else."

"But if I had worked harder, if I introduced you to others..."

Volkov shook his head, "We would just spread the problem around, and it would have made things even worse."

I looked at Volkov and sighed, "I know."

Volkov traced his hands along his sides and then tugged at the collar of his shirt, "I need to be my own person, Vilkas. I might have your memories, but the parents I remember aren't mine. Trying to cling to them would just bring a lot of pain, and it was time for me to move on. So that's what I've started doing."

I motioned to him, "A new body."

Volkov nodded, "A new body, a new identity. The Zephyr has caused us to disconnect from one another, and I can't even feel your instincts any longer. I'm not a wolf. I'm not sure what I am to be honest."

I wasn't sure what to say, but Volkov soon resumed talking.

"A whole new world has opened up to me now. The System recognizes me, and I can enter the virtual world whenever I please. I've met other people already, and I've been given duties... a job."

"Oh?" I asked.

Volkov lowered his gaze to the platform we were standing on, "I do the kind of stuff I'm good at. Trawling through information, programming, shaping AI's."

"... It sounds like you have a new life," I said.

Volkov made a slow nod, and then looked up at me once more, "I'll still be around to help you, after all... we still share the same body."

"... That's good to know," I whispered.

Volkov made a sudden chuckle, and looked out toward the starry abyss, "Allen hangs out inthe virtual world a lot, we met briefly...Fortunately he didn't recognize me."

"When? I thought they were at the-"

Volkov looked back at me, "At the training camp? Yeah. I think Allen was bored and managed to connect with the virtual world briefly. He disappeared rather suddenly though, so I think they discovered and clamped down on whatever gaphe managed to exploit."

I raised a brow as I peered at him in wonder, "You just happened to bump into Allen while he momentarily connected to the virtual world?"

Volkov hid his hands behind his back, "I may have found one of Allen's identities in the virtual world..."

"... You were spying on him?"

Volkov motioned to him, "You'd be curious as well, if you had ever visited the virtual world."

I reached up and rubbed my forehead, "Life is complicated enough for me to add even more to my plate, even if I must admit I'm curious about it all."

"I could... show you?" Volkov whispered, and began to smile as his ears perked up.

"... Anything I need to know?" I asked.

Volkov began to walk closer, "Yeah, privacy for one."

"What about it?" I asked.

"The virtual world is divided into a bunch of areas, which in turn have a bunch of privacy settings. Some of them allow personal representation to take on any shape or name that you want. Others demand identity controls, or that your virtual persona reflects your physical appearance."

I pointed at Volkov, "Isn't that a problem for you?"

Volkov nodded, "It is, and until I settle on a look that I'm willing to live with for the rest of my life, I can only enter areas without identity controls."

"Ah, I see," I said.

Volkov motioned with his hands, "Some areas can be traversed on your own, or you can turn the social aspects on and join everyone else in the area."

"Who controls these 'areas'?" I wondered.

"There are public areas with dedicated Expert systems that are tightly controlled. Others are free-for-all and it's up to the users whether to participate or not. Users can also create their own spaces, and those tend to be the most popular... even if it's something completely off rails at times."

"... What do you mean?" I asked.

"Anonymity combined with total freedom, with all its benefits and drawbacks. Copy protection isn't a thing which means that if you see something, you can copy it in its entirety."

I raised my brow, "Copy protection isn't much of a thing in the real world either. Snap a photo of art, print it. Scan an object with your phone, print it. Come up with a new discovery, watch as it automatically becomes part of the Archives."

Volkov smiled to himself, "I know, but they've taken it to another level with stuff like stealing physical appearances, voices, and even creating Expert Systems meant to mimic people's behavior."

"So the lesson is, don't trust anything in an area without Identity Controls?"

Volkov nodded, "Just like in the real world... That being said, you may not know who the person behind the mask is, but there are ways of knowing that you're dealing with the same masked person."

"Like a unique ID for every anonymous persona?" I asked.

Volkov nodded, "Some people generate new ID's every time they enter the virtual world, with the downside that absolutely no one can trust your identity, real or virtual."

"I'd be willing to give it a go, but can we-"

Volkov interrupted, "Do something private?"

"Yeah," I said with a nod.

"Noproblem, we can go tothe place where Allen has been lurking around,"Volkov said, and grew a mischievous smile.

I felt my own face mimic his expression, and I couldn't help but feel a tinge of curiosity, "So how do we do this?"

Volkov spoke, and began to walk closer, "People who aren't good at interacting with machines usually have some kind of signature move to bring up an interface that they can interact with, but you should be able to just do it with your mind."

As Volkov walked up it became clear just how small his new form was. He had the body of a regular canine now, and I had to look down to meet his gaze.

Volkov turned to face the void, and then threw a glance at me, "There are benefits to not looming over everyone else, you know?"

I could feel my lips twitch in amusement while I did my best to put a lid on it, "I'm sure there are."

Volkov chuckled, and motioned to me, "Just access your settings, enter the privacy-stand-alone mode, and extend an invitation to me."

I shut my eyes for a moment and focused. As I searched my mind there was a presence like with the other machines I had interfaced with. My desires drew me toward the right settings, and I felt something like a click as I set the mode as Volkov had instructed.

I then looked over at Volkov and could see as he lit up within my vision. A long ID could be seen next to him, and an invitation was sent. With another click he accepted, and my subconscious told me that we had linked up.

"Now what?" I asked.

"One moment, I just need to dig up the old address," Volkov said.

"... I thought you were supposed to be the quick one with these things?" I asked.

Volkov's ears perked as he turned to focus on me, "I am the quick one. It's just that the Zephyr seems to lock down my abilities whenever I interact with you. In other words, I'm forced to operate at the same speed as you whenever we interact like this."

"Hmm," I murmured.

Volkov's ears drooped, and he gave me a tired stare, "You might be trying to hide it, but I know you're feeling pretty smug about that right now."

I felt a tug on my lips as I tried to fight the urge to make a sheepish grin, "Not at all..."

"Uh huh... Well, this is effectively a downgrade for me, and a risk if we need to me to do things at a pace you have no chance of doing," Volkov said.

"Any way around that problem?" I asked.

"Yeah, basically you control our body, I do my thing in here, and we try to interact as little as possible because it'll mess up things for both of us."

"Is this because the Zephyr is basically wedged between our minds right now?" I asked.

"I think so," Volkov said with a shrug, "But I can't exactly access the internals of it, so it's difficult to know exactly."

"Did you dream earlier?" I asked.

Volkov blinked in wonder, "Dream?"

So he doesn't know...

"I'll tell you later," I said.

"Alright then... Now let me focus for a moment, okay?" Volkov asked.

I shut my muzzle and watched as Volkov closed his eyes. Moments later he looked up, held out his hand, and made a wave. There was an urge to blink, and as I opened my eyes once more there was now a door in front of us.

"Oh," I whispered.

Volkov extended his hands to point at the door, "Ta-da!"

I walked up to the door, grabbed the handle, and pulled the door open as I glanced inside. The air which met my nose reminded me of a rainy night in the forest, and I could see what looked like an uneven road made of cobblestone. Upon moving closer it became clear that the door had materialized within the wall of a city street.

"It's not dangerous," Volkov said from behind me.

I glimpsed back with a raised brow, looked back into this new world, and stepped through.

Volkov followed in my wake, and I heard the door slam shut. A quick glimpse behind me revealed that the door had promptly disappeared and that there was nothing more than a brick wall.

"Welcome to a genuine Red-Light district, ripped straight from the old world archives," Volkov said, and motioned upwards with his arms.

Looks messy...

Each side of the road was tightly packed with buildings that looked ready to collapse. Most of them either had no windows and little more than a cramped entrance or consisted of nothing more than giant windows filled with wares. A mishmash of lights, many of them neon colored, litthe area with flashing hues that reflected on the wet cobblestone. As I sniffed the air, I got the impression that this was a busy place, but as one looked around it was clear there was no one else was here.

No doubt due to our privacy settings...

Volkov began to walk, and motioned for me to come along. I followed, and my gaze was drawn to one of the nearby windows. Displayed within the window was a set of neontubes that had been twisted into a figurine, and as I watched it lit up in what amounted to asimple animation. The animation itself seemed to depict a tailedfigure that was grinding against a large pole.

Red-Light district...

"I assume that Red Light district is a euphemism for sex-street?" I asked.

"That's what it used to mean at least, these days it's used to indicate digital wares of the more lewd variety," Volkov said, and stepped up to the store's entrance.

Volkov marched inside, and I was forced to crouch a little as I stepped through the door. To my surprise the murky scent from earlier changed dramatically, and so did the temperature.

There was a hint of herbs, spices, old wood, and something which reminded me of silicone. In the background of the store I could hear what sounded like pop-music being played by a tinny speaker.

On the right side of the store was what looked like a bar, but a quick glance at the display arearevealed that what was being displayed had no relationship to bottles other than the general phallic shape.

I shifted my focus to the left side of the store and saw a large space filled with tiered display tables. Volkov walked toward the display area, and I followed. Compared to the lewd bar, the tables had little more than anarray of small blackboxes.

"And these are?" I asked as I walked up next to Volkov.

Volkov glanced at box to the right, and then reached out with his hand to tap the top. Aholographic figureof what looked like a nude femalebovine above the small box. The figure began to move as I watched, glanced up, and thenblew a kiss in our direction.

"Apparently some people have a thing for bovines," Volkov said.

"Tastes vary, and since there are no bovine hybrids, I guess this is the closest thing people can get."

Volkov gave the box another tap, and the figure disappeared in an instant, "The box contains data for the model, voice, behaviors, and so on... It's easy to copy and then you can spin up an instance within your own virtual world."

"Hmm,"I murmured, and then reached out toward one of the boxes.

As my hand neared the box, I felt as a flash of information struck my mind.

Thunderdam... Dragon... Female... With a liking for food...

I tapped the box, and a dragon-like hybrid appeared as expected. With another tap she disappeared, and I moved my hand over to the next one.

Wess... Shepherd... Male... A liking for leather and rough play...

I found myself smiling for a moment, and then realized that there was something else added to the digital tag of the box. Areference to the archives, one that detailed the life of someone who used to live long ago. A certain shepherd named Wess.

"Wait... This one's modeled after areal person,"I said.

Volkov leaned forward to catch my gaze, "As I mentioned earlier."

I sighed to myself, and pulled my hand back, "It feels a bit weird that people are doing this."

"Just wait until you get a look of this,"Volkov murmured, and moved over to the corner.

Ifollowed, watched as Volkov picked up a box, and then held it in front of me as he gave the top a tap. The box activated, and ablack wolf with little more than a loincloth appeared. Red markings ran along the wolf's body, and there was an indicator with a name along the bottom, 'Vilkas'.

I felt my lips twitch a little, "I see..."

The small wolf on the pedestal looked up at me, tipped his head, and bared his teeth as a growl emerged. It made me raise a brow, and I reached out with my hand to catch its digital tag.

V __ilkas... __Wolf Alpha... Male... Awild beast who'll pound your-

I forced myself to stop thinking of the tag and removed my hand. Volkov was smirking like mad, while I drew a deep breath and reached up to rub the base of my muzzle.

"Was, this... where you found Allen?" I murmured.

"Not exactly..."

"Meaning?"I wondered.

Volkov pointed at the box, "Now, it's difficult to figure out the origins of this kind of stuff, but the items themselves do have a list of dates and IDs regarding who modified it."

I reached out, grabbed the box from Volkov, and tapped its top to shut it off, "Let me guess, Allen's ID was in the list?"

Volkov grew a wild grin, "It was, though he wasn't the creator, or the first one to modify it."

"So what did he do to it?" I asked.

Volkov pointed at the box, "It was a while ago, but hemade it... um,anatomically accurate to its real life equivalent, and altered the voice a fair bit."

I found myself groaning, "... Why?"

"You're his Alpha, you tell me," Volkov said, and pulled his hand back with a smirk.

"I assume stuff like this can't be deleted?" I asked, and shook the box.

"You could try to remove it if you were in public mode, but the Expert System would likely ban you, or just restore the box later."

I put the box back on the table, "Are you sure it was actually Allen who did this?"

Volkov tipped his head, "Well, I can't be certain... of course. He did look like Allen, and behaved like him. The guy's access history also fits as it's less frequent whenever Allen is busywith us."

"Remind me how you found him exactly?" I asked.

Volkov motioned to me, "Okay, full disclosure... I may have used a variant of our name when I first entered the virtual world. Volkov Vilkas, to be specific, and Allen was the one who contacted me."

"... Why?" I wondered.

Volkov shrugged, "No clue, but he asked a bunch of questions that made it clear he was trying to figure out who I was. Ibasically told him I wasn't you... which is true."

S __o, a bunch of circumstantial evidence at best... And this isn't illegal either... Just... S_ trange_...

"How did you figure out he'd been here?" I asked.

Volkov shrugged, "It's a popular place, and I have plenty of bots that are on the lookout for interesting stuff. I mean, they can't search the entire Virtual World, but they can dig through the places I visit."

I squinted as stared at him, "... And what did you want in this place, hmm?"

Volkov grew a sly smile and chuckled as he made a dismissive wave.

I relented, and drew a deep breath as I looked out across the shop, "So what's the general opinion on stuff like this?"

"Athena openly refuses to help with stuff like this, and expert systems with an ethics module refuse as well. That'swhy a lot of these models tend to be rather shitty unless they're popular. That being said, a lot of people use stuff like this for a... variety of reasons. Personally, I think it's fine, simply because it's just an extension of people's imagination."

"But isn't there a risk that this could be used to hurt someone in real life?" I asked.

"I've already pondered it, but let's see if you reach the same conclusions, shall we?"

I gave him a skeptical glance, "All right, let's say someone made a rude video of someone in order to spread a nasty rumor."

Volkov drew a deep breath, "Real life video comes with a secure signature that can be traced back to the Archives. Anything originating from the virtual world won't have that. In other words, anyone would be able to tell it's fake. More than that, the person trying to spread the rumor would face considerable repercussions. If ours was a human society then your scenario might have merit, but we're not human."

"All right, then let's use an example that appeals to something more basic. The right to privacy."

Volkov raised a finger in the air, "That is an interesting one, but that kind of privacy doesn't exist within our society, and the repercussions of having such privacy would fundamentally change everything."

I squinted at him, "We do have privacy within our homes, not even Athena gets to peer in there."

"True," Volkov said, and nodded, "But the moment you step out into the public, or visit a place like this, all those things are gone with the wind. Adding to that, can you imagine what would be needed in order to stop this kind of thing?"

I stared at him for a moment, and began to consider it, "... Oh."

Volkov made a knowing smile, "You'd basically have to install monitoring devices in every person's head, read their every thought, and systematically eradicate or punish anyone into submission that had the 'wrong' thought. Basically, you'd implement thought-crime on a societal level."

"Hmm," I murmured.

Volkov pointed to me, "If the person who we think is Allen hadn't screwed up by contacting me with the same ID that was used to modify this item, would you have cared?"

"Not really, no... The net has always been a wild place, and that's just a part of life... Though I do find it weird that someone would have an interest in me," I said.

Volkov tipped his head and looked away.

"... What?" I asked.

"You did kind of face a whole sect of crazed humans and ran across the snow with Jason in your arms. People around here have made literal memory-adventures where they take on your role and have to flee to the car."

I drew another deep breath, and reached up to rub my temple, "This is just getting worse..."

Volkov looked back, and widened his hands to motion at it all, "The virtual world, acreative marvel! Just like the universe itself..."

"Well, I guess I can agree to that," I said, and peered back at him.

"So, do you want to grab something from the shop, or-"

I interrupted him, "As curious as this place is, I'vehad my fill for the night."

Volkov leaned closer to the table, and smirked, "Yasure you don't want a model of yourself?"

I let my teeth show as I glanced back at him, "I'm good, thank you."

512 A.R. February 13, E** temenanki - **** Vilkas' Room , M ***orning*

There was a click, and then I heard the sound of shutters starting to move. It made me open my eyes, and I could see light pour into the room as it rose along the walls. While the bed was comfortable, I couldn't help but wonder how I ended up here.

The memories were quick to rush back, and I could remember wandering in here, basically throwing myself into bed, and at some time during the night I'd had a discussion with Volkov as well.

I rolled around in bed and shut my eyes once more as the sun hit my face.

Comfortable... Warm... Soft...

I squinted and could see that the shutters had opened to reveal a sea of clouds with a few mountaintops poking out here and there. The sun itself shone with a strong yellow-orange glare, and I could feel its warmth as it now baked the bed I was in.

Makes me wish the others were here...

The room itself had white tapestries, a black carpet on the floor, and the bedside table appeared to be made of black marble with seams of white. It appeared luxurious, and I pulled the pillow closer as I burrowed my muzzle against it.

It's okay to relax once in a while...

A few moments passed.

Though...

With something of a sigh, I shut my eyes once more and tried to focus. My mind reached out, and I focused on contacting Peter, John, and Allen. After a few moments I could feel a connection being made through the network.

Then it stopped, and an error of some kind was thrown back at me.

[Connection refused: Special circumstances in effect]

No contact between pack members and their Alpha during training...

I rolled onto my back, stared up the ceiling, and began to reach out with my mind once more. This time my focus lay on Athena, and after a few moments I felt her presence descend as if peering down at me from above.

'Good morning, Vilkas,' Athena whispered in my mind.

'It is a good morning,' I thought.

'You're feeling alright, I hope?'

'No headache, finally feel rested, and Volkov seems peaceful,' I thought.

'That's good to hear.'

'Do you mind if we talk for a bit?' I wondered.

'Not at all, what's on your mind?' Athena wondered.

'You were the one who arranged the cookie at the train station, yes?'

'Yes... It was laced with a paralytic poison meant for Volkov. Alas, it did not work as well as I had hoped,' Athena answered.

'You found out what was happening at the Veripolis Tower, right?' I wondered.

'The scans showed abnormal growths along your spine. They were starting to invade your brain, and thatit clear that Volkov had becomeunstable,' Athena answered.

I drew a deep breath, and rubbed one eye, 'Why not tell me?'

'Volkov feared us as it was, and if he had become aware that we knew then his approach would have been that much more aggressive. Also, we needed time to arrange transport from the moon.'

'Did you ask Moonbase Alpha for help, or did they come to you?'

'We did reach out, but it didn't seem to come as a surprise. We did not inquire why this was, but simply accepted their generosity,' Athena answered.

I wonder if the Space Initiative agent at the Bonaparte had something to do with this...

'Etemenanki doesn't know what to make of the Zephyr, do you?' I wondered.

'Some parts are easy to understand, such as the radioisotope fueled thermocouples... Unfortunately, the rest is beyond my ability to make sense of,' Athena answered.

'So, the moon doesn't even share its tech with you?' I thought.

'Both Ares and I are AIs assigned to safeguard the island. We have nothing to do with either Moonbase Alpha, or the Space Initiative.'

'Is there a difference between the two?' I wondered.

'They are supposed to be two different organizations, functionally however one is just a more secretive version than the other,' Athena answered.

'And what approach should I use with the Zephyr?' I wondered.

'I would advise keeping it a secret... Use it if needed, but avoid it if possible,' Athena answered.

'Roger that,' I thought.

'Moonbase Alpha was honest enough to tell me that they're planning to release the specs sooner or later so that population wide augmentation can take place,' Athena said.

My eyes opened wide as I let her words sink in.

'Wouldn't that be a major security risk, given that this thing is refusing access to its internal systems?' I wondered.

'It is assumed that we will be given full access to the Zephyr's inner workings. Anything else would be a major violation of trust, and Sophos as a whole would vehemently reject it.'

'That's a relief, butI guess I have no choice but to live with this for now,' I thought.

'That does seem to be the case... Our methods of dealing with this would be archaic compared to the results that Etemenanki and the Zephyr managed to achieve.'

I nodded to myself in bed, 'I am thankful.'

'Good... But there is another important lesson to be learned here, Vilkas...'

My ears folded back, 'I should have told you about my headaches the moment I got them. In the end, this was caused by my failure to act responsibly, and I am... regretful for my lack of judgment.'

'... I was planning to admonish you for a bit, but it seems you've understood well enough.'

'It won't happen again, I promise,' I thought.

'Good... Is there anything else on your mind?' Athena wondered.

'I tried to give the rest of my pack a call, and naturally it was refused. How are they, and where are they?' I wondered.

'This is Ares area of expertise, but I'm sure they're fine, and their location is quite secret to avoid interference from others,' Athena answered.

I squinted as I stared into the ceiling.

'I sense your distrust in the matter,' Athena whispered.

'I'm worried, that's all,' I thought.

'No harm will come to them, and they are there of their on their own volition... That should be enough assuage your worries,' Athena answered.

'It doesn't, but I'll tolerate it nonetheless,' I thought.

To my surprise I felt a shimmer of amusement in my mind as if Athena had just made a discrete laugh, 'I am not surprised, Vilkas.'

'How long am I expected to stay here?' I wondered.

'As long as needed to complete your training,' Athena answered.

I smiled to myself, and made a faint sigh, 'As ordered, thank you for the talk, Athena.'

'My pleasure,' Athena answered, and her presence faded away once more as the link was cut.

I think it's time for a shower...