Chapter 10 – The W** atering Hole**

512 A.R. February 1** 7 ***,* T** raining Camp *, N* ight**

It was surprisingly hard work to prepare food for hundreds. Fortunately, Ares had seen fit to provide the tools to set up a makeshift kitchen. Part of the camp had been torn down, and there was now a path running from one end to the other.

The feeling within the camp had changed from one of subdued anger to one where people were coming alive with what felt like excitement. They tore down the walls with a vengeance, worked hard to set up rows upon rows of tables. They were talking and laughing as they bonded with one another as if they had already forgotten about the prisons.

This was how it was supposed to be, and I couldn't help but smile a little.

Peter was jumping between duties. One moment he'd bark out orders regarding which kitchen group needed what, and in the next he'd help carry plates. John marched like an antsy director as he inspected the food, sampled it from time to time, and took care of the menu. Allen had also found his place as he rushed past with a big loop of electric cable.

My ears perked as I noticed something in the distance. Wolves were arriving by the entrance to the hangar. The missing Alphas. I could see them spread out in search of their pack mates while their expressions shifted from amazement, to deep frowns of worry.

Things will be fine from here on…

Queues were starting to form by the nearby kitchen stations. The wolves were hungry, and the air was flooded with the rich scents of heavy broths, fried meat, and crispy honey roast.

Someone served the first plate, and the rush for food began. Hundreds of wolves were starting to pile up in neat rows, and food was being piled high onto their plates.

The world seemed to live and breathe around me as if I had gone invisible. I drew a deep breath and found myself uncertain about how to feel about it all.

My eyes caught on a nearby Alpha. He'd found his pack standing by the food queue. They were talking, and I could catch the subtle hints of their conversation. Their eyes glanced in my direction and the Alpha searched the crowd until he managed to lock eyes with me.

I had no desire to end up in the spotlight again. Especially not if it involved a lengthy interrogation with Alphas that were eager to hear all about it. An unnerving tingle ran down my spine as I considered that they might ask me to hold another speech.

I moved away from it all, slinking between rows of wolves until I neared one of the walls. My mind reached outward, and I accessed the archives once more.

Schematics… This place…

My desire became a simple request and I felt a burst of data enter my mind. There were maps and schematics, highlighted with everything I needed. I entered the ruins of the camp and made my way to the wall of the hangar. It took a bit searching, but I found another door hiding in plain sight.

The door had no handle, but there was an old-fashioned lock that would accept a key.

This leads to an observation platform on the roof…

I stepped up to it and glanced back to make sure the coast was clear.

One of the tendrils slipped out from my wrist and faced the lock. Its tip opened up to reveal the core within and began to shimmer like liquid metal. Within moments it had taken on the shape of a key, and I slotted it into the lock. To my surprise it felt as if I had jammed my finger into the minuscule hole and could now feel the contours within.

I wiggled the 'key' and prodded at the tumblers within the lock, and after a few moments I heard a click as it unlocked. The tendril slipped back into its home and I tugged at the edge of the door.

Hiding behind the door was a central pillar of concrete which had a staircase that snaked around it. I stepped inside, and a set of automatic lights came to life throughout the hidden tower. The air was already starting to feel cooler as I grabbed the railing and started walking.

'Ares,' I thought, and reached out with my mind.

Ares presence slipped into my mind once more, 'Your location tells me that you're being naughty.'

I smiled to myself as I kept walking, 'I think I've earned a respite, don't you think?'

'True… Now, how may I be of assistance?' Ares asked with an amused hint by the end.

'I'm wondering what's next?' I thought.

'You have performed admirably, and your pack-mates have fared well on the tests I've been administering through their tablets. Thus, I believe it is time to let you handle a real mission.'

'We're officially part of the Defense Force now?' I wondered.

'The 'official' part is not as important as you make it sound, but I think you and your pack will best learn by dealing with the real world, rather than learning through studies and our machinations.'

'Agreed,' I thought.

'There have been a number of incidents since yesterday, particularly in the human communities.'

'I did see something in the news about a riot,' I thought.

'Yes, one of an increasing number of incidents,' Ares said.

'Tell me more?' I wondered.

'A human enclave has been emptied of people, samples indicate that a Lusus infestation has taken place. Drones tracked them to a set of underground tunnels. At the moment we are evaluating options on how to deal with it.'

'I take it this is not a normal occurrence?' I wondered.

'Lusus infestations on the island have not been seen for many decades, Etemenanki's spores are supposed to be like poison, and the few infestations that have taken place have occurred below ground. This recent event is worrying.'

'… You want us to deal with this?' I wondered.

'It was merely an example of what is going on, but I do have something related for you,' Ares said.

'Oh?' I thought as climbed the last step, and stopped in front of another door.

'Your briefing can wait until later, first I want you to head to a nearby agridome,' Ares said.

'An automated farm? Why?' I wondered.

'I figured that you and your pack might enjoy a shower and a proper proper night's sleep.'

'That would be appreciated, but why would an agridome have that?' I wondered.

'Little known fact, but most agridomes have more than one purpose. Just like Etemenanki, it has sections that serve as a resort. But don't be too happy about, as your visit will be brief.'

'Understood,' I thought.

'Any further questions?' Ares wondered.

'How will we get there?' I wondered.

'Suitable transportation will be arriving in about 15 minutes,' Ares answered.

'A car like last time?' I wondered and glanced toward the road.

'You'll see once they've arrived, and do feel free to pick whichever you like best,' Ares answered.

'As ordered,' I thought.

Ares' presence faded once more, and I turned my focus to the door in front of me.

There was a lock on the inside, and I turned it with a click. I then gave the door a push and heard the noise of snow being pushed out of the way. Cold air rushed past me and the outside world opened up to my senses. There was a lit balcony outside, built on top of the hangar's ceiling. Tables and a bunch of snow-covered chairs stood in the balcony's corner.

The dark sky spread out above me as I stepped out of the doorway, and I felt my paws sink into the thick snow. Fresh snowflakes drifted into the light of the balcony as I gazed upwards.

As seconds ticked by, the glinting stars were the first to appear. Within moments, the gaps between stars filled with subtle hues until a set of majestic bands were revealed.

The Milky Way, in all its glory…

A dark sky spread out above me as I stepped out of the doorway and I felt my paws sink into the thick snow. Fresh flecks of snow drifted into the light of the balcony as I gazed upwards. As my eyes adjusted, glittering stars emerged among the majestic but subtly colored bands of the Milky Way.

I stretched my claws into the snow and shivered for a moment as the icy cold dug into my puffed-up pads. The sensation passed in moments, and I could see my breath drift in the air like fog.

My gaze dropped to the snow and I felt an urge as my tail began to wag. A grin grew on my lips as I settled in the snow with my knees and let myself fall to the side. The snow was surprisingly good at buffeting me despite my weight, and I began to stretch out. The cold felt like a blanket pushing against my fur, and I dug my snout into the snow.

An alligator… Little more than eyes poking out from the water…

I squirmed around as I dug myself into the pile and settled my head on a pillow of the soft snow.

This is nice…

I shut my eyes for a moment, drew a deep breath, and felt the gentle wind pull on me. Relaxation spread through me, and I let my defenses drop. The shield around my mind faded, and I glimpsed up at the sky once more.

The world seemed silent to my ears, but my mind could feel something that they couldn't. There was a hum coming from the moon high above. A point of pressure pushing down on the world. Another one existed to the left of me, in the far distance, a tower, Etemenanki. Then there was the blob hiding within the hangar itself, hundreds of wolves with abilities that were only starting to bud.

“Hmm," I murmured as I realized that a separate, much smaller blob, was coming closer.

In fact, the blob of mental activity was climbing the staircase I had used minutes earlier. I perked my ears in response, focused on the door behind me, and could hear them coming. A single set of paws, claws clicking against the stairs.

Peter? John? Allen? Not sure who…

I remained as I was, and I let my tail wag along the snow as I waited. While I couldn't see him, I could definitely feel him as he sneaked up to the door and peeked out.

“It's a nice night, isn't it?" I said out loud.

There was a familiar sigh, and I heard Peter's voice come from the doorway, “I figured these stairs were too loud."

I could hear as he walked through the snow and settled behind my back. Moments later a big muzzle came to loom near my neck, and I caught Peter's scent.

“How did you find me?" I wondered.

“It's pretty easy to follow the scent of flower-shampoo in a place like this," Peter whispered as his nose nuzzled my cheek.

I felt as my tail began to tap against Peter's legs, “Ah."

“Did you eat anything?" Peter wondered as he put a hand on my shoulder.

“I sampled it a few times, not really hungry," I said.

“But that's not why you headed up here, is it?" Peter whispered.

“I've never liked the spotlight, and I could tell that the Alphas were starting to close in on me for a chat," I said and smirked.

Peter claws trailed along my chest and his sharp canines trailed along my neck, “Yeah… It was getting kinda stuffy down there."

I lifted my head a little and caught a glance of him. He eased his muzzle back, then let out a deep breath that made fog trail from his open muzzle.

“… Do you want to be alone?" Peter whispered as he met my gaze.

I rolled onto my back and perked my brow, “You're always welcome around me, Peter."

His smile turned into a smirk as he reached up to scratch his cheek, “… Good to know."

“Did they bother you?" I asked.

Peter looked back at me, tipped his head a little, and made a quick sigh, “A lot of people are curious about you. The others who saw you fight have enough respect to keep their mouths shut, but I barely slipped away before they caught John and Allen."

I perked my brow, “You left them to the wolves? You monster…"

Peter stifled a chuckle as he grew a wild grin, “Hah, funny… Seriously though, I imagine they'll find their way up here in a minute or two."

I averted my gaze and couldn't help but groan, “Hopefully without every pack in the building."

Peter shuffled closer through the snow and leaned over me, “Which gives us a few minutes to talk."

“Hmm?" I murmured and met his gaze once more.

Peter raised his hands, “I have about ten times as many questions as I have digits. Care to explain by yourself, or should I just start peppering you with them."

“Might be better to do it when the rest arrive, so…" I paused for a moment, then looked up at him.

I'd been so focused on his voice that I hadn't thought about what my other senses were telling me. Peter definitely had a flicker of something telepathic within him. Like a flickering candle that sometimes flared as his thoughts intensified. There was something unique to it as well, and now that I had latched onto it, I bet I could pick him out from a crowd.

'Hey… Hey Peter?' I thought with my mind.

He looked at me in wonder, and didn't seem to have heard, “… You were saying?"

I raised my right hand from the snow and offered it to him, “Let me feel you."

Peter stared and after a moment his eyes and ears perked in surprise, “Ah…"

I huffed, reached up further, and slipped my fingers into the thick fur along his cheek. Peter watched my hand in silence, while I felt the tingle of a forming connection in my hand.

Everything seemed to intensify as the link came to life. His breathing grew louder, the beat of his heart thumped in my own chest. Sensation blossomed across the link.

Peter caught my arm in his hand, and his gaze drifted to look into my eyes, “This feels strange."

“Tell me about it?" I wondered.

Peter gulped, “Something similar to this happened in the car, but it was a lot rougher. This is… smooth, pleasant. It's like I can feel you."

I observed him in silence through the link, but I wasn't trying to dig through his thoughts. Peter was amazed, almost enthralled, but there was a lot of doubt as well. Fear tinged by caution made him hesitant around me. There was something else as well, a distraction, and for the briefest moment he glanced toward the door.

I glanced over at the door and noticed that my backpack was sitting beside it, “Oh, you brought my backpack… I had almost forgotten about it."

“Weird question, but… did you get that through my mind right now?" Peter whispered.

“In some sense, yes," I said, and looked back at him.

Peter shook his head, “I'm not scared of you, Vilkas… I promise."

I smiled back, “That's a relief."

Peter inched closer to me, “What is this? Why does this only work with you?"

I reached up with my free hand, and brushed the thick brown fur between his ears, “Have you ever heard the term 'Dualist' before?"

Peter opened his muzzle to speak, but his mind flared with what I could only interpret as a definitive yes. He seemed to realize that I knew and made a sheepish smile.

“It's not easy acting clueless when you can read my mind," Peter whispered.

I focused on the shield around my mind and felt as the connection between us broke down, despite physically touching each other.

Peter gasped in surprise, “Oh…"

I scratched at his cheek and smirked, “Now you can't tell what I'm feeling, and vice versa."

Peter's ears folded back, “I didn't mean that you had to…"

I pulled my hand back, “I know, but this is more fair to you, and don't worry… You can learn this as well."

His ears perked up in an instant, “I can? I mean, you serious?"

I nodded and waved my hands in the air a little, “Yeah, apparently our entire generation has a bunch of telepathic abilities that are going to start manifesting soon. I'm just ahead of the curve a bit."

Peter eased his rear down in the snow and leaned onto my side, “Because… you're a…"

“A Dualist, yes… do you know what it is?" I asked.

Peter drew a deep breath and made a halfhearted shrug, “There may have been rumors… Kato may have also given us a call before entering the training camp to wish us good luck, while also asking a bunch of questions about you."

“… Kato," I whispered.

It felt like a blast from the past. Something which had happened a very long time ago, yet it had barely been a month. Another pack belonging to the Frostwolf clan, one that had offered to take us under their wing as we joined the Defense Force.

I was glad that I had closed the connection with Peter, as I doubted he'd like the feeling that welled up inside me. Keeping all of these secrets and balancing everything would be troublesome with my own pack, adding another to it would further complicate things.

“Oh, did he now?" I asked.

“He was curious about your assignment, and he wanted to tell us that he was eager to join up once we were done here," Peter said.

“Hmm," I murmured.

“… You don't seem pleased," Peter said.

“It feels like such a long time ago we made these pacts, and a lot of things have changed since then," I said.

Peter tipped his head, “… They have?"

I reached back, pushed myself into a sitting position, and leaned in with my head as I brushed Peter's shoulder, “There's no way I'm going to be able to hide this in the long run, so go ahead and feel my back."

Peter blinked and tipped his head as he whispered, “Your… back?"

I nodded at him, “It's nothing dangerous."

That's a lie, but…

Peter raised his hand, touched my shoulder, and then let his claws trail along the fur of my neck. Upon reaching my neck, he bumped into the first of the armored plates. I could see him jump a little in surprise, and then he kept feeling. He felt his way along the contours and seemed to count the ridges along my spine. He then felt closer to my side, and reached the curled up tendrils.

“… What is this?" Peter whispered.

“I almost died after getting hit by the axe. It caused my Symbiont to 'malfunction' if we can call it that, and it gave birth to something in my mind. Another person, trapped in the depths of my mind."

Peter pulled his hand back and nodded, “I managed to understand that much from reading up about Dualists. But why haven't you told us?"

I shrugged, “I've had a lot on my plate, and I was fine dealing with it on my own."

“True, and I guess we couldn't help, but still…" Peter whispered.

I leaned onto his shoulder, “I probably should have told you, but I didn't."

Peter pointed at me, “So these… things in your back?"

I smiled back, “After the car crash, I started having some trouble with headaches."

Peter reached up and felt his temple, “I thought hybrids couldn't get headaches."

I nodded, “Yeah. Volkov, the second persona living in my mind, was starting to become unstable. That hit its peak shortly after you guys left for the training."

Peter perked his brow, “And these armored plates… fixed that?"

I tipped my head back and forth, “Kind of, but before I tell you anything more about this, I need you to promise me that you will not to tell anyone else, alright?"

“… Not even John and Allen?" Peter asked.

“We can tell them, but let's start slow, okay?" I asked.

Peter nodded, “Yeah, I can live with that."

“The link between Volkov and me was separated. He still lives inside my mind, but we're not constantly mingling thoughts and experiences. It basically freed him from his prison, and he's a lot happier these days."

“Oh, that's good… Couldn't imagine having another person in my head, it's too cramped as it is," Peter said and rolled his eyes.

I chuckled and pointed to my back, “I've been implanted with experimental tech called a Zephyr. Fixing Volkov was one of the things it did. The problem is that the Zephyr is kind of heavy, so they were forced to accelerate my growth a bit."

“… Your voice, and your scent," Peter whispered as his nostrils flared a bit.

I nodded, “You like it?"

Peter's ears wiggled a little as he bit his lip, “It's… nice."

“Mmhm," I murmured.

Peter grew a cheeky smile as he tipped his head closer to my own, “Intoxicating."

“Ah," I mused.

Peter's muzzle drifted closer to my own, and based on his own scent, he was quickly overcoming any reservations he may have had since coming up here.

“You were… elegant, when you were fighting," Peter whispered.

“It was an awful battle," I whispered.

“I know, I know… But I've never seen you move like that before," Peter whispered as his muzzle brushed along my own.

“I could teach you to move like that as well," I said.

“… I missed you, I missed you so damn much, Vilkas," Peter whispered.

“I missed you too," I whispered as our heads met in a gentle nuzzle.

There was a noise, a creak from the nearby door.

“Told you they were smooching," John said.

Peter perked up in an instant and bared his teeth as he looked back at the door, “For fucks sake…"

John chuckled as he pushed the door open wide and marched out with Allen in his wake. Peter shut his muzzle, but I could hear a low growl coming from his chest while John walked up and promptly sat down in the snow in front of me.

“Yo, boss," John said and smiled at me.

I reached out and nudged Peter's side to make him stop, and then looked back at John, “You managed to escape, I take it?"

John nodded and grew a shit eating grin, “We slipped inside and locked the door behind us before the others got a chance to follow."

Allen nodded in silence and sat down next to John in the snow.

John glanced over at Peter, “So what were the two of you up to, apart from a bunch of heavy breathing and whispers?"

I caught something on the horizon. A glimmer of lights that were growing brighter. It looked like a long row of vehicles making their way along the solitary road I had seen earlier.

“We were discussing what happens next, and we were about to talk about you've been up to for the last few weeks," I said.

John looked back at me and leaned closer with a sudden desperation in his eyes, “ Please , oh please, tell us that we won't be stuck in this damn place a second longer?"

I raised my hand and pointed toward the encroaching lights, “One of those is our ride out of here. We'll start by heading to a nearby agridome, where we'll have a chance to clean up and get a good night's sleep."

Everyone perked up as they looked into the distance.

Allen spoke up, “Those things look pretty big… what are they?"

“Don't know, but we'll see soon enough," I said.

John looked back at me, now grinning with joy, “And then?"

I motioned to John, “Ares hasn't briefed me on that yet."

John made a slow nod, “Ah… So, why were you the one who came here first?"

Allen raised his hand, “And why are you so big?"

If I have trouble explaining this, then I can't imagine trying to explain Etemenanki…

I focused on John first, “The AIs considered me a safe bet, given the training I went through."

John grew a sly smile that bared his canines, “Yeah, we all saw those moves down there. Any chance you'll teach us?"

“If you can handle it, sure," I said.

John bared his teeth as he tipped his head to the side, “Is that a challenge?"

“Might leave you sore," I said and smirked back.

Allen stifled a sudden snicker and reached up to cover his muzzle.

It made John perk to attention as he snapped back to glare at him, “What's so funny!?"

Allen waved his hand in the air and shook his head as he whispered, “Nothing…"

John glared with a low growl, and then looked back in front once more.

Peter growling at John… John g __rowling at Allen… Feels like something is off between them_ …_

I drew a deep breath, “So, what have the three of you been up to?"

Peter raised one hand in the air, “Studying, doing tests on the tablets, sitting around in prison."

“That's all?" I wondered.

John sighed and dug his hands into the snow, “We haven't had fresh air in weeks… I had almost forgotten how nice snow is."

“Ah," I said.

Peter opened his muzzle and then hesitated. It made me glance at him in wonder.

“So, where have you been, boss?" John wondered.

I looked back at him, “I spent most of the time in Etemenanki, and paid Fenrir a visit."

Allen snapped to attention as he looked back at me, silent as ever.

John lifted his hands to motion at something tall, “Etemenanki, the giant tower? The one that has a giant plume reaching into the sky?"

I nodded, “It may be Sophos' shield, but it's also something of a resort."

John opened his muzzle in amazement, “Oh… You've been at a… resort, while we've been stuck in this… dump?"

I made a slow sigh, “Resort may have been the wrong word for it… A place of healing and recuperation, featuring an individual that's quite skilled with a knife."

“Uh…" Peter droned as he leaned closer to me.

I stifled a chuckle, “Said individual was my mentor, and I needed to learn how to deal with pain, so he inflicted a lot of it."

“That's… Well, I guess that's one way to learn," John murmured with a confused stare.

Allen spoke up, “Fenrir… Isn't that the giant ice-crawler? A dreadnought."

I looked back at Allen, “Right you are."

“Ah," Allen whispered and smiled a little.

A glance to my right revealed that the vehicles were pulling into what I assumed was a snow-covered parking lot for the hangar.

“Look," I whispered.

Everyone turned to look, and I leaned closer as well. The vehicles which approached looked like a tank without a large turret. Six wheels, clearly armored, no windows, with numerous unknown attachments on the top.

An Armored Personnel Carrier? One for each pack?

The APCs began to spread out in the parking lot as they parked.

“… Whoa," Allen whispered.

I began to rise up, “How about we get down there and grab one?"

512 A.R. February 1** 7 ***,* T** raining Camp **** – P *arking Lot* , N ***ight*

“Which one do we get?" Peter asked, and motioned to the many rows of APCs.

“They all look the same," John said, and rushed ahead as he marched up to the closest one.

Allen seemed to hover near me, and I glanced over at him in curiosity. By the time I locked eyes on him, he had already glanced away and was staring at another APC. Out of curiosity, I let the shield around my mind drop once more, and kept watch on him.

Just like Peter, Allen had his own distinct signature and it seemed to burn a lot brighter as well.

It was subtle, but I could hear something coming from him. Bursts of mental activity as if his thoughts randomly shot out.

I wonder if I was somewhat like this when I met Chester…

'Hey… Allen,' I thought as I directed my thoughts toward him.

To my surprise, his ears wiggled, and he looked back at me in wonder.

Well… Isn't that interesting… But you didn't seem to notice I just used telepathy…

“How are you feeling?" I asked.

“I'm fine," Allen answered as he smiled back at me.

The smile wasn't convincing and the feeling that emanated from him was anything but honest.

I inched closer to him and lowered my voice, “Let's have a talk later, alright?"

Allen was about to speak up when Peter raised his voice, “Hey, get over here!"

I looked up, and began to move toward the APC, “Something wrong?"

Peter patted the side of the APC, “This thing has an interface, but it won't accept my request to claim it."

John was looking over the front of the APC and glimpsed back at me, “It needs the touch of our precious Alpha."

I get it, you're frustrated, but do dial down your dickish tendencies before it becomes a problem…

I threw John a glance, and then walked up to the APC. Peter joined my side moments later, and John soon followed. I raised my hand and placed it on the broad side of the APC. A familiar tingle followed, a connection was made, and I heard a monotone voice over the link.

[Signature verified: Vilkas Volkov. Symlink is compatible, beginning data transfer.]

Just like the stunner and the Lunar Shuttle, a burst of knowledge began to soar through my arm. It made me back tense up as the process geared up. Thinking was hard during moments like this, when your mind was pulled along into a dream that felt sped up. I wasn't sure what the difference between this and something like the translation Expert System, but I suspected it had something to do with the permanence of said memories. I could remember how to use a Stunner, and I could remember the systems of the Lunar Shuttle, but I had no clue how to speak Dyssian.

Hiding in the background of the transfer was something that reminded me of the Lunar Shuttle, an intelligence, primitive but present, peering out but unable to speak to speak in words.

It stared at us through sensors embedded in its hull and it was eager to meet the ones it would serve.

'Gaze upon me,' It felt like the APC was thinking.

There was railgun hidden on the top rear of the vehicle. Hidden, but deadly, and meant to punch through heavier targets. Laser domes sat in each corner to offer universal coverage. There were several drone bays hiding as well, twenty small scouting drones, two medium sized multi-purpose drones, and one heavy-duty drone which included a holographic projector.

The chassis itself was heavily armored and equipped with an at-will electrocution mechanism capable of frying any hostile that's stupid enough to touch it. Settled in the lower rear of was its heart, a fission reactor made with the latest Sophos tech. It was small, but still bulky enough to make up almost a third of the vehicle. On the upside, it had enough fuel to keep it going for years of active duty, and decades in low-power mode.

In the front of vehicle was a riot control weapon simple referred to as a 'Pain Induction System'.

Concern arose in my mind as I considered the havoc that a single vehicle like this could cause. It would be able to wipe human settlements, and it would have no problem slaughtering hybrids either.

The intelligence that resided deep within the APC flared, and it felt like it had taken offense.

I leaned closer to the APC and rested my head against its hull, just like with the Lunar Shuttle, I let my state of mind speak for me. There was no offense meant, just a bit of fear stemming from the awe of it all.

The APC turned its attention to the others, it peered at them through a multitude of sensors. Imagery flared across the datastream as the APC identified them, then asked me for verification.

I smiled to myself as I brushed my hand against the cool surface of the APC. The APC made a request of me: It wanted to feel the others, like it did with me, to bond with them.

It took a bit of concentration as I forced myself to speak up, “Put your hands against the APC."

[Signature verified: Peter Caplin. Symlink unresponsive.]

[Signature verified: Allen Taylor. Symlink is compatible, beginning data transfer.]

[Signature verified: John Hodges. Symlink unresponsive.]

[Data Transfer Error: Allen Taylor – Unstable Link]

The others aren't mature enough to do this yet…

The APC was pleased, and it gave my mind something of a nudge as it informed me that it was about to open itself up.

I leaned back and the connection was severed as I let go.

Peter and John had stepped back as well, and they were rubbing their hands as if they had gotten stunned. Allen just stared at his hand as if having made some kind of discovery.

A loud click was heard from the APC, and a set of lights along the bottom switched on. The large and armored side of the APC began to open wide. It made me take another step back.

The rear of the APC's inside was well stocked with sealed compartments and stacks of secured equipment. There were four large chairs filling the inside and the front seemed rather bare. There were no visible windows, just like the outside, but the inner surface consisted of a uniform gray hue that made me suspect that most of it was made of screens.

“If you don't hurry up, I'll grab one of the front seats," John said.

Peter leaned in front of me and glared back at John, “Vilkas grabs the first seat."

They've always been teasing one another, but it sounds like things might have gotten worse…

Now wasn't the time, so I gave each of them a quick glance, stepped closer, and made my way into the APC. I settled on the front left side and watched as Peter took the seat next to me. John and Allen followed and settled in the same positions they had during our first ride in the car.

Peter waved his hand at me, “The APC stunned me… Should I make something of that?"

I shook my head, “I'm sure it wasn't intentional, it was just trying to teach you about itself."

John shuffled back and forth in his seat as he began to adjust it, “You say that as if it's alive."

“It might not be alive, but it's certainly sentient in a way," I said.

Now that the APC had activated, it also presented an interface in the back of my mind. I glanced at the still open door to the side and wished for it to be closed.

The thick armor of the door began to close once more, made a solid thud as it locked into place, and hissed a little as the inside pressurized. A hum was heard as more systems came to life, and the gray insides of the APC came to life. Light grew around us and the outside world revealed itself to us.

Within moments it felt as if we were sitting on four chairs in the middle of parking lot, snow whirling around us.

“Whoa," John whispered as he reached out and gently touched the hard interior of the APC.

The interface provided by the APC tingled as if it was amused with itself. My thoughts wandered to it, and I made another wish for it to ease it down a bit.

Within moments the screens changed once more, and it now looked as if we were sitting in an actual car with one big window on each side.

“Yeah, this is much more comforting," Peter said and leaned closer to the big 'window' on his side.

An alert was raised on the front window, and I turned to look.

[Destination: Agridome 537 – ETA: 14 Minutes]

[Engage Navigation?] [Yes] [No]

I reached out and tapped the yes button. The hum coming from the rear of the APC grew and the outside world began to move as it accelerated.

Another alert quickly flared on the screen.

[Please Engage Seatbelts]

[Tip: The button is on the side of the seat]

Allen made something of a surprised yelp, and I turned to look. He seemed to have activated the seatbelt, and there were now four flat utility tendrils emerging from the chair as they wrapped over his chest, tightened, and clicked in place.

Peter chuckled a little, while I reached down to the side, and pushed the button. Within moments, the seatbelts had locked into place and the alert on the screen faded.

Once more, we were on our way.

512 A.R. February 1** 8 ***,* APC** , N ***ight*

I leaned close to the fake window inside the APC and looked down at the road below. It felt like it should have been impossible since the screen in front of my face was two dimensional, but technology seemed to have trumped basic instinct.

Volkov bubbled to the surface and whispered in my mind, 'The APC keeps track of where you are looking, and the screen is able to project multiple images at the same time. In other words…'

'I see the road, and the others see an image that reflects their point of view. But how can the screen display multiple images at once?' I thought.

'Through some neat tricks using microscopic mirrors and intelligent shutters. A LOT of work has gone into this in order to solve the structural integrity problem that regular windows pose.'

'No kidding,' I thought.

I heard a noise from behind and glanced back. Allen had found a tablet and was watching what looked like a news broadcast.

“- how is it possible for a human enclave within our borders to just disappear without anyone knowing?" The reporter asked.

A big bear that wore a police uniform answered, “Human enclaves within Sophos fall under a special set of rules. The human nations demanded that we grant them autonomy, and the inhabitants of the enclaves demanded to be left alone. Thus, we leave them be, and they do the same for us."

The reporter leaned closer, “But why aren't these Enclaves monitored?"

“The deals we made back then still apply, and we have no right to interfere unless they pose a direct threat."

“Would it be possible to make a deal with these enclaves? To reintegrate them peacefully?" The reporter asked.

“The governing bodies of these human Enclaves collapsed within decades of their forming. They have no leaders to speak of, and without our weekly supply drops, all of them would have starved to death a long time ago."

“If so… then why would the charter still be in effect?" The reporter wondered.

“Because of pressure from Dyssia, the UCS, and the Empire. If we tried to reclaim those territories—especially when things are already as volatile as they are—we would most certainly face a large-scale war."

“But why do they care about this at all?" The reporter wondered.

The bear motioned with his hands, “The human nations portray the Enclaves as beacons of hope within a dark and soulless society. To them, the benefits range from being able to enrage their populations when needed, to calming them when they say that invading Sophos would also harm their human brethren. The fact that the Enclaves are a thorn in our side is more than enough to make sure that they'd fight against our reclamation attempts."

“The people within these Enclaves, are they allowed to leave?"

“They are free to wander between Enclaves, but if any of them were to walk toward our cities, then they'd be stopped along the way," The bear said.

“What happens then?" The reporter wondered.

“The usual. Turn around, agree to rejoin Sophos, or die… We'd hand them over to the human nations, but they've made it quite clear that they have no interest in any sort of human migration from our side of the border."

“So there is monitoring, just not around the Enclaves themselves?" The reporter asked.

The bear nodded, “For the most part."

“… Could it be possible that all the inhabitants migrated to one of the other Enclaves?"

“That is possible, yes… But given the Lusus spores we've found in the Enclave, we suspect that something else is at play here."

The reporter gave the big bear an odd glance, “If there's no monitoring, then how was the lack of people, or the spores detected?"

The bear reached up to scratch his temple, “One has to understand the pragmatic nature that is at play here. If we truly did leave the Enclaves alone, then they'd starve, and fade away. The human nations naturally oppose this, and it isn't exactly out of humanitarian reasons. Thus, we are expected to deliver the goods necessary to ensure their survival. Technically we're not supposed to monitor them during these supply drops, but we do it anyway, and even if the human nations were to find out, it'd be difficult to argue against taking a look at the ground where we are dropping giant supply crates."

“So… the supply crates started to pile up?" The reporter wondered.

The bear nodded, “Yes, they did. Which means that something serious must have happened. Events like that, especially if there is a risk of Lusus infestation, allowed us to investigate the Enclave."

“If the Enclave did indeed fall prey to Lusus infestation, then where have they gone?"

“Since the forests would take care of the Lusus with ease, the creatures would have little choice but to venture underground to escape Etemenanki's spores."

“And what happens with this now empty Enclave?" The reporter wondered.

“Nothing, at least not while the situation is this precarious," The bear answered.

The reporter turned to face the camera as Allen proceeded to turn the screen off. Moments later he glanced up and caught us all looking.

“… I was just curious about what's been going on," Allen said.

Peter looked at me in wonder, “What did he mean by saying that the woods would take care of the Lusus?"

I shrugged, “No clue to be honest. Could be that the spores are that much more concentrated there, or that there are drone patrols?"

“Hmm," Peter murmured.

John swiveled his chair to focus on me, “Has anything big happened in Sophos while the rest of us were busy?"

“Not that I know of," I said and shook my head.

If I could, I'd share some of my memories, but this isn't the place to experiment with that…

Allen raised his hand once more, “Your voice… and scent isn't what it used to be."

Here we go again…

“Long story short is that I have something called Dualist Syndrome, and I received medical care to help me deal with it. That in turn accelerated my growth."

Peter scratched his head and glanced away, “Ya might be skipping a few details…"

I motioned to Peter, “I am, but I'd do everyone a disservice if I just hurled you guys a summary without the context or knowledge to take it all in. At the same time, I don't want to clam up and act like a prick."

Peter tipped his head a little, “I'd agree, but there might be a few things that concern us all."

John perked up, “Like what?"

Peter glanced at me, waited for a moment, and then turned his attention to John, “Apparently our generation has mind powers."

Allen looked toward Peter, “I think they call it Telepathy, not 'mind powers', and there's nothing supernatural about it."

I perked my brow, “Where did you learn about it, Allen?"

Allen shrugged, “I keep my eyes and ears open…"

John raised his hand and pointed a claw at Allen, “You spend most of your time surfing the Virtual World, and you even got caught exploring during the training camp."

“Hmm?" I murmured.

Allen mumbled under his breath while Peter looked at me and spoke up, “The camp was already being jammed when we arrived, and they handed out tablets to us that had been locked down. Allen somehow found a way past that."

John smirked, “And he informed us all by giving the rest of us a heart attack as he jumped up in the middle of the night, screaming in fright."

Allen's ears folded back while he cleared his throat, “Ares had hidden some kind of boobytrap in the locked down tablet. I thought I'd managed to hack it, but the moment I started feeling confident, the trap triggered, and transferred me into some kind of living nightmare within the virtual world."

“A living nightmare?" I wondered.

Allen shrugged, “Everyone else disappeared from the zone I was in and then a bunch of creatures emerged that began to hunt me… It just caught me by surprise, that's all."

John sighed, “We're drifting away from the subject… This Telepathy, what is it?"

I motioned to John, “Do you remember the communications tag we used when talking with Ares during the Bonaparte chase?"

John nodded.

“It's like that, without the tag. We can talk to each other using our minds, either locally or through the net. We can also sense the emotions of others and block our minds off as well."

John blinked, wide eyed at me, “… Are you reading my mind right now?"

I shook my head, “No, I've closed my mind off at the moment, and it doesn't work like that."

“So how does it work?" John asked.

“At a distance I'd consider it a complement to the usual visual cues, wagging tail, ears, et cetera… Basically you can get an impression of someone's mental state, not read their minds… unless they want you to."

“… Is this for real, or are you just pulling our legs?" John asked.

Peter made a slow nod, “It's real… He's already shown me some of it."

Allen spoke up, “And I already knew about some of it."

John lowered his head a little and peered at us, “So… how about you guys teach me as well?"

I motioned to him, “It's not that simple. Out of the three of you, Allen is the only one who has started to awaken these abilities."

“Oh," John said and looked over at Allen.

Allen tipped his head, “It's unnerving to be honest, falling asleep is difficult when you can hear others babbling inside their heads."

Then I guess teaching Allen to block it out is a priority…

I looked over at John, “Don't worry, it'll come to you soon enough, and until then you can rest assured that your personal fantasies aren't being broadcasted to everyone in your surroundings."

John's ears perked up high and he slowly turned his head to look at me, “… For real?"

I grinned back, “Something of a joke, but it's something we'll need to deal with as it develops."

“… Ah," John said as he nodded.

Allen sat on his hands as he gave me a curious glance, “So it's true… That you're a Dualist?"

I drew a deep breath and nodded, “It is…"

“So does that…" Allen murmured.

“Hmm?" I murmured.

“… Never mind," Allen said and shook his head.

I smiled back, “Any other questions?"

John huffed as he bared his canines, “So, how many secrets are you hiding?"

I nodded, “A whole trailer worth of them, but they won't come for free, whelp."

A smirk began to grow on John's lips as he tipped his head, “Ah, now that'll be fun."

An alert flared on the front window's screen.

[ETA 3 Minutes]

I turned the chair to face forward and could see a large dome in the distance, gently blinking with red indicator lights.

“I'll be nice to have a shower…" Peter murmured.

“And a proper bed," John said.

“… I could use a drink," Allen whispered.

512 A.R. February 18, Agridome 537, Night

The APC slowed to a halt by a small parking area in front of the agridome. The door opened moments later, and the others rushed out. I followed in their wake, turned to look at the agridome, and raised my gaze.

An agricultural farm, in the shape of a gigantic dome. Small strips of lights in red, green, blue, and yellow represented the cardinal directions and they reached all the way to the very top. There were no windows, but there was a big platform that looked like some kind of elevator near the parking lot.

John walked ahead and lifted his muzzle high in the air as he gazed upon the agridome. His tail began to wag as he looked back at us, “I'm assuming they have a lot of food here, so do you think we'll have a chance to eat as well?"

I began to walk and the others followed, “Didn't you eat at the camp?"

John faced us and pointed at his chest as we approached, “I was too busy serving food to others, and when I was finally about to have a plate of my own, the Alphas were circling around me while wondering where you were."

Allen waved with his hand a little, “Same for me, but I was in the power-hub."

Peter chuckled, “Same here, but I noticed early, so I sneaked off…"

John joined our side and I turned to look at him, “Only one way to find out, I guess."

Peter motioned to me, “So, I kinda get the lesson that we were supposed to learn at the camp, but I can't help but feel as if we were all being treated like idiots."

I made a reluctant nod, “From Ares perspective he merely set the stage. Sebastian got the ball rolling and the rest is as you all know it. At no point did Ares command anyone."

Peter sighed, “I know that, but-"

I interrupted him, “But feelings aren't always rational. I get it, you're angry, humiliated, and then I come swooping in. The hero ushered onto the big stage."

Peter glanced at me, and then looked ahead in silence, “You fought and the rest of us just stood there, watching. If you had failed, then…"

“… What then?" John asked.

I spoke up, “Ares wouldn't have taken such a risk, because-"

Allen interrupted me, “Because Sebastian would be dead if that happened."

Peter's ears perked up in shock, “… Why?"

Allen glanced over at Peter, “You know why… We all felt it. The camp was already nearing the breaking point when Vilkas arrived. All it would have taken was a spark, and the whole camp would have torn Sebastian into pieces."

He's right, and that's the disturbing part…

“Isn't that a bit…" John murmured.

I glanced over at John, “You were so caught up in it that you might not have noticed, but as someone who walked in from the outside… There was a lot of anger hiding in every corner, and I have to wonder if the average wolf has the necessary control when pushed to the edge."

Peter crossed his arms as he let out a low sigh, “We had been hounded for over a week, everyone hated his guts, and when we were in the command center… I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy seeing Sebastian get beaten at first."

The large elevator opened up as we approached, and I lifted my gaze to look it over. It appeared as if the elevator was mounted on the outside of the large dome and I could see the large struts that it would climb on its way up. I walked inside and the others followed. A simple set of up-and-down buttons were located on the right side, and I reached out to press it.

Within moments the elevator began to climb.

Silence filled the elevator and I let the shield around my mind drop once more. There were murmurs coming from Allen, but the other two were like fickle flames. There was tension in Allen, he pondered something deep, and ran it through his mind over and over again.

Unresolved issues in the pack, probably unearthed by the camp. Or were they always here?

“So, these tests that you had to take on the tablets, what were they about?" I wondered.

“A bit of everything. What to do if someone gets infested, how to deal with humans, what the laws let us and don't let us do as part of the Defense Force."

“Anything surprising?" I asked.

John glanced at me, “You didn't do any of this stuff?"

I shut my eyes for a moment and pondered how to deal with this, “In case someone shows signs of active infestation, then the best option is to cut off their head. That is, if the infestation isn't anywhere close to the head."

“Ah… Did you know that beforehand, or did you learn it while you were at this resort of yours?" John asked.

The elevator slowed down and came to a halt moments later. The door opened and revealed that we had arrived at the top level of agridome. It had a glass ceiling, and I could see two paths along the sides, while the center consisted of a glass wall which revealed the actual resort.

I stepped out of the elevator, glanced to each side, and saw that both paths led to shower rooms. One for smaller hybrids, one for the bigger ones. There was also a sign in the center of it all that had a helpful note.

• No clothes in the bathing area -

• If dirty, please shower before entering the bathing area -

“Hmm," Peter murmured and began to walk.

“John," I said.

John and the others froze as they glanced back at me.

I motioned to the shower area, “The rest of you can move on, I'd like to have a short talk with John out here."

“Oooh, you're in trouble now," Peter murmured as he smirked a little, and nudged Allen along as they kept walking.

John's ears wiggled, and he lowered his head a little as he turned to face me, “Too much, boss?"

I walked up to him and inched in so that I could lower my voice, “It's clear to me that you're angry, and I want to discuss that, alright?"

John drew a deep breath and averted his gaze as he leaned back, “No, I get it… I'll tone it down, no problems, so let's just-"

“ No ," I corrected.

John's ears perked as he looked back at me.

I inched closer once more, “I'm not your boss, John… and I don't want to be someone that you brush out of the way and slowly start to loathe in private. There's no way I can know what you feel with perfect precision, but I think I can relate to you more than you think. You were stuck in a dump for over a week, with each passing day feeling more lousy than the next. Frustrated and angry, while I was off doing exciting and secret things. Of course you'd be angry at me, jealous even, especially when I try to hold onto those secrets."

John stared at me for a few moments and his nose wiggled as if he thought hard about what I'd said, “Then why won't you tell us?"

I reached out and was about to touch him, but stayed my hand at the last second, “I've been through a lot in the last few days. I've watched a Dyssian soldier puke up his own innards, begging me to kill him. I've woken up to having my own body changed without prior notice. I've been stabbed and cut with a knife in the name of training that's meant to make me deal with intense pain. I could share it with you all as a pack. Slowly, and detailed, or I could just hurl it on you as I'm doing right now. Does that make you feel better? Is your curiosity sated and do you feel relieved that you'll now spend the rest of the evening knowing a fraction of it?"

John's muzzle wavered and his ears folded back, “… No."

I motioned to myself, “Do you trust me, John?"

“… Yes, I do," John whispered.

I inched closer to his muzzle and reached out as I put my hand on his bare shoulder, “You are my pack, and I missed you all a great deal. You are my family, and I'll share everything with you, just let me find the right time for it. Okay?"

John gulped and made a slow nod.

I let my hand wander along his neck and eased my head in until our foreheads touched, “Are you angry?"

“… Yes," John whispered.

“At whom?" I wondered.

“Everyone," John whispered.

“Can I help?" I asked.

“… I don't know," John whispered.

I nudged my muzzle alongside his own as fur met fur, “I understand, but constantly looking for a fight with Peter won't help. He'll bite back, you know?"

“I know that, but…" John answered.

“But?" I asked and leaned back.

John shook his head, “Ignore it, I've had enough arguing."

I tipped my head in wonder, “Go on? I won't judge."

“This is stupid, but…" John sighed and shook his head, “Why did you make Peter your Beta?"

“He's calm and focused. He's good at getting the job done once he decides to do it."

“Yeah, once he decides to do it," John said with a frown as his gaze wandered to the side.

“We all have things to learn and adapt to, John. You're eager but also rash, while Peter second-guesses himself a bit too much after losing his role as Alpha."

John's gaze wandered back to me, “… and if I turn out to be the better wolf in the long run?"

I motioned to him, “If you are the better candidate, then you'll be the Beta of the pack, John. But when you start discussions like this, I'm also going to be frank with you."

John blinked, “Oh…"

“You can be a quite an ass at times, John. You think it's funny and sometimes it is, but it's not a trait befitting someone that backs up my role as a mediator. Peter may not be perfect, and he can't hold himself back when you get him going, but I can trust him to not act out of line," I said.

John lowered his head, “That's… harsh."

“That said," I continued.

John looked up.

“Both you and Allen bring your own unique benefits to the pack as a whole. Allen sees what others do not, and you're not scared of speaking up… or snarling at others to make it loud and clear that you'll protect your Alpha."

John blinked and crossed his arms as one ear fell to the side, “… I'm not sure whether to take this as a reprimand or a compliment of sorts."

“It's both and neither. It depends on you, John… In your current role you can act out within reason. Explaining away the fact that one of my subordinates was a tad rude is a lot easier than being forced to tell them I have a Beta I can't rely on. So let me ask you this instead, why do you want the role as Beta in the pack?"

John stared at me and I waited.

After almost a minute he tipped his head, and reached up to scratch his temple, “… We stood up to Sebastian and ordered him to step down. He refused, a bit of violence broke out, and Sebastian bit a guy in the arm. I wanted to fight, Peter held me back. I've been pissed at him since, especially after learning what the actual lesson of it all was."

“And you think violence at that time and place was the answer?" I asked.

John looked up, “You used violence to resolve it."

“I defended myself, over and over, in a scenario where there were only two people fighting. If you had joined the fray and everyone began to fight, then what would have happened?"

John shut his eyes and sighed, “… Why is all of this so hard."

I chuckled to myself, “It just is, at least at the moment."

John straightened himself with and smiled, “Okay, lesson learned… Plenty to think about and I'll try to tone down on my teasing banter with Peter."

I nodded and brushed shoulders with him as I looked toward the showers, “Sounds good, now let's enjoy the rest of the night."

John began to grin, “Allen said he wanted a drink… I wouldn't say no to one myself."

512 A.R. February 18, Agridome 537 – Bathing Area, Night

My fur felt heavy, and I could still feel a trickle of water flow off my paws with every step. I reached up and brushed away some clumped fur from my eyes as I looked around.

There was no one else in sight, which felt odd, but I couldn't complain about it.

I was now on the other side of the window that I had seen earlier, and I looked out across the baths.

To my left side, along the curved wall of the dome, were raised bubble baths and a set of swimming lanes. In the center were a what looked like a big set of holes filled with water. The odd nature of it made me walk closer as I glanced into one of them.

The hole was a cylindrical basin filled with water. Most of the surface was frothing with bubbles, but as I peered into the center, I could see hints of the agridome's green interior.

Oh my… The basin is transparent…

I glanced back toward the showers, but there was still no hint of the others, nor did there seem to be anyone else on this floor.

Then again… It's the middle of night…

A presence made itself known to my mind, and I glanced around in wonder. As I accepted the connection, I could hear a voice.

'Welcome to Agridome 537. If you have any requests, our servants, bar, and kitchen are at your disposal,' The voice said within my mind.

'… Are you this agridome's intelligence?' I wondered.

'Affirmative,' The agridome answered with a soft but gentle male voice.

My attention returned to the cylindrical bath in front of me, 'I assume this will hold my weight?'

'While my sensors that detected that you have an unusual weight profile, you can rest assured that the safety margins in this place are far above any force you might be able to muster,' The agridome answered.

Almost made that sound insulting…

I chuckled to myself, 'Do you have a name?'

'Agridome 537, at your service,' The agridome answered.

One of the simpler Expert Systems, I assume…

I eased myself down on the floor, and slid my legs over the frothing bath's ledge, 'What do you have to offer?'

'The kitchen can provide almost anything. Ask and we shall provide,' The agridome answered.

'Any recommendations?' I wondered and let my paws sink into the water.

'Ice-cold draft beer is popular, and as a starter I'd suggest our selection of locally grown fruits and berries,' The agridome answered.

'Sounds good. Thank you,' I thought and felt resistance as my paws hit what appeared to be a step underneath the bubbling surface of the pool.

'Your order will be with you shortly,' The agridome answered.

I let myself slip over the edge and felt as the rushing warm water covered my midsection. It made me gasp a little as the temperature shifted, while my fur grew light as a feather once more.

“Ahh," I whispered and eased my arms back against the bath's curved edge.

I lifted my gaze and drew a deep breath as everything settled. Hybrids didn't need as much sleep as humans, but despite that, society remained on a schedule where you slept for at least a few hours every night. It might have just been a force of habit, but I felt tired in the back of my mind.

An itch made my mind wander, and I reached underneath the bubbling bath to adjust myself. The sudden sound of claws against the floor made me stop, and I turned my head to look.

Allen was walking towards the bath, arms crossed, soaking wet, while peering side to side in wonder. It made him look smaller compared to the usually puffed up and stark white fur. At the same time, it also made the contours of his body stand out. Strong arms, wide chest, and the almost slouching, posture that wolves tended to have.

Oddly enough he seemed to have found a pair of green bathing shorts. Seeing them made my ears wiggle while I perked my brow.

The wet fur along with the tight shorts caused his sheath to appear more prominent, in an obscene way that bare fur wouldn't cause. It was a weird sensation, and I couldn't help but wonder how uncomfortable it might be as well.

Allen… Sometimes you're a total dork…

I drew a deep breath, raised my hand out of the bath, and pointed a claw at him, “You did see the sign forbidding clothes in here?"

Allen stopped walking and glanced around, “… No? Really?"

I nodded, “Just hurl them back in the shower area… Those things not only look uncomfortable, but they're creepy as hell."

Allen glanced down at himself, made a cough as he cleared his throat, and turned the other way. I couldn't help but smirk as he wiggled about while teasing the tight shorts off his body while muttering to himself.

After a few moments he let out an annoyed sigh, hurled them toward the shower area, and watched as they landed with a wet splaff. As I watched, his hands disappeared from sight as he did something to his crotch.

I drew a deep breath and looked away… just far enough that I could still see him in my periphery. Allen approached moments later, hurried up his last few steps, and eased himself down to the edge.

A discreet glance revealed that he may have suffered from a bit of his 'lipstick' being bared.

Ah, so that's why he got into those stupid shorts…

I did my best to not smirk and reached up to scratch my temple as he slipped his waist underneath the water. Moments later I heard a relieved sigh, and finally looked over at him.

Allen stared straight ahead, but I could see him gulp as he threw a quick glimpse in my direction.

I perked my brow once more, “We sleep together, Allen… We run naked in the woods."

His ears fluttered as he chewed air, “That's… different."

“Is it?" I wondered.

Allen motioned to our surroundings, “This is a public space…"

“And we're alone here," I said.

“… I'm sure there are cameras about," Allen whispered.

“So where are the others?" I asked.

Allen shrugged, “Probably having another dick-waving contest."

My eyes widened as inched closer.

Allen looked over at me, “Not… literally, at least… I hope they aren't."

I reached underneath the surface and began to shuffle myself closer to Allen along the pool's edge, “You said 'another' one."

“Mm," Allen murmured as he watched me move closer.

I didn't stop until the two of us were almost brushing shoulders and then looked over to give him a smile, “Better."

Allen smiled a little and lowered his head.

“Everything alright?" I wondered.

Allen looked up, “I'm fine now, Vilkas… It's good to be out of that camp."

I nodded and couldn't help but feel curious enough that I lowered the defenses of my mind. Allen's presence flared next to me and he seemed to brighten up in a way that his expression didn't reveal.

He was excited, but the sensation seemed to flicker. Within the span of a second, it soured, and I could see his muzzle tighten as he bit together. Allen glanced back toward the shower area, and without warning I heard a burst of his voice in my head.

'- stupid… Why do I always do stupid shit like that?' Allen thought.

He turned to look in front once more, and he threw me a quick glimpse as he did.

'Say something… Think of something pleasant to say for once,' Allen thought.

I remained silent.

Allen drew a deep breath, 'Nice fur? No, he looks like a wet rat at the moment… You smell nice, Vilkas. No, I'd sound like a total creep… You do though. Safe. Comforting. Just sitting here makes my heart pound faster. Focus… Stop thinking about it… It'll make things even worse.'

Allen gulped, 'Boring thoughts… Think boring thoughts. Is he still looking? Did I do something bad? I mean… Something bad he knows about… I would be so screwed if he could read my thoughts right about now.'

Allen shut his eyes, 'No, it doesn't work like that. I read up on this. Telepathy doesn't let you rip thoughts from someone's head. Better think of a brick wall just in case… Brick wall… Brick wall...'

I looked in front and settled my hands on my lap as I pondered the situation that my curiosity had just landed me into.

'Brick wall… Brick wall… Seems like a stupid way,' Allen lifted his gaze a little, 'Still haven't thought of something to say. Like… I'm happy you moved closer to me, despite sitting down further away. I want to talk with you about stuff like this, it's just… I can't.'

“Allen," I said.

'Shit!' Allen thought, and looked over at me, as he spoke up, “Yeah?"

I closed my mind off once more and turned to look at him, “Remember how we talked about telepathy earlier?"

Allen nodded, “Yeah?"

I lifted my hand out of the water and pointed at him, “I don't know why, but you're further along than the others. You've already started to hear things at times, right?"

“Yeah… Bursts of it. If I concentrate I can kinda feel what others are feeling, but at the camp there were thoughts at times, like loud voices I couldn't help but pick up when I tried to sleep."

“Sometimes, you do the same thing. You think in words and it's like a broadcast for anyone capable of listening," I said.

Allen made an audible gulp, “Am… am I doing that right now?"

I motioned that to myself, “I've closed off my mind, so I can't hear you at the moment. But I have heard you from time to time. We just haven't had a chance to talk about it in private."

“… Oh," Allen whispered and made a sheepish grin.

Before Allen had time to say anything further, a new noise made itself known. Both of us looked to the side, and I saw what looked like a white droid walked toward us. It had a large platter held high on one hand, and it stopped next to the two of us.

The droid lowered the platter and set it next to me, “Your order."

Standing on the platter was a surprisingly large wooden tankard with a layer of foam at the top and a big straw sticking out of it. Standing next to it was a big bowl filled with various fruit, including strawberries, a pile of raspberries, and cherries.

A straw… How convenient...

The droid stood tall once more, and looked down at Allen, “Would you like to order something?"

Allen glanced over at my platter, “I'll have the same Vilkas had."

“As you wish," The droid answered with a nod, and walked away.

I grabbed the tankard with both hands and found myself smirking as I brought it to my chest. With a claw I brought the straw closer and caught it with my muzzle. A quick sip revealed it to be a somewhat dark beer, with the hint of something sweet. The tinge of alcohol soon followed as I gulped it down.

“That's a big pitcher," Allen said.

I let go of the straw and tapped a claw at the tankard, “I think it's actually a tankard, since it's meant for one person."

Allen blinked, “Ah, so that's the difference between the two…"

I offered the straw to him, “You want a sip?"

Allen reached up and idly moved a clump of white fur from his eyes, “We kinda skipped past our earlier discussion, and now I'm wondering whether you were doing me a favor by doing that, or if you actually want to continue talking about it."

I pulled the tankard back, took one big sip from the straw, and then set it aside. After gulping it down I looked back at Allen.

“I think most people have a wide mixture of thoughts; good, bad, or whatever you want to classify them as," I said.

Allen nodded, “Yeah… But it's a different when they get pushed into the open. Private thoughts harm no one, but in the open…"

I made something of a shrug, “I get what you mean, but if society was more honest, I wonder whether people would think as many 'bad' thoughts."

Allen squinted a little, but made a reluctant nod, “Maybe… probably."

“How about we try to teach you how to silence your mind?" I asked.

Allen shuffled around on the ledge to face me and nodded, “Yes… please."

I motioned to myself, “You've already heard my voice over the telepathic link once, even if you didn't realize it. I'll drop my shield once more and we'll talk mind to mind, alright?"

Allen nodded in silence.

I drew a deep breath and let the shield dissipate around my mind. Allen's presence grew in front of me, and my ears perked up in surprise as I felt the gnawing focus he had on me. He was almost buzzing, but there were no thoughts coming from his mind as he stared.

'Yo,' I thought and smiled at him.

Allen's eyes widened and his ears wiggled in confusion.

'I… I heard that,' Allen thought as he kept staring.

'And I heard your thought, clear and strong, directed at me,' I thought.

Allen gulped, 'That was… simple enough.'

'Can you feel a 'pressure' coming from me?' I wondered.

Allen nodded, 'Yeah, I can. It's like standing in front of a big fire. It's not heat, but its similar in feeling.'

A big fire?

'Can you feel any other sources like that?' I wondered.

Allen pointed upwards, 'The moon,' he then pointed in the distance, 'and far over there, beyond the horizon.'

Moonbase Alpha, and Etemenanki, huh…

I made a slow nod, 'You also have a presence, Allen. It's like a bubble, and its touching my own. It's what's called a local link.'

'Ah,' Allen thought.

'Try to think of a way to withdraw or collapse your own bubble. To silence the telepathic sources you feel around you,' I thought.

Allen blinked, '… How?'

I was hoping it would be this simple, but it might not be…

'It's like pulling an invisible muscle; Something you do rather than think. Once you've caught on the sensation, it'll be easy to control it.'

'So how do I find this sensation?' Allen wondered.

I pondered it for a moment, and then offered my hand to him, 'Let's shift from a wireless link to one shared by touch. It might help you latch onto the feeling that you need to control it.'

Allen lifted his hand out of the water and slipped it into my own. A tingle followed as our pads touched, and the link between us grew stronger with a surge through my arm. The link began to grow noisy as his churning mind began to leak. He drew a deep breath that made his chest swell as he shut his eyes.

'Focus… Don't think about that, focus like before… Come on,' Allen thought.

'Take your time,' I thought.

'Don't be angry with- Stop, why is this so hard,' Allen thought as he gritted his teeth.

'Angry at who? You?' I wondered.

There was a sensation and a burst of images. They rushed across the link and I could feel Allen's panic rise within him. In his panic, he pulled his arm back with enough force that I inched closer to the edge.

In the moments that followed, I felt my own heart tighten in fright. I was slipping off the edge and into the pool. In surprise, I tightened my grip on Allen's hand and he followed me into the void.

The water rose around us and slipped over my head as I clamped my muzzle shut. All sound was drowned out, and I sank like a rock.

Allen's voice filled my head, ' Shit! Sinking! Don't panic! Gah, there's water in my ears now!'

My rear hit the bottom of the pool moments later, and I opened my eyes. The water burned for a second, but my vision cleared as Allen settled on the bottom. Allen was clenching my hand, and his eyes grew wide as he looked down.

'The pool is made of glass! We're hanging above the agridome!' Allen screamed inside his head.

I focused on keeping my breath and raised one hand to wave at him, ' Allen.'

Allen look up at me, eyes still wide open, 'Don't breathe! He heard! Get yourself under control-'

' Allen ,' I thought once more.

Allen looked as if he coughed once, and a few bubbles emerged from his muzzle, 'I'm calm… I'm calm… Sorry.'

I turned my head to glance back, and noticed a ladder built into the pool's wall.

Well, that's a relief… Can't say it felt like I'd be buoyant, let alone be able to swim…

'Don't breathe… Agridome is kind of nice… Lots of trees down there… Oh, citrus!' Allen thought.

I smiled to myself and looked down at the bottom. While the view was a bit distorted, I could still see a great many trees, dotted by colorful fruits of all kinds. Large vines seemed to grow along the walls, and large chandeliers provided enough light to look like small suns. Machines were operating downstairs and I could see them pluck the veritable forest deep below.

'That's odd… The trees all look the same, but the fruit grown on them is wildly different,' Allen thought.

'Fruits grows in hours rather than days in an agridome like this,' I thought.

'Cool…' Allen thought as he stared at the glass.

I lifted my gaze to look at Allen. Easily startled, easily fascinated. He'd gone from almost drowning to staring down with little concern of where we were.

Not to mention how much oxygen we have left…

Allen looked up and stared at me, 'I caught that… It felt like I shouldn't have, but I did.'

'Ah,' I said and gave his hand a short squeeze.

Allen tipped his head to the side, 'I have the urge to breathe… But something tells me we can stay down here for a while.'

I nodded, 'Same here.'

Allen's mind went silent, but the connection hadn't emptied. He was merely frozen, or rather, enjoying the moment. I couldn't help but smile a little, especially as the shifting water made his fur bloom in a way that made him look twice as big.

Allen's ears folded back, 'You wouldn't believe how much I longed for you to get back. John and Peter are relentless when they get going… They can debate semantics for hours, and I can't even bring myself to tell them how annoying it is.'

'It's okay to speak up, Allen,' I thought.

'I do at times, but it always comes out wrong.'

'There's a balance, like with all things,' I thought.

'Gee, thanks…' Allen thought.

Moments later, he shut his eyes and I could hear him groan over the link, 'I didn't mean to sound like that, I just… I'm naturally brash inside my head, with everything.'

'I understand,' I thought.

Allen looked back at me, 'You're thinking about something. In the back of your head, you're waiting for the right time to bring it up. What is-'

As Allen's thoughts passed by, my own mind wandered back to the Red-Light district that Volkov had shown me. Specifically my thoughts seemed to latch onto my memory of the holographic cube with my model.

By the time I began to realize my mistake, it was too late.

Allen's eyes grew wide like saucers and this time his muzzle opened wide. A big rush of bubbles billowed out and he pulled his hand free. In panic he swam, caught the ladder, and started climbing as his mind screamed with the unease of having water in his throat.

Whoops…

I waited until he reached the surface, and then began to rise up. Standing on two legs at the bottom of the pool felt odd, like I was standing on a planet with less gravity.

Yeah, there's no way I can swim like this…

I walked over to the ladder, caught it, and began to climb. Moments later I rose to the surface. Water rushed off me, and the noise of the world returned once more, along with Allen's wild coughing.

Allen had crawled onto the floor on all four and was coughing up water.

Peter and John were approaching while Allen kept coughing. I moved onto the hidden step below the water's surface, and then eased myself onto the floor as I sat up.

John crouched down next to Allen and reached out to pat his back, “You okay there, buddy?"

Peter walked up next to them and glanced over at me, “What happened?"

I motioned toward the pool, “The bottom is transparent, and we were just having a look when he caught some water in his throat."

Allen nodded repeatedly and cleared his throat with another cough. John moved up next to Allen and crouched down to peer at him.

As I watched, Allen turned his head, looked up, and basically found himself staring at both of their crotches. For a moment his whole face seemed to twitch, and his tail grew crooked. He then looked down to stare at the hard floor and let out a long groan.

I couldn't help but smirk at the scene while John's ears perked up in confusion.

512 A.R. February 1** 8 ***,* Agridome 537 – Bathing Area** , D ***awn*

The straw made a slurping sound as it emptied the last of the beer, and I reached up to feel my chest as a burp made its way out. Peter and John were talking loudly, slurring almost as they guffawed. Allen seemed to be drifting between his own drunken daze and moments of clarity as he listened to the two.

A hand grabbed my tail without warning, and a glance toward the side revealed that Peter was grinning at me. I could feel his fingers trace along the bony appendage in a way that made my spine tingle all the way up to my neck.

His smile faded a little as he seemed to take note that there were small pieces of armor covering the tail's vertebrae as well. A moment later, his smile returned as he inched closer to me.

“Want \ **hic* * another one?" Peter whispered as he gave my straw a poke.

I shook my head and felt the world drift as if my senses were lagging behind. Drunk, blasted, tipsy, buzzed, or plastered… I wasn't sure which word would fit me best, but we were definitely under the alcohol's spell.

But this experience was a world of difference compared to last time. This felt good. My belly was stuffed, everything seemed a bit more… untangled. It was easier to laugh at their stupid jokes, and I found myself smiling for no good reason.

Still, some part of me, deep in the back of my head, watched with clarity. It told me we'd have to be up in 4-5 hours, and to be ready for Ares' briefing.

I shook my head at Peter, “W- We… shouldn't drink any more… We should get to the showers, sleep this off, and be ready to… do whatever we're supposed to."

Peter's head drifted a little as he tried to keep his eyes focused on me, “It's fun seeing you like this."

“… Oh?" I murmured, and put the tankard aside.

“No… smooching," John murmured.

Allen perked up from his daze and stared at the two of us. Rather than hold his tankard above the water, his was now partially submerged as he blinked in confusion, “Who's… smooching?"

“Not you, at least… You never smooch anyone," John said, and looked over at Allen.

“I… I do," Allen said.

“Oh yeah, who?" John wondered.

Allen took another sip from his straw and his ears folded back.

Peter glanced back at John and frowned a little, “Stop being so mean…"

I was glad that there was no one else around to see us. The plates were piled high around the pool, and there was at least one beer swirling around, along with other liquids in the pool by now. It should have been an embarrassment, but… for once in my life, it was okay to let things get a little chaotic. Right?

That said…

I turned around, crawled my way onto the floor, and got on all four.

At least this way I won't stumble…

I glanced back at the others and saw that they were now staring at my drunken ass.

“We're hitting the showers… No more drinks," I said.

I could hear as Allen kept slurping from his straw.

“Allen!" I snapped.

Allen jumped to attention and pulled the straw from his mouth, “No more… drink!"

I eased myself down on my rear and drew a deep breath.

Just a few minutes to steady myself, and we'll be on our way…