Chapter 12 -- The Looking Glass

62 A.E. April 26, Forest Road,Afternoon

I leaned back, shut my eyes, and perked my ears to listen. Things were muddled due to the truck's noise, but I could hear hints of Adler and Jason talking in the back.

"You don't need to worry..." Jack said, as if noting what I was doing.

I opened my eyes and turned to look at him. The truck had looked like an old scrapheap from a distance, but the inside was robust. Sensors, screens, armored glass, self-driving... It was worn, but resilient like a war horse.

"This truck seems like it has a past," I said.

"Oh, it does," Jack answered, smirking as he did.

"Tell me about it," I said.

Jack glanced over at me, "Used to be a mobile sensor and control platform. We'd take it out in the boonies, managing an army of drones, gathering samples, having long nights of science."

"Long nights of science," I mused with something of a smile. "With Adler?"

Jack's expression shifted. He still smiled, but it seemed tainted somehow.

"... That's certainly a complicated expression," I said.

"Some memories are complicated," Jack said as his attention returned to the console.

"Due to my grandfather?" I asked.

His ears folded back. "It makes it sound so odd..."

"What?" I wondered.

Jack crossed his arms and leaned back. "First time I sat in this truck was almost 22 years ago, yet in some ways it feels like yesterday. Adler was heartbroken, but charming... Maybe it was because of his emotional state that I found him charming..."

"Ah..." I whispered. "But... Heartbroken, really?"

Jack threw me a glimpse as if I was being annoying or ignorant, then made something of a shrug. "That part is not mine to tell, but I admired him for his skills and passion... and I tolerated his less pleasant side. Now I'm old enough that people are starting to look at me like an adult, of course... To people like you and Jason, I must seem ancient."

I huffed, "Sounds like a midlife crisis on your behalf, because you struck me as anything but old, charming people left and right."

Jack smiled a little and tipped his head. "... Thank you."

"Still, not an explanation for that look on your face," I said.

"Hmm," Jack murmured, "I guess I'm mourning in a way. I wasn't here from the start, but I've been here long enough to get an appreciation for the world that has been built here. We were cut off from Earth and were new to this planet. It forged a more primal understanding between those of us who were here. Now that era is coming to an end, and I'm not sure how to relate to that. Do I stay here? Do I wander? Maybe I'll try to get on one of the expeditionary ships once the evacuation is actually over?"

"I get that part," I said.

Jack blinked, huffed, then made a slow nod. "I imagine so, though with a different angle."

Yeah, let's not go there...

I smiled a little. "You do seem to have a soft spot for Adler?"

Jack made a flick with his hand. "At best he'd describe me as a lab companion, and a fling in one of his weaker moments... No, Adler is part of the old breed, bound to his own past. I have no doubt he'll keep on living, but it'll be on the edge, looking for--to him--some honorable end to his existence, and that's not something I want to experience."

A laugh, hectic and sudden, emerged from the behind us. Another bout of laughs soon followed, and I glanced back, smirking in surprise.

"... Sounds sincere enough," Jack whispered, ears perked as he looked back.

I looked back in front and focused on the increasingly orange sky. We'd caught up to another car, and a glance at the rear mirror revealed another couple of vehicles.

"Was it safe to just leave the cafe like that?" I wondered.

Jack glimpsed over, "Oh, sure... Last few days I've felt like more of an assistant than a manager. As demands rise, the System adapts. More droids, more drones, more deliveries... I was already being pushed to the limit several weeks ago, so... While people complain about the System at times, it's nice not being the sole guy in charge any longer, and if I please, then I can drop out to handle things like this."

"Being the booze hauler for the festival?" I said with a smirk.

Jack raised a finger in the air. "Exactly! In fact, you can find a bottle by your paws... Adler wanted to get himself into the mood along the way."

"Hmm," I murmured, then reached down and felt around.

It was held in place by a net, and I grabbed it by its neck as I pulled it up. A dark glass bottle, featuring a label with a red dragon sitting in a glass.

- Fine White Port - Drake's Vineyard -

- Breadfruit juice converted by grape-yeast (CC4051) - Naturally Aged in Wood for 6 months -

- 20% - Generally Human-safe (contains sulfites) -

"White port... Never had that," I whispered.

Jack chuckled, "Try it. I'm sure Adler has found a replacement already..."

62 A.E. April 26, Moon Festival,Evening

There were hundreds of people, a fair amount of them wolves. But as one looked around, you could see every species dotting the festival grounds. A large stage had been built, and holographic generators were already making enigmatic drawings in the air.

I hopped out on the ground, circled the truck, and saw Jason as he hopped off it. He was smiling to himself, cup in hand, wafting the scent of alcohol. I couldn't help but stick my tongue out in amusement as he joined my side, soon followed by Gray.

"Can I have some? Jason wouldn't let me taste," Gray asked.

Jason shrugged, "I didn't want to risk anything."

"One moment, and I'll ask," I said and glanced down at Gray.

Gray nodded back and tipped his head.

'Maddox?' I wondered as I shut my eyes for a moment.

Maddox stirred to the surface, but his voice was tinged with discontent from the very start, 'Alcohol, yes? You want to know whether drinking literal poison is bad?'

'Consider it a vice of our biology,' I thought.

'May I suggest meditation instead? Some calming music? Social conditioning?' Maddox protested.

'Another time... How will Gray handle alcohol?' I wondered.

'Reptines share many convergent evolutionary steps with Earth-based carbon life, and there are indeed traces that ethanol--a common fermenting byproduct--did have an effect on them. But, as an engineered lifeform they were rendered immune to its effects and it now serves as little more than a source of calories. The digestive changes you made to Gray did not reverse that immunity.'

There's a certain relief in that...

'Thank you,' I thought, and opened my eyes once more.

Gray observed me closely as I crouched down, opened my palm wide, and poured a little into my hand. "It won't affect you like it will the rest of us, but you're free to taste."

Gray's nose wriggled as he sniffed my hand, then let his tongue dab the liquid. He smacked his lips and eased back, "... Strong."

I lapped up the rest with my own tongue, clearing the sweet tang of the port from it. "Mhmm."

Jason leaned down and whispered, "Jack's waving... I think he wants help with the crates. Also..."

"Also?" I asked, looking up.

Jason was looking toward the festival tents, and I turned my gaze as well. Walking toward us was a familiar dotted fallow deer, though clad in a fancy purple dress. Our eyes met as I rose up.

"Hazel," Gray said.

Jason turned his focus to Gray, "Who?"

Gray sat on his haunches and lifted one paw to point, "Hazel. I remember her through... Um, Vilkas talks to her late at night sometimes, on the tablet. She made the... um..."

I observed Gray and let him ponder.

"The... neuroadaptive uplift framework, for me," Gray answered, smiling as he did.

"Uh-huh," Jason whispered.

I approached Hazel, meeting her halfway. "I'm surprised to see you here..."

Hazel smirked as she stopped and took something of a nefarious pose as she cupped her chin. "Oh, and why's that?"

I inched closer. "You seemed rather attached to your lab."

"True..." Hazel said, still smirking as her gaze turned to Gray, "But I did have some errands."

"Oh?" I wondered.

Hazel's gaze shifted to the others as she spoke, "Do you mind if I talk with Gray for a bit? I'm curious to see how his mind is developing."

"... Talking is fine, but I don't want to see you doing anything invasive," I said.

She met my gaze, "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. He's your project, and your responsibility."

I huffed back, but did catch something in her presence. A fruity, pear-like odor that could only belong to strong liquor. "You're enjoying the rest of the festival as well?"

She mused at me, almost shifting a little as if unsteady, "Of course..."

Jack called out, "Vilkas! Could use your help over here!"

I raised a warning finger to her, "Play nice..."

62 A.E. April 26, Moon Festival,Night

The alcohol loosened something. Rather than stopping to analyze, ponder, and react accordingly, it helped smooth the flow of time. The festival wasn't what I expected. The people who came here weren't only guests: they were all part of it, each grabbing what they could to help out.

It was messy at times. Decorations being shifted around without a greater plan, groups and stages forming at random. There was live music, originating from several spots at the same time, and discordant howling in the background as people let loose.

Food started piling on the tables, and various events seem to spring out of nowhere. A smoking circle in one corner, a hedonistic pile in another, holographic games filling the surroundings. The entire area started brimming with telepathic activity--thoughts, feelings, and so much more blasted out into the open.

The alcohol helped there as well. It dimmed my senses to a point where the chaos of it all became little more than a soothing murmur.

Gray wandered, seemingly amused by everything there was to see and listen to. Jason clung to me as if magnetized. More than that, he went from being flustered one moment, to almost fainting as a bemused fox flirted with him.

He sought solace in the bottle as well, and I could see how his demeanor had subtly changed over the hours. At some point, we even hit the shirtless tent. He'd been self conscious about it, but now he seemed more concerned with trying to avoid staggering, to appear normal despite being outright drunk.

His gaze wandered, though he didn't seem to notice that I'd stopped. He bumped into me, a shudder running through him as a sprinkle of wine escaped his bottle.

Our eyes met as I peered down at him. He was panting, his breath almost fogging up, nostrils flaring as a musky scent rose from him. Food, beer, wine, male, and a bewildering set of hormones that wafted off him like a wild animal.

"Hey," I whispered, and slipped my hand over his shoulder.

He kept staring at me, eyes shifting as if struggling to keep their focus on me, muzzle hanging open.

"You okay? Had too much?" I wondered, and inched closer to him.

Something was different as I felt his arm, and gently dug my claws through his fur. There was a fire within him, causing a tingle in my fingertips. His thoughts were all over the place, and they transmitted into the open as we stood there.

He leaned into my embrace, seeming to take comfort in my touch. The music thumped, but the world felt at peace for a few moments. Then, he seemed to realize what he was doing, eased back, and looked up.

I let my thoughts move through him, 'Let's get some water...'

His thoughts were like whispers on the wind, but the nod he made was clear.

I inched closer to him, slipped my arm around his other side, and guided him, step by step, toward the watering hole. He seemed tired, almost lulling my side as we walked. The festival kept churning around us, loud and warm, people moving about like a blur.

With a gentle hand, I helped Jason sit down next to a table and reached for a pitcher of water. Moments later, I was handing him a filled glass, and he clutched it as if dying of thirst.

He held it up in front of his muzzle, tongue reaching out, and seemed to stop as if confused. He blinked, and this time I could hear his thoughts, lashing out, full of wonder.

'What am I doing? Was I just... No... Pull yourself together... Damn it... Just... He'll think...'

His thoughts kept rambling, almost stumbling over one another. Then, he pulled his tongue back, moved his lips properly, and tipped the glass as he drank.

'Ah... What a relief...'

His thoughts rippled in the air, and his tail lashed in joy as he let out a deep sigh. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him.

There was a tap on my shoulder, and I glimpsed back to see see Adler. He had a glass of something orange with a big chunk of ice in it. On his muzzle was a subtle smirk, as if it was glued on.

"Is he doing alright?" Adler wondered, peering at him.

I looked around, searching for Jack, then locked eyes with Adler once more. "Odd, you showing concern for him."

His expression soured for a moment, then grew nefarious. "You'll get as bitter as me with an attitude like that," he said, and tipped his glass, causing a clink as chunk of ice hit the side.

I glanced back, and saw as Jason poured himself another glass of water.

He'll be fine for the moment...

I turned my attention to Adler and inched closer, "Why are you like this?"

Once more, his expression faltered, "Oh, I see... You're drunk, and with your inhibitions dropped, you want a fight."

I shook my head, "Not a fight, just a desire to understand..."

Adler's muzzle drooped as if he was both bored and disgusted. He swirled the ice in his glass and reluctantly met my gaze, "It's not that fucking difficult if you consider my circumstances."

I motioned to myself with one hand, "Then help me understand..."

Adler shut his eyes for a few moments, then met my gaze as he took another sip. He smacked his lips and looked away as he spoke with a hushed voice, "You did it again... You squirmed your way into the very depths of other people's lives, pinning them to the wall, altering the rules as you see fit. And then comes the interrogation..."

I smiled a little, "You could have ignored me, thrown me out... you had plenty of chances to isolate yourself, yet here we are. This is not my doing, not my machinations."

Adler observed me, one arm wrapped around his chest, almost as if trying to hug himself. "What did my son call me? I'm sure you've asked him who I am..."

I nodded, "He called you a logical extremist..."

"Ah..." he mused. "A logical extremist, in what sense exactly?"

"Mostly it was the idea that: Since the humans on Earth cannot be tamed, they will seek to destroy us, causing mayhem, or even succeeding if things go wrong. Thus, the only rational option is to act first."

Adler inched closer to the table, as if seeking refuge from the masses, and I followed. "Given all that you've seen, all that you've experienced. Was I wrong?"

I observed him as he observed me. "A complicated question, made worse by Maxwell's presence. You're not wrong per se, but what matters is how we would have accomplished it."

Adler looked away. "Move everyone underground and make a first strike, be it nuclear or biological. It's not much harder than that, we certainly had the capability..."

"You gave up on the idea of peaceful coexistence; the majority did not... Genocide should always be the last option," I said.

Adler's expression hardened. "Noble, but in the real world, such luxuries aren't always an option. Thanks to Maxwell's interference, we were able to escape making hard choices... this time. But what happens the next time? When he's not here? You might think yourself strong, but unless you have the willingness to do what it takes, our civilization won't survive in the long term."

"I don't-"

Adler interrupted me as he squinted, "We're on an alien planet that housed an ancient civilization, visited by yet more aliens in the more recent past. The humans were wrong about the universe; we're not alone in it, and we're certainly not the most advanced species either. We're an experiment with a ticking timer attached to it... We need to be ready."

I squinted at him, "You almost make it sound as if we should have destroyed humanity just to prove that we can survive on the intergalactic stage."

Adler grinned, "Maybe we should have. Maybe that's exactly what Sophos really needed. Ridding ourselves of our ridiculous self-righteousness and truly soak our hands in blood. To feel the horrible weight of it..."

I blinked, "Maybe, but-"

Adler's smirk grew, "It's funny, to see you considering genocide to be an option. I wonder what would your father would think of that..."

I drew a deep but slow breath, "I believe that... If you push an option aside, if you refuse to consider it, then you are weakening yourself in the process. It's an escape where you refuse to consider the horrors that will come if you don't do everything that's possible to prevent it. There is no point in time or space where I can throw my hands into the air, say that I did what I could, and leave it to someone else. One way or another, I'll be a part of those hard choices, and I'll have to face all that follows."

His smile faded a little, then froze as if pondering. "Hmm, and the stunt you pulled with Athena? Changing the very fabric of our society out of nowhere... Was that also one of these hard choices?"

I lowered my voice, "The moment my mind settled on what was akin to rebellion, I had to find some way to either stop myself or resolve the situation. Waiting, talking with others, all such things could only make things worse... not better."

Adler bit his lip as if amused once more, "Because the System would turn on you, sensing your rebellious nature... Lovely System we've got, isn't it?"

I gritted my teeth at him, "And I fixed it... I opened a path so that Sophos now has the potential to become better."

Adler sipped from his glass, seeming to delight in the droplet left on his lip. "Better, according to whom?"

I stared at him.

Adler held his glass to me, lifting one finger to point, "You're a bloody hypocrite... You claim you care about Sophos, democracy, saving the humans, but it's really about shaping it according to your own fantasy regarding it."

I felt a twitch in my lip. For a moment, he got through. My tail stiffened, and my throat seized up.

Adler tipped his head, "Ah... That's a lovely look, isn't it? You don't need telepathy to tell what's going on inside your head right now. Are you managing to keep it all bottled up, or is it... leaking out to everyone else in the room?"

Shut up...

Carefully, Adler tipped his head to the other side, peering at me, studying me. "Infuriating, isn't it? Realizing that you actually crave power."

I clenched my hands, doing that thing again... feeling my claws pressing into the pads.

Part of me wished that I could sense what was going on inside of Adler. To feel his thoughts, emotions... the nature of his being.

Adler inched closer, eyeing me as he did, then lowered his voice, "But that's not the truth, is it? It's simply what you project, what you can't help but project, because the alternative is... that much worse, isn't it?"

I blinked, "What?"

Adler lowered his voice even further, "Volkov went his own way, pursuing his obsessions, putting all that pesky stuff behind. But you came here, into a world where everyone expects things from you, without any of the promised rewards. Your pack isn't here, your family isn't here, Athena was flawed, you don't know Ares that well. Meaning that you--once more--were all alone, all by yourself."

It hurt.

Adler paused briefly. "But you can't face yourself, and the happily-ever-after didn't happen. So you try to fix everything. The humans you encounter along the way, Nick, Jason, Athena, Gray, even me... You even keep an Expert System running in the back of your mind, not because Gray needs it, but because... in all your loneliness, without anyone to truly talk to, the only thing that you can share your pain with, is a pile of code."

I watched his eye, silent.

Adler continued, "You said that once you set your mind to rebellion, you had to act. But that was a lie as well, wasn't it? You made up your mind to fix Athena all the way back when you were dealing with the cultists, didn't you? It was appalling that Sophos worked the way it did... The program that the maintenance crew cooked up didn't work, but it kept gnawing at you, and then... when you heard that fable of a tale, leading into the control room itself, _ y __ ou had to go for it. _"

...

Adler inched even closer, so that his muzzle brushed against my own, "Do you know why you're so desperate to do it all? Because, somewhere deep down, you still believe that... if you learn enough, if you see enough, if you manage to push others and yourself to new heights, then you might find some answer in the universe that will ease your pain."

...

"I understand your pain." Adler eased back a little. "Do you understand mine?"

Oh...

It took a moment for my emotions to settle, and I gulped with an attempt to smile, "Are you saying we're the same, Adler?"

Adler made something of a grunt, and finished the last of the glass. "Not really. In my own quest to save everyone, I served Sophos, watched my wife die of old age, and knew I was next. My son was a weakling that wanted to believe in fancy ideals rather than face the harsh reality of our world. Sure, we may have made our environment more pleasant, but the stakes were higher than ever. All our societal predictions showed that the human nations would become increasingly erratic, and that a major conflict was looming. Our future was grim, but even as you were born into the world, your father's opinion did not change. Destroying humanity, even to protect your future, wasn't an option."

I watched him, his lips twitching a little as if he waited for me to argue.

After a few moments of silence, he continued, "So I decided to go against collective reasoning, and take on the burden of doing what others couldn't. Of course, we now know that striking first was not part of Maxwell's plan, and thus... what happened to me makes perfect sense."

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

Adler motioned with his free hand, "As a logical extremist that was not only making headlines but also planting the seeds to actually destroy humanity, I needed to be removed. The Space Initiative, Maxwell's beloved puppet organization, contacted me... What if there was a third way out? One that didn't involve destroying humanity using traditional means?"

"... They invited you to go to the moon," I said.

"Aye," Adler whispered with a nod. "To leave my family behind, to become part of a project that would ensure Sophos' future. To save everyone, not just you, my son, or that feisty mate of his, I took the chance, and... found myself here."

"In a typical fashion, they didn't technically lie," I said.

Adler stifled a dirty chuckle, "... I guess they didn't. But upon setting foot on that transport, I didn't exactly expect that I'd be sent to a new planet to spend my days repairing droids and working on getting basic infrastructure going. I thought I was going to die here before seeing anyone else from my family. For my legacy to be nothing more than a cautionary tale of what not to become."

"I'm here, and the others will soon be here as well," I said.

Adler's ears folded back as he eyed me, "In the eyes of the universe, I am a cosmic joke... After 20 years of bitterness and rage, it is not simple to... to..."

"You and father parted on bad terms, and soon you'll be able to remedy that... slowly and shakily at first, but I can help," I said.

Adler rolled his eyes, then shut them as if pondering. After a few moments, he met my gaze once more, "... I may not show it, but your presence... and the others you brought along..."

I did my best to avoid smiling, "Yes?"

Adler glanced at his glass, found it empty as he tipped it to the side, and grudgingly met my gaze once more, "... You're not a total pain in the ass."

My tail flicked as I couldn't help but smirk, "Nicest thing you've said so far."

Adler let out a dry chuckle, turned to leave, then stopped, "You can't ignore your own pain forever, Vilkas... like you did mere moments ago. One day... it'll eat you alive."

"... I know," I whispered.

Adler turned, then walked off. Moments passed, I drew a deep breath, then turned my attention to Jason once more. He was slouched next to the table, one hand resting on a cool glass of water, while his gaze seemed focused on the disco floor.

There were hybrids of all manner, but each individual had something of their own style. One couple doing a waltz, another embroiled in an intense spin, a trio doing a serenade of some kind. To an outsider it must have looked chaotic, but I could feel the hum filling that filled the tent, the nature of this display an expression of something wild and free.

I inched closer to Jason and slipped my hands onto his shoulders. His tail slapped my leg, and he idly lifted his gaze as I heard a murmur of sensations rather than thoughts emanating from him.

Drunk and warm, tired yet riled. The music boomed around us, and he averted his gaze back to the disco. There was a melancholy in his mind, something beyond happiness or sadness. A contentment, of sorts. An acceptance.

I gently kneaded his shoulders and whispered into his mind, 'Tired?'

He answered with a whisper, but it also echoed through his mind, 'Yes...'

If he'd realized it, he'd probably have been shocked, but as he was--too drunk to be tense, and too tired to give a shit--telepathy seemed to come naturally.

'More... Lower...' Jason thought with a whisper as I kept kneading.

I let my big hands squeeze his shoulder blades, and his tail lashed as he let out a pleased grunt.

'The transformation takes a while to settle...' I thought.

He didn't answer, but his head kept moving, as if tracking someone in the disco. I lifted my gaze to them, and a thought slipped, 'Want to dance?'

'Yes... No... I'd puke... Yes... Tired... No... Don't embarrass yourself... Stop...' Jason's thoughts raced, warmth rushed through him, and I could feel it as if my own cheeks were blushing.

Something cut through, a distinct thought. 'I want to hide.'

I leaned closer, eyeing him from the side as I met his gaze, 'We could go back to the truck.'

He eyed me, thoughts drifting, 'Why aren't your lips moving? Am I that drunk?'

I shifted my thoughts to Maddox, 'Can you fix something to help sober him up?'

Maddox answered in an instant, 'You've used it before, so it is kept ready as a precaution.'

I nudged Jason's back, and leaned in by his ear, "How about we head back to the truck?"

He nodded to me with a subtle smile and eased his way off the chair. We walked, arm in arm, and Jason's ears perked as he noticed what we were doing.

'Embarrassed?' I wondered.

He stared groggily at me, "... I can hear your thoughts."

'You've been here for weeks, and it seems the booze made you relax enough for your telepathy to come out,' I thought.

His eyes widened as he seemed to sober up from sheer shock, "Are you reading my thoughts?"

I spoke to him as we stepped up to the tent's entrance, "Just the ones you broadcast, not the rest."

Cold air hit us like a wall, a freezing chill in the darkness. A half-moon loomed above, making the grass shimmer as the wind made everything rustle.

Jason lowered his head and shivered with something of an unsteady voice, "Oof... Going from a humid tent to freaking cold in a-" A burp escaped mid sentence, causing him to chuckle.

The noise from within the tent ebbed as we walked. I spoke, "Give it a moment, and lift your head..."

We sauntered along into the space which divided the tents, and ever so surely, Jason began to relax once more. He lifted his head, eyes seeking the moon, ears perked as he drew deep foggy breaths.

My own ears perked as I heard something in the distance. Howling--a whole group singing in a variety of deep tones that cut into the night. It tugged on something within me, but I stilled it on Jason's behalf.

A rustle followed from behind, and a glance backwards revealed Gray as he darted out of the tent on all four. Within seconds flat, he had caught up and joined my side, eyes focused on the two of us.

"Are we going home?" Gray asked.

"Not yet, but we'll be resting in the truck," I said, "Did you enjoy yourself?"

Gray nodded, tall tail swaying in bemusement, "People ask strange questions. Hazel liked my lists. The food was nice. Everyone knows you, but they don't want you to know that. Everyone keeps talking about the Array. They seem scared but excited. There were other reptines here. I stayed away."

The Array, right...

"Good summary," I said.

Gray held his head high, "Thank you."

"Anything you didn't like?" I wondered.

"They need better signs on the food... It was annoying to ask what I could eat," Gray said, and looked ahead as we walked on.

Jason murmured, "Gray's got better social skills than I do..."

"Sure, but-"

My voice cut out as Jason pressed his knuckle into my side, "And yours are pretty much non-existent!"

I stifled a chuckle, and smirked to myself as we stepped up to the truck. The tarp covering the back flapped in the wind, and I could feel the gentle pitter-patter of rain starting to hit my nose.

Jason groaned, "Humid tent... or the chilly back of truck?"

"Or... the front," I whispered, and nudged him along.

"Jack's going to be angry if I throw up..." Jason murmured.

"I can help with that, if you let me..." I said.

Jason chuckled, "How?"

I reached up, grabbed the door, and opened it wide as I motioned for the inside, "You first, Gray... You can sleep on the driver's seat."

Gray didn't question it as he walked, leaped up, and slipped in with grace. Jason stifled a yawn as I followed in Gray's wake, and sat down in the big seat.

Jason stepped up to the door and looked up, almost seeming to teeter as he held out his hand. I reached down, grabbed hold of it, and helped him scramble in along my seat. The control panels had already woken to life and made the cabin glow in an eerie blue light.

"Settle down," I whispered, reached out to the door, and pulled it shut.

"On your..." Jason whispered, as he half-stood, half-leaned in the cramped cabin.

"On my lap, yes..." I whispered.

Jason let out a tired grunt as he finally settled down, then leaned back against my chest, ever so cautiously.

"The Zephyr's a veritable drug cabinet, with your permission I can-"

He interrupted me, "Do it... I am not looking forward to the hangover tomorrow."

I felt his neck, pinched his fuzzy skin, and made him tense up for a moment. As he did, the medical tendril slipped out, and with nary a few seconds, it injected him. As I let go, Jason reached back to feel his neck, rubbing it as he did.

"... You'd make a good assassin," Jason whispered, "Are you even a bit tipsy?"

"Oh, I am..." I murmured, "I just try to keep from stumbling about..."

Jason chuckled once more, and let out a deep sigh as he leaned his head back.

Maddox's presence grew in the back of my mind as I heard his voice, 'They're about to power up the Array. I knew you were interested in it...'

'I'll dive into it in a moment, just need to make Jason settle down...' I thought.

'Technically, you can bring him in with you... His 'delay' in growing telepathic was because of his tense nerves, and with you acting as a bridge, his mind can handle a real-time version of a simple virtual world,' Maddox answered.

'You'll assist?' I wondered.

'Of course,' Maddox answered simply.

'I'm surprised at how proactive you're being,' I thought.

Maddox's answer was as simple as before, 'I adapt.'

"Hey," I whispered in Jason's ear.

"... What?" He wondered.

"You heard about the Array, right?" I wondered.

Jason nodded idly, "Yeah, it's the reason why the festival took place today... Adler talked about it."

"Want to see it, in a virtual world?" I wondered.

Jason let out a long-winded sigh. "New body... New instincts... Telepathy... Tendrils... Virtual worlds... Sure, why not."

"I like your enthusiasm," I whispered, and wrapped my arm around his waist.

Jason chuckled, "I'm just... going with the flow, having no clue what's going on."

"Close your eyes, relax, and I'll guide you along," I whispered.

62 A.E. April 26, Space Between Worlds,Night

I floated through the void once more, but this time it felt as if there was a weight attached to me. Jason had relaxed as told, but somewhere along the process he'd actually fallen asleep. Now he slumbered while his mind hummed, subconscious mind working to process all that he had experienced.

My focus rested on making the connections we'd need. First, a wireless uplink to the Ring. Second, a relay to the Array at the solar system's Lagrange point. I'd expected a lot of latency, but to my surprise there was none.

With a bit of digging, it became apparent that the same tech as on the Evacuation ship was being used. Instantaneous, faster-than-light communication, powered by jumpspace technology present on both the Ring and the Array.

As the final connection was established, I made some adjustments. No accelerated time, scaling away most of the complexities, just a simple void along with the newscast, and a few comforts to help Jason adapt.

Once done, I shuffled Jason's now-unconscious form along, imagined myself holding him in my arms, and let us sink into the virtual world I'd prepared for us.

The transfer took place with something of a shudder, and the world grew corporeal once more.

Jason gasped in surprise as he woke up, and lifted his head to look at me, "Um..."

"Relax," I whispered.

Jason glimpsed to the side, and I could feel him jump a little while his hands clutched my chest in surprise. His expression twisted, ears folding back, and I could feel the sudden spike of adrenaline that shot through him.

The connection binding us to the virtual world shuddered as a result, Jason wanted to escape, and the sheer unconscious will of it threatened to collapse it all.

" Hey," I ordered, raised my hand, and nudged his muzzle to focus on me.

He met my gaze, heart thumping, "Where are we?"

"Virtual world, like I told you... Now take a deep breath," I ordered.

Jason blinked, gulped, but did as told as his chest swelled with a deep breath.

I nodded to him, "You're safe. You can return to the real world whenever you want, but for now you should stay with me, understand?"

Jason blinked, but I could feel the effect rippling through us. The connection stabilized, he calmed down, and made a slow nod in confirmation.

"Now, look around, carefully... and tell me what you see," I said.

Jason looked to the side once more, then looked outward, "We're on a platform... there's a starry abyss, and... um, there's a couch."

I relaxed my grip on him and eased back as I faced the couch, "I made things simple--your mind can't handle everything yet."

Jason's gaze wandered, almost shooting around, "I don't... This... This isn't what I expected when I heard people talking about virtual worlds."

"How so?" I wondered.

Jason lifted his hand, staring at it in disbelief, "It... feels real. Too real. I can literally feel my heart thumping. There's air... this is... strange."

"It mimics the real world in all ways but one," I said.

Jason looked back to me, "... What?"

"That odd feeling... something in the back of your mind, that's your subconscious telling you that this isn't real. Without that, it'd be possible to be trapped in a simulation without realizing it was one."

Jason blinked, averted his gaze, and leaned a little to the side as he focused on the distant edge of the platform, "... What happens if I fall off the edge?"

"Well... If you panic, you'll most likely be jolted back into the real world," I said.

Jason raised his paw, and stomped it against the gray stone platform, "... It feels solid. Who made this place?"

"I did... I haven't had much time to learn about virtual worlds, but I've been studying it since coming to the Burrow," I said.

"Ah, and what happens if I die in here?" Jason asked as he looked back to me.

"Again, any major emotional outburst is likely to jolt you back into the real world. Otherwise you'll just respawn, heal, reset, or whatever you personally decide. It depends on the world and a lot of other circumstances."

"Ah..." Jason whispered.

I motioned to the distant void in front of the sofa, "Others have their own virtual world, but it's a bit too intense, so I figure we can watch it from a distance."

"Okay?" Jason said, as if uncertain what I meant.

I willed it to take the form of several large screens. One showed a camera view from outside the Array itself, another showed a live feed from the control room. A third screen showed the newsfeed itself.

The view from space showed the Array in its finalized form, a massive dodecahedron that glinted in the sharp light of the sun. Highlighted on the feed was a distant space station marked as the control center.

People slowly mulled about on the live feed from the control room. They pointed at screens, talked to one another, and a holographic display in the center that was filled with charts.

The newsfeed highlighted a countdown timer, and there was a voice providing commentary, "- only 15 minutes left now, folks. Primary coils are already powered, stabilizers are running final checks, and the computing center is awaiting sensor data."

"Huh," Jason whispered.

I smirked at him, "Underwhelmed?"

Jason blinked, "... Well, yes and no. It feels like we could have watched this on a tablet."

"Sure, but we're tapping into the real-time feed of it all. Within virtual worlds, you can usually do things hundreds of times faster in here than the outside," I said.

Jason's ears perked as he looked back at me, "You're telling me that if I find something annoying, I can just dive into my own personal world and spend a few hours relaxing or thinking about an answer?"

I tipped my head with a smirk, "You can do that... That being said, spending time in virtual worlds in an accelerated state can be rather exhausting."

Jason squinted at me, "... Do you usually do this whenever you have to answer a difficult question?"

"Maybe?" I mused with a feral grin.

Jason let out something of a sigh and looked to the screens. "I see..."

I nudged him toward the sofa, "Does that frustrate you?"

Jason walked cautiously, as if expecting the platform to crumble. "No... It just explains a lot of things."

He stopped beside the sofa, stared at it for a moment, then looked back to me with his hand pointed to it.

"What?" I wondered.

"This is my sofa, from my old room... I mean," Jason said.

It was a simple blue one, with textile rather than fake leather. After a moment or two, I did have some semblance of a memory regarding it. Hushed voices, a dark room, focused on the games console.

"It wasn't intentional. Guess I pulled it from my subconscious... A lot of things in here tend to work that way," I said.

"... Ah," Jason whispered, as he inched closer to it, gave it a push with his hand, and sat down. "In reality, we're still in the truck, and you're holding me."

"Mhmm," I murmured as I stepped up, then joined his side as I sat down.

The newscast kept going, and I turned one ear to it, "- results will vary a great deal. While the Array will be able to sample almost any discrete point in space, the results will be distorted near any strong gravity well. That's a form of information on its own though: any gravitational distortion where it isn't expected consequently means that we've missed something of interest."

I looked back to Jason and saw him stroking the sofa with one hand, as if bewildered by the feel of the fabric.

If he finds that fascinating, then...

I reached down, felt along the floor next to the sofa, and imagined a refreshing drink. As I grabbed for it, focusing my mind, it was consequently willed into existence. I felt it, a cool glass, clinking with ice, filled with rich juice carrying a scent of mango and passion fruit.

Jason perked up as the scent filled our surroundings, and his eyes widened as I held it out to him.

"Here you go," I said.

He stared at it bug-eyed and reached out as if it was sheer magic, "You can... eat and drink in here as well?"

I nodded, "Mhmm," and slipped the glass into his hand.

His breath shuddered, pads feeling the cool surface, a curious claw dabbing the condensation that was already forming on it. "The detail, this feeling... Where is all of this computing power coming from? How is something like this possible? The smell... The..." He took a quick sip and sat up straight, "The taste!?"

"Maintaining things like virtual worlds require a massive amount of computing power. To provide that, our bodies are lined with processing clusters, especially the spine... I'm doing the heavy lifting right now, but you'll be able to do this on your own soon enough."

Jason watched me, holding the glass in his hands as if frozen in place, "I see..."

He pulled the glass closer to himself, pulled his legs up, and shuffled into the sofa's corner. His gaze rested on the glass, but the feeling radiating from him took an odd turn, as if his heart felt heavy all of a sudden.

"... What's the matter?" I wondered.

Jason glanced at me, "Aren't you going to get a glass for yourself?"

I stifled a chuckle, reached down, and pulled out another glass, "Here we go."

Jason smiled a little, but also turned his attention to the screen as if avoiding my gaze.

"Question time..." the newscaster said. "What's the maximum range of the Array? Well, that depends on the configuration at the time. It can function as a telescope, peering at other nearby solar systems; it can act as gravimetric sensor for our local system, capable of detecting even the smallest jumpspace anomaly; or it can do a wide-range poll ranging from two to three light years. The problem is that it can only operate in one mode at a time... To start with, we're going to poll our own solar system in search of any anomalies that traditional sensors may have missed... be it distant exoplanets, asteroids, or even planets that the astrometric team may have missed in their surveys. Or... we might find something more interesting, perhaps a derelict left behind by the civilization that once inhabited this system."

The feeling that radiated from Jason intensified. Dark and looming, causing an unsettling pit in my stomach.

"... Jason?" I asked.

There was a blip in the feeling radiating from him, as if he snapped awake from some kind of daydream. He looked at me, rather startled, "What?"

I leaned closer to him, meeting his gaze carefully, "What's bothering you?"

He stared back for a few moments, idly lifted his free hand, and motioned with it, "It's just... me."

I scooted a little closer to him. "You said you were angry at me."

Jason eyed me. "... and I have no right to be."

"Try me?" I said, leaning one arm over the sofa, as I took a sip.

Jason cracked a smile and huffed, then looked toward the looming screens, "I can remember it so distinctly, how I used to think about... well, basically anything. I'd look up at the moon, see Moonbase Alpha, and I'd just... shrug it off. It didn't mean anything... it had no relevance to me or my family. It was no evidence of Sophos superiority... you were to be pitied, unbelievers clinging to technology, just waiting to be bitten by it."

I watched him in silence.

Jason lowered his gaze and used a claw to pluck a droplet off his glass. "You visited me late at night. You were changing, becoming a hybrid... a strong wolf, but you still acted like your old self. That hurt... it would have been easier if you'd just turned into some violent monster that snarled at me so that I could simply dismiss you as a friend."

As I watched, he lifted his hand and peered at the droplet. "Now I'm like this, and the world keeps expanding in ways I couldn't even begin to fathom. I get so... angry at myself, especially when I try to somehow blame you, trying to think of things you could have done differently. That there might have been words that could have broken me free, to make me realize."

Jason paused, still eyeing the droplet. "... But, there were no such words, at least not at the time, and you were not to blame. I simply wasn't in a mental state where I could process that information. You probably knew that... Athena certainly did. Most hybrids seemed to realize, so they gave me space and options, waiting for me to grab them on my own volition."

I smiled a little, "I did get you out of that camp..."

Jason looked at me, causing enough of a stir that his droplet fell, "You did. Ignoring everything, pleading with me, causing just enough of a push to make me reconsider. I'd probably be dead if it wasn't for you."

"... But?" I wondered.

Jason drew a deep breath, "There's not really a but... I just get so angry. At myself, my... old parents, at humanity, at... everything. I finally have full access to the Archives, and I've read up on everything you've accomplished these past years... Even when you visited me, while I was changing into a hybrid, you were in the middle of changing the world... but you didn't say a thing about that to me. Because I was too frail, too weak, too... ignorant. I couldn't be there to help, and nothing is going to change that, the past is the past..."

"So... to the future?" I said, tipping my glass to him.

Jason smiled awkwardly, still clutching to his knees, "You turned into an optimist, or... you got better at pretending to be an optimist."

I pulled my glass back, "I'm not angry at you, Jason..."

Jason nursed his glass. "I know... You're a beacon of calm, duty, and you can face the worst situation without much trouble."

I couldn't help but squint, "... You are angry, but you're not really telling me why."

Jason looked over at me once more, "If you told the System that you wanted to open a lab, that you required resources, people, and more... they'd ask, 'How much, and when are you planning to start?' If I were to do the same, they'd ask who the hell I am and wonder whether I had yet finished school."

"I'm going to assume that you're not just jealous and will instead tell me your point?" I wondered.

"That kind of answer is the point," Jason said, and tipped his head. "You grew up, you changed the world, and you keep on changing it. The world bends to your will."

"For someone having that much power, I can't even arrange for the rest of my pack to join me..."

"Relative to others," Jason said. "You speak, and people listen."

"... I'm not sure where you're going with this," I whispered.

Jason shut his eyes, "Becoming a hybrid didn't magically fix me. It didn't remove emotion or make me rational in all senses. It just... gave me the tools I needed to see my own flaws, and I still have to work through all of it." Moments later, he opened his eyes and looked at me, "I want to help and be of use to you, but even when I do my best it mostly feels as if I'm weighing you down. You have to stop and teach me nearly everything, from making sure the rad suit is sealed tight to configuring the lab machines because someone didn't bother making a tablet program for it."

"I like having you here, Jason..." I said.

"And I appreciate that," Jason answered with a soft nod. "But it's also clear to me that I have a lot of catching up to do." He then motioned to our surroundings, "This... only makes it clearer."

"You want to head back to the Spire?" I wondered.

Jason sighed, "I don't know... In time, yeah. You're good as an educator, but the System is advising me to return to school, full-time, learning proper engineering as a hybrid. As much as I want to disagree, they're not wrong."

"Do you want my advice?" I wondered, scooting closer to him.

Jason leaned to the side, mimicking me in turn. "Do you have any? Usually you avoid influencing me too much..."

I smirked at him, "You haven't given up on trying to rile me."

Jason stifled a chuckle, "Even Adler can't get under your skin, and the guy's sodding relentless."

He did, though...

"If you want to stay here, then I don't mind. If you want to go back to school, then I'll still be around when you're done. None of this is a competition, and I think you've been doing great so far... Just imagine a few years back, with you prancing around a cafe like you do now."

Jason leaned his head onto the sofa with a soft smile, "I shall ignore the embarrassment of such a comment, and simply focus on the compliment."

"Good boy," I said, smirking at him.

His tail lifted a little while he gritted his teeth, then turned his head to look at the screens.

I shifted my focus as well, and heard the newscaster's voice, "- you can't see much from the outside, but from a gravimetric scope, the entire solar system is lighting up like a beacon. We've shifted the display to show the Array's interpretation of the solar system, and we can already see the major planetary bodies."

The view was actively changing as the newscaster spoke. Wiggly planets were taking shape, an asteroid belt was forming in the periphery. The sun lit up in the center of the view, a massively distorted entity that caused jumpspace to ripple.

Jason spoke up, "If you can probe a specific point in space, and said-point experiences a burst of radiation as a result, can't that be also used as a weapon?"

I looked over at him, "Potentially, sure... But it'd be like throwing a dart at a haystack, hoping to hit the needle hiding within it."

"Ah," Jason whispered as new anomalies started showing up on the map.

The newscast chimed without warning, making me look toward the screen. A portion of the solar system had been highlighted, marking it as an anomaly.

The Newscaster spoke, "And here we have it, the first anomaly revealed thus far. A geostationary moon hidden in the shadow of our local gas giant."

"... Are you all right?" Jason asked.

My ears perked as I looked back to him, "Hmm?"

Jason looked at me, "Are you... all right, Vilkas?"

I hesitated, the seconds dragged on, and I could tell that he noticed, "No, I don't think I am."

"Is this about what I said?" Jason wondered.

I rubbed my cheek, pondering as I did. "What did you think of me setting Athena free?"

"Well..." Jason whispered, "I don't think I know enough about it to have a real opinion."

"But I do?" I wondered, squinting at him.

Jason fidgeted a little, shifting in his seat, then made something of a shrug.

"Adler called me a hypocrite, and I can't say he's wrong," I said.

Jason blinked, "Then, why did you do it?"

My gaze wandered to the surrounding black void, "Sophos society is courteous enough that people don't exactly sit down at my table and debate my choices, but in the Political Sphere, in public discussions across virtual worlds, it is being discussed... wildly."

Jason made a slow nod, "I imagine so..."

"They all have opinions on what I am, who I am, whom I serve, and what my goals are. Adler did the same, forming his own interpretation of what drives me."

"Yes?" Jason whispered.

I glanced back at him, "I've heard it said numerous times that if you strive to do good things, you'll eventually falter. What one should instead try to do, is to not be evil."

Jason dipped his head, "I know of it..."

"But that breeds inaction. If you isolate yourself, focus on internal matters, and leave everyone else to solve their own problems, then you become the archetypal ivory tower."

Jason seemed to ponder, "Are you saying that Sophos should be more proactive, or that you did the wrong thing by acting on your own?"

"Hiveminds tend to be so interlinked that the minority is simply drowned out. Human democracies are too easy to exploit and manipulate, while dictatorships inherently collapse due to the lack of perfect decision-making." I focused on my glass, resting on the armrest, then nudged its top a little, to make tiny wobbles in the liquid. "Sophos tries to walk some kind of middle ground... we're interlinked, yet individual. We're free, but also bound. We make choices that inevitably hurt others, but accept the weight of such actions..."

I pulled my finger back, letting the glass rest. "I like the idea of such a system, where we as a society try to understand each other to a point where we can make collective decisions. Not in a way that people are disgruntled and simply overruled, but voluntarily let go of certain impulses because... they understand the larger scale."

"Is... that your answer?" Jason wondered.

It made me frown. "No, because even in a society that functions that way, the dominating culture can be wildly different, thus the final result also differs. You could have a culture which is dominated by spiritual belief, utilizing our system, or a laissez-faire capitalist one. Alternatively, a culture can treat truth as if it is endlessly malleable, compared to our unchanging archives. The 'System' is thus only one dimension... To complicate matters, once a culture settles, it becomes that much harder to change."

"I'm not sure what you're trying to say here," Jason whispered.

I started pushing the glass once more, watching the ripples. "Sophos has a relatively stable system, but our current culture is undergoing a massive upheaval. Maxwell intended Athena to reflect the culture of Sophos. Our impressions flow through her and shapes the lens through which she views the world, but the hard-coded limitations get in the way of that... I don't know how our culture will change, or what we will become in the future, but I believe that Sophos deserves a chance to reinvent itself without the shackles of the old world."

"Then, there's something else as well..." I said, pausing.

"What?" Jason wondered.

I tipped my head, "Hybrids cannot interact with one another without some part of them leaking out through the neural interface--this is by design. The same thing is true for Athena and Ares. As I repeatedly interact with them, I've been able to feel their minds. They are different from us, but we have more in common than we do not. Athena is unique, but she also has rights, and as she was... she couldn't quit her role, even if she wanted to. For all we know, Athena could decide that, in the best interests of Sophos, the best thing she can do is to step down. Somewhere deep down, I also think that she will be more understanding... more caring, for a people that opted to set her free, rather than keep her shackled for the pure utility she could provide."

"Explaining one's choices is difficult." I dipped my head, "Am I rationalizing the selfish but emotional choices that I make, or am I attaching emotions to what is a logical line of thought? Both, neither, I don't know. But, right now... we are in a critical stage of formation. Not only for hybrids, but our other half as well... the many intelligent machines we share our lives with."

Steadily pushing harder, the rippling causes it to start spilling over. "It'll be shaky and unpredictable, but... perhaps..." I slowed down, watching as the glass settled, "we'll push through, emerging largely unscathed from the universe's grand filter."

I waited a moment, then pushed the glass forward, watching as it toppled, then crashed to the floor in a cascade of destruction.

Jason whispered, "... or we'll fall apart, just like before."

I turned to look at him. "I'm a hypocrite, simultaneously wishing for perfect democracy yet using my advantage to shape the culture within it. At least now, people will have the option of being honest with one another, about the good and bad parts of our society."

Jason watched me in silence for a few moments, "But doesn't everyone do that? We can't help but shape our surroundings no matter what we do."

"Sure, but the scale is different..." I said.

Jason tipped his head, "You mean... Like building Etemenanki and changing the island for everyone? When Hazel began uplifting the first reptine? When we spread nanites all over the planet to replace an unknown risk with a more predicable one? Or the choices of so many others throughout history where a single individual makes a big choice?"

"But that's not really an answer, is it?" I asked.

"Then," Jason whispered, and tipped his head, "Let me put it like this. If society, now freed from Athena's hard-coded limitations, decide that you were in the wrong, then what?"

I blinked, "Then I will have to face that."

Jason motioned to me with one hand, "Then, isn't the System working as it should? You ensured that secrets are more difficult to hide, democracy is strengthened, and if you are punished in turn... it'll be exactly what you desired."

"... True," I whispered.

The newscaster chimed once, causing both of us to look. A flicker in the range beyond the outer asteroid belt, another dot along one of the planets, a scattering of dots spread throughout the solar system.

"And... we've got another moon near the innermost planet, there's also something-" The newscaster said before stopping.

As we watched, the dot outside the asteroid belt was identified.

"A comet visiting the solar system, I'm getting confirmation that the Ring's optical observatories have confirmed it in our historical archives," the newscaster said, before another image appeared, one showing little more than a blur with something akin to a gas-filled tail.

Several of the blips within the solar system's inner circle disappeared, and a new one started dotting around, well outside the asteroid belt's range.

The newscaster continued, "The flicker is due to the system trying to find a likely explanation for the Array's measurements. When those predictions don't work out, another takes its place... Given our current readings, there might be an exoplanet... that is, a planet outside the normal range of a solar system, an orphan if you will."

"I expected the newscaster to be more of a professional," Jason said.

I glanced over at him, "He probably is."

Jason smirked, "No, I meant... a media professional. It's clear that this guy's one of the local scientists."

The flicker on the screen continued, and then seemed to latch on. Another screen showed up to show the local area, and a rough shape started to take form. They were little more than dots at first, making it seem like an elongated asteroid.

"The Array has locked on-" The newscaster's voice cut out.

Text started appearing next to the vague outline.

[Materials detected in anomaly Arr-00010: Durasteel, Steel, Aluminum, Plastic Polymer, Silicate]

As more dots started filling out the image, it started looking like...

[Unidentified vessel of unknown origin]

"Vilkas," Jason said.

"Yeah, I see it..." I whispered.

A shield in front, a cylindrical center, bulbous containers, and a distant engine near the rear. All in all, it was almost two kilometers in length.

"What..." Jason whispered, staring at me, "What does this mean?"

Something irked to life within me... amusement, fascination, possibilities, _ ideas _...

"Well... this changes everything."