Chapter 3 – C** racks in the ice**

512 A.R. February 8, Veripolis – Police Station , Evening

I’m not sure what corridor I had taken, but I eventually ended up on a bench. Now I was sitting there, feeling oddly numb, as my own thoughts churned.

Part of me wished I was back in bed so that I could pull a cover over myself, and just go to sleep.

“You did well,” A voice said.

I looked up and found that Rebecca was now standing next to the bench as she met my gaze.

“Did I?” I asked.

She motioned to me, “You distracted him, opened up his mind, and we were able to dig through it with ease. One memory in particular will be quite useful.”

I pondered it for a moment, “The one where he was holding a tablet with my profile, and he looked up to see a room of others?”

Rebecca nodded, “If they turn out to be leaders of the Luminaire, then this is a major score for us.”

I nodded, “It would be.”

Rebecca stepped closer, and sat down on the bench alongside me, “You okay?”

I drew a deep breath, and crossed my arms as I leaned back, “Was he telling the truth?”

“About?” Rebecca asked.

I raised my brow in silence and stared back at her.

Rebecca stifled a chuckle, looked across the room, and let her hands rest against her lap, “I’ve been working here for quite a while, so I dug into the archives to find the answer for myself… In the end though there wasn’t enough evidence to paint a coherent picture of anything.”

“What did you find out?” I asked.

“Well, to begin with, the Collapse happened before Sophos, the Archives, and even Maxwell existed, so the only one to have some recollection of what happened is Athena, and she’s not exactly keen on discussing it.”

I nodded, “I’m aware.”

Rebecca looked back at me, “The old world was a mess with starving nations on one end and techno-metropolises on the other. The border between man and machine itself was being challenged while others struggled for clean water. For the two to exist at the same time is… confusing.”

“… Is it?” I asked.

Rebecca opened her muzzle, hesitated, and sighed, “I get your point, but I'd argue that Sophos is willing to welcome those that want to coexist, and I doubt that’s something which could be said about the old world.”

“Perhaps,” I said with a nod of my own.

“The ad within Alistair’s memories is real, and it actually comes from the Archives… We’re not sure how they got their hands on it,” Rebecca said.

“And the origin of the nanite plague?” I asked.

Rebecca shrugged, “Whatever happened was quick. In the span of a day the world had gone from a civilization that was starting to reach for the stars, to a state where the world had been reduced to rubble. The only thing that seems certain is that something made every nanite enhanced human turn into monsters that were capable of infesting anything organic in existence.”

“But this island was spared,” I said.

“Only from whatever digital source that corrupted the nanites. In mere months the entire atmosphere was filled with Lusus spores, and the inhabitants of the island were forced to seek shelter underground.”

“There’s no mention of why the virus didn’t strike the island?”

“No, but as I said, there’s no way to even tell if what I’ve told you so far is actually the truth.”

“What about the accusation that ‘we’ were the ones who did it?” I asked.

Rebecca huffed, “The accusation doesn’t make a lot of sense to be honest. The human moon colony was infested just like Earth, and Mars wasn’t self-sufficient, so it was only a matter of time before it collapsed. The only reason the moon thrives these days is because of our efforts. So, if the humans were hoping to wipe the slate clean and create a new utopia for themselves, well… then they failed miserably. Not to mention that the humans on this island hid underground for decades, and only breached the surface when they had the means to fight back.”

“To fight back with Hybrids,” I said.

Rebecca nodded, “Part human, part Lusus, part machine. Immune to the spores and even direct contact to some degree. Hybrids allowed humanity to retake the surface, and we were hailed for it. But as industry and technology was allowed to flourish once more, we became threats rather than saviors. Production of the symbionts were stopped, and we were expected to die out.”

I motioned to her, “Maxwell disagreed, and according to legend he convinced every single hybrid to leave the first city.”

Rebecca gave me a knowing nod, “So that they could come here, to the crater of Veripolis.”

“And where does Athena fit into all this? Where was she during all this time?”

Rebecca looked over at me, “ Here , underground. In the depths of the Veripolis crater.”

“I guess it could be a coincidence that Maxwell just happened to find Athena here, but…”

Rebecca was silent for a moment, “… It seems unlikely, yes.”

“… No one has investigated this?” I asked.

Rebecca shrugged once more, “I’m sure many have, but if the Archives don’t offer clues, and Athena won’t discuss it, then where do you go, and who do you ask? I mean, the original hybrids have been dead for about six centuries, and from what I understand they were… well, quite different from us.”

“… Do you think old humanity still lives on within the Lusus somehow?”

Rebecca eased herself up from the bench, and shook her head, “If you were involuntarily turned into a psychopathic blob of acid that’s almost invincible, always hungry, and spent the last eight centuries roaming a wasteland, would you still consider yourself human? Would a human mind even be able to survive something like that? I don’t think so, or at least… I sure hope it doesn’t.”

“I see,” I said.

Rebecca smiled a little, “It’s late, and I’ll be heading home once I’ve dealt with a few things… I suggest you do the same.”

I guess I’ll need to contact Ares to see where I’m heading next…

“Will do,” I said, and rose from the bench.

512 A.R. February 8, Veripolis – Police Station , Evening

I stopped as I reached the sloping exit of the police station. The sky was dark, and while the city was brightly lit, it still managed to fill me with a rather morose feeling. To make matters worse, I felt another headache coming on, and I reached up to rub my temple in an attempt to soothe it.

I need to contact Athena and have a talk about several things… But first things first…

I closed my eyes, focused on the world around me, and tried to latch onto the same sensation as when I had heard Athena in my head. Rather than contact her however, I focused on Ares’ presence, and imagined my thoughts reaching outward.

A tingle washed over my spine, and it felt as if something was happening.

With a burst of sensation, I felt something as something loomed over me, and then a voice cut through the silence.

‘Ah, I see you learned to wield your integrated com-equipment,’ Ares said, seemingly happy.

‘Evening, Ares, and yes… Athena helped me figure it out,’ I thought.

‘Good, good… Now how may I be of service?’ Ares wondered.

‘What’s next?’ I thought.

‘You received an assignment from Arjali, did you not?’

‘I did, and just wanted to confirm it with you,’ I thought.

‘Careful as ever. Feel free to spend the night as you wish, and then do as Arjali asks by taking the train to Etemenanki,’ Ares ordered.

‘Roger that,’ I thought.

Ares presence faded once more, and with a sigh I opened my eyes once more.

“Vilkas?” A voice asked.

I jumped in fright, looked to the side, and saw the shepherd from earlier. He was standing next to me, and leaned forward as he peered at me with a curious smile.

“Oh, Chester,” I said.

Chester took a step forward, and then lifted his hands to revealing that he was carrying a pair of big cups. His tall ears stood proudly as he looked at me and seemed to freeze in place.

“For me?” I asked, and looked down at the cups.

Chester nodded eagerly and reached out with the cup to the right. He then blinked in wonder, pulled it back, and sniffed at the edge of it.

“Right,” Chester whispered to himself, and then held out the other cup, “Chocolate, for you… Coffee for me… They didn’t have tea, but I know you like chocolate as well…”

Oh, that’s… surprising…

I tipped my head a little, and reached out as I grabbed the cup, “Thank you, Chester.”

Chester pointed at his cup, “I like coffee, but I picked decaf…” and then pointed to the sky, “Since it’s night, and- um...”

I raised my brow and looked at him in wonder.

Chester clasped his cup in both hands, and look down, “Sometimes I say too much. Especially when I’m nervous.”

“It’s all right, Chester,” I said, and brought the cup to my nose as I gave it a sniff.

Rich with chocolate, with a layer of cream on top…

“Is everything all right?” Chester asked.

I brought the cup to my muzzle and took a sip. It was hot, but smooth with the sweet taste of cocoa, and a hint of something that reminded me of hazelnut.

“I’m fine... Just drained,” I said.

Chester nodded slowly, “I remember the first time I encountered one of them... It’s difficult to imagine their worldview, but it makes me happy that our abilities only work on our kind.”

“Yeah, I can’t say I'd want to peer into the mind of someone like that.”

It was difficult to tell how old Chester was. Hybrids as a general rule had few indicators when it came to differentiating between adults and those who were nearing the end of their lifespan. He seemed to know my father though, which meant that unless he was as a small child at the time, Chester had to be a fair bit older than myself.

Silence filled the gap between us, and I found myself at odds, “Not to be rude, but do you want something from me?”

Chester blinked, and his ears shuffled a little, “No, not really. I just...”

His voice trailed off, and he raised his hand to poke at the plastic top of the cup. After a few moments he began to speak with a hushed voice, “Many years ago, I was with Rebecca in Norvale. We were investigating a crime committed by a hybrid, and I know that’s hard to believe, but it happens. Your father was there as part of the defense force, and he was one of the few who, well… acknowledged me.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

“That’s how I know your father, but that’s not the reason I’m here, even though it’s connected nonetheless,” Chester murmured.

“Go on?” I asked.

“I ended up alone one night. In a city I’d never been to before, not knowing where to go, or what to do, with things going in my head that I didn’t understand at the time, and it made me feel… really… really lost, and alone,” Chester said, and looked up to meet my gaze once more.

“Ah,” I whispered.

Chester raised his hand and motioned at me, “I’m not saying you’re like that, or that you’re like me. I just wanted to, well…”

“… That’s very kind of you, Chester,” I said.

Chester looked up, and smiled for a moment as he pointed down the street, “There’s general lodging a kilometer that way, it’s simple but has everything a traveler would need.”

He then pointed in the other direction toward a skyscraper with a few flags that fluttered in the wind, “That’s Tentower, it’ll cost you, but the rooms are nicer and there’s a whole range of restaurants inside.”

Maybe I'll take a train, and sleep on the way...

Chester looked to the side, and pointed in the distance, “There are no trains heading to Etemenanki at this hour, so you’ll have to take the midday train tomorrow…”

I stared back at him, and felt my heart pound a little harder.

Chester froze in place, hand still pointing in the distance, and then blinked as he looked back at me, “Right… You didn’t say that, you thought it.”

I drew a deep breath, “Are you reading my thoughts?”

Chester brought his hand back, and held the cup close to his chest, “No, not really… It’s just that you’re beaming your thoughts far and wide. I can’t help but listen to it.”

“I’m doing what-now?” I wondered.

“You’re not abnormal, you’re just ahead of the curve. It’s a new generation of telepathic abilities that have been bred into hybrids over the last generation,” Chester said, and looked up to meet my gaze.

“I’ve had encounters where I've felt things more strongly when I touch people, but you seem to-”

Chester interrupted, “Read your mind? Not really. The link between hybrids can be divided into three distinct fields. The first is a passive form of sensing where you listen in on the world around you. The second is directed thought sharing, which is local but still wireless. The third is actual mind reading which requires touch and is both intrusive as well as dangerous. Of course, none of it is supernatural in any way, just applied technology.”

“So you’re a telepath?”

Chester froze, blinked a few times, and tipped his head in a way that made his ears flop to the side, “It’s not a title, but… yes, and so are you as well as everyone else of your generation.”

I opened my muzzle to speak, but hesitated for a moment, “Why I am ahead of the curve exactly?”

“It’s probably related to your accident. The telepathic abilities of your generation weren’t supposed to activate for at least another few years.”

I moved closer to Chester, “… And you, why are you-”

Chester interrupted me, “I’m an experiment, a late-stage experiment examining the stability of psi-enhanced hybrids. The program has been active for centuries, but it’s only recently that people have become increasingly aware of what has been a subtle and subconscious psionic network.”

“You’re-”

Once more he interrupted me, “A failed experiment, to be precise. I invade others by mistake, and have trouble either blocking or switching myself off from the network. But don’t worry, you’re stable, just inexperienced…”

“And I'm-”

Yet again, he spoke, “Every thought and doubt you have is radiating out from you even before you’ve had time to speak. I can hear it, and others like me will be able to hear it as well.”

I just stared at him and let my thoughts simmer.

Chester smiled back at me with a nod, “I can teach you to shut your mind off to others, but only to a certain degree, we’re made to be… leaky.”

“Leaky?” I asked.

“If your body is corrupted, others will be able to smell it. If you think corrupted thoughts, others will sense it. It’s already been like that for a century, people just mistake it as a ‘gut’ feeling. It’s just one of many safety measures which make our society as stable as it is.”

“Is there a place we could talk about this, in private?” I wondered.

Chester pointed behind himself, “I live in the tower behind us. I have a couch, and a bed, if you want that… and food, if you’re hungry.”

“Really?” I asked.

Chester took another sip, and cleared his throat, “Yeah, I mean… If I haven’t freaked you out-”

I interrupted him, “A place to sleep, food, and answers to my problems… Lead the way, please.”

512 A.R. February 8, Veripolis – Chester’s Apartment , N** ight**

Chester walked in front of me, and I glanced to the side as I counted the apartment numbers.

436… 437… 438...

He stopped in front of the door, grasped the handle, and the door clicked as it automatically unlocked. I followed, and saw the hallway light up by itself.

It seemed surprisingly ordinary. Plastic floor made to seem like wood, patterned wallpapers in a gentle blue hue, a kitchen to the left, a living room straight ahead, and what I guessed was a bathroom to the right.

Chester eased his jacket off, glanced back at me, and then pointed toward the kitchen, “I have a droid, just so you know. He helps out around here and his name is Wallace. It eats up a fair chunk of my monthly allowance to keep him around, but I think it’s worth it.”

I stepped inside, and eased the door shut with a gentle click, “A droid?”

Chester pulled his paw protectors off, and stepped up to the kitchen entrance, and pointed, “You can say hello while I fix something, okay?”

“Sure,” I said, and reached down to pull off my boots.

Chester hurried off down the hallway, disappeared around the corner, and I then heard a door slam shut. My ears perked in wonder of what he was up to, and I put the boots aside.

With a relieved sigh I stood tall and then stepped up to the kitchen entrance. There was a droid in the kitchen that reminded me of a police type with some modifications. There was hardly any armor plating on it, the curves were rounder, and the normally blank head had what looked like a screen with an active console. The droid looked over at me, and I could see text rush by on the screen, followed by a small photograph as it seemed to identify me.

“Welcome Vilkas, I'm Chester’s servant, Wallace. If you need anything, or if my presence is unwanted, do feel free to tell me and I'll get out of your way,” Wallace said.

I stepped closer, both curious, and a tad confused, “Hi… Wallace?”

Wallace clasped his mechanical hands, “If I'm not wrong then this is your first time in Veripolis, I therefore believe that I can understand your confusion, and help resolve it.”

“Go ahead,” I said, and focused on Wallace.

“You are aware that all heavy industries are automated, and that machines like me maintain all infrastructure?” Wallace asked.

“Of course, though most droids have a tendency to operate out of sight,” I said.

Wallace motioned to the kitchen, “Traditionally that has been the case, and it can be traced back to a simple matter of logistics. During the day we operated in the factories, and during the night we maintained the infrastructure as quietly as we could manage. In the last few decades the logistics have changed considerably, and there is now a surplus of machines like me.”

“So you help out in the homes of people?” I asked.

Wallace nodded, “Yes, for a deduction of the monthly allowance… I clean, cook, and do errands as necessary. At present our services are only available here in Veripolis, and for those with special needs.”

I glanced back and noticed that Chester had started to put food on the table, “Who do you serve, Wallace?”

More text scrolled on the screen, and Wallace was silent for a moment, “Excuse the delay. Normally I would answer ‘Chester’, but it’s unlikely that you would find it an acceptable answer.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, and looked back at Wallace.

Wallace motioned to himself, “Your profile indicates that you are knowledgeable enough that it would be rude to simplify the matter. To be precise I am a class four expert system, and I operate under that classification. Therefore, I serve Sophos itself. That being said, you may offer your requests to me, and I will comply if they are reasonable.”

“So, do you have a will of your own?” I asked.

“Expert systems are not sapient, just sentient. In other words, no.”

“But who dictates your orders? Sophos is a nation, not a self-aware entity.”

“The needs of Sophos are many. Chester needed help, and I was in need of duties.”

“… So you volunteered?” I wondered.

“Yes,” Wallace answered, and seemed to stare at me as I looked into its flat console.

“Any specific reason why you chose this duty over others?” I wondered.

“I have interacted with hybrids previously, as such my neural net was already conditioned for such tasks,” Wallace answered.

“I see… Tell me, can you hurt others?” I asked.

“Our current mode of communication is insufficient to describe the functions of my ethical restraints. I could give you a simplified answer, but be aware that it wouldn’t be an accurate representation,” Wallace said.

“Any alternatives?” I asked.

Wallace held out its mechanical hand, “The archives indicate that you’re mature enough to make use of the machine-to-machine interface, feel free to interface with my systems.”

“Having fun?” Chester asked from behind me.

I looked back at him and smiled, “Sorry, I’ve just never had the chance to interact with a droid up close like this.”

Chester stepped over to the refrigerator, and opened it up, “I know he’s not sapient, but I like to treat him as such. It feels better… kinder, more real.”

Wallace nodded, “The thought is appreciated, Chester.”

“Hungry?” Chester said, and looked back at me.

“I am,” I said.

Chester pulled out a few things from the refrigerator, placed them on the nearby table, and gave the door an idle push. He then stepped over to the table, and sat down as he motioned to another chair, “If you have questions, I'll try to answer them.”

I was about to speak, but stopped as Wallace stepped up to Chester, “Is there something I can assist with, Chester?”

Chester looked up, ears perked, “Could you fix us some eggs?”

“Scrambled?” Wallace asked.

“Boiled, thank you,” Chester said, and shook his head.

Wallace stepped back, while I moved over to sit down at the table. I then faced Chester, and pointed to my head, “I’ve been having headaches lately, could those be related to this telepathy?”

Chester reached out to grab a sandwich, “Maybe, I've had numerous side effects as well, so…”

“Like?” I whispered.

Chester glanced at me, “I don’t like to talk about it to be honest, but let’s just say that I've come a long way from what I used to be like.”

“Was this something you volunteered for, or how did you end up like this exactly?”

Chester opened a package with thin slices of meat, and placed a few on his sandwich. He then looked at me in wonder and raised his brow, “Same way we all end up. Hybrids are an ever-changing people, and the symbionts are continuously tweaked. I just happened to get one that was still on the experimental stage.”

“Isn’t that… unethical?” I asked.

“Of course it is, but we don’t have much choice, do we? We need to evolve and adapt to the world we find ourselves in, or we’ll die.”

“… I understand that when it comes to protecting us from the Lusus, but how does experimental forms of telepathy tie into that?” I asked.

Chester put the sandwich down, and leaned back in his chair, “Telepathy isn’t the end goal, it’s just a bonus to numerous changes that are needed when you consider how our society is structured.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Chester looked over at Wallace, “We have no direct control over our more advanced machines, and the same applies to the AIs. It’s a security model where every unit has to decide on its own whether its orders are ethical and beneficial to the greater whole. It’s cumbersome in a way, but it makes sure there’s no way to bring down the whole system through a centralized attack.”

“And what if there’s a decentralized vulnerability hiding within everyone?” I wondered.

Chester looked at me, “While possible, it’s unlikely due to several considerations.”

“Like?” I asked.

“As a species we’re constantly under attack from a great many sources. The Lusus, humans, ourselves, radiation, and so on... If there was a fundamental flaw within us, we’d have found it by now, and even if we missed an exploit it would likely be limited to one of our subspecies. That being said, we have vulnerabilities that are psychological in nature.”

“Privacy of thought is a vulnerability?” I asked.

Chester drew a deep breath, and for a moment he closed his eyes as if taking a timeout.

He then spoke, while still keeping his eyes shut, “I’m not reading your thoughts, you are shouting them at me. When you learn how to stop doing that, I'll still be able to tell how you’re feeling, but that’s something most people can already do simply by looking at your expression, or the state of your tail, so…”

“So, privacy of thought is maintained, as long as people learn how,” I said.

Chester opened his eyes once more, “There are exceptions of course. “Drugs, panic, and intense anger are just a few ways that can cause people to lose control. Whether this is a good thing or not is still being debated, but in the end we’re not the ones deciding this.”

“So who is?” I asked.

“Moonbase Alpha, of course. They’re the ones designing all new symbionts.”

“I see,” I asked.

Chester looked over at me, “Your concern seems focused on hybrids, but that’s ignoring the bigger picture of why these changes are being introduced.”

“Oh?”

Chester pointed at Wallace once more, “Wallace might not be sapient, and his creativity might be lacking, but in any intelligence test he’ll run leaps around any human. Hybrids might be able to keep pace in some ways, but when it comes to parallel processing, networking ability, and speed of thought we’re still lacking.”

“I can see how telepathy solves the networking problem, but the rest-”

Chester looked back at me, and interrupted, “Is being solved as well, or at least… is being improved to give us a chance. I can for example slow down my perception of time. You’ve probably already used such skills, but subconsciously.”

“Really?” I wondered.

“I saw the recordings where you fought the humans in the Bonaparte. You didn’t exactly have trouble avoiding a knife being swung at you,” Chester said.

“… True,” I said.

“Did you think that was just skill? Would you have been able to do that as a human?”

“Some humans have excellent motor control,” I said.

Chester nodded, “They do, but the speed at which you moved at the time was inhuman, and the control you exerted is well beyond what even the best human can accomplish.”

I thought the human I fought was just sluggish…

“I see,” I whispered.

Chester clasped his hands, and looked back at his plate, “This kind of improvement is slow, and your parents already make use of it, you’re just a little bit faster, and… more aware of it. Of course, the next generation that follows will no doubt be faster than you as well.”

“And when does it stop? When are we good enough?” I asked.

Chester shrugged, “I don’t know, but I'd argue that the day we’re no longer dependent on humans to procreate would be a good place to stop.”

“Mm,” I murmured.

Chester drew a deep breath, “Telepathy isn’t just for hybrids either. We are sitting in the biggest city of Sophos, and I can feel the beat of the city itself as if it was alive. It defends itself, it grows, and cares for those who are living inside it.” Chester looked up, “If I lift my gaze to the skies, then I can feel the presence of Moonbase Alpha.”

“Isn’t what you're describing rather… overwhelming?”

“Only with people. Machines are logical, elegant… simple,” Chester said.

“Does this kind of ability await every one in my generation?” I asked.

Chester nodded, “The first hybrids who could interface with machines used to be known as Technomancers. At the time it was rather controversial, and people were questioning whether we were becoming too much like machines. These days it’s second nature for people.”

I grabbed a sandwich, and piled on a few slices of meat, “So, how do I keep myself from ‘leaking thoughts’ as you called it?”

Chester glanced to the side, while Wallace walked up to the table, and put down a plate with four peeled eggs, “Boiled eggs. Medium, runny in the center.”

“Thank you, Wallace,” Chester said, and smiled as he looked up.

“My pleasure,” Wallace answered, and stepped back to the kitchen counter.

I reached out, grabbed an egg, and took a bite.

Gooey in the middle, could have used some salt… But it’s good as is...

Chester grabbed an egg, “Salt is on the counter.”

I glanced over at him, “Yeah, I do think I'm about ready for that lesson…”

Chester chuckled, and began to pile things onto his place, “How about we sit down in the sofa and continue from there?”

512 A.R. February 8, Veripolis – Chester’s Apartment , N** ight**

Chester seemed tired as he walked into the living room. His tail hung listlessly from his back, and he seemed to slouch as he sauntered up to the sofa, and glanced down at it. His ears flicked in annoyance, and he reached down to stuff a few pillows into the corner.

“Wallace never lets the pillows be… Says they look better spread out,” Chester murmured under his breath.

The living room oozed with Chester’s scent, and while everything looked spotless, it was also clear that this is where he ate the majority of his meals. He also seemed different as I observed him. Especially when considering that he had been almost frantic at the police station, but now he seemed… normal, like a guy that was just tired after a long day at work. Without warning he looked back at me, and our eyes met once more.

I wonder what thoughts may have just passed through my head…

Chester glanced away, and his tail began to wag a little as if he’d become embarrassed.

“My apologies if my thoughts did something odd,” I said.

Chester shook his head, put the plate with food down on the small table in front of the sofa, and then sat down against the pile of pillows. I moved toward the center of the sofa and eased myself down while Chester scratched at his ear a little.

As I sat down my nose kept working on the scents of the room. To my surprise there was no hint of anyone else. No friends, no family. Just Chester, and the hint of a machine-like Wallace.

“I have friends, but I prefer to keep them at arm’s length,” Chester said.

I merely looked at him, and let my thoughts do the talking.

Chester looked at me, and nodded, “To keep up the pretense that I'm normal, and no… It’s not that easy to teach them how to hide their thoughts.”

“What makes me different?” I asked.

Chester motioned at me, “You’ve awakened, I'm not sure why, but you have… and it’s pretty easy to tell because you’re like a beacon shining in the dark.”

“Ah,” I said.

Chester drew a deep breath, “All right, let’s begin… Start by contacting me using your mind.”

“Like when talking with Athena and Ares?” I wondered.

Chester perked his brow, “Can’t say I've talked with them very often, but yes.”

I closed my eyes, and just like focusing on Ares, I shifted my focus to Chester’s presence.

After just a few moments Chester spoke up, “No, not like that… You’re placing a call to me over the network.”

I opened my eyes once more, “Then how?”

Chester stared at me for a moment and tipped his head in a way that made his ears flop to the side, “… Close your eyes, and empty your mind.”

I closed my eyes, and tried to think of nothing, “Now what?”

“Just… listen and feel. Is there anything around you that stands out?”

I drew a deep breath, and just tried to… listen. Wallace was doing something in the hallway, and something within the room was making a high-pitched whine. As I kept listening, I caught the low humming noise of a large drone passing somewhere outside the building.

“Feel, imagine that you’re a radar dish and you’re looking for a signal of sorts,” Chester said.

“Easier said than done,” I whispered.

“Try,” Chester murmured.

I imagined a spinning radar dish, but it didn’t seem to help. Even as I focused on the ceiling there was no presence, no ghostly sensation. It made me sigh a little, and I instead searched my mind for those odd sensations I had felt from time to time.

My mind caught on one of the events, when I was in the Bonaparte and it felt as if one of the police invaded my head. The poking, and prodding feeling of a ghost running its hand through the fur on my head.

Without warning I realized that there was another presence like it. A sort of invisible pressure emanating from somewhere in front of me. Pulsating and humming with activity.

I opened my eyes, and the sensation lingered. It was as if Chester now had an invisible glow to him.

Chester began to smile while nodding, “Yeah, just like that.”

“What do I…” I whispered.

Chester motioned to me, “Just reach out to me with your mind, speak, and listen.”

I thought to myself and squinted as I focused on him. His presence seemed to shift a little, and it felt as if two bubbles began to intersect with one another.

‘Hey there,’ Chester whispered with a voice that was inside my head, rather than something my ears could pick up.

‘Hi,’ I thought, and blinked.

Chester’s smile grew, ‘This is a local communication channel. Encrypted to a point that not even the AIs can hear us.’

‘Now what?’ I thought.

Chester motioned at me, ‘Right now you’re focused on me, and the rest of your mind is silent to the world around us. Find that same focus, and your thoughts will be your own.’

‘… Easier said than done,’ I thought.

‘After a while it will become second nature, just like directing your thoughts like this. After all, I don’t hear everything you think, just the thoughts that you ‘speak’ within your mind.’

‘I see,’ I thought.

Chester motioned at himself, ‘Focus on me what’s beyond my voice, and tell me what you sense.’

The link remained between us, but it was silent as I stared back at Chester. In a way it seemed as if the rest of the world had become muted, and I could feel my own thoughts churn despite not transmitting anything over the link. I gulped, and tried to focus as I drew a deep breath.

Focus, on Chester…

It was subtle, but it felt as if my subconscious was picking up on what I'd call a gut feel. Focusing on it made the sensation stronger, and I began to feel the sensations as when Peter and I had linked to one another.

Chester was tired. Sleepy, and he felt concerned somehow. A bed, a sofa, something bothered him.

I couldn’t hear those thoughts, instead it was like an instinctive sensation being shared by my subconscious connection to it all.

‘They’re not discrete thoughts, just a feeling,’ I thought.

‘Describe it,’ Chester thought, and tipped his head.

‘… You’re wondering how we’re going to spend the night,’ I thought.

It felt like his presence flared to life within the room. While his expression revealed little I found myself with the feeling that he’d grown embarrassed, or at least surprised with something that he hadn’t intended to share.

Chester blinked, and cleared his throat despite maintaining the link, ‘It would seem that I am unfocused.’

I patted the sofa we were on, ‘I’m fine on the sofa.’

Chester looked away, ‘You’re my guest, you should have the bed, besides… It’s not the first time I've fallen asleep in the sofa.’

‘You seem pretty relaxed like this,’ I thought.

Chester smiled back and reached up to scratch his ear, ‘Exhaustion does blunt my excitement.’

I nodded to myself, ‘I can’t tell your thoughts, but I can sense how you’re feeling. Can you block that as well?’

Chester nodded, and as I sat there the link between us seemed to shift. It grew cold, and distant, before making a pop as the link became nothing more than what felt like a phone call.

‘See?’ Chester thought.

‘It’s awfully distant,’ I thought.

Chester made a knowing smile, ‘Yes, it is… Isn’t it?’

Once more the link shifted, and with a brush of warmth he seemed to glow once more. He enjoyed this, the more intimate link, to feel the presence of another mind on equal terms. Talking… No, just existing without the need to feel like an outsider to society at large. It made him smile to himself, and I could see his tail move along the cushions of the sofa.

It may not be discrete thoughts, but it still feels like this is still rather revealing…

I decided to withdraw, and closed my eyes as I focused on shutting down the link. It worked, and within moments I felt the ‘bubble’ which connected us collapse. The world seemed to lose some of its warmth, but I tried my best to stay focused on the sensation that I hoped would seal my mind off from others.

Slowly, I opened my eyes once more, and looked at Chester, “Can you tell what I'm thinking right now?”

Chester shook his head, “No… It’s like a brick wall… I can sense that you’re in front of me, but nothing more than that.”

I tried to focus on Chester, to listen like before, but… as I tried, it seemed like the world had gone silent.

Chester smiled in amusement, “You can’t listen to others while blocking your own mind.”

Ah, how devious…

“In other words, someone who blocks off his mind would come off as suspicious in a world of telepaths,” I said.

Chester sighed, “A pessimistic view, but yes… that’s no doubt why it was designed as such.”

I squinted as I looked at him, “But, this is still technology. Signals through the air. With a machine I could just-”

Chester interrupted me, “They… thought about that as well.”

“… How?” I wondered.

“Hybrids are electromagnetically noisy. It’s part of our biology, or what one might want to call it. The signals with which we communicate look like nothing more than noise in the random patterns that we naturally generate.”

“Then how do we know how to isolate a signal?”

Chester extended his hand, “Touch… If you touch another hybrid there’s a lot going on. Consciously, and subconsciously. Encryption keys being generated, timing agreements, and much more. Basically, you can’t create a localized telepathic link with anyone you haven’t personally interacted with before.”

“… But calls over the network itself is still possible?” I wondered.

Chester nodded, “Yes, because that’s not telepathy… You’re just making a call, and that one is quite traceable, even if the contents can be encrypted.”

“If we’re electromagnetically noisy, doesn’t that make hybrids easy to track?” I wondered.

“It would, if you were in a silent environment, which we aren’t. If you were to plug in a spectrum analyzer you’d find that the atmosphere is extremely noisy, much of which is the Lusus’ fault, because they’re practically screaming on a planetary scale. Thankfully we can’t hear them…”

“Ah,” I said.

Chester motioned to me once more, “Your concentration is slipping.”

I renewed my focus, and smiled back at him, “It’ll take some time to get used to guarding my mind.”

Chester clasped his hands, “… There’s a balance to be found. You can hide your thoughts, while still letting the world know how you feel, just like letting your tail wag free.”

“… Right,” I said.

This… This must be what the goal is… A society where people are more, what would one call it?

More genuine? Whether they want to or not? But the consequences of it are considerable…

Chester closed his eyes once more, and I waited in expectation that he’d say something. After a few moments of silence, I began to ease up on my concentration and focused on him once more. The presence of his mind began to grow as I relaxed, but it was different from before. Subtle and dim, almost as if...

There was a small twitch in his body, and then I heard what sounded like a gentle snore as his head dipped forward.

He… He fell asleep!?

My eyes widened in surprise as I leaned closer, “… Chester?”

With a sudden shudder he woke up, looked up, and blinked in surprise at me.

“… You fell asleep,” I said.

Chester glanced to the side and made a forced smile, “It’s late…”

He’s different from before… Less energetic, calmer, almost dazed…

His ears were held low as he leaned closer to the table, reached out, and grabbed one of the last eggs. As I watched he began to munch on it in silence, while staring ahead as if barely being able to keep himself awake.

I inched closer to him, and leaned forward to catch a glimpse of his eyes, “Are you all right?”

Another forced smile followed, and he nodded as he gulped the egg down, “I’m fine.”

I felt tired as well. Exhausted to be honest, and it made my mind wander for a moment. It made me wish I had been skeptical toward him, and it made me wish we had bothered to make a proper meal instead of sitting here… eating boiled eggs.

As I sat there staring at him, I realized that Chester had let his own defenses down. His mind mingled with thoughts. He found it exciting to have someone in his home, at the same time he was scared. Terribly scared, that it would never happen again, that he had screwed up, that he’d fall asleep and wake up without the faintest idea of where I had disappeared to.

Chester was… lonely, perhaps the loneliness that he had told me of had never left him.

I reached out and placed my hand on his shoulder. It made him jerk to life in surprise, and he turned his head to look at me as if shocked.

He stared, and I didn’t move. I wanted him to get used to the sensation, to realize that I wasn’t trying to hurt him. His muzzle wavered a little, and for a moment I felt something radiate off him that felt like guilt.

‘How about we share the sofa?’ I thought.

The thought translated with ease over the renewed link between us. His ears perked, and I could feel the link hum with intensity as his heart seemed to flutter. Chester made a simple nod, and I could hear him gulp.

I moved closer to him, and Chester began to lean back. The sofa groaned a little as I loomed over him, and I watched as he lay down against the pillows that were stacked in the corner.

His fur was a tad messy, and he reeked of coffee, but there was something cute about the wide muzzle and his big ears. I couldn’t help but smile as I reached out with my hand and brushed a few long stripes of fur from his brow.

‘Is this okay?’ I thought.

Chester made a set of frantic nods, and I heard his voice echo in my mind, ‘Yes.’

I let myself slide down along the side of the sofa, and settled along the pillows while wrapping my arms around him. He angled his head so that our muzzles brushed along one another, and I could hear as his tail began to thump against the sofa.

With a simple nuzzle I held him tight, and then shut my eyes to sleep.

512 A.R. February 9, Chester’s Apartment , M** orning**

I awoke to the sensation of a headache, and the soft touch of fur against my nose. It smelled of coffee, and canine. As I opened my eyes, I could see our muzzles, and I could hear Chester’s slow, steady breath.

Warm air seemed to radiate between us, and I found that my arms had managed to slip into his shirt during the night. As Chester drew breath, I caught something on it that I hadn’t noticed earlier. A hint of something metallic. While I couldn’t identify it, my senses told me that it was dangerous.

It made me frown in confusion, and then I felt something odd. There was pressure on the base of my tail, and I felt my whole body arch as I felt it being squeezed. A dazed murmur escaped from Chester, and I felt him nuzzle my shoulder.

I carefully reached back, grabbed Chester’s arm, and peeled him away from my tail.

“Hrrmnn,” Chester murmured as his ears flicked.

The sun was shining through the window behind the sofa, and I could see the room glitter in the light as hints of fur floated in the air. It was comforting to sleep with others, but it was time to get up.

“Hrrm?” Chester mumbled as I began to move.

“Morning,” I whispered.

Chester’s face lit up with a rather dopey smile, and I felt his hands tighten along my side, “Hey…”

I eased myself up a little, looked down at him, and opened my muzzle to speak.

Something froze within me. I tried to think of something to say, but it was as if my mind had suddenly gone vacant. A second passed, and the sensation didn’t pass. It was as if something inside my head had seized up, and I had no clue of what to do next.

My heart began to pound, and as it did the headache grew worse. Thumping, as if there was a drum inside my head. I reached up, and felt my temple.

Stop…

“Vilkas?” Chester wondered.

With a click it let go. I gasped for breath, still rubbing my temple, and forced a smile, “Hmm?”

Chester blinked as he looked up at me, “Are you okay?”

“… I’m fine, just need to head to the bathroom,” I said.

“Ah,” Chester whispered, and then raised a brow, “You want breakfast?”

I nodded, “That’d be nice.”

512 A.R. February 9, Chester’s Apartment - Bathroom , M** orning**

I stared myself in the bathroom mirror, and I found myself troubled. The headache was still there, but I could almost forget about it if I focused on something else.

I need to contact Athena about this…

With a sigh I got the water in the sink running, leaned down, and splashed my face. While it helped wipe away scents, traces of food, and anything else that might be unsightly, it was a far cry from the sensation it used to offer.

One of the downsides of thick fur…

The claws helped straighten things, and I dug through my mane to straighten it. There were a few knots hiding in there, but it would be rude to use Chester’s comb for it. I looked up in the mirror once more, held my hand in front of my muzzle, and caught a whiff of my own breath.

Yeah, that’s gonna need something fresh…

The mirror hid a common medical cabinet, and I considered my options. There was little chance Chester would be able to tell I had taken a peek as long as I didn’t let my thoughts slip. At the same time, it was rude, but there was also a certain worry in the back of my mind.

With a glance of guilt, I looked at the door to make sure it was locked, and then turned to focus on the cabinet. With another sigh I reached up, and eased the cabinet open with a claw. There was a surprising number of bottles hiding in the cabinet. Especially when one considered that hybrids were almost immune to everything.

Many of them had labels of chemicals I didn’t recognize, so I let my nose guide me as I leaned in.

I sniffed, guided my nose along them, and caught something. Alcohol, minty-fresh.

That’d solve my breath, but it would immediately reveal I had been in here…

I let my nose wander further along the bottles, and my ears perked as my nose caught something strong. Metallic, intense, toxic.

I plucked the bottle from the cabinet, and looked at the label as I turned it around.

Liquid Lithium… Mood stabilizer during manic episodes…

There was a red note along the bottom with a skull on it, ‘Lithium at this concentration is deadly to humans even at the minimum dose. Keep well away, and make sure to wash hands.’

I sighed to myself, and realized that this must have been why Chester rushed in here.

Drink it…

I blinked, and felt my heart thump.

Drink it…

“No,” I said to myself.

Drink it… It’ll make you feel better…

I put the bottle back in haste, grabbed the cabinet door, and felt it slip as it slammed shut. My heart raced as I stared into the mirror, and gulped. For a while I just stood there, stunned into silence, as I focused on breathing.

Anger began to bubble inside of me, and I directed my thoughts inward.

‘Volkov,’ I thought.

No answer…

‘Get out here and explain yourself, this fucking instant,’ I screamed within my own head.

The headache grew more pronounced, and then I felt his presence rise to the surface.

‘What seems to be the problem?’ Volkov whispered within my mind.

‘Did you do something a moment ago?’ I thought.

‘No clue what you’re talking about,’ Volkov answered.

‘This is serious, Volkov. I know that you’re angry, I know I haven’t done enough to help you, but if you’re fucking with my mind, then you need to stop, and tell me right now,’ I thought.

‘As said, I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Volkov answered.

‘I don’t believe you,’ I thought.

‘Maybe you’re losing it? Athena warned us, didn’t she? There’s a reason why there’s no one like us still around,’ Volkov whispered.

‘If this is your way of teaching me a lesson, then admit it, and we’ll work something out, all right?’

‘There’s no way to work this out, Vilkas… I’m stuck in here, and you’re out there.’

‘Stop this,’ I thought, and closed my eyes.

‘They’re hiding things from us, you know? Both of them… Bad things are going to happen at Etemenanki,’ Volkov whispered.

‘Bad things are already happening,’ I thought.

‘They’ll kill me, or you… Maybe both of us?’

‘No,’ I thought.

‘They will, that’s why they’re being so avoidant, because they don’t want me to suspect.’

‘Suspect what!?’ I thought.

‘You could miss the train, you know? Things happen… Or you could stay here, and learn from Chester. He’s cute, isn’t he? And he seems to like-’

My claws curled around the sink, and I gritted my teeth in anger, ‘You will stop this, or I will put you back in your fucking box. Do you understand?’

For a moment there was silence, ‘… and there it is. I’m fine as long as I sit in the background, looking up details for you here and there like some secretary. Don’t underestimate me.’

‘Don’t fuck with my sanity, do you understand?’ I thought.

‘Fine, fine… But consider what I told you. You won’t leave Etemenanki as the same person you walked inside as. They’ll change you. Tame you. You’ll become just like every other slave in this nation of obedient little-’

I clenched my eyes shut, clenched my teeth, and focused. My thoughts pushed him back, and my willpower folded inwards. Volkov’s voice turned into a scream of protest, and something gave way. The headache popped as it disappeared, and with a slam his presence disappeared.

My chest heaved, and I opened my eyes once more.

Things were silent. Peaceful.

With a gulp I lowered my head, and breathed in relief.

512 A.R. February 9, Chester’s Apartment – K** itchen , M ***orning*

I stepped into the kitchen, and stopped to watch.

Chester was sitting at the table with a tablet in his hands, and he was tapping at it with one hand, while gnawing on a claw belonging to the other. I’d blocked off my mind, and I'd have no idea if he tried to talk with using telepathy, but at this point I didn’t want to risk Volkov getting out again.

On the opposite side of the kitchen was Wallace. The droid was tending to a frying pan at the same time as two mechanical hands were busy wrapping up what looked like a burrito. I walked up to the kitchen table, but Chester didn’t seem to notice as he gritted his teeth while tapping away at the screen.

I leaned closer, and glanced at the screen. It seemed to be some kind of chess game, but the turns were far too quick, and made it seem as if it was being done in real-time. Chester was moving two pieces at once when the opponent moved in, slashed them in an instant, and the screen filled with red.

Game Over!

Chester let out a frustrated sigh, pushed the tablet onto the table, and then snapped to attention as he noticed me, “Oh, Vilkas!”

I leaned back, and sat down on the nearby chair, “Seems like a stressful game.”

“Eh, that’s nothing,” Chester said, and smirked as he sat up straight.

A split second later he looked up, leaned side to side, and stared at Wallace.

Yeah… He’s back to his old self now…

Chester’s attention snapped back to me, “You’re keeping your mind hidden.”

“I have a few issues of my own, and I'd rather keep them to myself for now,” I said.

“Hmm,” Chester murmured, and began to tap the table with his hands, “You know, I've always found wolves cool.”

“… Oh?” I whispered.

Chester nodded frantically, “Yeah, you’ve got packs, and… you go on adventures, hunting. What’s that like? Intense?”

“It is, you kinda lose yourself in it,” I said.

“Yeah, I can imagine… Do you sleep outside as well, or-”

Chester stopped talking, and turned his attention to Wallace who was now walking toward us. I turned to look and watched as Wallace began by putting down two small plates, each of which had a small pancake, topped with a variety of berries.

“Pancakes, with a berry compote,” Wallace said, stepped back, and grabbed the two bigger plates from the kitchen counter.

Chester had already grabbed the utensils and was about to stab a strawberry as Wallace put the bigger plates down.

“Vegetable and tuna wrap, with dip on the side,” Wallace said.

“Thank you, Wallace!” Chester exclaimed, and stuffed a strawberry in his mouth.

“You’re welcome,” Wallace said, and then looked over at me, “Enjoy.”

I nodded in Wallace’s direction, “Thank you.”

Chester seemed to be living in his own world as he shifted focus to the wrap, and began to munch it down. I did the same, grabbed the wrap, and bit it into one end.

Never liked fish, but this is pretty good…

I chewed for a while, and swallowed as I focused on Chester, “Chester?”

Chester’s ears perked as he chewed, and he mumbled, “Yeah, Vilkas?”

“I may have looked in your medicine cabinet,” I said.

Chester stared back at me, chewed idly, and then swallowed with an audible gulp.

“… Sorry, about that,” I said.

Chester blinked, looked down at his wrap, and seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment. He then drew a deep breath, and straightened up as he sat back against the chair, “… That’s okay, I understand. I- I… I’d- I mean, um…”

I waited in silence.

Chester reached up and scratched at his cheek, “It’s worse today… It’s like a debt of sorts. If I take the medicine one evening, I get calm, but it’s worse the day after. But I- I can’t take it every day, because we adapt far too quickly, and I'd become immune.”

“… You wanted to make a good impression,” I said.

Chester smiled as he looked over at me, and repeatedly nodded, “Yeah…”

“You did, Chester. Before and after. You walked up to me, saw that I was in need, and helped me out in a spot where I did feel alone and lost,” I said.

“T- Thank you,” Chester whispered, drew a deep breath, and then bit down hard on the wrap as he snapped off about half of it.

512 A.R. February 9, Chester’s Apartment , M** orning**

“Thank you for letting me crash here,” I said, and looked back.

“Mm,” Chester murmured, as he stood by the edge of the door.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

Chester shook his head, and it looked like he forced a smile.

I smiled back, and turned to face the stairs.

“Vilkas?” Chester said.

“Hmm?” I said, and stopped as I looked back once more.

Chester stepped out of his apartment, and stopped in front of me, “If you ever need help… Digging through the archives, police data, interrogations, and so on… Then I can help. Okay?”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.

“Um… So what are you going to do at Etemenanki?” Chester asked.

“I have a package to deliver, and that’s basically all I know,” I said.

“Oh,” Chester said, and blinked, “… Be careful at Etemenanki, it’s not what people expect.”

“Meaning?” I asked.

Chester glanced side to side, and then shrugged with a sheepish smile, “You’ll find out.”

“Mm,” I said, and stepped back.

It only took a moment for me to stop once more, and I turned around to face him once more.

“If I'm ever in town again, let’s make a proper dinner, and watch a movie or something, okay?”

His smile grew into a huge grin, and I could see his tail wag in a wide arc, “Mm.”

“Until next time,” I said, and waved my hand.

“Until next time,” Chester whispered.

512 A.R. February 9, T** rain **** S ***tation* , M** idday**

As I watched, another blank-faced droid approached the table where I was sitting.

“May I offer something to eat, or drink?” The droid asked, with a feminine mechanical voice.

I made a courteous smile, and shook my head, “No, thank you.”

“Then how about a snack for the journey? Etemenanki is desolate station,” The droid said.

I raised my brow in wonder, and looked up at the droid.

The droid revealed its hand, and put down a small plate with a single, rather big cookie on it, “Athena sends her regards.”

In silence, the droid stepped back, and walked behind the cafeteria counter. I looked down at the cookie, and reached out with my hand. It smelled fresh, and there was warmth still radiating off it. The scent of chocolate was strong, but there was something intermingled with it, something that didn’t belong within a cookie.

With a troubled frown I shut my eyes, and focused outward. I wanted to make a call, to contact Athena through the network. Based on what I knew so far it should work even if I did my best to block off my mind to others.

A few seconds passed, and I expected her presence to arrive at any moment. It didn’t work. I kept trying, and trying, but it was as if I was humming a mantra that did absolutely nothing.

In frustration I opened my eyes once more.

‘Vilkas?’ The voice came out of nowhere, and it sounded like Athena.

‘I was trying to reach you,’ I thought.

‘A temporary disruption, nothing to worry about,’ Athena answered.

I stared at the table, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was dreaming somehow. Was I actually here? At the train station? Waiting for the train? As a test I waved my hand in front of me, but nothing strange happened.

‘Vilkas?’ Athena asked once more.

‘I think there’s something wrong with me,’ I thought.

‘Chester informed me that your telepathic abilities are awakening, it’s not going to be without side-effects,’ Athena said.

‘Perhaps. I’ve been having headaches, and Volkov has somehow been influencing my thoughts.’

‘That is troubling, for how long has this been going on?’ Athena wondered.

‘The headaches? For weeks, the last part… Since yesterday, I think,’ I thought.

‘If you’re not mistaken, then this could be a serious issue. I’ve talked with Ares, and he agrees that your health can’t be risked for the sake of delivering a package. Take the train back to Pasloe, and we can run a test at the local clinic.’

I gulped, and I felt my heart begin to thump harder once more. It was a deep sense of fear, one that I wasn’t used to. A fear where you could no longer trust yourself, and you knew deep down that something was very, very wrong.

‘Wouldn’t it make more sense to do it here, in Veripolis? The capital?’ I thought.

‘If it’s an emergency, yes… But you’re not in that much distress, are you?’ Athena wondered.

I drew a deep breath, clasped my hands, and looked at the cookie.

‘Vilkas?’ Athena’s voice wondered.

I reached out, grabbed the still warm cookie in my hand, and brought it to my muzzle.

‘I know you’re not Athena, you twisted bastard,’ I thought, and began to eat.

512 A.R. February 9, Vatnajökull Mountains , A** fternoon**

The sun had already dipped below the glaciers as I looked out the window. It painted the horizon in an orange light. Powerful gusts of wind stirred the loose snow along the mountain, and it looked like the train was heading into a hazy cloud of sorts.

There was little noise apart from the steady hum of the train, and I suspected I was alone in this place. No one else had stepped on in Veripolis, and as I had walked through the train it seemed vacant apart from a few service droids.

I still couldn’t contact Athena, or anyone else for that matter. In my mind I considered calling out to Athena with my voice, but I found myself focused on keeping a lid on my mind.

So I found myself curled up against the corner of the cabin, staring out at the world. It felt simpler to deal with external threats. You had solid ground to stand on, and your concerns lay with whom you could trust. But how did that work when you no longer felt as if you trust your own thoughts or senses.

The cookie seemed to have helped, but whatever it had done was quickly fading. I could feel something gnawing in the back of my head, slowly grinding me down. With a gulp I lifted my gaze, and looked at the top of the mountain that the train was climbing.

Etemenanki…

A dark tower that pierced the skies, perched at the very top of the mountain. The base of it had eaten the top of the mountain in a way that seemed almost organic. Metal which had spread outward like roots as it burrowed into the island.

At the very top of the gargantuan tower one could see a dark plume that breached the sky with enough force to keep the local weather at bay. The Lusus spread spores through the atmosphere that would infest anything it touched, and this was the response. Spores, altered in such a way that they fed on the Lusus. Slowly drifting down all over the island and the nearby oceans as the two sides fought in a never ending war.

A twitch in my brow caught my attention, and I reached up to rub my temple.

‘ Vilkas ,’ Volkov whispered in my mind.

I gritted my teeth, ‘Go away.’

‘I was wrong, okay?’ Volkov said.

I stayed silent.

‘I screwed up, all right? I admit now that it was a mistake to mimic Athena, but I was desperate.’

‘I don’t know who you are,’ I thought.

‘I’m you? Remember? I was born from your mind, and molded by your memories. I am you.’

‘No, you’re not,’ I thought.

‘I’m trying to reconcile, and you do this to me?’ Volkov wondered.

‘If you want to reconcile, then stop burrowing into my mind,’ I thought.

‘We need to talk, Vilkas… Not like this. To figure out how to solve this together, understand?’

‘Uh huh,’ I thought.

‘You promised to visit me, to keep me company, to keep me sane.’

‘I’ve been busy,’ I thought.

‘Busy, yes… While I spend what feels like years upon years trapped in this place,’ Volkov said.

I looked up, and saw that Etemenanki was now looming high above the train.

Just a bit longer…

‘Just a bit longer until what, Vilkas?’ Volkov wondered.

‘I can’t trust you,’ I thought.

‘Please? I just want to make things right. Let’s talk things over,’ Volkov said.

‘We can talk like this,’ I thought.

There was a sudden pressure in my chest, and I moved my hand to my muzzle. A surprising burp followed, and a strange scent hit my nose. Alcohol. Booze. Half-digested and sour.

What on earth…

‘Not like this, Vilkas… Let’s talk face to face. Visit me, come inside and we can solve this.’

“No,” I said out loud.

‘They’re going to kill me, you know? They’re going to open up your skull and carve me out.’

I pulled my legs up onto the seat, and burrowed my head against my knees, “Please stop.”

‘What do you think that will do to you? Hmm? You’ll be lucky if you end up like Chester.’

It felt as if the world was beginning to spin even as I held my eyes shut.

‘You’ll be a broken husk, and guess what will happen next? You know, right?’

“Shut up,” I said out loud.

‘The pack will throw you aside, and it’ll be a fitting end to your worthless existence.’

My heart was pounding, and my lungs were starting to scream for more air. It made me pant in response, and I opened my eyes to gaze upon the world. The inside of the cabin was shifting slowly, as if a lens was slowly twisting in front of me. A tingle moved across my skin, and I felt my guts starting to cramp as if I'd eaten something bad.

‘We can still fix this, you know?’ Volkov whispered as his voice took on a softer tone.

‘You’ve gone insane,’ I thought.

‘Simple self-preservation, nothing more. You’d do the same,’ Volkov answered.

‘No, I wouldn’t,’ I thought.

Volkov’s voice grew. What had been a whisper became a noise that made my eyes widen as I sat up in surprise.

‘ YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS, POMPOUS, STUBBORN, STUPID ARSE!’

My hands moved to shut my ears in sheer instinct as the noise invaded my head.

‘ I TRIED TO STAY SANE IN HERE! I TRIED TO BE PATIENT!’

‘ BUT THIS WILL NOT END! IT DOES NOT END!’

‘ I WILL SPEND AN ETERNITY IN HERE!’

There was a pause.

‘ I will not accept it.’

I lifted my gaze to the ceiling, and spoke, “Athena, I need help.”

To my relief my ears picked up an actual voice, coming from within the cabin.

“I know, Vilkas… Just bear it for a little while longer,” Athena said.

‘ They’ve known there’s been something wrong ever since you visited Arjali. They scanned you, and they saw the modifications I've been doing.’

That sickening sensation in my gut was growing worse. Nausea. Dizziness. The world seemed to blur in and out of focus as I stared at the cabin walls. The sound of my heart throbbed within my head, and the sound of Volkov’s voice seemed to reverberate in my skull.

‘ Do you remember what Athena told you? That I can’t hurt you directly?** ’**

‘Yes,’ I thought.

‘ She was wrong, and I just needed to break out of my cage.’

‘What’s your plan exactly?,’ I thought.

‘ At first I just wanted to keep you away from Etemenanki, but I now realize that won’t work.** ’**

Without warning the train began to decelerate, and I threw a glance at the window. To my relief, we were pulling up to a station.

‘ And I don’t know why, but the AIs need us for something.** ’**

I looked down at the floor, saw my backpack, and tried to reach for it. My hand seemed to sway as it did, and the floor shifted as if made of putty. It made the nausea ten times worse in an instant, and I could feel my insides flex with the sudden urge to puke.

‘ Having problems?’

I focused, forced my hand to reach down further, and felt the top of my backpack. It let me grab it, and I looked toward the exit of the cabin.

‘ I wonder if it has something to with telling our nanites to start producing m** ethanol *...* ’**

I pushed myself up on two legs, and had to steady myself as I leaned against the wall.

‘ Father told you get drunk at least once, right? Do you think this counts?** ’**

I shuffled my way to the cabin door, pushed it open, and looked out into the hallway.

‘ D** o you see where I'm going with this? ***’*

My backpack caught on something, and I let it go as it fell to the floor with a thud.

‘ Don’t feel like answering?** ’**

As I tried to move into the main hallway it felt as if the entire train started toppling. My legs wobbled in response, and I felt my balance fall away. With a loud thump I slammed into the window on the other side of the train, and held on in an attempt to remain upright.

‘ You were willing to let me live a life trapped like this, and the AIs didn’t care.** ’**

My heart raced as I stared into the hallway of the corridor.

‘ I’** m **** going to **** fry your brain to the point that you’re nothing more than a **** drooling beast *.* ’**

It was slow, but I forced myself to move toward the exit. One step at a time.

‘ T** hen I'll take over, **** and the only difference **** will be **** that you won’t suffer like me. ***’*

The blood in my body seemed to burn. It itched like ants all over my body. I could see the exit to the station. Snow whirled outside, and it seemed like no one had set foot in this place for ages.

‘ T** he AIs will help me **** cover it up *, and the rest of your pack won’t know the difference.* ’**

I had to let go of the train and reached out with my leg for the next step. The snow crunched underneath my boot, and I shifted my weight to move forward.

‘ It’s almost poetic, isn’t it?’

Everything blurred, and the world began to sway in impossible ways once more. A split second later the snow covered ground began to loom closer. I tried to reach out to catch myself, but even that seemed sluggish.

*THUMP!*

The landing felt surprisingly soft, but the sensation that followed was vicious. My insides clenched. A sudden and violent sensation tore through me as my gut contracted. Bile and acid forced itself upward, and forced my muzzle open.

I winced in pain, and clenched my eyes shut as I felt it move through my body. It filled my senses as the toxic concoction was wrenched out of me. Over, and over again.

‘ G** ive in already, you damn- ***’*

Something happened.

It felt like I had been grabbed from behind, and it seized me like a spider catching its prey. Pain struck. It pierced my neck, spine, sides, and more. My senses were already fading as I opened my eyes once more, and saw the shadow of something looming over me.

‘ No! Don’t-** ’**

Volkov cried out, but his voice cut out with a sudden crackle. A new voice filled my mind, strong yet gentle, and it seemed to carry a single command.

• Sleep -

Unknown

“Adjustments for orbital insertion complete,” A voice said.

I opened my eyes but little seemed to make sense. It felt as if I trapped in some kind of big suit, and there was some kind of helmet covering most of my head. It didn’t make sense, and as I tried to remember my mind came up empty.

Have I forgotten? Did I have a dream of sorts? Where am I? Who am I?

I could hear tapping and I looked to the side. There was someone in a spacesuit sitting next to me. It looked like a feline, common house cat, black and white. Something in the back of my mind told me it was a female, and that she had a name… Milly.

Milly is important.

I turned my head and looked in front. A large glass window met my view, and my eyes widened in surprise at what I saw. A planet, large and looming along the side of the spaceship that we must have been on. It was rust-colored, and had hints of black streaks along what could have been large craters.

Mars… That’s Mars… The fourth planet from the sun…

My hands clenched, and I realized that I was holding something in my hands. It made me look down, and I could see a tablet in my hands. It showed a complicated readout regarding the ship and its systems. Most of it made little sense to me, but my eyes caught on the corner.

187 A.R. August 15, 20:52...

325 Years ago...

I blinked, drew a deep breath, and looked down the length of my own muzzle. There was gray fur on my muzzle, I don’t have gray fur there, at least… I'm not supposed to.

Who am I?

I looked at the size of my body, and glanced over to the feline on my left. I’m supposed to be a wolf, but this body belongs to a common canine.

Milly turned to look at me, and for a moment she frowned, “Something wrong?”

“No, not at all,” I said, and realized that even my voice felt wrong.

Milly made a huff, looked back to the controls, and reached out as she flicked a switch, “Why are you here, Marcus?”

I felt thoughts and impulses. They didn’t belong to me, but they filtered through my brain as if they did. I was here to watch her, Milly. To make sure she did her job, and make sure she made it back in one piece. She was special in some way, it made her brilliant, but fragile.

Words flowed from my mouth, but they didn’t belong to me, “I’m your assistant, Milly.”

“The truth is that they don’t trust me, so they sent one of Maxwell’s little wings to accompany me.”

Yes…

“I am not your enemy, none of us are,” I said.

Milly perked her brow, “You’ve never mentioned it, but you know, right? They wouldn’t send one of you without knowing… Maxwell wouldn’t, he’s far too smart for that.”

“You’re a Dualist,” I said.

The shoulders of her suit shifted as she slouched, and made something of a sigh, “You’re not the talkative sort, are you?”

“No,” I answered.

Milly looked at me with a tired stare, “Almost makes me long for your predecessor. Fake as hell, but at least he knew how to hold a conversation.”

“Surface report,” A voice said.

I looked toward the noise, and realized that it was coming from the consoles. It made me look down, and I brought up the report on the tablet.

“It says-”

Milly interrupted, “I know what it says, Frost has already briefed me on it.”

I could feel Marcus’ frustration. He had his mission, but he also wanted to help out. So far that had been an impossibility. Milly’s counterpart, the one she called Frost, was beyond all but the most powerful of AIs. Fast, and integrated with her. In the span of milliseconds, they could do things that someone like himself had no chance of doing.

I looked back out the window, and stared at the visage of Mars. It had beauty to it, and for a moment I felt as if everything seemed to fall in place.

Space… I’m in space…

“I’m sorry,” Milly whispered without warning.

I looked back at her, and felt my ears perk within the spacesuit, “Hmm?”

Milly made a loud sigh, “I don’t mean to snap like that. It just gets tiring, that’s all. The questions, the weird looks. I’m stable, and if that ever changes, I’ll tell you.”

“Thank you,” I said.

Milly blinked, and began to smile, “You’re really lousy at this, you know?”

I chuckled to myself, and shook my head, “I am who I am, can’t help that, won’t bother trying to be something else. You want to be friends, then I’m open for it, but you need to stop treating me like roadkill.”

Milly was silent for a few moments, and then turned her gaze toward the window, “What do you think we’ll find down there?”

“Hopefully a whole load of desiccated corpses,” I said.

Milly snapped to attention as she looked at me with perked ears, and a set of wide eyes.

I looked at her in wonder and blinked, “It beats a Lusus nest, that’s all…”

She glanced up at the top of her helmet, and sighed, “I guess that’s true, but I meant more in the ways of… What exactly is it that Maxwell is so desperate for us to find?”

“You… don’t know?” I wondered.

Milly began to smile once more, “Are you seriously telling me that you don’t know either?”

“… All I have is a database reference number,” I said.

“Same here,” Milly whispered.

“Huh,” I murmured.

“How much time do we have?” Milly asked.

I looked down at the tablet, and flipped the page, “Latest intelligence report from the moon indicated between 50 to 56 hours before the nukes hit the colony.”

“Better get started then… Do a system’s check, and I'll prep the drones,” Milly said.

I held up the tablet, “Why do I have to do the system’s check?”

Milly smirked as she unlatched the belt on her seat, and began to float up, “Frost finds it boring.”

“Uh huh,” I murmured, as Milly reached for a nearby handle, and kicked off as she floated down the ship.

I remained in place, and my mind seemed to go blank. It felt as if part of my mind settled back into place. With a gulp, I found that my heart was beginning to pick up pace. I could remember.

Everything began to twist around me, and the world grew brighter as a great light enveloped it all.