Chapter 20 – Tangled Up

512 A.R. February 25, Aux-base 46 – Garage, Morning

I could feel its presence as I approached the parked APC. It carried the same mind as our earlier vehicle, but its outer shell had either been repaired or replaced. Its large doors opened wide as we approached, and I couldn't help but feel a tingle in my mind as if it welcomed us home.

To be of use, and to be used once more… It was a simple mind with simple goals, and I couldn't help but feel a bit weird as I peered into it. The insides of the APC still smelled of us, thus making it clear that only the outside had been overhauled.

The sensation made me think of Chester's droid, and I wished that I could understand these machines better. Somehow, I needed a way to interface with one that was intelligent enough to understand the questions that bubbled in my mind—preferably someone who wasn't Athena or Ares.

Peter jumped into the APC with little hesitation, and John followed as he settled in the back. Allen threw me a curious glance as he stepped inside, and Peter turned to look at me in wonder.

“Something wrong?" Peter asked.

“Just gathering my thoughts," I said, as I stepped inside and settled down in my chair.

The APC nudged my mind while the doors began to shut, wondering whether it should set off toward Greengate. With a silent nod, I confirmed it.

[Please Engage Seat Belts]

Everyone put their seat belts on, and the APC began to accelerate toward the exit of the facility.

“Any last-minute things you need to take care of?" I wondered and turned to face the others.

Allen raised his hand, “How long are we staying in Greengate?"

“A few days at least," I said, looking over at Allen. “Why?"

“I have an appointment of sorts, but it's…" Allen made something of a gentle smile and motioned with his hands toward the sky.

John glanced over, “Another Virtual World thing?"

Allen squinted at John, “… Mm."

John seemed unfazed, something which caught Allen by surprise as John instead turned to focus on me. “If we're not going to be too busy, I might want to say hello to a few friends in Greengate. Other than that, I've already had a long chat with my parents about the whole thing."

Peter looked over at John, “Let me guess, they were pretty upset?"

John huffed, “One could say that. Besides wondering what the hell a wolf pack would be able to accomplish in Tel-Adra, they were rather insistent that I return home to prep for the evacuation."

Peter perked his brow, “Evacuation?"

Allen spoke up, “Veripolis is a big target, and anyone who doesn't fit in the underground shelters is being moved across country."

John nodded, “They've already asked people to move anything of personal value into the vaults for safe-keeping and they're running drills."

“… Sounds like we're really teetering on the edge," Peter whispered.

John chuckled and shrugged, “Maybe… They didn't mention it, but I think my parents were mostly worried about the neurosurgery. I imagine they wanted to make sure I didn't have a breakdown in Tel-Adra."

I motioned with my hand to both of them, “Not to beat a dead horse, but how are you holding up?"

John perked his brow as he focused on me, “… We could ask you the same thing, you know. Given that everything you've been through, we should have no problem getting through this."

I motioned with my hands as if balancing a pair of weights. “I had years to process several incidents that were spaced out; you were put through major trauma at once. There's a difference."

John's gaze hardened for a moment, but then turned into a low sigh. “I'm fine, Vilkas. I know what I've been through. Sometimes I feel like it should affect me a lot more than it does, and in time… it probably will. But I'd rather do something rather than sit in my parent's house pondering this shit."

Peter raised his hand. “Same here."

Allen meekly raised one hand and waved it, “Same here, even if our experiences differed."

“Good," I said.

John scooted onto the edge of his seat and peered at me. “Since we're in the APC now, I guess we can speak openly?"

I nodded, “That should be the case, and if it isn't, it'll be a valuable lesson regarding how trustworthy Sophos is as a whole."

John grew something of a smile and glanced around, “So… the whole Mars thing."

“Yeah?" I wondered.

John motioned toward me with his hands, “I'm really curious to see the whole thing… rather than a few snapshots. Do you think I can do it yet?"

I huffed and leaned closer to him, “We can certainly try it. Might give you a headache though."

John grew a sly smile, “I can handle the stunner without a problem now, so…"

I reached out with my hand, “Then let's give it a try…"

512 A.R. February 25, Highway, Midday

I felt something nudge my shoulder, and I opened my eyes as I glanced over. Peter was looking at me, and he held out one of the sandwiches we had prepared before leaving the base.

It made me smile back, but I shook my head, “Not hungry."

“You're not eating enough," Peter said and gave the sandwich a gentle wave.

“I'm big enough as it is…" I whispered.

Peter grew a feral grin, “You're barely bigger than your dad. Eat."

I perked my brow, “My dad's fully grown."

Peter inched the sandwich closer to my muzzle, “And you're in active duty, while your dad spends most of his days in an engineering lab."

I grumbled as I reluctantly grabbed the sandwich, “… Fine."

“Heh," Peter chuckled as he settled back, fished out a sandwich of his own, and looked into the back of the APC.

I turned to look and saw that Allen was already munching on a sandwich while John was curled up in his seat, eyes closed.

“Hungry, John?" Peter wondered.

John opened one eye, glanced at Peter, and frowned, “No."

Peter took a big bite out of his sandwich and looked back at me, “So, how about you let us see the next part of the Mars adventure?"

Once more, John spoke up with a firm voice, “No. You wait until I can keep up… No more leaving me behind."

I looked over at John as I began to munch on my sandwich, “We'll wait, John… You did good finishing the first part."

John gave me a neutral glance, but the way his tail began to wag made it clear he was happy.

The APC suddenly slowed down as it hit the brakes, and an alert was flagged.

[Obstruction ahead]

I looked in front, and could see a line of cars further ahead. Near the front of the obstruction were a pair of hovering drones, and a feed was automatically brought up on the screen.

A group of humans seemed to be blocking the road, and the screen showed that they were marching back and forth in what looked like a party at first glance. A closer glance revealed that…

“Eww," Allen whispered from behind.

John sighed, “Well, it's good to know that what remains of Sophos' free-ranging humans haven't changed."

Peter chuckled as he leaned closer to the screen and raised his hand to points, “Let's see what we have here… Junkies… Nude junkies to be precise… Hairstyles that would humble a porcupine, and take a look at the floppy thing on this guy… Hell, now he's helicoptering it while screaming."

I frowned to myself in silence while Allen leaned closer and pointed at a mostly nude male wearing black sunglasses. “It looks like that one is taking a shit on the road…"

Another feed was brought up, and it revealed that one of the humans had jumped up on a car and was now slamming the window with what looked like a baseball bat.

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

His presence settled on my shoulder, and I could already feel his amusement trickle through the connection, 'Yes?'

I slowed down my perception of time, 'Apologies for not clearing things up earlier, but at the moment we're running errands for Athena.'

'I am well aware, Vilkas,' Ares answered.

'For whom are we working right now?' I wondered.

'It doesn't matter as much as you might think, but on a technical level you are on special assignment as Defense Force agents meant to augment Athena's Diplomatic Corps,' Ares answered.

'What's your take on the obstruction up ahead?' I wondered.

'This is considered a low-risk obstruction. No heavy weaponry—at least, not any that can break through the windows of a common car,' Ares said.

'Are we expected to deal with them?' I wondered.

'The police are overburdened, and so are my own forces. We could send heavier drones, but it would take time for them to arrive. In other words, your help in the matter would be appreciated.'

'Very well, any idea whether they could they be infested?' I wondered.

'We've tracked their movements and have verified that they've gone through a medical checkup near Magna-Central. None of them are infested, and they wandered here after being thrown out for public nuisance charges.'

'Any advice?' I wondered.

'Yes… Don't step out of the APC, even if it's tempting. You'll regret it,' Ares mused.

Somehow, I doubt he'd tell me the specifics even if I asked…

'Roger that, Vilkas out,' I thought.

Ares' presence faded away, and my perception of time returned to normal as I looked up.

Moments later, I looked toward the center console of the APC. “Scout the surrounding area, send out the heavier drones to make our presence clear to the humans, but avoid any use of violence."

The central console chirped, and I could feel a set of lurches as the drones detached and soared forward.

“Bring us to the front," I said.

The APC swerved onto the opposite side of the road and picked up pace.

“So, what's the plan?" Peter asked.

I glanced back to get everyone's focus. “We're not taking a step outside the APC, and our mission is to reach Greengate. In other words, we'll drive these people off the road, make sure traffic flows, and move on," I said.

“Why are they here?" Allen wondered.

“No clue, but they were apparently thrown out from the nearby city after being declared a 'public nuisance'," I said.

John looked back at Allen, “These kinds of people are miscreants by heart, and any disruption they can cause counts as a victory."

The APC slowed down, and I looked in front once more. Someone had put a stereo on the middle of the road, and it was blasting some kind of music with a lot of heavy beats and a steady stream of screaming. The humans stomped and marched around like crazies, and a topless woman was violently screaming while shaking her body as if suffering a seizure.

A glance toward the right revealed the car which someone had jumped onto and had started beating with a baseball bat. Fortunately, the baseball bat was now in pieces, but the human was instead urinating on the front window with little care while stomping one foot in tune with the music.

A lynx was sitting in the car, seemingly frozen in place with his eyes closed as if he was desperately trying to keep his mind away from his surroundings. A sudden thwack hit the front of the APC, and I felt my gut tighten in realization of what had hit us.

“Yeeup, that's one giant piece of shit," Peter whispered.

“Apparently he's a fan of corn," John whispered.

“… As vile as this is, do any of them realize that it's freezing out there?" Allen asked.

John looked back at Allen once, “These people are probably high as kites, Allen."

The APC was starting to draw more attention as the group was starting to approach. Moments later, a rock came hurtling through the air before slamming into the armor with a dull thud.

I looked over at Peter, “Do you want to handle this?"

Peter sat tall and looked over at me in shock, “… Sure."

I smiled back, then raised my hand to point at the stereo, “Destroy the stereo without hurting anyone."

[Targeted laser strike against stereo on the road. Please confirm?]

“Confirmed, fire at will," I said.

As the words left my lips, a sudden blast of light engulfed the stereo. A split second later, pieces of the stereo began to scatter on the asphalt. The topless dancer beside it made a sudden jump in fright, and hopped out of the way.

“Speakers on. Only transmit Peter's words," I said, then motioned to Peter.

[Microphone on – Peter]

Peter drew a deep breath, while the humans on the road had all turned to stare at the smoking remains of the stereo.

“This is not the proper place for a protest… Stop what you're doing, and leave the road," Peter said.

An echo of his voice could be heard from outside, and the large group of humans turned to stare at the APC. A split second later, they started screaming. Incoherent and seething as they yelled in unison. Peter blinked, folded his ears back, and looked over at me in wonder of what to do next.

I leaned over to Peter, “We're doing this as a warning to them. Force will follow."

Peter nodded, looked back at the center console, and raised his voice, “Leave the area, or we will force you. Consider this your last warning."

It didn't work, if anything it just made the rock bombardment worse. Seconds later, a distinctly yellow bottle of some kind was hurled through the air. It hit the APC and burst into a cascade of yellow that still steamed in the air as if warm.

“… I'm glad we're not out there to smell this," Allen whispered.

I looked toward the center console, “Speakers off, and bring the Pain Induction System online to drive them all off the road."

[Please confirm use of riot control system to disperse crowd]

I stopped, and felt a sudden… unease. Here I was, safe and comfy, hidden within tons of armor and technology of which these people would barely be able to comprehend the meaning of. Upon confirming it, I'd be using said tech to drive them off the road like annoying wildlife. It was wrong, and it felt wrong. But… If we stayed our hand, then what? Wait here for hours until they get tired and undoubtedly succumb to frostbite? Run out there? Turn around, get on a different road, and simply pretend the problem didn't exist? One way or another these people would be driven off the road, either by my hand, or one of the AIs.

I closed my eyes, listened to their angry screams, and rubbed the fur on my forehead. It made me grit my teeth as I considered it all, how much I hated that the world was like this, and how much I wished these people would just… go home, accept help, try to… talk… just talk, rather than do this.

With a sigh, I opened my eyes once more, and spoke up, “Confirmed."

Another lurch shook the APC as something emerged from the roof. A set of targeting reticles grew on the screens in front of us, and a gentle hum began to build.

[Pain Induction Field Active]

The woman in front shook without warning and began to scream. The rest soon followed as an invisible wave seemed to permeate the area. The ones who were naked seemed to be affected the worst, and several of them leaped away as they began to trudge into the snow in order to get away. Within little more than seconds, the intense pain had promptly scattered the humans in a variety of directions.

Fortunately, it seemed that the further away they got, the less pain they experienced. Within a minute, many of them had stopped, and while they were clutching their bodies as if to make sure there were no injuries, they seemed fine.

[Deactivating Pain Induction Field]

“That was… effective," Peter said, as the car with the feline from earlier was already starting to drive off.

“Yeah," I said as the APC moved to the sideline as traffic from both ends soon picked up.

“Some of them are wandering around in a daze…" Allen whispered.

I glanced out the window, saw the ones Allen mentioned, and reached out with my mind once more, 'Athena.'

Athena's cool presence fluttered as it settled on my shoulder, 'Yes?'

'We've just cleared a bunch of humans that were blocking the road, but several of them are wandering the snow in a daze. It won't be long before they freeze their feet off,' I thought.

'A contingent of heavy drones are heading your way. They'll put control collars on them, and shuttle them off to the nearest hospital,' Athena answered.

'Should we stay behind and make sure they're safe?' I wondered.

'This kind of thing is happening all over the place. The free-ranging populace of humans across Sophos has been devastated, the Enclaves no longer exist, and what few people remain are deranged… To 'make sure they're safe' would be equivalent to spending a good portion of your lifespan to watch over them.'

'What exactly are you saying?' I wondered.

'We will treat them as best we can, but at the end of the day, they'll refuse most of our treatment options, and we will be forced to let them go again, at which point they will promptly find some new attempt to end their lives. You cannot help these people, Vilkas. Let us care for them the best way we can, and do what you do best,' Athena answered.

It was cruel, and it was cold… But the mere thought of wandering out there, trying to talk sense into humans wandering through the snow in a daze, not trying to seem like a wolf hunting them down… In our current situation… it wouldn't work.

'Thank you, Athena,' I thought.

'You're welcome…' Athena answered as the link faded.

I turned to look back at the others, “Heavy drones are moving in to take care of them all. We have somewhere to be, and we're leaving. Any objections?"

The others glanced at me, but none raised their voice as I sent the signal to get us moving again.

512 A.R. February 25, Greengate – Parking, Afternoon

The side of the APC opened up, and Peter was quick to hop out. He looked around, sniffed the air, and promptly covered his nose as he backed away from the APC. It didn't take long before the scent hit my own nose.

“Ah… The fresh scent of humans," John leered as he hopped out.

I followed in their wake, turned around to face the APC as I reached out with my mind, 'Thank you for your service. We'll be staying at Greengate for now. Please clean yourself up.'

The APC sent my mind a quick nudge as it affirmed my orders, shut its doors, and began to move as it backed off. Moments later, it was driving off into the depths of the large parking lot.

I turned around to face the others, and noticed that Peter was walking around, seemingly amazed at something, “Something the matter?"

Peter motioned to our surroundings, “It's just… I had heard that Redgate, Greengate, and Purplegate used the same kind of design, but I didn't expect it to be this similar."

The parking space was big, but nothing out of the ordinary, and to the right of us were a large set of elevators that could take us to the city.

“Anything in particular?" I wondered.

Peter marched ahead and motioned toward our surroundings, “Its a literal carbon copy, from the vents in the ceiling, to the way that the dirt gathers in the corners…"

“I guess it's both efficient and cheaper to make things similar," I said.

“Though boring," John said as he brushed up against my shoulder for a moment.

I looked over at him in wonder, “Oh?"

John smirked back, “The grassmunchers in my class found this kind of utilitarian approach absolutely dreadful, which is why Veripolis is such a confusing mess of arching skyscrapers and gleaming bridges."

“It will certainly be interesting to see what the Diplomatic Corps are like," I said.

One of the elevators opened up as we approached, but Peter stopped in front of it to stare down at the floor.

“Did the floor catch your interest or something?" John asked as the rest of us walked up.

Peter glanced back at us, and then raised one hand to point down, “No… It's just, for some odd reason, I can feel the city."

Allen stepped back, stared down, and nodded, “It's kind of the same feeling as that underground facility where we handed over Lucas to those social workers."

I lowered the shield around my mind and looked down. Like they said, there was a similar murmur within my senses, like the steady drum of a mechanical heart, beating with trailing whispers that I couldn't make out.

Peter looked back at me, “Are we feeling the people in the city… or the city itself?"

I glanced at him, “Probably a mixture of both. Hybrids all over the place will be waking up to these abilities, and advanced machines are already present within the 'network'."

“Huh… Interesting," Peter murmured.

John stepped into the elevator, “So, where are we going?"

Peter looked up and followed John's lead, “The Diplomatic Corps are supposed to be in the northern parts, which is near the water processing plant if things are the same as Redgate."

“So, is it true that some of 'undergrounders' suffer from agoraphobia?" John asked.

I stepped inside along with Allen, reached over to the interface, and selected Greengate's main floor. The elevator started moving moments later, and Peter kept looked over at John with a perked brow.

“… You've never been to one of these underground cities, have you?"

“No…" John said.

Allen leaned in by John's side, “They have an artificial sky."

“Oh," John said in surprise.

Peter chuckled, “The surface isn't exactly safe this close to the walls, so while it is true that I basically grew up with Redgate as my playground, I've been outdoors quite a lot as well."

“Ah," John said.

Peter looked over at me, “There's hardly a place I didn't explore in Redgate, so if you need directions…"

I inched closer to Peter as we descended, “Droids only tend to be active during the night where I'm from. Was it the same in Redgate?"

Peter shrugged, “Kind of… In the residential area, that is. If you ventured into the tunnels, you'd find machine hubs all over the place."

“Machine hubs?" I wondered.

“Think of it like a cute word for gargantuan maintenance hubs. While most droids are self-sufficient, they visit these places with regular intervals for servicing."

“And you were… allowed inside these places? As a human?" I wondered.

Peter paused for a moment as if considering something, “… Some of us."

Allen inched closer as he perked his ears, “What do you mean?"

Peter looked over at Allen, “The 'System' knows what kind of person you are. Those that were troublemakers would be barred or only find locked doors. Those of us who were kind to machines were allowed to wander a lot deeper."

John gave Peter a curious glance, “Weren't you… something of a troublemaker as youngster?"

Peter seemed to stiffen up, and the fur along his neck bristled a little, “Well…"

I looked over at John, “There's a difference between being a troublemaker because you want to be one, and people forced into the situation because of their circumstances."

John looked back at me in wonder, “… I know."

I didn't acknowledge it, but I could feel Peter's gaze upon me, while I motioned to John, “Did your family ever have a 'service' droid?"

John shook his head, “Nah. Besides… The service has only been available for a decade or something. My parents were never keen on letting anything that could move on its own into the apartment."

Peter perked up with his voice, “What? Not even a cleaning bot?"

John chuckled as he looked back at Peter, “Not even a cleaning bot, and while we're on that subject, do you have any clue how much a family of hybrids shed? Because it's a lot."

The elevator slowed down, and a chime soon followed as the doors opened.

Sunlight flooded the elevator as it opened up and Peter marched out. I reached up to shield my eyes while John wandered out while lifting his gaze.

“Oh, I get it now…" John whispered.

The underground city was indeed something of a marvel as I stepped out and let my eyes get used to the bright light. There were parks in the distance, large residential blocks, and towers that reached high into an artificial sky. Clouds drifted across the dome-like screens, and the sun shone with an intensity that made it difficult to peer at.

While the trees and towers blocked part of the view, the outer edges of the city consisted of what looked like stacked rings. At the top ring was what looked like a horizon covered by snowy mountains, something which may have reflected what the surface looked like.

I drew a deep breath, felt fresh, cool air tickle my throat, and caught a gentle breeze in my fur.

A crisscross of paved paths stretched out around us, some of which led to the center of the city, others which migrated toward the outer ring. Allen had crouched down by the edge of the path we were on, and as I watched, he gently reached out to poke at a patch of wildflowers.

Peter inched closer to me and raised his hand to point at the mountainous horizon, “Seems they do make things a little bit different around here."

I looked toward the horizon, “How so?"

“In Redgate, you can actually see the fans that drive the wind. But here… It seems like they've either solved it differently, or hid it using some kind of large-scale holographic tech," Peter said.

“You mentioned you'd been up by the vents. Are those what you were talking about?" I asked.

Peter's gaze wandered away, but I could feel a gentle bap as his tail hit my leg, “… Maybe."

John and Allen were starting to meander down the path, and I turned to follow them.

As Peter caught up to me, I spoke up, “You were saying something earlier, about how the machines didn't mind some of you?"

Peter lowered his voice, “I liked to hide out in by the edge of the hubs when I wanted to be alone. Others could wander deeper, but they didn't seem happy when I tried it."

“… Did they speak with you?" I wondered.

Peter perked his brow with an amused chuckled, “No… Sure, I tried talking with some of them, but they merely stared back most of the time. Besides, it's not like everyone can talk with the AIs like you do."

“Would you want to?" I wondered.

Peter pondered it for a moment as he kept walking, “… Yes. I think I would have wanted to."

“Because?" I wondered.

“… I think it might have made me feel less alone. As if the world was less of a cold machine which we were little more than passengers of. It may have made things different," Peter said.

“Athena fears that kind of familiarity will make us less skeptical, which in turn would make us hand over decision making to her," I said.

Peter hid his hands behind his back, and let his gaze follow a fluttering leaf, “Isn't it already a bit like that? Maxwell pulls strings behind the curtain. The AIs coordinate everything. There's this thing called the Political Sphere, but I've never visited it."

“The AIs coordinate, yes… But they do so based on the wishes of the people," I said.

Peter looked over at me, “And how do they know what the people want exactly?"

“Through the Political Sphere, and by listening," I said.

Peter blinked as he observed me, “Like they're listening, right now, as we talk about society while walking through this park?"

I smiled back, “Most likely."

“Do you trust it? The 'System'?" Peter asked.

I chuckled, “No. But as my understanding grows, I am slowly starting to form an expectation of it."

Peter tipped his head, “I'm not sure how to interpret that, to be honest…"

I motioned to Peter with my hand, “Why is surveillance bad?"

“I'm not someone who believes that surveillance in itself is inherently bad. It's mostly the reasons for surveillance that make it bad," Peter said.

“In other words, surveillance is bad because the underlying system cannot be trusted?"

Peter nodded, “I guess that's a good way to summarize it."

“But, what if the system could be trusted?" I wondered.

Peter huffed, “Then the benefits outweigh the downsides, at least when it comes to public surveillance. In private, I'd say I'm more like John, and object to it on an… ideological ground."

I motioned to Peter once more, “I'm tempted to think the AIs realize the threat they pose, but at the same time, there's no we way we can coordinate a society as technologically advanced as ours without their help. Thus, by making sure we're skeptical of the system, it keeps us from becoming enslaved to it…"

“And you're saying that…" Peter whispered.

“I don't know enough about our society to judge it one way or the other, but I can't help but feel that this is a flawed approach," I said.

“So, what do we do?" Peter asked.

I looked back in front, and couldn't help but listen to the whispers of the city. The way it seemed to hum in the air like a drifting wind of diffuse thoughts. It was too weak to make sense of, yet there was a feeling, deep down… There was tension, and there was relief. It made little sense to me, and I was unsure if it might have even been an illusion brought on by my own desire to make sense of it all.

“I think that there are big secrets hiding in Sophos. Right in front of us. But we're so embroiled in it that we can't see it, let alone understand it. Somehow it all fits together, and we need to take a step back in order to see the greater picture," I said.

Peter smirked with a chuckle, “Well, we're certainly taking a step back by leaving Sophos."

I stifled a chuckle of my own, and nodded, “True."

512 A.R. February 25, Greengate – Diplomatic Corps, Afternoon

The Diplomatic Corps were built into the outer ring of Greengate. It was a complex with shaded windows, a big gate, and a set of large tapestries that carried Sophos' flag—a gentle blue color, with a hexagon in the center, along with either wings or tendrils that were reaching upward.

A couple of reptiles were standing next to the gate, and they watched in silence as we approached. Big and burly, though shorter than us. One of them reminded me of an alligator while the other was a menacing komodo dragon.

“I've hardly ever seen one before," Peter whispered.

“I've only met one before," I said.

John nudged my shoulder and leaned closer, “When? Where?"

I glanced over at him, “After the ax to my neck. I woke up in a tank, and there was a reptile watching over me."

Allen leaned in along Peter and whispered, “Is it really true that they're made from human psychopaths that have done something awful?"

I glanced over at Allen, “Yes, but it's more like a choice. Execution, or get turned into a lizard type hybrid."

John glanced at them, “So how do we treat them? I mean, are they citizens?"

“Their personalities have been purged, and they're more like living Expert Systems," I said.

Allen spoke up, “Isn't that just 'death' with a bit of decoration?"

I looked over at Allen, “I'm not an expert in the subject, but while the human personality might be dead, the memories remains, and the mind itself consists of an advanced Expert System. Treat them fairly and with respect."

Allen blinked but made an understanding nod after a few moments, “Good to know."

Everyone lined up, and I looked over at the reptiles as we walked up to the gate. Our eyes met, and the two made a simple nod in my direction. I nodded back, looked in front, and stepped into the building.

The interior looked like a large open space with a set of stairs on each side along with a few elevators in the center. Each floor was sealed off by a layer of blue tinted glass, and it gave the inside a rather airy appearance. Like most finer areas, the floor appeared to be made of polished granite.

Herbivores appeared common, but upon looking around I did catch sight of a few felines and a canine sitting in a nearby sofa. A large reptile emerged from one of the elevators and seemed to start staring at us upon stepping out. The reptile had the size of a deer, wore a black suit, and the scales were smoother. It gave the reptile a rather rather gentle appearance, one which reminded me of a brown speckled lizard.

I remained in place as the lizard approached and focused on what my nose could tell me.

Male… Guardian type lizard… Healthy…

The lizard fixated on me with his orange eyes and made a subtle bow as he motioned toward the elevators, “Lydon is awaiting you upstairs, please follow me."

Voice sounds male as well…

“As you wish," I said.

The lizard turned around and began to walk. I picked up the pace, joining his side as I caught his gaze once more.

“May I know your name?" I asked.

The lizard gave me a callous glance, “A simple lookup would reveal my assigned name. Are you having difficulties accessing the Archives, or is this an attempt to be social?"

“The latter," I said, smiling back.

The lizard blinked as if confused, “We have Expert Systems for use in socialization, but it's uncommon to activate them among hybrids. Would you want me to run one for you?"

“No, thank you… Just do your best using your regular faculties," I said.

“Hmm," The lizard hummed, “I'm usually referred to as Tau."

“Pleased to meet you, Tau… I assume you know my name," I said.

“You assume correctly," Tau answered with what appeared like a bored nod.

Tau stepped into the elevator and waited by the console by the side. As the rest of us entered, he reached out with his hand and tapped a claw on the 7th floor.

“Tell me about Lydon?" I asked.

Tau gave me another of his cold stares, “Lydon is a skilled diplomat, and he has been working with the human nations for almost a century."

“In one go?" I wondered.

Tau perked one brow, “No. While Lydon has served for extended stretches of time, he has taken regular vacations to maintain his sanity. Like all diplomats around here."

“You perked your brow just now. Were you just annoyed with me, or confused?" I said.

To my surprise, Tau began to smile and revealed a set of sharp fangs, “You're testing me, and I find it amusing."

“Truly? I imagine it'd be annoying since most people don't encounter lizards very often," I said.

Tau chuckled, “It's a little-known fact, but my kind can develop a personality over time. Most think it's a flaw; others mistakenly see it as redemption. Some see it as a reward for services rendered."

“And you?" I wondered.

Tau perked his brow, “Me? I simply am. There's no more and no less to it."

Feels like you're evading the question…

The elevator slowed down and made a ding as it opened up.

Tau marched out, and I followed into the glass corridor, “So, do you work with Lydon?"

“I rarely leave Greengate, but I do assist Lydon with a variety of tasks," Tau answered.

We stopped in front of a closed door, and Tau gave it a quick knock before easing it open as he motioned for us to enter. At first glance, it seemed that the room was a common office. A desk with a set of screens, a few lockers, and a couple of shaded windows looking out across the city.

What differed and drew my attention was a couch in the corner that reminded me of the same kind of chair I'd seen in the lunar shuttle. Sitting in the chair, eyes closed, with hands resting the armrest's silvery interface was a male deer hybrid that I assumed was Lydon.

Most of his fur was in shades of gray and brown, while the hair on his head had a darker tone. His antlers curled in the shape of a king's crown, and the color was a pearly white speckled by gold.

The uniform he wore was made in shades of black and blue of Sophos' flag, while the trim was a golden yellow that added to the air of 'royalty' that seemed to emanate around him.

Without warning, Lydon opened his eyes, and turned to look at us. After little more than a moment, Lydon reached up by the back of his ear, did something as if flicking a switch, and proceeded to clear his throat.

“Thank you, Tau," Lydon said.

Tau made something of a hum, and stepped back as he shut the door behind us. Lydon stood up, straightened his delicate suit, and drew a deep breath as he stepped up to me.

At least a head shorter, even with the antlers, and a lot smaller in build…

I lowered the shield around my mind, and watched him carefully as he held out his hand to me.

“The name's Lydon, pleasure to meet you."

I reached out with my hand and clasped his own, “I'm Vilkas. This is Peter, John, and Allen."

Lydon had a telepathic presence, but it didn't feel like what I was used to. Rather than giving off an organic feel, the hum of a mind, it was more like a machine. Static, and offering an interface. Even stranger was the fact that as I shook his hand, there was no tingle or attempt at forming a link. Instead, it felt like shaking the hand of a human. He eyed me carefully, and I couldn't help but stare at the dull yellow, almost brown hue of his irises.

He let go of my hand, and stepped back as his gaze wandered along the others, “You've never been outside Sophos, have you?"

I shook my head, “No, we haven't."

“I see." Lydon whispered and looked back at me, “What are you hoping to achieve here?"

I tipped my head a little, “Personally, or regarding Athena's assignment?"

Lydon grew a subtle smile, looked over at the others as if ignoring me, “All of you need to realize that your hierarchy doesn't exist past this point. You are political aides, and you run my errands. When someone of importance demands something, you do as told and avoid unnecessary questions."

Is he testing us or something?

Silence followed, and Lydon took a step to the side as he focused on John, “Understand?"

John stared back at Lydon, “We understand that."

Lydon shook his head, “No, you don't. Now sit down."

John's eyes widened and a meek whisper escaped his lips, “… What?"

“A human asks you to sit down, what do you do?" Lydon said calmly and kept staring.

John glanced behind us, and looked back at Lydon in confusion.

“While you do good work at pretending to be a stupid and smelly wolf, it's a strategy that doesn't work very well," Lydon said.

John's eyes widened.

I inched closer to Lydon, “What are you doing?"

Lydon sighed as he stepped back and looked at me, “A test, nothing more. You may think you're prepared, but the humans of Tel-Adra will go above and beyond in making your stay unpredictable. They will pull your tails. They will throw food on you. They will ask whether you fuck wild animals and they will do their very best to demean you. One way or another you will end up on national television, and be shamed in ways you could never imagine."

“… Sounds like we don't stand up for ourselves," I said.

Lydon squinted, and pointed at the floor, “Sit."

I glanced down, eased my way to the floor, and settled down as I crossed my paws. The others stepped back to give me more space while I looked up at Lydon in wonder of what came next.

To my surprise, Lydon eased himself down as well, and while he seemed to struggle a bit with his suit, he was soon seated in front of me.

“Lesson one," Lydon said and raised a finger tipped with one of those stubby claws of a cervin.

I nodded in return.

“The humans we'll encounter in Tel-Adra might sing praises about their respective nations, but it is their greed and hunger for power that defines them. They are individuals loyal to themselves first and foremost. If there is the potential for clout in making you suffer, then they will seek it out. I have enough private deals with enough of them that they would see a move against me as a threat to their own investment. As my aides it might offer some measure of protection, but you are wolves, and you are new. They will challenge all of you, and it doesn't matter if the world dangles by a thread."

“If we're such a risk, why allow us to attend at all?" I wondered.

Lydon motioned to me, “I asked Athena the same thing, and while I can see the appeal of stirring the pot with your presence, it all depends on whether you can handle it."

“… So, do whatever they tell us?" I asked.

“No, and this is the difficult part…" Lydon said and sighed, “Human politics are complicated, and their social fabric makes it that much worse. Their society demands that they hate us, and cutthroat tactics reign supreme among the upper echelons. At the same time, they hunger for our tech, and they have been raised in an environment where you either take risks or get supplanted by others."

“Sounds vicious," I whispered.

Lydon lowered his muzzle as he peered deep into my eyes, “It is vicious. These are people who climbed upon others and left a trail of corpses in their wake. We as a people assumed that their desire to survive would outweigh any other concerns, but it seems we were naive in that prospect."

“You mean the Luminaire?" I wondered.

Lydon shook his head, “They are present, yes. But their goal is simple; for the world to end. What I'm talking about is more… nihilistic. It is a widespread desire to outshine others, even if it only lasts for a brief moment. It is a world where the only sin is mediocrity, and where their desires have become increasingly outlandish."

I nodded, “I look forward to learning more of your perspective on the matter."

Lydon chuckled, and a smile grew that revealed his blunt teeth for a moment, “The humans do like a bit of flattering, and they tend to be surprisingly resilient to sarcasm these days. That said, you'd do well to cloud your intentions a bit, meta-satirical-post-post-irony."

I blinked in wonder, “… I am afraid that you lost me by the end."

Lydon sat back, clasped his hands, and let out a slow sigh, “Not to worry. You'll have a few days to read up on the latest of their eccentric habits. That said, I do hope that you have the mods or the talent for natively running translating software?"

I raised my hand, and gave John a glance, “We'll do our best to make sure we're ready."

Lydon eased back, and rose up on two legs. I followed suit while Lydon motioned to the floor above us.

“You've been assigned quarters on the eight floor, room five. Athena will provide you with study materials and suggested apparel. You are also free to set your own schedule, and we'll be in contact when it's time to leave. Understand?"

“Understood. We'll do our best," I said, and made another nod.

512 A.R. February 25, Greengate – Diplomatic Corps, Evening

“There are lists upon lists of this shit," John said as he scrolled through his tablet.

“Just read through it a few times and it'll stick to your photographic memory," Peter said.

John gave the tablet a quick smack, “That's not the problem. I could recite it all I wanted, but to actually learn it, to condition myself into reacting like they want, that's different."

I leaned back in my reclining chair and glanced out at the city while listening. John was right in that it was easy enough to skim through the book for future reference, but to actually integrate the knowledge was quite different.

That said, I found our current situation strange. Were we here because Athena truly thought we could help, or was there some underlying reason she simply couldn't tell us about?

“Listen to this one… Popular Trivia: Which two people will have their last chance to win the Interstellar NotSoSpecial-Designercup Awards?'" Peter asked.

Allen raised his hand, “The answer is Ess'd-Vile Vaughn and Tenpound Walker."

John muttered, “Why call it interstellar?"

Peter chuckled, “I have no clue, which is kind of the problem. The lessons come off as answers to a bunch of nonsense questions, and there's no context to understand what it means."

I looked back toward the others, “Would you really want to know the context behind it?"

Peter looked at me, “I'm not saying I want to, but it might be prudent."

“Maybe, but we'd be here for weeks just to scratch the surface of the seemingly endless stream of pop-culture created by dozens of millions of humans. I mean, just a glance at the index pages of the Archives tends to make one dizzy. Besides, the context doesn't matter much to humans," I said.

Peter squinted in wonder, “What do you mean?"

John sighed as he spoke up, “This kind of trivia is part of human small talk. It's like a handshake protocol meant to put people at ease rather than exchange information."

Peter blinked, “You make it sound like only humans do small talk…"

I glanced over at Peter, “We do small talk, yes… But in a different way."

“Go on…" Peter whispered.

I motioned to him, “When is the last time you discussed the weather to fill a silence?"

Peter waited for a few moments, “… Like, never. But small talk can be used to serve a purpose. Like how Kato used it to gauge whether he was in control."

Allen spoke up, “But that's kind of the point, isn't it? Kato's use of it was rather human, and it rubbed us all the wrong way. Humans use it the same way, they gauge whether you keep up with trends and can thereby be considered 'normal', if a person fails the test, then it's either a warning for you to back away, or a chance to gain some points by alienating the person."

Peter's ears perked, “You make humans sound like fucking monsters…"

I chuckled, “Monsters would be an exaggeration, but there are distinct social hierarchies throughout all facets of human society. It's simply so ingrained and natural to fit into these hierarchies that most humans don't even recognize it. We have hierarchies as well… hopefully ones that aren't as destructive."

John added, “If a human asks you how you're doing, then there's a big chance they're not interested in the least. You're just meant to say that you're fine, even if you aren't. Doing otherwise can cause a whole bunch of problems and you'll be labeled as a weirdo in short order."

Peter blinked, “… Then why ask such a specific question?"

I shrugged, “There are exceptions, of course. Like a close friend, or family members. But a lot of social contact between humans are plays of dominance rather than information exchange or genuine care. To make matters worse is that a lot of humans are wired in such a way that they're more than happy to be treated like this if their itch to fit in is scratched."

“… I do know that feeling," Peter said.

“I think school taught most of us that feeling, at least based on my experiences," I said.

“Oh?" Peter wondered.

I motioned to Peter, “As much as the teachers at my school tried to dismantle our human instincts, we still ended up with the whole spectrum of age old problems. From bullies, to people being drawn into extremist groups, to outright self-harm from group pressure. There were ways to get away from it, but there were some situations that even my dad didn't have good advice for."

John focused on peter, “This kind of thing shouldn't come as a mystery to you."

Peter looked over at John while his ears folded back a little, “I've made mistakes, but I wish you'd stop pointing it out all the time."

John blinked as if suddenly realizing what he was doing, “… You're right. I'm sorry."

Peter gaze drifted to the floor, “You can find good people in the worst of places. They just… can't get out of their situations for a variety of reasons."

John's ears perked as he shrank back and gave me a cautious glance. I ignored it and focused on Peter as I nodded, “True, and it all works together. From the things taught as you're brought up, to the group pressure made by your friends, to overarching societal influences… It'd make the most level headed person hesitant around someone labeled as the enemy."

John motioned to Peter, “Did you ever spend time around free-range humans?"

Peter shook his head, “No, I can't say I did."

I motioned to myself, “That could be part of it, as both John and I have had encounters with them. Then there's the fact that human children belonging to hybrids are raised with the expectation to become hybrids one day, and they're steeped in our culture where we tend to… well, use more clarity."

Peter looked over at Allen as if curious, “How about you, Allen?"

Allen’s ears wiggled, “I actually grew up in Norvale and only moved to Pasloe when I was a teenager… The people there weren’t free-range humans, but they weren’t exactly… well integrated with Sophos society.”

John leaned closer as he gave Allen a curious stare, “… Go on?"

Allen shrank back, “… When did this suddenly turn into an interrogation about my past?"

John motioned to the room, “Well, we actually don't know a lot about each other… I know we're kind of supposed to leave our human pasts behind, but… given the topic, it seems pretty interesting."

“I'll… politely decline," Allen whispered.

John huffed, and leaned back as he lifted his tablet once more, “Alright… So, who wants a bit more trivia?"

Peter groaned out loud.

“This person caused a tenser after ordering the q-dish on Weightshift Live," John said out loud.

“I don't know," Peter said.

John raised one hand to point at Peter, “It's actually a trick question, because it's a major faux pas to say this person's name, and one should instead just refer to the incident. Apparently, it has been used to cause numerous riots and murders throughout Dyssia."

Peter stared, “… You can't be serious."

I sighed, “Human culture is filled with certain words that can only be said by certain people, along with words that can only be written but not spoken out loud, or vice versa. It's the first time I've heard of a forbidden name, but…"

“But?" Peter asked.

I looked over at Peter, “If you study history then it's pretty easy to see that human society has always been in flux. They're constantly shifting between various ideologies, economic systems, and so on… adding to that, for most of their existence they haven't had the benefit of administrative functions like the AIs, or the idea of a democratic society where everyone has a direct say, rather than pooling all the power into one or just a few people. It's messy, and its bound to be like that."

Peter squinted, “What exactly is your point?"

I motioned to him, “To us, it seems ridiculous and absurd. But they might have good reasons for reacting this way, even if it's for something as simple as saying a word…"

Allen perked his brow, “Killing people for saying a word is okay?"

I looked over at Allen and sighed, “No, it isn't… But, as with most things human, things seem to spiral out of control. They might never have intended to murder one another over said disagreement, but… that's how it ended up. We hybrids simply don't have the understanding for it."

Peter scratched his brow, “One has to hope that 'understanding' such a thing won't make us like them."

John added, “I guess Maxwell would be the closest equivalent since we're all so discrete about it."

Allen perked his brow, “People are hush hush about Maxwell because he's a dictator perched on the moon. You can't really compare that to a society that decides to have a riot because someone, somewhere, decided to utter a word. Besides, I can freely say something like: 'fuck Maxwell', and won't have to worry about it."

John jumped a little and stared back at Allen in shock. It made me chuckle as I watched them. John was usually so outspoken, yet he tiptoed around certain subjects, while Allen was of few words but had even fewer filters.

“… Is it really safe to say stuff like that?" John whispered and glanced at me.

“I think the 800-year-old founder of Sophos can take a few swears. Personally though, I'd never say something like that for the simple reason that I can't even define what Maxwell is, let alone judge his actions without knowing the motivations behind them."

John smirked back, “Diplomatic as always."

“… And I suddenly regret my choices," Allen whispered.

I looked toward the others, “That being said, this kind of uncertainty on its own is a pretty big clue that there's something wrong in our society."

Allen whispered, “Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."

John's tablet made a sudden blip, and I could see his expression shift into surprise as he looked down at it.

“… Something wrong?" I wondered.

“I just got a message from Emily…" John whispered.

Emily? Oh, the all-female pack we met back when Peter was still the Alpha…

Peter made an annoyed groan, “… What do they want?"

You ended up drinking way too much… Puked all over the place, I was there to pat your back…

John grew a devilish smirk as he glanced over at Peter, “They're here in Greengate and just learned we were here. They want to meet up at the local bar."

Peter sighed, “… Why? Can't imagine they got much of a positive impression last time."

John shrugged, “Allen and I had a fun time. Besides, it could be fun…"

“For you, maybe," Peter said and squinted.

“How about it, boss?" John asked and looked over at me, “A lot has changed since back then, and Selina might have some juicy information regarding the city."

I perked my brow, “You certainly seem eager…"

Allen whispered, “I'd bet Selina's wants some alpha-to-alpha talk, and she's using Emily to get into contact."

John sat up and gave Allen a quick glare, “It's not like that!"

Allen grew a sly smirk, “So… You and Emily did stay in contact with each other?"

“We… talk from time to time, but I didn't know they were stationed here," John said.

Peter huffed, “So, when's the wedding, John?"

John bared his teeth as he looked back at Peter, “It's not like that either…"

I spoke up, “It would be beneficial to have a talk with wolves stationed in the city."

John's anger turned to a smile in a near instant, “So…"

“… The two of us can just excuse ourselves if it doesn't work out," I said and looked over at Peter.

Peter glanced at me, “… Fine. I'll come along."

'Vilkas,' Allen whispered over a telepathic link.

'Yeah?' I wondered.

'… Please don't try to set me up with one of them, I have no interest in it,' Allen whispered.

I looked over at Allen in wonder, 'You don't want to go?'

Allen stared back at me, 'I'm fine with a meal and a chat. But nothing more.'

'I understand,' I thought.

'Thank you,' Allen whispered.

“So…" John whispered, and pointed at his tablet while smiling.

“Yes?" I mused.

“They kind of want to meet up in a few hours… Shall I tell them we'll be there?" John asked.

I glanced over at Peter and Allen, none of whom seemed to mind, and then looked back to John, “Sounds like a plan."

John's tail began to wag a little as he pushed a button on the tablet, “And… invitation accepted."

“A good restaurant, I hope?" Peter asked.

John smirked back, “The 'Rowdy Glass' bar, it's supposed to have the best ribs in town."

“… That's good," Peter said and nodded.

Allen raised his hand, “So, what are you supposed to say in response to that stupid trivia question from earlier?"

John looked at Allen in wonder for a moment, “Oh, right…" and looked down at the tablet, “The 'correct' way to answer the question is to say 'Eddy says no way' if you're talking to someone from the UCS. If you're with Dyssians you'd want to say… well, it's something I can't read."

I thought about it for a moment, and spoke up in Dyssian, “Another path, the holy says."

The others perked to attention as they looked at me.

I smiled back, “I guess we can spend the next few hours making sure everyone knows how to use the translation Expert Systems…"