Chapter 14 – Fond of Spinning

512 A.R. February 19, APC, Early Morning

Everyone looked around in wonder. We had left the road a while ago, and the APC was now running across a snow-covered field. Something moved in my field of vision, and I caught sight of a large platform that rose up from the ground to reveal a large elevator.

[Docking Instructions Received]

The alert appeared on the screen and faded moments later as the APC altered its angle of approach. Allen’s voice knocked on my mind, and I turned to listen.

‘I’ve looked at the maps and searched the Archives. There’s not even a hint of this place,’ Allen thought.

‘Based on the circumstances and the location, I assume it’s some kind of secret base, so try to keep what you know from the Archives,’ I thought.

‘Doesn’t that go against a lot of things?’ Allen wondered.

I looked in front and watched as the APC entered the elevator’s shadow, ‘It does, but do you want to be the one explaining to Athena or Moonbase Alpha, why the entrance to a secret base is suddenly plastered all over the news?’

‘… No,’ Allen whispered over the link.

The APC came to a halt, and the large elevator began to move. It was slow but steady as the outside world faded from view, and we ascended into the depths.

‘I get what you mean, Allen. The Archive is supposed to contain everything, and it is our way of fighting corruption, yet here we are, flagrantly ignoring it,’ I thought.

‘Why do you think they insist on these secrets?’ Allen wondered.

‘I don’t know, not yet at least, but I intend to find out,’ I thought.

‘Good enough for me,’ Allen whispered, and I got the impression that he was somehow relieved.

Without warning, I felt as something was cut off. A silence of sorts, and it made me tip my head in wonder.

Jamming? No, a lack of signal…

Volkov’s presence bubbled to the surface, ‘Vilkas…’

I felt my ears wiggle, ‘Let me guess, you just lost your network connection?’

‘I did… Whatever you’re doing, please be quick about it,’ Volkov said.

‘I thought you were keeping an eye on me?’

‘I’ve been busy… Now let’s… Oh! Do you have any idea where you are right now?’

‘No, but I bet it’s somewhere interesting based on your surprised tone,’ I thought.

Volkov chuckled, ‘Interesting is certainly a good word for it, unfortunately I can’t tell you… Anyway, I can work around this. Just need to make… ‘arrangements’ with the Expert System in charge of this place.’

‘Hold on just a minute…’ I thought.

‘Can’t… gotta go,’ Volkov thought, and the link was cut moments later.

Can’t believe someone so similar to myself is behaving like this…

It made me sigh as I looked out the window and rubbed my temple.

“Something the matter?” Peter whispered.

I glanced over at Peter, “We lost network connectivity as we entered this place.”

“Ah…” Peter whispered as he glanced back at the others for a moment.

The elevator reached the bottom and revealed what looked like a gargantuan maintenance hall—well lit, but with plenty of dark textures in a maze of parking spots, workshops, and piping running along the ceiling.

With a gentle thud the elevator stopped moving, and the APC began moving once more.

[Maintenance Instructions Received – Please vacate the vehicle once stopped]

As the APC drove through the hall, it veered toward a large bulkhead that looked like a drop-off point of some sort.

I turned the chair, opened the hatch next to me, and looked inside. My backpack with Etemenanki’s seed and the canister of Glow Starter were still in there. I reached in, hid the canister in the backpack, and then eased it out into my lap.

The APC slowed down as I closed the hatch, and we came to a gentle stop moments later. Upon glancing outside, I could see that the large bulkhead was already opening, while the APC’s door began to swing open.

I eased myself out and slipped the backpack on as John followed. We stopped to look back into the APC as Peter and Allen stepped out and looked around in wonder. Dawn held Lucas close to her as she stood up.

‘It’s alright,’ I signed to the two of them and nodded with a gentle smile.

Dawn guided Lucas by his shoulders as they stepped up to edge of the APC.

“This place, I've never seen anything like it,” Dawn whispered as she lifted her gaze and looked around.

“Vilkas,” Peter whispered.

I looked back for a moment and saw that he was pointing at the now open bulkhead. Beyond the bulkhead was a wide corridor in the shape of a flattened hexagon. Bright white light spilled out from the corridor, and it seemed like the walls themselves were shining. Standing in the center of the corridor was a pair of black droids with visors that made no indication of what or who it was looking at.

“They sure know how to pull off the spooky vibe,” John whispered.

I drew a deep breath and threw John a sharp glance. It made him smile back a little, before averting his gaze as he scratched his neck.

My attention was drawn to the APC once more, and I reached out my hand as I motioned for them to step out. Dawn glanced at my hand, dismissed it, and promptly grew stunned as Lucas reached out with his own hand. He smiled at me as if excited, clasped my hand, and I smiled back as he made the jump onto the ground.

I let go of his hand, offered mine to Dawn once more, and waited. Once more, she averted her gaze. It made me huff in response, and I nudged Lucas as we started walking. After a few steps I could hear her jump off the APC, followed by hasty steps as she caught up to us.

Peter, John, and Allen, slowly fell behind as we walked, and by the time we stepped up to the droids, I was in front once more. As I stopped in front of them, one of the droids finally began to move.

The one to the right lifted its featureless head to focus on me, and its robotic hands moved to the side as it made a gentle bow, “Greetings, guests.”

The voice was rather mechanical and androgynous.

I nodded in response, “Greetings. May I inquire why we’ve been asked to come here?”

The droid turned its head to face Dawn and Lucas, “These two will be handed over to Child Services for future care. This place will ensure that no unnecessary questions are asked.”

I looked at the droid in wonder, “… What do you mean?”

The droid seemed to ignore my question as it motioned to a set of doors to the right, “Showers and utilities that are suited to your stature can be found in this area. Please freshen up before the handover takes place.”

“Hmm,” I murmured.

The droid turned to focus on Dawn and Lucas and raised its hands to sign while also speaking, “To the left you can find facilities that are more suited for humans. You can bathe there, freshen up, and receive new clothes. I will accompany you, and don’t hesitate to tell me if you have any other needs.”

Lucas stared for a moment, and then turned to look at me as he raised his hands, ‘Wolf?’

I signed back to him, ‘We’ll see you soon enough, Lucas. They just want to make sure you’re clean and presentable.’

Lucas blinked, glanced down at his clothes, and took a moment to look at his grimy hands as if suddenly realizing something.

Moments later, he looked up, smiled once more, and nodded, ‘Okay, Wolf.’

I nodded in response and watched as the droid motioned them along. Dawn held Lucas close as she cautiously began to walk toward the doors.

The second droid seemed to activate as the others left, and it spoke up with the same voice as the first, “You are carrying something dangerous. We ask that you hand it over to us for analysis.”

I looked at the droid and felt my ears perk up in wonder, “… I’m sorry, but I've made a promise that prevents me from handing it over.”

The droid paused for a moment, and then reached out its hand, “We do not care about Etemenanki’s seed. We are talking about what you acquired in the Enclave.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

The droid motioned with its hand, “Now, please.”

I was planning on handing it over anyway, but this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind...

Guess this could be a good way to test and see what they would do with it…

I slipped the backpack off, opened the zipper along the side, and fished out the canister as I held it out.

The droid promptly took the canister from my grasp, looked it over, and motioned to the doors on its left side, “Thank you. Make sure that you’re ready within the hour. After that, you can enjoy your stay for as long as you like.”

I motioned to the bulkhead behind me, “What are you going to do with the APC?”

“The APC will undergo external repair and receive new drones. We will not touch the inside, and the Expert System will remain untouched. As such, there is no need for concern,” The droid answered.

“I see, thank you,” I said.

The droid made another nod, turned around, and began to walk away. The others brushed up to me, and John threw me a quizzical glance, “Etemenanki’s seed?”

I need to put together some kind of video package so that the others can catch up…

I gave John a sly wink, opened up the backpack, and reached in to grab the big seed. As I eased it out, the strong light of the corridor made it glitter with a deep purple light.

John leaned back in wonder, while Peter tentatively reached out his hand, “Whoa, that’s pretty.”

“You didn’t sneak a peek in my bag at the training camp?” I wondered.

Peter looked at me, and seemed almost stunned for a moment, “No. You asked to keep it safe, so I did… even if I did wonder why it felt like there was a heavy bowling ball in there.”

Allen smirked and pointed a finger at John, “Someone did want to take a peek though.”

John’s glanced back at Allen and mumbled, “… Damn snitch.”

Allen smirked to himself, and then looked over at Peter, “Peter insisted that we shouldn’t.”

“Hmm,” I murmured as I looked back at Peter.

Peter reached up to scratch his ear, “… I do as I'm told, that’s all.”

I held out the seed to Peter, “Don’t drop it.”

Peter cautiously reached out and grabbed it with both hands, “So… what is this thing?”

I shrugged, “I’ve been told it’s literally some kind of nanite based seed of some kind. I don’t know much more than that, but Etemenanki wanted us to keep it safe.”

Peter turned it over, and stared into its glittering depths, “It’s kinda… mesmerizing.”

John reached in and tapped the seed with a claw, “So Etemenanki is an AI… like Athena?”

“No… She’s an organic hive mind with more tendrils than you could ever imagine,” I said.

Allen stared at me, and his muzzle dropped, “Uh… I have a fair amount of questions.”

John pulled his hand back, “Yeah… same here.”

I reached out, grabbed the seed once more, and slipped it into the backpack, “Tell you what: I'll put together a video of my experiences at Etemenanki, and you guys can watch it after the handover is done. Sound good?”

Peter smirked back, “Movie night… Do you think they have snacks in this place?”

I wavered with my hand, “They probably do, but… let’s have a look at this place before we decide where we want to rest up, okay?”

Allen nodded and glanced back, “I agree. There’s something very off about this place.”

John made a feral grin, “Oh? Was it the creepy bots? The lack of any cell-reception? Or the weird architecture?”

Allen looked back, and shook his head, “No… It’s more that…” Allen seemed to realize something as he looked at John, and sighed, “… yeah, all of those.”

Hmm?

Peter motioned toward the doors to the left, “Not to be rude, but the humans smelled like a garbage bin, and I think it’s gotten into my fur, so…”

I nodded, slipped the backpack on once more, and set my sights on the doors.

512 A.R. February 19, Unknown Facility – Showers, Morning

A quick dry…

The dryer was shaped like a shower stall, and there was a set of five heated fans in a semicircle. There was a single red button to operate it, and from sheer instinct I let my ears clamp to my head in preparation. With a simple push on the button, the fans roared to life.

I shut my eyes and leaned onto the wall as I felt the roar of air across my body. It was strong enough that I had to tense my tail to keep it in one place. I could feel as the warm air steadily dug through the fur as it forced the water out.

These industrial sized fans may have been quick, but it made the fur stand out with enough volume that one might suspect I had been hit by a bolt of lightning. Not to mention that the heat had a tendency to kill some of the scents from the shampoo.

But with barely an hour, there was no time to spare.

I was a tad surprised at how quiet the rest of the pack had been. They seemed tired… Or at the very least, mentally exhausted.

I had experience: the cult, the constant prodding by the AIs, Etemenanki, and Volkov to some degree. But for the others… It was their first real mission, and at this point, they were probably starting to digest everything that they had been through. I shifted my position a little and widened my stance to give the fans better coverage.

My mind wandered, and I began to ponder my own choices. After a few moments my own mind went silent, and I enjoyed a brief respite as I focused on nothing.

Allen said something… I thought we were supposed to focus on nothing…

You do realize that you’re talking to yourself? Like… not even with Volkov…

Yes, but… Allen did say something interesting…

I sighed to myself, and relaxed the shield around my mind.

I jumped in surprise as it felt like the floor gave way underneath me. I opened my eyes in shock, stared at the floor, and couldn’t shake the sensation that there was something below us.

Something massive… Churning, and working…

It wasn’t a mind, nor was it simply a machine. It was as if I was dangling above a sea that consisted of one gargantuan factory. I drew a slow breath and began to feel a tickle of some kind in the back of my mind.

It poked and prodded at my brain, and as I stared into whatever this thing was, it also stared back. Dark and silent, yet still making the world hum with its presence.

I shut my eyes once more and blocked off my mind. The fans still roared, but the presence underneath the floor faded away.

‘Volkov?’ I thought.

‘… Finally noticed, did you?’ Volkov whispered.

‘What’s below our paws?’ I wondered.

‘I don’t know, but it’s big, doesn’t like to talk, and the only reason it gave me a network connection is because someone far more important than any of us told it to,’ Volkov answered.

‘But…’ I wondered.

‘But, I must know more, right?’ Volkov wondered.

‘Yes?’ I thought.

‘Doesn’t work that way, but you already know that,’ Volkov answered.

I made another sigh, ‘What are you up to?’

‘That’s secret,’ Volkov answered.

‘… Secret? Even from me?’ I wondered.

‘Yes,’ Volkov answered.

I leaned my head onto the wall, next to the big red button, ‘There has to be a good reason for that.’

‘There is,’ Volkov answered.

‘Which is?’ I wondered.

‘Can’t tell you,’ Volkov answered with what felt like a shrug.

‘I take it you can’t share your network connection so that I can have a talk with Athena?’

‘Nope… Do the handover as ordered and leave the facility if you want to do that,’ Volkov answered.

I tipped my head in wonder, ‘Should I get out of here as quickly as possible?’

‘This place unnerves people… I wouldn’t linger here,’ Volkov answered.

‘Unnecessary questions,’ I thought.

‘What?’ Volkov wondered.

‘The droid said that this place would prevent unnecessary questions,’ I thought.

‘Not sure if you’re aware of this… But there are some pretty powerful entities that are pulling strings to keep us out of the news,’ I thought.

‘Hah… Half the people we meet know who we are,’ I thought.

‘Yes… The public parts, yes. But there are quite a few things which would complicate life in Sophos if others knew about it, such as Etemenanki’s seed, the Zephyr, the memories of what they found on Mars. One way or another, you have to realize that you’re a walking vault of information that a great many people want to get their hands on.’

‘A vault someone obviously wants to keep in the dark,’ I thought.

‘The world is like a game of chess, and we’re just pieces on the board,’ Volkov answered.

‘A game of chess where I don’t even know what kind of role I play,’ I thought.

‘We could have taken the shuttle to the moon, you know?’ Volkov whispered.

‘Could have, but did not,’ I thought, simply.

‘Anything else, or can I get back to work?’ Volkov wondered.

‘I will bother you no more,’ I thought, and pushed the button.

Volkov’s presence faded, and the fans came to a slow halt. As my fur began to settle, I opened my eyes, glanced down, and felt as if my fur had fluffed itself up to twice its size.

Need to find a brush…

512 A.R. February 19, Unknown Facility – Lockers, Morning

“They took our clothes!” John exclaimed.

I stepped into the locker room, looked down the hall, and saw John scurry back and forth as if checking whether we had returned to the right room.

Peter walked over to the end of the lockers, glanced down at a tray, and threw a glance at John, “Phones are right here, stupid.”

John stopped running as he faced Peter and gritted his teeth, “Our uniforms were fine!”

Peter motioned to him, “It was filthy, John. Both of us were wrestling with humans that reeked like garbage.”

“Then give it a quick wash!” John snapped.

Peter gritted his teeth in return, “Maybe that’s what they’re doing!”

I glanced around, noticed that my backpack was still untouched, and gave it a nudge with my paw to make sure the seed was still in there.

As they said, they don’t care about Etemenanki’s seed…

Allen motioned to me, and I looked in his direction. He smirked a little as he discretely pointed at a set of new uniforms that were hanging on the wall.

Peter and John began to blabber as I walked to Allen and looked up. The uniforms on the wall were different from the usual Defense Force ones. These were black, more stylized, and they had a rather familiar set of decorative wings along the collar.

Space Initiative uniforms…

I groaned to myself and reached up to rub my temple as it all began to fall into place.

Allen pointed at the embroidered wings, “I’ve seen these before.”

“Where?” I wondered and looked over at him.

Allen looked back at me, “The Steamin’ Bonaparte… There was a guy wearing a Defense Force uniform with wings like this.”

“It belongs to the Space Initiative,” I said.

Allen blinked, and drew a deep breath as he hesitated, “Oh, well…”

I reached up and pulled the uniforms from the wall. As I flipped them through them, the sizes were as expected; three regular sized ones, and an Alpha variety.

“We’re not going to have much choice in the matter unless we want to go naked,” I said, and handed one over to Allen.

Allen made a slow nod, “Yeah, somehow I doubt they’d be happy about that.”

I looked over at the others, listened for a moment, determined that they had switched to discussing the best fabric conditioner, and raised my voice with a bark, “Hey!”

The two jumped in surprise, and looked at me in wonder as I held up the uniforms.

“Oh,” Peter murmured.

John smirked as he glanced over at Peter, “See? I told you they weren’t cleaning them.”

I glanced over at Allen, “See if you can find any brushes… I’d prefer it if we didn’t walk out there looking like feather dusters.”

Allen stroked the fluffed-up fur on his chest with a smirk, “I’ll get right on it.”

I walked toward Peter and John and held out the uniforms, “They’re Space Initiative uniforms, but we don’t have much choice but to play along with whatever stunt they’re trying to pull here.”

John grabbed his and looked it over, “Oh, this one is divided into two pieces.”

Peter grabbed his own, “Yeah, makes it look less like you’re walking around in some kind of pajamas.”

John grew a feral grin, “Why? Did you wear a onesie growing up?”

“No,” Peter said as he gave John a glare.

“Could it be that you’re still wearing one when we’re not around?” John teased.

Peter raised his fist and pointed at him, “I will beat your ass.”

John stifled a chuckle, and looked back at me, “So-”

Allen interrupted as he walked up behind us and held up a whole set of big brushes, “Brushes!”

512 A.R. February 19, Unknown Facility – Reception, Morning

“Patience, they will be here soon,” The droid said.

“Mm,” I murmured with a nod.

The droid turned to face the door once more as we stood outside of this so-called 'reception' area.

John peered at the motionless droid, and his nose wiggled as he sniffed at it.

“So, do you have several elevators? Or is there subway past the reception?” John asked.

The droid didn’t move, nor did it speak.

John squinted, “What if I try to open the door, will you stop me?”

Once more, the droid remained motionless.

A low rumbling murmur escaped from John’s throat as he stepped back to the doors of the reception and patted them. Nothing happened, so he faced it properly, felt around the center, and then glanced at the sides in search for a button.

While amusing to watch him do his thing, it was also telling of how the system in this place regarded us; we were tools to perform a task. Nothing more, and we were certainly not ‘guests.’

John let out an annoyed grunt, stepped back from the reception door, and crossed his arms as he turned to glare at the droid.

“Just give it up, will you?” Peter asked.

John gave Peter a tired glance and shrugged, “After everything we’ve done, they could at least be honest with us.”

I motioned to him, “This isn’t Sophos, John. They’re separate from the rest of us. If anything like this were to happen in what we consider our home, it would be good reason to rebel, dismantle, and rebuild whatever organization was behind it.”

Peter perked his ears as he looked at me, “… Is it safe to talk like that?”

I looked over at Peter, “The Space Initiative is a competent organization, and they’re more than aware of the balance they need to keep. They’re not part of us, but at the same time, they reserve the right to involve themselves when they find it necessary.”

Allen spoke up, “Does that make them allies? Or enemies that happen to share some of our goals?”

I shrugged, “I hope our interests are aligned, that this is just some kind of adaption to the situation that we find ourselves in.”

“What do you mean?” Peter wondered.

I motioned to him, “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but it’s not exactly a secret that Maxwell has stepped back to work in the background over the centuries.”

John inched closer to the rest of us, “Yeah, we went through that and more in the lessons during the Training Camp. How he has weaned us from his influence, and that hybrids are basically an ‘alternative to humanity’.”

I perked my ears, “I’m surprised to be honest, but I'm relieved that this isn’t yet another thing I have to broach with you.”

Allen tipped his head as he brushed up to me, “Yet another thing, thus indicating that there’s more?”

I huffed a little and eased him back, “All in due time, but as I was saying… Sophos seems to be built around an idea where power and decision-making is decentralized. We have the Archives which are open to everyone. We—as a team working for the Defense Force—have a surprising amount of leeway and power. Politics itself is something that’s based around the idea of a perfect democracy.”

“But?” Peter asked.

“But, in the middle of it all, you have several things stopping the machinery from working as it should. You have our dependence on humans. The deals we’ve been forced to make with the human nations. You have the Enclaves, cultists, and troublemakers that make use of the system in ways that no hybrid would consider.”

John perked his brow, “Sounds like most of our problems are related to humans… what a mystery, right?”

I looked at John, “Whether we like it or not, we share this planet and have a common past.”

“Mmhmm,” John murmured.

Peter motioned to me, “Are you saying that the Space Initiative exists these days to counteract the imperfections that the humans are causing to the system?”

I shrugged, “Maybe, maybe not… But you only need to look as far as what we’ve been forced to do in order to complete our mission. This should not and cannot be how we are supposed to do things in a world that tries to do better than the old one.”

Peter pondered it for a few moments, and nodded, “I agree…”

The droid began to move without warning, and I turned to look. It faced the hallway we had come from, and a quick glance revealed that Dawn, Lucas, and the first droid were approaching.

Their appearance had changed considerably since I last saw them. Lucas now wore a set of blue jeans, a snazzy polo-shirt, and a proper set of shoes. He’d received a haircut as well and now looked like your average teenager. A wild change from the haunted, almost gaunt-looking shadow of a person who had been dressed up in every piece of fabric that had been scrounged up in the wastes.

Dawn appeared a lot more modest. Big trousers, mountain-climbing shoes, and what looked like the biggest sweater I'd ever seen. For some reason, she’d wrapped a large scarf around her head so that little more than her eyes and nose could be seen.

I signed to Lucas as he approached, ‘Well, well, who might this handsome fellow be?’

Lucas smirked to himself and glanced at his mother who seemed to carry a perpetual frown. Within moments he ignored her, and looked back at me, ‘It’s me, Lucas, silly wolf.’

‘Hardly recognized you,’ I signed as the two stepped up.

Lucas kept smiling, and looked around, while I turned my attention to Dawn, “Did they treat you alright?”

Dawn glanced at me, “If you mean the machine, then yes.”

The newly-arrived droid walked up to the reception door and stepped to the side. It looked toward me, and I felt a nudge within my mind as a connection was attempted.

I accepted it and heard the same androgynous voice as earlier, ‘Their names are Gina and Ronan. You will address them and handle the exchange. Be as succinct as possible.’

I looked at the droid, and thought, ‘Nice of you to tell me on such short notice.’

The connection was severed without warning, and the door opened on its own as I turned to look.

It revealed what looked like a hotel reception. There was black marble on the floor, hanging chandeliers, and a small railway station at the end of the room. A small train, one that would fit little more than a dozen had parked there, and two people were approaching.

The first was what appeared to be a reindeer with a small set of antlers that had the rough shape of a crown, and the second was a dark gray feline with a slim build. Both of them wore relaxed but professional clothing. The feline appeared cautious while walking beside the reindeer who seemed rather tense, if angry almost. I faced the two, hid my hands behind my back, and glanced at the others who joined up beside me.

As their scents spilled through the open door, it was simple to catch their sex. The reindeer was female—a tad surprising given the antlers, but irrelevant—and the feline was male.

The two stepped through the door and seemed to focus on me.

I nodded in the direction of the Reindeer, “Gina,” and looked over at the feline, “Ronan.”

Ronan’s ears fluttered a little and his glance drifted along the others.

Gina seemed stern as she met my gaze and smiled, “I believe you have me at a disadvantage…”

I suspected we’d play a role, but not to this extent…

I smiled back at her, “Are you surprised?”

She stepped closer, and lowered her voice as she leaned in, “No, I'm not. It’s not everyday we get ordered to show up at secret Space Initiative bases in the middle of nowhere.”

I made a gentle huff, and motioned to the humans, “This is Dawn, and Lucas… You will be able to handle things from here on, I hope?”

Gina took a step back and gave me a warm smile, “The instructions of your organization are loud and clear, wolf. New identities, no questions asked.”

I made a slow nod in silence.

Gina took a deep breath, focused on Dawn and began to sign, ‘Pleasure meeting you, Dawn.’

Dawn signed back halfheartedly, ‘Likewise.’

Gina shifted her focus to Lucas, ‘We’re here to take you and your mother to your new home. Sound good?’

Lucas looked to me, quizzically as usual, ‘Wolf?’

I signed to him, ‘They’ll take good care of you both, I promise.’

Lucas stared for a moment, but nodded.

‘Right this way, Lucas,’ Gina signed and motioned with her hands toward the small train.

Lucas and Dawn walked through the door. Ronan followed, and Gina stopped to glance at me for a moment as she took a deep sniff of the air.

Catching our scents, aye?

She then turned on her heels, walked out past the door, and joined Lucas’ side as she began to sign to him once more. The door closed moments later, and the droid which had addressed me earlier turned to focus on me once more.

“Well done,” The drone said.

I squinted as I stared back at the drone, “You wanted us to play Space Initiative agents, but I'm not sure why exactly… To protect us, or intimidate Child Services?”

The droid tipped its head, “We wanted nothing of the sort… If you had asked us for Defense Force uniforms, then we would have provided them, naturally.”

“… Of course you would have,” I whispered.

The droid motioned down the hall, “You will find a kitchen and meeting area down the hall, next to the shower area you used earlier. Use it if you wish, otherwise feel free to leave the facility at your leisure.”

I glared back at them, “We expect Defense Force uniforms to be delivered to the APC, understand?”

“Certainly,” The droid answered with a nod before the pair started to walk away.

John turned to look at me, “Vilkas, are we… I mean, are we Space Initiative agents?”

I looked at John and sighed, “No, we’re not, at the same time I can’t help but wonder if the agency itself is nothing more than a bunch of puppetry.”

“What do you mean?” Peter asked.

Allen raised his hand, “He means that… The people you usually identify as Space Initiative agents might be people like us, ones who are delicately forced or tricked into pulling stunts like this.”

I looked at Peter, “I mean, there probably are real agents, but part of me finds it strange that a hybrid would willingly work for an organization like this.”

Peter blinked, “… Wouldn’t that mean that one of the most powerful organizations that we know of is controlled by nothing more than… Maxwell and a bunch of computers?”

I motioned to him, “Would it be that surprising to be honest? One giant spider, pulling a bunch of strings.”

John motioned to me, “But what about all those people who are heading to the moon? There are ten or twenty launches per day, and I've had friends back home whose families have relocated to the moon.”

I drew a slow but deep breath, “Well, have any of you ever talked to anyone who went to the moon?”

John shook his head, “No… I still have their numbers, but they’ve never answered.”

I looked over at the others, and they both shook their heads.

“Alright, so the moon is just another big mystery on the pile…”

But I knew that already, particularly after hearing what Corvyn had to say about it…

Peter inched closer to me, “What now?”

Allen interrupted before I had a chance to answer, “I want to leave as soon as possible, but… It’s kind of a long way home, and I am starving.”

John nodded repeatedly, “Yeah, same here…”

Peter nodded, “We make food, and then get the hell out of here.”

I nodded, “Sounds like a good enough plan.”

512 A.R. February 19, Unknown Facility – Kitchen Area, Midday

The kitchen had a sterile look to it. Brushed metal seemed to have been the main theme, and while I could hear the ventilation, it still smelled as if the place hadn’t been used for years.

Everything seemed to work though. The rice cooker was doing its thing in the corner, the stove had a steady hum as it heated a pot of water, and I was busy digging through the cupboard. There was no fresh food, but I did find numerous canned goods along with a hundred different powdered meals.

Mango Curry…

I pulled out the box, flipped it over, and began to read the instructions. The door to the kitchen opened moments later, and my ears perked as I glanced toward it.

Peter glimpsed inside, saw me, and made a quick but sheepish grin before glimpsing back out as he slipped into the kitchen. I watched him in silence as he hurried over to me, leaned in to glance at the package in my hand, and perked his ears as he sniffed. It made me smile to myself as I held it out and let him read the label.

“It’s well packaged… because it certainly doesn’t smell anything like ‘mango curry’,” Peter said.

“Never had it before?” I wondered.

Peter looked at me and tipped his head, “Mango’s a sweet fruit, so… it feels like pineapple on pizza, which is… odd, but tasty at times.”

I brought the box back to my chest, “Well, it does taste a bit like mango, but it’s not sweet.”

“Ah,” Peter murmured as he looked at me.

I shook the box a little and perked my brow at Peter, “Just checking up on me, or…”

Peter motioned to the box, “I figured I could help.”

“Right,” I whispered.

Peter’s ears wiggled, and he pointed at the door, “The others are watching the movie with your memories, but I can watch that any time I want… What I can’t do is get some time with you, in private.”

“Mhmm?” I murmured and began to rip the package open.

Peter sighed, “Or I could walk back out there, and let you work in peace, if that’s what you want?”

“Nah,” I said, and handed the box over to him, “Stir this into the pot, and I'll see if there are any canned food that’s worth having.”

“No fresh food?” Peter said as he stepped over the stove.

“Doesn’t seem like it… The place isn’t dusty, but I have to wonder if anyone has been down here in years,” I said.

“True… Haven’t caught a scent or seen a tuft of fur ever since we arrived,” Peter answered.

I started digging through the canned goods. Apricots, pears, skinned grapes, cherry compote, mini-carrots, “… How about a can of mini-carrots?”

“Sure… Found any chicken yet? Frozen, I guess,” Peter wondered.

I opened the freezer, searched the drawer, and found a thick plastic bag with what looked like chicken. A quick look at the label revealed that I was right, ‘Chicken Breast – Cooked and Diced’.

“Found it,” I said, and shut the freezer as I stood up.

“Hmm, the curry does smell nice once you get the package open,” Peter murmured.

I walked up beside him, and saw as he began to pour the contents into the pot, “So, anything you wanted to talk about, or…”

Peter was silent for a while and kept stirring. Eventually, he glanced over at me and reached up to scratch the longer fuzz by his cheek, “Not something I wanted to talk about, that way.”

“That way?” I wondered.

Peter smiled and motioned to me, “You know, the way you talk with the others when you take on the role as group psychiatrist.”

I drew a deep breath, “It’s not intentional.”

Peter nodded, “Yeah, I can understand that much… But what about you, Vilkas?”

“Me?” I wondered.

Peter glanced at the bubbling pot as the scents began to grow rich around us, “You pull a lot of strings behind the scenes. All these meetings when you zone out, the way you interface with the APC while Kato is left typing on a tablet or trying to talk his way through what he wants…”

I leaned back on the counter and crossed my arms, “Not sure what to say…”

Peter shrugged, “How about the truth, without all the sugar coating, the diplomatic stuff, and so on. Just… vent a little.”

I shook my head, “We’re not out of the woods yet, Peter. This place is odd.”

“Odd?” Peter wondered.

I pointed at the floor, “This place is… gigantic. There’s some kind of factory underneath us… It’s a facility that is doing something, and you saw how tense those people from Child Services were.”

Peter glanced at the floor, “Well, maybe this isn’t a place to vent then.”

“Mm,” I said, and nodded.

Peter glanced up at me, “I guess we’re heading to the train station after this.”

“Yeah, for John at least. Allen lives in Pasloe, so I'll probably drop him off by his house,” I said.

Peter smiled, “And you keep the APC?”

I shrugged, “Guess so.”

Peter grabbed the chicken, and began to pour it in, “Any chance I could convince you to let me stay for a few days?”

I smiled back, “At my parents place?”

Peter made another shrug, “I’ve been there before… Well, shortly after I was ousted as Alpha of the pack, I mean. It was awkward, and I can still remember the kind of looks your parents gave me. Maybe they’ll like me better this time around?”

“I’m sure they will,” I said.

Peter’s ears perked and he grew a cautious smile, “Is that a yes?”

I nodded, “Sure, why not… I don’t mind having you around me, Peter.”

“Heh,” Peter chuckled, and put the bag of chicken aside.

“That said, I might ask for a timeout, or a private talk with my parents,” I said.

Peter nodded, “I get that… I’ll be discrete, and quiet as a mouse when I need to be.”

I stifled a chuckle, “… I’m curious though, any reason in particular you want to stay?”

“Eh,” Peter murmured as he began to stir the pot once more, “Dad’s gone on his trip, Mom is… somewhere, and going back to Redgate just to spend a few days around my brother feels like something I can do without.”

“Still having trouble with them?” I wondered.

Peter sighed, “No, it’s not like that… They want to help, I'm sure, but they’d help in a way that I don’t want.”

“Hmm?” I murmured.

Peter looked back at me and shook his head, “They’d try to talk me into giving the whole Alpha business another try. I’ve tried to tell them that I'm far more comfortable growing into the role of a stable beta than anything else.”

“Well, I think you’re doing a good job,” I said.

Peter perked his brow, “I am? Because I figured you’d have a talk with me, just like you’ve had with Allen and John.”

I motioned to Peter, “Back at the training camp, I heard that you were the one who held John back from causing a fight.”

“… Yeah, I did that,” Peter said.

“There was no way for you to know what the lesson of the training camp was, and given what little you did know, and how the scenario was supposed to play out, it was the right choice to hold John back. That said, there are things you could have done afterwards.”

Peter nodded, “Yeah, I get that… But at the time, John would have gotten his ass kicked, and I doubt it would have been enough to cause an uprising.”

I made a slow nod, “You also follow my instructions. You guarded my backpack without looking inside, and you didn’t hesitate to leap into action when I asked you to hold back the Enclave humans.”

“… John did leap into action as well,” Peter said.

I tipped my head, “Sure, but you were the one who took the lead, and he followed.”

His tail began to wag a little, “… Thanks, but to be honest I've felt a bit useless lately.”

“Being a stable pillar is not the same thing as useless. You use your instincts to protect the pack, and you follow orders when necessary. That said…”

Peter nodded, “I need to take an active role as well, to anticipate what needs to be done, rather than wait for you to handle everything and instruct me. Also, I should stop falling into John’s traps all the time.”

“Sure,” I said and smiled back.

Peter chuckled, and followed it up with a deep sigh, “And… Suddenly we’re not talking about you, and I think I just had one of those ‘lectures from the Alpha’ as John calls it.”

“Oh, so he calls me Alpha when I'm not around?” I wondered.

Peter made a sheepish smile, “Yeah, he’s not keen on that when you’re around, but he worships you around others. He’s proud to have a strong Alpha, and I think he likes the fact that there’s a bit of mystery around it all as well… He’d be like a kid in a candy store if he had-”

Peter stopped talking and his ears folded, “… uh, you know.”

A Zephyr, which you almost blurted out in this place, not that they don’t know, but still…

I nodded, “I know.”

Peter sighed, and looked down at the pot, “I think this is just about done…”

512 A.R. February 19, APC, Afternoon

The APC slowed to a halt outside the train station, and John turned to look at me.

“When are we joining up again?” John wondered.

I shrugged, “We’ll see.”

John glanced at the others, “Like… weeks?”

“I think not,” I said and smiled.

John blinked, “Longer?”

I sighed, “No, John… A few days, probably.”

John stifled a chuckle, “Well, okay then.”

I leaned closer to him and motioned to his seat, “Bring your stunner with you, okay?”

John leaned to the side, and glanced at the stunner underneath his chair, “Why?”

“Athena said that if you do your best to use it, then it’ll force your body to adapt quicker. It’ll be uncomfortable, and you shouldn’t overdo it, but a few times a day would be good.”

John frowned a little, but carefully picked the stunner up with the help of his claws, “I can do that, of course, but is it okay to carry this in public?”

I pointed to him, “You have your uniform, you’re part of the Defense Force, and if the System trusts you enough to let you carry out a mission like this, then I'm sure it’ll let you carry a stunner which no one else can use.”

John smiled back and his ears wiggled a little, “Well, if you put it like that.”

I sent a signal to the APC, and watched as the door began to open, “See you soon.”

John slipped the stunner into his holster, nodded, and waved to the others, “See you all…”

512 A.R. February 19, APC, Afternoon

“Allen was quiet when we dropped him off,” Peter said.

“I don’t think there’s any need to worry,” I said.

The APC turned down a familiar street, and it wouldn’t be long before we were home.

“Do you think he wanted to come as well?” Peter wondered.

I looked back at Peter, “Allen is fine, Peter. He’s an introvert by nature, and I'd wager a guess that he was rather focused on how to deal with his parents.”

Peter inched closer to me, “Did he tell you that, or did you read his mind?”

I smiled back at him, “That’s not how it works, but I'm basing this on a hunch, nothing more.”

“Hmm,” Peter murmured, and glanced at the side of his chair, “Should I bring the stunner as well?”

“It wouldn’t hurt,” I said.

Peter nodded to himself as he reached down to fetch it.

The APC began to slow down, and I glanced out the window. The house looked the same as ever, two floors, yellow bricks, black roof, and a tall wooden fence to provide a bit of privacy. Fruit trees could be seen poking out from the backyard, and there were evergreen bushes in the front that faced the pavement. The neighbors to the left of the house, a family of bears, were in the front yard, and they stopped to look in wonder as the APC came to a stop.

Peter noticed as well, “Guess it’s not every day that a war machine like this rolls up.”

“Yeah…” I whispered.

Peter looked to the house on the right, “That’s where… Jason used to live?”

I glanced to the right and saw that the house was still sealed by police tape. Though it did look as if someone had been walking in the snow, perhaps to empty the house in preparation for a new family.

“Yeah, it is,” I said, and reached down to fetch my backpack.

I patted the side of the APC, “Time to let us out.”

The large door on the side began to open, and I could see that the door to the house opened as well. Father stepped out on the stairs, smiling like a goof, tail wagging eagerly. Moments later, he glanced at the neighbors and waved to them.

Peter chuckled, “I think your dad approves of our ride.”

Cold air seeped into the APC as I hopped out and Peter followed in my wake. The door to the APC shut shortly after, and I couldn’t help but smile a little as I approached the stairs. Father motioned for me with open arms as I walked up, and I barely had the time to extend my arms before he sucked hold of me.

A multitude of emotions soared through me at that point. Relief. Anxiety. Worry. Sadness. Happiness—weighed down by a tired, soul-draining, kind of exhaustion.

Many of the emotions clashed with one another, yet I couldn’t shake them, because the events that would soon follow were only natural and logical.

I wish he’d pull me inside rather than stand in the open like this…

The shield around my mind faded and his grip made it feel as if my legs no longer needed to carry me. His muzzle brushed my neck, and he squeezed hard enough that it felt like my ribs would start popping. Father was happy, and his mind felt like a bundle of sparklers that had been lit. I could imagine him staring at his phone, eager to give me a call, only to be stopped by Mother who would gently put her hand on his shoulder and shake her head.

But, it didn’t take long before it started to unravel. I could feel the shift in his emotions leaking from his mind like waves hitting the shore. There was something off about my scent, and my size.

Perhaps he could sense that there was something off about my mind as well, or the tight squeeze might have revealed the armored plates that lined my spine. His mood shattered like glass, worry seeped into it, and fear soon followed. He eased me back, looked me in the eyes, and blinked as a great many questions began to stir inside his mind.

I felt my ears fold back while my tail grew slack. A moment ago, I had been fine, but something squeezed my heart and made my throat feel tight. I clenched my hand hard enough to make the claws dig into my pads and focused on the pain as I smiled back at him.

“I’m fine, Dad… Say hi to Peter,” I whispered, and clamped my muzzle shut before any more emotions invaded my voice.

The complex emotions radiating from Father seemed to fade away as if brushed to the side, and he gently clapped my shoulder as he smiled back with a nod.

“Welcome home,” Father said, and tipped his head.

I nodded in silence while he motioned for me to step inside. As I moved past, Father turned his attention to Peter, and held his arms wide as well.

“Well hello there, Peter… It’s been a while,” Father said as I stepped through the door.

“You too, Dad, uh… I mean, Vilkas’ dad… David,” Peter whispered, “Gods, kill me now...”

Father stifled a chuckle, while Peter made something of a choked yelp as Father no doubt gave him a hard hug of his own.

I eased my backpack onto the ground, looked into the hallway, and noticed a figure next to the kitchen opening. It took my eyes a moment to adjust from the light outside, but the scent in the air had already told me who it was.

Mother was standing there, leaning onto the wall, peering at me in silence with those slitted eyes of hers. A tabby cat, with the familiar M shape of the fur on her forehead. Sharp as her claws, and intelligent enough to intimidate Father. A subtle smile crept into her expression, and she eased off the wall with grace as she approached me. Father seemed to have struck up conversation with Peter, and my own gaze was focused on Mother as she stepped up.

She was forced to look up to meet my gaze, and she held out her hands expectantly. I lowered my head as she slipped her nimble fingers into the thick fur by my cheeks, and I shut my eyes from sheer instinct.

I could feel as her petite nose touched the bridge of my muzzle, and gently nuzzled me as she let her scent mingle with my own.

“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?” Mother whispered.

I nodded gently and whispered, “Yes.”

“It’s okay, Vilkas…” Mother whispered as she eased back.

I opened my eyes once more, felt a bit of relief seep back into my heart, and began to smile.

At that point, I noticed something. I could feel Father’s presence bristling beside me, and I could feel Peter’s mind like a steady signal in the dark. But as I looked ahead, as I focused on Mother, there was a blank void. Just like how Allen had blocked himself off from telepathy, but with a lot more strength.

Mother raised her hand and held a finger by her muzzle as she made a hushed whisper, “Shh.”

I kept my silence as she walked past, leaned up next to Father and Peter, “Peter.”

“Oh, hi Maria… apologies for intruding,” Peter said.

Mother made a dismissive wave with her hand, “You’re more than welcome, Peter,” she then looked over at Father, “Dear, how about the two of you actually step inside?”

“Ah, right,” Father murmured as he ushered Peter inside and reached out to shut the door.

“Hungry?” Mother asked, and smiled as she focused on Peter.

“Ah… Somewhat? We had a bit of curry on the way here, but-”

Mother delicately interrupted as she walked up and tugged on his arm a little, “Good, because I'm making dinner, and you can help out while we give the others a chance to catch up, alright?”

“Uh, sure,” Peter said, glancing back at me then making a quick wave as she pulled him into the kitchen.

I drew a deep breath, glanced at Father, and saw him motion for me to follow him.

512 A.R. February 19, Volkov Residence, Afternoon

Mother knew how to treat a guest, or rather, she knew how to enthrall people. She engulfed herself in questions about Peter’s life, and brought out fun moments with the skill of a surgeon. Peter was swallowed up in it, his tail wagged, and he couldn’t help but smile and laugh.

There was a cold precision to it that he couldn’t see, but I knew my Mother. There was no doubt in my heart that she loved my Father and me, but her way of showing it was more subtle. This, the way she fawned over Peter, it was done using the same mask she wore at work.

“What’s your favorite place in Redgate?” Mother asked as pushed a bowl of peas over to Peter.

“My favorite place...” Peter whispered, then grew silent for a moment.

I watched from the living room and saw her glance at me. She smiled for a moment, and then shifted her gaze to Peter once more.

“There’s a place up high, along the fake sky, a ventilation fan… You can climb up a service ladder and sit beside it. It’s not that loud, and it lets you look out across the entire city,” Peter said.

Mother inched closer, and gave Peter a gentle nudge, “Sounds like a romantic place.”

Peter’s ears perked, and he looked at her in surprise while his tail began to wag in haste, “Yeah… I guess it is.”

I sighed to myself and felt as Father gave my own arm a nudge. It made me look over at him, sitting next to me on the sofa, silent as if expecting me to open up and spill the beans at any moment.

“Vilkas,” Father whispered, as he inched closer with his fuzzy face and peered at me.

I leaned forward, and stared down at the floor as I reached up to scratch my temple, “There’s so much that I hardly have any idea where to start.”

Father took on the same pose, leaned in once more, and I felt his heavy scent spill over to my nose. He motioned to me with his hand, “Your mother has… caught a few whispers, and so have I.”

“Oh?” I wondered.

“I knew you were busy, and she convinced me to stay off the phone… Not that you spent much time at the training camp as an Alpha, but still… It was important to let you do your job.”

I nodded in silence.

“That said… Mother tells me that you’re a Dualist, and that you’ve kept that hidden for a long time.”

I drew a deep a deep breath and glanced over at him, “Yeah… I know, that’s all true.”

Father made a gentle sigh of his own, “I won’t be able to understand what it must have been like, hiding it, adapting to the reality of sharing your mind with someone else. I can somewhat understand why you kept it to yourself, stubborn and independent as I used to be… still am, probably. Still, there’s a part of me that wishes you would have told us… we might not have been able to help, but still…”

I looked back at the floor, “I didn’t want you to treat me any different. You might say you wouldn’t, but… we both know that’s not the truth. Despite how much you try, you’re still face-to-face with someone that is two people, one of which you can’t talk to…”

“… Mm,” Father murmured.

I looked back at him, “Shortly after I left, there was something of a breakdown.”

Father’s muzzle wavered, “I’ve read about Dualists, most of them…”

“End up dead, driven mad, one way or another,” I said.

Father gulped.

I shook my head for a moment, “The same thing was starting to happen to me. Volkov, as the other guy is named, went… off the rails.”

“What happened?” Father asked.

“Long story short, I ended up being methanol poisoned on a train heading to Etemenanki, stumbled out into the snow, puked out my guts, and woke up… changed,” I said.

“… Who did this?” Father whispered.

I shrugged, “Etemenanki, Moonbase Alpha, Maxwell, Athena... It’s difficult to tell who or what is responsible for which part, but… I'm better now.”

Father sniffed near my ear, “It’s as if they accelerated your growth by half a year or something, but even that wouldn’t explain why you weigh as much as you do.”

“Noticed that when you hugged me?” I wondered.

“Yeah, that… and a few other things,” Father answered.

I nodded.

“Have they… Implanted you with something? Are you in pain right now?” Father whispered.

I shook my head, “Yes, and no.”

“Show me?” Father wondered.

I hate doing this, it feels like baring myself, or coming out of the closet…

But it never ends, and I have to keep doing it with every person in my life…

“Don’t freak out, okay?” I whispered, and turned my hand over to bare my wrist.

Father tipped his head in confusion, while I urged the medical tendril to make its appearance. I could feel it move, and we watched as the silver-colored snake slithered its way into the air. Father’s eyes grew wide, and he carefully reached out to poke it with a claw. I let the tendril wrap around his claw before curling along his finger.

“Huh,” Father murmured as he felt along the tendril, “It reminds me of the more delicate Utility Tendrils we use at work.”

I urged the tip of the tendril to open up, and it revealed the core, a tiny mesh of wires and tubes with more sensors than I could count. They gently undulated in the air as if sampling it.

“Ah… How fascinating,” Father whispered.

The tendril closed up, and it withdrew while I pulled my uniform back in place, “The bigger ones act like tools, and one of them is a plasma cutter.”

A big and feral grin grew on father’s face as he looked at me, “That would be quite handy in the garage.”

“Heh, you don’t seem scared at least,” I said.

Father blinked at me, and tipped his head as if confused, “… You’re not happy about it?”

I am, but…

“… It’s useful, I'm just-”

Father waved his hands a little, “Hold up a moment, as cool as this is, how did this help you with the problem we were discussing?”

I drew a deep breath and motioned to my back, “The tendrils are part of a bigger implant. Something called a Zephyr. It’s-”

Father interrupted, “The next-generation all-purpose fully integrated WALDO platform… I’ve heard rumors about it, but I would never have believed it was an implant, let alone that they had come this far in developing it.”

“… Go on?” I whispered.

Father pointed to himself, “I work with this kind of stuff, Vilkas… Not the WALDO platform specifically, but I've designed some of the optics used by the laser system in the APC you rode in on.”

“Oh,” I said, and smiled back.

Father seemed to ponder, “If I were to guess… They use the neural interface to somehow intervene and stabilize Volkov, yes?”

I nodded, “That’s basically what I've been told.”

Father huffed a little, “I see… Though, there are several things about this that confuses me. The utility tendrils at work are, well… the big ones are precise, but the smaller you go, the more finicky they get. Yet you had ones that were made of a material that seemed to… change its actual shape like a liquid. How? What is it made of?”

I shrugged, “I don’t know… Athena doesn’t know either.”

Father perked his brow, “Athena doesn’t… know?”

“Yeah, and I don’t need to tell you that this is very secret, and that you can’t tell anyone, right?”

Father stifled a chuckle as he nodded, “I get the picture, pup.”

“Good,” I said.

Father motioned with his hands, “So, Volkov…”

I motioned to him, “It’s a subject I really don’t want to talk about. I’m still figuring things out, we both have our own lives, and things are good right now.”

Father made a quick nod, “Alright, I can respect that.”

“Sorry, I just…” I murmured.

Father leaned closer, and I felt his arm wrap over my back as he gave me a gentle squeeze from the side, “I get it, Vilkas… Some things are better to work through on your own, others aren’t. That’s the way it is.”

I leaned into his embrace and nodded, “Mm.”

Father raised his free hand and pointed at the nearby wall, “Do you see that outlet over there?”

I looked at where he pointed, “Yeah?”

“Do you remember when we were doing basic wiring?”

I smiled back, “Yeah, I do remember.”

Father pulled his arm back, and then held up both of his massive hands to me. They were similar to my own, just that his fur was longer and had a wilder pattern to the fur.

“Consider doing it with hands like this. You might manage if you try hard enough, but consider how finicky it would be to desolder a chip, or something as simple as changing the front lights of the car.”

“I get your point,” I said.

Father pulled back his hands, “We have tools, machines, and droids to help us out, but the longer you live the more situations you’ll encounter where you need the kind of finesse that our hands can’t provide.”

I smiled back, “I guess human hands were good for something.”

Father huffed a little, “Maybe, but that’s still not the kind of precision that I'm talking about,” he then patted my wrist, “with these you could do microsurgery, and do the kind of work that requires more than two hands. Not to mention the offensive capabilities… if there are those?”

I smiled back awkwardly, “They can sharpen themselves to a point where I can cut through metal piping as if it was butter.”

Father chuckled menacingly, and then cleared his throat as he took on a more professional tone, “Anyway… My point was that people will hunger for this. Interfacing with machines is… impressive, but being given the means to do stuff like this on your own, that’s going to be huge.”

“They did mention that there is mass-production planned for the Zephyr, once they perfect it, that is,” I said.

“Ah, of course… But you’re okay now, right?” Father wondered.

I nodded, “I’m good, Dad.”

Mother stepped into the room and idly clapped her hands, “Dinner’s ready.”

512 A.R. February 19, Volkov Residence, Evening

“How’s Nathan?” Father asked and looked at Peter.

Peter grabbed a plate off the table, and handed it over, “Eh, he’s…”

“Eager?” Father said and tipped his head and blocked my view.

“That’s one way to describe it… He likes being a wolf in ways I find odd at times, at least when you compare it to…” Peter said.

Father inched closer to Peter, put his arm around his back, and lowered his voice to a point where I couldn’t hear. It felt odd seeing it. Partly because Father was now treating him quite different compared to the first time, when Peter had been deposed as Alpha of the pack. Part of me understood it, and part of me couldn’t wrap my head around it as instincts grew tangled in the back of my head.

A hint of jealousy at seeing Father interact with him like that. A warm, fuzzy feeling to see Peter being welcomed into the family. Relief that Peter seemed to be enjoying himself. A smidge of bitterness as I found myself frustrated with the world at large. It was a complex soup of emotion, and it made me draw a deep breath as I tried to make sense of it all.

I felt a hand slip around my arm, and glanced back to see as Mother brushed up next to me.

She smiled softly, and I could see her tail shift as if she was being mischievous. With a gentle nudge, she pulled me along, and led me out of the kitchen. Father was busy and Peter was distracted, making it the perfect time for her to sneak off with me for a private talk.

I followed along as we entered the hallway, made our way up the stairs, and proceeded to enter their bedroom at the end of the hall. She ushered me into the room, glanced out to make sure we hadn’t been noticed, and then she eased the door shut with a click as it sealed shut.

My ears perked in wonder, and my nose wiggled a little. Their scents were almost pungent in the bedroom, intense and oozing from the walls.

“I assume you have questions?” Mother asked, and faced me as she leaned back against the wall.

“You don’t?” I wondered.

Mother made an amused huff while her tail swished along the inside of the door, “I know many things, Vilkas. It’s part of my job, and part of my duty in this family.”

I sighed, “Father told me you’d been aware of what I am.”

Mother nodded, “I knew something was up, pup… I’ve known for a long time, but Athena is good at putting the lid on stuff, even if it ends up in the Archives.”

“When did you find out?” I wondered.

Mother eased off the door, “After the car accident. That’s when things started piling up to a point where patterns started to emerge, after that it was quick to unravel.”

“So what do you know, exactly?” I wondered.

Mother walked up to me and brushed my arm, “I know that you visited Etemenanki. I also know that a lunar shuttle landed there, one that also visited Fenrir, which is where you also happened to show up. After that, you played the hero at the Training Camp, and there’s more than one person that have analyzed the footage to figure out your weight.”

“I can understand you knowing about Etemenanki, Fenrir, and the training camp… but how on Earth do you know about the Zephyr?” I asked.

Her hand slipped down to my wrist, “I’m not a Space Initiative agent, Vilkas, nor will I ever be. But I have provided services for them when necessary. It’s not something I can talk about, but favors like that do not come in a vacuum. I am your mother, and rather than make an enemy of me, they told me what I needed to know.”

I perked my brow, “You managed to intimidate the Space Initiative?”

Mother motioned to the bed, “No, pup… One does not intimidate an organization like that. It was simply a clarification that unless they told me something, they would no longer be able to count on any favors in the future. To them it’s a simple deal, especially when you consider that you were likely to tell us anyway.”

“Ah,” I whispered as I stepped over to the bed.

“I’ve shared some of it with your father. Not all of it. He wouldn’t have been able to keep himself from contacting you if I had,” Mother said and sat down on the bed.

I chuckled and nodded, as I eased myself down on the bed beside her, “I understand, even if it feels mean to him.”

Mother settled her hands in her lap, “I’ll come clean to him, of course. He’ll be sour for a while, but your father is wise enough to understand his own flaws, and my own.”

I looked at her, and found myself curious about the shield around her mind, “Are you…”

“A telepath?” Mother wondered.

I nodded.

“No… Well, I can be with the help of some support hardware. It can be quite useful when you need to keep tabs on someone during an interview, but no… My natural telepathic abilities haven’t developed beyond me being able to shield my own mind, and they might never go beyond that.”

“… How come they’ve developed at all?” I wondered.

Mother raised her hand and gently stroked her whiskers, “I became aware that the Space Initiative knew things they weren’t supposed to. I confronted them, and as a reward for services rendered, I was given a few spoilers of what’s to come.”

I smiled back at her, “You’re a frightening cat at times.”

“It’s part of my charm, you know… Your father found me so… very… mysterious at times. He’d fawn all over me, curiously obsessed, eager to unearth the secrets of the world,” Mother said and sat tall.

“And…” I wondered.

Mother motioned to me, “And when he learned of the Space Initiative, when he fought during the incursion to the wall so long ago, he refused them. He found their actions detestable. It went against everything that Sophos is meant to be.”

“And you?” I wondered.

Mother drew a deep breath, lifted her gaze to the ceiling, “I’m a pragmatist. Your father is more of a visionary. Their existence is needed, but unfortunate. One day we might not need them, and at that point they will be dismantled, or exterminated if they resist.”

I tipped my head as I smiled to myself, “You sound so certain.”

“We are a strong and unified people, Vilkas. We’ve been engineered that way. Unless an organization like that had our tacit support, they wouldn’t be able to set foot on the planet.”

“Ah,” I whispered.

Mother tipped her head as she looked at me, “I could ask whether you work for them, but it would be a pointless question. They’ve bound you to them, and you’ll do their work even if you don’t want to. Sometimes you might not even know that you’re doing it.”

I made a slow nod, “Yeah… I’ve come to realize that.”

Mother reached up, slipped her hand into my thick mane, and began to comb the thick fur, “It’s alright, Vilkas… As long as they don’t make you to go against your own morals, it’s okay, and the world will understand. One way or another.”

“… And what if I can’t trust my morals at some point?” I wondered.

Mother smiled back, “Then that’s a good sign. Never stop questioning yourself or others. Analyze the situation, evaluate your options, and do what needs to be done.”

I shut my eyes, and felt her scritch along the back of my ear.

“You need to groom yourself more, Vilkas… You have tangled fur all over,” Mother said.

I opened my eyes once more and rolled my eyes, “Yes, Mother…”

She bared her teeth a little, “Peter seems to take good care of his fur… It’s almost as if he’s trying to make an impression on someone.”

I eyed her with caution.

“Hmm,” Mother murmured, then reached out to cup my muzzle.

“Uh?” I managed to whisper, before she peeled my lips back to reveal my fangs.

“Oh, would you look at those chompers… almost fully grown now,” Mother mused.

“Ah-hargh,” I murmured as she held my lips peeled back.

Mother let go and threw me a sly smirk as she stood up, “Do you like him? Peter, that is.”

I rolled my eyes while she stepped over to the dresser, “Mom…”

She opened the dresser and dug around as I heard her whisper, “He seems a lot more pleasant this time around, more comfortable in his own hide… as if he found his spot.”

“Yeah, he is… I think he spends a lot of time thinking these days,” I said, and glanced back.

“Is that your way of saying he’s overthinking things?” Mother asked as she sauntered back and dropped a whole set of brushes on the bed.

“Hrrmn,” I murmured, “I’m sure he’ll find a good balance.”

Mother faced me and motioned at me with a big brush, “So, when should we start preparing for a few grandkids?”

I felt my ears twitch while my hands clutched the bedding, “Mom!”

“Now slip out of that uniform so that we can take care of your fur, and please make use of the conditioner in the shower afterwards,” Mother said and smirked at me as she began to balance the brush on one finger.

I glanced down at myself and felt as my ears kept wiggling, “I don’t have any underwear when wearing this thing.”

Mother made a quick huff as she stepped over to the bed, “I’ve seen plenty of your father, you know… just last night-”

I folded my ears back and shook my head, “I am not hearing this, and I have shut my ears!”

Mother stopped talking and smiled as she leaned closer to me, “Not to mention that I had quite a view when you were getting introduced to the clan, running around the woods as you were.”

“That’s not the same thing…” I said, and leaned my head back to stare at the ceiling.

And I’m in your bedroom right now…

Mother let out a sigh, walked over to the wardrobe, and opened it up as she began to hum to herself. Moments later she pulled out a big pair of shorts, glanced back at me, and threw them over.

I reached up my hand, and caught the pair.

“You have about twenty seconds, which is about how long it’ll take for me to fetch a few things from the bathroom,” Mother said, stepped out, and pulled the door shut.

Twenty seconds…

With a groan I stood up, pulled at the zipper of the uniform, and eased it down in haste. As the uniform slumped to the floor, I noticed something. There was a strong scent, powerful enough to break through the miasma that already filled the room. It made my eyes wander to the shorts, and I felt my ears wiggle as I brought the pair closer to my nose.

They had clearly been washed, but there were some scents, powerful ones, that the washing machine didn’t have the power to break down. It was a strong, familiar scent of a sorts, one that screamed of Alpha wolf, and a certain male pungency. I blinked, and realized that I was basically sniffing my own father’s crotch by proxy… I groaned for a moment, only to feel my ears perk up as I caught the sound of steps down the hallway.

Twenty seconds!

In a frantic burst, I turned around, near jumped into the shorts, and pulled them up in haste as I heard the door open once more. By the time I'd buttoned the shorts, Mother was already shutting the door. By the time I had latched the button to hold my tail in place, she was next to me, holding up a big brush with metal spikes.

“See? Plenty of time,” Mother mused.

“They almost smell like they’ve been used,” I whispered.

“I think he has a good scent… Poignant and powerful, a true beast of an Alpha. It seems to carry in his bloodline, and I can already smell that you’ll inherit it as well,” Mother said as she put the brush to work in my mane.

Her words seemed silly to part of me, but… the beast lingered in the background. It enjoyed the compliments, and it mingled with my own thoughts. It made me grit my teeth a little, and I felt a certain pride blossom. I was a strong wolf, the son of an Alpha, a very primal feeling… but in a good sense.

Mother chuckled, and I became aware that my tail was wagging with enough force to bap into her legs. I willed it to stop, and glimpsed back to watch. Mother opened a bottle, grabbed my mane, and began to work some of the oil into it.

She met my awkward gaze, “Part of him wishes he was out there, running missions for the Defense Force again. But he’s too committed to his current duties,” Mother whispered.

“Ah,” I said.

She lifted her gaze for a moment as if remembering something, “Also, Jason called.”

“Oh?” I wondered.

“He didn’t want to disturb you… He knows you’re busy, but I think it would be in your interest to visit him tomorrow,” Mother said.

“… Did anything happen?” I wondered.

Mother drew a deep breath and tipped her head, “He did ask me not to tell, but… I think his brain might be a bit addled at the moment.”

“What do you mean?” I murmured.

Mother smiled back, “To me, it was pretty clear that he’s gotten a Symbiont.”

My eyes widened, “… What!?”

Mother hushed me, “Tomorrow, Vilkas… Not today, understand?”

I shook my head for a moment, “Right… But I should have been there… for him.”

“Maybe, maybe not. For one reason or another, Jason felt the need to take this step on his own.”

“It’s probably because I was always so scared that I'd influence his decision,” I said.

“And now you don’t have to worry about that,” Mother said.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

Mother motioned toward the wall in front of me, “Now stand at attention and let me do this…”

I looked back in front, straightened my paws, and lifted my head.

“Good boy,” Mother whispered as she began to comb once more.

512 A.R. February 19, Volkov Residence, Night

I eased the door to my room open and stepped inside. The air was a bit stale, but things appeared to be the same way I had left them. In fact, it hadn’t changed much since I was still human.

The computer and all its gear were on the left side of the room, facing away from the door. The bed was in the corner near the window, and to my right were bookshelves filled with so much junk that I had trouble remembering where it all came from.

“Want me to lock the door?” Peter asked as I walked toward the center of the room.

I glanced back and saw him standing by the door, “A bit of privacy is always good.”

Peter shut the door and turned the latch. Moments later, he sauntered past me, sniffing and looking around. He soon found himself next to the bed, and bent over as he sniffed the air.

He glanced back at me, and pointed at the bed, “You still have this creaking old bed?”

I shrugged and walked closer, “I’ve been busy, but you can sleep on the floor if you want.”

Peter chuckled and stood tall, “Just saying… It could barely stand our weight the last time I was here, and both of us have grown a bit since then.”

I gave the corner of the bed a gentle shake, “If it breaks, I'll just have to get a new one.”

“Ever thought of getting your own place?” Peter asked, and brushed up next to me as he leaned in to rest his head on my shoulder.

“Well… Sure. Mom thinks it’s about time I get my own place, but my dad’s eager to have me around. Besides, we’ve been so busy it hardly feels like I ever visit this place.”

“Yeah… My brother still lives at home, and my sisters are still listed on the door, even if I haven’t seen them for months. Most people seem eager to get away from their families, but I guess we wolves are a tad odd,” Peter said.

I leaned in and nuzzled him as I let my nose take a whiff. Peter stayed put and grew a curious smile as I heard his tail swish. He had a nice scent about him tonight, peppery as usual, mingled with a cozy cologne that made me wonder if Father had slipped him something.

Peter faced me and bit his lip as he glanced down at me, “I’m liking the new look.”

I spread my arms and glanced down at the shorts, “Uh huh.”

Peter’s tail wagged eagerly as his shy smile became a big grin, “And your fur is all shiny… and smooth, and I'm not sure what spice that is… cinnamon?”

“Cinnamon?” I asked, and moved my arm to my nose.

Peter put a hand to my abs and moved as if flinging himself toward my back. Moments later, he had slipped his arms around my waist, and held me tight.

“Here,” Peter sniffed, “In your mane, you did something to your fur.”

“Mother did, she has oils for the fur,” I said.

“But you showered, right?” Peter wondered.

“Yeah, but the oils stay for a few weeks at least, and she claims it keeps the fur from tangling as much,” I whispered.

“Hmm,” Peter murmured, and I could feel as he dug his snout into my mane.

He began to crouch and sniffed as he trailed my spine all the way to my tail, “… The shorts smell weird… but nice,” Peter huffed the air, “… do these belong to your dad?”

I gritted my teeth as I glanced back at him, “Yeah, so?”

Peter smirked back, and glanced up from my waist, “Figured the scent was a bit too mature to belong to you.”

I let my tail smack him in the side of his muzzle, “I’m getting there…”

Peter caught my tail and licked his chops, “Yeah… you are,” Peter sniffed, “Especially down here.”

“Eager, aren’t you?” I huffed back, and eased my tail from his grip.

Peter smiled, but paused for a moment. His ears wiggled, and he focused on the door. It sounded like Father was walking down the hallway. It made Peter sigh, and he eased himself up on two legs once more.

As he stood there, I took note of what Mother had mentioned. The long fur by his cheeks were brushed, and so was his mane. The rich hues of the brown fur had a natural sheen to it, and it shifted a little as he looked back at me in wonder.

I reached out, felt his muzzle, and let my claws feel the soft fur, “Do you always keep it this neat?”

Peter glanced away and shrugged, “… No?”

“Well, it looks good on you… and you’ve always had the sweetest hint of pepper to your fur.”

Peter tipped his head, “Sweet pepper?”

I perked my brow and inched closer as I let my muzzle brush by his neck, “Black pepper, and I meant it in the sense that I like it.”

Peter bared his neck, “Do explain in a bit more detail… especially the last part. I'm a bit thick like that, you know?”

I chuckled and gave his belly a sudden poke. It made him jump a little, and I eased back from him, no doubt smiling like an idiot.

“Heh,” Peter chuckled and brushed the front of his uniform, “… Seriously though?”

“Hmm?” I wondered.

Peter grew silent, and reached up as he scratched his ear, “Like… Not to ruin a good moment or something, and I know we’ve had this discussion before… kind of, but not really.”

“… Had what discussion?” I wondered.

Peter drew a deep breath and motioned with his hands, “Like… what are we to each other? What were we doing right now? Because I'm confused, and then…” Peter lowered his voice and met my gaze, “… and then I get really hurt when things don’t turn out the way I… hope.”

I glanced over at the bed and sauntered over to it in order to buy myself some time to think. Finally, I faced him once more.

“… I don’t want a relationship with anyone right now, Peter. The world is in turmoil, I have to focus on the pack itself, and I've had my life changed and turned upside down a lot recently. For me, right now, a relationship and all the complexities that it brings along… it’s not something that I can dedicate enough time or effort on to be fair for either of us.”

Peter’s ears folded back, “I get that, but… Is that your way of gently turning me away and telling me to give up, or… or do I… I mean, could I ever be your…”

Ya goof…

I approached him once more, and Peter eyed me carefully. His ears were still folded back, and he had subconsciously put his hands up like a puppy waiting to shake hands.

“When I'm alone in bed, or just wishing for someone to hold, it’s your scent that comes to mind… The comfort I feel when I hold you. The sound of your voice as you lean in, and those little glances that you throw me before starting to grin. It’s the way I can stand here and feel comfortable enough to open up and tell you stuff like…” I said.

“… Like?” Peter whispered.

I raised my hands, glanced away, and let out a gentle sigh, “Like… How scared I am that you guys will reject me based on the way I've changed, or that the one of the hardest moments of our adventures so far was by the campfire with Kato.”

Peter blinked in wonder, “… Really?”

I motioned to Peter, “Ask me to brief others, and I'll do it without a problem. It’s a clear task with simple goals. Ask me to socially entertain a bunch of people, and you get to watch my mind go blank faster than light itself. Being asked afterwards to ‘try and be more social’, just feels like a punch to the gut.”

Peter seemed to shrink a little, “Yeah… John does get a bit blind to the perspective of others… at the same time, I guess I didn’t help out exactly.”

I drew another deep breath, “I wasn’t trying to blame anyone… I’m just venting.”

Peter’s smile returned, “I get that, and I appreciate that. Usually you’re so confident and all-knowing that it’s a relief to see that you have the same kind of problems as the rest of us.”

I perked my brow, “Oh?”

Peter began to chuckle and shook his head, “I mean, oh boy… I’m glad John took the lead, and I know I smiled when Kato poked me in the ribs, but part of me wanted to tear his throat out. Not to mention that you didn’t see John’s face when you so casually told him to answer Kato’s call and to keep him busy… Never seen John stutter like that before.”

“… Ah, I guess I'd better apologize about that then,” I said.

Peter let out another chuckle and waved it off, “Nah… He’s always so cocky about this kind of stuff, so giving him a taste of his own medicine might make him go easier on Allen one day.”

“… About that, how were things at the training camp?” I wondered.

Peter stepped back, glanced at my bed, and sauntered over to it before turning to face it once more, “At the time, it felt a bit like my worst nightmare. You’re usually the one that points out what direction to take, but no one was doing that. It was hot, humid, and frustrating. Allen’s calm most of the time, but he has quite the temper when he boils over. John likes to complain about everything, and I just wanted them all to shut the hell up. It wasn’t pleasant, but at the same time I can see why it’s a valuable lesson… A lesson to make sure we never, ever, end up like that again.”

“Ah,” I said and walked closer.

Peter scratched his ear and let his gaze wander, “So, we kinda left the topic but…”

“Yeah?” I whispered as I stepped up to him.

Peter grew a big wolfish smile as he looked back at me, “I would have accepted a simple yes, but… I appreciate the extended edition.”

I tipped my head as I looked him in the eyes, “We’re not in a relationship.”

Peter nodded, still smiling, “We’re not in a relationship, I get it. Now isn’t a good time, you need things to settle, and I'm a patient wolf. That being said…”

“Hmm?” I wondered.

Peter’s tail began to wag while he motioned to the bed, “It’s still okay for us to sleep together, right?”

“Of course,” I said.

Peter’s gaze drifted closer to me, “And nuzzle…”

“Mhhmm,” I murmured.

Peter flashed his canines, “… and have fun together.”

I felt my own tail begin to wag as I nodded, “Uh huh.”

Peter drew a deep breath, and perked his ear as he listened, “Seems like your parents have gone quiet.”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“So how about we hit the sack,” Peter said, and winked at me.

I rolled my eyes and gave him another poke, “Yeah, I think that’s enough idioms for one night…”