It was a couple of hours later when everyone began to leave what TO had come to realize later was a cafe, desperate for food, naps, showers, or even just some quiet time to themselves after so long stuck in a ship shoulder to shoulder. They expected GiDi to take off with Pearla right away, but to TO’s surprise, GiDi insisted on taking TO to explore more of Scraprock while Avery went to go find Lake. They hadn’t seen or spoken to Lake since the incident on Arkane.

  The incident. An odd way to think about it now. The incident. The Incident that lost TO their leg, and cost Mark his life. Avery was worried about Lake, and insisted and going to go see him if he was still on Scraprock.

  In the end, it was just TO, GiDi, and the sleeping Constance strolling through the hallways. Despite the fact that TO was able to push themself, GiDi was quick to offer their held. Maybe they had forgotten about the alterations to their chair, or maybe they just wanted to help in any way they could. TO didn’t mind either way; it took dedicated focused to make the chair move, and with GiDi pushing them, they could enjoy the view.

  “... I do miss our old training center sometimes.” GiDi said, “At least, I miss the Observation deck.” They reached out and set their fingertips on the ‘window’, causing the image to distort slightly. “It was a real window, and it showed us real space, and-“

  “We were lucky to have the view that we did.” TO pointed out, “Most of space is just an empty void. Well, visually, anyway.” they looked at the screens, eying the view of an unending stream of moving nebulas and asteroids. “Though, honestly, I would prefer just being able to see outside, or at least having the option. Even if they had it like our screens in our ship, where it just shows us what’s outside.”

  “But why not have real windows?”

  “Too hard to maintain, too expensive.” They shrugged. “The observation deck on the training ship, that was obviously built for a reason, and probably intended to show off. But it’s just not in use now, and even removing the glass at this stage would be expensive.”

  “... Do you ever miss the training center?” GiDi asked, “I mean, not all of it, not the situation, but the center itself...”

  TO fell quiet for a few moments as they considered GiDi’s question. “I suppose, sometimes.” They said, “I miss the showers, and the bath.” They added. “And the lights didn’t hurt my eyes. Sound wasn’t echoing off all over the place.” They fell silent as they saw a Nu-Chilacian turn a corner. They passed by, silent save for a brief nod exchanged, and a friendly flick of the ears. When they were out of earshot, TO continued, “Though, I suppose since there’s so many others, and they helped build this place, it’s not surprising that this place is similar. It’s a lot like the training center.” They pursed their lips as they passed a section of the hallway which had been patched with a piece of brightly colored red metal. “Though, without the funding, obviously.”

  “What do you think Apoikia will be like?” they asked after several moments of silence. “Think it’ll be better than this?”

  “Probably.” TO murmured. They had no idea what to expect, since they had no idea about the planet itself. Details sent to them were quick and limited, often only holding encrypted files. They refused to say anything about the state of their planet, anything that might give a clue as to where they were. For all TO knew, they weren’t even living on a planet: They could have been on a ship as well.

  “We don’t even know where it is.” TO said.

  “No, we don’t.” GiDi stopped in front of a section of the windows that showed a swirling nebula in the distance. “Flit does, apparently, but they’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

  “Eventually, they’ll have to give us coordinates.” TO muttered.

  “I know. They’re just very secretive.”

  It made sense that they were secretive. If the existence of a group of unaltered Chilacians became public knowledge, TO knew that Decon would work to make their existence a matter only for historical records. He nearly destroyed Arkane to save face, and a discovery like this, that he didn’t create synths form nothing, wouldn’t show him in the best of lights. There would be too many questions from civilians and synths alike. Proper, fully altered, proper synths would be easy to take deceive - just tell them its lies and a synth like Kei–or what Kei had been like–would accept the word of king Decon without hesitation. Most of the officers and trainers, and any synth with a specialized profession, were strange in some way. Hitting that perfect balance where they were, their brain was altered enough to be loyal, but not so much that it affected their cognition.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  A truth like ‘King Decon lied about creating you’ would be the first spark in a series of fires in their mind, shattering Decon’s infallibility.

  “Will Apoikia be ok for her?” GiDi asked, nodding at Constance.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?” TO asked, frowning, “Goretta is going to come too, and Pearla-“

  “not like that.” GiDi said quickly, “I mean.. well, like how things on Arkane were too loud and bright all the time.” they said, “Will there be water for her to swim in? Food she can eat?”

  TO’s ears dipped. “You think it won’t be?” They asked, “I Know she’d be better with her own people, but-“

  “Oh, please don’t’ be stupid about this, too.” GiDi said, shaking their head,.

  “What do you mean?” TO asked, their ears flicking down, “I’m not stupid, It’s a real concern-“

  “I mean, ‘don’t be stupid.’” GiDi said, keeping their voice low enough that it wouldn’t’ disturb Constance, “That clearly, this kid is devoted to you already.”

  “she shouldn’t be,” TO said softly, “Her father-“

  “Don’t’ start that again either.” GiDi said, gently pressing on the top of TO’s head with their forefinger. “She’s more comfortable around us than any of the other kids were on the ship, and she’s attached to you specifically.”

  TO lowered their voice, “Only because her father told her to go with me.”

  “Maybe that’s enough.” GiDi said with a shrug. “Some species have a link with their parents. Some don’t. Maybe his approval of you is enough in this case. I Don’t know. The point is, she’s attached to you, and after what she’s been through, I wouldn’t dream of separating her from you. But her accommodations will be something we need to keep in mind.”

  They nodded as GiDi pushed them on down the hallway. They knew that already, of course: They didn’t want to keep Constance from swimming any more than they wanted to be kept from flying. But, it would be fine, they were certain of that. Apoikia had to have a good water supply in order to support an entire society of Chilacians, so as far as TO was concerned, the chances of Constance having nowhere to swim was minimal.

  TO’s Communicator went off. Honestly, it had been going off more and more through the day, and at first they seemed to jolt every time, expecting bad news. They weren’t used to them being used for just normal, casual conversation, for sharing pictures and jokes. They weren’t used to getting so many messages asking them how they were doing without needing something. It was nice, but the frequent messages were making them a little anxious.

  They forced themself to count to thirty before answering the communicator. To their surprise, it was actually an important message this time!

  =====

  TO-

  Your leg is ready. We can do the surgery any time.

  -DH

  =====

  “What’s wrong?” GiDi said, their ears flicking back in worry. For a moment, TO didn’t know why GiDi seemed worried, but then, as the moment passed, they had the opportunity to feel their own feelings. The news that their leg was ready would have at least made them hopeful. The idea that they’d be able to walk on their own power, to fly again, that they’d be able to help out more should have made them exceedingly happy. The moment DH told them that the leg was ready, though, that’s not what they thought of. No, it was the word ‘surgery’ that pulled their entire focus, and made them think of being unconscious once more, made them think of Avery, and of waking up without a right leg.

  They thought of blood, but much like last time they saw it, they felt the strangest disconnect between themselves and that thought.

  It took GiDi shaking their shoulder to pull them out of their thoughts and when TO looked up at their friend; they realized that they hadn’t said a word since reading the message.

  “Sorry.” TO muttered, their ears warming. "Nothing's wrong. My leg is ready." “Nothing’s wrong. My leg is ready.”

  GiDi’s ears perked up immediately. “It is? Already?” They turned TO around, already pushing them back towards where DH and Vik were working. “I guess it’s not really surprising. DH has been working on this in their spare time since the incident, and now that there’s here, of course, they’d throw all their attention into it. Really, I should be surprised that they didn’t work through all last night-“

  “Wait, wait!” TO said, suddenly willing the breaks on their chair to Lock, “Do... Do we have to go right now?”

  The sudden movement, along with TO’s raised voice, startled Constance from her sleep, and she looked up bleary-eyed at TO. “Is it morning?” She muttered, still half asleep.

  “It’s not morning.” GiDi said, their ears relaxing, “But TO’s new leg is ready.”

  She murmured, her tail tightening around TO as she hid her face in their shoulder.

  “... Ok, her, I can understand being less excited.” GiDi said, “But you? I thought you’d want-“

  “I do,” TO said, their ears warming, “It’s just... sudden.”

  “Well, it’s good.” GiDi said, once more pushing TO down the hallway, “You’ll get your leg, and before you know it, you’ll be all healed up and flying and running around!”

  Flying. Yes, they had to keep their mind on that. Once they had their leg, then they could fly again. They wouldn’t have to rely on the chair, and they could get to Apoikia. They had to get to Apoikia, to make sure that Avery was OK, and to find the people who could help them.

  they had to find their own people - people like themselves, with minds that had never been altered by King Decon. Yes, they had to do this. They wanted to have their new leg!

  they just really didn’t want to endure surgery.