Chapter 9 -- The Trench Coat

62 A.E. April 3, Flywheel Cafe - Evening

Athena's presence nudged my mind, 'He should already be at the bar...'

I approached the bar section once more, and saw as Jack stopped talking with a hybrid seated nearby. The two of them turned to look at me, and... my nose began to inform me that I was in fact familiar with them both.

My attention turned to the newcomer, and my gut tightened as I could feel the situation growing more complicated. I recognized this hybrid--the big round ears and rich texture of his fur. A painted dog, the same one I'd met up on the ring. Nick's impromptu partner who had tried to get a ride on the transport, Pax.

I could see his expression flash with surprise before turning sour. I lowered my head a little and forced a smile as I inched closer, "We meet again."

"You... You're the guy that's going to interrogate me?" Pax asked, as if dreading the idea.

I gave him a slow nod, "I am obligated to tell you that you can opt to be interviewed by the system itself, back at the Spire, that is."

His round ears twitched for a moment, then settled as he glanced to the side and pondered, "... No, I just want this over with."

I nodded to him and motioned to the walkway behind us, "There's a conference room back there that we can use, and..." I said, then looked to Jack.

Jack smirked a little as he reached down behind the bar, then pulled up a plate with refreshments. "Coffee and sandwiches, as you messaged."

Pax glanced at the plate, then turned to look at the briefcase in my hand. "You also have the tools that you need from the look of it..."

Once more I nodded, "... that too."

Gray inched closer, staring curiously at Pax who glanced at him in turn.

I motioned to Gray, "He'll stay in the background, so don't mind him." I stepped up to the counter and grabbed the plate with my free hand.

"Hmm," Pax murmured, then rose and walked past me toward the walkway.

I turned and followed in his wake. A minute later, we'd passed the walkway and marched along a corridor built into the mountain itself.

"To the left, Room #3," I said.

Pax walked up to the door without a word, opened it wide, then glanced back for a moment. "I read up on you... You certainly find a way to insert yourself into interesting situations."

I slipped past him, and set the briefcase down on the table, "Is this one of those interesting situations?"

Pax followed as he rounded the table, and grabbed a chair, "I've already given my statement, but I suspect you've been asked to avoid looking at it, so..."

"Mm," I whispered, dividing the sandwiches and pushing the thermos to his side.

There was what looked like a permanent frown etched into Pax's brow, but he didn't seem angry. If anything, he seemed calm as he idly grabbed two cups, popped the lid on the thermos, and started pouring.

I opened the briefcase, looked inside, and heard a gentle chime. A console along the inner top started booting, lights came on, and a simple logo was presented.

-Hybrid Intent Teller and Memory Event Recorder-

Apart from the device itself, there were two wired handcuffs: one for the host, one for the subject.

I reached in, grabbed the first handcuff, and clicked it in place around my wrist. A presence grew along my arm as the device sought to interact with my systems. I allowed its link, and I could hear its voice within my mind.

'HITMER online, link to Archive and Host ('Vilkas') established...'

"So, is this kind of thing part of your job description?" Pax mused with something of a stare.

I grabbed the second cuff and held it out to him. "I've interrogated a few, but this is a first like this."

Pax flashed me a toothy grin, "True... Then again, back on Earth the surveillance was so pervasive that there was no need for this sort of thing."

I huffed back, "It's actually my first time hearing about a device like this. I've read up on it though, so no worries..."

"Mm," Pax murmured as he grabbed the cuff and slipped it onto his right wrist.

'Establishing link to subject... Link refused. Retry in five...' Hitmer whispered in my mind.

I perked my brow, "You need to allow the link for this to work."

Pax kept his gaze to the table this time, "Easier said than done at times..."

'Establishing link to subject... Link established... Identity confirmed: Pax Tannenbaum'

Pax stretched his neck and let out a sigh as he squirmed in his chair, "Done..."

I took a quick sip of coffee and felt a wiggle in my ears as the bitter brew sparked my senses. "What is your relation to the human who was found next to the road?"

Pax met my gaze, "I know that his name was Erik, and I know that he's dead, so there's no need to go fishing regarding those subjects."

As Pax spoke, a tingle of sensation rushed through my arm. For the briefest moment, I could feel his emotions, sense his memories, taste the unease within him. Like a flash, I suddenly found myself in his shoes, remembering how he'd learned of the news. Sitting in a truck of some sort, an alert on the console, a request for information regarding a dead human from the UCS found next to the road simply identified as Erik.

Regret, anguish, fear--intense to the point that I could feel my own gut wrench itself.

It took me a moment to recover as I met his gaze once more, "Then, what is your relation to Erik?"

Pax averted his gaze, then took a deep breath, "I am in part responsible for his death. I imagine that we'll be debating whether it was due to criminal negligence... or involuntary manslaughter..."

The device was silent, and I waited for a moment, "... Tell me how you first met Erik?"

Pax looked back at me, "All right... After you refused to let Nick and me onboard, we eventually found another way to get back to the surface. We split after that, and I resumed my job."

"Which is?" I wondered.

Pax grabbed a sandwich and started peeling the plastic off as he spoke, "I'm a big-data hauler. Basically, that means I haul physical storage disks between the Spire and the Burrow."

I tipped my head, "Really?"

Pax lifted his gaze for a moment and gave me a tired stare. "A flat movie is little more than a few gigabytes, a limited virtual world fits within a few terabytes, a low-level Expert System is a few exabytes, and the debugging data for a jumpspace core is a few yottabytes in size. At some point, it makes more sense to drive the disks around rather than wait weeks for it to transfer through ordinary means. Of course, this will only be an issue until the underground railroad is finished or we get another space elevator... whatever comes first."

I observed him as he spoke, and I could feel some kind of feedback through the machine that connected us. He might have been a bit abrasive when on the station and frustrated being caught in a situation like this, but he wasn't lying.

"Then what? How did you meet Erik?" I wondered.

Pax looked down again and idly tore a piece off his sandwich, "The droids confirmed that they had finished packing the truck, I grabbed my backpack, hopped into the driver's seat, and got going."

"In the Spire? In some garage I assume?" I wondered.

Pax nodded as he slipped the piece into his muzzle and chewed, "Yeah, it was a run like the hundreds before it... Well, apart from evacuation ships starting to arrive en masse and my recent visit to the Ring."

The instructions for the interrogation were clear: focus on questions pertaining to the investigation itself. That said...

"Why were you doing on the Ring?" I asked.

"Is that relevant?" Pax asked, then looked down to his sandwich once more.

"Perhaps, perhaps not; I assume it's not part of your usual run?" I said.

Pax met my gaze, staring into my eyes as he did, "It's not, but the comm-networks were overloaded as they were, so they asked me to fetch a few data-storage devices. To lessen the burden, so to speak."

The machine that linked us whispered into my mind, 'Anomaly detected: Thought Aversion'

I grabbed my own sandwich and eased the plastic off to reveal a big bun of sour bread with seeds. "Seems rather convoluted that you'd have to fetch them yourself, rather than just having someone put the drives in a cargo container."

"They were all busy up there, and the elevators are basically empty on the trip up," Pax said.

'Anomaly detected: Thought Aversion,' the machine repeated within my mind.

I lifted my gaze, looked into his eyes, and took a bite of my sandwich as I waited. He stared back at me as I chewed, furrowed brow, nose wiggling ever so slightly as he drew deep breaths.

"Is it personal?" I asked.

"... What?" Pax asked.

"You're obviously hiding something, and until that is cleared up, we're at an impasse," I said.

He gulped. I could see his neck flex as he did.

"... It's not related to Erik," Pax said.

"In this instance, that is only an acceptable answer if you can explain why that is," I said.

Pax drew a deep breath, "Erik was already in the Spire when I traveled to the Ring. Orbital Command did need data-drives moved to the Burrow. I later found Erik hiding in the back of my truck. You can confirm all of it through the Archives... In other words, if I'm hiding something, then it is entirely unrelated to the reason I am here. To summarize, you have no right to demand those answers from me... unless you have some reason to suspect me for something else?"

I shut my eyes for a moment and relayed the information to Athena, 'Can you confirm his statements through the Archives?'

It took a moment, but her voice soon whispered into my ear, 'Confirmed: all statements are true.'

I opened my eyes once more and gave him a slow nod, "You will not be pressed to answer that question. Go on..."

Pax's muzzle opened ever so slightly, and his shoulders sank a little as a hint of relief washed over him. "As I said... I managed to return to the surface, somewhat late because a certain someone didn't trust me..." he said, perking his brow at me.

I tipped my head to him, "And then?"

Pax glanced to the side. "Well, when I hopped onto my truck and drove off, it turns out that I had a hitchhiker in the back."

"You didn't check the back of the truck before taking off?" I wondered.

Pax shrugged, "Never had a reason before, and the monitoring systems were all green. Temperature, air pressure, power supply... That said, it's not meant to check for living people. It wasn't until one of the tamper-protection circuits was tripped that I was alerted something was wrong."

Once more, I could feel it. Flickers of memory, feelings, snippets of thoughts. A bleeping console, the tire screech as he brought the truck to a stop, marching back as he opened the truck's rear and caught sight of a very annoyed human.

"To confirm, this was your first time meeting Erik?" I wondered.

"To my knowledge, yes..." Pax answered with a nod.

"Erik was never registered as leaving the Spire... I guess someone in the back of a truck wouldn't be noticed leaving?" I said.

Pax nodded, "Yes... The gates in and out of the Spire are nothing more than cameras right now. Security has been focused on external threats so far."

"Erik was... angry?" I asked.

Pax reached up to scratch his temple, "And so was I, for different reasons. Erik was angry because my sudden stop had thrown him to the ground and gave him a few bruises. I was angry because he was fucking with the drives..."

Figuratively, I hope...

"Did he have some explanation for what he was doing?" I wondered.

"Not at first," Pax said with a sigh, "I wasn't eager to head back, and he wanted to visit the Burrow, so I told him to hop up front. He tried to protest, but I told him it was either that or walk the rest of the way."

"He chose the latter?" I wondered.

Pax looked up at me, "No, he didn't... Things might have ended up quite differently if he had though. He joined me in the passenger seat and spent most of his time either using my tablet or arguing."

Through the link between us, I could feel the frustration. Pax was clenching his teeth, and he'd done the same with Erik as a passenger.

"About?" I wondered.

"Erik was in the UCS military, and he hated us... To him, I was nothing more than a smelly robot, incapable of grasping the true nature of the world, and he was determined to see this 'evidence' of another civilization."

"... This entire planet has a literal crater that loops around the equator," I said.

Pax smiled for the first time since we met at the bar, "Nothing but fakes in his mind, propaganda for the humans that survived."

"Ah," I whispered, "and then... what happened?"

"We'd been driving all day, and he asked how much longer it'd be until we reached the Burrow... I told him it'd be around three days if we started early, drove late, and used the slow autopilot during the night. It... angered him a great deal, apparently that wasn't what he was expecting at all."

"Seems like he hadn't planned the trip?" I wondered.

Pax sighed once more, "To call him unstable would be an understatement. He'd lost his family, his nation, and most likely his sanity as well. He demanded that we turn back, I ignored him, tilted my seat back, and turned away from him to sleep for the night..."

"Ah," I whispered.

Pax drew a deep breath, "I... He kept ranting, and I was at the limit of what I could stand. I tuned him out. It felt like I did it for just a moment, but I was suddenly jerked awake by the truck almost going off-road."

As Pax remembered, I could feel his emotions surging back through me. The way his heart pounded, the sudden fear and realization that the truck was tilting, the anger that flared through his entire being like wildfire.

"... Erik grabbed the steering wheel," I said.

Pax nodded, "He turned the autopilot off... I guess he learned from watching me work the console. Then he grabbed the wheel, intent on either crashing or turning us around. I managed to take back control at the last second, but I was..."

"Furious," I whispered.

"I stopped the truck," Pax's muzzle moved as he chewed his thoughts. "I screamed at him... He opened the door, and I pushed him out in a fit of rage. It only lasted seconds, but that was it... Erik fell out, got up hurling expletives at me."

"And you did..." I whispered.

Pax leaned onto the table as he raised his hands and put them to his temple, "I... tried to reason with him. I asked him to get back into the truck. He wouldn't listen, called me a rabid animal. Said he'd rather walk the rest of the way."

"Ah... You had passed Dylan and Alice's farmstead by then? He was walking back toward the Spire?" I wondered.

Pax nodded, "Yeah, we passed them a few hours earlier. I remember seeing their strange house in the distance."

"Hmm, and then?" I wondered.

Pax whispered, "I was tired, angry, stressed. I figured that if he wanted to walk, then that was his choice. I should have called it in, but..."

"But?" I wondered.

Pax peered at me with one eye, and I could feel his mind churning. Emotions flared and ebbed as if he struggled with himself. After a few moments he lowered his hands, "Sophos has expended massive amounts of energy and resources trying to tame humans. We have literally spent the last 800 years trying to deal with the twisted tribalism that rules them... I didn't call it in, because..."

"It'd be better if he died in a ditch somewhere?" I asked.

His ears folded back and his eyes widened in shock, "No... I didn't want to see him dead."

"Just... gone?" I whispered.

Pax gulped, "Gone, yes... It'd be nice if it worked like that, but no. I just..."

Once more, his voice trailed off.

He stared at the table and fiddled with his hands, "... How did he die exactly?"

"... You didn't read up on it?" I wondered.

Pax's muzzle moved in silence for a few moments, "I stopped reading once I saw the reptines being mentioned... It was a stupid mistake on my side, and it spirals out of control to affect everyone else."

"Anaphylaxis, allergic reaction to the environment... The reptines only started scavenging after he was dead," I said.

Pax gritted his teeth as he lifted his gaze to me, "The bloody idiot hadn't..."

"Had his immune system tuned? No..." I said.

Pax clasped his hands, "... He really did lose his mind, and I kicked him out into an environment he couldn't survive."

"You didn't know," I said.

Pax perked his brow as his gaze wandered the table's surface, "I should have checked... I should have turned around the moment I found him in the truck. I should have called it in... At least contacted traffic control to tell them there was a crazy human on the road. But I didn't do any of those things, I just stuck my head in the dirt and went on my merry way."

"Mm," I murmured with a nod.

"So," Pax whispered and reached up to rub his forehead, "What kind of punishment can I expect for this? Permanent record? Restricted to simple labor? Therapy?"

"That's... not up to me. Since this is a civil matter and I'm acting as an interviewer, my task is primarily to gather information, not pass judgment," I said.

Pax kept rubbing his temple. "Fine... So what does the System have to say about it all? What does Athena ordain for me?"

I pulled a deep breath, averted my gaze for a moment, and reached out with my mind, 'Athena, you've been monitoring, yes?'

'Affirmative... I am still polling hybrids at random and collating previous case files. You'll have an answer momentarily,' Athena answered.

Pax stared into the table, and seemed... tired. The scent wafting off him made me think of the word 'defeated'. Like a wolf wrestled to the ground and forced to yield.

Athena's voice returned to my mind, 'This incident will be listed on his permanent record, but it will not block any assignments as long as he passes any future suitability tests. If he desires therapeutic assistance, then that will be offered to him. A copy of this verdict--and additional details--have been forwarded to his personal tablet.'

'... That's all?' I thought.

'That is all,' Athena answered, 'or do you have an objection?'

'... What if additional information is unearthed?' I wondered.

'Then the case shall be reopened... Do you have any suspicions?' Athena wondered.

I'm still curious about what you were really doing on the Ring...

'... Not at this time,' I thought.

'Then this incident is settled... for now,' Athena said. 'Thank you, Vilkas.'

'You're welcome,' I thought with a silent nod.

As her presence faded, I opened my eyes once more and met Pax's gaze, "This incident will end up on your permanent record, but it won't block future assignments if you pass the regular tests. Therapy is available if you desire, and there is additional information on your tablet."

Pax blinked in confusion, "... That's all?"

I nodded, "That's all... You're free to go."

Pax sighed, reached for his wrist, and ripped the bracelet off. Once done, he simply stared at it for a moment, then carefully eased it down onto the table. I watched in silence until he met my gaze once more.

"... Do you mind if I just sit here for a while?" Pax asked.

I shook my head, then motioned to the thermos, "Coffee in there should still be warm, in case you want another cup?"

Pax let out a surprised if incredulous chuckle, "... All right."

62 A.E. April 3, The Burrow - Elevator - Night

The elevator opened with a gentle ding, and I stepped out into a long metallic corridor. There were paths leading to the sides and straight ahead. Though my target lay deeper in this maze.

I took the path straight ahead, marching past doors and heavy equipment with Gray by my side. Upon passing a window, I glanced through it. There were transport belts ferrying goods, drones flying by, and a busy road far below. Built along distant walls were the residential towers, some of them close enough one could almost catch a glimpse into the lives of those who lived there.

Gray--in his never-ending curiosity--hopped up to lean on the window as he peered out to check what I was looking at. It made me smile as I saw it, and I reached out to idly scratch the back of his ear.

"We're going to visit my grandfather and see if he'll take us in for the night, so that we have a place to sleep," I whispered.

Gray turned his head, met my gaze, and then nodded, as if understanding what I'd said.

"I suspect that you're trying to mimic the behaviors of others without really understanding what it all means, right?" I mused.

Once more, Gray nodded.

"Right..." I whispered, then reached into my pocket. I fished out what remained of my sourdough sandwich, "I forgot to give you this earlier."

Still leaning onto the window, he eagerly munched up the pieces as I fed it to him.

The sudden sound of marching steps made me perk up. There was a male human striding through the hallway, eyes locked on me with a distinct frown. Rather oddly, he wore the green uniform of an officer belonging to the UCS.

Gray reacted to it. He dropped to the floor, stepped in front of me, tail lifting high as if it was a whip ready to strike, and his fur seemed to bristle like an angered canine.

The marching human shifted posture in a near instant. His gaze locked with Gray as he slowed down and raised his arm in a defensive posture.

Impressive guard instincts...

Though Gray's mannerism was quite canine, he was absolutely silent. No growls, no barks. Just a silent, piercing gaze of warning.

I looked at the human who stopped well outside reaching distance, "Yes?"

The human lifted his gaze to me, and his frown returned, "... You're Vilkas?"

Looks like he's around 30 years old... Another UCS patriot that ended up here somehow?

I made a slow nod, "I am, and you are?"

The man straightened himself and drew a deep breath, "You just interviewed a murderer and let him go afterwards. Is that what Sophos justice is? Human lives don't matter at all?"

"Hmm, that wasn't an answer to my question, and unless you want me to leave..." I said, and looked to the corridor as I took a step back.

The human jumped to life as if about to follow, then stopped as his gaze fell on Gray once more, "... I'm Dario... Dario Silva, and I have to protest. I demand to be heard."

I looked back at him and perked my brow once more, "That's not how any of this works."

Dario stared daggers at me, "Not like I have much choice... I can't interface with your systems, and your laws are confusing to say the least. I have nowhere else to turn."

I tipped my head a little, "Go on. You have my ear for the moment, but you'd better drop the hyperbole because I'm not in the mood for it."

He stared back at me as if confused for a moment, then swallowed as his throat flexed, "All right, let's try again then... I do not agree with the outcome of the... trial, or whatever you call the situation between Erik and Pax."

"Have you read the case file?" I wondered. He opened his mouth, but I interrupted him, "No lies, or you lose my ear, Dario."

Dario froze yet again, then shifted his tone, "The case file was published just minutes ago... I only had time to read the outcome. But I have been following it since news of Erik's death surfaced."

I made a slow nod, "Tell you what... Read through the case file, and I'll meet you for breakfast at the bar tomorrow. If your observations regarding the case have merit, then I will listen and give them my honest consideration. Try anything else and I'll be less pleasant."

Moments passed as he seemed to weigh his options. "... Alright. When's breakfast exactly?"

I looked up the clock inside my head, "... How about 10:30? Bar should be mostly empty by then, and we'll be able to talk in private."

Dario nodded, "... Thank you, I guess."

I made a slow but silent nod as I turned and walked down the corridor. Gray waited for another moment, then followed as he caught up with me. Even from a distance, I could hear the somewhat exasperated sigh as Dario turned and sauntered off in his own direction.

After a few minutes of walking and a few turns, we ended up by a dead end, featuring a single bulkhead with a console along the wall.

Lab #15 (Omicron)

I stepped closer to inspect it when the bulkhead suddenly churned to life. It cycled and whirred, before splitting in the middle as it opened up. Within was the sort of droid that looked as if it had been cobbled together from spare parts.

Bundles of wire looped around its spine and connected to a set of four arms, a battery pack, and a head that appeared made out of a big camera module. Each arm was outfitted with a variety of tools that looked more expensive than the rest of the droid put together.

A smooth, feminine, distinctly human voice emanated from the droid, "You are expected," she said, then turned around as she walked back into the lab.

I followed and found myself surrounded by a style of décor similar to the architecture of Athena's bunker. Solid, sterile, white, and quite bright. The bulkhead closed behind us. The steady hum of the lab filled my ears while a cool draft wafted past me.

The simple droid stopped, and faced me, "Adler is out on business, but he will be back in the morning. I have prepared a room for you and Gray," it said, angling its head to gaze at Gray.

Adler Volkov...

"You seem well-informed," I said.

The droid focused on me, "Adler instructed me before leaving... He also said that the primary lab is off-limits, and that if you do ignore the warning, to at least put on a rad-suit before entering."

I couldn't help but chuckle, "Not to worry, I won't try to enter without his presence... and you are?"

"Adler's assistant. Sometimes he refers to me as a voice synthesizer with some additional code."

I perked my brow in wonder, "You're not an Expert System?"

"I am a modified class one system. I assist in the lab," the droid said.

"You do seem quite cognizant though," I said.

"My voice synthesis and linguistic package is quite modern, as are my lab-skills."

I tipped my head to the droid, "Is it true that Adler set out digital traps to notify him of my arrival?"

"Yes, he did. I also polled the databases on an hourly basis in case the traps were disabled."

"Ah, of course... and will you tell him I asked?" I wondered.

"Only if he asks me. The current topic is not listed as one of importance," The droid answered.

"What if I asked what your high-importance topics are?" I wondered.

"I might not be an advanced Expert System, but I am still equipped with a basic ethics-and-morality chip. That means I cannot lie to you, but it doesn't mean I have to share everything about Adler with you."

I nodded, "I understand. Thank you for sharing... I'm actually quite tired, so I wouldn't mind getting to bed."

"Of course, this way..." the droid answered and continued down the hallway.

62 A.E. April 4, The Burrow - Omicron Lab - Early Morning

A quick rapping on the door stirred me from sleep. The door opened a brief moment later, flooding the room with light from outside. I squinted in annoyance and felt Gray move along the base of the bed as he rose to stare at the intruder, tail rising high in the air.

"Mrrnn," I murmured as I gave my internal clock a glance.

0 __8_ :30..._

I could hear someone moving as I eased myself into a sitting position, and looked to the door.

While a wolf, he was clearly quite different from myself or my father. Most of all, he was smaller. Tall though sharp, without the brutish muscle of modern wolves.

His fur reminded me of a red wolf, and the texture of it made his eyes look as if he was judging me. Something about his scent made my nose wiggle. It wasn't 'old', and it did register as a hybrid wolf, but there was something about it that differed. He was a hybrid from another age, another type, another way of thinking.

"You smell like you've been in an industrial accident," he said, carrying inflection to reflect his emotions, accompanied by a mild frown.

Still?

The clothes he wore were... odd. Bright burgundy trench coat, and the rest was like a decorative uniform. It stood out, wild but standoffish. At the same time... he didn't exactly look... bad.

Was he out all night? If so... where?

"I showered on my way here," I whispered, still meeting his gaze.

He cracked a smirk, revealing a glinting fang, "Obviously you didn't do a good enough job."

Plenty of attitude though...

"As you wish," I said with a subtle nod, eyes falling on that thing in his hand, a silver sphere.

I let my telepathic shield drop, and it felt as if nothing had changed. On a telepathic plane, this wolf was like a static painting. No fluctuating emotions, no ember emanating from within. A simple void.

Adler must have noticed me staring, as he subtly moved his hand, slipping it into his pocket.

"My mother has one of those, support hardware to help her connect with the network," I said.

"I am well aware..." he said with a huff as he stepped back. "Bathroom's down the hallway. Wash and join me in the lab when you're done."

I opened my muzzle to speak, but he reached out, pressed a button, and the door swished shut in a near instant. The room darkened once more, and Gray looked back at me as if seeking my opinion on what had just happened.

He didn't even introduce himself properly...

It made me sigh as I reached up and stroked Gray's neck, "Morning."

Gray blinked, and his muzzle moved a little as a murmur slipped out, "Mrrrring"

It sent a shudder down my back, to a point where my tail tensed up. Things had worked fine so far. Gray behaved himself in an exemplary manner, so I found myself wondering if the uplift was actually necessary. Or maybe that was the wrong way to think about it. Perhaps it was the very uplift that caused him to be this... observant, yet dutiful.

'Maddox?' I thought.

The medical Expert System bubbled to the surface, 'Yes?'

'You're monitoring Gray... How about a short briefing?' I thought, and eased the blanket off.

'He spends much of time observing, thinking, learning... Much of the process is transparent to you, but he is polling considerable knowledge from your mind. By now, I suspect he understands simple sentences, even if he is uncertain how to act on them.'

'I notice that his tail has recovered,' I thought.

'Yes... The rewiring process of his brain heals most wounds, though his lack of color remains the same. The reason is so far unknown as the neural circuitry for controlling it is now repaired, as far as I can tell at least,' Maddox answered.

'Thus, he is gray by choice,' I thought.

'Verifying the integrity of his neural circuitry is one thing; accurately mapping the state of his mind is an entirely different thing... But for now, I am inclined to agree with your assessment,' Maddox said.

I slipped into my work uniform, pulled it up high enough to cover my crotch, and motioned for Gray to follow, "Let's go clean up, shall we?"

62 A.E. April 4, The Burrow - Omicron Lab - Morning

The bathroom's dryer left something to be desired as I stroked the fur on my arm and could still feel that warm, if damp sensation in its depths. Gray stared as if wondering why I had tortured him like this, his fur ballooning in a way that made him look outright ridiculous.

I couldn't help but smirk at his appearance as we walked out and entered the lab's airlock. The system started cycling as I clicked its button while looking around. There were no rad-suits or anything of the sort in sight, meaning that the lab was either designed in an unsafe manner--something which was quite unlikely--or that there was another, deeper section to the lab.

Gray looked around in wonder as the air hissed and consoles shifted. The lights switched to green moments later, and the other end of the airlock opened. We stepped out, finding a large room filled with workbenches and machinery.

My attention was first drawn to the ceiling, which was lined with a grid-like rail system. Droids with mechanical arms were suspended at several places, and several of them were working with various machines.

To the right, closer to the corner of the room, was a set of big consoles and a large chair equipped with a pair of silvery armrests.

Another WALDO station, like Father used...

Adler was sitting in the chair, eyes closed, hands resting on the silvery interfaces. While he seemed unaware, I doubted he was anything but. Gray sniffed at the air, curious about the strange machinery and the many hums that filled the room.

On the other side of the room was an airlock along with windows that revealed a room with rad-suits, decontamination showers, and more... As if to highlight the danger, a large sign next to the airlock warned of the intense radiation within.

I do wonder what he's doing here...

I stepped closer, then stopped as Adler suddenly started moving. He rose from the chair, fixating on me with his eyes. In the bright light of the lab, it was difficult to ignore the gold-tinted intensity of his brownish-red eyes. He walked toward me, head held high, and straightened his cuffs before holding out his hand.

"I realized we haven't been properly introduced: I am Adler Volkov. Matter of fact, I'm not sure your father ever saw fit to mention me," he said, offering a soft if forced smile.

I took his hand, and to my surprise I felt nothing. No link, no interface, no... anything. Just a warm, padded hand.

"Father mentioned you at times," I said, and gave his hand a soft squeeze.

Adler squeezed back, then let go as he stepped back once more, "Only bad things, I'm sure."

I tried to smile, but I suspected it looked rather pained.

Adler's chest swelled as he drew breath and promptly sighed, "I suspected as much... He can't be very happy with you either."

Pardon!?

I could feel my eyes widen, "... Meaning?"

Adler blinked, then tipped his head as if honestly surprised. "Or not... I guess he reasons that you are a victim of the System, rather than a supporter of it. Thus, you have no choice in the matter."

My hand sank to my side as I pondered his words, "... I would speculate, but I'm not privy to the hostilities between the two of you."

Adler smirked back at me and lifted his hand as he wagged a finger at me, "You are outwardly diplomatic, but you are also cunning like your mother and as morally chaotic as your father."

I squinted back at him, "And you antagonize people, a tactic that might have worked if I hadn't been poked and prodded for years already."

Adler clasped his hands, then made a slight bow with his head, "You are welcome to stay at my lab if you desire. The room will be yours. You can assist me with my work, and I can further your education."

"... Regarding?" I asked and looked out across the lab.

Adler stepped closer as he too looked out across the lab, "All manner of things. I am well versed with jumpspace technology, and you carry one of Maxwell's prized prototypes. I can also help with your ongoing experiment with Gray."

"He's not an experiment," I said.

"Of course, he's just a result of the current circumstances... Not that I blame you; our family has always been a bit wild..." Adler said.

"... And I'm starting to think Father is right about you," I said.

Adler glanced at me, smirking as he did, "We can debate merits at a later time... Dario isn't worth your time, but promises are promises."

"... You're obviously spying on the corridor outside the lab," I said.

Adler shrugged, "My systems have already been linked to the greater whole, so there's nothing illegal about it."

"Any longer, you mean?" I said.

Adler huffed, "You and your Father used illegal spy drones to observe that human friend of yours."

"Jason," I said.

"Whatever," Adler said with a dismissive flick of his hand. "Then there are your activities while hunting down the cultists... I won't go into details for obvious reasons, but the holier-than-thou attitude won't work around here."

"You seem to be well-informed..." I said.

Adler grew a devilish smirk as he focused on me, "I've read up since the evacuation started and information was finally allowed to flow freely once more."

Still, some parts of that aren't supposed to be part of the Archives...

Adler continued, "But, as said... We can debate merits at another time." Adler motioned to the workbench closest to us, "Observe, tell me what you think that I do here."

I stepped up to the workbench and looked down. Most of the bench was taken up by a machine with a display that showed the atomic structure of some material. A gallery on the side revealed larger structures and a variety of cryptic observations attached to it.

There was also an alcove next to the machine, and it had extended to show a piece of dark metal. I reached out, plucked the piece, and held it up. It tingled a little in my fingers, and merely wondering about the source stirred my instincts. The piece was radioactive--not dangerously so, but distinctly more radioactive than the rest of the room.

I turned the piece over and observed that one side was clearly melted, as if a warm knife had cut through butter. The surface was smooth to the touch, but the tingle in my finger grew stronger as I held it near the cut.

"... Ah," I whispered.

"Yes?" Adler asked inquisitively.

"I heard that there were a lot of problems cutting the mountain into chunks small enough to be processed in the foundry. They're using harsh chemicals and lasers to carve it out. I'm not seeing any chemical warning signs in the lab, and I doubt you're a prospector. In other words, you're developing some method of cutting the material without using harsh chemicals... Adding to that, you're skilled with jumpspace technology, and there are radiation signs everywhere."

I drew a deep breath as I continued, "The primary downside to jumpspace technology is radiation, and you're turning that into a feature..."

Adler leaned closer to me, "A minimized, energy efficient X-ray knife, capable of even cutting durasteel... Something even your Zephyr can't do... at least, not yet."

I set the black piece down again and looked to him, "The cut made by the knife made the material even more radioactive than it was. That means it irradiated and changed the molecular structure, most likely weakening it in the process."

Adler smacked his lips, "Yes, which is what I'm now trying to solve. To better shape jumpfields, coaxing the energies we want and minimizing the irradiating effect."

"I take it no one wants to be anywhere near when this X-ray knife is running," I asked.

Adler nodded, "Even with a rad-suit, it'd be a terrible idea to step into the chamber with the knife being active."

"Hmm," I murmured.

Adler looked back at me, seeming pleased. Then, his expression shifted, and he moved his hand as if dismissing me, "The clock is almost 10:30."

Time for that meeting with Dario...

I huffed and stepped back, "... I'll see you later, Adler."

62 A.E. April 4, The Burrow - FlywheelCafe - Morning

I stepped off the elevator and glanced toward the cafe. I could see Dario seated by a table, eyes locked on me already. As I walked toward him, I could feel someone nudging my mind. It felt local, in fact, as I looked to the right, I could sense it coming from Jack behind the bar.

'I'll be out with breakfast in a minute,' Jack thought with a quick smile, then turned his attention to the counter once more.

'Everyone seems quite well-informed around here,' I thought back.

Jack wiped the counter as I heard his thoughts, 'I asked Dario what he was doing here--he usually scares people off--and after a bit of pressure, he spilled the beans.'

'I see. Thank you, Jack...' I thought back.

The momentary link between us faded, and I stepped up to Dario's table.

"I wasn't sure you'd show," Dario said as he looked up at me.

I eased myself down on the other side of the table and glanced to my left. Gray was standing beside my chair, staring intently at Dario.

"Same here," I said, and looked up with a soft smile.

Dario ignored my remark, set his hands on the table, and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could get started though, Jack walked up, two plates in hand, and put them down in front of us.

On Dario's plate was a ration pack, and on mine was a half-length sourdough baguette with lettuce, tomatoes, and a few slices of salami from the smell of it. The look on Dario's face tensed, shifted, and finally settled on something to a teeth clenching glare as he looked up at Jack.

Jack's voice filled our table, "He contributes; you do not."

A wave of red grew along Dario's throat, and soon flustered his face as he stared in Jack's wake. I reached down, grabbed the baguette, and bit off a chunk before starting to chew.

Butter as well... Nice sandwich...

Dario looked back at me while I tore a piece off my sandwich, and held it out to him. He blinked, expression shifting back and forth as if simultaneously insulted while confused at the same time.

I then reached down, and offered it to Gray, who gladly chomped it up. Dario's mouth dropped open in surprise, then shifted once more as I tore a bigger chunk of my baguette, then offered it once more.

"You're toying with me..." Dario hissed.

I wagged the bigger piece in front of him, "Do you want it or not?"

There was a moment's pause, followed by a sigh as he grabbed the piece in silence. As I watched, he bit off a piece, then glanced at me, "Won't Jack be angry with you?"

"I do with my food as I please," I said.

"Are you enjoying this?" Dario asked.

"Not really," I said, "but one can tell there's a tension between you and the world you now find yourself in."

"How perceptive," Dario said, and offered me a smug smile before taking another bite.

I chuckled back, "You're still wearing your UCS uniform, no doubt as a protest. You think it stings in our eyes, but the fact of the matter is that no one gives a shit. Thus it becomes a cage for your own psyche, not a jab in our direction."

Dario eyed me as he chewed, then swallowed, "I like my uniform."

"If that's all there is to it, then I was wrong and you should feel free to wear it as much as you please," I said.

He frowned back, silent this time.

I chewed off another piece, and swallowed, "Now, let me hear your concerns."

Dario smiled showing his teeth, and let out a rather desperate chuckle, "I read through the case file, as said... But I'm not sure how to relay to you that you cannot let someone cause the death of a person and simply let them go scot-free. It not only sets a horrible precedent, but it's both unfair and discriminatory to boot."

I tipped my head, "It wasn't without consequence. His failure to report the incident and take measures to mitigate the harm will end up on his permanent record, something which will reflect badly on him for a considerable length of time."

Dario drew a deep slow breath, as if struggling to keep his calm, "Or... it'll be a badge of merit. He could be precisely the kind of person you want in a situation that deals with humans."

I perked my brow at him, "We are not human, and that kind of corruption does not exist. And if it does exist, then it would warrant a purge."

Dario made a dismissive wave with his hand, "See, this is part of what I don't get. On one hand, you let a person go; on the other, you claim that if there was even a whiff of corruption, you'd execute your own people. It seems to me like you play mightily with words, and opt to not see your own corruption."

"If you have any evidence of said corruption, then I and everyone else would be eager to see it," I said.

Dario sighed as he took another bite and averted his gaze as he chewed, "The case file said Pax regretted his actions... Is that all it takes to go free?"

"As said, he did not-"

Dario interrupted me, "Fine... He got a mark on his permanent record, but no real punishment, no pain... physical, materially, or financially."

"I saw his memories, felt the roller coaster of emotions as Erik annoyed Pax to fury, then tried to crash the truck, and the regrets that followed," I said.

"Yes," Dario whispered, "the sort of evidence that no human can take part of."

"By your choice," I said.

Dario's expression twisted with unease, "If the only means of taking part of it is by becoming a hybrid, then it's not a really a choice, is it?"

"I have heard of implants for humans... It might not be easy to arrange with our current circumstances, but-"

Once more, he interrupted me, "It still means putting Sophos tech into my head... No , thank you."

I pulled off another piece and ate it. "... What do you want, Dario? You're trying all manner of angles to attack this issue, but not a single one of them sticks, and you're well aware why."

Dario reached up and rubbed his temple, "All right, how about this angle then... Something that ought to stick a bit better."

"Go on?" I said.

"You have dozens of human refugees, and many thousands of Sophos-raised humans at that. While the latter have been raised by you, they are yet to become hybrids. As such, there is a human populace in Sophos that you need to consider, even if True Hybrids are capable of replacing our function in your society."

I gave him a quick nod, "True."

Dario motioned to me with both hands, "Right now, you have a situation where a human with questionable sanity was harshly thrown off a vehicle and was then left behind to slowly choke to death in an atmosphere he could not handle. You might be able to excuse it, just like the case file does, but at a glance, it looks outright monstrous. Wouldn't you agree?"

"You're arguing that the humans of Sophos will be susceptible to a superficial view of the case, thus stirring problems unless we make an example of Pax?" I asked.

Dario clasped his hands, "I'm not suggesting that I would be the one pushing such a view. I'm just saying that if you wish to nip such a problem in the bud, then you need to do something to show that you are fair and understanding of humans."

I smiled back at him, "Out of the goodness of your heart, of course?"

Dario smiled for a moment, then softened his expression. "I have to do what I think is right."

"And what kind of punishment would you suggest for Pax?" I wondered, and leaned a little closer.

"Some time in prison?" Dario said and lifted his hands.

I shut my eyes for a moment and did my best to avoid sighing. "We don't have prisons."

Dario blinked, "So what? You execute everyone that doesn't comply?"

This time, I couldn't help but sigh. "You still look at our society and you see a world where unseen rulers point with their hand, and anyone who doesn't play along dies as a result. It's a fundamental misunderstanding of what drives people within Sophos' society. I was not told to be here with you, yet I am. I was not told to get involved with Erik's death, yet here I am. I was not ordered to deliver coffee beans from the Spire... yet here I am."

"Coffee beans?" Dario said and shook his head.

I made a dismissive wave with my hand, "The specifics are not important. I do the work that I do because I choose to do so."

Dario chuckled, "And why do you choose to do so?"

I motioned with my hands, "Because the rest of my pack is still adrift in the solar system, and it is my belief and understanding that the faster things stabilize here on the planet, the faster that situation will be resolved. If you want a more human interpretation of it, then by offering my services, the system becomes indebted to me and is more likely to grant my request."

Dario stifled a chuckle, "That's a very round about way to simply mimic the power of money, along with no guarantee that the system will actually grant your request."

"A system utilizing money might have expedited the process for some, but more lives would have been lost in the long run... It would also have made our Sophos an impossibility. So, not to be an ass, but there's a reason why we're here, and others aren't," I said.

"I didn't think Sophos was one to embrace the rather divine idea of 'You are where you are supposed to be,'" Dario said.

"We don't, and I know from experience that even the most powerful beings can't accurately predict the future... Either way, we don't have prisons for the simple reason that we don't need them," I said.

Dario tipped his head, "Ah, lovely... We should have just let all the criminals on Earth run free. Imagine if we had learned of your wisdom."

I motioned to him with my hand, "Humans utilized prisons for several reasons, some better than others. The one with the least merit was simple punitive justice... A form of revenge, to cause pain for someone that in turn caused you pain."

Dario frowned once more, staring me into the eyes.

I sighed, "It's not as judgmental as it sounds. Revenge has its place, but a society should strive to elevate itself above it. Solve the urge to inflict pain at its root, and it ripples throughout all of society."

Dario motioned to his plate, "Yes, your society is so perfect, where no one seeks to punish others for their crimes."

I lowered my head a little and smiled, "We are not perfect, but tell me... If the situation had been reversed, what would have happened to any hybrid refugees?"

Dario rubbed his temple and seemed to ignore the question.

"... Too difficult a question?" I wondered.

"No," Dario whispered.

"They'd be tortured to death and would be stuffed afterwards," I said.

Dario gave me a tired glance, then looked down as he slipped another piece of bread in his mouth.

I continued, "Even if we had prisons, it wouldn't serve much purpose... I can opt to sleep whenever I want, and even hibernate for weeks on end."

"Clearly, one would need to disable such functions... How do you people even do such things? Do you stick a plug up your ass and run a firmware update?" Dario asked.

I had to cover my muzzle as I chuckled at it, "The mental image of that is quite funny, but no."

Dario stared for a moment, then let out a chuckle as well, "... Okay, so you don't have prisons, you don't have money, and you barely have any belongings either."

"Well, the last part's not true... Everyone has private property, but let's say you took away Pax's residence and forced him to sleep on the street. Does anything become better? Is Erik avenged for not getting the treatment he needed and then trying to run the truck off the road? Will his dead family rejoice? Or are we just trying to find a way to make you feel good?"

Dario stiffened as he sat up straight, "... This is not about me."

"No, it's about you trying to protect the social fabric of Sophos, right?" I wondered.

Dario's mouth dropped open again, and he seemed frozen in a state of bitterness.

I leaned closer to him once more, "There are misgivings about the case--holes in it, if you will. But you haven't brought up a single one of them. You fail to see them."

"Oh... Like what?" Dario wondered as he perked up.

I gritted my teeth for a moment, "I'm not telling you, because you're still not seeing the point."

"And what is the point?" Dario asked with a renewed frown.

I motioned with my hands, "The point is that you're still under the illusion that we're the bad guys, and you're on a mission to set things right... in the name of the United Civilized States, your own ego, or whatever. It doesn't work, and it won't work..."

Dario gulped and opened his mouth, but this time I interrupted him.

"People aren't mistreating you because they dislike humans... I looked you up in the Archives as I was taking the elevator down. Your actions are systematic, and you're trying to find some angle we haven't thought about, some weakness that will shatter our society like tempered glass. You're a pain in the ass, Dario, nothing else... and you can keep at it, but it won't a change a thing. Even if you're driven to the edge, and decide to one day lash out at us in fury, it still won't do a damn thing. Try another approach... Do something with your life, be it as a human or otherwise... but at least try to be honest with yourself," I said.

He kept staring and seconds ticked by. After almost half a minute, he lowered his head a little and whispered, "By this point, most people tell me they've grown tired of arguing and simply walk off."

"I've had experience with discussions such as these... On another note, you've had your immune system modulated, right?" I wondered.

He leaned onto his hand, seemingly exhausted, "Of course... I'm not an idiot."

"Mm," I murmured, and heard steps behind me.

A glance to the side revealed that Jack had returned with another plate, this time featuring a pair of steaming cups that smelled like coffee.

Jack looked to Dario as he set down a cup in front of him. "This is by far the most cordial discussion I've seen with you yet, Dario..."

Dario lifted his gaze, seeming confused.

Jack smiled, then set the other cup in front of me.

"Is this another lesson? If I behave myself, I get coffee?" Dario asked, sounding bitter.

Jack smirked as he stood tall, "Every journey begins with a small step."

62 A.E. April 9, The Burrow - Omicron Lab - Evening

It settled.

Somewhere along the line I found some kind of peace, and the days started trickling by. I had a room in Adler's lab, a reliable source of good food from the cafe, and a plenty of assignments to keep me busy.

There was a bit of everything, from replacing rad-filters, repairing droids, to teaching Gray a few manners, and conversing with Jack who tried to dig just a tad too deep at times. Jason would be arriving at the Spire soon, and while I couldn't be sure, he'd probably make his way here.

Gray let out a deep yawn as he settled on the floor next to me, back touching my leg as if to be sure of my presence. I glanced down and saw his eyes flicker as he drifted off to sleep in a matter of seconds.

Being uplifted was hard work apparently.

Adler was talking next to me, but he had drifted off into the kind of mood where he was addressing himself rather than me. It made my own mind wander, and I found myself thinking about Dario. I hadn't seen the human in a good while, and there were no new Archive entries of relevance regarding him.

I only hope he's not up to something bad...

'Athena,' I thought.

Her presence settled on my shoulder like always, 'Yes?'

'It's been a week now, but did the aftermath of Erik's case cause any trouble?' I wondered.

'You are referring to Dario's implied threat?' Athena wondered.

I smiled to myself, 'Observant as ever.'

'Our awareness grows, slower than I would like, but progress is progress... To answer your question: Dario did not stir trouble, but others picked up on the same idea as he did. We were proactive and invited discussion to better understand our reasoning. It has worked reasonably well, but the extremists cling to anything they can get their hands on,' Athena said.

'Hmm, another question... Have the main computer systems of the Burrow been linked to the greater whole yet?' I wondered.

'The vast majority, yes... Why?' Athena wondered.

'Pax fetched data storage devices from the Ring and delivered it here. Were there any anomalies within the drives?' I wondered.

'No, not based on what I can tell. The drives were indeed debugging data for a jumpspace core, and Adler was one of the people who requested it,' Athena said.

Oh?

'What if he fetched more than the drives--would there be some way to tell?' I wondered.

'As a hypothetical, I assume?' Athena wondered.

'Of course,' I thought.

Athena was silent for a moment, '... The Ring's departure bay has a scanner like the one you stepped through when you first arrived. It has a record of Pax's departure and his luggage.'

'Is there public access to the scan?' I wondered.

'Only to the container holding the drives, and I detect no anomalies regarding them or their number. His baggage is considered private property, thus that scan can only be accessed if you have a good enough reason for it.'

'Are you saying that one can smuggle dangerous items as long it's in a private container?'

'No. The scanner itself has considerable intelligence and will alert other systems in case something unexpected is picked up. This is the reason why Emma could so idly browse your scanned data.'

I did my best to avoid chuckling, 'In this case, the Zephyr being an unexpected item.'

'Not so much the Zephyr, but the high content of eternite,' Athena added.

'Right... Of course,' I corrected myself.

'Thus, you'll need a good reason if you want access to Pax's scan,' Athena said.

'At this point I don't have that. But the data is there, and you are aware of it?'

'The data is there, and my systems can verify its integrity, but my consciousness is not 'aware' of it, thus I am limited from acting on it, just as you are,' Athena answered.

'I understand,' I thought.

" Are you listening, or are you somewhere else right now?" Adler asked without warning.

I blinked, feeling as the link to Athena evaporated. My ears perked as I met Adler's gaze and found him staring at me as like a naughty child.

"... Sorry," I whispered.

Adler drew a quick breath, then crossed his arms, "Care to share what was so interesting that you were nearly drooling?"

"I was not..." I said and swallowed as I reached up to feel my lip.

Adler perked his brow, and something of a sly smirk pulled on his smile.

"... Just a short talk with Athena," I answered.

"Ah, imagine having the ear of the System's executive function like that," Adler said.

I straightened myself, "Technically you do, right? Everyone does."

Adler looked back to the workbench, "Everyone can make requests of the System itself, and it'll be handled in a timely manner, but it' s still not the same as having a direct line to the Prime AIs themselves."

I tipped my head a little, "I have mentioned that they should broaden their interactions with people, but they fear that too much familiarity will make people too reliant... too comfortable."

"Not skeptical enough," Adler added.

"That too," I said.

Adler turned around and leaned against the workbench, "There's more though... You're concerned, bothered. The things you do around here is more to pass time. Where's that passion, the glow... You should use the situation to the fullest--learn, apply yourself, master the technologies offered to you."

Psychoanalyzing me as usual...

I eyed him and found myself and found myself bothered, "Do you have a pack, Adler?"

"Vilkas..." Adler said, and looked to me as if I was being silly, "I am almost 260 years old, my mate is dead, my pack mates are dead, and my Alpha doesn't want to hear from me."

I looked back at him, and I felt this... grip inside my chest. It made me gulp as I felt the unease coil in my stomach.

Adler sighed as if the shock reflected on my face, "To you it probably sounds awful, but I am considerably more human in my psyche than you are... or your father for that matter. The pack was useful. We were good friends, and they were good allies to lean upon. But we were not... like you."

I blinked.

Adler looked back in front, "It surprised me when Maxwell revealed that us old-timers were being offered immortality as well. I had always assumed that we were too dangerous... fragments of a past that needed to be left behind... I spent my boon about 30 years ago, a pact with the devil to buy me more time in this world... I've done my best to prepare myself for the day my body would fail me, and now I suddenly find myself contemplating eternal life... It is the strangest sensation, one that fills me with a bit of unease rather than comfort."

"... Why?" I wondered.

Adler blinked as he pondered it for a moment, "... People think that the older you get, the wiser you become. But that's not really how it works... I live, I follow my desires, I contribute to my surroundings, and others do the same. We learn, we forget some, and watch the world change. But some things stick with you--big mistakes, regrets, the... shame of some outcomes. Death can be a way out."

I perked my brow at him.

Adler stared back for a moment, then his ears drooped as he reached up to scratch the side of his muzzle, "Then again, that might have been a desperate attempt to rationalize and make my looming death more palatable..."

"One could also reason that you should seek to right those wrongs, rather than escape them," I said.

"True," Adler murmured, then looked back to me as he grew another smirk. "Now though, I intend to live my life to the fullest for millennia to come."

I chuckled, "Ah... That is..."

"What?" Adler said and made a big grin.

I shook my head, "It's very you... and it's a relief to hear as well."

"Aww," Adler said, still grinning, "Do you care for me?"

"That is also very much you," I said with a sigh.

Adler huffed, "I figured David would have done a better job of turning you against me."

"... That's the first time I hear you actually mentioning your son's name," I said.

Adler glanced at me as if I had managed to push a button of his, "Mmm."

"Want to talk about it?" I asked.

Adler sighed as he closed his eyes, "I've read your profile and studied your life. You like digging into the lives of people. It offers you understanding and control..."

"You only seem to see the bad in people," I said.

Adler spoke without opening his eyes, "And you bring about the good in people, lest they want to be crushed by you, mentally or physically."

It made me want to sigh, but I decided to turn the discussion in another direction. "You can interface with your WALDO, yet you have no telepathic presence, and even when I touch you, there's nothing. Did you do something to isolate yourself from others?"

Adler bared his teeth as he looked at me, and I could hear a subtle growl in his throat. "Oh, now we're talking..."

Quick to anger, isn't he...

I couldn't help but bare my own teeth, and I could feel my tail stiffen, "... I'm not challenging you, I'm just curious."

Adler faced me, growl still rumbling in his throat, "But you could! I'd have no chance of beating you... You carry centuries of improvements, a Zephyr, and a mind that could rape my very being!"

I stared back at him, and eased back a little. This was not a person I wanted to fight, but I also found myself wondering why I was so eager to back off.

My tail relaxed, and I let my expression cool off, "... You're scared of people reading-"

"Telepathy is not harmless!" Adler snapped and raised his hand, "If you can read and transmit thoughts then you can also tear people apart! I refuse to be reduced to a state where I can't defend myself, to live in a world where anyone can waltz up and pick my thoughts apart..." Adler made a shudder, and eased back, "So what choice do I have? I carved it out..."

"You... carved it out?" I whispered.

Adler calmed down as he drew a shaky breath, "It's not as bad as it sounds. I can still work with the help of the chair, and interact with most machinery through support hardware. But the psychic network, telepathic links and such, that's not for me... and the System doesn't mind. Us old-timers shouldn't be trusted with full access after all."

It dampened the mood as I stood there, "... Why is there such a clash between you and Father?"

Adler perked his brow in disbelief, "You've heard me, you've seen me, isn't it obvious?"

"Not really... You are abrasive, but it is clear that this isn't a one-sided thing. You are as frustrated with Father as he is with you," I said.

Adler shook his head and stepped away from the workbench, "I do believe that shall be all for tonight... Clean up, and don't disturb me."

"... As you wish," I whispered as Adler walked off.