Death by Powerpoint. - Written on the side of a holocube containing 2.4 million digital slides going into the Mantid Attack on Terra Sol in excruciating detail, Mantid-Terra War Exihibt in the Museum of Terran History, Hivehome.

The cafeteria was full of the buzz of conversation. Light streamed in through the polycarbonate windows on two sides, illuminating the comfortable seating, the carpet, and over a hundred students sitting and eating, chatting, studying, or just relaxing. Over a third were using dataslates or datalinks to read information or watch videos. More than a few were playing a game on a holoslate, watched by others. The food was plentiful, a wide, varied menu catering to multiple species.

By one of the windows a set of eight small two year old green mantids were working on a robotics project while other members of the robotics club sat and watched with interest, privately taking bets on whether it would work or catch on fire like last time.

At one table sat a lone first year student. Taller than everyone else by a full head despite the fact he was a male, his shoulders were broader than most and he was heavily muscled. Even though it was a warm summer day he wore a long sleeved green and black flannel shirt over an OD green undershirt, long pants of thick material, heavy boots, and had a hat on the table. His face had an odd pattern of coloration in his fur and a thick scar could be seen along his jaw that the fur couldn't hide.

He was eating slowly, often pausing to look at his food, occasionally sniff it, while he read the textbook sitting in front of him regarding nanoforge template design and programming. It was a basic entry textbook, but it was still inches thick and provided a wealth of data.

The male had discovered that the book would remain on his shelf for the rest of his life if he chose to be a professional template programmer. The teacher of the course, a fifteen year old green mantid with a black stripe down his back that went by the name 2.G.7, had the same book the mantid had purchased on Mars when he was going to school.

The male had noticed that in every video of the office or work areas of template programmers, versions of the book could be seen on shelves.

He was studying the formula for element manufacture order when a shadow fell across the book and the table.

He set down the fork, putting his right hand in his lap as he grabbed the edge of the textbook with his left hand, even as he looked up.

Two females stood there, looking down at him, smiling. Both were tall, slim, and pretty. Their ears were dyed in pastel stripes, the current fashion, and they had crimson powder on their cheeks. Both had trays of food in their hands and satchels hanging from straps.

The male's eyes flicked over them. Armpit, forearm, stomach, waist, neck, back up to the tips of the ears.

"Hello," the one of the right said. The one on the left giggled as the one on the right kept talking. "Can we sit and eat with you?"

"Free world," the male said. His voice had a slight roughness to it that made both females' ears quiver slightly.

They sat down, both nudging each other slightly at the male's intent gaze, and how he quickly looked around the dining hall, his eyes pausing a moment on each exit.

"Rentwee Halmerton," the one on the right said. "You can call me Wee."

"Whimtar Muntikian," the one on the left said, giggling afterwards. "But you can call me Wimmy."

"Elurta Limberton," the male said. He sat silent for a moment. "What do you want?"

Both women giggled.

"To sit with you, silly," Rentwee answered.

Elu grunted, looking around quickly again for their backup.

"My little sister is in Contemporary History 125 with you," Rentwee smiled.

"Oh," Elu realized his hand was sliding up his own thigh toward his waist, where a knife used to ride and put both hands on the table, moving nice and slow as Rentwee kept talking.

"She told me something, something she noticed the day you got that teacher arrested," Rentwee asked.

Elu put his hand back under the table as the fur on the back of his neck raised up. He also glanced around real quick.

His bracelet beeped and he felt the cold trickle of medication sweeping up his arm.

"What's that?" Elu asked, blinking away the feeling that the two girls' backup would show up any second.

That's not how things work any more, he told himself, feeling the tension inside release slowly.

Whimtar pulled her dataslate out of her satchel and set it on the table. It powered up with the little chiming ditty that all Confederate manufactured computers used for some reason, showing an image.

"Oh, this," Whimtar giggled, tapping the hologram icon.

It was an image from the textbook. An ultrahigh definition 64K shot of several trucks on the side of a highway that had a wobbling red line painted down the middle and a woodline on the far side.

"It's woods and some trucks," Elu said.

Whimtar giggled again and used the pinch and open method to zoom in on part of the forest.

Elu saw it by the third pinch, but Whimtar made several more until that part of the woods were magnified in ultrahigh resolution to the point that the veins on the leaves of the bushes were visible.

As was the camouflaged shape kneeling down in the shadows, watching with cold dead eyes. A spear in one hand held at an angle with ferns attached by wrapping thin vines around the long wooden half. The shape had ferns attached, but the face was visible, a grav-ski mask pushed up.

The definition was clear enough to see the scabbed and stitched gash along the cheek.

The girls looked at the image and then at Elu.

The bracelet beeped once, a lower tone, just a warning.

"That's you," Whimtar said softly, then giggled.

Elu opened his mouth, considering denying it. Instead he closed his mouth and nodded.

Whimtar giggled and shut off the hologram.

"Were you a Red Tip?" Rentwee asked.

"No," Elu said, his voice flat, hard, and cold.

Rentwee nodded. She shook out her charm bracelet and touched one of the charms. A hologram came to life, only a few inches above the charm, only the size of an apple.

It showed a kindly faced older female Hesstlan waving at the camera.

"Do you recognize her?" Rentwee asked.

Elu shook his head.

"That was my Nan. My maternal grandmother, who raised me after my parents were killed during the first invasion," Rentwee said softly. She let go of the charm and the picture vanished. "She was on the surface. She was captured by reavers and taken to the Red Tip camp."

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Elu's bracelet beeped as he stared at the two females.

Whimtar touched her charm bracelet and a hologram spun up of a small family. Elu could tell that a younger Whimtar was part of it.

"My parents and my siblings," Whimtar said. The lack of a giggle was shocking. "I was in the school shelter. They weren't able to get to the shelter. I don't know what happened to them."

"We do know what happened to my Nan," Rentwee said. She leaned forward slightly. "You happened to her."

Elu's bracelet beeped again, but didn't inject him.

"If you're expecting me to say I'm sorry, you'll have a long wait," Elu said slowly.

Rentwee frowned, then suddenly straightened up. "Oh," she said softly. "No, no, you didn't kill her," she said. She shook her head. "My Nan was a slave farmer for the Blue Hand Gang. They went to near where the Red Tips were and stayed in a cabin."

Rentwee shook her head. "Whatever happened, my Nan won't say. But she said you walked her and five other prisoners to the edge of the road, smeared her face with blood, wrote 'LIVE' on the back of her smock in blood, and vanished. Said she was treated carefully by the Red Tips."

Elu closed his eyes and thought.

His bracelet beeped and he felt the cool tingling of the meds.

"I remember that night. Double full moon. Confed had cracked off a couple of atomics on the mountain ridge to the north so the snow was black. They were in two trucks. They were abusing the captives, talking about how they were going to take the lake, when my sister arrived," Elu opened his eyes.

Both females were leaning forward.

"I don't know you well enough to tell you what happened next," he said.

Both girls nodded.

"She wasn't the first prisoner we walked to the road," Elu shook his head. "You don't get to stay at the lake. Eventually," he closed his eyes and opened them when the bracelet beeped. "You'll try to take what we had and then you'd have to die. It was better to take them to the road and let them know to never come back."

Both girls leaned back, relaxing.

"And no, we didn't care if the Red Tips found them. That wasn't our problem. We always told them to go left, but a lot of them just went right and ran straight into the Red Tips," Elu shrugged. He picked up the fork, stabbed a vegetable slice, sniffed it, then ate it.

The girls just stared.

"So what did you want, aside from telling me that you know where I was," Elu asked after he swallowed.

"Was it true there was a monster living at the lake? My Nan said the Red Tips were terrified of a monster in the campground," Rentwee asked.

Elu nodded. "There was."

"Was it you?" Whimtar asked.

Elu shook his head. "Not always. Sometimes, in the last couple years. But, for the most part, no."

"Who was it? Did you ever see them?" Whimtar asked, leaning forward, her whiskers twitching with eagerness.

"I don't know you that well," Elu said.

"Come on, tell me, pleeeease?" Whimtar asked, batting her eyelashes.

"No," Elu said. He put his fork on the plate and shoved it to the side, into the reclamation circle.

"Pleeeeease?" Whimtar tried again.

"Wimmy, stop," Rentwee said.

"Come on, please?" Whimtar said.

Elu put his book in his satchel. "No."

He stood up, nodded to both of the young women. "Ladies," he said.

He ignored them calling out to him as he left the dining hall.

-----

Elu lowered his legs from where they were straight out in front of him even as he extended his arms out to full extension. He held the position, holding tight to the rings, the magnesium chalk on his hands giving him a sure grip, to the count of five, then smoothly changed position several more times, holding each position for a few seconds.

He was covered in sweat, his fur thick with it down his back, his whiskers trembling with effort as he lowered himself so his arms were extended, holding onto the rings, his body in a T-pose. He was breathing rapidly through his nose, his shoulders starting to ache, as he held it for the ten count.

The timer went off for the thirty minute workout.

At ten he lowered himself down slowly until his arms were at full extension and then let go of the rings, dropping to the mats.

He picked up the towel and moved off the mat, wiping down his arms and shoulders as he walked toward the benches to sit down.

Other students worked out on the other machines, the rings, or just jogged around the massive gymnasium.

Enough time had passed that the sight of his scarred body and twisting, swirling fur patterns didn't get any stares from those who usually were in the gym. Not even his size, a head again above even the females, broader than anyone else, got stares any longer.

Except for two sets of eyes.

"Shame you can't compete, Mister Limberton," Coach Angwarkrek said, sitting down and offering a sports drink to Elu.

"Anti-rad therapy gave me advantages. Wouldn't be fair," Elu said, taking the drink. He sipped at it and sighed, noticing that the drink tasted sweet. Normally it was tasteless unless he needed something the drink had, then it always tasted sweet, but not cloyingly sweet.

"No, no it wouldn't," the Rigellian female chuckled. She nodded toward the bleachers where two female Hesstlan sat, staring, like they had for almost three weeks. "Your fans are back."

"Don't know why," Elu said, not looking. "Wish they'd just go away."

The Rigellian female chuckled, shaking her head. She liked Elu, she understood Elu, but she knew there were things that the war had made it so that he didn't understand. She sat silent while Elu dried off and sipped at the sports drink.

"There goes one," she said. She shook her head. "Her lack of commitment disappoints me."

Elu didn't bother looking. He knew Whimtar would leave first, going back to her dorm, while Rentwee would watch him until he left for dinner, where she'd follow and stare at him.

"Wish they'd just go away," Elu said.

Angwarkrek chuckled again. "Sorry, Mister Limberton, but I don't think that's going to happen."

Elu sighed. "Why not?"

The Rigellian chuckled. "I could tell you, but that would spoil the surprise."

Elu just made a face. "I'm going to hit the freshers."

Angwarkrek nodded and watched Elu walk back to the locker room.

You, sir, are being hunted, she thought to herself, smiling.

Elu opened his locker, stripped off his shorts, and hung up his shorts and towel before heading to the showers. While some preferred the sonic cleaner, Elu had come to enjoy the water showers. He showered quickly, scrubbing soap into his fur then rinsing off. He dried off, took the time to comb his fur out, then got dressed in the same kind of clothing he wore every day.

The dining hall had plenty to eat and Elu got himself a full tray, moving over and sitting down at one of the tables that were furthest away from any groups. He ate slowly, looking around constantly, even when Rentwee came in and sat down a few seats away.

He noticed that, like every other day the last month, she sat there, playing with the steak knife, staring at him with intent eyes the entire time. She ate absently, picking at the meal, playing with the cutlery as she stared at him the entire time.

Elu had to admit, he was getting tired of it.

When he was in the library, one or both of the young women showed up. At the computer lab, one or both would show up. At the gym they would both show up. At lunch and breakfast they both showed up. Every time he turned around one of them, usually Rentwee, were staring at him.

Rentwee showed up every dinner, staring at him, playing with the cutlery. Sipping at her drink, waiting till he was done.

Annoyed, Elu finished eating and left, pushing open the doors and stepping into the night. The insects buzzed, some tapping on the lights at the edge of the path. The night was warm, a breeze full of the scent of the growing green things on campus.

Seeing Elu leave, Rentwee hurriedly dumped her dish into the reclamation circle on the table and hurried out after Elu. She could see him on the path heading to his dorm, his long legs carrying him steadily through the darkness.

She cut between two buildings, knowing it would catch her up to him, so she would only be a few paces behind him. He'd left quicker than she thought he would, and was walking faster than she had predicted he would after working out on the rings for so long.

Her dorm was on the other side of his, giving her a reason to be walking the same direction. Today she planned on passing him and letting him walk behind her. Her skirt swished around her legs as she moved quickly between the buildings, the insects the only sound aside from her shoes.

Coming out from between the two buildings, she came out on the path and took a quick left, cursing when she realized he must have sped up and gone around the corner. That would put him into the wooded park at the center of the campus, and the four times he'd beaten her to the park he'd just vanished. Twice he'd turned a corner before her, and when she'd come around the corner, he'd just been gone, even though she'd stood under the light and peered into the darkness of the wooded park.

Rentwee hurried up, frustrated that her plan to have Elu walk behind her had been messed with.

She wanted him to know she was there. She wanted him to see that she was everywhere he was.

She moved onto the path between the bushes and trees of the park, hurrying up.

One of the paths led to the back side of Elu's dorm and she turned up the narrow twisting path, lifting her skirt slightly and hurrying. Her skirt was a little tight across the back, but she hurried anyway, the stockings on her legs whispering. She was entirely focused on catching up as she passed underneath a light and into the darkness between that light and the next.

The shadow detached from the bush and stepped out behind her without her noticing.

One hand clamped over her mouth, the other grabbed her right wrist, pulling her arm out. A body was pressed against her, lifting her off the ground by putting a hip under her butt and straightening up, the arm pressed against her chest, the hand against her mouth, providing leverage. She struggled for a second and her assailant put her down, letting go of her mouth.

She turned around, getting ready to scream, and saw Elu staring down at her.

"I thought you had a knife," the big male said.

She shook her head.

"What do you want?" he asked her, her voice almost plaintive.

Elu's eyes opened wide as Rentwee grabbed one of his ears, pulling his head down. He went with the motion, grabbing her wrists to make sure she didn't stab him with a blade he had missed.

His eyes opened wider as she stood up on her tiptoes.

And kissed him.