Inside the craft, Onkodis came to amid screaming klaxons and flashing warning lights. Surprised that the Tromeri destroyer that had pursued them hadn’t succeeded, they started freeing themselves from what was left of the ship to search for Astri and Prostasio — a high-value courier and their bodyguard that they were escorting to run some final testing checks on a new engine prototype at one of the far-flung prison colonies. Bumping into the ceiling brought back memories of fighting to take something bigger than the tiny, rusted, and outdated transport they’d all crammed into, regardless of how often Astri had assured them it wasn’t necessary — this mission was short, covert, and classified to the point that only two officers from the Praktorei headquarters knew where they were even going.
Onkodis hadn’t been informed of what the testing would entail, though they could guess that it was something that the massive destroyer wanted to keep them from completing, having intercepted and chased them out of Kynaetirian space before they’d left the upper exosphere. They tried opening some of the onboard hailing frequencies and star charts that weren’t offline while picking their way out of the crushed rear of the craft. Nothing. At least their quick once-over for personal damage came back clean.
They ducked to move through the craft, cursing at the low hanging debris that hung and flickered in their face. Pushing a beam out of the way, Astri’s comments right before the crash came back to them — something about a wormhole? They weren’t sure if they were even near Kynaetir — not that the shattered view ports would give them anything other than a spill of dark soil. The crash hadn’t done the ship any favours, but they were grateful for the robust construction all the same.
Onkodis paused at the one junction in the ship. They could open the airlock and try to ascertain their position, even if that meant defending themselves from whatever was scrabbling around on the other side. Or, they could investigate the unnerving silence from the cockpit.
—||—
The escape hatch released a burst of pent up steam, leaving Hannah to scramble as the door launched itself across the crater and embedded into the charred earth with a reverberating clang. Onkodis lifted themselves out of the craft, adjusting their optics to the bright sky. They straightened and started to work the stiffness out of their limbs and torso, towering over the craft as the sun played along the deep scratches and scuffs of their maroon and bronze armour.
Turning to start assessing the craft, Onkodis balked at the sight — the entire front of the ship had crushed on impact. From what they knew, Astri and Prostasio should have survived but the sooner they were freed the better. For Onkodis, at least.
While they were trying to figure out the best way to extract their companions, a cheery alien voice spooked Onkodis into activating their emergency sub-routines. Meeting Hannah’s “hello!” with the high-pitched whine of a huge energy cannon that had once been the alien’s arm.
The pair stared at each other for an awkward minute — Onkodis waited for the small rock creature to attack and the longer it stood there offering them a meek wave and unwavering smile, the more the cannon twitched. Kynaetir had been at war with itself and the surrounding worlds for so long their reactions were all automatic sub-routines at this point but they weren’t about to start an intergalactic incident because they couldn’t control themselves on a friendly world.
Onkodis relaxed and recalled the cannon, shaking it back out into a functioning hand. Towering a good two feet over the creature, there was little chance this thing would pose a threat against their armour and weapons — even with a homeworld advantage and the tough composition their sensors could make out.
Hannah’s smile widened as the visitor’s shoulders relaxed and she took the opportunity to call over her shoulder for Trunk to join them. She looked back to the visitor and started to mime what she needed from it, pointing to Onkodis then to ground. “I need you to stay here, all right? You’re safe.”
They stared at her for a long second, mimicking the way the creature bobbed its head and relaxing further at the pleased response. Onkodis watched it scramble back up the side of the crater, leaving them to contemplate the cooling wreck.
She returned a few moments later, skidding down the loose debris with surprising ease and excitedly motioning for Onkodis to hold out a hand. Scepticism was overruled by the creature’s infectious enthusiasm and they reached out to Hannah. She presented them with a dark red jewel cut with inscriptions and odd facets on a thick cord, pressing it into Onkodis’ hand and closing their fingers around it.
“Can you understand me? My name is Hannah.”
“I- I can.” Onkodis startled as the lyric burbling became clear. They looked from the small piece of chromium-laced stone to Hannah. “What is this?”
“It’s a jewel known as The Tongue of Babel.” Hannah’s nerves turned into quiet giggles. “I’m so glad that it’s working. You can wear it, if you like.”
Onkodis slipped the jewel around his neck, tucking it into their armour. The softness and warmth of the stone surprised them, but remained neutral to keep from giving anything away. If this was ‘normal’ here, so be it.
“So, welcome to Earth. Or I guess a crater on Earth.” Hannah motioned to the crater around them, looking up at Onkodis with a proud smile that faltered only for a moment. “Um- what’s your name?”
“My designation is Onkodis.”
They shook off the way Hannah’s easy demeanour relaxed them and motioned back to the craft. “Also, I don’t mean to be rude — my companions are still inside our ship and I would like to get them out before they go offline. Do you know someone that could help me?”
Hannah offered him a blank stare for a moment before brightening and climbing up onto the craft, coming up to eye level with Onkodis. “I can! Do you mind if I destroy your ship to get a better look inside?”
“I don’t know if that’s possible.” Onkodis’ optics dimmed as they re-scanned Hannah for augmentation. “No offence. It’s an interstellar craft, and you’re-”
Hannah ignored Onkodis with a blissful smile, proceeding to dig her claws into the hull of the craft and peeling back the shielding.
“Disregard that.” Onkodis’ optics brightened, watching her push back the hull, moving it out of the way to reveal the cockpit of the craft. “Thank you for the assistance.”
Peering inside, Onkodis noted a green and black limb protruding from beneath the navigator’s seat and motioned for Hannah to investigate. She found purchase and rocked the seat out of its connectors, pulling it out of the ship with some delicacy. Onkodis discarded it with little thought as the rest of Prostasio came into view, the bodyguard twitching while electrical pulses danced across the surface of their armour. Flickering snaps of light concentrated around the area where their left leg disappeared under the damaged console Onkodis glanced over Hannah’s shoulder, recoiling at the sight.
“That’s not good.”
“We should still be able to help.” Hannah detached some of the other panels and pushed the console out of the way, revealing that the bodyguard’s leg had sheared off in the crash. Fluid pooled around the site, making Onkodis turn their head away.
“If you have metalworking facilities, perhaps.” Onkodis tried to ignore the sight while Hannah worked Prostasio free of the wreckage.
Prostasio seemed to come around as they were freed from the wreck, attempting to focus on Onkodis long enough to murmur something to them before their optics went dim again.
Hannah stood on tip-toe within the wreck to look up at Onkodis. “What did he say?”
“Our commander is still inside.” Onkodis jerked their chin towards the other side of the cockpit. As they found some nearby wreckage that appeared stable and even to lay Prostasio on, Hannah ducked back inside with a muffled holler.
They abandoned their companion and returned to the craft, crouching down in the hatch opening and craning their neck to get a better view. “Is there a problem?”
“Not a problem-” Hannah sat back on her heels at the base of the navigation console, having torn it open. “Good news, I found them. Bad news, all I can seem to find is their head-” She adjusted herself in the mess of wires and panelling, “and whatever this is.”
Hannah sat back, extracting an almost intact sleek blue helm with a silver head inside. An intricate dangling cluster of machines and wires dangled from what had been their neck. Onkodis looked from the tangle in Hannah’s lap to the console — streaks of red and black merged with the instrument panel — there was nothing left. They started murmuring to themselves — Hannah managed to pick out ‘oh, sweet creator’ and ‘this can’t be happening’ while she gathered her skirts around the parts and climbed out of the ship. She found a good place to perch on the ship’s roof, looking out over the chaos for the familiar glint of brass corners. Spotting her quarry, Hannah cupped a hand beside her mouth.
“Trunk! Get over here!”
The leather and brass animus turned from where it had been ‘helping’ Axel sort medical supplies and dumped its load of bandages on the dragon’s foot. In the wake of Axel’s loud complaints, Trunk loped over to the crater and skidded down the side, almost catching itself on a large rock that set it into a spin.
“What is that?” Onkodis recoiled at the sight of the animus, spooking when it flopped its lid open and snuggled up against Hannah’s legs.
“This is Trunk!” Hannah glanced up at Onkodis while she rummaged around to make space for Astri’s remains. “It’s an enchanted steamer trunk we use to carry important things. Your commander is important, no?”
“Well, yes. I don’t-” Onkodis cut himself off. Kynaetir was the most advanced planet in the known universe — to them, at least.
The more they thought about Hannah’s flippant attitude to their situation, how she was confident that all their problems would disappear with a snap of her fingers, the more their systems overheated. Onkodis ignored Hannah’s chatter, wondering if they’d had a processor burn out or had sustained damage in the craft that was just now starting to catch up to them.
“I’m sure we can do something.”
Hannah laid a hand on top of Onkodis’, their involuntary twitch going unnoticed as she marvelled over the size of their hands. “My mistress knows good people.”
Onkodis pulled away from her and gently scooped Astri’s head out of Trunk. “They can be as ‘good’ as they like. I have doubts about your planet’s technology to bring my commander back online.”
[Onkodis, is that you?]
They spooked at the voice that reverberated through their head, looking around for the source. Looking down at the disembodied head, they offered a small “yes?”
[Great! Give me a hand, would you?]
“A hand?” Onkodis stared at the lifeless head. “What are you talking about?”
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
[Pick me up. I’m not ready for the salvage yard quite yet, my friend.]
“There isn’t much left to pick up, I’m afraid.” Onkodis’ voice clouded. “All we found was your head and the prototype engine column.”
[Perfect!]
Astri’s laugh echoed through Onkodis’ head.
[Those are the only parts designed to be bounced off a star, so you’ve got everything you’re going to find. It would be nice if my hands turned up, but it’s not like this is the first time I lost them.]
“I’ve glitched.” Onkodis stared off into the distance. They turned Astri’s head upside down, checking to see if a loose wire had gotten inside their armour.
[Please don’t do that.]
“My apologies.” Onkodis righted Astri’s head to peer into the commander’s darkened optics, searching for any signs of life. “I’m unsure how you plan on coming back online. This planet seems primitive — I think — and I’m not trained in repairs.”
[Where’s Prostasio? They’re my field medic.]
“One of their legs sheared off in the crash. If my scans are correct, they’re also stuck in a boot cycle.” Onkodis turned to show Astri’s head where their bodyguard lay.
[I appreciate the gesture, but I can’t see. My external systems are offline.]
Onkodis paused. “Right. Sorry.”
[It’s a non-issue. I can walk you through bringing Prostasio back online — the Interceptor units won’t go down for anything less than complete destruction. This is just a partial stasis. There should be a toggle on the back of their head to reset the connection- hm. I’m not sure if their on-board defences are online, though. That could be an issue.]
“What do you mean ‘could be an issue’?” Onkodis paused mid-step on the way to follow Astri’s instructions. Facing down a black ops unit wasn’t something they wanted to add to their list of the day’s new experiences.
[There’s a good chance they’ll discharge whatever energy is still in their system. I don’t think you have that much shielding.]
“Affirmative.” Onkodis had seen a lot of action on Kynaetir and taken a substantial amount of damage over his life-cycle. The Interceptors, on the other hand, had top secret and confidential schematics — no one knew of the full extent of their capabilities.
[I have a theory — the one that pulled me out of the ship. Can you call them over?]
“Of course.” Onkodis turned to lean into the ship, looking for wherever Hannah had darted off to inside the wreck. “Hannah?”
Hannah pulled herself out of the hole she’d created in the roof, now covered in soot with a large streak of grease across her cheek. “Is everything okay?”
“Not intolerable, all things considered.” Onkodis suppressed a laugh. “It seems that I have managed to make contact with my commander- somehow, so I- we have some questions for you.”
“I wondered why you were talking to yourself.” Hannah pushed herself up out of the wreck and sat on the edge of the roof, brushing her hands off on her skirts. “I’ll try my best to help.”
Onkodis paused for a moment, contemplating Astri’s head. “When you picked Astri up that first time, she tried to make contact with you like this and nothing happened. Are you made out of non-conductive materials?”
Hannah broke out into a wide smile. “Yes! I’m a stone golem.”
“What happens if you come in contact with any kind of electricity?”
“Like lightning? Nothing. It just passes through me into the ground.” Hannah regarded Onkodis with a modicum of suspicion. “Why?”
“If we are correct, our friend over there is operational — they only need to be reset.” Onkodis broke Hannah’s gaze for a moment, glancing over at Prostasio. “I would do it, however, their personal defences will electrocute anyone that touches them if they are online. I lack the appropriate shielding to complete the task.”
“Oh.” Hannah looked down at Prostasio for a long moment before offering Onkodis another wide smile. “I can do that. Lucky for you, I’ve survived a lightning strike before. Twice, come to think of it. I should be fine.”
Hannah jumped down from the craft and crossed the crater to kneel down by Prostasio. Onkodis settled down nearby with Astri in their lap.
“Does their helmet come off?”
“There should be clips behind their mandible.” Onkodis motioned to the spot on his own helmet.
Hannah felt along the seam under Prostasio’s chin until she hit small clasps that lay flush with the other panels. Flicking them open and prying off the helmet, she startled at the handsome, sculpted features that made the metal’s angles appear soft. Darker sections within their design suggested a Caesar-esque hairstyle and five o’clock shadow. She glanced at Onkodis out of the corner of her eye, wondering if something similar lay under their imposing helm. Setting the helmet aside, Hannah slid her hand along the back of their head until she came across a squishy button set flush with the nape of their neck. She pressed the button with some hesitation, waiting for the electric surge. When the rude greeting she’d expected never came, she let out a sigh of relief at the echo of soft beeps and the spin of internal fans.
As Hannah started to make a quip, Prostasio’s bright green optics flared to life and they grabbed Hannah’s arm. She moved to defend herself, pausing when their optics flickered for a moment and a warning sounded, eliciting a concerned murmur from Onkodis.
Prostasio tried to focus on Onkodis, refusing to let go of Hannah as they started vocalizing in their native tongue.
“There should be another Tongue in Trunk’s lid.” Hannah motioned to the animus with her free hand.
Onkodis pulled the jewel out of their armour, examining it against the collection of precious stones and metal tablets set into the velvet-lined depressions of Trunk’s lid. Finding a duplicate, they balanced Astri in their lap long enough to pry it out. Hannah accepted it and looped the cord around Prostasio’s neck.
“You are among allies. Also, please let go of Hannah. She’s trying to help you.” Onkodis tried to get Prostasio’s attention.
Prostasio jerked their hand away from Hannah, murmuring what became an apology as they tried to block out the sun and get their bearings. “Sweet creator, it is way too bright out here. What planet is this?”
“We call it Earth.” Hannah retrieved Prostasio’s helmet and placed it in their lap.
“Earth?” Prostasio locked their helmet back in place, tagging a small button on the side and darkening the visor to their satisfaction. “Never heard of it.”
“Well, I’m glad that you’re alright.” Hannah gave them a pat on the shoulder as she rose.
“I would consider that relative to the situation.” Prostasio attempted to follow her, bending the knee on their missing leg and finding that it would not give them purchase or leverage. “Where is my leg?”
“Still inside the crash, I’m afraid.” Hannah motioned to the ship. “I haven’t been able to find it so far.”
“Crash?” Prostasio stiffened. “How bad is it?”
“Well,” Hannah glanced up at Onkodis, who offered her a shrug. “You took out a pretty large building and the crater we’re sitting in is three times the size of your ship. I suppose you got lucky — this area has a lot of superstition around it, so it's abandoned.”
“Lucky. If you insist.” Prostasio leaned back. “What about my commander? Did you find anyone else in the crash?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this-” Hannah wrung her hands in her skirt.
“Did you find their head?”
“Yes?”
“What about the engine column?”
“It’s attached.” Hannah stared at him. “You seem very calm about this.”
“Well you’ve found everything you’re going to and it’s enough to repair them.” Prostasio offered her an oversized shrug. “This is nothing to worry about, in the grand scheme of things.”
“So Astri’s spoken inside your head before?” Onkodis perked up.
Prostasio paused, turning towards the sound of Onkodis’ voice. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Hannah pulled them out of the wreck, I picked them up- and the next thing I know Astri is talking inside my processor.” Onkodis looked down at Astri, murmuring “can Prostasio hear you?”
[Sorry, Onkodis. I haven’t made contact with them yet.]
“Can you hand Astri to me?” Prostasio managed to sit up, tucking their bad leg underneath themselves for balance. “The engine should get disengaged before something stupid happens to it.”
“We barely survived slamming face first into a planet.” Onkodis handed over the engine column and Astri’s head, reaching out to guide Prostasio’s hand.
“Doesn’t mean that one of us can’t drop them or something.” Prostasio started decoupling the engine from Astri’s head, feeling around the base of the helm to get their bearings.
[I’m so sorry about all this.]
Prostasio paused for a moment, trying to hide their emotional response from Hannah and Onkodis. “It’s fine.”
Hannah crouched down to watch Prostasio’s face while their hands moved with a confidence and skill that belied their thousand yard stare. “Are you sure you can’t see?”
“I’m having issues processing visible light at the moment, which is annoying to say the least,” Prostasio gave Hannah a little side nod. “However, I did help Astri create these engines, so I’d better know my way around them.”
“Are you sure the commander will survive without an engine attached?” Onkodis grew quiet and Hannah scooted over to tuck herself next to their massive form as Prostasio kept working.
“Astri was designed to exist separate from their shell.” Prostasio shrugged. “The engine is a prototype that they were testing for augmentation for the rest of us. They wanted to see if it could run on nothing anyway, so being on this planet isn’t a total negative.”
Onkodis perked up to ask what Prostasio meant, cut short when they offered up the engine column. “Hannah? Do you have something to carry this in?”
“Oh, we have Trunk.” Hannah turned to whistle at the animus, calling it back down from where it was trying and failing to amble up the side of the crater.
“Trunk? What kind of designation is that?” Prostasio asked, making a small noise of annoyance as the animus scrambled back to Hannah’s side and flopped its lid open.
“It’s a walking steamer trunk.” Hannah held back a laugh, nestling the engine among the other parts that she’d salvaged from the wreck. “He’s very helpful.”
“Interesting.” Prostasio nodded. They tucked Astri’s head into the trunk, pausing as they contemplated a great many things. “Onkodis, I don’t know about you- I don’t remember getting any updates to my language database. How are we communicating with an undiscovered species?”
Hannah giggled and took Prostasio’s free hand, placing it over the jewel that hung around their neck. “This is an enchanted jewel called the Tongue of Babel that can translate any language. It’s magic.”
Onkodis realized they hadn’t noticed any straps or cords around the golem’s neck as they investigated their own jewel. “Hannah, are you wearing one?”
“Oh, I’m built out of all sorts of interesting things..” Hannah tapped her sternum. “My mistress-”
“Hannah? There you are!” Felicia crested the crater, followed by Axel. She paused to take in the scene before offering a deadpan “did you follow any of the protocols?”
Hannah hesitated as her eyes widened and she shrunk back. “I forgot.”
Felicia’s smile faltered for a moment as she stepped into the crater, murmuring ‘and that’s why you’re not allowed outside.’ She made her way down the dusty incline, leaving no footprints in the unsettled earth. “That’s fine, love. If your friends have everything they need, let’s head back to the manor.”
Hannah rose, dusting off her skirts. “Prostasio’s leg is still inside the crash. I’ll go look for it.”
Felicia thanked her with a slight incline of her head and turned to the crew. “Let me guess; you know this planet is called Earth, her name is Hannah, and she’s given you both a Tongue of Babel so you can communicate with her.”
“That’s correct.” Prostasio looked up at the sound of the voice. “You’re her superior?”
“You could say that.” Felicia glanced over at the craft. “Please call me Felicia. I represent an organization known as Supernatural Control. We are — by and large — a neutral, unaffiliated assembly that operates unknown to any of this planet’s governments. Our main goal is to keep the world safe from itself by any means necessary.”
“Are you military or civilian?” Onkodis asked.
“Neither? Both?” Felicia laughed. “We’re friendly, either way.”
Prostasio looked up at Felicia, curious that she was clearly visible among her blurry, blown out surroundings. “Have you encountered anything like us before? Because you have all been very calm and this is getting a little disconcerting. Usually there’s more weapons and screaming.”
“Not exactly. I am the Director of Magical Activity. There’s a great many things I’ve seen over the years that defy understanding, but living metal has not been among them.” A wistful smile tugged at her mouth. “Needless to say, I am not afraid of you.”
“That’s all well and good,” Prostasio looked away, “but there’s no way you were the only one that saw us crash.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that.” Felicia patted them on the shoulder. “But you landed near my home, so I will be able to at least mitigate the impact your arrival had on the planetary zeitgeist.”
“What does that mean?” Onkodis asked.
“When the world wakes up, they will have no recollection of the crash. It keeps me safe as well.” Felicia pulled a small piece of chalk out of Trunk’s lid. She started drawing a complicated sigil on the side of the craft — mathematical equations and astronomy charts within stuck out to the visitors. Felicia laid her hand on the chalk symbol and closed her eyes, taking a long, deep breath. Snapping her hand closed into a fist when she exhaled, the chalk lit up and flaked away. A loud clang reverberated from inside the ship, echoed by Hannah’s sharp cry of pain.
“I found your leg!” Hannah emerged from the craft carrying Prostasio’s limb, nursing a spot on the back of her head. “Or rather, it found me.”
“Are you the only one of your kind on this planet?” Prostasio looked up at Felicia. What she’d done to free his limb had shown up on his sensors in colourful fractals that sought out the missing part with curious tendrils.
“Oh, I hope so.” Felicia chuckled under her breath. “But let’s get you somewhere safe and warm. I’ll be happy to answer more of your questions when we’re not sitting in a crater.”
“This isn’t the part where we blindly follow you and end up dissected and examined, is it?” Prostasio asked, placing Astri into Trunk with Hannah’s help. At the cold pause from the others, the bodyguard threw up their hands. “What? I’ve heard of this happening to another team! I’m only trying to be careful.”
“You have every right to be cautious.” Felicia closed Trunk. “The scientific community on this planet does tend to stuff everything in specimen jars and are still prescribing poisons as cure-alls. I doubt they’d even know what to do with you, if I’m being honest. However, I’ve already played God once or twice in my life, so I’m far more concerned with your health and well-being than what you’re made of.”
“You’ll like the manor,” Hannah tucked herself under Prostasio’s injured side. They hid their surprise at the easy way she supported their weight. “I’ve been there for over seven hundred years and no one has ever found it.”
“I found it.” Axel piped up from where he’d been laying nearby, keeping an eye on any stragglers that were wandering too close to the edge of the crater.
“You needed to.” Felicia tossed over her shoulder while she examined the loose escape hatch of the craft. “Anyone that has needed Blackwolf Manor since I built it ten thousand years ago has been able to find it.”
“That’s- not normal around here, is it?” Onkodis asked.
“Supernatural Control works exclusively with things that are ‘not normal’.” Felicia looked up at them and shook her head with a knowing smile. “Axel, would you be so kind?”
Axel rose, the large shadow he cast over the crater gaining Onkodis and Prostasio’s attention. Within a few steps he was close enough to flip the massive door over against the crater wall. Onkodis looked down at Hannah, who offered him a meek shrug and murmured that he was on their side and ‘relatively harmless’.
Felicia removed a gold skeleton key on a red ribbon from around her neck, inserting it into a small notch under the door’s handle. “The only thing I will request as I do my best to keep you safe is your compliance and composure during some of the- stranger moments.”
“The compliance, I understand.” Onkodis looked up at Felicia as they helped Hannah and Prostasio up the side of the crater. “What could be so strange about your planet that you openly ask us to remain calm?”
Felicia turned the key, unlocking the hatch and letting it swing open. Instead of colliding with the rubble of the crater wall, it opened completely to reveal the backyard of Blackwolf Manor — the sweet bird song and cool, fragrant breeze a sharp divergence from the acrid smoke and dust of the crash site. “Among other things- being able to put a key in any door and find yourself across the planet in a single step. After you, my friends.”