The large ship seemed to inch closer. Allison was confused at first. It seemed like it might be her grandfather’s ship, it was large enough, but it would never be maneuvering without at least a few of her escorts. She started running through the possible scenarios. She finally landed on pirates. She groaned and ran her finger along the seam of her armor. She looked at the dead Qual’sa pistol with a sigh. Vibro knife it was. At least her armor had somehow managed to recharge itself. Bit asked.

“What does it look like?”

Allison squinted. She couldn’t make out much at the distance while in interstellar space. It wasn’t like there was light shining here from a star, and she hadn’t bothered to activate her own fighter’s running lights. Once it was almost on top of them, she started shaking her head.

“No way, no flipping way, it’s a Silwrath battle cruiser!”

She let loose a string of Swahili curse words. There wasn’t much she could do besides hope they didn’t see her. She turned off the beacon and cut power too everything. Even life support. Though at this point interrogation by dragon men seemed slightly preferable to starving. Die a slow lingering death or fight a bunch of Silwrath and try to steal one of their ships. She had all the data the System’s Alliance had on them. She could fly their ships and use their weapons… If the Dark Mother could commandeer a flag ship, why couldn’t she commandeer an FTL transport?

“Screw it.”

She activated her distress beacon and turned on her running lights. The Silwrath battle cruiser came to a stop. She saw fighters launch. They did a pass and ran over the fighter with spotlights. When they came back, they had a larger utility craft with them. It locked onto Bit with a tractor beam. Her fighter was dragged onto a hanger bay. She and Oozie fell to the cockpit floor as the artificial gravity of the battle cruiser started to affect them. She closed her eyes and tried to vamp out. All she managed to do was feel like she was about to pass wind.

“Thanks for nothing… guess I’ll just fight off an army of plasma-breathing dragon people with my armor and a vibro knife.”

Allison pressed her hand against the panel to open the cockpit and then crouched down with her vibro knife in a backhanded grip. Oozie was snarling beside her when a female blue scaled Silwrath in a white coat and with a hand scanner appeared after climbing up some stairs. All Alliance personnel had the Silwrath translation matrix. The surprised Silwrath’s response to the feral looking human teenager and angry Oozie was.

“Oh, dear. Are you alright child?”

Alison blinked a few times. She was expecting Silwrath shock troopers armed to the teeth ready to kill the xeno. Not a… medical tech? Allison waved her dagger at the medical tech and spoke in Silwrath via her translator.

“I’ll die fighting before I let you torture and kill me. I just killed an entire planet of Sal’nash, I’m not going to let you lot get me.”

The Silwrath seemed very confused.

“No one will harm you, child. We detected your emergency beacon and are here to render aid. Please put the weapon away.”

Allison waved the vibro knife.

“You think I believe you? You’re xenophobic monsters bent on galactic conquest through systematic genocide!”

The tech backed away with her hands up.

“Perhaps you’ve been alone too long.”

Allison kept crouched down. She’d use the fighter for cover as long as she could. Another Silwrath came up. Another female. This one had purple scales. Allison knew that meant she was likely from a high-ranking caste. Command staff or army command. Allison was at least two feet shorter than the shortest adult Silwrath which made her less than intimidating to them. This one held up her hands, though she was armed.

“Little one, put down your weapon. I have no wish to harm you.”

Allison slid the vibro knife into a sheath the armor formed. She stood up and lunged for the Silwrath’s pistol.

“Good!”

The Silwrath tried to grab her wrist. Allison used a basic hand to hand counter and shoved her arm down. Then leapt past her and grabbed the edge of her fighter’s cockpit finally landing on her feet. Another Silwrath with purple tinged scales lunged at her she weaved to the side. Now that she was actively engaged in what she believed was a life and death struggle she vamped out. The Silwrath hit her with several stunners but her armor shielded her. In the end it took eight of them to hold her down. Her armor was fully depleted, and Allison had a black eye. She hadn’t managed to get a shot off. She’d be thankful for that later. The medical tech knocked her out with a sedative.

When Allison woke up, she was in a cell behind a shimmering force barrier. Oozie was licking her face. Allison pushed her away.

“Enough, Oozie, enough.”

There was food and water in metal dishes on the floor. Allison gingerly poked at the corner of her lip where she’d been punched. She was still in her armor, she still had her contacts and her holo-phone. Her vibro knife and her utility belt were missing.

Allison heard armored boots clanking against the metal deck a few minutes after she woke up. It was the same purple Silwrath woman she’d stolen the pistol from. She flexed her wings and crossed her arms and looked down at Allison with her two yellow dragon eyes.

“Ah, she’s awake. I cannot remember the last time it took seven of my soldiers to hold anyone down. You are an interesting little thing aren’t you.”

Allison shrugged.

“I suppose this is the part where you torture me to find out where my homeworld is so you can go back in time and wipe us out of existence huh?”

The dragon woman quirked her head to the side.

“Time travel? Just how advanced is your species? You are an adolescent of your species, yet you can pilot a Synthlin fighter, whose AI will not speak to us, you wield Qual’sa weaponry.”

Allison rubbed her jaw gingerly.

“Allison Wanjala, Ensign, System’s Alliance. I do not submit to your authority, scans or questioning.”

The dragon woman chuckled.

“I like you already, little pale one. I suppose that hyper-matter waste disposal planet and the Sal’nash swarm fleet are your doing?”

Allison looked the dragon woman in the eyes and defiantly repeated her previous statement.

“Very well. May I provide medical assistance to you?”

Allison shook her head. Which was now throbbing, and her body would not heal without that sweet, sweet blood in her fighter’s cargo unit.

“You’re going to attack them and try to escape, aren’t you?”

Allison nodded. The woman laughed again. It was a boisterous and infectious laugh.

“If you had less hair. I’d believe you were a Silwrath in disguise. We know the Nargle’s diet, but what do you eat little pale one? At least eat something so when you do escape you can give it a good go.”

Allison sighed. She figured there was no point in starving after she’d survived for almost a month in her fighter’s cockpit.

“There are silver pouches in the starboard cargo compartment in my cockpit. I need those. And I can eat most Silwrath food, but please not those gross butt fruits. I do not need any worms thank you!”

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The woman laughed again.

“You sound like my daughter. Never wants to clean her teeth.”

Allison shuddered. The woman bowed her head slightly.

“I am First Trimark Nutina of the Silwrath Vanguard fleet. I will ensure sustenance is delivered. Perhaps afterwards you will be in a more talkative mood, Ensign Wanjala.”

Allison leaned back against the metal wall of her cell. The First Trimark was true to her word. The entire supply of blood was delivered to Allison along with a full Silwrath meal, sans butt fruit. Allison started sucking back the blood one at a time. The First Trimark returned when she was three in.

“I am told that is blood. In fact, blood from your species. Is it common for your species to consume blood?”

Allison just continued sucking back blood until she felt normal again. She was down to four containers. She should have had five. She looked up at Nutina.

“One is missing.”

The First Trimark nodded.

“Yes, we took it so we could synthesize more. I am unsure how long it will be until we can return you to your parents. You are an adolescent, aren’t you? Not yet mature?”

Allison didn’t see the harm in answering.

“Yes, that is true, you’ve got a child in jail.”

Nutina smiled showing off a row of shining white dragon teeth.

“A child who somehow managed to best several of my soldiers.”

Allison shrugged.

“Seems like you need better soldiers if a kid can do that.”

Nutina laughed again.

“If only my daughter had your fire. She wants to be a sculptor of all things.”

Allison was feeling very confused at this point. This was not what she expected. Was this an interrogation tactic? Everything she’d heard was that the Silwrath wanted to destroy humans because of the Dark Mother’s audacity. Then she remembered the report. Second Trimark Nutina was the Silwrath the Dark Mother had shape shifted into. She decided she could do some interrogating of her own the First Trimark was feeling talkative.

“Excuse me, ma’am, is Nutina a common officer caste Silwrath name?”

Nutina’s wings flexed. Allison knew that denoted confusion based on her training.

“Officer Caste? We haven’t had Castes for thousands of years, not since the Emperor was overthrown. No, it is not a common name. I am quite intrigued you seem to know a lot about us for a species we have no records of. Down to the fact we use butt fruit worms to clean our teeth.”

Allison was feeling like Alice about now. Like she’d fallen right down the rabbit hole and was in an alternate dimension where the Silwrath weren’t xenophobic psychos. This version of them seemed to match up with Aryna’s memories perfectly. Allison leaned forward.

“So, you have no record of my species? Not a single one?”

The First Trimark moved closer.

“No, the League has no records of your species. It has been a matter of some consternation in our Allied Defense Command. The Synthlin are very curious how you are in possession of one of their fighters. We generally do not traverse this sector of the galaxy due to the Sal’nash threat. So, the running theory is you are a primitive species that stumbled onto an abandoned Synthlin base.”

Oozie curled up on Allison’s lap, much to the teenager’s consternation because she was blocking her view of Nutina.

“Also, we haven’t seen a Nargle for at least six thousand years. They were wiped out, along with the majority of the Qual’sa when their star was supernovaed to end the last swarm. It was a shame we could not rescue some or at least a record of their culture. The Sal’nash are a plague.”

Allison nudged Oozie off her lap and scratched her head. Nutina pointed her nose at Oozie.

“They do not take to just anyone. If I knew nothing else about you then that Nargle was willing to fight off my soldiers to protect you, I would know you are a good soul.”

Allison continued to scratch Oozie’s head gently.

“Honestly, she led a bunch of I have no idea what they are called towards me, let me fight them off and then wouldn’t leave me alone afterwards.”

Nutina nodded.

“Ah yes, hyper-matter waste parasites. Common on disposal planets, as are Sal’nash breeding grounds.”

Allison was really feeling like a complete asshole as she was starting to realize she’d attacked a bunch of innocent sentients for the crime of rescuing her from a slow death from starvation.

“I’m sorry I attacked your people. I had faulty intel.”

Nutina laughed.

“We have all been there, young Ensign. So, what precisely was your plan?”

Allison shrugged and then her stomach started rumbling. She grabbed the fried aquatic animal meat she’d been delivered and didn’t bother with the utensils provided and just started gulping it down. She did it with the rest of the meal. She looked at the empty tray.

“If I tell you, can I have more… something high energy… candy?”

Nutina nodded and tapped her wrist.

“Please bring another full meal to the brig and also a few desserts.”

Nutina blinked a few times when she looked at Allison. All the girl’s injuries had vanished.

“You’re already healed.”

Allison shrugged.

“Anyway, I was going to steal your pistol, grab that med tech, use her as a shield take out as many soldiers as I could, then cut one of your hands off and use it to open a transport, and then launch it. Then fly home. Not your hands, but like one of you Silwrath’s hands. I’d rather not do that but dragging one of you around dead or unconscious just seemed like a bad idea. Med Tech was out of reach and your guys got to me faster than I expected. I was slower than I wanted to be.”

Nutina nodded along.

“Not the worst plan. You did not take into account the impact prolonged exposure to zero-G’s would have on your body. You are young, now you’ve learned a lesson.”

“If I’d known you weren’t going to torture me and kill me so you could go attack my homeworld I might have made a different choice. I’m sorry.”

Nutina waited while Allison tore through the next tray of food she’d been delivered. After the high calorie desserts Allison leaned back satisfied.

“I have a few more questions, if you would agree to answer them. One, where did you learn about us from?”

“Countess Rubina Silverscale, Heir to the first house of Murush, keeper of the sacred flame of Toran, granddaughter of-”

Nutina held up one of her taloned hands.

“Primarch Rubina Silverscale told you we were murderous xenophobes?”

Allison nodded.

“Yep, she taught a whole class on it in the academy, via holo of course.”

Nutina’s wings flicked a few times.

“What does she look like?”

“Ruby colored scales, frosted silver tips. Smaller than you, like all silver scales. Very powerful psionic.”

“And you’ve met her?”

Allison shook her head.

“No, you guys want to execute her for: Sedition, Talcatic Terrorist Bombing, Disobedience to the Crown, Murder, conduct unbecoming a noblewoman of high status and the list goes on and on. Why would she come anywhere near this galaxy?”

Nutina paused as she paced and looked at Allison.

“This galaxy?”

Allison sighed. She had said too much.

“Yes, we’re from another galaxy. The Dark Mother rescued her when she captured your flag ship.”

Nutina was extremely confused now, her wings kept flicking.

“You mean this flag ship?”

Allison nodded.

“Yes, she destroyed the escort and captured this ship which is sitting in orbit around the furthest planet from our star and has been for the last well since before I was born. I have piloted it in simulators. I know it has a crew of six thousand, a complement of sixteen drop ships, and three hundred fighters. Just like I know if I were to get out of this cell, I would be able to find my fighter four decks up and three hundred meters aft starboard. For all the good it would do me. I have walked around this ship in VR.”

Nutina blinked and her wings kept twitching.

“One of you wiped out an entire Silwrath fleet and captured one of the dreadnoughts single-handedly?”

Allison nodded.

“Well, she was older than me, that’s for sure.”

Nutina didn’t say anything more and rushed off. Allison shrugged and laid down. Oozie curled up next to her. Allison wrapped her arm around the Nargle and let her eyes close. She woke up when Nutina called out to her. Allison rubbed her eyes, she blinked several times until her contacts recentered themselves. Nutina was standing there with a silver scaled Silwrath and a Synthlin which was wearing its encounter suit, of course it was, the cells couldn’t do much outside of it.

Oozie took up position in front of Allison and started to snarl. Allison gently patted her head.

“Come on, let’s not start that again. Remember what happened when you tore that drone’s neck out hmm?”

Oozie curled up beside Allison’s feet. The Silver Scale and Synthlin both looked at Nutina who nodded. The Synthlin spoke first. It was a male and his voice sounded just like chocolate tasted.

“I am Talarin. Representative of the Council of Sentient Races. Do you consent to a scan by this silver scale? Much of what you have said is… difficult to believe.”

Allison shook her head.

“No way. I do not want a Silwrath poking around in my brain. Teayrna was more than enough and I actually like her.”

Talarin moved closer to the force field.

“That is a Qual’sa Queen the last in fact. You have met her personally?”

“Yes, she is my friend. She’s shared memories with me.”

Talarin looked at the silver scale who nodded. Allison glared at the trio.

“I did not consent to that scan.”

She shouted some very uncharitable thoughts in her head towards the silver scale who held her temples. Talarin held up his hands.

“Calm yourself, child. She is not probing just verifying you speak the truth.”

Allison narrowed her eyes.

“I don’t see a difference.”

Talarin spoke again.

“I have spoken with your fighter’s AI, I believe you call her Bit. She has verified much of your story for me. Please, just one last question and the silver scale will leave. Did you lie to the First Trimark at all?”

Allison glared at the silver scale.

“No.”

Talarin motioned for the silver scale to leave. The poor dragon woman rushed out rubbing her head. He folded his hands and looked down at Allison.

“We have two, true statements of fact. Your people have captured this ship, yet it is here under control of the Silwrath High Command. You also say that Primarch Rubina has been granted sanctuary by your people because she is wanted by the Silwrath, yet she is sitting in session as we speak.”

Allison rolled her eyes.

“So what? I’m a teenage girl who is in high school, don’t ask me to explain quantum temporal… whatever, whatsits”

“The Primarch wishes to speak with you personally, child.”

Talarin motioned to Nutina.

“Release her.”

Nutina walked up to the cell and her taloned hand hovered over the panel.

“Ensign, do I have your word of honor as a soldier that you will not harm anyone under my command or my protection?”

Allison stood up.

“Not unless someone tries to hurt me, Bit or Oozie.”

Nutina nodded and opened the cell.