17 days until Mars arrival

Beaky sipped the liquified Xitherium like a sick child, barely strong enough to lift his head. He rested in a pile of trash, his wings limp like a dead animal.

Procuring the Xitherium with Engineer Carlsen’s knowledge of the engine room hadn’t been difficult. Hauling it in an open-top bucket through the air ducts all the way to the trash compactor without spilling it, however, was a different story.

But she’d managed. Beaky had saved her life by risking his own and she’d do the same for him.

Thank you, Beaky said psionically. Very good.

He was weak, the color having been drained from his body, but he would live. Xitherium was the natural food of the Krath. They weren’t used to consuming it as synthesized engine fuel but Xitherium was Xitherium.

Grown in glowing purple coral, Xitherium was gathered and harvested by Yumens for use in interstellar travel. From her merged consciousness, she understood that it contained interdimensional properties that no scientist had been able to replicate even after decades of careful study and experimentation.

For the Krath, Xitherium was simply food. It tasted good and provided the natural sustenance for their development. Not that Yumen flesh wasn’t also tasty but Xitherium was their staple food. It grew in natural abundance on Planet Xither, the planet recently visited by the Eschaton.

“Tell me about our homeworld,” Arachna clicked, watching Beaky lap up the Xitherium.

He eyed her, slowly turning his head. It was a beautiful world, he said psionically. Once.

Arachna rested her head on her hands and twitched her spinneret.

We lived underground in caverns. Fought Yumens. Beaky slurped up a large amount of Xitherium, which dribbled from his mouth.

“Did we win?” Arachna clicked, her legs jittering. “What happened?”

Left during battle, Beaky said. I do not know what happened after the ship left.

Arachna sighed. She’d wanted to know what became of her home planet. It sounded like Beaky had carried her away during a large battle.

“What was it like?” she clicked. “Underground.”

“Enormous underground caves,” he said. “Filled with remnants of an ancient empire. Bones of ancient Hive Mothers as big as this ship, maybe bigger. Xitherium Coral everywhere. Krath once ruled the stars. Homeworld was very strong.” Beaky paused.

Stolen story; please report.

“But?” Arachna said. She didn’t like the fact that he spoke in the past tense.

“No more,” Beaky said. “We were the last of the Krath. I think. Not sure. Mother asked me to bring you here. To make sure we survived. In case she did not.”

Arachna hung her head. Could it be true? Could they all have died? No, it couldn’t be. She had met the Hive Mother. In her dream.

“I met her,” Arachna clicked, her eyes flitting. “She is alive. Gave me these?” Arachna held up her hands.

Beaky squinted his eyes as if realizing for the first time that Arachan’s two front limbs had actual hands attached to them. They weren’t quite like Yumen hands. These were more nimble, insect-like, and perfectly fitted to her body in size, shape, and even in texture. Beaky recoiled as soon as he understood. You…Yumen?

“No,” Arachna said. “At least I don’t think. She said she hatched me with these and that I would bring blessings on the Krath.”

“You are a blessing,” Beaky said aloud, switching from psionic speech to clicks. “You are a queenling. But hands?”

“I do not understand it either,” Arachna said. “But perhaps Mother foresaw their usefulness. Especially on a Yumen ship.”

“Yes,” Beaky said, shaking his head. “Mother is wise. Beaky is not. I do not understand, and do not like hands.”

Arachna didn’t quite know what to say to that. Beaky was her friend. Was he rejecting her? Or at least the idea of her having hands? “What are you saying?” Arachna said.

“I do not know,” Beaky said. “Too tired to think. Not feel well.”

He’d lapped up about half of the bucket of Xitherium, and laid down his head.

Arachna wanted to tell him about how she also received Engineer Carlsen’s memories, how she’d gained an understanding of how the ship worked, and how she had ideas for how they might survive and even thrive on board the Eschaton, but judging how he’d reacted to her hands, she wasn’t sure it was the right time.

Better to let him rest, she decided. He was family. Even if he didn’t like the fact that she had Yumen-like hands, he’d still be there for her. He was her protector, after all.

"Need to finish," Arachna clicked. "Will help you heal."

Beaky's eyes bulged and his twin stomachs groaned. He lifted up his head and opened his mouth, throwing up a portion of the Xitherium he had just taken in.

Not good, Arachna thought.

Cannot hold down, Beaky clicked. Not all. Yumens ruin it.

Arachna nodded in understanding. There was something strange about this Xitherium. The Yumens synthesized it so that it would fuel their interstellar spacecraft, but somehow that made it harder to digest because it was mixed with strange unnatural chemicals. A typical Krath body could handle that. She had been able to eat some previously with ease, but for a dactyl in distress, it might be more difficult.

Take what you can, she said psionically to Beaky. Will still help.

It was true. Xitherium was their natural food. It had to help heal him, but it might take longer if he couldn't hold down everything he took in. If he held down even a portion, he should still live. She hoped, anyway.

Will rest now, Beaky said. Thank you for your help. Will drink more when I awaken.

Arachna watched Beaky breathing in and out, his chest expanding and compressing. She scampered toward the exit, her thoughts heavy.

Was there some other way she could help him? She wasn't sure, but she knew that it would help if she could clear her mind. The best way to do that was to explore the ship.

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Xitherium Coral