Sky, she's a net integrator, it's not safe to leave her alive, especially if that secondary unit is designed to enhance her abilities. I calculate it at a 99.9999994% chance of confidence that it is, by the way. At least remove that part of her arsenal.

"I already told you, Box, we're not killing them before we get a chance to talk!" I spin the young woman around so we can speak face to face, a nervous expression briefly flitting across hers. "If I let you go, are you going to do anything stupid that would require me to hurt you?"

She stares at me in confusion, like she just hit her head on a low-lying branch.

"...uhm, no? Definitely no. Where did all these people-"

I drop my grip on her left arm, tune out the rest of her babbling, and start marching her over to where Broom, Torch, and MacWillie are now the center of an impromptu gathering. The villagers, led by Onyx Miner, are gesturing curiously at the young woman, along with the Hellhound assault shuttle squatting in the clearing. Broom and Torch make calming gestures with their hands, even though I'm sure they're just as confused as everyone else. Before I can reach them, the 'dog' barks frantically behind us, still penned in on the ramp by Pete. I twist and look at my cat.

"Pete, let it go. She said she's not going to try anything."

liar. want eat

"Just leave the dog alone. We're not eating it. You can keep watch if that makes you feel better."

stalkingtime

Pete yrowls at the smaller creature, then leaps into my shadow. A baleful sapphire eye glares out from the darkness, locked on the furry shape as it bounds up next to us. The dog bares its teeth at the disembodied orb, upper lip quivering and sclera briefly burning red, then springs at the young woman's chest. Almost automatically, she catches it in both hands, pulling her other arm out of my grasp to do so. A bright pink tongue laps at her face and she sneezes.

I debate taking hold of her again, but decide not to. Her hands are occupied and she's clearly not one of the combat variants.

This is a bad idea, Sky. Net integrators mess with your mind. They can make you see things that aren't there, alter your emotions, cause you to attack your own friends, rewrite-

"I said I got it, Box! We'll make sure someone keeps an eye on MacWillie and Huckens, okay?"

Sky, you don't understand, the infonet can be used for terrible-

"Stop bugging me about infonet stuff! I can't even access the stupid thing! What's she going to do, throw the dog at me? If she tries anything, I'm sure Dirt will pop out of some bush and take care of it!"

"That is my job, yes," the bush next to us agrees.

"Gah!"

WOOF

The young woman jumps nearly half a scrumble into the air, dog bristling in her arms, but I figured he was around somewhere. The villagers had plenty of time to see the shuttle approaching, and if Torch and Broom both showed up, there's no way Dirt would be anywhere else. The bush issues a sad sound at my lack of reaction.

"You're no fun anymore, Sky Idiot."

I ignore him.

"See, Box? Stop worrying about stupid stuff."

...I don't know why I keep forgetting your village is filled with barbarians. Fine. You're right. As long as the dog stays under control, there's nothing she can do to anyone here except MacWillie and Huckens. However, I still think it's going to end badly, and I want it on the record so I can say 'I told you so' when it happens.

"Oh, go play with your numbers and stop whining." I turn my attention back to the woman. "Come on, you." I cajole her away from her curious examination of Dirt's mosscloak and over towards Broom and the rest.

"That's... he was... how did he-"

"Broom," I cut through the chatter, "we need to figure out why she's here, and how much time we have left to get the incognito field components." I shift my focus to MacWillie. "I thought you said no one was coming for at least another day."

"Aye, they weren't supposed to, and there's nothing in the logistics reports that indicates a ship making its way here earlier." Her eyes narrow. "If yon lass is a net integrator, though, then all my know-how is about as useful as a shit shield against a bleach cannon. I'm thinking finding out what she knows is an important next step indeed, and I'm reconsidering my earlier blitheness on the topic of their existence."

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

The young woman clutches her dog closer to her chest.

"I told you, I'm just an advance scout from-"

"Quiet." Broom overrides the woman, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. "We'll have our conversation back at the village. Stove should be part of this too." She raises her voice. "Everyone, please return to your tasks for the day. We need to keep the village going and each other supported, especially in uncertain times. Also, please stay away from the thing in the clearing. The Idiots will determine when it's safe to approach."

There are some mild grumbles but eventually the clearing clears out, villagers heading back to their previous responsibilities, leaving me, Torch, Broom, MacWillie, and Dirt to escort the young woman. I beckon her to follow Broom and MacWillie, Torch and Dirt ranging out to the sides.

"So what's your name, then?" I ask her. "I already told you I'm Sky. Sky Idiot."

"Violet," she responds absently, eyes locked on the towering forest giants surrounding us. "Are those... bones? And leaves of blood??"

"They're trees. You're as bad as MacWillie and Huckens. Has no one out there seen trees before?"

"I haven't seen much of anything," she says sadly, then her face locks up into a decidedly neutral expression, some focus returning to her dark eyes. "Where are you taking me?"

"To the village. We need to know if you're going to harm it or not."

"The... village. As in, people existing here. On this planet. On this continent. For a continuous length of time. Entirely localized to this forest?"

"That's what a village implies, yes."

The dog barks at her, and she shakes her head, features scrunched in addled bemusement once more.

"Shush, Corgia. I know what a village is. How long have you been living here?"

"Since the world ended. Do you want to hear the Tale of Beginnings?"

Violet's mouth slowly drops open, then she almost bites her tongue as she trips on a tree root, arms still clutching the furry beast to her chest. I briefly manifest a limb to keep them upright, the dog growling at me when I touch her. A faint hiss sounds from my shadow.

"I... no... no, I'm good for now. I have to think about some things. Maybe later."

"Okay."

We continue in silence for another few minutes, the late afternoon light turning everything under the canopy a golden red, then MacWillie drops back, giving Violet a sidelong glare she doesn't seem to notice.

"Did you get what we needed? For the forge?"

A brief pang of guilt hits me.

"...whoops. I, uhm, left Huckens under a tree. We should probably send someone to get him. He has most of the parts."

"Onyx will bring him back," Dirt interjects, appearing from behind a wide trunk. "I asked her to fetch him before she returned to the mine. Torchie and I watched you coming in and figured you were in a rush." His eyes find mine. "Was he awake during that?"

"He passed out after the second time I threw him."

"Mmmm, probably a smart choice. I do not wish to try what you were doing with him, Sky Idiot." He pauses, then smiles. "Well, maybe once. But only if you do not drop me."

MacWillie looks back and forth between us, confused.

"What happened to the lad?"

I briefly explain our headlong scramble back to the forest, and my method of speeding up the trip. She scratches her head, then shrugs.

"Lad needs to toughen up. He'll see worse among the engines."

"If you say so. How long will it take to build the forge?"

MacWillie cracks her knuckles.

"After we deal with this one," she tilts her head at Violet, who's still walking near us in a semi-daze, "I'm thinking no more than an hour or two, especially with the lad lending a hand. Then you get us the materials, and we'll be in business. Any ideas on where we should put it?"

This time it's my turn to shrug.

"I don't plan the village. We should talk to Butterfly. The Builders are in charge of where new buildings go."

"That's... I suppose I should have expected that. Right. I'll think on it while this git tries to convince us she's not that special. You sure your people can handle her?"

I scoff at MacWillie as we enter the village proper, Violet slowly swiveling her head to take in the sights, eyes so wide it's a wonder they're not popping out of her skull.

"She'll be talking with Stove Mind. Broom and Dirt are going to be there. We're going to be there."

inclusion

"And Pete's going to be there as well. What could she possibly do to threaten us?"

"She's a net integrator, and that's not something I'm planning on taking lightly anymore."

I want to tear my hair out.

"Argh, you're worse than Box! Why are you all so scared of her?"

"Because she was in my head! I couldn't even see her until she decided to let me. The Information Wars burned the galaxy to cinders, and now I truly understand why. How can you trust anything is real when one of them can hop into your mind and tell you it isn't?"

I stare at MacWillie's heaving chest, the most animated I've ever seen her. I'm trying to understand her emotions, but I can't seem to encompass the level of her passion.

It's because you weren't raised with an integrator, Sky. Out there, it's literally your admittance to the broader world. They're just as much a part of your body as your hands or feet. More, even. To have someone else able to control that... they would control you.

"...then why don't they just have people without integrators? To keep net integrators from doing anything bad?"

MacWillie stares pointedly at Torch, walking off to our left. She's wiped away most of the blood from her face, but streaks of dark crimson still remain. I blush.

"...fine, that was a stupid question. Sorry. It's just..."

The confused young woman gawking at houses next to me hasn't done anything that I can see. Declaring that she was chasing after the prototype and her constant lies are concerning, sure, considering that means she wants me and Box, but MacWillie and Huckens were doing the same before we met. She's been behaved on the walk over, and during the fight...

I remember the small tremors in her body as I held her, the collapse of tension when she gave up. The startled relief when I didn't open up her throat.

She's not a killer. Not like me.

I want to reiterate that treating her as anything other than a dangerous weapon is a terrible idea. Even dumber than throwing yourself off the side of a mountain. She didn't kill you because she couldn't, not because she didn't want to.

liar. want pounce

See! Even the cat agrees with me!

"We'll be fine."

I try to shake away the tiny voice telling me that Box is right, that I should have just ended her and been done with it. That the village would be safer if she was gone.

That's not how I want to see people. There's so many of us out there to meet, and I can't protect the village by killing them all.

"We'll be fine."

I repeat the words, convincing myself. Once we find out why she's here, we'll know if she's a danger to the village or not. If she is... we'll figure out what to do. Together. I don't have to do it by myself.

The five of us escort Violet into the Mind Clinic.

It's time to get some answers.