They weren’t sitting for too long in the darkness of the unmanned bot before they heard the commotion outside. Though TO strained their ear to hear through the Thick, industrial grade metal, they couldn’t hear anything specific or useful.
“I’m guessing they found the maintenance guy.” TO muttered. “I can’t make out what they’re saying though.”
“You’re right.” Vik said. “They came in to get to work and found him lying there…. And someone just found the canister you left.”
“What are they saying?” Mira asked, “I can’t hear a damn thing.”
“They’re speaking Aktilo.” Vik said, “And my Aktilo isn’t great. It looks like they believe he got knocked out by the gas though, since they’re putting on gas masks.”
TO had insisted on keeping Vik on the line not only so that they could keep them updated on what was going on, but also so that TO would hear when DH showed up again. They had nothing important to say to DH, had nothing they needed form their mate, but they just felt so desperate to hear their voice. It had been only a few days and they could feel their absence as keenly as if they had lost a limb.
“So, it’s ok?” Mira said, “No big concerns?”
“Doesn’t seem like it.” Vik said, “They’re reporting a delay in sending off the bots for the day while they run a test to see if the air is safe. Well, since that canister was empty, we know it is.”
“Good.” TO said as they leaned back in the padded chair meant for the bot operator. They had offered it to Mira at first, but Mira pointed out that TO was much taller than she was, and it would be better for them if they sat in the chair so they didn’t, in her words, ‘bean their head’ on the ceiling of the bot.
“And what about Pearla?” TO asked. Pearla promised TO that she would be fine even if she was in hibernation for a few days, but it still worried TO. What if there wasn't enough oxygen in the bag? What if she suffered some long-term issues from her hibernation? What if she didn’t wake up when she warmed up as she said she would?
“They’re prepping the bodies now.” Vik said, “I made sure the transport coming to pick them up was one I had remote access to, so once she’s on we’ll get her to the outer ring safe.”
“Let me know where she is every step of the way!” TO said.
“She’ll be fine.” Mira said, “She’s on the way home. We’re the ones I’m worried about.”
“I’m not worried about you.” Vik said, “The chips you have are small enough to be undetected, you're still in contact with me, and nobody goes into that bot; it’s set for remote use so it will surprise nobody when it gets up and walks away. Now you two hang tight; I’m going to disconnect so I can get some actual work done without having to reassure TO every five seconds.”
“Hey, I don’t need reassurance, I just want to know-” The sudden silence on the line told TO that Vik was already gone, and that they were talking to dead air.
“She’s fine.” Mira said, “Pearla knows herself, and what she can take. She wouldn’t have suggested this if she didn’t.”
“I just don't want her to get hurt.” TO grumbled as they activated their chip. Being able to use it in the open–or at least in the open of their cramped hiding space–was a relief.
“Nice that you’ve gotten that close to her.” Mira said.
“I didn’t realize you had to be close to someone to be worried over their wellbeing.” TO said, their ears flicking down. “But it’s not just that.” They had no messages from DH, or from GiDi. DH, they knew, was busy at the moment but GiDi hadn’t responded to them since Flit knocked them out. Messages to Flit and Snout which inquired about GiDi’s wellbeing were sparse in their response: GiDi is fine, we’ll discuss this when you’re back here.
“Then what is it?” Mira asked.
TO sighed and deactivated the screen before them. “It’s GiDi.” TO said, “They have a mate, someone who treats them as though they’re the most important person in the galaxy.” They imagined GiDi’s expression if something were to happen to Pearla. They could remember the rage on their face before, the cold anger when they forcefully snapped that they were not a tool, and the hurt after the attempt on King Decon’s life when TO left them all alone as they tended to DH. “I love GiDi too, you know.” TO said, “Even before I knew there was genetics linking us; GiDi was family and I don’t want them to get hurt again.”
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“Ah… just looking out for your sibling then.” Mira muttered.
“Something like that.”
“... And what about when this is over?” Mira asked. “We’re all leaving the planet now once we get sorted, but you think GiDi won’t go back into the fray? You think they won’t keep fighting against Decon?” She frowned at TO, “Or are you going to hang around and join them.”
Right. That. The looming cloud ahead of them. Even if they got off the planet, GiDi would want to keep fighting. All TO wanted to do was stay with DH and to live with them comfortably. Right now their plan was to convince either Pearla or GiDi to stop, to just find a safe place to hide and live and enjoy the rest of their lives together. They were certain if they could convince one, the other would follow.
“I want them to be safe and happy. That’s all.” TO said, “That’s all I want for them… and for DH and I.”
“Well… I hope you can get that.” Mira said. “Might be hard with King Dick around.” As TO’s ears dropped and their eyes went wide, Mira snorted, “Oh, come on, don’t be all offended at this point.”
Offended wasn’t the right word; their reaction had been instinctual more than anything, and her words had brought back everything that they had learned about Decon; the truth of their race, the truth of the state of the galaxy… Everything. While they were busy they didn’t have to think about such things. In the indebted center they had tasks to worry about, and danger to avoid. Their assignment kept their mind focused, and kept them from straying into the more problematic thoughts.
They activated their chip again. “I’m messaging Vik.” TO said, “They should have the instructions for this bot. It’ll be easier to maneuver with this once we get there than it will be to sneak out around the guards.”
“You can operate this thing?” Mira asked, looking at the array of controls that lay before them, illuminated in the dull red emergency light of the interior.
“Part of my training included simulations with a variety of machines and bots for which provided me with basic instructions, and limited time to figure out the functionality.” They glanced up as they sent off the message and closed the screen, “So, no, right now I can't operate this ‘thing’.” Their ears pinned back and perked up, and a brief smirk crossed their features; subtle, but there. “But give me five minutes and the instructions, and I’m sure I can make do.”
======
The security drones buzzed around the shipping vehicles which carried all the supplies for work done by the indebted. They weren’t unloaded or supervised by the indebted, of course; the vehicles were all driven by AI, and special security officers watched the smaller bots unload the equipment.
“It’s fuckin’ hot out here.” One scrawny, furred security guard grumbled as he mopped his damp facial fur with a rag, “Why do we even have to be here.”
Another security guard - this much like Petra with the scales, wings, and a tail, was looking at a list on their communicator and marking off the equipment as it left the vehicles. “Because the indebted can’t be trusted with the equipment. Do you know how much they can sell some of this for? Someone gets their hands on it without us signing it out to the right person, and suddenly it’s missing.”
“It’s not like they can sell it to anyone in the center.” The furred guard grumbled. “We’d catch ‘em before they got it inside, especially with the additional security measures.”
“Dumbass. There’s probably all kinds of lowlifes around here, slith’s hiding in the shadows, waiting for someone to pawn something off to them. Don’t you know that’s a thing?” They huffed as another box of basic equipment was brought out. “They give the equipment to some broker in the shadows, that broker takes half the money, and sends the rest either to the indebted family, or wires it to their account so they get out earlier.”
The furred guard huffed again, “Never heard of that happening.” He grumbled.
“Well, it does.” The other said, “I hear about it all the time. Shit just goes missing. And it’s obvious what happens to it.” Their tail swished behind them, “You’re just cranky because you’re hot.”
Another huff from the furred guard, but no response. He was too hot, yes, but his coworker was a native species of Arkane, and thus used to the heat, and wouldn’t understand how uncomfortable he actually way.
“Odd.” the scaled guard muttered as a large bot was unloaded. “Didn’t think we needed the spider here today.”
The furred guard looked at the large, eight-legged bot with its large claw-like appendages. “It's not our job to question that, is it?” He grumbled. “We don’t have to assign that, do we?”
“We won’t let the indebted near the bots.” the scaled guard said, “It's remote controlled from the offices. Imagine what damage an indebted person could do with it.” He frowned as he looked at his checklist, “It’s here on the list… it just feels odd that it’s supposed to be here. They’re normally used earlier on.”
“Maybe they need it for something specific.” The furred guard said as he dabbed his head again, “Whatever, just check it off and get this done. If it’s supposed to be here, I'm sure as soon as we unload it it’ll take off wherever it has to go.”
The scaled guard clicked his tongue, checked the bot on his list, and then entered the command for the metal restraints holding the bot in place to release. As soon as he did, the bot rose, and headed away.
“See. it’s got a job.” The furred guard said, “It’s fine.”
The scaled guard watched it for a moment longer before turning back to the rest of the equipment. He was tempted to ask the work managers about it, but the work managers were all assholes who thought that because they got a nice office and didn’t interact with the indebted that they were better than the security guards there.
He went back to work, checking the rest of the product. Even if it had been sent by mistake, as far as he was concerned he had done all his work. If something went wrong, it wasn’t his ass on the line.