Dr. Yusa’s left ear flicked up at the sound of her laboratory door opening. Even with all the chaos surrounding her, she wasn’t prepared for any unannounced visitors. What worried her even further was the computer did not announce their name with their entry.
Whoever was there to visit wasn't a member of staff but had clearance, which in her experience was never a good thing, usually government officials trying to scratch out any details they could under the guise of guided tours, or ‘co-operative projects’.
She put down her manipulator tools to better address the intruder.
“I’m currently in the middle of an important procedure, there had best be-”
She turned to see not a citizen asset or government drone but a decorated lieutenant commander. Her ears perked up, and the hostilities within her vanished, she’d never met a military commander before!
“Oh, Your Honour…” she bowed her head respectfully, folding her hands in front of her, “I wasn't aware that Esaander was an authorized military trader. Please forgive my unpleasantness,”
The graceful Arvas commander was slow to respond, his demeanor held a deep and noble sorrow, no doubt collected from his many years facing the danger that threatened the peaceful Galactic Council. He raised a hand from behind his pressed blue cape, allowing her to rise.
“Esaander is not an authorised military affiliate, rather, the project you are working on is a private venture of mine”
Yusa’s ears stood involuntarily on end.
“This is your venture?” she gulped. A commander with high enough presence to afford his own venture?! She dared glance at the insignia decorating his uniform cape and while she wasn’t entirely accustomed to military pecking order, the lieutenant had enough glittering badges at such a young age to warrant her admiration.
“Yes,” Nako smiled softly, as though it pained him to do so, “you’ve voiced the non-disclosure clauses for the patent and research?”
“Yes your honour,” she replied truthfully.
“For Esaander, Acom, and all corporate ventures?” he clarified, looking over the samples of her work. Failed organs bubbling in containers, most of which were to be destroyed after the project's completion.
“Yes your honour, Esaander paid the extremely high premium for the exclusivity… and it was a very smart business move.” she admitted, secretly wondering if she might transfer to the fledgling company, join before the barrier of entry became astronomical once the ‘human’ and ‘dog’ data went to market. The lieutenant wondered the room, before circling back to the scientist.
“Very good,” Nako’s voice chilled Yusa’s blood as he stood over her, “have you created Miss Howes translator unit yet?”
“I’ve created the schematics but I’m still working out the final nerve strands before I start the growing process.” Yusa reached for her dataslate to show proof of concept, but the lieutenant, didn’t seem the bit interested, three pairs of eyes focused squarely on her.
“Good, good, because I need you to alter it in one, miniscule way…” his voice trailed off.
“Sir?”
“I need you to put a limiter in place.”
Yusa’s blood ran cold, doubling back at the very mention of illegal, vital systems tampering.
“Sir?! Are you seriously suggesting such a thing?!”
“I understand the gravity in its entirety,” Nako’s head drooped, shame and disgust filled his voice as he explained, “it pains, no, sickens me to have to suggest such an action, but I cannot foresee another outcome… the human is unpredictable.”
Yusa reeled back, her first instincts to alert her immediate authorities, but, by all accounts, the lieutenant before her was the leading authority, for lightyears around.
“Your honour, you could be court marshalled, even disposed of! I could be excommunicated from my company!” she implored.
“Then it is a good thing you are legally sworn to secrecy, good doctor, I would not even dare to mention such a measure if I did not think it were absolutely necessary.” The room felt cold and Dr. Yusa could feel icy prangs on her skin and a chilled clasp around her heart. His immeasurable freq sweeping her up as he delivered his testimony. “I am Lieutenant Commander Tar Nako of the Galactic Council Rangers, I answer directly to The Knight Commander Kotorn himself. I have led two successful military campaigns against pirate fleets, I have felled battalions of Vassals alone and not suffered a scratch, I have stood beside battle-hardened princes and withstood their cries but,” His great presence fell quiet, Yusa strained to hear his words, the intensity all but a whisper, “a single cry from the human’s breast has scared me in a way no other could, and I fear that power turned on our own people in anger or in arrogance.”
The lieutenant knelt down before her and begged for her to listen to his reason, “Until we understand her allegiances we must protect the galactic council and its people, the precious peace we’ve worked so hard to secure could crumble from within when she shifts the balance of power.”
The doctor was honestly terrified.
She never thought in all her life she would ever be put in such a position, it was others who had to make the important decisions in civilisations discord. She had only needed to complete her tasks, but now this man of incredible position and power was now asking her to do the unspeakable, to sabotage another sentience’s freedom of expression.
“Do you honestly think the human could do that?” she gulped.
“She is intelligent, compassionate, patient, and powerful, but there is a burning determination she has yet to unleash, and fear all who would stand in the way of her path to vengeance.”
He seemed so resolute, that there was no other way, her brain began to rationalize that, he could have simply forced her, should the situation be that dire. But Nako, wanted her to understand his distaste for the action, that he wanted to honour her right as a citizen to make the decision.
“But sir, what if she doesn't go on the warpath? We would be shackling her for nothing,” she appealed.
“It wouldn't be a debilitating limiter, more a safeguard. This small act by your hands could protect civilisation as we know it.” To her complete shock the lieutenant commander touched her! A hand rested on her shoulder before sliding down her arm to cradle her palm in his own, and she wilted to his will.
“I.. may be able to have a switch to dampen the broadcast with a trigger condition, but it has to be very specific, else it would trigger without warning,” she replied, turning away, if only to hide the flush of her face.
Nako rose to his feet and smiled at Yusa, “Then let me bear this burden, should the human ever wish me destroyed, if her anger burns through her logic and resolve through my visage then we know she would have gone rogue. ”
Such a noble act, if the human truly was as powerful and as dangerous as he claimed, then to have himself as the target, he wouldn’t survive the blast before the translator switched off.
“That… would be acceptable,” she mumbled, rubbing her hand where the lieutenant had touched her so kindly.
“Thank you doctor, I place my trust in your hands,” Nako bowed his head in thanks and left the doctor to complete this most important task.
-*-
Rynard scratched the spot behind his ear, lifting the cage in his hand and disturbing his already grumbling cargo.
“It wasn’t that bad,” he muttered quietly as the doors to medical opened.
Nu greated him, but Pa made herself scarce.
He was lead to the holding room where her grace and the stations newest anomaly were being held.
As the door opened he spotted Jasmine sitting and looking intently at the space in between her toes. She immediately perked up when he entered.
“Rynard!” she beamed, scrambling to her feet.
“Jasi,” He greeted back placing the three crates he was carrying gently on the floor, “they wouldn’t shut up until I told ‘em I was taking them to see ya,”
With a flick of his claws and tail Rynard opened the cages, the dogs practically flew out and into Jasmine's arms.
“Namegiver! She’s awake!”
“Namegiver is okay!”
“Namegiver is safe!”
It was a happy reunion for them all, Rynard decided to make himself comfortable and basked in the warm glow of their happiness.
“Where’s the doc?” he asked
“Over there in the corner,” Jasmine pointed to a quiet part of the room, Xant was kneeling down in a meditative stance with eyes closed while several monitor wires poked out the back of his neck connected to one of the machines that made blinking noises.
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“Uhh, he alright?” he asked.
“He said he needed a moment to ‘advise with himself’, I told him the human term was ‘collecting his thoughts’.” she explained, focusing more on the dogs than their conversation.
“Cause they’re all over the place?” Rynard smirked.
“Damn you’re sharp!” Jasmine laughed.
“Just my teeth,” Rynard grinned, exposing a mouth that would make a shark envious, “how long has he been stiff like that?”
“A couple of hours now, it sucks cause I don’t want to disturb him, but now that you’re all here I could use some conversation,” she sighed sweetly, her furry companions were quick to brighten her mood.“Hello everyone! My name is Jasmine,”
Siegilinde bounced around, tongue hanging out one side of her mouth.
“The naming words! She said the naming words! Hello Namgiver Jasmine, I am Friend Sieglinde!” the blond furball responded.
“Ha ha, yes I know it’s on your collar,” Jasmine tapped the small medallion around her neck. “See? That’s where your name is, that’s how I know all your names!”
“Namegivers are so clever!” Sieglinde barked, “Oskar is especially clever to mark both Sieglinde’s names!”
“Yes he is!” Jasmine agreed; rather than explain her nature to shorten longer names she came across. She just encouraged the dog further, giving Sieglinde her undivided attention.
“Oskar was your Namegiver, why don’t you tell me more about him? About your life back home?”
The golden retriever just about had a conniption fit, running in circles before jumping into Jasmine’s lap.
“Tell you about Oskar?! Yes! Yes! I will tell you about Oskar!”
“Well let me get comfortable first!” Jasmine told the dog as she crossed her legs, “And once Sigi has told me all about her Namegiver, I want to hear about Kimiko and Spades and then I will tell you all about me!”
Everyone agreed that was a very good idea, even Rynard, sat against the wall, eager to hear tales from another planet, even if they were from a User’s perspective.
“Well, I live with Oskar in a warm house, there are lots of trees where we live and Oskar takes me walking through the trees every day, even when it is raining or snowing! Sometimes we take long walks to the stone place with lots of lights, but Oskar doesn't like it there so we only go with Mutter(lifegiver),”
The word ‘Mutter’ twinged in Jasmine’s brain, the duel words overlapping and melting into her own understanding. ‘Mother’ so Oskar lived with his mum, but no mention of dad. The stone place with lots of lights, that had to be a city, so he must have lived further towards the country?
“So you live in the countryside? That must be nice, is it quiet?” she asked, hoping her intuition was correct.
“No! There are birds and other friends, sometimes other Namegiver’s make lots of noise as they cut bushes and grass. Oskar makes noise too! He bangs, crashes and thumps! All with loud sticks!” sieglinde replied adamantly.
“So he plays the drums huh? A man after my own heart,” he had good taste in beer too, she recalled.
“Plays the drums?” Rynard asked for clarification.
“Oh, it’s a rhythm instrument, I can play a little guitar, but I’m rusty as heck.” she mimed with both hands a strumming motion to Rynard’s bafflement.
“Yes! Oskar makes noise every day! And sometimes friend Namegiver’s come to make more noise and drink more beer! I fetch the beer! It is Sieglind’s second special job, Sieglinde’s first special job is to stop the night-scares!” Sieglinde continued, Jasmine hummed thoughtfully.
“Night-scares? I think I like that better than **********, you’re a very good girl Sigi! Thank you for being so good to Oskar,” she ruffled the golden fur once more squishing her face gently into the dogs for extra encouragement.
“Yeah, Doc asked about night-scares while you were laying stiffed,” Rynard interjected, trying to make sense of the weird creature’s talk. Jasmine seemed to figure it out just fine despite how vague it all was.
“Oh, they’re just bad dreams," the human dutifully explained, "sometimes the brain creates imaginary scenarios to clear its cache or analyse our anxieties. Sounds like Oskar has them pretty bad if Sigi is a proper emotional support animal- a dog or other well-trained animal that helps humans with emotional and mental trauma.”
“So like they are with you now?” Rynard compared.
“Yeah, basically,” Jasmine realised. She wouldn't be nearly as sane if she were completely alone. She would probably still be crying over the loss of everything if it wasn't for man's best friend. Even more so now they could talk to one another.
“Oh yes! And sometimes, when the bees and wasps are out Oskar gives me sausages!” Sieglinde continued, but Jasmine was ready to hear from her other companions. To understand them all better.
“Alright Sigi, I think it’s time we hear from someone else, Kimiko? What’s it like where you live?”
“Cold” Kimiko replied matter of factly, scratching an ear with her back foot. “Cold and green, we don’t have as many trees but our territory is green and tall, sometimes the ground is taller than the trees!”
It was almost like a guessing game really, the dogs only expressed what mattered to them personally, and while the translator did a magnificent job, the dogs themselves wouldn't have a complete understanding of how Earth and its inhabitants worked. So she needed to piece it together like trying to talk to a four-year-old about their day.
“So you live in a mountainous area, did you have any family?” Jasmine inquired, hoping to find a topic the aloof Kimiko was interested in.
“I have lots! Grandmother, mother, father, big sister, little sister and little brother. Grandpa use to be my Namegiver, but I am grandmothers now,” Kimiko stated sadly, Jasmine gave the dog a sympathetic pat. Family seemed to be the go-to subject.
“I’m so sorry Kimiko, I’m sure your grandpa is resting well,”
“Grandmother still makes him tea every morning, but he is not there to drink it,” she answered as she scratched her ear again. “We take long walks too, I patrol the barns and make sure the cows know the Namegivers are on their way, as well as keeping out unwanted takers and intruders.”
“Cows? Oh! You must live on a farm! How exciting Kimiko!” Jasmine gasped, while Japan didn't immediately strike the image of farm life, she internally groaned when realised that Wagu and Kobe beef had to come from somewhere.
“We are busy every day, very exciting even without grandpa, little brother is still a pup, when I am not with mother and father and the cows I am with younger sister and little brother….” Kimiko’s ears drooped and she sadly laid down on the floor, “I was looking after younger sister when she ran away from the Namegiver firelights, then the sky went white. I don’t want to get in trouble! I miss my pack!”
Jasmine comforted the stressing dog, speaking to her softly and calmly, stroking Kimiko poor ears.
“There, there girl, you won’t get in trouble. You’re apart of my pack now, and you did a wonderful job of protecting little sister,”
Rynard noticed a frown of concentration on Jasmine’s face.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, well, I think I'm beginning to piece something together," she sighed, sharing her thoughts, "See, when I was abducted it was ages away from civilisation, Sigi said she lived in the countryside, probably a small village in Europe, Germany somewhere, Kimiko lived on a farm and well, Japan isn’t really known for its rural areas, so she was isolated too, and… The girl who owned the pink tablet, she was on holiday in the jungle. We were all away from city centres, so that just leaves Spades. So boy, where were you when the sky went white?”
It was the old dogs turn to rest his head in Jasmine’s lap. He slowly walked over while Sigi and Kimiko silently made room. He was the oldest of the three and the only male, well trained but alert. He had barely left her side since they met.
“Home,” he answered solemnly “I was home, away from the bad sands, Beau and I ate bbq and crawfish with his pack, we would sit on the porch and rest, watching the day turn to night. No more loud explosions, no more burns or sour smells or namegiver blood. Our Home is quiet, peaceful and we can rest easy.”
Jasmine’s eyes watered and she gave him an extra tight nuzzle. Bad sands, the metal tag on Spades collar wasn't a fake, 'front towards enemy' Spades was a military dog, having survived God knows how long in the Middle Eastern deserts and made it home, only to be ripped away in an alien abduction. It really was a fate as cruel as her own.
“Thank you for your service Spades, I’m so sorry you couldn't stay home for your retirement, was Beau your handler?”
“Partner,” spades corrected “more than namegiver and friend, partner,”
Rynard gave a hearty laugh.
“A combat companion, well I’m retired too, I’d be happy to swap battlelogs with you sometime!”
Spades tilted his head in confusion, Jasmine relayed: “He is a soldier too, Spades, he would like to swap war stories some time,” that seemed to pick up Spades up a little bit.
“Many stories, some bad, most good, Beau is a great hunter and healer, commands respect. In the sand and on the grass, he barks, everyone listens,” he said proudly.
“He sounds like a great man Spades, I wish I could have met him.” she added sweetly.
“Well, we’ve heard all about the dogs, now how about our namegiver eh?” Rynard nudged nearly pushing the human over with his playful act.
“Me? Well there’s not much really, I lived in a city sandwiched between the ocean and the desert. My mum worked in real estate and grew many plants in her garden, my dad did logistics for an engineering firm and loved music. My brother…" a sad sigh escaped her lips, before turning her gaze upwards, "He was a composer, for small productions and games, and after his passing, I dropped out of business school and followed my passion for food. My friends and I were going to start our own Bed and Breakfast before all of this,” she waved dismissively. “Not very exciting,”
“If I wanted exciting I would have stayed on for a knighthood,” Rynard shrugged.
“I never asked Rynard, but, you were in the army? What’s it like to serve the Galactic Council?”
“In the Rangers?” Rynard chuckled smugly, standing back from the wall and flexing the muscles in his hands “Hard, continuous training, fighting and repairs, if you’re not eradicating Rajavan startups you’re hunting down resource stealing pirates," he exposed his claws and teeth as he relived the adrenaline rush, “You jump ships and fight Vassals, jump system and fight pirates, planet drop to clean up what orbital bombardment couldn’t obliterate, face what isn’t melted and at the end, hope you’ve got enough pieces of you left to be put back together,” he sent a clenched fist into the middle of his opposing palm, the cracking of knuckles and solid thud of muscle on muscle made Jasmine instinctually jump. While Rynard often reminded her of her childhood love of dinosaurs, she could imagine the terrifying predator he was designed to be.
“That, sounds horrifying…” she confessed, holding Spades a little tighter.
“That’s only the worst of it though, day to day is actually pretty good, you’ll see it soon enough when we leave station with the lieutenant!” he laughed, recognising her discomfort.
Jasmine was quiet, still nervous about leaving the station.
"Rynard, I'm trusting you to keep the dogs and I out of the ‘lion’s den’ so to speak, I don't want to find myself as a combatant on a ship,"
"Well, you’ve got a good enough head to be a captain, but you wouldn’t be on the front lines, you're more like a-"
"Citizen contractor," Xant interrupted, unfurling from his meditative position, turning off the monitor before carefully unplugging himself. "as the Captain said, the Galactic Council would not put someone like yourself anywhere near actual combat, your cultural and genetic assets are invaluable."
Jasmine did find some comfort in that.
"Good to know I'm basically a VIP,"
"More than that, I dare say you and your friends joining the Galactic Council could bring about a new dynasty," Xant stated, Jasmine blinked, Rynard raised an eyebrow.
"That's a bold claim Doc."
"But not inaccurate," Xant joined the group and reached out to pet Sieglinde with an ungloved hand. "Hello, Friend Sieglinde,"
"Hello…?" The golden retriever tilted her head at Jasmine, "Namegiver Jasmine? Is Xant Friend or Namegiver?"
"Uhhh…" Jasmine looked to Xant confused.
"I am Citizen Xant, not quite Namegiver, not quite Friend," he explained and then turned to Jasmine, "I have some experience with Dog lexicon, would you like to hear my observations?-"
"Yes.” Jasmine answered loudly, immediately scooting up to give Xant her full attention. “Like right now, teach me to speak Dog." Xant’s ears wiggled pleasantly as he explained to them all how to navigate the canine dialect.