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I was finally released from the infirmary the next morning, Bel dressing me in my jumpsuit and telling me to try to do at least a few leg workouts to get my muscles back in shape.

As I exited the infirmary, I was surprised to find myself in the courtyard, the entrance to the medical wing surrounded by turrets and hovering drones. The sliding door slid shut behind me, a soft beep informing me that the doors had just locked.

It was early in the morning so there weren't many people out and about in the courtyard, the massive room eerily empty save for a few pockets of prisoners sitting at tables, sipping drinks, or watching something on the entertainment spheres.

I didn't know the layout of the courtyard at all, something I'm going to have to remedy at some point. Thankfully, large holographic numbers floated above the lift entrances of each of the three towers built into the surrounding walls. It was a good thing too because all three towers appeared identical, and without the numbers to show me which tower was which, I'm afraid I probably would have ended up somewhere I wasn't supposed to be.

I spied tower 14 on the opposite side of the room, and as I was about to take a step towards it, I stopped. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't know what to do. My first day here had been hectic, being pulled to and fro, and then attacked later into the night. The past few days I have spent in a medical bed, waiting out my body's natural healing process, and now finally, I am free. Well, at least from the infirmary.

Right now, I don't know what to do. I'm lost and confused, I don't have a plan or a list of things to accomplish. Perhaps… Perhaps seeking out Nala would be best. Korza did say she was worried, but if so, why didn't she come and visit me?

That thought, for some strange reason, filled me with a hint of sadness. Am I developing feelings for someone I barely even know? Well, yes, yes I am, I've admitted that to myself already. However, the speed at which these feelings are developing is somewhat concerning. Surely one cannot develop a crush on someone after only a single day. Right?

I shake these thoughts from my head, refusing to believe I actually like the seven-foot Skal. I steel myself, making my way towards tower 14 to find Nala. Only because she is the only person I really know here. Not because I like her, or that she makes me feel safe, or because she is fun to be around. Nope, not because of that at all.

My footsteps echo through the room, drawing the attention of a few prisoners who were up and down here earlier than most. My body grew tense at the attention, my shoulders raised and back slightly hunched, as if making myself as small as possible would make me unnoticeable. Thankfully, after a few seconds of staring, they went back to whatever it was they were doing, though the unease I felt refused to disappear. I didn't recognize any of the inmates at first, but as I drew closer and closer to my tower, I began to see familiar faces, faces Nala had introduced me to only a few days prior.

A few of them waved at me and smiled while others called good mornings and glad tidings that I was out of the infirmary. I could only offer a small yet nervous smile back, unsure how to respond to them. It was… strange to say the least, I didn't feel as uneasy around them as I did others, not to say I felt safe or out of danger, but I didn't feel like I was about to be pounced on at any moment. Perhaps it was due to Nala's clear yet confusing infatuation with me and no one wished to draw her ire. Or perhaps that was simply how they were. Nala did compare them to being a huge family that looked after one another. How true that statement was, however, has yet to be seen.

Before I knew it, I was in front of the lift, the doors sliding open and allowing me onto the magnetically propelled platform. After stepping on, the lift idled for a few seconds, waiting to see if anyone else would join me. Once the computer system realized no one else was coming, the doors slid shut and the lift began to rise with hardly a sound.

The ride would be a bit of a long one, I knew that from my first day here, so I entertained myself with my implants. I didn't dare try and use my wrist computer, I wasn't entirely sure I wasn't being watched, Artemis having proven she doesn't need cameras to see where I am. Though that begs the question, was she watching during the shower incident? If so, why didn't she do anything to stop it? Did she not have any means to see into the showers? That seems unlikely, her obvious dismissal of others' privacy has already been proven.

I store these thoughts away, for the time being, no use dwelling on things that no longer matter. With a few commands given to my neural implant, it boots into safe mode, and the familiar and comforting red glow of my heads-up display appeared. I couldn't do much of anything, my scanner was only able to scan and give me diagrams of things. My cracker was only able to decipher and, as the name suggests, crack very simple code and security systems. It might come in handy, but with how advanced this station is, I highly doubt it. My relay could be useful if I wanted to intercept radio chatter or divert TV signals, but other than that, it was extremely limited in its uses.

I'm a bit afraid to use my implant at all, scared that Artemis' systems would pick up instantly on any meddling that I might attempt. I had to start somewhere though, and the most unnoticeable thing would be my scanner, so perhaps I will start with that. Scan anything and everything I think might be useful, the information I gain might not be handy at the moment, but perhaps it will come up as useful later on, and if not, no matter. Better safe than sorry.

Deciding to test my scanner, I look down at the anti-grav lift currently shooting me upwards. The entire platform became outlined in red, a hollow bar appearing in my vision with the words “Scanning…" above it. Slowly the bar began to fill, moving at a much slower pace than with the suppressant collar. It made sense, I was booted into safe mode after all so not all my drivers were loaded, plus the platform was far larger than the collar and far more complex.

After what felt like an eternity, the scan was complete, just as the lift began to slow, coming to a stop in front of another sliding door. I stored the 3D diagram away in the limited storage space I had, deciding to look at it later as the doors slid open, revealing the packed cafeteria.

Stepping out, I scanned the room looking for Nala, and while I couldn't find her among the sea of inmates, I did spy the towering figure of Na'Rutha at a table near the center. She was like the perfect landmark in such a chaotic and confusing area, standing, or rather sitting in this case, heads above everyone else.

I began to make my way over, weaving around tables and past fellow tower residents who either ignored me or gave some form of greeting. It was weird, the first day they had all but stared at me, silent as a grave except for Nala and her inner circle. Now, however, they acted like I was just another one of them. A few faces seemed familiar, seeing as Nala had introduced me quite literally to everyone in tower 14, but still, some were unknowns. It is terribly hard trying to keep track of who is who when you were introduced to well near a hundred people in a single day.

I saw Pink among the throng of prisoners waiting their turn at a nutrients cloner, her pale pink exoskeleton sticking out quite vibrantly from everyone else. She was chatting away to that green and tan Skal from before, Teth I believe her name is, the Skal nodding along with whatever the Sivec was saying.

I reached the center table without any trouble, and instantly I saw Nala, her large black and white wings indistinguishable from everything else. Her back was to me, and so was Korza's but Na'Rutha and Reyna were on the other side of the table, both of them spying me instantly. Their expressions remained neutral for the most part, except for a slight upward tug of Reyna's lips.

“That damn bug!" I heard Nala growl as I approached, “I swear I'll rip her limb from limb! Burn her carcass and make that damn Venmar of her's eat the remains!"

“Yes, we know, Mistress," Korza said with her usual airiness, “You have said so many times."

“What will you do once Jason recovers?" Asked Reyna, her eyes flicking from me back to Nala, clearly trying to hold back a smirk. Nala failed to notice her adopted sister's struggle in containing the large smile she was holding back. Odd, considering Nala was rather observant most of the time.

“I…" Nala paused, her wings and shoulders visibly drooping, “I am unsure, I care for him, in a way I haven't cared for someone in decades, and yet I am responsible for what happened to him."

“I have already told you, Mistress, Jason does not blame you for what happened," said Korza, she sounded tired like she had told Nala this many times and yet the dragon refused to believe it.

“His safety is my responsibility and yet I failed to do just that. He got hurt, extremely so, and now my precious jewel is in the infirmary and I do not know how he is doing."

There was something strange going on with Nala, she didn't seem like her usual confident self. She look more subdued, tired, lacking that energetic and commanding aura she always had. It felt and looked… wrong. I didn't like it, I really, really did not like it. Where was the strong, confident dragon that had practically claimed me as her property not but a few days ago! The one who smiled ear to ear when introducing me to the people she called family! Where was that leader-of-a-cartel attitude Korza spoke of and I had gained a glimpse of during that meeting on my first day!

“I have told you before; he is doing fine," Korza said, trying to placate Nala's worries, “If you want to see for yourself then perhaps you should go visit him."

That last part was clearly unneeded seeing as one of Korza's ears practically swiveled around in my direction. She undoubtedly could hear me coming, probably smell me as well, something Nala should have been picking up on, yet her mind was so bogged down by worry and stress that even her senses seemed to be dulled.

She shook her head, the jewelry dangling from her horns clinking against one another. “He needs space, I have been quite forward with him, forceful even. While that might be normal for us Skals, it is not so with humans."

“But he ain't a human, is he?" Grunted Na'Rutha, picking up a slab of what appeared to be just raw meat, and tearing into it with gusto.

“No, he isn't," Nala replied, “But while he might not be human, he isn't fully a Hybrid either. Remember, he was born and raised on Earth by other humans, and I'm sure his unique appearance for a Hybrid hasn't helped him realize just how inhuman he actually is."

“Still," whispered Korza, “I'm sure he would appreciate it if you would just drop by at least once."

Again, at the mention of seeing me, Nala practically melts. Her shoulders slumped further, and her wings practically dragged against the ground with how droopy they became. Her voice changed as well, becoming somber, full of sadness and… guilt?

“It is my fault that he is in the state that he is. I failed to do the one thing I promised him, and I doubt he even wants to see me."

I'm not sure what came over me at that moment, but the mere idea of Nala avoiding me because she thought it was her fault I had gotten hurt sent a jolt of pain and anger through my heart. Before I knew it, I was right behind her, arms wrapping around her neck from behind.

“Well too bad, because your precious jewel has come to see you and there's no escaping!" I said, my tone slightly more upset than I had intended. Did I really just say that? How fucking dumb does that sound! It sounded so weird, yet it felt so right! My heart is thumping in my chest like it's about to explode, and I can feel my face heating up from embarrassment. Good thing she can't see me right now.

I felt Nala tense up, her wings and back going as ridged as a board, her breathing all but stopping. Looking over her shoulder, I notice Reyna and Na'Rutha's expressions. They looked rather smug, as if they had known things were going to turn out this way.

I needed to salvage the situation, to sound more confident than I feel and less like a lovesick puppy.

“Now stop mopping," I say giving her a light squeeze, “And give me back the strong, confident dragon that I like." Damn, that sounded good, but it didn't come out how I wanted it to! I still sound like some fool drunk on feelings!

“J-Jason, I'm—“ she began but I cut her off before she could get started.

“Nope! None of that, no apologizing, you didn't do anything wrong. None of what happened is your fault and if you even think about trying to say otherwise then I'll… I'll…" I trialed off; unsure what kind of threat I could levy against someone like her. It's not like I could beat her up, not that I want to, or deny her anything she wants either. I really do tend to talk without knowing where I'm going with something.

“Well, I'll do something you won't like!" I finish with finality. I roll my eyes at my own statement. What could I possibly do to her? My threat is practically nothing more than a waste of air! Good job Jason! You threatened the one person who seems to like you!

There was a moment of silence from the entire table, everyone waiting to see what Nala's reaction would be. Then, I practically felt it before I saw it, the usual confident smirk gracing her features, her head turning slightly so one of her glittering gold eyes could gaze at me. I felt the tension in her body disappear, then I felt something brushing up along my leg.

Looking down, I find her tail slowly trailing up my leg, over my thigh, and then wrapping around my waist. Before I know what was happening, I'm yanked off my feet, the room spinning for a moment before I find myself planted in Nala's lap.

The dumbstruck look on my face must have been something to see because Na'Rutha's deep booming laughter started shaking me down to my core. Reyna was snickering behind one of her hands, and while Korza wasn't laughing, the slight upward tug of her muzzle proved she was at least somewhat amused.

“What, exactly, could you possibly do to me, my pet?" crooned Nala, her tone far more malicious and far sultrier sounding than it had any right to be. Her arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into her and keeping me locked in her lap.

This is the Nala I know, not that sulking, self-pitying mess from before, but a strong, confident dragon that's not afraid to take what she wants when she wants it. Though the position I find myself in now is quite embarrassing. I feel like my face is about to melt off!

“I… Umm… T-That's to say… Uh…" I couldn't find the words to respond to her, the simple knowledge of her breasts pressing up against the back of my head, her ever radiant warmth permeating my very being, and her arms wrapped tightly around me, short-circuited something inside my brain.

“Would you deny me simply gazing at you like the most precious gem that you are? Would you deny the affections I would shower upon you, or perhaps the lovely sound of your voice that I enjoy oh so much?"

Her grip grew tighter as it became my turn to be tensed and embarrassed. Not that I wasn't already embarrassed to begin with, but still.

“You are right, however," Nala spoke gently, one hand coming to rest on my head as she began to play with my hair. “I'm not sure what got into me, but no more mopping around, you wanted me back to myself and you shall have that. But now you have to deal with what that all entails, which means…" Her arm around my waist drew me closer to her, the hand in my hair fisting it tightly, her claws scratching my scalp. “You, do not get to deny me anything!"

She let out a low growl, and I gasped when she tugged my head to the side, exposing my collar-clad neck to her. What has gotten into her! I wanted the old Nala back, yes, but this isn't anything like before! She's so much more aggressive! And… And I can't say I don't like it. It's making me feel all weird and tingly.

“Ah!" I gasp once more, feeling the warm breath of Nala blow across my neck. Her snout nudges the collar out of the way, and then I feel the flicker of something warm and wet sliding across the side of my neck. Then she nipped at me! Her needle-like teeth grazed over my skin and left behind red marks. She kept at it for a few seconds, or has it been minutes? I can't tell anymore, but she keeps doing it, leaving the entire left side of my neck burning with a stinging warmth that felt oddly good.

“I was so worried about you," Nala breathed, ceasing her attack against my flesh. “I had to lock myself in my room for a few days just so I wouldn't go and kill that damn insect, not that I have any qualms about doing just that, but I know you would not have approved."

“I… You… What?" I stammer, my mind frazzled from what just happened and still reeling as it tried to process what she said. She had held herself back, because of me? Because she knew I wouldn't have approved of killing someone, no matter how much they deserved it?

I look across the table with a dazed expression, seeing Reyna practically vibrating with stifled laughter as she looked at the two of us. Na'Rutha, on the other hand, was shaking with her usual deep and booming guffaws, not caring how much attention she drew to our little table of mismatched misfits.

Korza, however, seemed to have no qualms about interrupting Nala's little shower of affections. She spoke up for her mistress who was too busy nuzzling into my hair and breathing in my scent.

“Yes, that is one reason why she never came to see you, both because of her guilt and because she locked herself away till she could get her temper under control," explained Korza. “Green has been far more aggravating as of late, poking other factions and seeing how far she can take things before they finally start to respond to her jabs. Mistress was too emotional at the time to go near the bug without flying into a rage."

I tilt my head back to look up at Nala, disrupting her affectionate nuzzling, much to her disappointment. My eyes met hers, staring into two golden orbs blazing with untold emotions and desires.

“You actually care enough about what I think to go out of your way just to make me happy?" For once in a long time, my voice didn't come out shaky and embarrassed but awed at her actions and confused as to why.

She smiled down at me, holding me tighter before she responded. “Of course, thinking of and taking into consideration the opinions of others is the first and most basic step in being an effective leader. Plus it's one of the first steps in courting, though that doesn't really matter seeing as you already belong to me."

“C-Courting?!" I stammer baffled, looking at her like she's crazy. “We only just met a few days ago, which, need I remind you, I spent more than half of that in an infirmary, and you are talking about courting!"

“Hmm, I suppose you have a point there, but unlike humans, Skals do not need to spend an excessively long time getting to know one another in order to become mates. We are aggressive creatures, we take what we want, and if our partner does not submit, then we know we are not compatible. This 'dating' concept that you humans have seems rather inefficient, the mere thought of it taking years for two individuals to claim each other as mates is… well, its nigh inconceivable. Though, of course, you need not concern yourself with such things, because as I said before, you already belong to me."

I don't even know how to respond to that, so I don't. Instead, I just groan and cover my face, trying desperately to hide the embarrassment that I was feeling. This was most certainly not how I thought this day was going to start, but I cannot deny that, so far, it has gone far smoother than I originally thought it would. Sans getting my neck nibbled on and Nala's not so subtle hint at courting me, even if she says otherwise in some weird roundabout way. The belonging to her comments don't bother me much as I thought they would either, probably because I know she respects me and what I think far more than what she lets on.

God, I can't believe that it has been only a few days and already I like her, this just doesn't seem natural. Aren't you supposed to know someone for at least a few weeks or even months before you start dating them? True, she did express that this was not dating, but the truth of the matter still stands. Surely love at first sight doesn't actually exist, did it?

Everything is just moving so fast, I've barely had time to even settle in and already I've drawn the attention of practically everyone in the prison, most importantly of all, the dragon on whose lap I am currently sitting in. Also, why the hell am I still sitting in it?

Then, as she ran her fingers through my hair, I remembered why. She is a seven-foot-tall dragon who just so happens to be the leader of the galaxy's most notorious cartel. She also just told me I couldn't deny her anything, and as much as I would like to argue that point, she was right.

I felt her squeeze me to her, a soft rumbling coming from deep within her chest as she talked with the others at the table like nothing out of the ordinary just happened. Is she purring? I didn't know Skals could do that! That's… kind of adorable.

Deciding not to rejoin reality at the moment, I boot up my implant and pull up the diagram for the grav-lifts. There was nothing too special about them, just normal anti-gravity technology built into the platform. Why I had decided to start my investigations on something so dull is a mystery to me, so looking over to a nearby nutrients cloner, I set my scanner to do a full scan of the machine.

Within a few minutes, the scan was complete and a fully detailed 3D diagram of the nutrients cloner appeared in my vision. Now, this is fascinating! Inside the main housing of the machine were large reservoirs, what they contain I could only guess at, but it most likely contained whatever chemicals and DNA the machine required to function. The tanks were what took up most of the space, the actual cloner was only the size of a microwave and located near the front of the machine where it connected with the conveyor belt.

As I studied the nutrients cloner and all its workings, committing every single detail to memory for no other reason than that I could, I felt something poke against my lips. Instinctively, I opened my mouth to blow whatever it was away, but the thing entered and something sweet and juice hit my taste buds. It tasted so good! Like strawberries and dragon fruit, refreshing and savory.

I chewed whatever it was absentmindedly before swallowing, going back to studying the inner workings of a brand new piece of technology. I finally discovered the reason behind why the food produced by these machines didn't taste quite right, and it was because of the type of cloner they were using. While the machine itself was extremely advanced, the actual cloning machine inside it was old and outdated, at least by today's standards. A cloner that focused solely on the reproductions of food was not something that has been fully explored. Yes, it is there, but everyone is more interested in cloning life rather than food that said life could produce.

If I can just figure out a way to invent a cloning machine like the one inside the NC, that's what I've decided to start calling the nutrients cloners, but with far more advanced technology and higher quality materials, then I could make a nutrients cloner that produces perfectly accurate food! Well, perfect is probably a bit of a stretch, but better isn't implausible.

I felt something press against my lips once more, and idly I opened my mouth without thinking about it, too busy running wild with ideas on how to dig up this gold mine that no one seems to have touched upon. That familiar sweet and juicy goodness filled my mouth and, unconsciously, I began to chew, savoring it as I let out a light hum of contentment.

Now, building a cloner the same size as the one in the NC but making it produce higher quality food would be a bit tricky—

“Jason…"

However, it would not be impossible. It would certainly take some time, but with the proper materials and tools—

“Jason…"

It shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish. Now, if I can just get Artemis to let me take a look inside one of those nutrients cloners then I could—

“Jason!"

My head snaps upwards, closing the heads-up display of my implant as I come back to reality.

“Huh, what?" I ask, looking around at everyone as they stare back at me.

“We were asking if you were okay," said Reyna looking at me with concern, “You were spacing out there and you never responded to anything except when Nala fed you a bit of oro-oro."

I felt my face starting to flush, but quickly I stamp it back down, refusing to blush even more than I have today.

Shaking my head I say, “Sorry, I was a bit lost in thought."

“About what?" chuckled Na'Rutha, “Daydreaming about them love bites, huh kid?" She wiggled her brows, looking at me knowingly even if what she thought I was daydreaming about was completely incorrect.

Instantly, my face flushed once more. So much for trying not to blush anymore today.

“N-No! No, nothing like that," I respond shaking my head, trying to think about something to tell them other than that I was daydreaming about technology. How embarrassing would that be! “I was thinking about, uh…"

“About the message?" asked Korza softly.

“Huh? The message…" I look at her confused, head slightly tilting as I try to think about what she's talking about. Then I remember, I said I was going to tell everyone about the message Numa had delivered before she attacked me! Thank you Korza for giving me an out! “Uh, yes! Yes the… uh, the message."

“What is this 'message' you are speaking of? Has someone threatened you, Jason! Tell me who it is, I swear I'll make them pay for it! Was it Green? I knew she couldn't just leave well enough alone after what happened, I swear when I get my claws on her I'll turn her inside out!" With each word Nala ranted, her grip on me grew tighter and tighter till I was smooshed up against her chest and unable to breathe.

“N-Nala!" I wheeze, tapping her arm. She looks down at me and gasps, her grip loosening enough to allow me to breathe but remaining tight and possessive.

“Oh, I'm sorry, pet, I didn't mean to hurt you."

“I-It's fine," I say, my cheeks coloring at her use of the pet name she has given me.

“Anyway," I continue, “When Numa showed up in the showers," Nala's grip on me grew a tad bit tighter, a low growl coming from her at the mention of that wolf's name. “She was originally there to deliver me a message from Green."

“And what was this message exactly?" Reyna questioned, hands folded over each other and calmly resting on the table.

“To put it shortly, she said if I didn't join Green during that council thing, then she would send my cousin a gift. I'm sure you can figure out what that means." Nods from all the members at the table confirmed as much. “Sending a gift" was a bit of an old saying by human standards, but it seemed that even aliens among the underworld were familiar with it.

“Was there anything else, Jason?" Nala questioned, “Any little detail could be important."

I thought on it for a moment, trying to remember what exactly Numa had said.

“At tomorrow's council meeting, if you don't join with her, she will make sure that your cousin, Amelia, is sent a little gift."

Hadn't I pretty much summed that up? If I didn't join her, then she would send my cousin a gift. I'm sure everyone at this table can put two and two together and get Obvious Threat!

What am I missing? Council meeting, check. Join her, check. Threat to do something to my cousin, check.

Then it hit me! Numa had specifically used Amelia's name. The name of the person who raised me, of the person who not even the R.O.F thought to investigate. A name that was now associated with one of the largest tech companies in the core worlds.

“She called my cousin by name," I reply, “Amelia. She had somehow found out the name of my cousin, something not even the… the Ravens knew." The name of the old terrorist group that once held me hostage felt sour on my tongue, and I quickly reached out, stealing Nala's glass of blue milk and down half of it in one gulp.

What if Green really could influence things outside the prison? What if the threat really hadn't been just a ruse? What if I had fooled myself by thinking that since Numa couldn't tell me exactly who or where Amelia was, then Green was just bluffing! What if Green does know who Amelia is and where she is but had refrained from giving Numa all the information? I know if I was in her position, I would not tell Numa everything. The wolf was sporadic, quick to anger, and would most likely spill everything just to gloat.

“What… What does this mean?" I ask hesitantly, looking up to Nala.

She just hummed thoughtfully, one hand finding its way back into my hair while the other absentmindedly stroked her chin as she stared off into space. Her fingers dancing through my hair and massaging my scalp was calming, so much so that my body visibly relaxed. My head was like a reset button, all she had to do was simply stroke my hair and I would be like putty in her claws. I both loved and hated it, loved because it made me feel calm and appreciated, hated because it most likely meant Nala was about to tell me something I wouldn't like.

“This means, that there is a staff member somewhere on Artemis that isn't entirely loyal to our oh so lovely warden."

“Are you sure, sister?" asked Reyna seriously. It was the first time I had ever heard her refer to Nala as anything other than her name or Mistress. It looked strange, seeing a Silistain call a Skal sister, but it was endearing nonetheless.

Nala shook her head, “Sure? No, I am not one-hundred percent sure. However, I can think of no other way that Green would be able to garner this kind of information. We cannot receive or send mail, messages, calls or have any form of contact with the outside world. Believe me, I have tried."

The mood around the table had shifted drastically, everyone's expressions turning sour.

“What should we do?" To my surprise, it was Na'Rutha who had asked the question.

“The only thing we can, my friend," Nala responded, “I shall inform Artemis of this, other than that, there is nothing we can do."

“I doubt informing her will be necessary," whispered Korza, a single clawed digit pointing into the air above us.

Looking up, I see one of Artemis' turrets dangling from its mechanical arm from a hole in the ceiling. The glowing blue tips of the cannons looked like eyes from this angle, its disk-shaped frame tilting to one side like it was an animal that was studying us intently. Then, it retreated into the ceiling, the panel above us sliding shut.

“I suppose you are correct, Korza. It seems our caretaker has been listening in on our conversation this entire time. I suppose that's just a little bit less work for me to have to do."

After that, our little group went back to discussing small things, I toned out most of the conversation, going back to studying the nutrients cloner as a way to get my mind off of recent events. There was nothing I could do, not locked up in here like this anyways. I'm just going to have to wait and hope that Artemis will take care of everything, she's capable enough, rooting out a traitor couldn't be too hard for her, right?

The only time I was brought of out my musings was when Nala offered me a piece of food, mostly fruit since that's what she mainly ate. I didn't mind though, all of it was good if a little bland. At least it wasn't like the slop or vacuum-packed meals that tasted like cardboard I had been fed in the past. Prisons in the core worlds could hardly hold a candle to this place, if you just ignored all the prison jumpsuits, and the incredibly high security, it almost felt like it was some high-end university or resort.

Slowly, the world around me just faded away, the multitude of conversations around me turning into nothing but background white noise. I felt comfortable, relaxed even, sitting here in Nala's lap. Warmth radiated off of her like a space heater, repelling any chill that might try and attack me. Her body was soft, her thighs making for a perfect place to sit, her chest like two massive cushions that I could rest my head against.

I wasn't tired, but the hand that caressed my head softly was making it hard not to close my eyes and just let myself drift off into a place of bliss. It has been so long since I was last given such affections or held tightly in the arms of someone who cares. I liked it, loved it even! It was such a drastic change from how things have been for the past several years.

For so long my life has been nothing but a dark tunnel with no signs of light at the end, but now… now with Nala here, with Reyna, Korza, and even Na'Rutha, I think I can see the tiniest pinprick of light break through the darkness.

***

“Ah! F-Fuck! It's too much, I can't take it anymore!" I groan, sweat beading on my forehead, my entire body drenched in perspiration. I looked up into the dark, gleaming eyes of Na'Rutha as she towered over me, groaning again as my body ached in protest.

“Come on, kid, just a little more, we're almost done, hang in there," she growled. Her fur was matted with sweat, her breathing labored, and yet she smirked, her large tusks gleaming in the light of the lighting strips above us.

“Go easy on him, Na'Rutha," chided Reyna as she stood to the side and watched with Nala, the Skal doing everything in her power not to ogle me, something she easily failed at doing. “He hasn't used his body like this in ages, you should have started with something gentler."

“Bah, the kid is fine, he can take it. Anyways, we're almost done, one last push little man and it'll all be over."

I ignored her teasing name-calling, pushing upwards with all my might! My arms screamed at me in protest, the muscles burning and aching, yet I pushed on. Finally, with one last desperate shove, I extend my arms and lift the barbell high above me head.

“Ha! I did it!" I exclaim excitedly, Reyna's cheers accompanying my own as Nala smirked and lightly clapped. The celebration is cut short when my arms start to shake, the weight becoming too much for my spindly little arms to hold up any longer.

Na'Rutha is quick to act, gripping the bar in one of her massive hands and lifting it off of me like it weighed nothing.

She sets it down in its stand with a loud clang, chuckling as I let out a huff of air, my arms falling limp beside me on the bench. My breathing was labored, my body completely drenched in sweat after several hours of working out. First, it had been stretching with Reyna, then it had been jogging around the courtyard with Korza, and now it was strength training with Na'Rutha.

The stretching had been fine, relaxing even, almost like yoga if I had to make a comparison, it's something you should always do before and after a workout. Strangely enough, the cardio training Korza put me through had been my favorite. For some reason I had found myself enjoying it far more than I thought I would, simply running laps around the courtyard felt… amazing! It is hard to put into words, but the best example would be that it was freeing. Of course, with my legs having been slightly damaged due to a lack of use during stasis, I could hardly keep up with Korza, even at a light jog. She was a Venmar after all.

This, however, was not as enjoyable as running had been. Na'Rutha was a powerhouse, tall, strong, and absolutely bulging with muscles like steel cables. She liked weightlifting, I did not. And while I do agree with what Reyna had said about starting me off with something a bit easier, I'm not sure if that is possible. Most of the equipment here is made for people twice my size, and while there were lighter weights more suited to the smaller and weaker species like Sivecs and Asta, weights that I was just using, what Na'Rutha had started me off with still seemed like a bit much.

I struggle to sit up, groaning as my entire body aches. A towel is thrust into my face by a massive, four-fingered, silvery fur-covered hand. I take it gratefully, swiping the cloth across my face to remove the sweat that was dripping from my brow.

“Thanks, Na'Rutha," I said, giving the giant before me a lopsided grin.

“No problem, kid. You did well, far better than I expected you to. A bit weak, though you are half-human so it is to be expected, but with a bit of training you can get muscles as gorgeous as these babies," she gloated, raising her arms and flexing her muscles, making her biceps bulge as she tensed the steel muscle beneath her shaggy fur. Her jumpsuit was unzipped, the top half hanging around her waist, her chest only contained by a sports bra so big it could practically be used as a tent.

I just let out a huff of laughter, shaking my head at Na'Rutha's display. Before, when I had said she could be a model for a female bodybuilder holo-mag, I had been joking. Now, however, I'm starting to see that that might not be too far from a possibility.

That was three out of four down now, the last person left was Nala, and I'm a bit scared about what kind of exercise she is going to make me do.

Glancing over to her, I see her speaking with a sweat-drenched Korza who was panting rather heavily. She had kept running laps even after I had finished, her pack joining her soon after. Speaking of her pack, they were there as well, standing a few feet behind her and panting as they waited patiently for their alpha. Several of them looked my way, eyeing me up and down. Most of them looked away moments later, but a few remained staring, the look in their eye suggesting far more than passive curiosity.

My gaze is drawn back to the black and white Skal, and my brow crooks when I find her staring back at me. Nala quickly finishes whatever she was talking to Korza about and swiftly turns in my direction and marches over.

“You look quite cute when you're out of breath," Nala cooed once she got closer.

“Ahem," I cough nervously, my face flushing a bit as I looked away. “I… W-Well, t-thank you I guess."

“Hmm, you are quite welcome, Jason. Though I can't help but desire to see you out of breath due to more… intimate exercise," she hummed, eyeing me up and down. I could tell, with that lustful glint in her eyes, that she was undressing me in her mind, and just knowing that simple fact made my face heat up all the more.

The flush on my face has spread to encompass my neck now, and I'm left speechless, unsure how to respond to her. It seems like every time Nala says something, she just takes the words right out of my mouth, and I'm left floundering around like a fish on land. I don't think I have blushed more in my life than I have during my time here on Artemis. Almost everything Nala says makes me flustered and embarrassed, I'm not used to this, and I'm not sure if I ever will be. And even though I try to ignore it most of the time, I can't help but enjoy her teasing comments and hidden innuendos.

“I… um… W-Well. Is… Is there anything else to do here on Artemis? There's workout equipment and entertainment spheres, but other than that, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of entertainment."

“I suppose you are correct," responded Nala, eyeing me up and down one last time before turning on her heel and walking away, gesturing for me to follow her with a crook of a single clawed finger.

I scamper to catch up to her, her long legs carrying her much farther and faster than I expected. I quickly fall into step beside her, wiping at my brow and neck with the towel in my hand. Thankfully, the jumpsuits were rather absorbent, so I didn't feel as sweaty and sticky as I thought I might. Though a shower would be nice it could wait for now. I wasn't entirely fond of the idea of going back in there alone.

The thought of Nala joining me in the showers filled my imagination then. What would she look like without the jumpsuit on? Gorgeous no doubt, but was she hiding toned muscles beneath her suit, or perhaps soft curves? Well, she most definitely had curves and muscles, which was quite obvious even with her prison-issued clothes on.

Even though I tried to resist, I couldn't help but let the image I imagined fill my mind's eye. Her black and white scales shimmered in the light as water cascaded down her body, matting the white fur that ran from between her horns and down to the tip of her tail. Her large, leathery wings spread out as water dripped from their tips, the curvature of her ass, the swell of her chest, the lustful and desire-filled gaze she would send my way with her shiny gold eyes.

As soon as my mind began drifting towards trying to come up with what her more intimate areas would look like, I abruptly put a stop to it, shaking my head and dispelling the rather lewd image I had let my mind conjure up.

She was an alien, her anatomy is completely different from mine. Obviously, seeing as she is both a Skal and a woman but who's to even say she has all the same things as a human woman? She has breasts, yes, rather large and luscious ones at that, but did she have nipples? If so, what was their purpose? Is her lower region that of a human or was it completely different?

Stop it, Jason! Get your head out of the gutter! I mentally scolded myself, once again shaking the thoughts and images from my mind. Luckily, Nala took that moment to speak up, drawing me back to reality. I'm glad she can't read my mind or I'd have a lot of explaining to do.

“While there isn't a lot to do normally around Artemis, we do have these," she explained, coming to a stop and gesturing towards what appeared to be a sort of kiosk type of stand embedded into the wall not too far from where we just were.

There was a display screen with a keyboard beneath it, images of many different items cycling across the screen. It reminded me of shopping kiosks usually situated outside of mall stores, used to find and order a specific item quickly without having to browse around. Rather useful little things they were, especially if you are out shopping rather than browsing as most people do in malls.

“What are they?" I ask quizzically. I step up to one of these kiosk-like machines and tap the screen. Immediately, the cycling images fade away, revealing page after page of items. At the top of the screen was a search bar, and at the bottom was a list of page numbers. I'm not sure how many pages there were, but the page counter ended at 127 but appeared to continue.

“This, my dear Jason, is an item requester. Here, you can send in a request for any of the available items, if approved, the item will be taken from the station's storage and given to you."

“What if the item isn't available?" I ask, scrolling through the pages.

“If the item isn't available, then Artemis has it ordered. It usually only takes a few weeks if they use a cargo ship equipped with an advanced slip space drive and that is located close enough, but if one is not available then it can take a few months."

I was confused for a moment on why it took me a year to arrive here if supplies could be delivered in a matter of weeks or months. Then I realized I had been transported on a military vessel, its superlight drive was no doubt smaller and less capable, but due to that smaller footprint, it allowed the vehicle to be outfitted with more armor and weapons. Cargo ships, on the other hand, didn't require as much armoring or weaponry, so they could afford to fit a larger drive. Plus, if Artemis got supplies from planets and stations closer to the outer rim rather than from the core worlds, then the time it would take would decrease drastically.

“You said 'approved' earlier, what did you mean by that?" I scrolled through page after page, a multitude of items flashing past me – toys, games, electronics, room décor, hygiene, books, and so on.

“Artemis doesn't always approve an item request; it will usually depend on what the person wants the item for and who they are. If they are a known troublemaker, requests will almost always be denied. If you've had good behavior, though, then she will usually be a bit more lenient."

I swiped my finger across the screen once more, and what came up in my vision gave me pause. Long, colorful, phallic-shaped objects appeared, along with other strange devices I couldn't make heads or tails of. Then, once I realized what I was looking at, I felt myself blush and I quickly started swiping as fast as possible. The melodious laughter of Nala informed me she had seen what I was looking at and was quite amused at my embarrassment.

I ignored her for the time being, focusing on swiping as fast as possible, but it seemed like the pages of adult toys just never ended! Finally, at long last, my next swipe brought me away from the objects of my embarrassment.

“Us women have our needs, Jason, and being of a more feminine orientation herself, Artemis understands that. Even if she is just an A.I," Nala purred into my ear, making me jump from how close she suddenly got. I felt her press herself up against me from behind, her arms wrapping around my waist as she looked over my head at the kiosk screen. She didn't do anything, just held me and giggled at my plight. The laughter of Skals was strange yet beautiful, sounding almost like the song of a bird. Melodious, calming.

I refused to respond to her, simply because I had no response. I looked back to the screen, trying to ignore Nala's arms squeezing me, or the long slender tail I could feel wrapping around one of my legs. I found myself in the more arts and crafts section, the pages filled with materials one could use to make an innumerable number of things. Why this was located after the adult toy section, I had no idea.

I had known Artemis station wasn't like any other prison facility I have been to, but this little kiosk and the amount of freedom prisoners had was still mind-boggling. It only served to solidify my theory that Artemis station is meant to be nice enough that it at least discouraged the thought of escape.

“See anything you want?" asked Nala.

“A few things," I answer, “But, would Artemis even approve my request? I mean, I only just arrived."

“I am unsure, she is rather… unpredictable," she replied thoughtfully, “No harm in trying though, if it's denied it's denied, and you can try again some other time. Just make sure you stay out of trouble, or it could make getting things a lot more difficult."

“Hmm, understandable. By the way, what stops inmates from getting items and then causing trouble with them?"

“Those." Nala waved her hand in the direction of the more densely populated areas of the courtyard, the needle-shaped drones hovering high above everyone, following their pre-determined flight paths. Turrets jutted out of the walls, swiveling on their mechanical arms as they scanned the area for any trouble, the glowing blue tips of their cone-shaped cannons painting a rather intimidating picture.

“And not only those but the threat of..." Nala paused for a moment, and for the first time, I saw her looking nervous, maybe even a bit frightened. “Of solitary confinement." A sharp grimace flooded across her face, her eyes becoming hard and emotionless as she no doubt thought back to perhaps a time she had ended up in the hole.

I shivered at the mention of solitary confinement. I had experienced it before, back on Andromeda. The nickname, the hole, was quite fitting for it. You would receive no food, no water, and guards would occasionally come in and beat you simply because they can. It was always dark though, so very, very dark and silent. You couldn't tell up from down or left from right. Your senses would start going haywire, and slowly, oh so very slowly, you could just feel yourself going insane.

“Right, anyway," I say, steering the conversation away from such unfavorable topics, “Help me pick something out."

“Mmm, why don't you go back a couple of pages and we can pick out something we both would enjoy~" Nala crooned, quickly shaking off her previous discomfort before leaning in to whisper into my ear.

This time, I do not let her sultry words get to me. Instead, I lightly slap her arm, glaring up at her with an indignant expression.

“Be serious," I demanded, “It's hard for me to relax, and working out and watching TV have never been things that have kept me entertained for long."

She just chuckled lightly at my reprimand, giving me a soft squeeze before finally relenting.

“Ok, ok," she conceded, “What did you use to do for fun back on earth?"

I opened my mouth to respond but closed it shortly after. What did I use to do for fun? Well, when I was eight, I played with toys like any other kid my age, but after that, things became… different. After the death of my parents, I had lost all interest in just about everything. That is until I found Amelia working on one of her projects. Technology, especially the invention of new technologies, instantly had me enamored. I spent all my time studying, coding, learning everything I possibly could, building new things, and coming up with creative ways to make them work. But I couldn't do those things here. Could I?

“I like making things," I say, looking back to the screen and at all the harmless crafting supplies I could put an order in for. “I think I have an idea."

“And what would that be?" Nala questioned curiously, watching as I tapped on several items and added them to my list of requests.

“You'll see!" I respond happily, adding a bottle of superglue and rubber bands to my growing list of items. I hadn't expected the arts and crafts section to hold all that much, but it did. It contained just about everything, at least everything harmless, that one could use to make random things. There were even painting supplies! I wasn't an artist by any means, but perhaps picking up a new hobby wouldn't be too bad of an idea, I would be here for a long time after all.

“What in Vorax's name do you need popsicle sticks and cardboard for?" Nala asked incredulously, looking down at me and raising a brow.

“Just a little side project I'm going to work on if all of this gets approved." I flash her a smug smile, my grin only widening as I watch her become frustrated at not knowing what I was up to.

With the final item added to my queue, I tapped on a big green button that reads “Request" which had appeared right under my long list. As soon as I hit it, a small panel no bigger than a postage stamp opened right above the monitor. My entire body was scanned in blue light, the scanner zeroing in on my right shoulder where my monitoring chip was embedded. My number, X-1475, materialized into thin air right above where the chip had been inserted, the holographic lettering glowing a light blue before the scanner beeped and the numbers winked out.

On-screen, a rotating sequence of dots appeared along with the words “Processing." Kind of like the old loading screens of some of the more ancient computer systems that I had tinkered with once upon a time.

It took a few minutes, Artemis no doubt going over the list and trying to decide whether to approve my request or not. I was hoping she would, it honestly wasn't anything super complicated, just a bunch of stuff needed to make some random things. It's not like I could break out of prison or cause that much trouble with—superglue, rubber bands, pencils, and cardboard. Though I'm sure I could find a way if I really wanted to.

Finally, large, blocky letters reading “Approved" appeared on the screen.

“Well, now that you've got your strange assortment of items requested and approved," began Nala, “Why don't we go see what the others are up to, hm?"

I nod, “Sure, nothing else to do I suppose."

We found the others fast, all of them hanging out and lounging around the central island of flora and fauna that Nala's faction had claimed as their own. Na'Rutha had clearly taken a shower, as evidenced by her still slightly damp fur. She and her… Girlfriend? I'm still not entirely sure what they are, but I'm just going to think of them like that. She and Celeste were huddled up together under a tree, Celeste curled up in Na'Rutha's lap and reading a book while the Kilnoid just hugged her and sat quietly. It was strange seeing the usually big and boisterous Na'Rutha so calm and serene. She must really love that snake.

Korza was with her pack like she always was when she wasn't with our little group. They were lounging by the water's edge, some—Korza included—were playing a game I didn't recognize. It looked oddly like chess but with far more pieces, at least double or triple that of a normal, human chessboard. Others were wading in the water of the large pond, and some just appeared to be asleep.

Reyna, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. She was probably somewhere else or off doing something.

“Jason~! Nala~!" Called a familiar, light, and airy modulated voice.

Looking in the direction of who called our names, we find Pink waving at us with one of her four arms. She was with two other… people? One was Teth, the only other named Skal I was somewhat acquainted with, the other appeared to be a thin, wiry framed robot.

It looked broken, half of its exterior plating was missing, exposing wires, gears, joints, pistons, and several other internal components. Its faceplate was luckily still intact, but the smooth shiny metal was blank, with no facial features except for two glowing white eyes. The main body, while missing a lot of plating to give the thing definition, was still rather androgynous-looking. It appeared as if it was just a shell that had been quickly thrown together with whatever spare parts could be found. It was a sloppy job, and I felt a pang of heartache flaring up inside of me. Sure, it was just a robot, but it still hurt to see it in such a condition, humans grow rather attached to things, even if they are fake.

Instinctively, I activated my implant and did a full scan of the robot as we approached. I cringed at what I saw when the 3D diagram came up. It was much worse on the inside than it appeared, so much so that even I was confused about how it was still operational. The wire management was like if someone let a three-year-old run wild on its insides, the hard drive was located alongside the processor in the chest cavity rather than in the head, and its power source was, for some fucked up reason, located in its groin area. The only good thing about it was the wireless-charging battery that is used as a power source. It could hold a large and lengthy charge at constant use and had a long shelf life, so it wasn't likely to die any time soon.

“Hello, Pink, Teth, Eti," Nala nodded to each one respectfully, ending with the robot whose name was now apparent.

“Mornin' Nala, Jason," Teth yawned despite it no longer being morning. She raised her arms over her head, stretching as she let out a satisfied groan before finally relaxing. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed.

“Hello…" I say absentmindedly, still staring at the robot. I felt something digging at the back of my mind, like a worm trying to push through the dirt. Eti seemed rather familiar to me, I felt like I should know her, but I can't recall ever meeting a robot named Eti before. Perhaps it was just what little of her aesthetic design was left, it looked like it was meant to be sleek, streamlined, and minimalistic, a rather popular design for robots nowadays.

If we had ever met before, however, Eti showed absolutely no signs she recognized me. Her head tilted slightly as if she was curious about me as much as I was about her. Though it was hard to tell with her faceplate's lack of features and emotions.

Finally, it was Pink who broke the silence, “Jason, this is Eti, she arrived here about a year ago, she was the last prisoner before you came along! I told her all about you, at least what I know, and she seemed eager to meet you! Sadly, you ended up in the infirmary before I could introduce you, but you're here now so all is well!"

Pink's bubbly personality was endearing, the artificially produced voice from her translator full of excitement and anticipation as she bounced from one foot to the other, looking at us expectantly with her large, pink eyes. She was clearly waiting for us to say something to one another, and so were Nala and Teth.

I was a bit surprised Nala wasn't jumping in to introduce me and get the ball rolling, but she just smiled at me and winked when I looked her way. Apparently, she wanted me to take the initiative here, whether that's because she still feels a bit guilty about before and how clingy she is, I'm not sure, but I do appreciate it.

I opened my mouth to speak, still not knowing what I was going to say, but luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Eti spoke before I could get a word out.

“Jason Wilks," she said in a detached monotone voice. Her voice fit her looks perfectly, emotionless, androgynous, yet clearly leaning more to the feminine side. She had no lips, so it was a little off-putting to hear her speak but see no signs of her doing so. “It is…" she paused for a moment, her head tilting from side to side as if she was having trouble coming up with the correct words to use. “Nice to meet you."

“It is nice to mee you too, Eti," I respond, and hesitantly, I stretch out my hand.

She looked at it curiously, or as curiously as an expressionless robot could get. It was as if she didn't even know what a handshake was, which was honestly quite possible depending on what kind of life she has had. But a moment later she reaches out as well and takes hold of my hand, her cold, metal, skeletal fingers wrapping around my hand and giving me a firm shake.

At her touch, I felt a spark run through me, quite literally. Some loose wires were trailing from her fingers, half of them had part of their protective sheaths missing, so when my fingers had grazed the exposed metal, it had sent a small electrical shock through my arm.

Without thinking, I said, “I could fix that for you. I-If you want that is."

She let go of my hand, retracting it and turning it so it faced palm up, staring at her fingers and the exposed wires as if the realization they existed was news to her. Then she looked back at me.

“It is alright, I will be fine."

“I… um, ok then. If you ever change your mind just let me know, I'm pretty good at fixing things."

“I know," she said simply. It was a weird response, one that confused me, but I had to remind myself she was a robot. No matter how much free will they had, there were still some bugs and issues with them.

I desperately wanted to know how she ended up here, robots were usually dismantled or reprogrammed if they committed a crime, but not always, so her story must be an interesting one. But that feeling from before remained with me, and for some reason, in my gut, I felt like it would be best not to ask. My offer to help her with some of her wirings still stood and would remain so, but I also felt like I should probably keep my distance. She felt… dangerous.

“It was nice to meet you, Jason Wilks," Eti said, “But I am afraid I must leave your company. My battery needs recharging. Good day." And with that, she turned and left.

Where she was going, I'm not sure, but she had obviously lied about needing a recharge. My scanner had shown her battery was at full charge and that it was a wireless-charging battery. So long as she was nearby a signal that emitted electromagnetic waves, then her battery would constantly be recharging. Suffice to say, this only increased my suspicions of her.

“What was that all about, my dear?" Asked Nala, resting a hand on my shoulder and giving me a concerned look.

“I don't know what you're talking about," I say flatly, brushing her off as I watch Eti leave. She finally disappears through the trees and out into the more open areas of the courtyard. It was only after she was out of sight that I realized how tense my body had become, like it was getting ready to run. I made myself relax, letting my shoulders slump and the alarm bells going off in my head die down.

Nala squeezed my shoulder tightly, almost painfully, and it made me flinch, a hiss escaping my lips as I turn to glare at her. I was taken aback when I saw the hard look she was giving me, and instantly my face fell. Her expression was full of disapproval, and… a bit of anger if I'm being honest.

“I will allow you to have your secrets, Jason," she said lowly, leaning in a bit closer, “But do not ever lie to me again, do you understand?"

There was no way I could keep eye contact with her, her golden orbs boring into me with such intensity that I was forced to look down at my feet.

“I-I… Y-Yes, Nala. I-I'm sorry," I whisper. What had just happened? With Eti around it had felt like my entire body was on high alert, but after she left, everything went back to normal. Why do I feel so wary of her? Why do I feel like if I don't keep my guard up something bad is going to happen? Nala promised she would protect me, so why? Why do I feel so… scared?

I take a deep breath and look back up at Nala. Her face was no longer set into that hard disapproving expression, but I could still tell she was a bit disappointed with how I brushed her off.

“I'm sorry," I say, looking at her and trying to give her a small smile. “There was just this… feeling, I had around her. Like I had to run and hide." I shake my head, realizing now just how stupid all of this sounds. “I-I'm sorry, I think… I think I'm just a bit stressed right now."

Nala's face softens and she says, “It's alright, just don't lie to me again, okay?"

I nod firmly at her, silently promising not to. Though I'm sure I'm going to have to in the future, but she doesn't need to know that. That seemed to satisfy her because she went right back to being her usual self.

Nala, Teth, Pink, and I brushed off the strange situation with Eti, opting instead to sit down under some of the nearby trees and talk. Well, it was mostly just the three of them who talked, I just sat beside Nala and leaned against her side, enjoying the warmth she provided as I listened to them discuss today's gossip or more serious matters.

There seemed to be no shortage of things they could talk about, most likely an art they had developed over the years of being locked in here, but when Teth had mentioned her time as a pirate in passing, it jogged something in my memory and I instantly sat up straight, gaining everyone's attention.

I looked to Nala and asked, “Do you know who Star-Killer is?!"

She blinked at me for a moment before saying, “How do you know that name?"

“Bel told me a story about her, how she was the first and only person to ever escape the Artemis station!"

“Bel?" Nala asked confused, raising a brow at me for more of an explanation.

“An Asta, she was the one who treated me while in the infirmary," I say simply, brushing that fact aside. “Now tell me! Do you know who Star-Killer is!?" I was on my knees now, my hands resting on her thigh as I looked up at her excitedly. I had been meaning to ask her about the legendary pirate, but it had completely slipped my mind.

She chuckled at my childish display, resting a large hand on my head and ruffling my hair before pulling me into her lap and hugging me close to her. I didn't protest, if anything I might have snuggled closer, the warmth that just seemed to ooze off of her was pleasant. No matter what, it kept the chill of the station away, and God knows I hate the cold.

“Oh~! You two just look so cute together!" Gushed Pink, her mandibles clacking as her translator shifted the noise her people produced into understandable words.

“My, My, Nala," Teth jested, “Don't let too many people see you like that, they might think you've gone soft."

Nala responded with a low growl, though it wasn't very threatening in my opinion. I just rolled my eyes and said, “Get on with it! I need to know!"

Nala sighed. “I know of her," she explained, “But I've never met her personally. I would have loved to but I was still young and naïve and coming into my own during her time. But there are stories of her, many in fact, the most common one is how she escaped Artemis station. Though after that the true ending becomes skewed. There are three endings to the legend that many people still debate over on which one is true."

“One is where she is believed to have disappeared into deep space, another is that she went back to pirating under a different name, and the other is that she went into hiding on one of the core planets," I list off, counting each one on a finger.

“Personally, I think she went back to pirating," Teth threw in, picking at her teeth with a claw. “Much more exciting, and as an ex-pirate myself, the thrill of raiding a ship can get quite addicting."

“I like to believe she settled down in the core worlds," squeaked Pink, “But I like happy endings and romance so I might be a little biased." She giggled at the end, an odd mix of sharp clicks and soft trilling. Her translator was having a hard time trying to figure out what to translate the noise as, and so it kept jumping between sounds before Pink finally calmed herself.

“What about you?" I ask, turning to Nala.

“Hmm," she hummed, mulling it over for a moment. “I'm not sure, there are more endings to the story, of course, but these are the main three widely believed to be the truth. I can't say for certain which one I believe, because all of them are quite plausible."

“Do you know of any other stories about her?" I couldn't help the eagerness that crept into my voice, after Bel had gotten me hooked, I wanted to know more! More about this Venmar that seemed to have been able to accomplish the impossible, about this pirate that was said to have destroyed stars and pillaged countless millions of credits and cargo.

“Let's see…" Nala scratched my head as she thought for a minute or two, then she snapped her fingers as she remembered something, a large smile coming across her face.

“33 years ago, two years before Star-Killer's incarceration, she managed to pull off the biggest heist known to the galaxy at large," she began, “The Concordia." She said the name with such awe that I was practically vibrating with excitement. I couldn't get enough of these kinds of stories, they were like a drug for me, and once I got hooked, I couldn't stop.

“What's the Concordia?" I ask, my voice hushed as if me speaking normally would have meant the end of the story.

“The Concordia is the largest cruise ship ever created, practically a city, fully self-sufficient, and made for the richest of the rich. It is said that it is capable of sailing through the stars for a hundred years before ever needing to dock again."

The mere thought of such a ship was overwhelming, my brain simply could not come up with what something of that size would look like. I had never heard of the Concordia, but then again, I wasn't one to keep up with the news or elitist society rumors. I never really did socialize much, outside of the criminal underworld that is, and even then, that was strictly business.

With the way Nala spoke about it, it sounds like this ship still exists, if so, would it be possible to rob once more? What would the logistics and planning look like for something of that scale? They must have surely upgraded security in the past 33 years, the only reason Star-Killer probably got away with it was because of how new the Alliance was at the time. Then again, the Alliance wasn't much better these days. Not to say that it is bad, but its forces are spread thin trying to combat the Wraith plague. They don't have time for petty pirates and small-time criminals when entire planets, solar sectors, and civilizations were in the balance.

“It was the christening day of the Concordia, the ship was fueled, stocked with supplies, manned by hundreds of thousands of employees, and was carrying the richest and most powerful people in the entire galaxy," Nala continued. “At the time, it was just humans and the Venmar who were a part of the Alliance, the Skals still waiting to be accepted into the fold, and yours truly just starting her fledgling empire."

Nala pressed her hand to her chest, her head held high in pride. I couldn't help but let out a giggle. Perhaps Nala will tell me some of her stories one day, but right now I want to know how this ends!

“The Concordia had left drydock and was now flying through space, charging its slip space drive. Their destination? Lua, the Venmar home planet! But when they arrived, what they saw was terrifying," Nala spoke mysteriously, and I can't deny, she's pretty damn good at telling stories.

“And?" I say, looking at her expectantly when she didn't continue. “Come on! Tell me! Don't leave me hanging!" I complain.

She just smirked at me, “You seem to be really enjoying this, perhaps I should take advantage of that and demand payment for the rest of the story."

I gape at her, eyes wide as I try to comprehend what she just said. She wants payment for the rest of the story? Wait… Is she blackmailing me!? No. That's not the same thing. She's holding my story for ransom! That's what she's doing! How dare she do such a thing! Stories, Legends, Myths, all those types of things should be free for anyone! Yet here she is holding it for ransom!

“Y-You can't do that!" I exclaim, jumping to my feet and pointing a finger at her accusingly. “That is so unfair! And anyway, I don't have anything to give you, so the fact that you are holding my story ransom is pointless!"

Her smile seems to grow larger and larger with each word I say, and honestly, it's getting kind of annoying. Mainly because I know she can totally do this, no one in tower 14 is going to disobey her, I've seen the way they look at her, with such devotion and loyalty. She was a good leader, I'd give her that, and she knew how to play her cards right to get what she wants, but I had nothing to offer her.

“Oh, Jason," she cooed, her voice suddenly becoming far sultrier than it should for this kind of situation. “My dear, Jason. You make this far too easy and far too much fun to just ignore such advantages. And in any case, you most certainly do have some things you can offer me." At that she licked her lips slowly, her long, dexterous, pointed tongue slithering out and running across the top lip of her snout. I could hear the soft clicking giggling from Pink and a snort of laughter from Teth, and looking back, I found Pink covering her mouth and translator with all four arms while Teth's face was screwed up in an attempt to stifle her laughter.

My face was hot with embarrassment, knowing all too well what Nala was implying, and while the idea wasn't… bad perse, the fact she was using it to get what she wants and to deprive me of my storytime was just cruel! She really was a criminal.

Then, she does something I didn't expect. She bursts out laughing. The musical trill she made was so loud that it drew the attention of some other inmates.

“Oh, pet, I am only joking. I will not deprive you of such things, but the face you made was absolutely adorable!"

I stand there in shock for a moment, my mouth opening and closing without making a sound. She was… joking? This… This woman could be so infuriating at times!

“Y-You!" I growl, my hands balling into fists. I wasn't actually that angry, but I wanted to make her feel like I was. Though I'm not sure how well of an act I was putting up. “Ugh! You are such a… a…" I had no words for what I wanted to say. Honestly, I had no idea what I was even going to say!

She stands up as well, reaching out and grabbing me by the hips before pulling me into her, her usual confident and all-knowing smirk gracing her lips. I let out a surprised squeak, my face flushing even more as she pressed my body to hers.

“A what, my dear?" she crooned, “A beautiful woman? An illustrious lady? A dangerous dragon?" Then she whispered the last part so quietly only I could hear her, “A perfect partner?"

I felt like melting through the floor right then and there, to just disappear from everyone's sight so that the embarrassment that I was feeling could also disappear. Ever since this morning, she has been so much more clingy, so much more… aggressive in her affections, and words, and… and… Her everything! I loved it, and I hated it, and I… craved it! I wanted more, to feel like I was valued, to feel like someone cared about who I am, what I thought, about the things I like. Nala has done all of that and more, and I wanted—no, I needed more! With every moment I spent with her and the others, the light at the end of the dark tunnel keeps growing larger and larger, and I want to feel that light engulf me, hug me with its warm rays, and make me feel safe.

I haven't felt safe in so, so long, yet whenever I'm with Nala, I feel secure. Like no matter what, she would always be there to keep me safe. She had promised after all, and she wouldn't break a promise, would she?

So, in my mind, I answered yes. To all her questions, the answer was yes. She was a beautiful woman, an illustrious lady, a dangerous dragon, and, I suppose in time, she could also be the perfect partner. But I didn't say any of this out loud. How could I? It was so embarrassing, and it would mean admitting defeat, something I know she would love, but I also know she loves the thrill of this hunt more. Hell, even I enjoy her silly attempts most of the time, even if they leave me feeling like I want to melt away into a puddle of nothingness. No, I wouldn't say anything, not yet anyway. Neither of us was ready to give up on this weird game of cat and mouse. Her constant teasing and my constant avoidance. It was like a game we shared, just between the two of us.

Then she did that same thing she had done the first night. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead. It was quick, nothing more than a peck, but it still sent my heart reeling.

“I will continue the story some other time, right now, you need a shower. You stink of sweat and exertion, and I can't have my pet running around like that, now can I?

“I, um… N-No," I responded awkwardly, “I-I suppose not."

“Good," she says, turning me away from her and giving me a slight push towards the elevator to tower 14. “Now go, I have some things I need to discuss with Pink and to go find my sister."

I just look back at her over my shoulder, slightly dumbfounded at how everything turned out. That was… weird to say the least. But I did as I was told and made my way over to tower 14. The idea of another hot shower to wash away the sticky sweat from my earlier exercise was nice, but the apprehension I felt about entering back into that place was slowly starting to eat away at me. I would do as Nala said, or at least I would try, but I can't deny… I'm a little scared.