Dog of War

The screen of the pad cracked as Camila brought up Princess' location. She took off immediately, legs untangling into a mass of vines as she launched herself out of the crowd and across rooftops. She had no place amongst the cheer anyways.

 

The air whipped around Camila, and as she crossed the festival, so too did countless thoughts. She fervently wished none of them were true. Princess would be alright, she had to be.

 

It took less than a minute for Camila to find herself at the indicated spot. What was there gave her as much pause as what wasn't. In front of an open door, its metallic groans like cries of pain, was Princess’ teddy laying face-down in the dirt. The bear’s owner was nowhere to be seen.

 

Camila whipped out her pad, checking Princess' location again. The screen was thankfully still serviceable, informing her that the girls were arriving at a vet just a few blocks away. Relief intertwined with rage coursed through Camila- Princess would be getting the treatment she needs, and whoever did this would be giving Camila something almost as important.

 

Vines coiled tightly around the bear, slowly pulling it in. It had been going so well, every moment had been so perfect. She tucked the bear into her vines, into Princess' place there, trying to push past the agony. There would be a time, fast approaching, where blame would be assigned. It would not do to fall to pieces beforehand.

 

Camila took one last look around before leaving. The door led to stairs, which descended deep into Cassius. A remnant of the Accord, nestled in the heart of the Affini district. The stairs were dingy, a few of the lights flickered, and the paint on the door was chipping, but the mechanisms were like new.

 

It all gave Camila a bad feeling. This was too far into the alley to be merely stumbled upon. The alley itself was out of the way, and led out of the festival all together. Theories began to coalesce, and none of them were pleasant. She forced them aside for now; she'd have the answers soon.

 

The pace to the vet hospital wasn't as frantic, but no less hastened. Camila was confident that any vet worthy of the title could purge the incompatible xenodrugs and start Princess’ heart again, but that did little to assuage the need to have the girls safe in her vines. She wouldn't be able to rest until she did, and once she had her, she was never going to let her go again.

 

Camila nearly tore the door to the hospital off, the split second delay testing her non-existent patience. Her aggression found another target in the lobby within the only other present sophont- an anxious Affini, tying themselves up in knots. Their eyes met, the strangers’ filled with recognition, regret, and fear.

 

“I know I messed up, but-!”

 

Camila as she pinned them to the wall with a thunderous slam. Her vines coiled around the other Affini as she growled. “WHAT. HAPPENED.”

 

They shrank beneath her. “I-I didn't see the cuff until she collapsed and dropped the stuffed animal! I thought she was a floret that got separated from her owner!”

 

“So you just gave her a class Z?!” Camila pressed them further into the fresh dent in the wall. “You didn't think to pick her up and comfort her?! To talk to her?!

 

“It was a generic for Terrans, the most harsh reaction is supposed to be the zoomies! She was just so sad, she barely managed to say ‘please!’ I-I just thought it would be better for her to-”

 

“You were wrong!” Camila snapped, digging her thorns into the Affini. “You could have killed her!”

 

A vine on her shoulder made Camila whip around, ready to tear into whatever fool dared to interrupt her. She was met with a stony-faced Affini, decently larger than her, with rough features. “I understand emotions are high, but I would appreciate it if you did not destroy my lobby.”

 

Camila looked to the wall, an Affini-sized dent in it, a few cracks running to the ceiling and the floor. She looked at the Affini beneath her, cowering, wilting, and in the midst of their own breakdown. Like a fire getting doused, her anger was reduced to glowing embers. Sheepishness steamed off her as she released the other Affini. “Apologies, I got... carried away.” Getting physical with another Affini wasn’t going to help anyone, even if she was mad. “Do you have any news? How is she doing?”

 

“Princess is in good vines, we were able to restart her heart and are flushing out the rest of the xenodrugs. She'll be fine.”

 

“Oh thank the Everbloom.” Camila collapsed into a heap of vines, her form losing all cohesion. She needed the relief of those words more than anything, with one exception. “Can I see her?”

 

The way the Affini’s vines shifted didn't inspire hope. “We'll discuss details in a moment, first I want to make sure everyone's name is correct for the paperwork.” The Affini checked their pad. “Camila Verdun, first bloom, she/her. Correct?”

 

“Yes, that's right.” She slowly began to weave herself back together.

 

They turned their focus to other Affini, still in a state of shock. “Ezra Primrose, second bloom, she/they?”

 

“Y-yes.”

 

The Affini pointed to themself. “Anther Riparia, ninth bloom, he/him. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances. About your ward. Princess is still going to need some time before she's ready to wake up. There has been some damage to her heart and we’re examining it now. The vet is weighing on if she needs a transplant, some other surgery, or just the proper medication.”

 

Camila fretted over the unsure nature. “But she'll be fine, right?”

 

“Yes, we just need to figure out the exact extent of the cardiovascular damage. I would like to collect a statement from both of you for the record in the meantime. We'll start with you, Ezra, since you were the Affini at the scene.”

 

“Right, well, I-I was doing volunteer crowd duty, making sure everything was going smoothly, when I heard crying nearby. I checked it out immediately, and found her in the alleyway in front of the entrance to the old silos.” Ezra’s flowers wilted to the point petals began to fall off her. “S-She was on her hands and knees, clutching that bear. I-I thought she was a floret, I couldn't see her neck or the cuff!”

 

“And that's when you gave her the Class Z?” Anther asked, looking up from his pad.

 

“No. I asked her if she was lost and needed help finding her owner. She collapsed, crying even harder as she choked out a ‘please.’” Ezra shuddered, shaking loose dying leaves and petals. “I-I thought it'd be best if she just took a nap while I tracked her owner down. It wasn't until after I gave her the dose that I noticed the cuff. It was tucked up into her dress when she was holding that bear. I realized my mistake immediately and rushed her here.” They looked to Camila. “I told her you would be there when she woke up.”

 

The words were like a hot poker jabbed into her core. She was still upset with Ezra, but it was getting hard to stay mad at her. Camila knew all too well how Princess got when she had her breakdowns. She would've done the same, had she been in their place.

 

“I see, we'll have to make sure that happens then. I'll let the vet know not to bring her out without her Owner present.” Anther took down Ezra’s response, with a few notes. “Camila, I would like your perspective. How did Princess slip away from you?”

 

“She didn't, her girlfriend wanted a date with her, just the three of them.” A mistake if there ever was one. Camila should have sent Cordelia alone, or simply brought the Terrans along. Now Princess was suffering because of her oversight.

 

“Three? That's referring to her status as a pluribus, and not an additional party, correct?”

 

“Yes,” Camila confirmed. “Jess needed to be picked up, and they wanted time alone, so Cordelia and I- Cordelia is Daisy's owner- we figured we'd spend time with Jess while they had their date. We told them to stay together.” It was foolish, in hindsight. Even with all the Affini overlooking the event, and Cordelia's implant helping keep watch over her.

 

“So then what happened, from your perspective?” Anther prompted.

 

“Daisy came back alone, excited about something. I was worried over Princess’ absence at first but I could tell that Cordelia was excited too.” The memory of Daisy skipping up to them happily was painfully fresh. Why didn't she listen to her instincts? Princess wasn't supposed to be alone! “She said that Princess wanted to meet me at the statue, and that she had something important she wanted to ask me. I thought she was going to ask me to be her owner...” Was she really so blinded by the prospect of Princess asking to be a pet? By her own selfish romantic desires?!

 

“And you went there to meet her? You didn't suspect anything was wrong?” Anther prodded the fresh wound.

 

“I did. I had some worries at first but I really thought she was going to be there. She had been so close to breaking all day, I could feel it. I was going to ask her to be my pet today too, I had everything planned out! From the moment she woke up I swept her off her toes. I thought she might have realized how much she needs me after I left...” Where did it go wrong? Princess had been melting at her every touch, exceeding even the loftiest fantasies. She even called her Mistress in a way too genuine to fake!

 

“Then the emergency alarm went off on my pad.” Camila felt her flowers wilt further at the memory. She had never suspected a sound so innocuous could be so horrid. “I raced to the location, but she wasn't there, and that's when I saw she was brought here.”

 

“And then you came here and broke my wall using Miss Primrose as your stress toy.”

 

Camila awkwardly glanced at the wall as a bit of cracked paneling fell off. “Yes, that's right.”

 

“Now, I have a guess, but do either of you have any idea why Princess was trying to get into the silo when she had her breakdown?”

 

Camila did, that sinking feeling she had tried to ignore had only gained weight as evidence piled up. She had never hoped so badly she was wrong. “What's down there, in the silo?”

 

“Not much at the moment,” Ezra said. “The committee about it is still torn on whether to repurpose the silo system into a subway, living space for Crystalians, or just fill them in. A few are being used as storage, but most have been empty ever since all the dangerous things were removed. The focus has been on restoring the planet’s biosphere and the city, so it's a low priority and the debates have only delayed it further. It's only received some basic maintenance on its entrances and tunnels so far.”

 

“Tunnels?” Camila asked, dreading the answer.

 

“Yes, hundreds of kilometers of them. They run between all the old silos and a few other military installations.” Ezra confirmed Camila's worst fear.

 

Everything pointed to it. Princess having Daisy tell Camila to wait for her at the other side of the festival. The obscure location of the alley. Her teddy, discarded in front of the door. Even those nerves throughout the day- at the time Camila had chalked them up to her normal shyness and inability to accept what she wanted. Camila had ignored all the signs and warnings in favor of continuing her fantasy. She could ignore the truth no longer as it hit her like an undampened traction jump.

 

“She was trying to escape.” The words felt hollow, but not nearly as much as she did.  

 

It shattered Camila into a thousand pieces, each of them grieving. ‘Why’ was the only question left. She had felt the little one's joy herself! Why would Princess try to leave when she was so happy here? She should have listened to Viola and collected her immediately. She should have just broken Princess the night she cried over wanting to stay. She should have never tried to craft that ‘perfect moment.’ Camila had pushed Princess too far for her own desires, letting herself believe it was for their mutual sake. Now she was hurt, and it was all Camila’s fault, again.

 

She was unfit to be her owner.

 

Clumps of moss and leaves sloughed off Camila, where they were adorned by dry petals. Everything felt like it was light years away, and getting further. Was this dying? Part of her hoped it was. Princess would get an owner that treated her the way she deserved. It wouldn't be hard to find someone else who could do better. All Camila ever seemed to do was cause her pain.

 

Anther nodded solemnly. “Yes, it seems that way.”

 

“But she was crying for her owner!” Ezra interjected. “Why would she do that if she was trying to run away?”

 

“it's not uncommon for pets to make plans out of the last vestiges of their feralism, only for them to have a change of mind once they act on them. Of course, we won't know for sure until she tells us.”

 

“Will she be ready soon?” Camila asked. She had to make this right, somehow. Princess deserved that much. If she couldn't protect her, she could do that much at least.

 

Anther sent a message on his pad, and a few moments later there was a ding. “...The vet says she'll be ready to wake up in about twenty minutes, and is requesting my help when I'm done here.” He tucked the pad away. “I'll be back when it's time. Let me know if you need anything.” He left without further delay.

 

There was a silence that hung in the air in Anther’s absence. Camila wallowed in it like a Xenrani in musk. This was her fault. This was all her fault. She had every opportunity and she wasted them all. Forget being her owner, she was unfit to even be an Affini. Princess would have been better off if they had never met.

 

The embrace caught her off guard, forcing Camila back into the present as Ezra gave her loose form a tight hug. “Sorry, I know you're still mad at me, but you looked like you needed this as much as I do.”

 

Camila wailed as she returned it, shedding even more dead plant matter. There was no redemption in each other's dirtied vines, but there was a certain catharsis. She drove Princess to this, and Ezra had been unlucky enough to be the one to try to fix her mistake. Slowly, as they supported each other, her devastated emotional state settled into a more stable one. She still felt fragile when they eventually parted, like someone had stuck the broken shards of a pot together with nothing but wishes. It was only a matter of time until she went to pieces again, but she was whole for now.

 

Glancing at the dead plant matter that had gathered on the floor between them, it was hard to tell which bits came from who. She looked back at Ezra. “Thank you, I did need that. I'm just-” She shook her head. “She was always so well behaved, and the way she smiled when she was in my vines... She even cried to me just two nights ago about how she wanted to stay. If I thought she had even the slightest thought of escape, I never would have let her go.”

 

Ezra’s vines flicked nervously. “Sometimes ferals do just the most illogical things. I’m sure you acted to the best of your knowledge.”

 

Silence fell on the room. Camila didn't know if that was true, or if that made it better or worse. She wasn't even sure if it mattered, she had failed at the most fundamental task of being an Affini. If she had given it her all and come up short, what did that say about her?

 

The two Affini passed the time in the company of each other's failure, neither willing to speak further lest they upset their comrade in misery. The hurt echoed in the quiet room, nothing to impede it. Camila's thoughts turned to Princess- all she wanted was to see the girls. Hopefully they could talk before whatever secondary surgery had to happen. She had to apologize, to beg forgiveness for not protecting her. Even just a few minutes would be enough.

 

The cheery ding of her pad nearly sent Camila over the edge. Worse yet was the message- it was from Cordelia, with a few images attached. Jess and Daisy enjoying the festival, their wide smiles tarnished by the cracks in the display.

 

[ComfyPlamnt]: I know it's not even half as much fun as you three are having right now, but we're having a blast! Jess is doing great, Daisy has been gossiping with her about Princess. Pleeease send some pictures when you get the time.

 

The message sat in front of Camila. On several occasions she moved to start typing something, anything, only to stop. How could she even describe how badly she messed up? How could she bring herself to rob them all of the happiness they were sharing? Still, delaying was what got her into this mess.

 

[FrequencyFlower]: Princess tried to escape, and was accidentally given a dose of Class Z. The vet says she'll be fine, but is working out what additional care she needs. Do you think you can keep Daisy and Jess busy for the rest of the day? I don't want to ruin anything else.

 

Sticking to the barest facts was the only way to get the words out without shattering again. Camila didn't have to wait long for the reply.

[ComfyPlamnt]: WHAT?!

[ComfyPlamnt]: Oh mulch!

[ComfyPlamnt]: I'm so so sorry, I just

[ComfyPlamnt]: Camila are you okay? How are you holding up?

 

[FrequencyFlower]: It's my fault, Cordelia.

 

[ComfyPlamnt]: I told you it'd be fine though! She seemed so ready, even through Daisy’s eyes I never suspected she was- oh dirt

[ComfyPlamnt]: I'm so so sorry love

 

[FrequencyFlower]: Cordelia. It's my fault.

[FrequencyFlower]: I could have prevented this.

[FrequencyFlower]: I had a thousand opportunities to prevent this

 

[ComfyPlamnt]: Okay, I'm going to walk the girls around a bit more, but then I'm having Cadence watch them. I'll be there as soon as I can, just stay strong, okay?

 

[FrequencyFlower]: That's not necessary, just make sure they're happy.

[FrequencyFlower]: I don't want to get them involved in this yet.

 

[ComfyPlamnt]: Camila, they are already involved. We can keep a lot of things from them, but not this. She's going to be in the hospital or coming out of it, we’ll have to tell them why. A lie would only cause problems later. Daisy may be implanted, but Jess isn't.

[ComfyPlamnt]: I'm going to walk them around for another ninety minutes, at which point Daisy will bump into Ariande. Cadence will suggest going to my place after a while, and I will excuse myself some time after everything is settled. We’ll explain everything together when we get back.

[ComfyPlamnt]: I'm here for you, and I love you. Don't forget that.

[ComfyPlamnt]: <3

 

Camila stared at the meaningless shapes on the screen, a newfound numbness robbing her of all words. She hadn't just failed Princess, she had failed Jess, Daisy and Cordelia too. Now they all had to suffer for her shortcomings. She was like an infection. It would be best if they cut her out. Maybe she should do them a favor and save them the effort. Exile herself to some rock, and wait for the end.

 

“Camila?” Anther's sudden presence snapped her out of it, causing her to jump. “Ah, apologies, I didn't mean to startle you.”

 

“Is she ready?” Self-flagellation would have to wait, Princess’ wellness came first. Camila would not fail her again.

 

“The vet is waiting to bring her up.” Anther answered concisely. He turned slightly, “How about you?”

 

Ezra’s fretting intensified. Camila thought she might begin to tear out her own vines, now largely bare of any adornment. She probably didn't look any better herself. “I-I don't really have a place there, it's personal and I wouldn't want to impose and I mean she didn't even see me so-”

 

“We do have an observation area, if you merely wish to make sure she's alright.” Anther said. “I think it could bring you some peace of mind.”

 

Ezra considered it a moment, conflicted. “Alright.”

 

Anther's smile was a subtle thing, but the language of his body was clear enough to any Affini. He led them back into the hospital, past a number of rooms, most of which were empty. Camila only saw maybe three other Affini attending the few occupied rooms before Anther stopped in front of one. He tapped twice, stepping aside just in time for the door to open.

 

“Ah, you must be Camila and Ezra! Gave me a little bit of scare when you dragged in that Terran! Cardiac arrest is simple enough but those incompatible xenodrugs sure added a bit of a challenge~” The Affini laughed. “Never seen a Terran immune system so aggressive it starts attacking the vitals like that! Nothing I couldn't handle, of course. Though I wasn't expecting anything more serious than a scraped knee from the festival. Like maybe a severe burn, or-” They stopped, stifling their mood as they read the room. “Sorry, don't get to treat serious injuries every day. It's hard to remember that most don't share my passion for medical procedure. Vera Kumara, Sixth Bloom, they/them. Come in, I'll give you the walk down.”

 

Ezra and Anther exchanged a look, before the latter spoke. “I'm going to show her to the observation room. Let me know when you're ready to begin, and I'll return.”

 

“Sure thing, mate!” Vera’s cheeriness bled in for a split second before they settled back into the somber tone. “Camila, if you would.”

 

Camila took a moment to ready herself before following Vera in. Not that it mattered. She could have taken centuries and still wouldn't have been prepared.

 

Princess looked so delicate as she lay in the hospital bed, almost motionless and pale. The only visible sign of life was the steady rise and fall of her chest. Camila felt herself shatter a hundredfold at the sight, until the pieces had become naught but dust. She reached out for Princess, only to root herself to the spot. Did she even have the right to touch the Terran after how thoroughly she failed her?

 

A vine placed itself on her shoulder. “Hey, it's alright.”

 

Camila whipped around to face Vera. “Alright?! Look at her! What about this is alright?!”

 

Vera didn't even twitch. “Listen, it has been a while, but this isn't the first time I've had a ‘practically domesticated’ ward come in here after slipping something past their Affini. I know you're blaming yourself a lot right now, and that's good, a bit of that is healthy. Helps keep stuff like this from happening again. It only helps a little, though, and there is a limit to how much is helpful before it becomes detrimental instead. You are well past that limit. When it comes down to it, there's no level of expertise or caution that will keep you from making mistakes, or prevent all harm. I've treated injured wards of Affini with thrice my bloom count. Now, do you want to know what she'll need to recover, or do you want to wallow a bit more?”

 

The stern tone caught Camila off guard, doubly so coming from the seemingly carefree vet. Still, a reminder of the duties she had was just what she needed. “Sorry, please go on.”

 

“There's nothing to apologize for, it's only natural that emotions run high in these cases. Now,” a screen behind Vera turned on, displaying Princess' vitals and an image of her heart. A spot on it was notably lighter than the rest. “Her heart was only stopped for about seventy-two seconds, and there isn't any neurological damage, so she should be able to make a complete recovery. However-” they tapped the light area, “the epicardium and myocardium of the aortic valve were heavily damaged, and the ventricle doesn't look a lot better. She's at high risk of total heart failure.”

 

Camila did her best not to cave to her anxieties. “But you can fix it, right?”

 

Vera suddenly brightened. “Yup! Luckily, Terran hearts are pretty easy to replace~ However it will take me a few hours, and she'll need a month of recovery. Upside to that crazy immune system I guess, normally it'd be nearly twice that. You'll have to keep her heart rate under control, that means absolutely no heavy activity or anything too exciting. She'll have to go on Class M for the first three days, during which she'll be ramping up on Class J. She'll stay on those for a week after the Ms. Just as assurance that she’ll heal from the surgery enough to not injure herself. The last twenty days she can be active as long as it isn't taxing. Short walks are ideal. We'll be doing a few check ups just in case, but she should be in better health than before by the time it's all done! Any questions?”

 

Camila felt like she had as many as there were stars, but struggled to name all but a few. There was one among them more pressing than the rest. “When can she be implanted?”

 

Vera wilted just a bit. “Sorry, but the extra stress it would place on her would drastically increase the rejection chances of both. It'll have to wait until she's at least had a chance to heal from the transplant.”

 

Camila nodded. “I understand. What about other Xenodrugs while she recovers, besides the Ms and Js?”

 

“Oh, just about anything as long as her heart rate stays in range! Would be a little careful with As and Zs, since certain strains can elevate or lower it. Neither enough to be problematic in itself, but I'll send you a list of the ones to avoid.”

 

“Class Ds?”

 

Vera nodded. “Perfectly fine.”

 

Good. There had been enough secrets, enough milling about. “Can I talk to her before you start?”

 

 

-_-_-_-

 

 

They felt cold. The frigid night air of Centhia pierced through the layers of their anti-electrostatic suit like a jet of plasma. It was welcome, in a way. Lowering their body temp and focusing their mind on the task at hand- investigation into Plastech Medical. Their contractor had concerns about their activity, and the money to keep them from asking too many questions. It was probably better that way.  The locals loved their insipid power games, none so much as their contact. He talked about ‘The Game’ and little else. It was the last thing ‘Jackal’ needed.

 

Entry into the ducts was easy enough, if a tight fit. Any sensors the suit didn't fool would be sent into an all-clear loop by the proximity jammer. They had several kinds of EMPs, tools to remove any hard drives, flash drives of their own, flashbangs, and explosives, just in case. The revolver on their hip provided the final emergency option. It was loud, and they only carried twelve rounds, but it was reliable. It had the stopping power to put down anything that lacked at least ten centimeters of heavy plating.

 

If they had to use any of the last few items, their mission had likely failed. They did not like failing. The name ‘Jackal’ carried a certain guarantee. A reputation like that took years to build, and only a moment to ruin.

 

They scanned the area outside the grate with their multi-tool before getting out, emerging in an empty office. A look at the desk confirmed it was the right one. Perfect. They set to work right away, booting up the computer and bypassing its security with one of their custom viruses. They kept one eye on the door the entire time they transferred. Popping the drive out, they plugged it into the multi-tool to confirm it was all there, and maybe get some leverage over their mysterious contractor.

 

What they saw froze the blood in their veins. They had worked this field over twenty five years and seen every type of cybernetic enhancement, but the rows of upright tombs dug up unpleasant memories. Their eyes darted around, taking in the room, unable to not make the parallels. If those blinds were open, they just knew they would be looking out over them.

 

We shouldn't be here...

 

They quickly removed the flash drive and crawled back into the vents. It felt like they went on forever, but eventually they felt the sting of the freezing air in their lungs. They deactivated their comms jammer to send a signal to their client. “I got the information.”

 

They never got their reply. Their head was slammed into the side of the vent with enough force to dent it, knocking the communication device out of their ear. They felt warm blood trickle down their cheek.

 

“Armed Intruder detected. Stolen information detected. Surrender or consequence: immediate termination.”

 

This shouldn't be happening.

 

They don't know how the machine managed to sneak up on them, but it was the last mistake it would make. With great effort they pushed backwards against their captor, knocking them both to the floor. A split second was all they needed to stick a pulse amp onto its thigh, and the crackle of electricity filled the air. They whipped around, coming face to face with yet another mechanical abomination as they turned the communication blocker back on. Its hands shot to their throat, choking them. It would have crushed their windpipe without the suit.

 

The latest cyborgs were getting better, or maybe they had lost a step. Either way they weren't going to be able to keep up soon. They weren't there yet, however. They grabbed its head and-

 

They twisted the valve shut, its metallic groan a fitting death knell. They wiped the sweat off their brow before they snapped the turn handle off. They tapped their communicator. “The coolant flow has been shut off, and the safeties deactivated, the reactor should blow in about half an hour. You'll be collecting your insurance money soon enough.” They paused, blinking. Something wasn't right.

 

This is Arroyo station, we sabotaged it almost two decades ago.

 

“Excellent work! You're every bit as talented as you claim, Mr Carver.” They knew what he was going to say next. Why did they know what he was going to say next? “Unfortunately,” they spoke alongside him. “I think I'll be keeping your pay, and your transport. Goodbye.”

 

This... Isn't real...

 

They erred on the side of caution and ran out of the reactor room, stepping over the bodies of the attendants. Their eyes darted side to side, looking for anything they could use. The emergency alarm caught their eye. It was the only thing that would enable the escape pods, in order to prevent ‘asset loss.’ They pulled it without delay- they would deal with the fallout of being the obvious perpetrator when and if it occurred.

 

The klaxons filled the air, and red lights lit halls as they bolted down them with all the haste they could manage. They stretched on, and on, and on, they could feel their heart pounding against their eyes. Where were the exits? There were exits last time!

 

We're having a nightmare, we should be... We should be...

 

With Mistress.

 

The thought of seeing her again filled Princess with a determination to make it through this nightmare. They would be with their owner soon, and everything would be okay.

 

Finally the hall ended, opening up into a large room. It was not as it was. All the shuttles were already gone, and thousands of dead eyes turned to stare back at them. Accusing them. Damning them. The explosion consumed the room in white light.

 

They felt cold. The linoleum floor against their bare feet and drafty open room had 3-4-7 reminding themselves that it had orders to not shiver. Their heart still ached from its last disciplinary shock, and breathing was difficult. It hoped it would be allowed to get dressed soon.

 

The Director circled them like a predator eyeing its next meal, one hand in the breast of his coat. “You know, I'm almost envious of you.”

 

No. Please, no.

 

They didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here, they didn't want to be here.

 

It didn't work of course. That never stopped it back then, either.

 

The Director grabbed its wrist, lifting it, tracing his fingers along its arm, and the freshly patched wounds there. “Increased muscle density, immunological response, improved reflexes, low-light vision, the cutting edge in genetic research!” The Director’s smile made them want to vomit. “At least, for now.”

 

Where's Mistress?

 

Princess wanted her more than ever, but 3-4-7 had its Orders. They didn't budge.

 

“You even age slower, not that you'll live long enough to enjoy it.” The Director let go of its arm, and it fell to its side. The shock of the collar sent it to its knees. “Did I say drop your arm?”

 

“No, Director!” 3-4-7 barked, its voice hoarse. Where was Mistress? When would she save them?

 

We got through this before, it isn't real this time! We'll wake up and Mistress will be there!

 

“What were your orders again?” The Director sounded more amused than upset. This was a game to him, and no matter what, they would lose.

 

“Do not resist The Director!”

 

“And are you allowed to act without orders?”

 

“No, Director!” Princess wanted to curl up and cry. 3-4-7 felt ashamed for it's failure. “It will stay as it's placed from now on!”

 

Another shock rocked through it. “Are you allowed to give yourself orders, 3-4-7?!”

 

“No, Director!” Please let it stop. Please. They couldn't do this again. It destroyed them last time.

 

We can get through this. We have to see her again.

 

A third one sent it to the floor. “Of course not. I trust you won't make the mistake again?”

 

“No, Director!” Princess tried to focus on Mistress, the comfort of her vines, her sweet fragrance, her laugh. It all felt so far as their lungs burned and chest ached.

 

“That's better, I have no use for a disobedient tool.” The Director grabbed the loop in its collar, and dragged 3-4-7 to its feet. His grin was more wickedly smug than ever. If it weren't for the collar... “There you are, that wasn't so hard, was it?”

 

“No, Director.”

 

“Good. We're done here for now. Collect your things and go.”

 

3-4-7 started to pull up its bodysuit when a shock caught them off guard. It didn't stop, even it was on the ground again.

 

“I didn't say ‘get dressed.’”

 

They felt so cold. Everything was blanketed in white. Wind howling above them, frozen bodies below them. They could feel the ice seep into their bones. Weighing them down. Inviting them to stay.

 

Oh. Here.

 

Princess was numb to the point it ached, but it wasn't enough to dull the pain. Every cell in their body was crying out.

 

Of course it's here.

 

Moving was even harder than Princess remembered. Just turning themselves onto their belly felt like trying to move the entire planetoid. Breathing was even harder. The hole in their throat and blood in their lungs made every inhale a war. In the distance, through the snowblind, the haunting red glow of the Company’s lights called to them. Their chest hurt so badly as they began to crawl, every centimeter more arduous than the last.

 

There were more bodies. Not just the other units, but a veritable mountain of corpses. Their victims, Princess realized. How many were there even? They had lost count years ago. They only seemed to get further from their goal as the field of frozen dead stretched out forever.

 

We shouldn't feel this much if it's a dream. Are we dying?

 

Princess couldn't care less. Maybe that was good, even. A life of spreading pain and misery deserved to end in the same.  

 

We can't let it end here.

 

It would be so easy, and crawling was so hard. All they had to do was lie still, and rest.

 

What about Mistress? Daisy? Jess?

 

Princess wanted to see them so badly, even Cordelia would be a relief, but it was too much. They couldn't do it anymore. They weren't 3-4-7, or Jackal, or Beckett or any of the other names. They were just a pet.  

 

We are, but that means we don't have to do it alone anymore.

 

Princess cried out for help. She wailed into the wind with every remaining ounce of energy. For anyone, but mostly for Mistress. Again and again until the snow began to die and the gale turned to a breeze. Until the skies cleared and the bodies beneath them shifted to a grassy knoll.

 

They felt warm.