Kiri entered her office and was pleased to see that the human, Oteo, was already seated on her desk and waiting for her. Lishda was not present, but then Kiri hadn’t asked for her to be either. She would be dealing with each of the humans one on one today.

“Good morning Oteo.” Kiri said perfunctorily as she pulled out her desk chair and lowered herself into it, her attention more on the data pad in her hand then on the human in front of her.

“Hello, Dr. Miroppi.” Oteo said in a quiet tone.

“Are you ready to begin today’s test?”

“No.”

That caused Kiri to look up, as it hadn’t been the answer she had been expecting to hear.

“No?” Kiri peered at the small man before her and set her pad down on her thigh as she leaned forward. “Why not?”

“Last night I realized something.” Oteo said, rising to his feet and peering at the giantess in front of him with a hard gaze.

“And what was that?” Kiri asked with a note of mild amusement in her voice.

“You say you’re not a goddess, and I believe you.” Oteo stated. “And it occurred to me last night that if you are as mortal as I am, then you don’t have the right to judge me. And if that’s true, then that also means that you also lack the right to dictate my level of intelligence. As a fellow sentient being, I have a choice whether to participate in your ‘study’ or not. I choose not.”

Kiri managed to keep the surprise from showing on her face, but only just barely. This was an unanticipated development. Still, it presented her with an interesting idea.

“I see.” Kiri said coolly, and leaned back in her chair again. “You pose an interesting argument. However, there’s a small matter that you haven’t accounted for.” Kiri grabbed her datapad from off her lap and showed Oteo the screen, which showed a simple map and a glowing dot.

“That?” Kiri pointed to the dot. “That’s you. That’s the implant in your back showing me exactly where you are at all times. According to the laws of this nation, you belong to me. Certainly, we can argue the fairness of that law, but it doesn’t change the facts of the matter. What’s more, you lack the power to be able to change that.”

Oteo felt his throat constrict and his posture deflated a bit. He’d felt right about his newfound realization. That rightness had given him a sense of empowerment. He’d thought, perhaps foolishly, that all he had to do was assert himself and Kiri would see reason.

She saw reason, Oteo realized. She just didn’t care.

“However…”

Oteo’s attention was once again drawn to the dark haired giant in front of him.

Kiri’s fingers idly tapped on the armrest of her chair.

“I’ll make a deal with you.” She continued. “Lishda is a born and bred pet. It’s all she’s ever known, and all she’s ever wanted. You’ve seen her, she’s absolutely miserable without a Titan owner to guide her and take care of her. You have one month to convince her to ask me for her freedom.”

Oteo’s heart beat faster. “And if I can do so?”

Kiri shrugged. “Then, you’re both free. I will admit you as my equal and I will release you anywhere you like. I can even return you to Avalon.”

Oteo’s eyes widened and he drew in a sharp breath. Home, he could go home.

“And if I fail?”

Kiri’s lip upturned just the slightest. “Nothing much at all, really. Things will merely continue as they are, and you will continue to belong to me.”

Oteo’s brow creased. As far as he could tell, he had nothing to lose by this gamble. “I accept your offer.”

It was a pity that Avalon had no cautionary tales about making deals with the devil.

*.*.*.*

“How much further to this secret place of yours?” Elena asked as she followed Andimem through the dark and dusty vents above the spaceport. Not that she minded that much anymore, months of crawling through the metal tubes had dulled her sense of disgust at all the dirt.

“Not too much further.” Andimem called back. “Frankly you should feel honored. It’s not too often I bring someone up here and show them my special place.”

“Just when you want to impress someone, right?” Elena asked wryly.

“Nah.” Andimem responded with a grin. “It only happens when I want to impress a girl.”

Elena’s retort was cut short as Andimem pushed through a ventilation grid.

“Actually, in all honesty I’ve never showed anyone else this place, because I really like it up here.” Andimem said as he pushed through the small opening at the end of the tunnel and led Elena out into the space above the rafters. “It’s quiet and a good place to think.”

“I think that’s what I need.” Elena muttered as she sat down on the rafter and peered over the edge. It looked like they were nearly a kilometer above the ground. Far below them, Titans hurried about as they tried to make it to their terminals.

“It’s hard to believe they’re so big when you’re up here.” Andimem observed as he sat next to her and let his feet dangle over the edge.

“This must be what we look like to them.” Elena said quietly. She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but she could tell by the look on Andimem’s face that she hadn’t completely succeeded.

“So have you always lived with Essni?” She asked quickly, mostly to change the subject.

Andimem laughed. “No. I’ve been in the Starport as long as I can remember of course, but I’ve only been with Essni for a year or so. Before that I was mostly on my own. I know I was a pet, at some point, presumably with the rest of my family… but I don’t remember that part.”

“Then how do you know you were a pet?” Elena asked.

Andimem pulled back the collar of his covering and showed Elena the small scar at the base of his neck.

“I don’t really remember much about it, just escaping with the others when our owner had a stopover here in the spaceport. We escaped, ran into another group of humans living here, and they removed our trackers. At least, that’s what my family always told me happened. Eventually, we met Essni and she’s been looking after us since then.”

He was quiet for a long time while Elena tried to think of something to say.

“What about you, Savage Girl? What’s your story?”

“I wish I knew.” Elena said ruefully. “One minute I’m on my way home from a killer party, the next minute I’m abducted by giants and living like a mouse in an interstellar airport.”

Andimem shifted. He didn’t know what a mouse was, but he understood that Elena was talking about Earth. He had known, for some time, that the young woman claimed to be from a planet of humans and only humans… but as far as Andimem was concerned, that just meant she must have hit her head somewhere along the way.

He’d heard the stories, whispered among the wild humans, of a home world for their kind. A planet where they didn’t even know what a Titan was… but Andimem was sure that if it wasn’t a myth, it was probably some inhospitable place where he didn’t want to live.

Sure, Andimem had to scrounge for a living, but at least he was indoors.

“I try not to think about it.” Elena continued. “But sometimes it’s hard not to have my mind wander back to what I left behind. Like my family, you know?”

Elena swallowed and felt her eyes start to water. “I can’t imagine… I’m sure they think I’m dead by now… but what must my brother have gone through when he realized I was missing. He was the last one to see me, after all… and… and…”

Elena’s eyes squeezed shut.

“Hey now…” Andimem carefully put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. “I know it’s hard, remembering the ones who aren’t with us anymore… but you have to keep going. If not for you, then do it for them. Maybe you’ll see them again some day, but that can only happen if you keep surviving.”

Elena swallowed and laid her head on his shoulder. “That’s… that’s a good point.” She smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. “You’re pretty wise… for a scrounger.”

Andimem snorted. “And what do you think you are?”

“Not a scrounger!” Elena laughed and sat up. “When I do it it’s …repurposing.”

“Well, come on then, Elena the not-scrounger, we still have some more repurposing to do before we head home. You ready?”

Elena looked down at the Titans below. There was no point in wishing she was one of them. Or even wishing she was home. She was here, and she had to deal with that situation as it was, and try to make her life better.

She glanced over at Andimem, who was holding out a hand to help her up. As she took it, and felt his strong grip hoisting her to her feet, she reflected that her situation could certainly be worse.

*.*.*.*

Lishda looked up through the clear wall of her cage as the door to the room opened and Kiri entered. The human woman was about to go back to staring at nothing and ignoring the Titan’s presence when the shadow of the giantess blocked out the light above her.

“Hello Lishda.” Kiri said softly in a tone of voice that Lishda, frankly, had never heard from her before.

“Is it time for another test?” Lishda sighed resignedly as she climbed to her feet.

Kiri smiled softly and lifted the roof from Lishda’s cage, before lowering a hand inside which the human, somewhat reluctantly, climbed into.

“No.” Kiri answered, raising Lishda up to her face. “There won’t be any more tests, I’ve learned everything I can from the two of you.”

Lishda swallowed nervously, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest as she looked into the giant eyes above her.

“Wh-what’s going to happen to us then?”

“I’m going to keep you, of course!” Kiri said, shocked. “You didn’t think I was just going to throw you away, did you?”

“Well, I wasn’t sure.” Lishda mumbled.

“No, no.” Kiri sighed, softly stroking Lishda’s back with her smallest finger. “I adopted you, that means I’m going to take care of you.”

Lishda’s eyes widened and she looked up hopefully. “R-really?”

“Of course.” Kiri said, raising her hand so she was looking the human in the eyes. Her smile faded after a moment and she bit her lip, regretfully. “There’s just one problem…”

“What?” Lishda breathed apprehensively.

“Well… it’s Oteo.” Kiri sighed. “He has all these silly notions about being able to live away from Titans. He wants me to let him loose, all on his own… to fend for himself.”

Lishda’s heart skipped a beat and the bottom fell out of her stomach at the thought of being all alone. “Oh no…”

“Yes.” Kiri shook her head, and gently brushed Lishda with her fingers again. “He doesn’t seem to understand that it’s not safe for humans outside, that you need Titans to look after you, and keep you safe and happy. But you understand that, don’t you Lishda?”

“I do, oh yes.” Lishda nodded. The feeling of Kiri’s fingers on her back and neck was heavenly. For the first time since Tahnis had died, she felt completely safe and content. She felt she had a proper place in the world again.

It felt like, maybe, she had found a home.

“Good.” Kiri gently lowered the human back into her cage and then bent down so she could observe her through the glass. “In that case, do you think you could do me a really big favor?”

“Yes of course,” Lishda nodded eagerly. “Anything I can do!”

“This should be easy for a smart girl like you.” Kiri said. “All I want you to do is convince Oteo that he’s better off being safe and cared for by a Titan. Show him that he’ll be much happier staying here with us. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes I can.” The young human said after a moment of contemplation. Oteo may think he’d be better off by himself, but she would show him how wrong that was.

“Good girl.” Kiri smiled again. “I’m sure he’ll try and get you to run away with him, but you won’t do that, will you?”

“No, no. I want to stay here.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Kiri said. “Such a good girl.”

She smiled at the human for a moment before turning and leaving the room.

Kiri had been thinking that there wasn’t much more she was going to learn about the humans by giving them any more intelligence tests, and she’d been growing frustrated by coming up against a wall in her research. Oteo’s little outburst had given her an idea.

And now that she’d put the pieces together, all she had to do was sit back and see which proved to be stronger: a human’s need for safety, or their desire for self-determination and autonomy. Or, whose will was stronger, the freeborn Oteo or the pet-bred Lishda.

Either way, Kiri was sure that it would prove most illuminating.