There was the familiar distant rumbling that anyone who grew up in a type one civilisation would recognise of a large ship attempting to slow itself for landing.

“Still can’t see it…” Manka said sweeping back a lock of soaking wet red hair.

Sorcha kept her eyes trained on the sky as the rumbling intensified. “It’s the weather. Low cloud and heavy rain. Doesn’t matter how big the ship is, you won’t see it until it’s through.”

“Grow up somewhere damp?” Manka asked.

“Tannhauser Gate. It only stopped snowing to rain.” Sorcha said. “I think they get about ten days of sun a year. What about you?”

“Just out of Wedney. Terraformed, ya know? So nice and warm.” Manka raised her voice over the din.

“Warm is overrated. Tannhauserians say the cold made them strong enough to conquer half the planet.”

“Tannhauserians say a lot of things.” Manka said sarcastically.

“There!” Sorcha extended a finger and pointed to the cloud where a small, but ever growing point of light had appeared.

“Here we go. Do you definitely think we’re ready?” Manka shouted as the fifty unit long transport ship broke through the low cloud.

The pair watched as the almost cuboid shaped ship fired its landing thrusters in a deafening roar and settled down on the prepared pad two hundred units out of the city. They could see several Titans, one of which was Joseph, making their way over to secure the ship as the engines turned off and started to vent steam in the lashing rain.

Sorcha took a sharp intake of breath as the hatch started to open. “Well I’d like three times as many staff and a budget five times as big. Maybe a few more months to prepare. But with what we’ve got? We’re ready as we’ll ever be. May as well get started.”

Manka held out her hand and cupped it. It only took a few seconds before she held enough water to fill half a bath tub.

“We couldn’t have picked a nicer planet for them? Maybe one where it doesn’t rain permanently?” She said dryly.

“Average global temperature is seventeen point one vathmos, gravity is six percent higher than Earth’s, sixty percent of the land is arable and it’s rich in all the minerals and materials a growing civilisation could need. There’s no better world for them.” Sorcha replied.

“Nicer and better are two different thing…”

Sorcha didn’t reply. She just watched. She could see vehicles starting to approach the ship. Avalonian vehicles for transporting the refugees to the orientation centre in the city. There they would meet their mentor, receive information on what was happening to them, register as a citizen of Tau Ceti Colony, get a medical assessment and then head off into the city to with their mentor to settle into their new home.

“Want me to head down there?” Manka asked after a while of Sorcha staring concerned at the landing pad.

Sorcha paused for a moment more. “We’re due on shift later. Better get some rest.”

Manka turned to head inside but stopped when her boss didn’t appear to be joining her. “You not going to try to get some sleep?”

“Probably should…likely won’t”

“Fancy joining me for a hustain?” Manka asked. “It’ll help you sleep.”

Sorcha thought for a second and then finally took her eyes off the transport. “Sure, but just the one.”

“You never have just one hustain.”

“Ok. Two then. But no more.” Sorcha said joining her.

“That’s the spirit!” Manka started walking back inside. “I wonder if Humans like Hustain?”

Sorcha smiled. “Spicy, ridiculously strong alcohol? It was one of the first things Earth started importing after First Contact.”

“Sounds like my kind of place.” Manka replied.

“If you were point nine seven units shorter.” Sorcha joked.

****

Yamanu missed the easy, carefree days of fighting for his freedom.

It wasn’t that his life hadn’t been significantly improved already. He’d already received his first pay cheque, and placed it in a bank account, without any assistance from a Titan. He’d actually been installed as the official, legal head of the Aenur Foundation; there was no more legal fiction that it was a Titan-led organization. It was led by a human now, and the bylaws that had been the bedrock of the organization since its inception now were registered and had force of law. If Gae wanted to double-cross them, she’d waited too long.

He chuckled at the thought; if Gae wanted to double-cross him, there were tens of thousands of ways she could have done it. Absconding with money might have literally been the least harmful thing she could have done. If Gae hadn’t been committed to his people’s liberation…she wouldn’t be his Gae.

So yes, things were better, but that just meant that things were now marginally better than terrible. Yamma had been pestering Loona like crazy, and he felt almost bad about it, because she wasn’t really the problem. But he had to pester her, as he wasn’t getting anywhere in his attempts to pester Forna Qorni. (Though even there, there was a slight improvement – her staff no longer asked him to have his owner call back before losing his messages.)

But there was still so much to do. Granted, many humans had continued living with their Titan companions – and many of those did so because they were friends, and saw no reason anyone had to move out. Other humans had qualified for citizenship, and were moving in to their own homes, or at least the homes they could afford on a standard rent-and-board credit (human classification). This was not without its problems – there were scrupulous landlords and unscrupulous ones, and the unscrupulous ones were already popping up. On that front, the Interior Ministry and local rental councils had been prepared, and were more than ready to fight for their new citizens, the same as the old ones, but still, the Foundation was busily making sure those who needed help knew where to turn to.

These people were generally doing fine, but these people were maybe fifteen, twenty percent of the humans in the Empire. The other eighty five percent were in limbo. The government hadn’t come through yet with training and housing. A number of humans had been dumped at HOS facilities – and bless Lyroo Prenn, she’d taken them in. Yes, she’d groused that this was predictable and that she didn’t like the law, but she’d done it. (He made a note to give the HOS a formal grant of fifty thousand credits, and to urge his supporters to give more. If she was willing to help humans, he was willing to help her.)

But even with Lyroo’s help, and the help of decent Titans who’d opened their homes temporarily to homeless humans, there were still a series of outrages and degradations and just plain misery and difficulty that the Aenur Foundation was doing its best to ameliorate. He was grateful that he had good people working for him – no matter their species. This would be a difficult transition to be sure, even in the parts of the Empire where everyone was trying.

His pad chimed, and he picked it up. He’d expected this call.

After all, there were parts where everyone was not.

“Hello, Jako,” Yamanu said.

“When will you address the outrage in the Federation?” Jako grumbled.

“Yes, my day is going well, how are you?” Yamma sighed.

“You worry about pleasantries while….”

“Jako, cut the histrionics, we aren’t on a live feed, and you aren’t going to put this on a live feed, so don’t get any ideas. Things are going poorly enough, you and I both know it. You should know that I had a productive conversation with the Deputy Floor Leader, she’s going to have the office in Kaeda Province send out citizenship papers to the Federation, and Minister Cethje intends to file suit….”

“And you think that will be enough? Come on, Yamanu! You saw the video of the attack, did you not?”

“I did, Jako,” Yamanu said, rubbing his temples. It would have been impossible not to – a bystander had gotten video of a clerk in Walak knocking out a human who was asking for her papers; a member of the Federation Council had released evidence showing the Black Block had later broken into their Titan friend’s home.

Protests had followed in the past few days, but they were disorganized, and one had been broken up brutally by members of the Block wearing balaclavas.

“So what are you going to do? Sit in Tuaut and ignore it?”

“There is chaos throughout the Empire, in case you hadn’t noticed,” Yamanu said. “And Jako, I somehow missed Equality Now!’s picket. Why aren’t you going there?”

“We’re there, we’re working with the protesters. But….”

Jako trailed off, and Yamanu smiled thinly. “But what, Jako? Are you going to admit that the reason you’re calling is that, to be honest, the Foundation is better at organizing things than Equality?”

“I would not put it like that. But the Foundation does have…certain skills that my organization is….”

“Jako, as I’ve said many times,” Yamanu said, gently, “we are in this together. We both want the same thing. We both are working for the same goal. Aranta organized our protests in Svek City two years ago, she’s outstanding. I’m quite certain she’d be willing to work with you and the people on the ground.”

“Aranta’s human, right?”

“Yes, of course, I know how you feel about Titans interfering in our cause.”

There was a long pause, before Jako said, “You…may want to send a Titan, too. If there’s one who can go.”

Yamanu leaned back, and it took a moment for his words to overcome his surprise. “There are…there are more than a few. But….”

“The people we’ve met, on the ground…this is not going to be easy, Yamanu. They think this is being run out of the Poron’s office. He’s made no official statement, but when he is forced to…they think he’s going to simply refuse to accept humans as people – and they think he’s going to crack down hard on us once he makes that official.”

Yamanu leaned forward. “There’s a married couple, Garae and Xealo Ripja. They both played college veeball. He’s 1.1 units of muscle, and if anything, she’s tougher. They’re both bright, too – I think they’d be willing to go.”

“Good, good,” Jako said. “Look…I’m going to go there, Yamanu. I don’t know how this is going to play out. But…if there’s going to be a battle line, it’s there.”

“I understand, Jako. You have my full support. And if you need anything more, you let me know.”

“I will. Yamanu…I push you, you know, but….”

“I know, Jako. I respect you, too. Good luck.”

Yamanu hung up the pad. He hoped this would work. Garae, Xealo, and Aranta were all very good, and they’d all mesh well with Jako.

Jako would make some noise. He always did.

****

“Wow…you look like hell boss.” Joseph grinned as Sorcha entered the canteen.

Sorcha didn’t reply. Not vocally anyway. If side-eye was dangerous then Joseph would have been ducking for cover. Though he was right. Sorcha had just spent the last fifty hours helping to get the first refugee ships unloaded and ensure every individual Human made it off their ship and to the processing centre. All this during a rainstorm of near biblical proportions and with banging, post-hustain headache.

“Forna Qorni must really hate Humans if she dumped them on this swamp of a world.” Joseph continued.

Sorcha filled a pot of tea leaves with hot water, took a mug and sat down opposite Joseph. She was almost ghostly white, except for the dark bags under her eyes and her thick hair was matted, twisted and stuck to the side of her face.

“You really are a glutton for punishment aren’t you?” Joseph grinned across the table.

“Shut up…”

“Hustain, a full shift in a swamp and how many hours of meetings do you have now?” He asked.

“Five…”

Joseph bit his bottom lip. “You’re a masochist.”

“I am not. It’s all part of the job. Though it’s not even that well paid now I think about it…”

“See! Masochist! You love punishing yourself.”

“I do not!” Sorcha protested and slumped down across the table.

Joseph chuckled. “I heard about your little stint in the holosuite with Manto’s program.”

“You what!?” Sorcha sat bolt upright. “How’d you hear about that!?”

“Oh relax, no one is spreading rumours. The program is still in testing. Manto got a recording of the feed. You’re not the only one who’s done that you know?”

Sorcha relaxed just a little bit. “I…I thought it was just me.”

“See, this is part of this whole complex you have. This is why you pissed off all the Hybrids on Avalon. People you could have related to. People who have the same issues as you, had you asked…”

“Okay! I get it. I’m a miserable, self-centred shit of a person. Now what happened?” Sorcha said.

“Well…my father was a pet after he was taken from Earth. Brinn kind of dominated him and he near lost himself before she caught herself. And she wasn’t even bad. She was just a normal Titan owner.” Joseph said “So when Manto said she wanted to test the simulation that let Titans see what the world was like from pet’s perspective I jumped at it.”

“Joseph…I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

“I know. But you didn’t ask. You spent a day in there before you got dragged out. I went back in over and over again.”

“I don’t think I could have gone back in. I couldn’t leave when I was in there. But once I was out…I was glad to be out.” Sorcha said pouring her tea into a mug. “What stopped you?”

“Odin.” Joseph said. “He never once went in. The way he saw it, a program was just a program. We could never know what it was like and shouldn’t try. We should instead try to ensure no one else has to know what it’s like to be a pet.”

“He always was a smart one.” Sorcha smiled just a little and supped at her tea.

“You’re smart.” Joseph said. “He’s wise.”

“And what are you?”

“Me?” He cocked an eyebrow. “I’m charming.”

“Ha!” Sorcha spat. “Alex Carey is charming. You’re just annoying.”

Joseph smiled and leaned back in his chair eying Sorcha across the table. She looked pretty pleased with herself now. And she looked a bit better. She had dried out a bit and her cheeks were getting a little colour back. That and he could see the fire in her starting to warm up.

“It really gets to you that can’t punch me doesn’t it?” He tilted his chair back on to its back legs and bobbed up and down as Sorcha stared daggers back at him.

“I’ve not been allowed to punch a lot of people. Doesn’t mean I haven’t.” Sorcha fired back and set her tea on the table.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Joseph said, his grin still plastered on his face.

“What did you mean then?”

He leaned forward across the table and held her stare. “I mean you won’t hit someone you know you can’t knock down with one punch. You’re tough compared to a Titan, but not to another one of your own.”

“I could knock you down with one punch.” Sorcha replied calmly.

“Ha!” Joseph laughed mocking Sorcha’s earlier tone. He stood up and stepped back from the table. “Come on then.”

“Sit down you fool, I’m not going to hit you.” Sorcha said.

“No, no. You don’t get to wuss out. I can tell you’ve wanted to punch me since you saw me in the interview room. Now’s your chance. I’ll give you a free hit.” Joseph said.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard but I’m trying to be a good girl and not punch people anymore?”

“Sounds like you’re just wussing out to me!”

“I am not!” Sorcha growled.

“Wuss!” Joseph teased.

“Stop it!”

“Stop it!” Joseph replied in a mocking tone.

Sorcha could feel her blood starting to boil just a little bit. She got up and stormed towards the door. Joseph side stepped and blocked her path.

“Cúl tóna!”

“Running away?”

“I’ve meetings to get to! Then I’ve a shift to pick up twenty hours after!” Sorcha protested.

“Tell you what.” He said. “If you can floor me in one hit, I’ll take your shift.”

Sorcha sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. And if I can’t?”

“You take my shift the cycle after next?”

“Deal.” Sorcha said.

Joseph smirked and took a step forward. He tilted his head back slightly ensuring any hit he took wouldn’t land on his nose or his eyes. “Go on then. One hit.” He watched as the rather irate looking woman tensed and un-tensed her arm in an attempt to put some fear into him.

“Are you sure? Last chance to back out.” He said grinning.

Joseph continued to look quite pleased with himself as Sorcha pulled her arm back and clenched her fist. He still looked pleased with himself as her fist started to fly forward towards him. His expression changed from pleased to puzzled as her arm angled downwards away from his face and Sorcha started to drop.

Joseph immediately regretted the wording of the bet. He doubled over in pain and clutched his groin. Two seconds later his legs gave out and he keeled over and landed on his side with a thud.

“No…fair…” He managed between groans.

Sorcha took her teapot and mug and stepped over the man lying in the foetal position on the floor.

“Very fair. I floored you in one punch.” She said opening the door and stepping through. She turned and looked down on Joseph. “Let this be a lesson to you. Choose your words more carefully and never call an Irish woman a wuss.”

“Euurrrrgggghhh…” Joseph called after her.