Isabel Ibanez backed up slowly, her knees felt weak. Her mouth was dry. Suddenly the sweet, bubbly alien she had made first contact with didn’t seem so harmless and adoring as she once had. The optimistic and meek ginger haired giantess seemed to grow an extra hundred feet right before Izzy’s eyes with those condemning words alone.

“Oh god…” Izzy squeaked, her hand making its way to her mouth, as if she could somehow hold in her panic.

“I’m sorry.” Lauryna whispered, visibly trembling.

“It makes sense now….” Izzy let her hand fall limp to her side, she felt something deep within her start to churn, a gradual build up, like somebody had turned the heat on low and the temperature gradually rising almost without her noticing.

“Izzy you have to understand that….” Lauryna spoke quickly, desperate to convince Izzy to understand her point.

“No!” I don’t want to hear any more of it! You’re a liar! You’re a dirty rotten liar!” Izzy’s fists balled quickly, she began to shake form the rage boiling within her. This woman before her…while gigantic and intimidating…had they been the same size would not amount to half the soldier she was! This was a low ranking nobody!

“Izzy please listen…” Lauryna took a step back, her face showed an expression of worry, almost fear. “Calm down and listen.” She was losing her gall, what little she had mustered.

“No! God damnit this is bull shit! That is what you took me here for? THAT is why you wanted me to ‘trust you’? So you could lure me to a quiet place and tell me you OWN ME!?” Izzy spat, the bitter disdain in her voice left a slick metallic taste on her tongue.

“No! Oh heavens no! Izzy it’s not like that at all!” Lauryna quickly defended, her tone gaining some ground as she raised her voice, which was not something Jr Crewmate Third Class Lauryna Gwenn was at all used to doing.

“Bull shit!” Izzy took a bold step forward to the edge of the table, standing alert and confident, both arms at her side, fists balled, body at a slight angle. She was ready for anything.

Lauryna paced back and forth as she anxiously waved her hands as if they were on fire! “Nononono you have to believe me Izzy you have to…I don’t know what I can say or do to make you believe me! But that of all things had not even crossed my mind! Not even for a second!” Lauryna stopped, looked down to the tiny bold human before her, and swiftly fell to her knees. The impact causing Izzy to stumble, but she quickly reformed her stance.

“Then why!? Why bring me here, why smuggle me out of that room, tell me EVERYTHING you did…and then throw that at me! Why!?” Izzy’s voice projects itself quite well for a small creature such as herself. Had anyone been passing by it would likely be easy to hear from outside the confines of the Jr. Crewmate’s quarters.

Lauryna shimmied close to the table, placing both of her hands on either side of Izzy, holding onto the glass table for stability. “Izzy please….”

“WHY!?” Izzy’s face was beat red, her nostrils were flaring as she screamed.

Lauryna opened her mouth to speak, tears were streaming down her pale creamy cheeks, but she found herself cut off once more, and hadn’t the gall to interject.

“Everybody look what I got! A real human right from Earth! Look at how it wears clothes like a real person!” Izzy spat with ire. “Isn’t it cute!? Isn’t it unique!? Isn’t it special!?” Izzy paced back and forth like a trapped bull.

“No! Izzy I’d never do that!” Lauryna gasped in shock.

“It will sing….it will dance! It will do whatever I fucking tell it to!” Izzy belted out. “Because it’s my PET!”

“Stop! Just stop!” Lauryna shouted, her eyes snapping shut.

“Is that what you want me to be? Is that what you brought me here for!?” Izzy’s voice went low, as if someone had turned the volume down suddenly, it was barely audible now. “Is that what is to become of me now?” Izzy’s legs gave way and she crumpled to her knees, sitting on her ankles and then shifting onto her bottom, she looked down at her lap, and just stared.

“No.” Lauryna whispered.

“Then what?” Izzy responded quietly. “Why am I here…why did you bring me here? Why am I not with the others? Are there others?” Izzy sighed.

“Izzy the idea of you as my pet didn’t even cross my mind…not even for a moment.” Lauryna plead, almost begging.

“Heh, sure it didn’t.” Izzy scoffed, she felt helpless, totally helpless. Even if she wanted to, she didn’t stand a chance if she tried to resist.

“I mean it! Izzy I was raised my whole life thinking humans were cute but ignorant little pets! But you know what? Not a single human I’ve ever come across did ANYTHING to prove that wrong. Not only that…but they even seemed to enjoy it…to welcome it. I’ve never had any reason to think it was anything BUT normal! Part of me knew…deep down it didn’t seem right. The way they looked at me as I went to work, embraced my lovers…ate my meals…dressed in fancy clothes! Izzy they never said anything but they KNEW and I knew, and it was wrong…but nobody ever told me differently! Not a soul!” Lauryna was on tears struggling to get her words out. “Worse than that Izzy…everyone I looked up to, my friends, my family, my parents…teachers even! They all said it was NORMAL, that’s just how things were…that’s just how things ARE!”

“….” Izzy wanted to say something! She wanted to call Lauryna out and spit in her face…but she couldn’t. The pained expression on the giantess’ face had her captivated. She was either an excellent actor…or telling the truth.

“Izzy, I wanted to be wrong! I wanted to see that we were wrong, we all were! So, I fought for this commission. I thought even if I could get a LOOK at this planet…at what you’ve all accomplished than maybe something would click! All the ‘scientific journals’ and ‘research notes’ were not enough. I had to see it for myself. And then I saw you and I realized what you were and where you were form and…and…and…”

“And what!” Izzy spoke calmly; with much less ferocity and much more fear.

“I realized how wrong we’ve been…how much of a terrible mistake we’ve made…”

Izzy swallowed hard, looking up from her lap into Lauryna’s misty grey eyes. She was torn, she was crying…there were tears streaking down her cheeks and she was trembling. So much so Izzy could feel the table moving as she clasped onto it white knuckled.

“I have no choice…really…even if I don’t believe you…what choice do I even have?” Izzy sighed, defeated.

“No…please…Izzy you have to believe me.” Lauryna pleaded.

“What does it matter?” Izzy snapped.

“It matters a great deal! Nothing could matter more.” Lauryna spoke softly.

“Why?” Izzy gave her head a shake, eyeing Lauryna questioningly.

“Because,” Lauryna took a long deep breath. “I don’t want you to see my like this…like a monster.” Lauryna closed her eyes once more looking away.

Izzy was silent.

“Izzy, what I’m trying to tell you is I know now ok? I know the truth…it could never be made more clear.” Lauryna’s voice was faintly above a whisper.

“Why is it so important that I believe you? What does it even matter?” Izzy took slow controlled breaths to calm herself down.

“Because you’re not a pet…you’re a person…and I don’t want to force you to believe me. It’s your choice.” Lauryna opened her eyes, making eye contact with Izzy.

“I take it not everyone’s as…understands as you?” Izzy asked, the expected answer causing her to shiver.

“I’m sorry.” Lauryna whispered.

“Why?” Izzy looked up, terrified. “Why pets?”

“It…just happened…I really don’t know how. Nobody really remembers. Long ago, my people occupied Earth; your ancestors were still very primitive and revered my ancestors like gods. One thing led to another and soon a whole bunch of your ancestors were taken to Archavia.” Lauryna was a little calmer now, her tears had dried up and she was breathing mostly normal.

“I suppose they would know no better…” Izzy shrugged. “Giant beings of unlimited power and ability…they really would have been gods.”

“Well, we realized if this kept up soon there’d be no humans left on Earth….” Lauryna paused. “That is why we introduced the Terran Conservation act.”

“Makes a lot of sense.” Izzy looked thoughtful. “So the humans on your world?”

“Have been bred…raised…in captivity. The aggression, the wander lust and the spark bred out of them. They’re happy, content with their lives…but they’re not like you.” Lauryna sighed, almost regretfully.

“Are they treated well?” Izzy asked coldly.

“Yes! Oh that much I can assure you. Humans are cherished and loved…the average Titan could never stomach hurting a human. It’s just wrong.” Lauryna spoke with conviction.

Izzy was silent.

“I know it isn’t right, I know we must seem like monsters now that you know the truth.” Lauryna winced.

“Kinda.” Izzy spoke simply.

“But, I don’t see you like that.” Lauryna offered hopefully.

“Thanks.” Izzy didn’t sound at all thankful.

“So…what happens to me now?” Izzy asked, weakly.

“I’m not sure.” Lauryna bit her lip.

“What do you mean?” Izzy asked startled.

“It’s really up to you.” Lauryna half smiled.

“I want to go home.” Izzy stated simply.

Lauryna was silent.

“Let me guess….”

“I just don’t want to make a promise I can’t keep.” Lauryna spoke, walking on needles.

“Explain….”

“You were a casualty…a mistake. We didn’t INTEND on kidnapping you…we were trying to apprehend a criminal.” Lauryna spoke gently.

“Criminal? You mean….Eyrn?” Izzy was flabbergasted.

“Is that her name?”

“Yes…but how…I mean what could she have ever done?” Izzy looked up, she sounded offended, and the desire to stand up for Eyrn welled within her.

“She violated the Te….”

“Terran Conservation Act blablabla…bull shit she did!” Izzy snapped.

“Izzy she….” Lauryna narrowed her eyes but was cut off.

“Lauryna, I don’t know how long she’s been there…or where she came from…but that kid has no clue what the Terran Conservation act is! She doesn’t know what a Titan is, what The Empire is, as far as she knows she’s a mutant!” Izzy spoke quickly, attempting to push down her anger.

“Wait what?” Lauryna quickly moved her face closer to Izzy, she had to fight the urge to scoop the little human up, but this was something worth hearing!

“Just what I said…she can’t be a criminal, she’s never even heard of you all! Far as she’s concerned she’s been down there all her life!” Izzy backed away a little; the imposing form of Lauryna’s freckly face up close was a little unnerving.

“How do you know this? How can you be sure?” Lauryna spoke quickly.

“She told me herself? She has no memory of space ships and alien worlds…she can’t even remember her parents.

“She told you?”

“Yea, all the time. We talk all the time. Normally when I’m on guard duty.” Izzy stumbled over her words.

“Guard duty?” Lauryna narrowed her eyes.

“A-heh…well…yea…see…well…we kinda…keep her….” Izzy mumbled the rest of her sentence.

“What was that I didn’t hear you?” Lauryna asked quickly.

“We keep her under supervision…restricted to a designated habitat.” The irony was not lost on Izzy at all, and suddenly she didn’t feel so justified in her anger.

“So…locked up?” Lauryna grinned a little.

“It’s for her own good…for her protection! We don’t have a choice…she could hurt herself or others if we just let her wander around!” Izzy desperately attempted to crawl out of the hole she had dug.

“Riiight.” Lauryna’s smile grew. “For her own good…for her protection…I understand completely~” There was a melody to Lauryna’s voice.

“Look it’s not the same ok it’s completely different!” Izzy defended herself, pushing against the glass table with her hands to a standing position.

“Of course.” Lauryna grinned, nodding slowly.

“It is!” Izzy insisted.

“You fed her, kept her safe, gave her someplace to sleep…took her out for exercise no doubt?” Lauryna spoke in a cleverly condescending tone.

“Well yes but we couldn’t just lock her up and starver her….”Izzy looked away.

Lauryna studied Isabel Ibanez for a moment, setting an open palm beside her slowly. “Can you step in please?” She asked gently.

Izzy did as she was asked, sitting cross legged.

“I never realized how it must have felt from her perspective.” Izzy spoke, looking down at her feet.

“It’s a lot harder to sympathize from the other side of the cage sweetie.” Lauryna whispered.

“I guess we’d be no different in your shoes.” Izzy looked to Lauryna slowly; she had expected an angry vengeful look, but was greeted with a soft look of empathy.

Lauryna stood carefully, setting her hand before her face, close to her chin. “I guess our two species really have a lot more in common than we ever thought eh?”

“I guess so.” Izzy shrugged.

“Was she treated well?” Lauryna asked softly.

Izzy nodded.

“If I ask her…will she agree?” Lauryna narrowed her eyes.

“Depends on her mood?” Izzy half laughed.

Lauryna scrunched her lips to the side, she wasn’t angry; she had no reason to be. But her mind was moving in a thousand different directions all at once. “You’re sure of all this? Absolutely sure? Everything you’ve told me is true to the best of your knowledge? She really has no memory of ever being anywhere but Earth?” Lauryna asked with reservation.

“I’m telling you the truth.” Izzy nodded.

Lauryna looked off into the distance, she seemed a little lost. “Wow…this is…wow.”

“What?” Izzy awaited a response, only to find herself on an inclined plane as Lauryna tilted her hand, shifting Izzy onto her shoulder carefully.

“Izzy, never in history has there ever been a Titan ‘pet’. A Titan raised, confined and cared for by Humans…that’s not even the stuff of myths Izzy…it’s just down right unheard of.” Lauryna paced back and forth slowly as she lifted her to her chin in thought.

“I’m sorry…but it’s true…I mean I don’t even know the whole story but word is she’s been around for a more than a hundred years…”

“It’d have to have been a lot longer than that.” Lauryna furrowed her brow, making her way across the room to a stationary data terminal. She began to franticly move her hands about the touch screen, punching in information.

“What are you looking for?” Izzy narrowed her brow.

“Missing persons….” Lauryna offered quickly.

“Why?” Izzy sounded confused.

“A child doesn’t just GO missing out of the blue without anybody noticing….” Lauryna asked slowly.

“Maybe she didn’t go missing? Maybe she was born there?” Izzy suggested.

“Can’t be…where are her parents? Family? I think if there were two OTHER Titan’s down there you all would have found them by now.” Lauryna responded without taking her eyes off the terminal.

“She turned 162 this year I think…does that help?” Izzy offered, trying to follow the fast moving images and words on the screen.

“162…ok so that’s…roughly 25 years, yes that helps!” Lauryna smiled as she momentarily looked to Izzy.

“Wait what?” Izzy asked.

“I’ll explain later…trust me ok.” Lauryna spoke, her voice hurried.

“She can’t be 25…no Titan ships have come anywhere near Earth in that time.” Lauryna narrowed her eyes.

“Maybe you missed one?” Izzy suggested.

“Impossible…anytime a ship comes anywhere near the Kuiper belt WE know it. Titan Station…the place I told you about…well it’s not just for third rate souvenir shops and tourists ya know.” Lauryna sighed.

“I guess not…wait how do you have a whole SPACE STATION on Titan and we don’t even know about it?” Izzy asked with confidence.

“I dunknow? Look harder?” Lauryna shrugged, almost forgetting Izzy was perched there.

Lauryna deactivated the terminal and moved quickly across the room, flopping down in her chair, bracing the small human in the process so she didn’t fall.

“So…what did you figure out?” Izzy asked after a long pause.

“If you’re telling me the truth…if your friend really isn’t a criminal…and she’s been there all her life…then she didn’t arrive 162 human years ago.” Lauryna pursed her lips in thought.

“Oh?” Izzy sounded confused, lost. “When did she arrive then?”

“I have no idea.”