Gae stepped out of the autocab and quickmarched to the shuttle. She had barely had a chance to process what was happening before she got the call to head on in, along with every paid staffer TETH had on Archavia.

Lezah hadn’t responded to her message yet, nor did Gae expect her too; she couldn’t believe her friend’s bad luck. This put a dent in Gae’s plans – she certainly wasn’t going to risk getting Lezah’s hopes up now. And frankly, until this thing in Rutger was over, she wasn’t going to be able to pursue it at all.

After checking on Yamma, who was napping in her purse, she put in an earbud and tuned it to a chat show; she wanted to look away from this, to ignore it, but she just couldn’t. She had been sick with horror since she’d seen the first reports, and it had only been getting worse. But she couldn’t pretend it wasn’t real. It was all too real, and all too horrifying. This was why she’d joined TETH in the first place, something she’d believed in since she was old enough to articulate it. Humans were people, just like Titans, damn it, and she would do everything she could to make sure that a human would not be put to death for refusing to go down easily.

“Humans are animals. When animals kill, we put them down. Is that really so hard?” a woman was saying on the broadcast.

“So you’re saying that if I go poking at your pet jexer with a knife, and it bites me, it’s the jexer’s fault? Come on, Sarna, that’s ridiculous.”

“A Titan is dead, Xabter!”

“Yeah, after she and her dinner companions killed 120 humans. One didn’t want to get eaten, and that’s bad? No, that’s justice.”

Gae raised an eyebrow. Xabter Nasro wasn’t known as much of a liberal, and certainly not a human rights activist. He was more of a law-and-order type. She wasn’t surprised that Sarna Kolbar was taking the side of the Titans, but if Nasro could come around….

“All right, we’re going to break away from this discussion for just a second, in order to go live to Tuaut, and that press conference by the Interior Minister, Rodrec Zeramblin.”

Gae got onto the shuttle and took her seat. It was busy for late afternoon, but she paid it no mind. She was far more curious as to how the government would respond.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” said Zeramblin, in his brash Wedney accent. “I’m here to address the events of last night in Rutger, events which have inflamed passions among many citizens of the Empire. First, and obviously, we are outraged by the serious Class One offenses being carried out at this establishment. The trafficking of humans and Dunnermac roe for food is a serious crime, one punishable by thirty years imprisonment in one of the penal colonies. Floor Leader Agace has personally expressed her regret to Rep. Sezhow and to the Dunnermac High Council.

“Make no mistake. The Minister of Law, Rep. Reus, and I are committed to find those who hosted the event and hold them criminally responsible. Also, as Interior Minister, I can tell you that when we find out who sold them, we will be taking steps to revoke their trade licenses. Additionally, we are going to be working with authorities in Rutger to find out who is responsible for agreeing to host this event, and bringing them to justice.

“The second thing I want to address is the status of the human who killed a Titan while she was attempting to eat him. I know there have been calls for the government to act, both from those who believe the human should be returned to his owner, and from those who believe we must act to ensure he is euthanized quickly. The local officials in Rutger and in Orion are dealing with this matter in accordance to Imperial Law; it is not the government’s place to intervene at this time, other than to grant them support in their ongoing investigation.”

The shuttle lifted off, and Gae sighed. Sadly, that was better than she was expecting; as she listened to Zeramblin start to field questions, she thought they might have a chance here. He was clearly making an effort not to take sides – which was unusual for a conservative politician when talking about human rights.

Maybe they had a shot at saving this poor human from Earth. She was going to do the best she could.

* * *

There was precisely one place on all of Archavia where people weren’t glued to their vidscreens in horror or fascination. One place where there was a celebratory mood in the air.

“There she is!” Luke called, as Quendra walked gingerly into the hall, raising one hand up to acknowledge the cheers.

He chuckled as she nodded to him and smiled; the cuts on her chin and cheek were, like the cuts on his torso, held together by glowberry pulp, which had her face softly glowing.

She had worried about those cuts, when they’d been together earlier. As he massaged her – gently, trying to avoid bruises – she said that there was no doubt she’d have a scar or two.

He had smiled, and told her the truth – that he couldn’t imagine them doing anything but adding to her beauty. Scars won in combat, fighting someone who’d slandered her? He was very impressed.

Quendra did not sit with them, not tonight; she instead headed for Drugar’s table, where she sat as the guest of honor. Instead, Luke consoled himself by sharing a mug with Thurfrit, who was terrific company, though somewhat less kissable – at least as far as Luke was concerned.

“Kumn chose to stay in the healer’s ward, I see,” Luke said.

“Yes,” Thurfrit said. “I cannot blame her, though. It would be hard to see yourself deposed. It rarely happens that way. Most Elders choose their successors.”

Luke sighed. “True enough.” He looked at Quendra, battered as she was, with pride. But something was bothering him – it had been for a while. “Thurfrit, if I stay with the Tribe…what do I end up doing?”

Thurfrit was rather surprised at the question, coming as it did out of nowhere. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not really a hunter. I might be able to be a gatherer, but I doubt I could do as well as the ones who’ve been training since they were children. I mean…I don’t want to just stay here and trade on my celebrity. If I stay, I want to contribute.”

“Luke, you’ve already contributed. Surely you know that?”

Luke shook his head. “I’ve gone around sticking my nose in here and there. That’s all.”

“You know much that we don’t,” Thurfrit said. “You have learned much more than even a chronicler can.”

“I was lucky,” Luke said. “I had good schools, good teachers.” He smiled sadly. “I suppose I could become a cook, maybe. Teach you guys my mom’s cobbler recipe.”

Thurfrit laughed. “Don’t worry, Luke,” he said, clapping his friend on the shoulder. “If nothing else, I could use an apprentice!”

Luke looked at Thurfrit and grinned. “Well, I could have a worse boss, I suppose,” he said, tipping his mug.

* * *

“Lesis, what do you need me to do?” Gae practically shouted. She was heartened to see a huge turnout at the Rutger Lordale animal control headquarters. She’d been hoping to see a few dozen people; instead, a few hundred were out, and not just TETH supporters. She saw old women in HOS Volunteer blazers, teenagers from the local high school, college students, even some families.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Lesis Teronidia said. “We’re staging a nude protest up at the city administration building….”

“No, Lesis,” Gae said.

Lesis grinned. “Gae, I still say you’d draw attention.”

“If I thought it would draw attention to the cause, I’d be there in a second,” Gae said. “What else?”

“Go get your stuff dumped at the house,” Lesis said, handing Gae a keycard and directions. “And head up to the Insectoid consulate. We’ve got another protest going there.”

Gae raised an eyebrow. “We’re protesting the Insectoids? Will they actually care?”

“Not a chance, but we’ve got so many people wanting to help we don’t know what to do with them, honestly. There are protests going on at the bar, at the jail – they arrested the human’s owner, you hear? The Wild Girl from Earth?”

“Yeah,” Gae said, grimacing. “Just another layer of awful.”

“That’s the truth. But if there’s anything good about it, it’s this – look at the crowd!” he beamed. “We’ve set a record for new members today. People are mad.”

“They should be,” Gae said, who didn’t return Lesis’s smile. “120 people murdered, one survives – and we’re gonna kill him for that.”

“Well, exactly,” Lesis replied. “If this doesn’t get people working to help humans, I don’t know what will. All right,” he said, checking his pad, “you’d better get flying. A lot of work to do, you know. And make sure you have….”

“…I know, I’ll have my sign-up program up on the pad. Thanks, Lesis.”

Gae began walking quickly. She looked into her purse, to see Yamma awake.

“Sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean for them….”

“It’s okay,” Yamma shouted, so as to be heard. “Anything new?”

“No,” Gae replied. “Not yet. But there are a lot of Titans out here, Yamma,” she said. “That’s a start.”

* * *

Luke and Quendra had danced together, as much as they could – Luke’s broken leg and Quendra’s general soreness pretty much meant they sat in a couple of chairs and held hands. Still, it had been a rather nice evening, and Luke was escorting Quendra home, moving carefully on his crutches as she moved gingerly down the corridor.

Quendra smiled, and wordlessly invited Luke in to her apartment.

Some time later, as they snuggled together in one chair, Quendra tousled Luke’s hair. “Thurfrit mentioned that you’re worried about what you’ll do for the Tribe,” she said.

“Yeah, well, I’m dating the Elder Huntress. I don’t want to be Luke the Guy Who Hangs Around and Mooches.”

Quendra kissed his forehead. “First off, Luke of Earth, have I mentioned how happy it makes me that this is something you’re worrying about?”

Luke hugged her gently. “Yeah…well, I’ve got a good reason to,” he said.

“Second, Luke – you will find something to do. And you will do it well. And whatever it is, I will be happy with it. As long as you’re here.”

Luke hugged Quendra tight. He didn’t want to tell her what he was feeling, not yet.

Not until he was sure.

* * *

Gae yawned and leaned back in the couch in the run-down house that was serving as TETH headquarters. It was owned by an activist in the area, and it was nice of them to share it, but Gae couldn’t help thinking she wouldn’t have minded actually having a bed to sleep on; at least she’d been able to snag the couch. The bad news was that she wouldn’t be able to get any sleep until the large, meandering discussion in the large basement room subsided, and that could be hours from now.

And given that the discussion included her boss, her boss’s boss, and her boss’s boss’s boss, she couldn’t even nod off.

“So tomorrow, we’ll continue the protests at animal control; we got a great response there. And Gae – nice job with recruitment at the Insectoid consulate. I want you back there tomorrow.”

“Yes, Ms. Dagaramonto.”

“Call me Leny, Gae. Ncaesi, did we get many sign-ups at the HOS?”

“A ton,” Ncaesi Vilu said. Gae shook her head. She had little time for Ncaesi, or anyone in the Aement chapter.

“Great,” Leny said. “Let’s get some activists out there again tomorrow.”

“Why are we protesting at the HOS?” Gae asked. The room turned to look at her. She coughed nervously. “I’m not saying I like them. I’m just saying…are they our priority right now?”

Leny crossed her arms, and smiled. “Well, no – but then, it’s not like the HOS has prevented this. And we know darn well that if Lyroo Prenn gets involved, it’s just going to lead to a sell-out. That poor human will be lucky to come out the other side as a pet.”

Gae nodded. She thought of asking another question, but put it aside for the moment.

“Okay, Phrius, I want you working with Lesis at the animal control picket; Fasax, Dophet? You guys take Orion Provincial University.”

“On it, Leny.”

“And everyone – great job today,” Leny said. “We’re going to keep pushing this for as long as people are paying attention.”

Gae frowned. She really wanted to talk to Yamma, but she knew better than to pull him out of her purse. She’d be branded as a “pet owner,” which was a term that TETH used with the same level of hatred as “child molester.”

Indeed, she had offered to leave Yamma home. It wasn’t easy, but they’d rigged up some things for him; he could take care of himself for a few days. But she wasn’t sure how long it would be, and besides, he’d said he wanted to be here. This was a fight for his people, after all. Even if he wasn’t going to show himself to the folks at TETH (and she couldn’t blame him for that, not at all), he wanted to support her. She loved him for it; she needed the support.

Surreptitiously she checked her purse, and saw that Yamma was reading on his minipad. It was still far too large – designed to fit on a Titan’s wrist – but he made it work.

He looked up, and nodded to her, and gestured to the pad. She gave half a nod.

She picked up her pad, and saw his message.

“They haven’t mentioned how they’re going to save the human yet, have they?”

Gae sighed. It was not a question, not really. But it required an answer. And so she typed just one word in reply.

“No.”