Aisell chuckled as she watched her sister and new friend as they swam around in the spacious dark blue waters of the Artificial Dunnermac habitat. It was different-looking water than what folks were used to drinking, dark and incredibly still, and lit beneath the surface by bioluminescent plant life that remained near-motionless as it sat, as if in suspended animation.

She took a drink from her glass and set it down, being careful not to place it atop her temporary human companion. Darren himself had chosen not to accompany Eyrn and Lezah, even though humans were not restricted from the habitat explicitly. Something about swimming in a humongous tank of thick blue water — one that dwarfed even the Titans — among filter feeding swimming talking fish people just didn’t appeal to his sensibilities. Rather, a good drink with a gorgeous new friend was much more the style of Master Sargent Avery.

“Darren, can I ask you a question?” Aisell spoke after sometime in silence. It was not the awkward sort of silence that made one uncomfortable, but the peaceful and enjoyable one that naturally came about when nothing really needed to be said to enjoy the mood.

“Sure thing.” Darren took a drink of whatever it was that Aisell was drinking. It had a kick to it that made him cringe every time he drank it, but it was strong and tasty, like moonshine with an extra-hot dose of Sriracha and Tabasco.

Most Titans didn’t allow their humans to consume alcohol at all, but it wasn’t against any written rule, and even if it had been, Darren got the distinct expression that Aisell was almost hoping one of the gawkers and glaring bystanders in the crowded night club would come over and challenge her on it.

Alas, no such thing happened.

“Are we frightening? Titans, I mean…do you think we’re frightening?” Aisell asked as she took a drink form her glass once more. The woman had remarkable stamina; she neither winced form the heat of the drink nor did she seem at all effected by the copious amount of booze she had already consumed.

Darren eyed Aisell for a moment, with a silly amused smirk painted all over his clean shaven face. Oh, there was so much he could say to that, but unlike Bedra, Eyrn and the others, Aisell always seemed serious. She didn’t seem mean, or overly strict, just as if she was always engaged using her most serious mood possible. She was cute, but she didn’t seem the sort to appreciate sarcasm.

“Ya mean in general?” Darren asked, attempting to get a better guess on what she was actually trying to pull out of him.

Aisell studied Darren for a moment before she answered his question, her lips pressed together and she crossed her arms, letting her chin rest on her folded arms, which sat on the table top. She narrowed her eyes good at him for a moment before sitting back. “I mean are you afraid of Titans? Of us? Of me, Eyrn…Bedra…of this place…of the world you’re living in….” Aisell reached for her drink, but before taking another sip, she pulled out the long stalk of a root vegetable that had been sitting in it and gave it a stir.

Now came Darren’s turn for pensive gawking. He looked up at Aisell from his now well-practiced half-sitting, half-crouching position. He now lived in a world with precious few furnishings for human use; it had taken him a while to find a social sitting position that looked natural, relaxed, and was at the same time comfortable.

Aisell was stirring her drink with what was likely the Titan equivalent of a stalk of celery. She was holding between her fingers a vegetable longer and thicker than he was himself. He watched her casually as she pulled it off, tapped it against her glass and briskly sucked the spicy drink off the end. She could fit that monstrous thing in her mouth effortlessly, her fingers alone possessed more strength than his entire body. She was in a position to own people like him as property, his only safeguard being her sense of moral obligation to be kind to humans. The only real friend, solid trust worthy ally he had on this whole rock was swimming in a tank with beings that made Jaws look like a guppy, and she was asking him if they were frightening? If he was at all afraid of this place? This terrible, humongous monstrous world he had thrown himself into? He almost wanted to laugh. His eyes traveled down her picturesque physique to the near endless expanse of her arm, which lead to a hand that was lying flat on the table, the glass nestled between her long forefinger and thumb. That hand alone could swat him as he would a fly or a mosquito back home. As Darren pondered all this over, without so much as feeling an ounce of anxiety, he sniffed, took a drink and shrugged.

“Naw…ya’ll don’t scare me.”

Aisell sat back as soon as Darren answered, and crossed her arms over her chest, bringing the hand on top to rest her chin in. “Are you lying?” Aisell asked, without betraying weather or not she could read him or not.

“No reason’t lie.” Darren met her gaze, her icy blue eyes that twinkled like the North Star. They had a chilling embrace that refused to let you go once you were trapped in their hold.

“Hmmmm.” Aisell narrowed those same eyes, allowing Darren to break free and focus on his drink. “I’m not sure if I believe you or not.” Aisell spoke in earnest. “But take that as a compliment, because I’m normally quite sure either way.” Aisell smiled a little and took her drink, raising it slightly before she drank.

Darren laughed and stood, doing a few stretches to loosen his bones. “Should I be afraid of you Aisell Maris?” Darren asked, bringing the focus right back square onto Aisell, he reached down and picked up the tiny bowl that was given for him to drink in. Likely meant to be a water dish, but thanks to Aisell’s generosity for sharing her drink with him in Eyrn’s absence, served as his drinking glass.

Aisell was silent in reply.

After a while without an answer Darren set his ‘bowl’ down and approached. Her shadow absolutely swallowed him the closer her got, and she didn’t move a muscle as Darren closed the already slim gab between them. She was however mildly amused as she eyed him, trying to figure out what he was doing. Had this simply been silly posturing to “prove” to her he wasn’t afraid, she might have been tempted to gently knock him over with a well place blow between her lips. But he didn’t look cocky, or arrogant, he didn’t even look proud. He was just standing there, close to her, watching her, waiting for an answer.

“I don’t know…you probably should be.” Aisell answered, with a surprising amount of heavy-heartedness.

“Horse shit, yer about as intimidating as the Twat….” Darren chuckled a little, shifting his weight slightly.

“Bad things tend to happen to humans I get close to.” Aisell spoke, not as much pouting or lamenting as much as stating a clear fact, as if it were a proven statistic not to be argued.

Darren shrugged. “Eh, well how’bout you leave the humans you befriend’worry about that’n stop moping and sulking and pouting over things ya got no right sulking over?”

Aisell didn’t chuckle, she didn’t react at all very much at first, she just watched Darren as he spoke, and then after a while cracked a bit of a smile. She didn’t feel like arguing tonight, she didn’t want to get into a heated debate or a heavy handed brawl.

“Things sure would have gone differently if I’d of run into you on Titan station.” There was curiosity to Aisell’s voice as she rested her head in her hand, prodding it up with her elbow against the table.

“Ya think?” Darren asked, sitting back down, leaning back on his hands.

“Well yea…you’re confident and a little bit full of yourself…but in a good way. I’m not sure how, but I think it would have been quite the different experience.” Aisell laughed, but only a little.

Darren shrugged. “Who’s t’say what would’ve happened? Should’a would’a could’a right?” Darren lifted his bowl and took a drink, setting it down. He winced right away and made a sour face, slapping his hand on the table top. “Holy hell what do you Goliath’s drink! Phoenix piss!?”

Aisell chuckled enough that he could hear it and smiled brightly, she didn’t really know what a Phoenix was but the way he worded it was funny, and his facial expression was nearly as humorous as Luke’s had been.

“Look, us ‘wee little people’…” Darren spoke in as close to a mocking Irish Leprechaun voice as he could muster. “…tend to understand that no moment’s ever promised to us. Some’a us take it with dignity, others fight, claw and bite to hold on’t every moment they can. Point is most’a us are quite aware that we could bite the bullet at any moment. Walk out’yer door’n get hit by a car. Struck by lightning…ma gran’papy survived two consecutive heart attacks only’t die from a nasty fall down the stairs.” Darren shrugged.

“Which one are you Darren?” Aisell asked, curiously.

Darren didn’t skip a beat, he answered with a bit of pride in his voice. “The later darl’en…’n ain’t no shame in that either. Life’s worth liven…ya gotta make sure ya hold on as long as ya can…crazy fool like me…naw I got too much’t live for’t ever just give up.” Darren chuckled as his eyes wandered over from Aisell to the big dark luminescent fish tank across the room. He could make out dark silhouettes swimming about but nothing distinct. Somewhere in there, swimming about was one of those reasons.

“I think I’m that sort too, and I know Luke was.” Aisell smiled as she finished her drink by gulping the half glass she had left, and carefully set the glass down with purpose.

“’Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light!’” Darren recited from memory, and when he spoke it his eyes flared up and he seemed to come alive with a whole new passion. “’Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light!’” Darren half laughed as he looked back up to Aisell, she was simply watching, pleading with her eyes for him to go on.

“S’a’poem my Daddy said at my Gran’pappy’s funeral…Can’t remember who wrote it…can’t remember the rest…but I kinda like it.” Darren shrugged.

“So do I….” Aisell smiled, sitting back with a contemplative smile. Fight, rage against the dying of the light. Aisell thought over those last few words as she looked past Darren, her eyes glassed over in thought. “So do I….”

Darren motioned casually to the commotion in the distance that had caught Aisell’s attention and had her gaze caught in its allure.

“What’s going on over there?” Darren asked as he took a drink from his bowl. Aisell was constantly re filling it without needing asking.

“LumLar I think they call it.” Aisell watched the two burly Ler in the center of the center circle as they postured themselves while pivoting slowly in circles.

“Some kinda blood sport?” Darren made a face as he drank. The drink didn’t even seem to phase Aisell.

“Nope, mostly posturing, ego-attacking and a little bit of shoving…but it’s their sport.” Aisell motioned to the taller Ler and spoke while pointing with her glass, “See Darren the object is to get your opponent to step out of the ring…you can push, pull or any manner of posturing, very little actual fighting involved.”

“Reminds me’a sumo wrestling.” Darren watched with mild interest. “Suppose the bigger man’s got the advantage?”

“You’d think, but Ler-Tonga, the smaller green one is a pro at this…speed is just as helpful. outthink your foe, power isn’t everything.” Aisell grinned and took a drink.

“Ya like them kinda games?” Darren rose a brow as he eyed Aisell from his low vantage point.

“I do.” Aisell returned Darren’s look, her thin lips curling into an almost hungry grin.

“Ah can see it I yer eyes. Yer a critical thinker ain’t ya? Always looking two moves ahead?” Darren took a drink and looked back to the match.

“Looking 2 moves ahead won’t get you anywhere…I try to look ten moves ahead.” Aisell finished her drink and made a jingling sound with her glass before setting it down next to Darren.

“I’d a loved to get you out in the desert’t see what you could do. Twat never really liked messing around wit the soldiers in the dirt…but we hadda get her active right? Big thing like’ers gotta keep healthy. But you…ah bet you’d a been a terror….” Darren laughed

Aisell didn’t answer Darren, but her smile spoke for itself.

“She doesn’t strike me as a soldier type.” Aisell mentioned at last.

“Who? Twat?” Darren paused for a moment to think. “Naw…but don’t count her out. kid’s smart…always manages to surprise ya.” Darren grinned proudly. “But she ain’t got the heart of a fighter. Eyrn’s a diplomat at heart…always was to gentle’t be a real soldier.”

“She’s so teeny…I don’t imagine she’d be very effective in a fight.” Aisell shrugged.

“I always thought of ‘er like a squirrel. Furry lil’ rodent not much harm…but damn well vicious if ya corner her. ” Darren laughed. “Gave Cap’n Bass a broken nose, took down a few armed guards and even tried to take on an amazon of a woman almost two heads taller.” Darren laughed.

Aisell simply nodded, impressed.

“So you…would let her loose in the desert and just what? Hunt her?” Aisell asked her tone placid but interested.

“War games…and yea that’s the long and short of it.” Darren chuckled.

“You ever do it the other way around? Let her hunt you?” Aisell grinned.

“Once…and that lead’ta a whole lotta shit.” Darren laughed, half bitterly.

“She do better than you think?” Aisell narrowed her eyes.

“Naw, I knew we were shit outta luck…member ah said she was clever…but naw. That was the day the bunch’a us got kidnapped by yer find government.” Darren shrugged.

“I…guess that means she won?” Aisell tried to salvage the conversation with an ounce of humor. Darren looked sour for a second, then broke out in a belly laugh. “Well ah guess it does now don’t it!”

“The biggest Game of Shaar and Tupp I’ve ever heard of…” Aisell half laughed.

“Eh?” Darren eyed Aisell.

“Shaar and Tupp…the Shaar eats the Tupp…so the Tupp avoids the Shaar…its a popular game Titans and humans sometimes engage in. I’ve never thought it was very fair for the Tupp but….”

“Nonsense…ya jus gotta be clever! ‘member what you said about brains before brawn?” Darren nodded with confidence.

“I…I suppose you have a point…” Aisell gave her head a bit of a shake and rolled her eyes.

“Don’t look s’damn smug…you said it yerself didn’t ya?” Darren narrowed his eyes and stood, allowing his arms and legs to stretch a bit.

Aisell blinked a few times as she watched Darren for a moment, surprised by his sudden mood change, but more intrigued by it than anything else. “Well, that implies the game is fair to begin with, Shaar and Tupp is hardly fair Darren.” Aisell jingled her empty glass and took in an ice cube, crunching on it idly. “Shaar and Tupp is stacked against the human from the get to, it’s more of a silly display of between master and pet. Show the little human who’s boss, but have fun whole doing it.” Aisell sounded displeased, almost disgusted as she chomped on the ice cube.

“Eh, you’d be surprised, we are a wily bunch when we’ve gotta be.” Darren snapped his neck from side to side and did a few more stretches.

“No…I get that Darren…only Shaar and Tupp is…you don’t understand it is not meant to be won…not by the human. In fact it’s almost impossible given the odds. Size, speed, and the size of the room in question and everything IN it…well in the end it’s just not really that much of a game.” Aisell shrugged.

Darren gave his head a shake and reached down, picking his bowl up, he swiveled the remaining drink around before gulping it back and flinching afterwards.

“What? You don’t believe me?” Aisell laughed mildly and set her hands folded before her nearly together.

“Never underestimate the underdog.” Darren ran his finger under his nose and let in a tuff sniff. “B’sides a man’ll fight dirty when his life’s on the line.

“Ok, maybe…but a game of physical endurance, speed, flexibility and strength between a Titan and a Human is just unfairly stacked to begin with is my point. Set us up together on a balanced arena and I’ve no doubt the victory will go to the best man…regardless of their species. But this isn’t the case with Shaar and Tupp…it’s stacked unfairly. The Titan will win every time, and normally does.”

Darren’s dismissive and condescending look caused Aisell to shift uncomfortably in her seat as she composed herself; her voice was serous but accommodating. “Darren, if I do something to prove my point, will you take offence?” Aisell didn’t mind a good argument once in a while, but when she was right she was right, and it was frustrating to her when the other party openly didn’t see when the truth was staring them in the face.

Darren shrugged and gave his head a slight shake to the side. “Hey sure knock yerself o….” Darren hardly had time to finish his sentence; he sensed movement but had almost no time to react. Before he could comprehend what was happening he felt a strong force pushing on him, a shadow overcame him, and he was forced to his knees and then stomach.

Aisell brought her hand as fast as she could down on Darren, her palm stretched forward, her fingers pressed tightly together as if she had seen an insect on the counter and had slapped it flat. The force of her hand’s impact made a thud against the table she sat and quaked the contents atop of it in her immediate vicinity.

There was silence and stillness for a second, until she located Darren’s leg with her thumb and forefinger and pinched it forcefully, but not hard enough to hurt him, and quickly brought her hand back to face level.

“And just like that, game over…now see what I mean? Not very fair was it?” Aisell didn’t have a look of enjoyment on her face, she was in game mode, she had a point to make and she was going to make ti.

Darren took a moment to shake the ringing from his ears, and dangled indignantly from his ankle before Aisell’s massive face. The giantess hadn’t hurt him too badly, but she also hadn’t spared any expense. He defiantly felt the force of her assault, and in it too the fine line of restraint she had to keep herself on the right side of least a simple game turn into a deadly ordeal.

“Anyone get the number’a that truck….” Darren groaned as he gave his head a shake to clear the fuzz.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be so rough, but I wanted to prove my point. Pitting a Human and a Titan together in a silly ‘predator prey’ game can only ever end one way I’m afraid. Which speaks nothing poorly of you might I add…” Aisell went on as Darren took a breath and composed himself before he spoke.

“Aisell…if ah do something to prove mah point…will you take offence?” Darren looked to her from his upside down position with a bit of a sour but reserved look on his face.

“Oh? What…um well….” Aisell hard hardly the time to answer before Darren pulled his upper body to his ankles, reaching to the inner side of his pant leg he pulled out the long 7’ army knife he always kept strapped there, and in one fluid motion unsheathed it, and slashed at Aisell’s thumb.

“Ow!” Aisell’s eyes went wide as she felt a stinging sensation. It was nothing severe, it felt more like the sting of an insect than anything else, but what got her most was the shock factor. “What the? Darren!” Aisell let go of Darren allowing him to fall into her repositioned palm, before he could adjust she brought her fingers in on him, fisting him tightly and quickly.

Predictably Aisell felt another stinging Jab, this time in the pad of her palm below her thumb at the base of her palm. Quickly she deposited Darren on the table and pulled her hand back greedily to inspect it. “Gorram!” Aisell eyed her palm, there was the tiniest tickle coming from her thumb where he had slashed at her, but the skin at the base of her palm had not been pierced.

“…and the Tupp flees in the ensuing chaos. Live to fight another day!” Darren chuckled and placed his knife back where it belonged.

“Who brings a weapon to a night club!?” Aisell grumbled as she gave her hand a shake, it didn’t hurt very much, but she had been taken off her guard enough that it unsettled her. “I oughtta smack you for that.” Aisell smiled, she was more than a little impressed, Darren had used the element of surprise, and she wasn’t easily surprised.

“Point is ya didn’t expect that did’cha? The game may be stacked but you should never count yer opponent down.” Darren stated with confidence as he composed himself and fixed his wrinkled pants and shirt.

“No, but you know I could have crushed you when you stabbed me.” Aisell crossed her arms over her chest and sat back, eyeing her conversation partner under a whole different light now.

“But you didn’t.” Darren mentioned as he crouched back down, looking comfortable and assured that the injured Titan was not going to lash out at him. “Look if yer gonna die yer gonna die…doesn’t mean ya don’t do whatever ya can’t prevent it.” Darren motioned to her hand. “Sorry ‘bout cutten ya.”

Aisell simply nodded, her look remained impressed and a little bit surprised. “Think nothing of it, next time I’ll wear gloves!” Aisell narrowed her eyes before letting out a bit of a laugh.

“Lady, I sincerely hope fer my sake there is no next time. If ah ever get on yer bad side bad enough fer a round two I damn well hope I got someone there’t knock some thought into me!” Darren let out a chuckle in return; he was in fact mostly serious. Aisell was MUCH more terrifying than he’d ever admit, they damn well all were.

Aisell grinned to herself somewhat winningly as she pushed off the table and came to a stand. Darren watched as she rose into the sky, going from the height of a sky scraper, to well taller and a far bit more intimidating. “I’ll be back…go bother Bedra and my sister for a while and keep you’re self out of trouble until Eyrn is done swimming with the fishies hmmm?” Aisell teased as she reached low to get her purse, and turned on her heal.

“Going’t lick yer wounds kitty?” Darren teased right back as he too stood and turned to make his way over to Bedra and Aehzay, who were across the table Aisell was seated at, engrossed in their own conversation.

Aisell’s face remained stoic as she hip checked the table just enough to cause Darren to lose his footing and fall onto his face mid step. “Oopsie.” Aisell snickered as she headed off towards the bathrooms.

***

Hedyn hurried to keep pace with Keeran who was moving swiftly and with purpose despite her compromising footwear. Keeran was dressed in a fancy black number, and wore thick, long heels that matched her stunning night dress. Asides from a small, purely aesthetic purse, Keeran looked to be mostly empty handed.

Hedyn was dressed as trendy as he could given his utter lack of fashion sense. He looked passable for a casual denizen of Archavian night life, if not a bit out of place with his frizzy unkempt hair and scruffy unshaven face.

“Will you slow down? You’re making me look like a fool chasing after you so fast!” Hedyn was all but out of breath, his complexion wrought with doubt an anxiety.

Keeran looked a fair but more sure of herself than her stout companion, but felt far from calm inside. Her bitten and torn inner bottom lip was proof enough that she was anxious, as she often bit the inside of her gum when upset or stressed.

“You don’t need my help to look like a fool Hedyn.” Keeran shot back, with far less spark and fuel than she normally carried, and her voice was distracted and haunted.

Hedyn ignored the cruel stab at his pride, he always did. He never minded Keeran’s lip, he was sure of himself enough to overlook her signature sting. Keeran, when she wasn’t being bossy, controlling, mean and downright cruel, could actually be sweet and fun to be around. Time had changed her, but Hedyn had not turned and left, even when sometimes he felt he should. Truthfully he felt like a relic, a part of a life Keeran had long since abandoned, and only now remembered as a faint memory at the far recesses of her mind.

She was different, even if he wished she wasn’t, even if he wanted to see her like he had so many years ago, when he knew who she was, before she became a stranger.

“Maybe those things will get damaged if you walk so fast…maybe you should slow down so you don’t break any of them?” Hedyn offered, hopeful.

Keeran looked down at the long flowing, black sequined gown that hugged her hips, and flared out like a bell around her feet, hardly showing just the tips of her shoes when she walked.

“I think they’re secure…feel’s alright.” Keeran stopped, looking back to Hedyn with a look of mild concern.

Hedyn was pleased to catch up and stopped beside her to catch his breath. “You’d better check…you were moving awful fast, and that Drazari trader told you not shake them up, right?” Hedyn caught his breath as Keeran looked back down to the long bell of her dress thoughtfully.

Hedyn felt absolutely terrible about what they were doing, but had a shred of relief in knowing he had successfully managed to derail Keeran from her original plot of smuggling purchased humans in to the Overseer’s feast.

“The Overseer’s doorman was quite clear; they had to be undamaged and fresh.” Hedyn reminded Keeran as she looked back to him. They had attempted to meet with the Overseer a night before and had been turned away despite the invitation on the strange green parchment that they had been given in the slums district. Access to the Overseer’s table was only permitted if an offering substantial enough to gain his attention was made.

“For a culture of sick little buggies they sure have a lot of ridiculous customs and formalities.” Keeran grumbled as she stood behind Hedyn close to him, and supported herself on his shoulder. “Stand there and do what you do best…” Keeran teased as she hiked up her dress and pulled a small bag out from between her legs, she had strapped it there carefully, low enough to avoid the friction of her thighs, high enough to keep them from harm.

“Do you have to be so mean? I don’t have to be here with you ya know.” Hedyn mumbled as he looked about nervously to make sure there were no eyes on them. Mostly everyone was minding their own, there were stranger things to behold than a woman with her hands up her dress.

“You know I’m grateful for all you’re help Hedyn. Really, you’ve been very supportive.” Keeran leaned forward once her leg was back on the ground and gently kissed her friend on the cheek before opening the small sack.

Hedyn blushed a little and turned away, for all her cruelty and abuse, she did have her moments.

“They look unbroken…they’re still glowing just like they were before.” Keeran eyed the small marble like orbs carefully before bringing the sac close to Hedyn for inspection.

“This is so wrong…” Hedyn sighed as he examined the large cluster of Dunnermac Eggs, their luminescent glow meant they were alive, and fertilized. “Dunner….”

Keeran quickly brought her hand to her lips and hushed Hedyn sharply. “A little louder, I don’t think the peacekeepers down the street heard you!” Keeran closed the satchel and supported herself on Hedyn’s shoulder again as she put them back where she had them strapped.

“Sorry.” Hedyn sighed.

“You didn’t want me to bring humans, so this is the next best thing. Besides they’re just eggs…there not even larva yet. They’ve been out of a nursery so long they’re probably not even alive anymore.” Keeran went, on trying to justify what she was doing; truthfully, she felt a little sick to her stomach at the concept.

In that bag were a few hundred Dunnermac eggs, fertilized, glowing living eggs each containing a tiny zygote that if given a chance could one day grow into a sentient larva, and she was carrying them off to their execution.

Dunnermac Roe was a black market delicacy some cultures enjoyed, and it was the topic of extremely tense controversy. A Dunnermac midwife would even resort to violence to protect the communal eggs in the nursery…they wouldn’t defend themselves against predators, they would hardly fight a war to free their own race, but they would attack to save their eggs.

“Look, let’s just get this over with okay…I didn’t bring the damn humans so you should be happy.” Keeran looked down for a moment then took off towards the club. Hedyn hesitantly followed.