The sun had finished setting as Eyrn and Aisell walked down the worn cobblestone path from the residential district to the commuter transit depot. Eyrn had agreed to escot Aisell to the shuttle, even though Aisell had insisted she was more than comfortable doing it on her own. The truth was Darren knew the way better than Eyrn, but the Sarge kept mostly silent as he leaned against the nape of Eyrn’s neck and allowed the two Titan’s to talk unbroken.

“You left without saying anything to Bedra.” Eyrn spoke softly, they were both walking slowly. Aisell hugged her arms across her chest to fend off the cool night air, Eyrn didn’t seem bothered but was wearing a thicker sweater.

“Yea.” Aisell was looking down at the cobblestone as she walked. She had a lot on her mind, but that was nothing new.

“Are you two gonna be ok?” Eyrn asked after a bit of a pause, this was the quietest Aisell had been all night.

Eyrn didn’t have the luxury of previous experience when it came to befriending Titans. Most of the humans who she’d ever known were placed around her for a purpose, they were paid staff there to mind her, but not exactly friends in the strictest sense of the word. Even Bedra, while friendly and endearing had been assigned to her, Aisell was the first person she could remember who she had met that hadn’t been obligated to befriend her.

Aisell let out an amused chuckle and looked over to Eyrn, brushing her hair behind her ear, her thin lips pressed into a supportive smile. “Bedra and I go way back Eyrn, we’ve had worse tiffs than this, and there’ll be worse to come.” Aisell pulled her hands into her sleeves. Eyrn was nothing like she had expected, and everything she could have hoped for. She was an intelligent, easygoing, beautiful, friendly young woman. Approachable and funny, had she not been told outright that Eyrn Fitzgerald had grown up on Earth; Aisell would never have guessed it. Even her first name was a standard Titan name…an odd one…but it was a word she recognized none the less.

“I think I understand the feeling.” Eyrn peeked over slightly to spy on Darren, he had fallen asleep and was snoring gently, his arms crossed over his lap, his legs sprawled out and his torso leaning against Eyrn’s neck.

“He’s really something…how long have you two known one another?” Aisell asked, also peeking over to get a look at the sleeping Avery.

“I met Darren 5 human years ago, the caretaker before him retired from active duty. A good friend of mine, Izzy, took charge for a few months while they screened for a new overseer.” Eyrn’s lips scrunched into a mild placid half smile and she shrugged her vacant shoulder.

“She’s the one who got stranded aboard the Gyfjon right?” Aisell was not so much as asking as she was collecting facts in her head and filing them where they belonged. It helped her remember the smaller details for later.

“The very same, Bedra’s sister Derna serves on that ship, she’s told me many times.” Eyrn smiled fully now, Bedra had a fondness for family and enjoyed boasting about it whenever she could.

“Decanus 2nd class Derna Tae…Emperor’s teet I remember when Derna was letting her rookie stripes as Jr. Miles dry…time sure flies.” Aisell laughed wistfully.

“So, she’s served under Captain Bass for a while then?” Eyrn asked, trying to sort out who everyone was, whatever title meant and how it connected.

“Actually Derna is new to the Gyfjon She served under Archiploiarchos Ziah Solis aboard the Cerberus before that.”

“Wait…isn’t a De..caun..as… in the marines? Isn’t that like a pilot working as a trooper?” Eyrn tilted her head to the side.

“Decanus….” Darren mumbled. He had taken it upon himself to memorize the military command structure, as it interested him and he had a lot of spare time to do so.

“Go back to sleep you!” Eyrn teased, Darren mumbled a response but was mostly passed out by the time he finished.

“Yes, A Decanus is a member of the Marines…but the Marines and Space Exploration Corps often overlap. It’s not uncommon for a skilled Marine to serve aboard a starship.” Aisell, as with Darren had command structure and military infrastructure memorized. She had always been fascinated by it, even if she never had any plans on joining.

“Oh….” Eyrn nodded; there were so many strange new words to remember. She had a hard enough time remembering and processing all the different ranks and stripes back home. Titan specifics were dizzying and confusing at best.

Aisell chuckled as they continued to walk. They stepped off the cobble stone path and onto a solid length of walkway. It marked the end of the residential district and the beginning of the commercial district, from here it was a short walk, but the two of them were in no hurry and seemed to prolong the walk as much as they could. The change of surface was just enough to cause Darren to lose his balance and slip off to the side. Without skipping a beat, losing pace of even so much as looking, Eyrn reached up and righted him. Darren mumbled something that sounded profane and snorted off to sleep once more.

Aisell watched wordless, Eyrn of anyone she had ever met or likely would meet in the future, seemed to move among humans so seamlessly it was almost as if she herself was one. She didn’t hesitate, she didn’t miss a thing, and all of it appeared as seamless and harmonious as could be. Aisell was not only impressed, but mildly jealous.

“You really feel at home with them don’t you?” Aisell asked, in a bold moment. There was something she wanted to get around to asking, and it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I guess so. Really haven’t known much else. You learn as you go though…I made a few blunders early on they tell me…but when you’ve always been a bull in a china shop…you learn to be a gentle bull.” Eyrn chuckled.

“A what?” Aisell asked, distracted.

“A bull…big horned bovine…clumsy…never mind the point is it’s always been this way so I’m used to it.” Eyrn sighed, she really had to learn what everything around here was called, nobody ever got her allegory.

Aisell was silent for a longer stent than normal. When she did speak, she stopped walking and uncrossed her arms. “Eyrn I have to ask you something.” Aisell sounded nervous, it was apparent by the tone of her voice and how she wrung her hands together tightly.

Eyrn stopped, checking on her sleeping passenger and then looking to Aisell curiously. “What’s up?” She asked, concerned. She hadn’t known Aisell long, but this didn’t seem like the behavior she had exhibited all night. Aisell was practically chewing her own lip off in frustration. Something was on her mind.

“You’re like nobody I’ve ever met…I mean you’re from Earth…but I’ve met people FROM Earth just not another Titan from Earth… so you have a unique point of view and I was just wondering I mean…if….”

Eyrn approached slowly, Aisell like everyone else was simply towering, so she had to look up as she stood next to the anxious Titan. “Slow down…start from the beginning…what do you wanna know?” Eyrn was used to awkward questions about her past and assumed Aisell was traveling down that road, likely wanted to know if she’d ever stepped on anyone or something silly like that.

“Ok, you remember that story I told you about my friend Luke?” Aisell tensed up, as what she was about to say would evoke some sort of rage attack form the meek and placid tiny woman beside her. It was quite an illogical fear indeed, but Aisell felt incredible guilty as it was. More so in the presence of Eyrn.

“Sure, about the human you were friends with…I’m sorry about that by the way. It’s never easy to lose a friend.” Eyrn spoke softly, wistfully. She knew that pain all too well.

“Well I left a good part of it out.” Aisell let out a slow trembling breath.

“Oh?” Eyrn reached up to prevent Darren from falling once more, and rest him in her palm, sheltering him from the chilling wind with her other palm in a cup like dome.

Aisell took a long breath, and erupted into a long string of words, she didn’t know how else to say it, so she said it as fast as she could. “Well he was from Earth, a place called Colorado and he was kidnapped and stranded on Titan station. He was terrified of Titans but I managed to gain his trust. We talked, we got close, we even did some things we shouldn’t of. But we bonded, we really bonded, and I began to care for him. Maybe as just a friend may a little more maybe not I don’t know. But he was special and unique and he opened my eyes to a lot of things. But Eyrn he didn’t want to come back with me, he wanted to stay there. He thought he could get home, he had hope. It was a sliver or hope but it was hope. Eyrn he asked me, begged me to leave him there. But he was living in a cold wet hole in the ground, scratching and hunting for the trampled scraps we leave behind! He almost got himself killed once, I didn’t want to risk that happening again. Eyrn he asked me to leave him there, he begged me, and I was going to. I swear on the Emperor’s crown I was going to. I even left him supplies…a weapon…everything. But I didn’t…I cracked and I kidnapped him. It was wrong I was stupid and it ended up getting him killed. Eyrn I wanted to help him and all I did was make it worse. Am I a monster…did I do the right thing?” Aisell took another deep breath at the end, the only breath she had taken during her whole long tirade.

Eyrn could feel Darren stir in her palm, but was more focused on Aisell, she idly adjusted her grip on him, while keeping her eyes locked on Aisell. “I..w..woah…slow down what?” Eyrn blinked, looking down at her feet and then back to Aisell. “Let me see if I understand ok? Luke was from Earth….” Eyrn asked first.

Aisell nodded.

“And he was somehow abducted?” Eyrn asked again, slowly.

Aisell nodded.

“And when did this happen?” Eyrn asked narrowing her eyes.

“About a year ago by his recollection. I suppose that’d be an Earth year.” Aisell winced.

“And who did this in the first place? Is it common?” Eyrn seemed more focused on this aspect of the story and wanted to dig deeper.

“There were a number of abductions that took place a while back, an unknown number of humans were abducted by a sect of Hive Prime, and two Peacekeepers aboard Titan station intercepted the smugglers and….”

“Swiftly and responsibly returned the poor kidnapped people to their families?” Eyrn asked, knowing that was not the case.

“Look…I…don’t know why they did what they did but….”

Eyrn turned away from Aisell, looking down to her cupped hands. She slowly slid her fingers off Darren, who was still fast asleep, and looked quite comfortable and even a little adorable snuggled into her palm neatly.

“I don’t get it. It’s a simple thing…if they were able to snatch me up so quickly why can’t they send Darren and Luke home?” Eyrn sounded angry, Darren had a life back home he would never see again, Aisell’s friend Luke may have had family too…a wife maybe? Children? Of all those abducted there were countless lives changed, lost, destroyed. For what? Eyrn was trembling, it made her angry.

“I’m sorry…I don’t know why they don’t just return them…I’m so sorry Eyrn I wanted to…and I would of too if there was any way on Archavia I could have I would have but….”

Eyrn sighed, carefully placing her free hand back over top her cupped had to shelter Darren form the wind. “It’s not your fault…I’m sorry…so Luke was form Earth and you found him on Titan Station?” Eyrn calmed herself down. She wasn’t angry AT Aisell, she was just angry in general.

Aisell nodded.

“That poor man…he must have been so frightened…so terrified. Why was he alone? I mean how did he get to that point?” Eyrn asked, she had shifted from anger to sorrow.

“He was fortunate enough to escape his cryo pod and I guess panicked and hid. I don’t blame him…it must have been frightening.” Aisell looked down and away from Eyrn.

“Ok, so you found him and befriended him? And I assume he set you straight on this pet hullabloo?” Eyrn was trying to remain calm, but there was so much about this story that made her think, and filled her with too many different emotions to handle at once.

“We talked, a lot. He told me about so many things I’d never of even imagined. We played Earth games and I showed him Archavian games…we watched movies. We experienced each other’s culture Eyrn…and I realized he wasn’t a pet from some primitive planet of savages. He was a person, a thinking feeling person, who was terrified, worried and struggling to keep his head above the water as the tide came in all around him.” Aisell opened her mouth to speak, but paused…there was just nothing she could say to convince Eyrn just how she felt. But her expression and body language said more than enough.

“It seems like Luke was very lucky to come across you Aisell.” Eyrn whispered. “So what happened next?” Eyrn asked, softly. The rage drained form her voice.

“I had to leave…my job was up and I was scheduled to return home. I was only there for a short while, it wasn’t a permanent placement. Luke wanted to stay behind because he saw leaving as giving up. I tried to tell him there was no way to get back, but he didn’t believe me.” Aisell sighed.

“Go on.” Eyrn took a slow breath.

“I asked him to come with me and he said no. I told him I respected that and set him up with some supplies. A weapon, a heat unit and some warm dry cloths. Enough food for a while and I promised him I’d return as soon as I could…but that would have been months…and I was afraid…” Aisell had to stop to control her breathing.

“Americans don’t like to admit defeat Aisell…it’s not in our blood.” Eyrn whispered.

“Well I didn’t keep my word. I didn’t trust he would be able to make it on his own. He had almost died once and I was lucky enough to come across him when I did, I thought that would happen again…or worse.” Aisell looked down to Eyrn, into her eyes. Aisell was pleading for a reaction, something, anything!

“Doesn’t seem like you had that much faith in him, he had made it that far who’s to say he wouldn’t of made it until your next visit?” Eyrn didn’t sound angry, just thoughtful.

“I know…but Eyrn I wasn’t thinking clearly…I was just so concerned. He was my friend and I didn’t want to see a friend hurt.”

“If he had been a Titan…and he was putting his life on the line…how would you have reacted?” Eyrn asked, seriously.

Aisell paused, that was a hard question to answer. “I…I would have begged him not to. Pleaded with him.” Aisell gave her head a hopeless shake.

“As would anyone, for a friend right?” Eyrn peeked down at her hand for a moment, then looked back to Aisell. “But what if he still said no?”

“I…I don’t know…I don’t think I would have been able to stop him then…it’s not like I could have just….” Aisell stopped herself, she gasped mildly and turned her face away. “Picked him up and dragged him back…” She finished her sentence quietly.

Eyrn was quiet too.

“I guess I messed up pretty badly.” Aisell sighed.

“Well, don’t be too hard on yourself.” Eyrn felt Darren readjust himself and then settle. “I’d of done the same for Darren…Izzy…or anyone else I really cared about. Truth is…if Luke had been a Titan and you thought his life was in danger…you likely would have picked him up and carried him away if you could…right?” Eyrn looked up to Aisell.

“In a heartbeat…for him…my sisters…I would do anything for Family.” Aisell admitted.

“So you wanna know if you did the right thing?” Eyrn asked at last.

Aisell nodded.

Eyrn suppressed a laugh. “That’s a good question…I wish I had an answer for you.” Eyrn gave her head a shake.

“Do you think I’m a monster for what I did?” Aisell asked, cautiously.

“Heaven’s no…look at you? You’re a wreck…you look like you’ve not slept in weeks. Aisell you’re on your last nerve and you’re tearing yourself apart over this. You’re clearly affected by this…and I don’t think me telling you that you did the right thing is what will make you feel better.” Eyrn smiled sweetly.

“Then what will?” Aisell asked, pressing down her emotions, but not doing a very good job of it.

“You lost a friend…and you’re agonizing over it. You’re in mourning because you lost somebody Aisell. There is no solution for that.” Eyrn, being careful not to drop or crush Darren, hugged Aisell softly, her arms around the taller girls midsection.

Aisell was taken aback, and slowly returned the hug.

“It’s nice to know grieving is another thing Titans and humans have in common.”Eyrn whispered. “I’m sorry about your friend Aisell. He was very lucky to have someone who cared about him so deeply.” Eyrn gave Aisell a tight squeeze and went to pull back, only to find Aisell would not let her go.

“Um…ok…um…you’re a lot stronger than you look.” Eyrn commented off hand, as Aisell’s hug grew a little tighter.

“Thanks Eyrn.” Aisell whispered softly.

“No problem.” Eyrn coughed a little from the tightness of the hug but continued to hug her in return.

***

Bedra had finished cleaning up after the meal. Eyrn and Aisell had given her a lot to think about, and it had taken her most of her time alone to sort through the garble of thoughts and emotions racing through her mind. She wanted to click her mind off, forget about everything that had been said and just continue to remain blissfully ignorant. Ignorance was of course easy, what she had to decide now was anything but.

Bedra dried her hands on a towel and moved into the social room, careful of her footfalls, as the room was lit only just by the dull table side lamp next to the easy chair, she threw herself back into the large spacious chair(after a quick person check) and closed her eyes. Bedra let her head rest against the back of the chair; somehow things were a lot simpler before she had met the wild girl. Simple, but a hell of a lot less interesting.

She swallowed a lump in her throat and took a few calming breaths, when she felt a familiar tug on the cloth of her shirt. Carefully she sat up and looked down onto her lap. She had expected to find Degu sitting there. He often snuck up onto her Lap when she was resting. It was adorable, but also nice to have the company. Who she found instead this time was Tapp.

“Did you mean what you said…about all of us being the same?” Tapp asked, in a low and diplomatic tone. “Or are we different?” Tapp looked down and studied her feet as she stood in the titanic giant’s lap.

Bedra melted a little; it was all too easy to think of Tapp, as Tapp thought of herself. Larger than life and confident as the sun! It wasn’t often Bedra managed to see the small, vulnerable and fragile woman that was inside the tough shell.

“I just want to know, because everyone tells me different things and it’s confusing.” Tapp looked back up, a hint of her signature presence returned for a twinkle, but faded as her emerald green eyes met with Bedra. She looked so confused.

Bedra opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She wanted to stoke the tiny woman’s cheek and cuddle her, but her hands couldn’t find the energy to move. “Kora….”

“You can call me Tapp…everyone else does…it’s easier.” Tapp shrugged indifferently.

Bedra chuckled softly. “Tapp, what exactly do you want to know?” Bedra focused her attention, hoping Tapp could reword what she has asked in some magical way that would make it easier to answer. She had no such luck.

“Am I the same as the rest of them…are all of us the same? Not just me but people like me, people like Degu…and people like Darren…because we look the same, and if we are the same than….” Bedra interrupted Tapp softly.

“Tapp, I don’t know… you all grew up in different places, so in that respect no you’re not the same. You’re different in some ways.” Bedra took a deep breath. “But you’re all humans, you’re all the same species. Like me and Aisell and Eyrn are all Titans. We have things that are different…like our hair and our skin….”

“And you were born in different places too right?” Tapp asked, focused.

Bedra sighed and laughed gently. “Yes, you are a clever girl Tapp you know that? You took the words out of my mouth.”

Tapp simply half smiled, she looked like she was deep in thought, too much so to really respond to Bedra’s offhand compliment.

“So, Degu….me…and Darren, are the same like you, Eyrn and Aisell are the same then? But we are also different…like you all.” Tapp didn’t so much as ask, as she pieced together and stated.

“I…I guess that’s it exactly.” Bedra deflated, she allowed her body to sink into the easy chair, offering no resistance what so ever.

“I want to know things like Darren knows.” Tapp spoke, a hint of demanding and entitlement crawling into her voice.

“What sort of things?” Bedra asked, peeking down to Tapp.

“He knows…numbers…I want to know numbers. He knows other things too…I think I can do more than just read. If we really are the same than I think I can learn anything he can.” Tapp spoke smugly and crossed her arms over her chest.

Bedra closed her eyes again and chuckled within herself. “Sure why not. Why don’t you ask him to teach you a few things then?”

“I will.” Tapp responded simply, and began to lower herself down off the chair using Bedra’s pant leg.

“Would you like some help Tapp?” Bedra asked lazily.

“No, I can do it.” Tapp responded firmly.

“Anything else you need?”

“I am fine.” Tapp paused, for a moment as she leapt the final distance and landed on her feet. She looked back just a little and whispered. “Thank you.” Before jogging back towards her tower.

***

Eyrn kept her hand blanketed over Darren as she watched Aisell board the shuttle. They had talked a bit more afterwards, but the rest of the walk was silent and contemplative. Eyrn found a new respect for Aisell, and came out of their meeting richer for the experience.

“Eyrn?” Aisell shouted back as she stood at the end of the docking ramp.

“Yes?” Eyrn shouted back.

“I want to get together again soon ok? Maybe at week’s end?” Aisell smiled. “I think I’d like you to meet my sisters. You’d like them.” Aisell shied away but smiled.

“I’d like that!” Eyrn responded eagerly and removed her top hand to wave.

As Eyrn watched the shuttle take off, she felt movement in her palm and peeked down to find Darren sitting upright, using her thumb as a leaning post. “Ya handled that well Twat.” Darren spoke, a bit groggy but comprehensible.

“Oh like you’d know, you were asleep the whole time!” Eryn jabbed Darren in the side with her forefinger gently and turned to walk back towards the residential district.

Darren grumbled and braced his feet against the invading finger. “Ah was awake enough’t hear what you told’er.” Darren fought against Eyrn’s attempt to ball her fist by making himself an obstacle, stretching his arms and legs out and standing up.

“Thanks…I had no idea what to say though…the poor woman. She really misses her friend.” Eyrn’s horseplay stopped and she sighed, bringing her palm to face level so she could see Darren better. “You really think I handled that ok?”

Darren shrugged. “None of us really got no right’n telling’er what’s right’er wrong. Only one who could of said anything was Luke I s’ppose. Still…I don’t envy what she hadda do.” Darren relaxed once Eyrn stopped playing around and sat back down.

“I wonder how many other humans from Earth are around? Nice to know you and Izzy aren’t the only ones eh?” Eyrn asked as she walked, lowering her palm to upper stomach level and bracing it on against herself for support.

“She told us during dinner, were ya not listening?” Darren chuckled.

“I was listening fine!” Eyrn looked down with a frown.

Darren laughed in reply and gave his head a shake. “Ya listen about as good as a deaf mule!” Darren teased.

“Oh you know what? I think you need to go back to sleep!” Eyrn quickly balled her fist on Darren and shoved her hand into her side coat pocket. Before he could offer up anything close to a protest she pulled her hand out and zipped her pocket.

Darren thrashed around and cursed up a storm as Eyrn walked with confident strides, patting her pocket for good measure. “What’s that? I can’t hear you…if only I wasn’t a deaf mule!” Eyrn teased as she followed the street lamps to the residential district.

Darren responded something vulgar but settled after a whole, likely realizing the futility of his efforts, or perhaps because he had fallen asleep in the warm padded coat pocket.

***

Keeran stepped out of the Taxi shuttle followed by Hedyn, she swiped her payment card over the Taxi’s scanner and waited for he friend to catch up.

“This is the place, it has to be.” Keeran took a moment to gather her bearings. The Taxi had taken them to the requested district, a less than well-kept back corner of the commercial district.

“This looks like a Slum Kee…why are we even here!?” Hedyn jogged to keep up with Keeran as she walked with long forceful strides along the numbered buildings.

“This is the address I was given.” She spoke simply and quickly.

“Kee…do you know what kind of people hang around parts like this?” Hedyn looked around nervously as he stuck to his friend’s coat tail like a child. He was much less sarcastic and confident than he had seemed in the safety of his form room at Tannhauser.

“Maggot- burned bug freaks.” Keeran stopped at the address she had been given. She looked down to her data pad to confirm and then back to Hedyn.

“Right, and why in the name of Orion do we want to find Maggot-druggies!”

“Because, Maggot-tweeker’s get their fix from a source…and there is only one source in the known galaxy to acquire live hive-maggots Hedyn.” Keeran looked unwaveringly to the shady looking row of low end compact dwellings. “Buggies Hedyn…big, green…smelly buggies!”