Authors Note

Still a few more endings to sit through, here are a few more, thanks as always to D.X for the edit

Quendra the Elder huntress, wife of Luke the Teacher, stood as close to the gigantic translucent prison cell as she had ever been before. Luke had told her of these…cages…designed with the sole purpose of keeping human beings inside ‘safe’ from harm.

“The one that held the tribe was larger, it had a village inside of it.” Thurfrit said, keeping his distance.

Quendra however, would face the terrible structure, without fear. “No prison cell would hold me, I would find a way out! I would not sleep until I was free!” She spat, as her hand pressed up on the outer wall of the terrarium.

“I’m sure you would try.” Thurfrit chuckled.

“We were not meant to be caged.” She said, her eyes fixed on the meager amenities held within the impenetrable walls of the enclosure.

Across small HoS office, Lyroo Prenn sat at her desk, slowly looking over the zoning application the Maris sisters had submitted. It was one small step, among a marathon of red tape, forms, and applications they had to go through, in order to legally have their land declared an official Human reserve, it was the only way they could legally own so many humans.

Lyroo, of course was smart enough to know she could not stop the sisters from reaching their goal, but at the same time was still bold enough to slow them down just enough to frustrate. Aisell could only use her ace so many times before she too became vulnerable to repercussions.

“You understand Aisell, this is not personal, it’s just business.” Lyroo said, with a smug grin forming around the corners of her mouth.

Aisell uncrossed her legs and re crossed them in the opposite direction, she then neatly rested her hands on her lap, motioning to the data pad that sat before them both. “I made sure to file everything correctly, we’ve waited the standard three week waiting period, and I even re submitted the three forms you claim were not filled out properly. I had my advocate triple check, you can’t postpone this any longer Lryoo.” Aisell paused, it was her turn for a bit of a smug grin now.

“You remember my advocate right? Miss. Loona Armac?” Aisell said, peeking over Lyroo’s desk at the data pad Lyroo was holding, sure enough Loona Armac’s signature was on all the legal documents as well. Loona was not a full-fledged attorney – she had decided to focus on journalism. But she still held a law degree, and she had this part of the law down cold.

Lyroo’s face twisted for a second into an acidic scowl. “Of course. How is she these days? Still entertaining herself with her little projects?”

“She sends her best, as do Dr. Freeman and Nonah,” was all Aisell said in reply. Lyroo could only hold her here so long. Today was going to be the day, she would have to give her stamp of approval, like it or not.

Quendra wasn’t fully paying attention to what the two titans were saying; it wasn’t that she was uninterested in what was going on, in fact it had been Quendra who insisted on Tribal representation at all meetings and proceedings that dealt with Tribe/Maris land disputes and such. But Quendra knew she could trust Aisell, and right now there was something far more important on her mind. Lyroo, had a pet.

“Oh, this? Well, it’s a writing implement. See, royal berry seeds are quite oily, when I run it against pressed wood pulp it leaves a stain on the page. I then manipulate the stylus the seed is attached to, and I can write on the parchment. Would you like to try?” Thurfrit said with a bright smile, offering the pad and instrument to the interested young human; he had learned on their last visit that the pet was named Scroof.

Scroof was timid at first, but soon took the writing implements form Thurfrit, and with some hesitation began to scribble all over the parchment.

Thurfrit chuckled, peeking over to see what work of art Scroof was creating, while Quendra held her typical bad tempered expression. Scroof was a prisoner, she didn’t care how happy he looked, or how well he claimed to be treated, he was a prisoner none the less.

“I like this! Can I keep it? Scroof asked, eying Thurfrit hopefully.

“Of course!” Thurfrit chuckled. “I have plenty!”

“Your masters give you fun toys! I have some too, but mine are boring because I’ve played with them all already.” Scroof shrugged.

“We have no masters!” Quendra insisted, with clear and irrefutable insistence.

Scroof took a few steps away form the angry woman, eying her with a mixed look of fear and apprehension.

Thurfrit eyed Quendra uneasily, she meant well, but often allowed her temper to cloud her judgment. “Shhh, don’t get angry at him, none of this is his fault.” Thurfrit whispered to the red-faced Huntress.

Quendra knew he was right of course, and she wasn’t exactly angry at Scroof, it was just that the sense of outrage she felt over all of this was so uncontrollable, she had no coping mechanism within her to deal with it, or even a suitable way to vent her frustrations. While they were free, others were not, while they enjoyed the finer things in life, others did not.

“Just breathe, calm down.” Thurfrit said reassuringly, resting his hand on Quendra’s shoulder. She quickly and violently shook it off, but the thought was there.

“I’m fine.” Quendra insisted, looking away from them both.

Eventually Scroof allowed himself to approach them once more, coming out of his shell and quickly reverting back to the happy-yet-playful fellow he always at least appeared to be.

“When you come next time, can you bring something else? Please? That fruit you brought last time was so yummy! I ate it all up! It made my pee glow, and my poo….”

“Yea…it’ll do that!” Thurfrit interrupted quickly with a chuckle and a smile. Though his smile was quite hollow, he didn’t know how to explain to Scroof, that this would be the last time they would likely be allowed to visit.

“Why don’t you come with us?” Quendra said, though her tone was more demanding than suggesting.

Scroof backed away, instinctively he looked across the room to Lyroo, who was still engaged in her verbal joust with Aisell. Scroof looked back and forth, unsure how to handle sudden offer put on the table to him.

“I…I can’t…what do you mean? I don’t think my mistress would let me.” Scroof frowned.

“I mean come with us, we can show you things you’ve never seen. You don’t belong here, a human being no more belongs in a cage than the sun belongs in a bottle!” Quendra pleaded, stepping forward towards Scroof, she spoke with such passion, such conviction, but with a hurried sense of urgency, as if she were frantically dismantling an explosive as time was running out.

“I don’t think I can, I’m not allowed.” Scroof said, his bright smile now an unsure frown.

“Nobody can tell you what you can or cannot do, where you can or cannot go! You are allowed to do whatever you want! Don’t you see that, don’t you understand? You are not a pet, you are not an animal. All of this,” Quendra motioned hastily to the terrarium behind them, “is a prison! She is your captor!” Quendra motioned angrily across the room to Lyroo.

“But…Mistress is nice to me, she feeds me, and give me things and takes care of me. I…i don’t want to leave her.” Scroof shook his head.

“We can teach you to feed yourself, to hunt for yourself, to provide for yourself. We can help you with all of that, I can show you tomes with writings passed down by those who lived before us, knowledge that helped them live, and that can help you as well.” Thurfrit added, though he was not nearly as aggressive in his approach as Quendra.

Scroof furrowed his brow, to deny the offer was even a little bit tempting would be a lie as it was clear by the look on his face, the man was at least considering the possibility. “That sounds dangerous.” Scroof said at last, backing himself up against the outer wall of his terrarium.

“Come with us, at least you will be free!” Quendra demanded, confronting him as if he had stolen her last sweet roll.

“Yes it is dangerous, yes it’s much safer here, Scroof….that is what life is all about. Look, sometimes you don’t get a second chance, that is what it means to be human, don’t be afraid, because we don’t always get a second chance…so you take it, even if it is risky, even if it’s dangerous.” Thurfrit said, though it pained him, he knew there was little chance his words would get through, still he had to try.

“A lifetime isn’t forever. Take the first chance, the only chance. Don’t wait for the second one. Sometimes there aren’t any.” Quendra added.

“And if it turns out to be a mistake? So what! This is life, that is called living! Scroof…if you get a chance like this, and you don’t take it…that is true failure!” Thurfrit said, taking a step towards Scroof.

“I can’t…I just can’t…no…I don’t want to leave…please…don’t make me leave…I want to stay with Miss Lyroo…I don’t want to go with you.” Scroof, though hesitant, did seem sure of himself.

Quendra sighed, she wanted to scream, to yell. There was so much more she wanted to say, and nearly did, if not for Thurfrit’s hand on her shoulder. The chronicler knew her well, he was indeed a wise man. This conversation was not going anywhere.

***

Aisell had gathered up Quendra and Thurfrit and with the proper documents, signed and dated, was leaving the HoS office secure in the knowledge that no further intrusions would be made on the Tribe’s land. It was a safeguard she knew never should have been required.

It dug deep into Aisell’s heart, that she needed to have it official, on paper, that she and her sisters were given ‘special permission’ to ‘own’ these many wild ‘animals.’ it made Aisell sick. Inside, Aisell wanted to take the contract and throw it to the ground, spit on it and bury it deep. She wanted to stand up against this, tell them that the Tribe deserved to live in peace, without being ‘protected’ and ‘cared for’! But Aisell was smarter than that, she had learned that if she wanted to do right, sometimes she had to do it with the cards she was dealt, sometimes she had to work within the confines of the system, and hold out long enough to just not loose.

“I’ll be in touch.” Lyroo said, as Aisell and the two tribe delegates stepped through the doors of her office to leave. “You know, to make sure you and your sister are not violating any of the rules you agreed to.”

Aisell wanted to punch Lyroo square i her smug little face, she wanted nothing more than to wipe that satisfied grin off her face once and for all, Aisell however nodded. “We have nothing to hide.”

Before stepping out, Aisell turned once more to face Lyroo, she felt at least the woman deserved one more offer, even the stubborn could not hold out forever. “Lyroo, you don’t want to be on the wrong side of history.” Aisell looked down at her coat pocket, where Thurfrit and Quendra were sitting, leaning over the edge and poking their heads up to look at her.

“How much longer are you going to cling on to what you know in your heart is wrong?” Aisell asked, smiling at the two humans.

Lyroo was quiet, she didn’t look up to Aisell, her eyes remained locked on her data pad. “As long as there are people like you, people like Loona Armac and Naskia Bass, deliberately putting innocent humans in harm’s way, I will never be out of a job.” Lyroo placed her pad down and looked to Aisell at last. “Somebody has to stand up for them Aisell, somebody has to.”

Aisell sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” Aisell said, and stepped out of Lyroo’s office.

It was a quiet ride home, Thurfrit and Quendra rode in the safety of Aisell’s coat pocket, while Aisell rode her hoverbike. She could afford much more lavish transportation now of course thanks to her Tol-Bot winnings, but Aisell Maris was never one to spend frivolously, and besides, Aisell rather enjoyed the feeling of the wind in her face as she rode.

“Alright, everybody out. Please wait until the ride has come to a complete stop before exiting, and thank you for traveling the Maris-Express.” Aisell said, as she reached into her pocket to pull out her two passengers.

“Quendra, with all due respect, that is an absolutely terrible idea.” Thufrut said to Quendra as they were removed from their traveling pouch.

“Well, I don’t see you coming up with something better!” Quendra barked.

Thurfrit sighed and shook his head. “I know, but I just…well there isn’t a whole lot we can do about it is all.” Thurfrit said, with a heavy heart.

“Something wrong?” Aisell asked, a look of concern on her face as she caught the tail end of their argument.

“Aisell, you’ll listen to reason!” Quendra asserted, looking up to the titan who’s hand they were both seated in.

Aisell shook her head, needing more information than that to continue.

“Quendra wants us to force Scroof to leave Lyroo, she wants to liberate him…forcefully.” Explained Thurfrit.

“I see.” Aisell responded, looking to Quendra in thought.

“Nobody deserves to live like that!” Quendra shouted, her face was red, more so than her hair, this clearly had her shaken. “It’s just not right!”

Aisell nodded. “You’re absolutely right.”

“I told you she would agree!” Quendra gloated.

Aisell shook her head. “I didn’t say that.” Aisell’s eyes went wide, Quendra had jumped the gun just a bit there. “I don’t think you realize what a complicated operation it is you’re suggesting.”

“That doesn’t matter, everyone deserves freedom, it’s worth fighting for, it is our duty to try!” Quendra said, appalled that Aisell seemed to be back peddling.

“Of course, I don’t disagree with you Quendra, just…well…okay…let’s discuss this, first, did you ask him?” Aisell asked.

“We did, and he said no.” Thurfrit answered. “He was quite hesitant.”

Aisell bit her lip. “See, now that complicates things even further.”

“That doesn’t matter, he doesn’t know what he wants, he is a prisoner, she has him convinced that he is happier with her! If he knew what it was to be free, he would never wish to go back living with her! Nobody would, not if they’re right in the head!” Cried Quendra, visibility shaking.

Aisell nodded. “You’re probably right. But, if he said no we can’t just go kidnapping him.”

“Why not!? We would not be kidnapping, we would be liberating him!”

“First, Lyroo would come looking, and she would not be happy, and she would find him because…well let’s just leave it at that…she would. We would be stirring up a lot of trouble both for the tribe, and for me and my sisters. Lyroo would have an upper hand against us, and she would flex her new muscle you can be sure of that.”

Quendra shook her head. “Typical of a titan to look for excuses! You’re afraid, that’s what you are!”

Aisell had to take a moment to breathe, those words stung, but in a way she deserved them, and she knew that. “Quendra, I want you to listen to me, okay?” Aisell said lifting her hand up close to her chin.

Quendra huffed, but she didn’t seem to be going anywhere, so Aisell went on.

“Once, not so long ago I made a terrible mistake and hurt somebody very close to me. I will never forget the look in his eyes that day, the day I betrayed him. Everything I was to him before that died, all the trust, the friendship…everything changed.” Aisell remained stone faced, though her voice softened. “Freedom can be taken at the tip of a sword, or the end of a tazer, but the will to fight, the decision to BE free, to want to be free has to be there first. That decision is up to each of us, each of you. We have no right to force that upon those who are unwilling.”

“Luke the Teacher, Degu Rockfist….both of them protested, and both of them came around in the end! So will Scroof.” Quendra argued back, though it sounded as much if she was trying to convince herself as Aisell. She hadn’t forgotten how Luke had felt about being kidnapped. He had forgiven her, but…she hated that she had caused him such misery.

“Maybe so. But at what cost? When do we draw the line? How many people will we enforce this militant freedom upon?” Aisell sighed. “We have no right to insist upon others what we believe is best for them. Even if we think they are making a mistake.” Aisell thought of course of Luke, and Titan Station. “Even if we think they are being stupid…it is their mistake to make.”

Quendra turned away from Aisell. She didn’t want to admit it, but Aisell was right. Luke had come around, yes, but in time – and in no small part because she had proven to him that she would let him leave.

“Isn’t that, really what being free is all about?” Thurfrit suggested. “Bring free to make our own mistakes?”

“I think so.” Aisell answered.

“He would be happier here, where he is owned by nobody.” Quendra said, sadly.

“Of that I’ve no doubt.” Aisell said, as she knelt down and placed her hand at the entrance of the Great Tree. “But it is still his decision to make, and we’ve no right to take that freedom from him.”

***
Hedyn Bakas finished cleaning off the last table of the night, just as his shift supervisor Aeythr had completed the audit for the night’s sales. There were few jobs immediately available for somebody with a criminal record. Working in Hedyn’s favor of course was the Employment Placement Initiative the Council of the Great Ocean had helped pass through the Imperial legislature. 

Ironically, the Dunnermaac people were a far more forgiving people than any other of the power holding species in the Empire. The Ler had their honor code, centered around repentance through acts of penance, the Avartle had a complicated eye for an eye system that while harsh, valued just and equal punishment and penance for a crime against your neighbor, while the TItans themselves seemed more focused on punishment than rehabilitation. 

The Dunnermac on the other hand, being a long-lived and wise species, seemed to understand the importance of reconditioning  lawbreakers for a full and productive life after incarceration. And so the very people who had the most reason to be angry over his crime, the ones who had insisted on handling his incarceration, also happened to be perhaps the most lenient species in the Empire.

Though generally all courts held to the same imperial standard, each species still held fast to their traditions, meaning prisons varied depending on where you were sent, and which district your crime was committed in.

Hedyn had been found guilty, among other things, of crimes against the Dunnermac people, illegal possession of restricted substances, intent to distribute illegal substances and only avoided a charge for the death 120 human beings who had died during the Rutger Massacre because the Great Ocean Ministry of Justice protested, saying the charge should not fall on the one man who didn’t try to eat them.

To make matters worse, Keeran’s father, Astes, was rumored to have been building a case against him, likely in an attempt to clear his daughters name. But nothing ever came of it; Astes ended up settling with the Overseer for a healthy sum, and appeared to be satisfied with that.

Three years had passed, three years living 20,000 leagues under the dark isolated waters in the Great Ocean Penal and Rehabilitation Facility.

Three years of education and hard work under a strict routine, that was by no means a slap on the wrist many pictured when thinking of the Dunnermac penal system. Their methods were strange, but effective, and recidivists were few and far between.

“I’m ready to lock up Bakas, you got everything done?” The bald headed man asked, as he closed down his Credit Transfer terminal. 

“Yup, just setting the last table.” Hedyn said. Waiting tables in a diner on Norvsekal was never exactly on the aspiring Scientists bucket list, but at this point, after all he had been through, Hedyn was grateful for anything that took him out of the limelight and filled his days with something productive.

He had received his Bachelor’s degree at the penal facility, but it would be a few years yet before he would be allowed to seek any kind of higher degree, years before he could travel without first alerting his contacts officer on the Great Ocean, and an undermined length of time before he would be free of the annual counseling, meetings, and progress checkups by his probation officers. At some point during that time, his record would be wiped clean, though he would still be subject to meetings and check-ins to ensure that he was not going to relapse.

Incarceration, was the shortest step in the rehabilitation process, which itself could last half a lifetime.

Of course, Hedyn didn’t mind; as far as he was concerned, he had gotten off far too easily. The debt he owed for what he had contributed to could never be repayed, not as far as he was concerned.

Employment had been arranged under the guidance of the Great Ocean rehabilitation employment counsel. Hedyn chuckled to himself; there was always a council involved when it came to the Dunermacs. They never made a single decision on their own, everything was thought over in groups of old, wise elders. If people thought the Titans were a deliberate and slow people, they had clearly never met the Dunnermac.

“Okay, lock up when you’re done Hedyn, I’m going down to the office, got some paperwork to finish.”

“Ok boss, thanks.” Hedyn responded. Aeythr was a kind man, he always reminded Hedyn to relax, and not to stress out over every little thing. Hedyn, however felt the need to do his best, even though he wasn’t under as close an eye as he would be if he were in the Imperial probation program. 

It was a long, cold walk home. Norvsekal was a frigid planet, and barely habitable. Like most people, Hedyn strapped on an oxygen mask for the walk; you could make it from the station to the habitations in the small Norvsekal Colony without it, but you’d definitely feel better this way.

Residential dwelling unit 44210, floor 4, unit 322. It wasn’t much, but it was home. It made his tiny campus dormitory look absolutely enormous. Life on Norvsekal was quite spartan by comparison. 

Hedyn pulled out his access card but dropped it; with his fingers blue and numb from the cold couldn’t hold on as well.

“Gorram.” Hedyn grumbled, and reached for the card in the snow on the ground.

“Hedyn Bakas?” A voice, though unfamiliar, unmistakably Dunnermaac.  alerted him suddenly to a presence near by.

Now, the Dunnermac were a widely spread people, but a cold distant world like Norvsekal was not exactly the place one expected to find one, not without purpose. An Avartle, sure, and occasionally a Ler, but a Dunnermac?

No, the chances were, if they were on Norvsekal, they were here for him.

“Yes.” Hedyn stood, meeting the Dunnermac’s gaze.

Of course, the fact she had called him by name, also suggested she was here for him.

“Oh, good. We have been searching for you for quite some time. How fortunate we find you now!” The Dunnermac was pleased, Hedyn had grown quite skilled at picking up the extra sensory cues the Dunnermac expressed to help gauge their emotional state.  Living among them for so long, you soon learn to see things others don’t. 

“I’m sorry? Have we met?” Hedyn swallowed nervously. “Look, I’m not under curfew because I work late, I thought I worked this out with Dedum Ge?”

The stranger returned a puzzled expression. “Oh, no I am not a member of the Penal council, we have never met. My name, is Gulot.” The stranger smiled. “I  wonder, may we talk a while? My friend has been searching for you for quite some time.” Gulot motioned to a synthetic, warm looking travel bag at her side. She depressurized it, and opened it to produce a tiny, bundled up little human woman.

Heydn went white in the face and nearly fell back in the snow. He would never forget that face, it was etched forever in his mind. He saw it when he closed his eyes, he saw it when he slept. But he never thought for a moment he would ever see it again, face to face.

***

“I’m sorry, I don’t have much to offer as far as refreshments.” Hedyn shouted from the other room. “I have some frozen kelp I keep for smoothes, it wouldn’t take long.”

Gulot responded from the next room, “You keep pinhead kelp in your freezer? I wasn’t aware titans enjoyed that.” It was always difficult to discern a Dunnermac’s mood without looking at them. Their voices didn’t convey emotions as well as Titans, not least because if a Titan could hear them, they were being filtered through a translator. Some Dunnermac were skilled enough to mimic vocal cues to assist others in better understanding their intentions; Hedyn assumed his guest was amused. 

“I know, call me strange, I got used to it while I was in prison.” Hedyn admitted, almost ashamed. 

Hedyn knew he should likely offer his other guest something to drink as well, however he was still attempting to comprehend her existence at all, let alone her presence in his apartment. What did humans like to drink? He never entertained a human before, let alone one who had every reason to hate his guts. Was she here to berate him? Was she here to yell at him, demand retribution? To lecture him? If so, he deserved every bit of it. 

Hedyn prepared the kelp shakes in silence, he set one glass mug before his Dunnermaac guest, and one down for himself. He looked down to the tiny human then past her to the table surface she stood on. 

“I’m not sure…exactly what humans…I mean what you…I mean…I don’t have something small enough…” Hedyn fumbled, desperately struggling not to offend his small guest. 

The little human chuckled. “Generally we drink liquid.” The tan skinned little human exclaimed, with good humor. 

Hedyn cringed. 

“I am generally prepared for this, I normally travel with my own eating and drinking implements.” The little human shrugged. “I get tired of drinking from bowls and eating with my hands, what can I say.”

Hedyn felt like a first class heel, though his human guest did seemed amused, he almost chuckled. “Oh.um…well that is convenient I suppose.” Hedyn smiled weakly. “I’m sorry, I don’t entertain much.” Hedyn said, apologetically to his guests. 

The three sat in silence for a while, Hedyn afraid to ask the obvious, and his tiny host a bit too nervous to begin. 

“Your dwelling was difficult to locate. Why did the great council place you so far out? Surely it is difficult for them to send a representative all the way out here for annual reviews?” Gulot said, likely in an attempt to break the ice. 

“Actually, I requested it. Not Norvesekal specifically, but someplace like it – Tatendi, Tukikhota Sininentavas, Titan Station – I wanted to be placed somewhere remote, someplace I wouldn’t be recognized.” Hedyn said, though he couldn’t look either of his guests in the eyes. 

The long silence had held its grip over the room about as long as either of the three were willing to stand. It was however, the tiny frail human who took action to end it.

“Hedyn, do you recognize me?” She said, her deep brown eyes looking through narrowed slits.

Hedyn looked at his feet and shifted uncomfortably in his chair, he nodded.

“Well, I just wanted to say,” the young woman began, clearing her throat, “my name is Sarra.”

Hedyn looked to her at last, it took him a while, but he looked at her. Sarra was a thin, frail young woman with tan skin, long brown hair and a warm, approachable face. She had an unsteady gait when she walked, and looked as if she was on the smaller side of the spectrum even for a human, but otherwise didn’t look altogether unhealthy. She was dressed well, spoke in coherent full sentences, and with a slow deliberate tone that put emphasis on each word equally, as if each was just as important as the last. 

“You look lost.” Sarra said, with the faintest hint of a wispy smile.

Hedyn nodded.

Sarra looked to Gulot for a moment, for a brief bit of moral support, then looked back to Hedyn. She had often wondered what this moment would look like, how it would feel. She promised herself many times over that she would be strong, that she would show no fear. This was something she wanted to do, no matter how many painful memories it brought back, this was what she deserved, this was what he deserved.

“Do you remember that night?” Sarra asked, taking a few steps towards Hedyn.

Hedyn felt extremely uncomfortable and the closer the little human women came, the more he wanted to turn tail and run. Did he remember, how could he ever forget? He lost his freedom, his best friend, and his self-respect all in one night, but more than just that, he did nothing.

“Do we have to talk about this?” Hedyn whispered through cracked lips.

“I don’t remember it very well, actually.” Sarra said calmly. “I was awake the entire time, though I couldn’t move. I could hear, feel, smell, and see everything that was going on.” Sarra swallowed, this was proving more difficult than she had anticipated. “But I still can’t remember much. I think that might be for the best, what I can remember isn’t very pleasant.”

Hedyn felt sick, the only thing keeping him from running out of the apartment, was the notion that he felt he deserved every bit of suffering this woman wanted to throw at him.

“I remember the lot of us, huddled together in that dark room, we couldn’t see one another, but we could hear well enough. Nobody knew what was happening, some were excited, some were afraid. We stuck together, because that’s what we do. In the farms, in the store display cases, until we are bought one by one, taken away from everybody we ever knew. Taken away to strange places, to live as pets.” Sarra laughed, it was a bitter, cynical laugh, but a laugh.

“Looking back, that would have been preferable to what happened to us.” Sarra shugged. “But how were we to know? All of us, we got bought together, for all we knew that was a blessing.” Sarra looked away, tears were forming at the corners of her eyes, but she held them back bravely. 

Hedyn, was not so brave, his tears flowed freely, though he did not sob.

“I wanted to be as far away from everyone as I could be, I never wanted to be released, but the Grand Council told me it was the next step in my rehabilitation. If I had been tried in Imperial Courts I would have a lifetime on a penal colony to look forward too…I don’t deserve to be free, I don’t deserve to have a life…not after what happened, what I allowed to happen. So, if you came to make sure I was suffering Sarra, I am…each and every day of my life. I can’t atone for what I allowed to happen, not with three years in the Great Ocean, not a lifetime on Rutha Pente…not ever.”

Sarra looked to Hedyn in thought, the tiny human shook her head quickly however, and took a few more steps forward. “You don’t think I traveled all this way for that, do you?” she asked, her voice shaky, but measured.

Hedyn shrugged. “Why else would you even want to see me?”

Sarra looked quite taken aback. “Hedyn, I don’t think you understand…do you know how lucky I was that day?”

“Lucky?” Hedyn asked, with a bit of surprise. 

“Yes, Lucky! Of all the plates to land on, I was put on the plate of the one Titan in the room who had a conscience. True, you were there in the first place, and that is something you will have to live with for the rest of your life. I can’t give you absolution for that, but Hedyn, your second thought, the fact that you couldn’t do, wouldn’t do what everybody else in the room was doing…Hedyn…” Sarra had tried to hold it together, she had rehearsed this speech a thousand times, and even if she had a thousand times more, it would not be enough. Sarra spoke through tear strained eyes. “I came, because I wanted you to know the name of the life you saved.”

“There were three survivors that day, Sarra was one of those fortunate three, and she has you to thank.” Gulot spoke up, with a brightness to her aura that Hedyn unmistakeably knew as respect.

“I…I should have done more…I should have saved more…” Hedyn whispered.

Sarra smiled. “I don’t know if you could have, I don’t remember much, but I remember you. I remember what you said…I remember what you refused to do.” Sarra ran her arm across her eyes and sighed. “Thank you.”

Hedyn knelt down on the floor beside the small living room table Sarra stood on. He knelt so he could lower himself, even still he towered above her, even when he sat on his ankles. “I’m sorry…I’m so, so, sorry.” He repeated, over and over again. 

Sarra reached out and touched his hand, he was holding the end of the table to steady himself. “I forgive you.”

Hedyn shook his head, he didn’t think he deserved it, but hearing it brought him a little bit of peace. “I wish I could have done more.”

Sarra nodded. “My name is Sarra, and it’s a pleasure to finally meet the man who saved my life.” Sarra said with a smile. She had finally got to meet him face to face, the man who spared her life, the man who saw her as a person and not a snack.