Nick sat on the desktop in front of the caramel skinned Titaness, fidgeting nervously as she studied him with an emotionless gaze. 

Kiri broke the silence, tenting her fingers on the desk in front of her and leaning forward. “Your owner,” She paused briefly and arched an eyebrow, but continued when Nick didn’t raise any objections to the term. “Tells me that you’ve been having some… emotional difficulties lately, and thought it would be best if I talked through them with you. Is that right, Nick?” 

“Yes.” The word was barely audible. Nick cleared his throat and tried again. “Yes, Miss Miroppi. That’s correct.” 

“Please.” Kiri’s smile was pleasant, but coldly detached. “Call me Kiri. Why don’t we start with how you felt about your life with Brinn before the… incident?”

“Well…” Nick began. “It was fine, she took care of me, and we got along great. For the most part, I was happy.” 

For a brief moment, Kiri’s eyebrows shot up and her face registered surprise until she was able to school her features back into their look of cool professionalism. “Really? You didn’t mind the fact you were, well, a pet?”

Nick shook his head. “Not really. I mean, yes sometime being stuck in the cage wasn’t fun, and other times I just wanted to be left alone for a while. But she was nice enough, and I couldn’t do anything about my situation, so why bother complaining about it?” 

Kiri chewed her lip in thought. This human was in the same situation as Niall was, yet had almost the exact opposite reaction. She found herself becoming fascinated by the contrast. Maybe this would be more interesting than she had originally thought. 

“But now you’re not sure about… being a pet, is that correct?” She made a few notes on the pad in front of her while Nick considered his answer. 

“It’s just… When I was with Brinn and Zara, I knew they wouldn’t deliberately put me in harm’s way. I trusted them. I thought as long as they were the titans I had to deal with, I could handle being small. Brinn said everything would be okay. She didn’t say anything about her crazy sister trying to kill me.” Nick’s voice had gotten steadily louder as he talked, and his body language became more animated, but now he seemed to deflate. “It’s not like I can protect myself anymore.” 

Kiri made another note as she watched the human pace on her desktop. She’d hit something, now it was time to dig a little deeper. 

Kiri sat back in her chair, trying not to loom over the human as much. “What was your life back on Earth like, Nick?”

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Pryvani and the other Titans, as well as Sophia and Alex, were sitting around a table inside a conference room deep in the heart of Pryvani’s compound on Avalon. Over the top of this table there was a three dimensional projection of the layout of Atlantis, which was generated from a live feed being sent to them from one of Pryvani’s live drones. 

From the air, the city looked normal, peaceful even. If one were to judge simply on the way the city looked, they would never suspect there was any problems at all. 

Pryvani and the others knew better.

They were aware of at least two more dust-ups between the various factions that had arisen during their absence, thanks to the power vacuum left when Trell attacked the city and killed the closest thing to a leader the people of Avalon had. 

Pryvani stared at the map. Her eyes were narrowed but otherwise her expression was unreadable. “We just don’t know enough of what’s going on in there.” She tapped the fingers of her right hand on the table. “We need information.” 

Zara leaned back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap. “Can we send in more of your drones?” 

Pryvani shook her head. “That won’t tell us what we need to know. We need something more personal. We need to be able to hear what’s being said in the streets, behind closed doors, in the taverns, that sort of thing.” 

“Sounds like what you need is a spy.” Alex spoke up from his spot on Rixie’s shoulder. 

Pryvani turned to face him, a frown on her face. “Not a chance Alex. I know exactly what you’re about to suggest and there’s no way I’m going to let you risk your life… again.” 

“Got that right!” Rixie added, turning her head so she could see him. “It was bad enough when I had no idea what kind of danger you’d gotten yourself into. There’s no way I’m just going to be able to sit here while you get yourselves killed.” 

Alex rolled his eyes. “Don’t you all get it?” He pulled himself up and then jumped off of Rixie’s shoulder, landing on the table in front of her. “It’s exactly that kind of thinking that led to this situation in the first place.”

He turned at looked at each of the Titans around him in turn. “I understand that you just want to protect us humans, individually and as a race, and I know that on some level you all feel… for lack of a better word… parental towards us. Who knows, maybe at one point that attitude was warranted. But we’re not the same as we were, we’ve done a lot of growing up since the Stone Age or the Bronze Age or whenever you first discovered us. We have to be allowed to stand on our own and face the galaxy ourselves, without you looming over us, literally and figuratively, or what’s the point? 

“Right now you have an entire city that’s ready to go up like a powder keg. We have to stop it, and I’m your only chance of finding out what’s really going on in there. What’s it going to be?”

There was silence as the assembled Titans glanced at each other over his head. After a moment Rixie lowered her gaze and growled. 

“Nice little idea you had here Pryvani.”

Pryvani rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t my idea, I just inherited the mess.” She placed her elbow against the table, and then lowered her chin until it rested in her palm. “Believe me, if this had been my idea it would have worked. …Probably.” 

Alex ignored the banter, keeping his gaze focused on Rixie. Eventually she couldn’t ignore the human anymore and lowered her gaze until their eyes met. 

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I still think it’s a stupid idea.” 

Alex slapped his forehead. “Rixie…” 

“Let me finish before you get all upset about it.” She growled back. “I think it’s a stupid idea …but I get it. So, if you want to do this, I won’t stop you. I’m not going to like it though.”

Alex grinned up at her.

“But I swear…” The Titaness huffed sulkily. “If you get yourself killed I will never forgive you!” 

“Understood.” Alex laughed. “When do I leave?”

“I think you mean, ‘when do we leave’.” Sophia called as she jumped down onto the table. 

Alex looked at her, with his eyes wide. “Now wait a minute, I can do this on my own.”

Yeah right!” Sophia crossed her arms over her chest, her jaw set stubbornly. “I’ve been in the city, you haven’t, and there’s no way you’re going in there without any back up.” 

Alex fidgeted. “Well, yeah but you can’t go, I mean you’re a…” His mouth snapped shut, cutting off the end of his own sentence.

“A what, Alex?” Sophia asked, arching an eyebrow. “I certainly hope you weren’t about to say ‘you’re a woman’ because I would just love to hear you justify that!” She circled her arm, indicating the gigantic beings looming over them and wordlessly pointing out their rather skewed gender ratio. 

Alex glanced up at Rixie, but she just looked down at him, a smirk on her face. Pryvani’s gaze was inscrutable, but her eyes twinkled in wry amusement. Finally, Alex looked over at Taron… but the male Titan just shook his head with an easy grin that wordlessly told him ‘you’re on your own here, buddy.’

Great. 

Finally Alex sighed in defeat. “Yeah, you’re right. If I go, there’s no reason you can’t come with me… and plenty of reasons why you should.” 

Sophia grinned in self-satisfaction and triumph. “Glad you see sense.” 

They were interrupted by a loud sniffle and Sophia turned around to see Zara biting her knuckle, fear and worry clearly written on her face.

“Oh Sophia,” She mumbled. “Do… do you have to? Can’t you just stay with me, where it’s safe?” 

Sophia smiled softly and walked back over to her Titaness, climbing into the hand which Zara lowered. “I know you’re going to be worried about me. But I have to do this, if I’m not there, who knows what stupid reckless macho thing Alex might do and get himself hurt?” 

“Hey!” Alex began before Rixie covered him with her palm, keeping him silent.

Zara let out a thin watery laugh, and Sophia stroked her cheek. “It’ll be okay. I promise.” 

“We certainly aren’t letting them go in empty handed either.” Pryvani said, tenting her fingertips in front of her. “We’ll make sure they’re in constant two-way communication, and they’re going in as well-armed and equipped as we can make them.” 

“I’ll get started getting their communications equipment together and get the fabrication modules working on the rest of their gear.” Taron stood up and left the room without another word.

“I still don’t like this idea.” Rixie grumbled. “But unfortunately, I can’t think of a better one.” With a sigh she curled Alex into her fist, snatched him off the table and stood up to leave herself. 

“Come on, you little idiot.” She growled. Alex knew she wasn’t particularly happy with the way events had unfolded, but he could also hear that pesky note of pride she was trying so hard to hide. 

Rixie stomped out of the room, muttering darkly to herself. 

Pryvani glanced over at Zara, then down at Sophia wrapped protectively in her grip. 

“Well, there are some preparations I need to take care of as well…” Pryvani stood and shut off the holographic display above the table. “Just turn off the lights when you leave, okay Zara.” 

She left, the door hissed shut behind her. 

A moment of silence passed as Zara wordlessly stroked the human woman’s back. Her fingers were trembling slightly, and Sophia suspected she was barely holding back tears. 

“I don’t like this idea.” The Titaness mumbled miserably. 

“I know you don’t.” Sophia stroked the curled fingers in front of her. “But I have to do this, and you have to let me.” 

Zara chuckled mirthlessly. “No I don’t. We don’t owe Pryvani or her city anything. I could just put you in my pocket and catch the first transport off this rock. We could be back at home with Nick and Brinn in a few days.”

“You could do that.” Sophia agreed calmly, still stroking Zara’s digit. “But you won’t.” 

“Oh? And why won’t I?” 

“You won’t because deep down you know that Alex and I are right. You know this is something I have to do. And if you took me away right now, it would be against my will. And while I might someday be able to forgive you for that… you’d never be able to forgive yourself.” 

Zara didn’t respond, she just clutched Sophia tighter and finally let her worried tears flow.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

“Nick…” Kiri held the human in the palm of her hand and raised him towards her face. “Now that we’ve discussed your background, I feel like I understand enough that we can move forward, if you feel you’re ready.”

Nick gulped nervously, as he stared at the gigantic pretty face in front of him. “What do you mean by forward?”

Kiri sat down at her desk, while keeping him level with her face. “I think we’re ready to discuss the incidents where you were swallowed. By Trell and by Zara.” 

Nick Trembled slightly. “Oh… okay.”

“I think you’re ready for it, Nick, but we won’t proceed if you’re not ready. Are you?” 

Nick took a deep breath and nodded. “Yes. I’m… I’m ready.” 

Kiri lowered him to the desktop, then got out her data pad and stylus, ready to take more notes. “Good.” 

There was a brief silence as the Titaness reviewed her notes from earlier in their session. Finally, she cleared her throat and folded her hands in front of her on the desktop, between herself and Nick.

“Why don’t we start with the incident where you were accidentally swallowed by Zara? I want you to tell me how you felt right before and right after she swallowed you.” 

“Well, uh, before it happened… I was feeling pretty good. She, Zara, and Taron they were… um…”

“Engaged in a sexual activity?” Kiri asked with a raised eyebrow, the barest tiniest quirk of her lips the only crack in her professional façade. 

“Uh, yeah. And I was in between them. In Zara’s mouth.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway I guess Brinn walked in on it and surprised Zara… she started to choke on me, and then she swallowed me. It was a reflex.” 

“Tell me what you experienced at that point, Nick.” 

“I don’t really remember much about actually being swallowed. That part was over pretty quick. I just remember that it was hot, dark, and cramped. My arm had gotten wedged behind my back.” 

“Okay. And then you were in her stomach. Tell me what that was like for you.” 

Nick was silent for a second, as he mentally brought himself back to that moment. “It was… not what I expected.” 

“How so?”

Nick shrugged. “Well, Titan digestion is apparently quite a bit more prolonged than in humans. I didn’t know that, at the time. I was shocked by the fact I wasn’t being burned alive.” 

Kiri nodded. “Okay, but what were you feeling, Nick? What was going through your mind? Were you scared? Angry?” 

“I was…” Nick shook his head and fell silent. 

Kiri set her stylus down on the desk, and then folded her hands on the desktop. “Nick…” Her voice was soft, just barely above a whisper. “I’m fairly certain I already know the answer, but it’s important for you to say it out loud. Okay?” 

Nick was silent for a moment. “I was in awe.” He finally got out. 

“Awe?” Kiri asked, but didn’t look at all surprised by the answer. 

“Yeah. It… it was amazing. Here I was inside another living, breathing creature. I could hear every heartbeat, every breath she took.”

“And you weren’t afraid?”

Nick shook his head. “No. Maybe I should have been, but… I guess I figured it had been an accident and that Zara would get me out as soon as she could. I wasn’t in any pain, so I might as well just relax.” 

“So you felt safe?” 

Nick stiffened, Brinn’s… or rather Trell’s words echoing in his head “don’t you want to experience that warmth, that safety… with Me?”

“…Nick?” 

Nick started back to reality, glancing up at Kiri looking down at him curiously. 

“Uh, yeah. That’s right. I felt safe. Or safe enough anyway.” 

Kiri scrutinized her subject for a moment. That momentary lapse in his concentration intrigued her and she filed it away in her brain for further contemplation later. 

“I see.” She tapped the end of her stylus against the table as she considered the human in front of her. “Perhaps that’s a good place for us to stop for the day. We can pick this up again when I see you tomorrow.” 

Nick blinked. “Tomorrow?” 

Kiri smiled softly, and a tad condescendingly. “Of course. You didn’t think we’d be able to get to the heart of your issues in one day did you? Besides, I have class in a little while.”

She stood and walked around the desk. “Just sit there a moment while I go have a quick word with Brinn about you, okay?”

She opened the door and stepped into the hallway where Brinn was seated on the floor, reading something off her data pad, the redheaded woman looked up when she heard the door open. 

Brinn stood as Kiri exited into the hallway and closed the door behind her. “How’s he doing?” She asked, rubbing the back of her neck where it had gotten stiff from sitting against the wall. 

“He’s got some stress brought on by trauma, not surprised there. He’s fixated on the event and I think the fact that he thought it was you, not Trell, is causing some anguish. I have my suspicions about what is going on, but I’d like to see him again to be sure. Are you available tomorrow around this time?”

Brinn smiled, cautiously optimistic. “Of course. Anything you need, do you want me to bring him back here?”

Kiri nodded. “That would be perfect, I’ve reserved this room to run another experiment, so it’s mine to use for the moment.”

“Excellent!” Brinn beamed as she shook Kiri’s hand. “We’ll see you then. I’ll just go and collect Nick okay?”

“Perfect.”

*.*.*.*.*.*

Alex stood on the vanity in Rixie’s bedroom, pulling on the Atlantean style clothing that Taron had had manufactured. He wasn’t sure how the Titan had managed it, but somehow he’d known just what Alex’s size would be. Everything fit perfectly, even the leather shoes. 

“Not bad.” He muttered, turning to admire himself in the gigantic mirror in front of him. In his reflexion he saw Rixie’s face looming behind him. She smirked at his small display of vanity, but the amusement didn’t reach her eyes. 

“It might look like normal cloth, but it’s made from a synthetic fiber that’s strong enough to deflect any kind of weapon they might have. So, if you get into trouble… it, um, it should protect you.” 

She narrowed her eyes. “Not that that’s an excuse for you to get into trouble, understand?” 

“Perfectly.” 

“Good.” 

They lapsed into silence again for a moment, before Rixie broke it again by clearing her throat. 

“Alex, can I ask you a question?” 

“Of course you can.” 

“Would you want to start wearing clothes again?”

Alex smirked. “Why? Are you getting tired of seeing me bare-assed naked?” 

Rixie shook her head, a little frustrated. “No. Of course not. Just… would you?” 

Alex turned to regard the Titaness. “That depends, would you let me if I asked?”

Rixie nodded. “Of course!” 

“Then no, I don’t need to.” 

Rixie blinked for a moment, confused by his answer. Then her eyes widened slightly and she nodded with a small smile on her face. She understood. 

“Okay then.” She reached over and plucked up the small bag of supplies that Taron had fabricated for their little excursion, and set it at Alex’s feet. Inside was a two way communications radio small enough to fit inside Alex’s ear, a handful of knives to be concealed on his person, a short sword in the style the Atlanteans preferred and a walking stick with a electrical stun device concealed in the tip. Along with those armaments there were various other odds and ends that the Titan had thought might be useful, like rope, a supply of water, some food and Avalonian currency. 

Alex stowed the knives in his clothing and hefted the bag onto his shoulder. He picked up the sword and examined it. It was thin with a curved blade in the shape of a crescent moon. 

“It’s really not a weapon, exactly,” Rixie spoke above him. “It’s used more for harvesting. Since the people of Avalon don’t really do ‘war’ most of their weapons are really farm implements.”

Alex snorted, amused. “Rix, if there’s one thing my species is good at, it’s beating plowshares into swords.” He gave the scythe-like instrument an experimental swing, before stowing it in the belt cinched around his waist. “It’ll do.”

“All set then?” Rixie asked in a cheerful voice. She was trying to appear upbeat about the whole ordeal, but Alex could tell by the way she chewed her lip that she was still extremely worried. Not that that was surprising anyway. 

“Yeah.” He climbed on to Rixie’s hand, and the two of them made their way to Pryvani’s stables and the exit to the compound. 

When they arrived, they found Pryvani and the rest of the titans, as well as Sophia, waiting for them. Pryvani was decked out in her gravity dampening gear. 

“Good. You’re here. Let’s not waste time then. You two understand what you’re getting yourselves into, correct? Last chance to back out, no one would blame you.” Pryvani gazed down at the two humans, the look in her eyes said she hoped one of them would call off the mission. 

Neither did.

“Okay then…” 

Taron gave them a rough explanation of how the communications device, as well as the rest of their gear worked. As soon as he finished, Pryvani lowered her hand for them to step into. In her other hand she held a (rather large by human standards) horse, who was calmly munching on a pile of grass in her palm. Obviously it was used to such treatment. 

“He lives in a fenced in area of my bedroom.” She smiled down at the little creature. “This way you won’t have to walk.” 

“Has he ever had a rider before?” Sophia asked, looking at the large animal nervously. 

“I’m not sure.” Pryvani frowned. “But I’m sure he’ll be okay. Anyway, I’ll carry you to the base of the mountains, but after that you’re on your own.” 

Alex looked at the imposing double doors that led to the outside world, and only now did he begin to feel nervous. 

“I hope this isn’t going to turn out to be the new ‘stupidest thing I’ve ever done.” He muttered to himself.