"We need to wake her."

Vesija strode about the bunker seemingly in hurry, but managed to accomplish close to nothing. Even his unlaced clothes barely hung onto his body ––not that I minded the glimpses of muscle in tension.

"Are you even listening to me?" I demanded.

"Yes! I'm just thinking."

"Ah. Is there a plan then?"

Vesija glared at me, though to my gratification his gaze mellowed at the sight of my state of undress he. He spoke, almost jokingly: "Obviously I lack the information to have a plan."

"She might know enough." I grabbed his hand to stop his incessant pacing about. "Vesija! You have to let her out."

"What do you care?"

"I don't." To be frank, I wanted her gone, preferably from natural causes. "But I care about you. If you left Teuna here to wither in a dreamless sleep, you'd never forgive yourself."

"It'd be a mistake. She won't co-operate."

"Well, it'd also be a mistake to barge out topside without knowing what is going on there."

He sighed in resignation. "You are correct, as excruciating that might be. But she won't co-operate."

"We shall see. I can be coercive, or at least appear so."

The somastasis device had encapsulated Teuna in a opaque cocoon of veiny goo. Vesija injected the machine with a syringe, which goaded it to slowly withdraw off the woman. In spite of its size, the device shrunk to the volume of a suitcase, leaving behind a sticky residue on Teuna's skin. Her mouth remained open to facilitate a shallow slow breath.

Vesija had the time to wipe Teuna clean, before she began to stir in her cadaverous slumber. Prompted by my unease, my ancient gown flexed its muscle tissue, though the tightening grip on the pistol was all mine. The man drew a blanket on top of our prisoner.

"Will you hurt her, if she doesn't comply?" he asked.

"No, yet she can't know that. It might be best, if we left her to wake up in peace."

"Right." The man claimed me in an one-handed hug and guided me out of the impromptu stasis prison.

Instead of standing guard, we retreated to the the main room.

I sat at the table. "Where's that pistol of hers?"

"In a lockbox at the back." Vesija went to the kitchenette. "Do you want cup of infusion? I'll warm some."

"Sure. Could I see it, the pistol?"

"It's imprinted to her hands."

"As expected, but I don't want it for myself. I want to know, what it is."

Vesija started the water kettle before answering. "Whatever explanation I'd try to give would be woefully inadequate."

"Give it a try, regardless."

He shrugged. "The gun focuses lightning, as far as I understand it, to rip the structure of matter apart."

"A scalpel of light, then."

"No. A pinprick of the worst acid imaginable, which splits the hidden visage of gods."

"Awfully poetic."

"Well, the actual physics are more arcane than that. You know, it's near a consensus that, should the academic establishment have a more reliable source of certain base elements, most of this science would be rather trivial to ascertain."

"I can't claim I understand actual resea––"

The door to Teuna's cell opened. My suit offered the handle of my pistol, but I kept my hands firmly on the table. The woman stumbled to us with a groggy distaste twisting her unkempt features.

"Vesj... I should have known you to be a traitor", she said in a tired voice and sat on the other side of the table from me.

"You know that I'm not."

"Ah. Yet here you have your pet in Jaan full panoply like the little dame of war she is."

I fixed the coldest stare my eyes could muster on the Iwunian woman. "Have a seat, Teuna."

"Don't mind if I do." She sat and crossed her fingers on the table. "Vesj, make me a cup of that infusion, would you?"

The man nodded, but she didn't avert her gaze from me.

"I take it these tremors are why you awoke me."

The shaking had faded to the background of my mind, yet it remained unnaturally present. I nodded.

Teuna sneered in an untrained attempt at a haughty smirk. "What makes you think I'd ever tell you anything?"

"I can be coercive."

The savage rolled her eyes. "Save your barely veiled threats. I'll tell you all I know, if only to save Vesj the sight of Jaan hospitality."

My mounting exasperation could have worked as another tool of intimidation, but Teuna appeared the type to enjoy being proven right. We stared at each other long enough for Vesija to bring the hastily infused drinks. He also sat, on my side of the table.

I took his hand under the table and asked the woman: "Do you know what those tremors are?"

"You should ask Vesj. He's the fully trained archaeotechnologist, while I'm a mere unlauded candidate."

"I'm asking you."

She just sipped her drink.

"Is it 'an immune response'?" I insisted.

"Why do you want to know? Do you aim to try and stop it? That'd be utterly futile naivety."

I wanted to threaten her with the supposed 'hospitality' of my kind, if only to relieve the anxious pressure inside my heart. Fortunately Vesija's hand grounded me to the crucial moment.

"Listen", I said. "The chief intendant of the Jaan Survey is in Hitunna. While it all might be part of one nebulous Vaddic plan, you can't disregard the possibility that he might ––if not destroy–– damage the sacred places of your people. We must stop him."

"Destructions precedes creation. If that is the will of our ancestors, I have no recourse but to obey."

"Even if obedience means losing the place as the favoured servant of the Vad? Perhaps the Vad have chosen us Jaan over your kind."

Teuna's frown deepened, yet the disgust aimed at me faded. "And once we vanquish this intendant, then what?"

"We shall see." I leaned back and shrugged in an exaggerated fashion. "I expect you to force me to kill you."

"Neru––"

I interrupted Vesija with a gesture.

"Once..." Teuna's eyes narrowed. "...I made the mistake to assume I hadn't underestimated you. That won't happen again."

"Good." I should have thanked Teuna for helping me understand Motsa better. To be feared did have a delicious thrill to it. "Now tell us what you know."

"Fine. According to my masters, the 'precautionary protective measures' would only be used during a genuine threat of a large scale Jaan attack. Because that is impossible ––as per the intelligence provided by Vesj among others––, I have no idea what is going on."

"Could this expedition from the Geographic Survey triggered these... defensive systems?"

Teuna shook her head. "No. They are, what, two dozen people? Hitunna has about that many gunmen for every islet."

"They do control the Seven Corners. At least that is what I assume."

"Aren't you a spy? Shouldn't you know such a thing for sure?"

I swallowed my ire. "No, I make for a poor intelligencer. My kind is only trained to ki–– hunt."

The woman nodded in a way, which conjured a sense of respect. "Vesj, do you trust her to work against her compatriots?"

"Ah... I don't see why Nerutaara would lie about her intentions."

Teuna sighed. "I on the other hand don't understand why she wouldn't. The Jaan don't betray each other. This is all a trick."

"To what end?" I demanded, with only Vesija's grip keeping me from bouncing up on my feet. With a long breath, I forced the worst of my anger out. "The sole thing I want is not to have anyone's death on my conscience."

Any approval I might have had from Teuna disappeared into overt contempt. My face remained the mask of that disdainful smirk Motsa had taught me, but inside me rushed a cascade of warm blood.

"Excuse me." I stood up and walked to the hallway and went to the bathroom.

While I was paralysed by a theatrical need to remain inscrutable, Vesija spoke to Teuna: "I don't expect you be amiable, but we ne––"

"You abused my trust, drugged me, Vesj, and trapped me in one of those stasis devices."

"I regret that, and I apologise."

I resisted the urge to peek around the corner, and instead listened on.

The woman huffed. "Right. It'd be hypocritical of me to object to such treatment. How long was I under?"

"Two nights."

"And why did you do it? Just do delay me?"

"Yes."

"Foolish. A traitor could have done more damage to our cause by staying in my trust."

"I'm not a traitor. My desire was only to stop my friend from committing to a disastrous course for all of us."

"'Friend'? I am your betrothed."

"I am breaking our betrothal, effective this moment."

The pair remained silent, and I had to hold breath to hear the following soft voice of Teuna. "That hussy really has twined you around her misshapen finger."

"Don't insult her."

"Oh, I'm sure she's proud of her twisted anatomy. No matter. I accept the breaking of your oath."

"Thank you, Teuna."

"It's not like there will be much of social decorum left in the world to be uphold."

I woke from my eavesdropping fancy and went to slosh water around to sound like I was doing what I was supposed to.

The following discussion was almost free of veiled threats, and we managed to parley with minimal bickering. Teuna was open to the point of boastfulness about their plan to sic the Vad plague on Jaan military presence. She however didn't quite make a difference between soldiers and Jaan civilians, but then again, rarely did the Commonwealth either.

In the end we reached, if not a plan, then a form a mutual understanding. Teuna didn't seem to believe that Motsa's actions were the will of the Vad, and in the vile depths of my heart, I wished she and the intendant would murder each other, even if that might not help at all.

The Vad ––divine or not–– was a storm, which mortal power failed to withstand. I should have fled. One stain of cowardice couldn't tar my self-esteem any further.

"Alright", I said. "Once the Survey expedition is dealt with, I expect you to reconsider this plan of yours."

Teuna crossed her arms. "Fine. While our strategy is not really up to me, it can't hurt to be prudent."

"That is presumably the best promise I shall get", I said. "Vesija, please get Teuna's gun to her."

"What? Are you sure?"

"She's hardly any use to us as a prisoner. Besides, she'll behave."

"What makes you think that?" Vesija asked.

"You should do as you are told, Vesj", Teuna said. "With the dame's pistol at arm's reach, I might as well be a babe unarmed."

"Alright." Vesija sighed in defeat and stood up.

The woman caught his sleeve. "Vesj, do you know, what that creature you have bedded is?"

"Yes, I in fact do." The man glanced at me with a smile, which curdled my heart-blood with its tender warmth.

The Iwunian woman left before us. We concluded that though mutual betrayal was all but expected, Teuna would have to gather her forces, giving me and Vesija time to vacate the safe house.

Our lunch had the solemn dourness of a last meal of a captive waiting execution. Neither of us spoke, though much should have been said. Once the food had been eaten and the dishes washed, as if sleepwalking, I found myself lounging in the man's embrace.

With every breath we shared, the situation topside grew more and more dire, yet on we tarried.

"I should have stopped this." The man's whisper barely disturbed the frail tranquillity. "And I did nothing."

"Entirely presumptive." I brushed the messy hair from his forehead. "In all likelihood, you couldn't have done anything."

"Yes. I am ultimately useless."

"Wait now..." I rubbed my head on his shoulder. "Are you fishing for a contradicting compliment? That should be my trick."

He chuckled with little mirth. "No. My strategy of passivity failed to prevent this escalation, and I ended up betraying all those I care for." His arms pressed firmly against my flank.

"There's one girl, to whom you have given the world", I murmured. "You aren't without your uses."

The man smiled, cheered up by the uninspired remark in spite of the situation. "You are certainly worth the world."

I craved to melt on his lap, but we didn't have the time to justify the discomfort of putting my gown back on afterwards.

"There's one thing you could do be useful", I crooned. "Can you alter my suit so it injects certain chemicals into me at will?"

"What sort of chemicals?"

"One to dull my mind, and another to clear that fog off rapidly."

"Why do you want that? To stop the Vad from influencing you?"

"So you agree with my hypothesis?" When narrating my flight from Motsa, I had explained my idea that because instinctive behaviours tend to happen in the depths of the brain, then perhaps the conscious mind is in fact easier to influence from the outside.

He smiled and ruffled my hair. "You yourself have the only relevant experience. Still, the concept at least is plausible. "

"Can you make the necessary tonics and modifications?"

"Of course, but if you want them to work rapidly, the injection vector must be into the aorta."

I swallowed and sat up straight. "That makes sense. Is it dangerous?"

"Yes." His expression grew grim but not deathly so. "There's ever the risk of overdosage, even with all the sophisticated sense organs of that suit."

"If you are willing to set that system up, I trust it's safe enough."

Instead of arguing that I was too precious to risk myself at the end of our world, the man nodded with a faint smile on his face.

"Stand up", he said. "I need to examine your suit."

"Alright." I did as told, with a pirouette for flourish. The chirurgeon grabbed my hip to stop my movement half way through and pulled my back against him.

"Oh..." I tilted my head. "A hands-on examination."

"Right. I've hoped to get my fingers on one of these..." His thumbs moved to the small of my back. "Ever after observing a demonstrative autopsy of one these at the Institute."

I began to moan, but yelped instead, as the man pressed his thumbs beside my spine. The suit shifted around his touch.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He peeled something up my back. "Accessing the outer vascular system. Fascinating... Orderly to the highest standard, yet obviously grown instead of assembled."

"Wait. Can anyone just walk behind me and open my suit's innards?"

"Not at all. These suit are sophisticated enough to read the state of their wearer and only accept manipulation when she is at ease."

"Ah, I see. Anyhow, is what I asked possible?"

"Of course." He patted the meaty skin flap closed. "I'll see to the necessary tonics first. That should be the easy part."

Any delay for our departure was welcome to us both, yet Vesija didn't dawdle with his work. The specifically adjusted sedative proved trivial, as the suit already had a system for injecting its own produce.

"Maybe I should taken this off for this", I said, lying on the table.

"Right..." The chirurgeon mumbled through his work on my chest. "Erm, I mean no. The procedure needs the suit to be configured to your specifications. This sort of modular installation would be extremely complicated without the suit's help. Has the local anaesthetic kicked in yet?"

"I can't feel my bosom, so I think so, yes."

The man prodded the fleshy numbness to make sure, but beyond a mild pressure, I felt nothing. He took a deep breath and said: "This will hurt regardless. Try to stay still."

Closing my eyes, I nodded and clutched the sides of the table. The skin of my chest gave in at a tight spot, and tendrils squirmed in the soft lack of real sensations. The heated racing of my pulse hammered against an intrusion above my heart. I was going die.

"There." Vesija patted his hands in an exaggerated signal of finishing his business.

"What? Are you done?"

"Yes."

"That didn't hurt!"

The man shrugged. "It could have. I wanted to give you the chance to brace yourself, just in case. Right... Now we need to train the suit."

That went much quicker than I had expected. The chirurgeon had me maintain mental focus in relevant imagined circumstances, while manipulating the newly reconfigured glands of my suit. After that was done, he loaded the bladders with his concoction, and I was ready.

No excuses to delay remained. I sat up and hugged the man. "Promise me, once we are certain there is nothing to be done, you shall take me away from here."

He pressed my head against his chest. "I could take you right this instant."

"You should, but we both know you shan't."