“It honestly looked like Helen and her family just appeared out of nowhere,” Pearla said, staring at her drink. “They didn’t belong in the outer ring, you know? You could just tell. I mean, they were human-”

“Whole human.” Petra added, “Not a hybrid or anything, just straight up human. That’s a rarity on Arkane, let alone in the outer right.” 

“Right, well, they were human. And one day, they just showed up at the clinic.” She took another drink. “Now, you can tell when people are new to the outer ring, you know? People who have been doing well their whole lives, people who were used to good food and clean water got sicker a lot faster if they ended up here.”

Lendulin nodded, “That’s what happened to my parents.” She said. When she noticed TO starting at her she explained, “We came here from off planet in the relocation efforts. They weren’t used to the water around here, and got sick. I was sick at first, but I was younger so I got used to it faster. They didn’t. We came here when I was here when I was about five. By the time I was fifteen, my dad died. By seventeen, my mother died.”

“Yeah, it’s slow as hell.” Petra said, “All the toxins just build up, and if your body’s not used to it-”

“Well, that happened to Helen and her parents.” Pearla said, “They were all sick, but Helen would get sick for a week, then recover, and then the next month she’d be sick again. Honestly, I was just happy to see more time passing between each bout of sickness. For her parents, it was more of a slow worsening sickness.” She shrugged. “Humans are adaptable, and they wouldn’t have died soon. At worst, they’d have had a few years.'' She took another drink. “Anyway. Helen got sick, couldn’t keep food down, and they brought her to the clinic.” She shook her head, “Scared half the people there out of their wits are first.”

“Most of the time, if someone with legs shows up around here, they’re part of the Arkania authorities; the district police or special operations.”

“Yeah…” Lendulin said, giving TO and DH an apologetic look, “We try to stay away from people with legs unless we know them; it never ends up good. Undercover police officers are always a possibility, but they could also just be assholes looking for amusement.” She shrugged, “I knew an Octosapian teen a few years back, and one day some legged teens came into the distract trying to be all cool, and started harassing him. He ended up getting beaten up pretty bad, and then got arrested.”

“Arrested?” TO’s ears flattened, “Why? Self-defense, to a certain extent-”

“Dumbass.” Petra said, “There were, like, three of them, and one of him. The legged kids said he started it. The police aren't going to take the word of one legless teen against three legged ones.”

“Anyway… we’re getting off topic.” Pearla said, “They came in. Helen was really sick, but I helped them out. We have a water purification device in the center, so I made sure she had clean water and bland food, right? Kinda gave her parents a ‘Outer Ring 101’ guide on where to get food, and how to prepare stuff you might find so that it tastes good.”

“Like those bugs.” DH said, “You really made them delicious. I’m surprised they don't serve them further in!”

“I’m glad they don’t; we’d never be able to get them here then. Anyway.” Pearla took another drink before continuing, “Her parents would come back every day for water; which was fine, we allowed that, but they hung around and helped a lot. They liked to help, they talked to many people who came around-”

“And I guess now we know why.” Petra said, “Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t shut the whole center down after that.”

“What happened?”

“Well shush now, I’m getting to that.” Pearla said, giving Petra a harsh look. Petra shrugged apologetically and took up another bone to gnaw on, “Anyway... They were hanging around a lot, talking to a lot of people; I didn’t think much of it because there was nothing abnormal about it, really! Things didn’t get strange until people went missing-”

“Missing she said.” Petra said around her bone, “I think we know what happened to them now; taken by the Praetorian Vanguard… Or worse; the synths.”

When Petra spoke of synths, TO never knew if their ability to discern tone was getting better or if the hate and disdain that Petra held for them was just so strong that it seeped from her words in a thick, unmissable slime. They were certain that if they could take away the actual word and just keep the tone in, even they could tell when they spoke of synths. 

They felt DH’s hand touch their own, and when they looked over, they saw DH’s ears pinned back. They realized that their own ears were low, and took a deep breath to shake off the strange sadness they felt.

Petra, Pearla, Lendulin… They just didn’t understand. The lives of civilians were so small; how could they possibly understand? How could they understand the greater needs of the galaxy when they were struggling just to get food, clean water, and shelter?

That thought didn’t make TO feel better. Under King Decon, these things should be provided and accessible. 

“Right, so. People start disappearing; regulars, you know? People who came by to see if I had any preserves to give them, or people who came daily for fresh water. Even some of the other volunteers disappeared, and I thought…” She shook her head, “Well, it doesn’t matter. I was afraid. We all were. We started walking home in groups of two or more. Nobody worked at the clinic alone. We even sent some of the stronger folks to walk people home.”

“Didn’t help.” Petra said, “People still went missing.”

“Right… It started looking like people were just being taken from their homes.”

“And… you reported it?” DH asked.

“What do you think the authorities are going to do here?” Petra snapped, “They’re going to look around, and they’re going to arrest people for squatting if they don't’ have a lovely storage space to live in.” 

“... But yes, we reported it.” Pearla said, “We… well..” She looked aside. “That was stupid. It’s just like Petra said; they came in, asked some questions, got a list of people who came to the clinic, and then arrested a few people squatting by the docks in those pre-fab houses.” 

“Which is exactly what I told you would happen!” Petra snapped, “And if you had listened to me-”

“Guys, enough.” Lendulin said, “It... it’s enough. What’s done is done.”

Petra continued to glare at Pearla for a few moments before looking away. Pearla just looked down at her glass. Lendulin gave TO and DH an apologetic look before clearing her voice.

“It was a few days later when the synths came.” 

Pearla nodded, “I… I was so scared.” She admitted, refusing to look at TO and DH, “But… well, they asked for a list of names; the same list I gave to the police…” She stopped and took a long drink.

“... It wasn’t your fault, Pearla.” Lendulin said, “They were probably going to come here anyway, you know. All the people they took, they ended up in the execution lineup.”

Pearla nodded slowly, “... Yeah.” she said, though she didn’t sound convinced.

“... And even though I don’t think you should have-” Petra cut off her sentence as Lendulin gave her a sharp glare, “Well, if you didn't cooperate, they would have taken you in too, and we’d have seen you on the lineup.” Petra reached out and put her clawed hand over Pearla’s. “We really didn’t want that.”

Pearla nodded and took another drink before continuing. “Apparently, there was… well, they called it an ‘insurgent knot’ operating out of the clinic.” She said, “The synths came, demanded the list I gave the police, then asked for the addresses…”

“To be fair, you tried to throw them off then,” Petra said,

“Petra shush.” Pearla said, 

“Well, you did! You said that nobody who came to the clinic had an address, which is true technically-”

“Anyway. “She looked directly at TO and DH, “I cooperated.”

“It’s ok, Pearla.” Lendulin said, “Like we said, if you didn’t, you would have been taken too… Please don’t beat yourself up over it.”

TO knew that Pearla wasn’t beating herself up. They could tell by the way she looked at them, fear and worry. I cooperated. I did what I was told. Please don’t take me. TO could almost hear the unspoken pleading in the way she looked at them.

“They’re right.” DH said, “If you hadn’t cooperated… if you had acted in any way they thought was suspicious, they’d have taken you into custody.”

Pearla nodded and looked away. “Anyway, the synths didn't tell me anything, but they asked how long Helen’s family had been here, then left. So I went to Helen’s place. Where they were staying. It was pretty close to the clinic and if you knew how to get around, you could get there in half the time it would take by road. But… Synths can fly. I forgot that.” She glanced at TO and DH’s wings. “They fly. I can’t believe I forgot they can fly.”

“Well, to be honest, half the people going around the city have just decorative wings, right? Stupid. Why have wings you can’t fly with?” 

“Says the one who has wings.” Lendulin said. 

“Right, well ... I got there just as the synths did. I actually went in their back door, and I was in their kitchen when it happened...” She shuddered. “There was just that thin curtain between me and them…” She stopped, tears welling in her eyes. The look of her, her eyes shining with held back tears, made TO’s stomach hurt.

“They just stormed in, you know?” She said, her voice ragged, “They stormed in, and- and Helen was closest to the door, so I guess that's why they grabbed her first.” She shook her head, “She’s twelve. Was. She was twelve.” She slammed her cup down, and looked at TO and DH. “Twelve! And they grabbed her first because she was closest to the door!”

“That’s why I say I hope they’re robots.” Petra said. “If they’re robots, it makes sense. If they’re actually alive… Well, what people would just grab the kid first? Why take the kid? She’s a kid!”

TO knew exactly why. She might have been a child, but she was still an insurgent. She could still cause damage, still cause a problem. Neutralize all targets as quickly as possible according to your orders. Sometimes, that meant just detain, sometimes it meant kill.

“Of course her mother ran to her, right?” Pearla said, sniffing and rubbing her hand against her nose, “I mean, anyone -synth or no- takes your child, you fight them. Well, they tazed her, and that was awful.” Her hand clutched at the cup. “She just fell to the ground and started twitching. It was like she was having a seizure. Helen just went quiet, and then they took the three of them away.” 

“And a few days later, her parents were listed as the leaders of the insurgency on the galactic broadcast. Big fucking celebration in the inner rings. End of the insurgency and all.” Petra snapped, “They were executed. But they didn't say what happened to Helen, but we know.” She spat the bone in the bowl, “Pearla here had access to her medical records.”

Pearla shrugged. “You make me sound like a doctor. I’m not. The clinic has access to records so we can look up medication. Though, it’s not like we can provide any most of the time.”

“... Helen’s records said she was dead.” Petra said, “No additional sickness or injuries; just dead. Executed. Wouldn’t surprise me if King Dick had one of his fucking synths do the job. Heartless bastards. That’s why I hope they’re robots; how awful would you have to be to do that to a kid?” 

“... pretty terrible.” Pearla said softly, staring at TO. 

A twelve-year-old civilian child. TO wondered if they’d be able to do it. They remembered their training, the test they went through, and the things they had to do. Shooting DH and GiDi… TO had only done it because they knew it was a simulation.

They remembered Avery, and how torn up they had been after their test. 

Could they do it? They didn’t know. They only hoped they wouldn’t have to.