“I’m recording this for when Pholi gets back.” Vik said, “Keep in mind though, this is going to be directed at us; you know, the lower classes and such.”

The image of the bird person looked out at its unseen audience intently, as though watching those in the room carefully, searching for a guilty person among them. “Early this morning, our capital city suffered a vicious attack from the Despair Insurgency, targeting our most vulnerable citizens in the Outer Ring, destroying homes, and killing seven officials.”

Seven. That was the number. That was how many. TO’s head swam, even as they felt DH’s eyes on them, felt their fingers twine with their own. Seven people. Seven families. 

“Such obvious shit.” Tham grumbled, “We didn’t attack them.” Goretta nudged him and shushed him. He whispered an apology. 

“During a routine examination of the tunnels—graciously offered by the Arkanian Government as affordable housing for those in need—the Despair Insurgency destroyed valuable and important infrastructure. Not only were many robbed of their homes in the attack, but they trapped half of the residents on the other side of an exposed sinkhole. The attack also diverted the flow of water, leaving many who depend on water for easy transportation trapped.” 

“I was expecting them to deny that the authorities were down there, or say that they showed up later because of the attack.” Vik said; but they spoke so softly that Goretta didn’t bother to shush him. 

“While authorities have escorted many from the tunnels, many more are missing. It’s likely that the insurgency took the missing citizens to use as leverage against the Arkanian government. This act follows the attack on Thalassa, where the insurgency also captured many of those taking advantage of the government’s Debt Repayment Plan.”

The screen flicked to a video, showing a tall, bug-like person in a pristine uniform walking with a few other Arkanian officers.

“While the insurgency has as yet made no demands, General Gyrini has said in a statement that the increased insurgent activity is likely a precursor to further attacks.”

Gyrini herself came on the screen, speaking to the camera. Close up, she looked severe even to TO; her mandibles looked strong. Her four eyes, though round, were dots that formed an arrow on her face. And she moved with a restrained calm that reminded TO of ice-cold water.

“There will be further insurgent activity.” She said, speaking in a clear voice that was entirely devoid of any regional dialect, punctuated only by the clicking of her mandibles, “The attack on Thalassa, and the disappearance of the synths working here was a much larger attack that we’ve seen recently. With the lockdown in place, ‌the insurgency will grow desperate. Desperate people make mistakes, and it’s only a matter of time before they make one, or I find one that previous authorities in charge of this situation have missed.”

“Huh.” Vik said, turning to TO, “I think she just took a jab at you a lot.” 

“A jab?” TO said.

“Yeah. she insulted you. You’re the ‘previous authorities’ that she’s talking about.” 

TO shrugged, their wings tightening around themself. Was it a deserved jab? Probably. TO had killed seven civilians. Seven civilians had nothing to do with the insurgency. 

“What do we know about this person?” GiDi asked, “Anything?”

“She’s in charge of security for this quadrant of the galaxy.” Vik said, “A big-shot. Normally she wouldn’t come to a planet like this, but I guess where so many synths have gone missing, they wanted someone highly competent to deal with things before more synths arrived and the place went under full martial law.” 

“So they send her to deal with things before King Decon’s forces show up.” GiDi said. It was so odd to hear GiDi speak of ‘King Decon’s forces’ as though they weren’t part of it. Of course, they weren't. Neither was TO. 

“We can only hope that King Decon’s forces arrive soon.” The anchor said as the screen flicked back to his artificial visage, “Not only have we seen an increase in the frequency of large-scale attacks - the attack on the Holding Center, Thalassa, and now the underground tunnels. In all three vicious attacks, the casualties have only risen. There was a loss of several guards in the attack on the Holding Center, many people in Thalassa-”

“Notice how it doesn’t say ‘citizens’ there, because most of the people who died were indebted.” Tham said, “And they died because there weren’t enough escape pods for them.” 

“And with today’s vicious attack, the remains of several law enforcement personnel were recovered after a cave-in. Authorities have not confirmed cause of death on all casualties-”

“They drowned.” Tham said, “Our luck that they were right over the spot we were targeting.”

“You destroyed their path just before they got to the other side. I told you it was close.” Vik said, “And if you hadn’t, then they’d have taken a lot more people.”

“But evidence from limited remains shows not just murder, but mutilation.” the anchor looked out, their feathers down, “a special agent– who would have survived the fall thanks to his equipment– was found apart from the others. While details of the attack are currently being withheld from the public, authorities have described it as ‘vicious’ and ‘repugnant.’ With this new level of ruthlessness displayed by the insurgents, authorities are asking civilians all over the planet, but especially on Okoia, to be especially careful when leaving their homes or traveling to dangerous districts.”

Vicious? Had they really been vicious? No, it wasn’t. It wasn’t vicious, or ruthless, or anything of the like. TO didn’t try to hurt anyone! The civilians fell because TO didn’t even know they were overhead! They were only trying to help — 

 — Help the insurgents. 

 — Help Tham. And the only reason they were trying to help Tham was because GiDi wanted them to. Besides that, the agent — 

 — Official Law enforcement- 

Attacked first, so was it really their fault if —

“TO, it’s ok!” GiDi had their hand on TO’s arm, squeezing. “It’s ok. You don't’ have to explain anything-” 

They had been talking? Where was DH? DH had been holding their hand just a moment ago, and now they weren’t?

“Well, I’m glad someone doesn’t!” Tham snapped, “When the anchor said that, all of you gave me such dirty looks — ”

TO hadn’t even realized they were talking, the thoughts in their head spilling out in a chaotic slew of words.

“And the anchor is full of shit.” Tham said, snorting in the screen's direction. “It wasn’t ‘vicious’ at all. It was quick.” he nodded at TO, “The agent attacked me first, and shot me in the arm!” he gestured to his bandaged arm. “TO stopped the agent who was attacking me, that’s all —” He held up his hand in imitation of shooting a gun, “He just used this blasting setting on the multi-gun. If I could fly, I would have been the one doing it, and then yeah, you’d be demanding an explanation from me, wouldn’t you — “

There was blood. Tham’s blood. Red, not blue like TO’s own blood. There was the way the bodies twisted. They aimed the shot at the agent with their multi-gun on the blaster.

They could now consider what damage could be done with such an attack. It certainly must have shattered their armor, and likely most of their bones, too. It was ‌likely that their skin and their clothes were all that held the body together. They could see it. They had killed seven. Mutilated one. They did it to protect an insurgent-”

Someone touched their arm. They expected it to be DH, but it wasn’t; It was Avery. Avery, looking at them with their ears low in concern.

“Come on.” They whispered.

TO looked around for DH, but didn’t see them right away. Were they gone? Did they leave? Why would they leave without telling TO anything?

Unless… Unless the news of what TO had done was too horrible for DH to stomach.

TO let Avery pull them into the hallway, away from the many voices now talking behind them. 

======

They only went a little down the hallway and around one corner, before Avery stopped them and told TO to sit down. They did so gratefully, leaning against the wall and sliding down, their wings around them, their legs curled up to their chest and their head resting on their knees.

“Do you want anything?” Avery asked as they knelt before TO. TO could only shake their head.

“DH, are they-”

“They asked me to get you somewhere quiet while they went to get some medication for you.” They said, “The stuff they give me.”

TO shook their head, “No, you need it.”

Avery didn't argue. They just sat down next to TO, silent. Distantly, TO could still hear the muffled voices of the others talking not too far away.

Seven civilians. One was an agent. Mutilated.

“I think one civilian saved from Thalassa has a crush on you.” Avery said after a few long minutes. “The octopus girl. Marissa‌ is her name, I think? She’s the one that spoke to you yesterday?”

One moment, TO’s mind was spinning with images and numbers, and the words of the anchor. The next. The next had them just staring at Avery in abject and utter confusion.

“... What?” The topic seemed so out of place that it made TO’s mind just freeze.

“Yes. The one that stayed around looking for her brother. She ran up to me, said Hi-” They gestured to their own face, “Turned red from head to tentacle, then went absolutely pale when she saw I wasn’t you.”

TO frowned. “She could tell?”

“Well, she got a better look at my wing.” Avery said. “I’m ‘the one with no scars’ DH is ‘the one with the face scars’ and you’re ‘the one with the wing scars.’” They grinned, “But you’re also, apparently, ‘the really nice one who saved a bunch of indebted.’ so that’s good.”

“... But what does that have to do with-”

“Oh, she asked where you were.” They said with a smirk, “she wanted to know when you’d be back, and asked me how often synths like GiDi ‘get along so well’ with people like her.”

“... with civilians?” TO asked, their ears twitching. “I get along just fine with Lendulin and-”

“That’s not what I meant.” Avery sighed and slumped against the wall. “I cannot believe how dense you are. DH must have gone through torture.” They looked at TO, “She was asking to see if she’d have a chance at an intimate, romantic relationship with you.”

“Oh.” TO said, their ears dropping and flushing. “Why?”

Avery shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t know how or why people choose things like this, how some people are friends, others suddenly decide they want more.” They shrugged again, “I told her that DH was your mate, and you were-”

“What?! You told her-”

“Everyone here knows. Mostly. She didn’t. But it doesn’t matter here.”

They fell silent, TO left with the confusion over this civilian, wondering why she’d be interested in such a way.

“... Was she upset?” They asked, knowing how devastated they would feel themself they realized DH wasn’t interested in them.”

“Oh no. Not really.” Avery said, “She was more curious than anything else.”

“Right.” They said, In the silence that followed, the memories of why they were in the hallway, the bodies, the news report, the seven lives just gone by their actions crept back in, twisted at their stomach, and made their ears droop. It was just earlier that morning that they killed a handful of civilians, and Avery was here talking about a civilian who had a ‘crush’ on them? Why?

“I’m surprised…” TO said, “... You’re not going to ask-” 

“No.” Avery said.

“I didn’t want to hurt anyone.” TO said, clutching at their knees.

“I know.” Avery said, “But I also know that the last thing I wanted to do after my examination was talk about it. So… I figured ‌I could offer a distraction instead.” They tilted their head at TO, “I thought you’d be interested to know about that civilian. Oh, and TO and Vik are getting on well. I think they have a new friend.” they leaned back. “I couldn’t understand a word they were saying, but they were talking about programming, and DH seemed to have fun, so that’s good.” 

A distraction; a way to keep their mind from focusing on everything that had happened, at least until they had to; until DH came back with medication, and they had to explain what happened to them.

“So long as they’re happy.” TO said. They remembered how they met GiDi so long ago, how quickly DH became friends with them, and how stupidly worried they had been about being replaced. That fear hid deep inside them. The certainty that DH loved them and wouldn’t leave them for anyone or anything covering them up muffled them so TO couldn’t hear the scream of their own uncertainty.

No, DH wouldn’t ever hate them, not even for killing seven civilians.