Without words, it seemed like a mutual understanding formed between TO and Flit. Flit didn’t seem like they wanted to ask anything about what happened in the tunnels, and TO wouldn’t bring up Flit’s decision to meddle with the brain alterations of so many synths. At least, they wouldn’t for now. After simply speaking with Flit for a while without letting their anger dictate their actions, they realized how hard it was to stay angry at the older synth, and how tiring.

There was a lot to be worried about, a lot to be angry with, and TO just didn’t have it in them to stay angry with Flit. Maybe someday, in calmer times, they’d talk about everything again, but for now…

For now, there was just too much to deal with. At Flit’s suggestion they decided to check on GiDi, and TO’s civilian friends. This might have had something to do with their decision to simply not be angry at the moment. If they stayed angry at Flit, how could they hope that Petra and Lendulin wouldn’t be angry at them?

“Maybe I should wait to see them.” TO said as Flit led them down a hallway. The older synth already had directions from GiDi as to where GiDi and the others were, so TO was just following them. “Maybe I should wait until they want to see me-”

“And if GiDi could have seen you right away when we brought you here, and they didn’t, how would you feel about that?” they asked as they glanced into the water that ran alongside them in the corridor. There was something in the water, swimming by them. At first TO thought it might be a fish, but all too soon they realized it was one of those cocopods swimming through the murk. They recoiled, and edged away from the water. “You’re better off at least trying to see them now.” Flit continued. “Even if they’re mad at you, at least they won’t think you just ignored them.”

TO sighed as they followed along, “You don’t know Petra, though.” They said, “You’ve not seen how angry she gets when she talks about synths. Lendulin was angry enough with me; Petra might want to kill me!”

“Well, at the very least, I can guarantee that she won't do that.” Flit said, though their ears twitched with faint amusement. “At worst, she might take a swing at you, and I’m sure Pearla can hold her back. Besides, she’s already been talking to GiDi so she knows you’re synths already, and they’re probably prepared for that. I also imagine GiDi warned her that you’re coming.” They glanced back. “If GiDi thought she’d be dangerously violent, or that it was a bad idea, I’m sure they would have told us not to come.”

That was probably true. Still, they didn’t look forward to seeing Petra, to hearing her accusations. Her normal hatred of synths was bad enough but they had been lying to her all this time and now she knew. How angry would she be for their deception? What if she simply ignored them, or pushed them away like the other synths had when they discovered TO’s deception in training? The idea made them feel sick as their wings tightened around their shoulders.

Soon, they were back at the communal bunks that TO, DH, and Avery had stayed in the day before. Flit opened the door and stood aside to let TO enter before them.

It was a lot more chaotic than TO thought it would be. Children ran around, chasing each other on a combination of limbs, tails, tentacles, and wheelchairs in various states of disrepair. TO recognize a couple of people right away; Marissa and Pearla were going from person to person, sometimes providing a bundle of clothes, sometimes with a container of food and a bottle of water. There were others helping as well, but they were people that TO didn’t recognize.

What startled them most was the children. They had seen no children in the tunnels, and somehow assumed that there weren’t any there. Of course, they had seen a few children in the Outer Ring, hadn’t they? They recalled the tentacled children, and their mother who called them into the house when TO and DH walked by. There were children that laughed at them too when one of those bugs got too close to their feet-

There were likely lots of children in the Outer Ring— a place where there were technically no residences. The implications hit TO hard; where did they go to school? Residential location dictated where a child got their education, so where did these children go to school? Where did they get medical help if they were sick? If their parents couldn’t get jobs, then how did they get food or clothes?

Did the leadership of Arkane know so many children lived in the Other ring? They tried to tell themself that there probably weren’t as many children there as they worried about, but if the people here were any sign… Well, there were about twelve adults that TO didn’t recognize. The children easily outnumbered them two to one. Maybe more.

The Outer Ring wasn’t fit for children, and children had no control over where they ended up. Either the government of Arkane knew it and allowed it, or they simply didn’t know. Apathy or Incompetence.

If it was Apathy, then that was just another of those things that were ‘allowed’ by King Decon.

Their thoughts fled their mind as someone tackled them, a body of nearly pure muscle driving the air from them. Was it a trap? As they fell to the ground, they wondered if it was law enforcement in disguise, or if the insurgency just decided that it was time to deal with the synth in their midst.

It was neither. It was Petra who tackled them. They assumed that this was the start of her attack on them, and they raised their hands up to protect their face. She dashed their assumptions the moment she spoke.

“You asshole.” She choked. “I was so fucking worried about you.” 

======

GiDi and Pearla came over to pry Petra off of them and help them up. Of course, the moment she was upright Petra lashed out and slapped TO hard on the arm, drawing a pained yelp from them.

“That hurt!” TO yelped, rubbing their arm where her sinewy hand had struck.

“Good!” she snapped, “I don’t know if that was for lying, or for letting me worry! I thought you and DH drowned in Thalassa!” She looked behind TO, and brightened momentarily when she saw Flit, then frowned.

“They’re not DH.” she said, then turned to Pearla, “You said they both survived-”

“DH is… well, they’re helping with a medical thing.” TO said. “They have some medical training, and wanted to help Goretta. She's a doctor that-”

“I know who Goretta is.” Petra said with a glance at Pearla, “She helped Pearla a lot, unofficially.”

TO nodded, “Well… They’re helping another one of us now, and DH is helping her.”

“Good. I don’t know if I want to slap them or hug them either. I’ll decide when I see them.”

Pearla led them to the nearest bed, where they could all sit down among the clamoring children and too-quiet adults. “Y’all just talk right here.” She said, “We have a lot of work to do, and a lot of the people here are in shock.” She sighed as two children ran past them, screaming with laughter at their game of chase. “I’m only happy that the kids don’t seem too bothered; the younger ones, anyway.” 

A thought suddenly crossed TO’s mind. “What’s going to happen to them?” They asked, “I know you said you smuggled people off planet, but-”

“We’ll keep them here if they want to stay.” Pearla said, “And we’ll get them on safe planets as soon as possible, but who knows how long that’ll take.”

“We just have to keep them healthy and fed until then.” GiDi said, “Thankfully nobody got badly injured.”

“Nobody you saved anyway.” Petra added.  

“We have to hope nobody gets too sick, either.” Pearla said with a sigh, “We don’t have a lot of supplies, and a robbery would be too risky.”

“I’ll get another gig.” Petra said. “That way, I can get more food, and I’ll monitor the medicine cabinets and take anything we might need.”

“Unwise.” GiDi said, “Besides, I doubt there’s going to be many big parties right now with the lockdown and I’m sure people are going to be far more careful with their supplies now.”

Petra stared at GiDi for several long moments, then turned to Pearla. “I still think that the oddest part of all this is that your partner is a synth-”

“Chilacian.” GiDi said. “I’m not a synth, I’m a Chilacian.”

Petra shrugged, “I don’t know what the difference is.”

“Synths work for King Decon.” Pearla said, “Chilacians don’t.”

That made sense to TO. To be a synth was to hold this wonderful, elevated position as a servant of King Decon. Even if they were technically the same species, how could someone like them be the same as a synth? Synths didn’t leave King Decon’s service and didn’t have friends or mates.

“... That’s probably the best way to describe it.” TO said. “And I guess in that vein… I’m not a synth anymore either.”

“I’d say you never were, but I don’t think you’d want to hear that right now.” GiDi said as they put a hand on TO’s shoulder. “I’m happy that you’re not, though.” 

“Alright, look.” Petra said, sitting upright, her tail lashing against the bed, “I’m still pissed at you. I’m glad you’re safe, but you were a fucking synth this whole time, and you didn’t tell me!”

“I couldn’t.” TO said, their ears dipping down. “I explained that to Lendulin-” The stopped and looked around, “Where is Lendulin?” 

“Tham led her to some place where you  two hid food.” Petra said, frowning, “I said he’s injured, and it could wait, but he insisted he get it as soon as possible.”

“And it doesn’t matter if you told Lendulin everything because she didn’t tell me anything!” She glared at Pearla, “Neither of you did, and you’re not a synth, and you’ve been my friend for years! I thought you'd have told me!”

“You had enough trouble!” Pearla protested, “I didn’t want to make more trouble for you!” 

Petra huffed and turned back to TO, pointing a long finger at them, “You, I’ll consider forgiving on one condition.”

“What’s that?” TO asked, leaning forward, their ears twitching. They didn’t realize they’d be so desperate for her forgiveness, or so eager to make things right between them. TO hadn’t realized just how much their new friends actually meant to them.

“I want you to tell me the truth. About everything. Why you came here, why you didn’t report me, why you became our friends, you and DH… Everything!” 

TO gave a relieved sigh. All she wanted from them was the truth and right now, that was something they could offer her.