Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Entry 1 - Day 0

I am going to fucking die. 

If I don’t die from Super Cancer, I’m going to die of malnutrition, or possibly exposure. And if that doesn’t get me, I’ll be killed for my shoes or coat, or because I looked at the wrong person funny. If somehow I manage to not get mugged, I’ll die instead from being killed by yet another brutal government crackdown for the high crime of…existing, I guess? Oh, and if the lastest progrom doesn’t get me, maybe the extra-dimensional demon invasion will kill me instead. 

Assuming, of course, I am not already dead and this is just my dying hallucination before my brain runs out of oxygen. 

If you’re reading this, somehow, consider this the last will and testament of James McCoy. Doctor James McCoy, actually. Fuck me. I survived medical school for this? 

If you’re wondering how I know that I am going to die, it’s simple. I’m on Terra. Even better, near as I can tell, I’m in Ursus, in the city of Shiraziberg (wherever the fuck that is). On Terra, life is brutal, and in Urusus, life is cheap. At least the vodka is cheap too, though I’m not inclined to give myself steatosis. There are enough ways for me to die already. 

Now, you may be wondering, “James, what’s the big deal? Plenty of people live in Ursus, and they do just fine. As long as they’re not Infected. You’re not Infected, are you James?”

I sure as shit hope not, but here’s where the sudden twist comes: I ain’t an Ursus. Ursine? Whatever. I don’t got bear ears. Or whatever the fuck they’d call them here. You see, I’m just a regular old Homo Sapien. We only have one set of ear, no feathers, or scales, or any other animal bits like the natives here do. I showed up here last week. Bit of an unplanned trip. 

How? Doesn’t fucking matter. But I know Terra, even if I’ve never been here. 

And I’m going to fucking die. 

Entry 2 - Day 6

Well, it’s been a couple of days, and I’m not dead. An impressive win streak for myself that I do hope to continue. It seems to be summertime, or what passes for it here in wonderful Shiraziberg. It’s actually warm enough that I’ve been sleeping in alleyways and on park benches and surviving. Or, well, I was doing that. Somehow, things have gotten better. 

I’m still shocked an Emperor’s Blade hasn’t shown up and killed me. That would be just my luck. 

Anyway, for the first few days, I was living rough. Eating out of trash cans, staying low, trying to not go completely fucking crazy. My phone didn’t get any signal, so not only could I not do my dailies, but I couldn’t communicate with anyone. I’ve been journaling on it, fun! My one way of trying to keep my sanity. Too bad I can’t use it to farm 1-7. Ha ha, funny in joke, please laugh. 

I had no contacts and no money that anyone would accept, and I was scared shitless, so I stayed out of the way. Interestingly, I spoke the local lingo, despite the fact that I very much do not speak Russian. I am passingly fluent in Spanish, but you can thank Mr. Carrasco for that. I guess these bears speak English? Only, not really? I can sort of tell I’m not speaking English, but there’s a Babel Fish or something in my ear that helps me out. 

Well, after a few days of lying low, I was starting to calm down and thinking things were going to be alright. I was shuffling about, trying not to look conspicuous, but it was hard. My clothes, well, they don’t stick out like a sore thumb, but they’re a bit off. A decent jacket, slacks, and nice running shoes. At least I wasn’t wearing scrubs. The atmosphere here is…dingy. This is a factory city or something, and there’s soot everywhere and the air quality is shit. I thankfully had a few N95 masks in my pocket, old habit, so I had one of those on to filter the air a bit. 

As I was walking, I heard a scream and shattering glass, and I knew something bad had happened by the way people were shouting. I swore, but I started running in the direction of the commotion, pushing my way through the crowd that had gathered. Sure enough, there on the ground, was a young boy, about 10 or so. They were installing windows on the building above us, and a pane of glass had fallen and shattered. It thankfully hadn’t hit the kid directly, but there were shards of glass in his chest, left arm, and right leg. Some of them not inconsiderably small. 

I guess they don’t do safety glass in Ursus. 

I was already pulling on my gloves and pulling out the small first aid kit I take with my everywhere. I shouted, “Doctor, step aside!” and people listened. There was a crying woman next to the boy, his mother, I guessed. 

“Hello, I’m Doctor James McCoy. Is this your son?” I asked the woman as I did a quick visual exam. There was blood, and a lot of it, and glass everywhere. I had to approach carefully so I didn’t end up with a cut myself. The woman had a fragment of glass in her hand, but it was small and superficial. It could have cut a tendon, but it was obviously a low priority. 

“I, yes, this is my Kolya. Doctor, please, you must help him!” 

“I’ll do what I can, ma’am,” I said, and took out my scissors and cut away the boy’s jacket. There were plenty of fragments in his chest, but that didn’t explain the heavy bleeding. Some of those were serious, but I wasn’t going to mess with them. This wasn’t the time or place to be pulling out glass shards. “Any pre-existing conditions I should be aware of?”

“No, none!” 

I nodded. That was good. The problem was the leg. I pulled my belt off, making another quick cut to confirm my suspicion. Yep, large fragment, right along the medial side of his right femur. It had cut the femoral artery. 

“I’m going to need to apply a tourniquet,” I told the woman, wrapping the belt around the leg and gritting my teeth as I tightened it as much as I could. The blood flow eased, then stopped, and I secured the tourniquet, then continued to triage. 

The wounds were tricky: You don’t want to pull out the glass shards and potentially cause more damage, and some of those could have been quite deep. However, he was breathing alright, even if he was getting tachycardic. Taking off my jacket, I grimaced at losing my one warm piece of clothing, but I used it to stabilize the head and neck as I bandaged the cuts there. He’d hit his head on the pavement when he’d fallen, and I was pretty worried about a serious head injury on top of everything else. After that, I quickly bandaged the wounds on the arm, one fragment of glass had completely penetrated the lower arm between the radius and the ulna and was sticking out the other side, but seemed to have miraculously missed the anterior crural interosseous, though it was still bleeding pretty badly. 

That done, I did what I could to apply pressure to the chest wounds. Didn’t look like a lung had been punctured, rib cage was doing its job, but it was still massive trauma in the right pectoral and, oof, the hypogastric region. Pray God that it didn’t puncture the intestines. 

I was feeling pretty damn out of my depth and hopeless. I may have graduated from medical school and earned the title of Doctor, but I hadn’t started my residency yet, and this was the sort of thing you would see in a nightmare ER scenario. 

So involved in treatment was I that I completely missed it when the ambulance arrived after what felt like forever. Two EMTs hopped out, masked and gloved up. I nodded to them, and briefed them. 

“I’m Doctor James McCoy. We’ve got a severed left femoral artery, proximal to the kneecap. I’ve applied a tourniquet. Possible head trauma, recommend full spinal stabilization.” I ran through the rest of it, then paused. The medics were working, getting the kid on a body board, but they were looking at me expectantly. I searched for a moment, then kicked myself. 

“No sign of oriopathy, but recommend standard anti-infection protocols until the labs come back.”

“What?! My Kolya is not one of those filthy infected!” the mother said, but the EMTs relaxed visibly at my words. That was what they had been waiting for. 

“Thank you, Doctor,” one of them, a woman by her voice, hard to tell in the bulky safety gear, “Do you want to continue treatment?”

“I…” I hesitated. But then nodded. This was my patient. Sort of my first patient as a real doctor. “Yes. I’ll ride along to the trauma center.” 

The EMTs nodded, and I hopped into the ambulance with them. Not my first ride in an ambulance, even as a practitioner. My first had been when I was 12 and got a concussion falling out of a tree, but I’d been on a few more since then. We still didn’t take out the glass, but we did start the kid on a transfusion and applied a better tourniquet, so I got my belt back. It was slick with blood, so I just put it in a hazard bag. 

Interestingly, while everything wasn’t in exactly the same place as it would have been back home, the tools and materials were all very familiar. The ride was rather bumpy, the roads in this city were actively shit, but we made it to the hospital. 

We did the handover to the ER docs, and I breathed out a heavy sigh of relief. I went to go clean off and get out of my now blood-stained clothes, when an older gentleman with white tufts on his fuzzy ears stopped me. 

“Here, you will be needing a change of clothes, yes?” he said, and handed me a pair of scrubs. 

“Yeah, thanks,” I agreed, accepting them gratefully. 

He eyed the state of my clothes, which were wrinkled and more than a little stained from being worn continuously for several days. “Did it happen in an alleyway?”

“Busy street, actually. I, uh, tripped and fell earlier,” I said by way of excuse. 

“Hmm,” he nodded, and let me get changed. I bagged up my clothes, wondering what the hell I was going to do with them, then stepped out. To my surprise, the old guy was still there. 

“Thank you…Doctor Medvedev,” I said, reading the name tag. 

“It is no trouble, Doctor McCoy,” he said with a smile. His name tag said he was…I think the equivalent of a senior attending, or something? “Physician of the highest category” was what my Babel Fish was giving me, though the actual term was “Врач высшей категории.” 

“That is an unusual name,” Doctor Medvedev said as I walked towards the exit. “Please, for our records, might I see your papers?”

I slowed, then grimaced. “I…don’t have mine.”

That was a lie, my license, newly minted, was in my wallet. It’s just that it was a California Medical Lisence, and wouldn’t mean shit here. 

“Ah. That is most troubling. You are not impersonating a physician, are you? That is a most serious crime.”

I sighed and turned to Doctor Medvedev. “Look, I saved Kolya’s life. Maybe not the most impressive doctoring ever, but I was being a good Samaritan. I’m not trying to con my way into a job. Honestly, I probably should have just walked by, because, well, I don’t have any papers proving who I am. Not that you’d recognize, anyway. But, well, I took the Hippocratic Oath, same as you, and I couldn’t leave a little boy to bleed out on the street.”

“Hippocratic Oath?” the old doctor’s brow furrowed, and I kicked myself. I began to sweat. 

“Uh, you know,” I then recited not the Oath I’d taken when I graduated from UCLA Medical School, but one that I was familiar with due to my gambling addiction. “‘May I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times.’” 

Hearing that, Medvedev’s dark expression cleared, and he smiled. “Ah, why didn’t you say you were with Rhodes Island? Yes, I respect your work in Oripathy Treatment a great deal, even if it’s not popular here in Ursus. Though I do understand why you would, perhaps, not wish to show your papers.”

“Uh, thanks,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “Yeah, I sort of…didn’t want to spread that around. I know RI isn’t popular everywhere, and, well, neither are people from Columbia.” 

If Ursus was basically Russia, but somehow worse, then Columbia was more or less America, but with that Manifest Destiny cranked up to 11 and with extra exploitation. I hoped I could pass for Colombian. It was mainly populated by…shit, bird people? What were they called again? Anyway, I could probably pass for a frog person, since it was pretty hard to tell them apart from humans from what I remembered, and I THINK there were some in Colombia? I probably should have read more and pulled less, honestly. 

“Hmmm. There isn’t a Rhodes Island outpost here in Shiraziberg. And unless I miss my guess, you’ve been living rough, Doctor McCoy. How did you end up here?”

“I was supposed to go to Kawalerielki in Kazimeriez. But, there was an unexpected Catastrophe, followed by bandit attacks. I’m actually just a Resident, I was supposed to work in the Rhodes Island clinic there. I was studying for a specialty as a neurologist, especially working with the Infected,” I explained, making half of that up on the spot. I had been very interested in Neurobiology, mostly because neurologists make a fuck ton of money, and it would make sense that if you were going to study oripathy that neurology would be one path forward there.” 

“Hmm, interesting, I usually see those who want to study oripathy take the vascular route, but the effects of oripathy on the nervous system are certainly something we could afford to better understand,” Dr. Medvedev said, stroking his short salt and pepper beard. He nodded. “So, you’ve graduated medical school, then?”

“Trimount University Medical School,” I said with a nod, praying he wouldn’t look too hard into that. And that it was a real place. Turns out it is, by the by. 

“Very good, very good. Hmm. Well, I take it you don’t have any papers or contacts?” 

“No, sir.” I let my shoulders slump and scrubbed my face with my hands, letting just how defeated and tired I was shine through. “And I’ve lost all my papers, and I have no idea how to even begin to get in contact with anyone.”

“Well, at least you speak Ursine quite well. You have a bit of a Colombian accent, but not too bad,” Medvedev said with a nod. “Here, I’ll take you to the cafeteria and get you something warm to eat while I consider what to do with you.”

He was as good as his word, and while the food was, well, pretty bad hospital food, I’d never tasted anything so good, and wolfed down two portions. As I ate. Dr. Medvedev, who told me to call him Sergei, asked me a few basic medical questions. I could tell he was checking my credentials, and I did my best to answer. I think I probably flunked the oripathy questions pretty hard, and admitted my studies in that area were poor, but I think I did OK on the rest. Some of the harder ones baffled me, and I had to admit I had no idea what those presenting conditions would mean, but he seemed to accept that a first-year resident wouldn’t know this stuff. 

“I have some contacts who are familiar with Rhodes Island,” he said when I was done eating. “Not strong, but they are the experts in oripathy treatment, and while that is not my speciality, I try to keep up.”

“Even with how the Infected are treated in Urusus?” I asked, then bit my tongue. Probably not the right thing to ask.

He grimaced, glanced around, then leaned forward. “I do not approve of how my nation treats the infected. Oripathy is dangerous, yes, but it’s not an easily transmissible disease, as the peasants believe.”

“Not until the very late stages, before that, even basic precautions are enough,” I said with a nod. “And if it’s acute or that terminal…well, there are signs, and they can be quarantined.”

“Yes. We should do more to help them than simply send them to the gulag. So, I will reach out to my contacts. In the meantime, I will have you help me at my own private clinic. I am getting old, and there are always more patients than I can see. Plus, it will help you continue your training.” 

“Thank you, sir. Is the clinic here in the hospital?” I asked, feeling truely grateful.

“Yes, I mostly work in cardiology. Not your chosen speciality, but if you want to work with the Infected…”

“A solid understanding of the vascular system and cardiology would definitely be of benefit,” I agreed. 

“As for where you can stay…my wife and I are alone now, our sons moved out a decade ago, but we keep a spare room. You’re welcome to stay with us.”

I could not believe my luck. And, so, for the past couple of days, I’ve stayed with Sergi and Ivanka Medvedev. Ivanka is an old babushka who really wants someone to mother, and has picked me. From the pictures I’ve seen, their boys are both at least a decade and a half older than I am, and married to boot. One’s a business manager of some kind, the other a bureaucrat, both work in other cities. Communication on Terra is pretty dogshit compared to what it is back home, so they don’t get to speak to their parents often. 

As far as rotations went, well, I did alright, actually. It was pretty much like any other residency program. The equipment, while again a bit odd, was definitely stuff that I figured out how to use fast enough, and Ursi are physiologically not that different from humans. They’re generally bulkier and their pulse and blood pressure are slightly different, they’d be hypertensive and bradycardic oddly enough, but I figured it out real quick. 

I did also to ask to borrow Sergi’s books on Ursine physiology, explaining that the ursus population in the Trimounts was fairly low and I was used to liberi (bird people), perro (doggos), and zalak (rodents), and that I’d studied up on kuranta (horsies) since they were predominant in Kazimierz. He accepted that, and hit me with a real zinger. 

“Forgive me, but I’m not entirely certain which race you are. You appear…anura?” 

Uh, I think that was frog person, but I had a better answer after some thinking cap time. “Aegir, actually. I’ve actually been having a problem with dry skin,” I said with a grimace. “You don’t have any moisturizer, do you?”

He brightened at that and nodded. “Ah, yes, are you semi-aquatic?”

“No, no, though I get real dry if I don’t take long and regular baths. I’m a pretty good swimmer though,” I said with a smile. It was true: I swam in high school and had made State, though I hadn’t been good enough for college. I was pretty good on boats as well, and loved surfing when I could get out on the waves. 

Sergi provided me with some skin cream that I made sure to apply nightly, and I also made a point of taking long soaks in the bathtub. I loved it, even if it wasn’t really necessary for my biology like I led them to believe. Aegir ranged from fish people to squids to my precious Orca Waifu, but humans are just kinda boring.

Why am I even telling you this? Who the fuck is going to read this anyway? Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Ivanka found me an adapter that somehow charges my phone, so the cool thing is it won’t run out of power, ever! 

Shit, I might not even actually die after all.

Entry 3 - Day 19

Fuck. I am so going to die now. 

I think I just gave myself super cancer. 

Worse yet, the Emperor’s Blades are DEFINITELY after me now. 

On the positive side, I think I saved a kid's life. On the negative side, me doing that is why the Emperor’s Blades are certainly going to try and kill me. 

Let me back up a bit. 

During my first day on rotation at the hospital with Dr. Medvedev, he confirmed that I could not use Arts.

“How are you with a standard Arts apparatus, Dr. McCoy?” he asked me, and held up a small wand with a glowing green tip on the end. 

I made a face and took it. “Honestly, I have zero aptitude for this stuff. It did cause some problems, but I was always told I could still become a doctor, even lacking Arts ability.”

He laughed and smiled. “I have very little facility with Arts myself. Can barely even heal a cut, even with a wand like this. Well, no matter. It’s quite true you don’t need ability with Arts to be a good doctor. Honestly, I was hoping I could have you use it. I’m always having to call a nurse.”

That was the end of it for a while. I secretly tried to use the wand a few times, but I couldn’t feel anything beside a faint tingle, or get it to do jack shit, so that was the end of that. Or so I thought. 

A few days later, a kid came into the hospital with his mom. I wasn’t on rotation with Medvedev at the time, he’d passed me off to Doctor Tatiana Kuznetsova. She was a 30ish Attending who seemed happy enough to have an idiot Colombian intern follow her around.  

We had just admitted a new patient who’d come in with his mother, complaining of full-body aches, fever, and heart palpitations.

“Hello, I’m Doctor Kurzetsova, this is Student Doctor McCoy, he’ll be assisting me today if you don’t mind,” my attending said as we stepped into the room. 

The patient in question was curled up on the table, whimpering and trembling. He had on a thick jacket despite the warm weather, as well as a cap, and his nervous mouther was clutching at his hand. She appeared terrified, and I could easily see why: the kid looked to be about 10 or so, and he was in bad shape. 

“Yes, please, just help my Andrey,” the woman begged. 

I stepped forward, already wearing my safety gear. There’s a lot more safety stuff doctors wear on Terra, and for good reason. Oripathy is deadlier than even HIV/AIDS, and while it’s almost as hard to spread, there are exceptions and it’s best not to take risks. So I had on full gloves, mask, face shield, and my scrubs were a bit more heavy duty. Not that it would matter. 

“When did symptoms start?” I asked, even as I knelt down by the bed. “Hey, big guy. I’m going to need you to look at me, OK?” 

I examined his eyes, and noted his pupils were dilated, probably because of the pain, even as I hiked up his sleeve and put a cuff on his arm and checked his pulse. He was tachycardic, even for a human, which in an ursus is real bad news. 

“BPM is 92, 121-92,” I reported.

“Andrey, he has been sick for two weeks, but it keeps getting worse! I did not want to take him to the doctor, we do not have much money, but he has been crying so much,” the mother said. 

“Fever?” Dr. Kurzetsova asked me.

“He’s at 39.8,” I reported (their temperatures seems to be in Celcius. This is high, though Ursine body temperatures are typically about .1C higher than humans, their average 37.1, so this was a high fever). I looked to the mother. “He on any medication?” 

“Paracetrov, two pills,” she said. That’s acetaminophen, close enough to what I would call Tylenol. 

“Adult, or children's?” I asked automatically, though I did wonder after the words were out of my mouth if the dosage was different here. 

“Adult,” she admitted.

I looked at Kurzetsova. “That’s 1000mg here, too?”

She nodded grimly. “Well over the standard dose. He weighs what, 45 kilos?”

“Forty-four,” the mother said, and I gritted my teeth. That was about 97lbs, the dosage for that weight would have been 500mg every 4-6 hours. This was double that. 

“So he’s on an adult dose of an analgesic and antipyretic, and he’s in this much pain and with that much fever? We might need to consider a-”

I paused, as I had rolled up the other sleeve. The mother gasped, hands flying to her face, eyes wide. Doctor Kurzetsova looked over and swore, “Son of a Sarkaz whore!” 

There, on Andrey’s arm, small black crystals were poking through the skin. The boy's eyes were watering with pain, and he looked at me, pleadingly. 

“Please, doctor. Make it stop. It hurts. I can feel it in my skin. It hurts so bad.” 

“He’s Infected?!” Kurzetsova hissed at the mother, who shook her head rapidly.

“No, no, he can’t be, I- those weren’t there, I swear! Please, I’ll just take him home, I-”

“We need a full crash OIP right now!” Kurzetsova was saying, but the rest of her words were lost to me. 

I could…feel…the crystals. Even through my gloves. 

Slowly, I removed Andrey’s jacket, and he sat there, trembling. There were black crystals on his right arm, spreading up to his chest. I ran my hand over his shirt, and I could feel more of them. 

“Acute oripathy,” I mumbled to myself. “This spread quickly, didn’t it?”

Andrey didn’t say anything, of course. He was just a kid. I pressed my gloved hand to the crystals, and I heard Kurzetsova swear at me. I ignored her. The crystals…hummed. I could feel them. Like they were warm. Could feel them all over Andrey’s body, in his body. Circulating through his blood.

I am not real sure how I did it. Or what I did. I do know why. This kid was in pain. Dying. Probably pretty damn fast. There are two types of Oripathy. The kind you see in Rhodes Island, at least in my experience, is Chronic. It takes months, years, even decades to progress. Crystals that slowly grow throughout the body, spreading, multiplying, and causing great pain and damage. The prognosis is always terminal, but the death can take an agonizing eternity for the sufferer. There’s no cure, only treatments to slow the progress.

The other kind is Acute Oripathy. It spreads rapidly. I hadn’t even known it existed until I started studying here, though I guess there was an offhand mention of Misha having it in the anime. Acute Oripathy spreads throughout the body in a matter of days or weeks. It’s terminal within no more than 90 days from the first onset of symptoms, which typically begins mere hours after infection. 

The differences between the two kinds are vague based on the literature I’ve read so far. My best guess is that both the infectious load and the type of infection determine the type of oripathy. I desperately need to learn more. 

Well, if I survive. Because what I did next was stupendously, monumentally, stupid.

I could feel the oripathy humming. Pulsing. Feel the originium crystals in Andrey’s body growing. They called to me. 

So I called back. 

Andrey screamed in pain as the crystals ripped out of his skin and tore through my gloves, absorbed into my hand. I screamed in pain, too, the shock of it horrifying. But I didn’t stop. There was now blood everywhere, but I could feel those crystals in Andrey’s body. I was getting them out, somehow, and the only way he lived was if all those crystals were removed. 

Additionally, as soon as the originium hit my blood stream, a fire started burning in my veins. It wasn’t hot, but cold, a terrible, burning cold that drove the breath from my lungs and made me see stars. But in that pain, I felt…something. Energy, I guess? And I was, for the first time, able to use Arts. 

Even as I ripped the crystals from Andrey’s body, I began to heal the boy. I turned the energy from the Originium into life energy, healing energy. It was unfocused and uncontrolled, but it did knit back together his wounds as fast as I made them. Even as I ripped apart Andrey’s organs, which were already crystalizing into orignium shards instead of functioning tissue, I re-knitted them back into what they should have been. 

When I finished, some minutes later, Andrey was out cold, his flesh pale. There was blood absolutely everywhere, coating me from head to toe. My own clothes were torn and ragged, as I pulled the crystals out of Andrey’s body, and into my own. And I hurt . That fire was still freezing my veins, making my breath come in ragged gasps, and I could just feel the Super Cancer spreading through my body. 

“Shit!” I gasped and stood up, grabbing my stethoscope and putting it with clumsy hands on Andrey’s chest. No heartbeat. I swore, and shouted, “CODE BLUE!” and started chest compressions. 

“Step aside, please,” a calm, unfamiliar voice said. I shiveled my head around, then had to look down. A pair of fuzzy pink ears that didn’t even come up to my shoulder were by my side. I blinked, and a calm pair of blue eyes looked back at me.

“S-Sussurro?” I gasped. What I saw was a fox-girl, about 4’6”, dressed in a lab coat. Her large pink ears had a black trim on the edges, and a fluffy tail with a white tip poked out from a slit on her coat. She had on gloves and a mask, though her clothes hid the crystal growths along her neck I knew existed.

How? Well, she might be a 4☆, but Sussurro had hard carried me in IS and early on in my career as a Dohktah. Distinctly different than my career as a doctor, largely due to the number of murders. 

The little doctor, she was definitely an adult now that I did a double-take, not the kid she appeared at first glance, flicked her ears in surprise. “Yes. Please, step aside, doctor.”

I complied, stopping chest compressions. Sussurro, and it really was her, took out a medical wand like I’d seen before. She pressed it to Andrey’s heart, muttering something in what sounded like Italian. The kid sucked in a sharp breath and sat up, looking around wildly. 

“Mama!” he cried. 

“Thank God,” I said, sagging against the wall and wiping my blood-stained brow. I had thought all that had been for naught. 

“Good, can you walk?” Sussurro said, helping Andrey to his feet. He was covered in blood and his clothes were mere rags, but he nodded.

“I…I think so. Where is Mama?” 

“She was right…” I looked around, but the room was empty, save for me, Sussurro, and Andrey. 

“She fled, along with Doctor Kurzetsova. I can’t say I blame them. I was only in here for the tail end of that, and it was quite the horror show,” Sussurro said. “We need to go, now. Come.”

“What? But why? He needs treatment,” I said. “He’s got acute-”

“Whatever you just did, it’s going to be hell to pay, Doctor McCoy. And I am not sticking around long enough to find out what happened,” Sussurro said firmly. “You and the boy come with me, quick like.”

I grimaced, but nodded, and hastily followed Sussurro out. We nearly bumped into an out-of-breath Dr. Medvedev. “Doctor McCoy! Who is-”

“You are Medvedev?” Sussurro said. “We need to get these two changed, and quickly. I don’t have time to explain. Decontamination procedures.”

“I- yes, this way,” Dr. Medvedev said, and ushered us down the hall, which was completely empty. There was a shower with a curtain there for decon, and he and Sussurro ushed me and Andrey both in there.

“Strip, shower, change. Fast,” Sussurro urged. 

“What, with a patient, a kid to boot!? Do you want me to get sued and lose my license!?” I demanded.

“I want you to not end up in the Gulag or shot,” she said, shoving me inside. “Now, McCoy!” 

Andrey started crying, but I got the kid and me both out of our bloodstained clothes, he helped, thankfully, and then hosed us off with the harsh chemicals, then rinsed with water in just about two minutes. Sussurro threw open the curtain and shoved clothes at us, scrubs and not hospital gowns.

“Quickly!” she hissed. I could hear Doctor Medvedev nearly shouting with someone down the hall, and I grimaced and hastily got Andrey and me changed. 

“I want mama!” I cried, even as I helped him into the slippers. 

“We’re doctors, and your mama wants you to be safe,” I said firmly. “You need to come with us. Doctor Sussurro is from Rhodes Island. They specialize in treating the disease you have. You don’t want the pain to come back, do you?”

Hiccuping, Andrey shook his head. 

“Then I need you to be brave and come with us,” I said, grabbing Andrey’s hand. 

He nodded, scrubbing tears from his eyes, but the kid was a trooper. 

“Gavial, I need that extraction, now,” Sussuro said, lifting a radio to her mouth as we made our way away from the shouting. Behind us, the door banged open.

“SECURITY! STOP RIGHT THERE!”

“RUN!” Sussurro ordered, and I picked up Andrey and broke into a sprint, kicking off the slippers and just booking it as the kid clung to me and cried, Sussurro moving fast despite her short stature. 

“This way!” I gasped. I learned my way around the hospital a bit, and I led us towards a side entrance that led to an alleyway where the staff smoked. I wasn’t a smoker, though I’m considering taking it up with the hell my life has been lately, but I still knew where it was. 

Unfortunately, there were two armed security guards blocking the door when we got there. Both of them were big, muscular Ursines, one of them more bear than man, and both of them with big clubs in their hands. They both had on full gas masks and heavy safety gear. We skidded to a stop, but right behind us, three more security guards appeared, panting and out of breath. 

“Fucking infected trash,” the bear-man growled, raising his club. 

“Stop! I’m Doctor Lucia Sussurro from Rhodes Island! These two are patients under my protection!” my brave, but very short, companion said, holding up an ID card. 

“Shut the fuck up,” the guard snarled, and swung his club at Sussurro, who ducked under it. I gasped as another guard hit me in the back, and I clutched Andrey to my chest as he wailed. I thought was about to be in for the beating of a lifetime.

I was right about the beating, but wrong about the targets.

The door banged open, and a humanoid hurricane slammed into the rear of the two guards ahead of me. 

“EVERYBODY CHILL OUT!” the newcomer roared, even as she rammed one guard into the wall and kicked the other so hard he bounced off door he hit and went skidding across the ground. The she whipped a massive scaly green tail into another guard, knocking him into one of his companions and sending both sprawling. Her fist made a beautiful uppercut into the last guard, and teeth went spraying as she knocked him out cold. 

“Good timing,” Sussuro said, looking about. “But we’ve got to go.”

“Aw man, having fun without me, Lucia?” Gavial laughed, grinning and showing a row of sharp, crocodilian teeth. She had a long mane of green hair and pointed ears. She was actually surprisingly short, a good half a foot or more shorter than my 6’ even. I’d always pictured Gavial as a hulking giant of a woman. 

I blame the Japanese height impairment. Or Chinese, now that I think of it. I use JP voices anyway. 

“No, no time for explanations. Let’s get out of here,” Sussurro said, and motioned towards the door. She paused, then leaned towards my back. “Are you well, Doctor McCoy?”

“Fine,” I grunted. “Just a bruise. Let’s go.”

My diagnosis turned out to be correct, though I did have a pretty bad contusion on my left latissimus dorsi. 

We ran out into the alley, even as sirens began to wail behind us. 

“Oh shit, you did piss them off! Whatever did you and this kid get up to, Lucia?” Gavial asked as we ran. 

“A good question,” Sussurro panted. “Talk later. Now, hide.”

“Righy-o! Come on, I borrowed us a car!” Gavial said. 

There was a taxi waiting at the end of the alleyway, and the driver’s eyes went wide. He started to pull away, but Gavial grabbed him through the open window and hauled him out.

“Sorry, pal! We’re borrowing this! Here, for the trouble! I’ll try not to crash it!” Gavial said, and dumped a wad of blue credits on the man before depositing him on the sidewalk. 

“Stop, thief!” the cabby cried, but it was too late, Sussurro, me, and Andrey piled into the back. 

Gavial cackled with laughter as we peeled away from the hospital. Though she only sped away for a bit, before slowing to a much more moderate speed. If anything, she drove less insanely than some cab driver’s I’ve seen, which, based on her event, seemed a little out of character. 

“So, what’s up?” Gavial asked, glancing in the rearview mirror as cop cars with flashing lights sped past us the other way. “Something got those guards all hot and bothered. I thought we were just picking up a wayward intern. A rather mysterious one, at that!” 

“Uh, Doctor James McCoy,” I said, giving a weak smile as I finished buckling up Andrey, who was pale and looked frightened, but seemed to be trying to be brave. “You’re doing great, kid. This is Doctor Gavial. I know she looks like a scary lady, and she is, but only to germs and kids who don’t eat their vegetables.”

“Ha ha! And patients who don’t take their medicine!” Gavial chuckled. 

“And bad guys,” Andrey said quietly, but he managed a small smile. “You’re cool.”

“I try, kid, I try. What’s your name?”

“Andrey Ivanovich. I’m 10,” he said, giving a shy smile. “Does my mom…does she know about…?”

“I think she probably knew you had oripathy, Andrey. Which was why she was scared to take you to the hospital,” I said with a sigh. “She was right to do so.” I turned to Sussurano. “I’m pretty sure he’s got acute oripathy. There was crystal formation all along his right arm, onto the right pectoral. I felt, uh, well, I guess that’s not real medical, but I suspect he’s got a blood density level over 0.3u/L.”

Oripathy is broken down into three levels of progression. Stage one is defined as Blood Originium-Crystal Density of less than .30 units per liter. There can be minor lesions on the skin, and with an X-ray, organs might have a faint shadow of crystal formation. Stage two begins with a blood density between 0.30-.50 u/L, with moderate lesions on the skin, like those Andrey had possessed, and blurry organ outlines thanks to increased crystal growth. It’s also the point at which medical intervention has to take place, or the patient progresses to stage three. 

At Stage Three, density in the blood exceeds 0.50 u/L. Horrific skin lesions often cover the body, and they often grow abnormal body parts. Internal organs begin to shut down due to crystallization, and cases cause severe impairments to bodily functions. Inevitably, this leads to death, though it can be a long, slow, and incredibly painful death. 

As I said. There is no cure for Oripathy. Treatment administered in Stage 1 or Stage 2 can slow the progression of the disease and alleviate symptoms. But it’s always terminal. 

“Hmm.” Sussurro lifted up Andrey’s arm and examined it. “I’m going to feel your chest, OK, Andrey?”

He nodded, and she ran her hands over his right and left pectoral, then inspected his left arm. “No signs of crystallization. Are you certain, Doctor Murphy?”

“I…” I swallowed, then took a look at Andrey’s arm myself, even as we continued to speed through the city. “Well I’ll be damned. It’s…gone.”

“And when did you become infected, Dr. McCoy?” Sussurro asked. 

“Huh? I’m not, as far as I…” I trailed off as she held up my right hand. There, in my palm, were several small black crystals. I swallowed. “Oh. Fuck.”

“Hey now, there are children present! Watch your mouth, or I’ll have to wash it out with soap!” Gavial said in chipper tones. 

I began to tremble all over, clutching at my hand. I lowered my sleeve and hissed as I saw more crystal growths all up my arm. I patted my chest and found more of them there. I began to weep, shivering and sinking back in the seat. 

I was going to die. 

I was going to fucking die. 

And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. 

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Entry 5: Day 21

Turns out being a passenger on the Oripathy Underground Railroad is really boring. Especially if you can’t even make any Harriet Tubman jokes. I tried, but Sussurro just looked at me funny and Gavial seemed to think I was making a fat joke. 

“Never mind, I guess knowing about Moses is a Columbian thing,” I said with a heavy sigh. 

“You’re from Columbia? Figured by the accent, whereabouts?” Gavial asked. 

“Uh, little place you’ve probably never heard of, called San Diego,” I said. “More specifically, Carlsbad. Good surfing there.” 

Now that wasn’t an out and out lie, and I felt kinda bad. I’d have to tell these two at some point that I was, you know. Human. Homo sapiens? Damn, what was the scientific nomanclature for the various Terran races? 

“Nope, never heard of it,” Gavial said with a shrug. “I’ve been to Columbia, but only as far as Tkaronto. That was back in my merc days. Mostly stayed in Sargon and a brief stint in Bolivar. Good merc work there.”

“I’m from Palermo in Siracusa. That’s also where I graduated from medical school, though I finished my training at Rhodes Island after I was infected,” Sussurro said. 

“How’d that happen?” I asked. I probably like, should have known? But as previously mentioned basically never read any of the lore. Aside from an occasional summary video on Youtube, I got most of what I know from the anime. Which had a blink and you’ll miss it cameo from Sussurro. 

“You’ve heard of the Palermo Incident?” Sussurro prompted, and I could only shake my head. “Hmm, well, it was a major catastrophe for us, but I suppose Siracusa is rather far away from Columbia. Anyway, a factory that processed Originum exploded. Coated a quarter of the city in Originium dust. The poor quarter. I was, of course, in the nicer part of the city, attending the Palermo Medical Academy, in my third year. They asked for volunteers to help treat the infected. So I did.” 

Sussurro leaned back, her eyes unfocusing as she gazed off at nothing. “We were running out of medical equipment and supplies. I was careful, but not careful enough, it seems. Probably when I was treating one of the acute cases. So many died. I ended up infected. Since I was a doctor, well, a medic really, but I was being treated as a doctor, I got access to first-line anti-oripathy drugs. I’ve been infected for five years now, but my disease has barely progressed. Prognosis is good. Actually, excellent, considering what you did. Time will tell, but I’m expected to make it to 60.” 

I nodded slowly. “Guess you all know how I got infected. What about you, Gavial? If you don’t mind sharing, that is.”

“Nah, it’s cool. We’re all infected here,” she said, tweaking Andrey’s nose when the boy started to look overly morose. “Friend of mine, Tomimi, got caught in a mining accident. I ran in without thinking, stupid and careless, didn’t even get any PPE, not even a bandana around my breathing holes. Anyway, I got Tomimi out fine, and she was wearing gear like a sensible person, wonder of wonders. I cut myself on raw originium, got infected. Tribe wasn’t too happy about that. I told them to go to hell, and left to go to medical school. To pay off my debts, I joined a merc company for a few years. Got bored with that, so I joined Rhodes Island.” 

“You must, uh, really care for Tomimi. Was she at least grateful?” I said. Now that story, I knew. Tomimi was the biggest Gavial simp in the entire universe, and I was pretty sure they were in lesbians with one another. 

“Sure, she’s a great friend of mine. Down bad for me, too. Sucks for her I’m straight,” Gavial said with a completely deadpan expression. 

I looked to Sussurro, who shrugged. “Doctor-patient privilege.” 

Damn. That meant there was some legendarily epic tea behind that door, but also that I couldn’t pry. There’s certain things you don’t do, and trying to get another doctor to break doctor-patient confidentiality is one of them. 

Also, the yuri shippers on Reddit would have an absolute conniption if they ever heard about this. 

“Don’t get me wrong, though, I’d lay down in traffic for that girl, dumb as she is. She’s a real sweetie but tails of my foremothers, she is dumb . Hell, I think she thought shooting down my aircraft was a freaking romantic gesture.” 

“She tries,” Sussurro said, though her lips were twitching in a smile. “And she really is head over heels for you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gavial said, blowing a bit of air out to make one of her bangs flop back into place. “Ugh, I almost feel bad about the whole thing. She fell for me the moment I rescued her from that mine. Even carried a shard of originium I impaled myself on getting her out around with her like some kind of talisman. Sheesh. Like I’d ever want to see that thing again.”

“Well, must be nice to know someone wants you at least,” I said, my mind wandering slightly. I wouldn’t say Gavial was in my top ten Arknights waifus, that’s a very stacked list with my beloved Blaze at the top of the list, followed by Specter and Skadi because I have a thing for yanderes, but she was definitely moving up the list. Plus, you know…she was real now. And very attractive, alligator tail and all. I tried not to think too hard about it, though. We were already in a very awkward situation, and coming on to her would just make it worse. 

“Not much success in the romantic department?” Gavial said with a grin. 

I grimaced. “I just graduated from medical school. I haven’t had time for that sort of thing since I got my undergraduate in neuroscience. I tried dating for a bit but Tinder is fucking cancer and I just didn’t have the energy.”

“ La mia anziana nonna , I feel you on that one,” Sussurro said with a shudder. “I take it Tinder is some sort of Columbian dating app?” 

“Uh, yeah,” I lied, rubbing the back of my head. “Good for the occasional hookup, but, uh, I’m a 7/10 at best. At least I’m actually six foot. Uh, that’s 183cm.” 

“Eh, you’re not bad kid, even if you’re a bit young for me,” Gavial said with a wink. “I’d give you an 8/10 for sure.”

Huh. How old was she? Gavial looks, I dunno, mid thirties, maybe? But I’m shit at judging ages usually and frankly I have no idea how a crocodile person ages. 

“Thanks, maybe I can put that on my profile when I try dating again,” I said. “Doctor Gavial of Rhodes Island gives me an 8/10, would not date but he’s cute someone should totally pick him up!”

Gavial and Sussurro both went quiet and looked uncomfortable. After a moment, a revelation hit me. I couldn’t use Tinder again, and more importantly…

“They…they don’t let you use dating apps if you have oripathy…do they?” I asked, my voice rather tiny, and feeling sick to my stomach. It would be like dating if you were HIV+. No one would touch that who had a lick of sense. 

“There’s lots of cute operators at Rhodes Island. I’m sure you’ll find someone,” Gavial said in too chipper tones. 

“Easy for you to say. You know what happened to me and Askel,” Sussurro said, making a gesture of negation with her hands.

“He another doctor?” I guessed, though I couldn’t recall an operator named Askel. 

“He’s on Operations Team A4, a caster, not a medic,” Sussuro said, shaking her head. 

A caster on A4? That was a 3 star team, so it was either Lava or Steward, and based on context, I was guessing Steward. Huh. Guess they tended to call one another by their names when they weren’t on the clock. 

“Anyway, we just…drifted apart. He keeps getting deployed all over the place, and I’m always so busy with medical work…there wasn’t any real spark, and I could tell he was starting to develop a thing with Merry. So I broke up,” Sussurro said with a heavy sigh. 

I think Merry was Cardigan, and was…a member of the ski patrol or something? Wait, no bobsled team. Her and Steward, huh? Cute. 

“Yeah, I had to talk with both of them about having safe sex since she’s uninfected,” Gavial said with a sigh. 

Wait, was oripathy an STD? That would…sort of make sense? Shit, I really needed to look this stuff up. There was a lot different about being a doctor here. Maybe I’d have to repeat medical school. 

“Hey, you got any literature on you?” I asked, as casually as I could. 

Gavial raised an eye at me. “In front of the kid, McCoy? I’m not giving you some skin mag.”

I spluttered and went bright red, which made Gavial laugh. She dug out a phone and tossed it to me. “I take it you mean medical research, right? Here. I downloaded all the latest stuff from Rhodes Island before we came. I might not look it, but I do a lot of reading so I can keep up with current treatments. Just ask if you have questions, though you’re better off directing your questions to Lucia here. She wrote half this stuff.”

I muttered my thanks and got to reading, taking notes on my phone as I went. The formatting, at least, was pretty familiar, and to my surprise, almost all of it was in English. Or at least, it looked like English? It’s probably Victorian or something. There was a lot to chew through, but I started with the basic stuff and worked my way up. It was, at least, something to do while we waited in the basement. 

Entry 6: Day 22

Waiting around in the dark is a good way to make you go crazy. Gavial started doing calisthenics with Andrey, and I joined in. After watching for a bit, Sussurro did too. We had to keep it quiet, but Gavial was actually really good as a fitness instructor, though she did a lot of katas and shadowboxing. I’ve never done any of that stuff, so she came over and corrected my form a few times, but at least it was sort of fun. 

Aside from that, I pissed in the bucket that Igor brought down for us, we can’t even go up stairs to use the bathroom, and ate some of Kataya’s admittedly excellent cooking. I wonder if their kids would be bears, cats, or a mix? Huh. Can they have kids? I really should have paid more attention to the lore. The uh, subreddits of ill-repute I’ve visited would lead me to believe species are cross-compatible, but I don’t think H-Dojinshi are good reference material. 

Well, at least it’s good for letting me read up on oripathy. Turns out, it IS an STD, and certain precautions have to be taken when having intercourse with an infected person. Depending on the level of infection, even a kiss or any exchange of bodily fluids can result in infecting your partner. Just my damn luck. There goes the dating pool. 

Entry 7: Day 23

Well. That was a nice break from the existential dread. Now we’re running for our lives again. Because the just about the worst news imaginable came. 

It was Kataya who ran down the stairs at about 10:00 am by my phone clock, looking pale-faced and panicked. 

“Who are you, what have you done!?” she hissed, looking angry and terrified. 

“What do you mean? We’re from Rhodes Island,” Gavial said, sitting up from her upteenth game of cards with Andrey. Sussurro and I had just been talking quietly about a medical paper she’d written on treating patients with acute oripathy, but we’d stopped when Kataya had scrambled down.

“The Special Patrol has been tearing apart the city, but that we expected,” Kataya swallowed, closing her eyes as tears leaked down her cheeks. “But…but it is worse. There are rumors. I just heard from Svetlana that…that an Emperor’s Blade has been seen in the city. And they are asking questions about Rhodes Islanders.”

My heart froze in my chest. The cards fell out of Gavial’s nerveless hands, and Sussurro whimpered a “ Armi sacre dei Sankta!”

Andrey started crying. I don’t blame the kid. 

“You’re sure?” Gavial said, bolting to her feet, her tail stiff behind her. “An Emperor’s Blade, here?”

Kataya could only nod. “They have instituted a curfew. And…and they have publicly announced that they will be executing Doctor Sergei Medvedev tomorrow at noon, in the city square. They have not done public executions since…since the riots after Chernobog.” 

“Well. Fuck,” I swore, putting my hands to my head. I was familiar with the Emperor’s Blades. Mostly as a horrendously difficult boss, famous for initially being completely impossible to defeat. You just had to survive and run. They were later introduced as a boss in a side event that farted out black clouds that were so debilitating that they would render entire teams of the most elite operators completely impotent. 

“B-but Dr. Gavial…she’s really scary. You…you can keep us safe, right?” Andrey said, clinging to Gavial.

She gave him a pained smile and rubbed his head. “Sure thing, kid. One shows up and I’ll beat him until he takes his medicine.”

She was lying, and terrified. I could tell. Oh hell. Gavial was definitely the most combat-capable person here. If she was scared of taking on an Emperor’s Blade…

Kataya left, and were were collectively shitting bricks, and trying to figure out what we were going to do, when the trap door opened again. Gavial shoved Andrey behind her and growled, baring her teeth, while Sussurro raised her crossbow in trembling hands. I just sort of stood there, frozen, like a bitch. 

But it was Igor who came down. He saw the crossbow and grunted. “Put that away. If the Tsar’s sword finds you, a toy like that will be doing nothing. I am having good news. Your message, it was being received, yes? Somehow, your friends, they are coming. Tonight. We must be getting you to evac point.”

“What about Dr. Medvedev?” I blurted. 

Igor looked pained. “You will not be breaking him out, I think. Foolhardy to try. Against the city guard…doable. Against the Infected Patrol…hard, but possible for you I am thinking. But an Emperor’s Blade? Unless you are hiding an entire army inside your coat sleeve, no. Even then, would only be even chance.”

“That’s…that’s a slight exaggeration, right?” I said, glancing at Sussurro and Gavial. 

“Director Kal’tsit reportedly fought an Emperor’s Blade once,” Sussurro said quietly, and Igor looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “Her and Monst3r. They fought the Blade to a draw.”

“That is being impossible! No one can fight a Blade and live!” Igor snapped.

“It’s true,” I said, and Igor nodded, until I continued, “But she didn’t kill the Pursuer, only fought him off. And if an ancient immortal witch and her pet demon can’t kill an Emperor’s Blade…we’re turbo fucked.”

It was dead quiet, and I shivered. Then I noticed the expressions of shock and near horror that Gavial and Sussurro were giving me.

“Igor, take the kid upstairs,” Gavial said, her tone suddenly dangerous. 

“What? I cannot be doing-” Ignor cut himself off, as Gavial snarled and gave him a death glare that would have given even an Emperor’s Blade pause. He grabbed Andrey and hauled him upstairs and shut the trap door behind him.

Then I was hit by a brick wall and found myself pinned to the wall by my throat, and angry Gavial’s face about one inch from mine, her fangs bared. 

“Alright. You’ve known just a little bit too much for a while now. But that? That’s classified shit that even I don’t know all the details of. Sussurro! What the fuck is wrong with you!? You do not just go spouting off details of Operation Walk in the Dust! Just because you’ve been read into some of the Classified stuff does NOT mean you get to spill the beans on that shit!” 

“I’m sorry! I just, that’s common knowledge! What even is Operation Walk in the Dust?!” Sussurro said, wringing her hands. She spared a glare for me, though. “But how did he hear about a rumor that’s only whispered about on the landship? I heard that from Heidi herself, and only when she was completely wasted.”

“Fuck. Forget you even heard the name of that operation. I forget you’re not a senior field operator,” Gavial said with a heavy sigh. “I’ve…fought an Emperor’s Blade before. Got the low down from Doctor and the Director during Chernobog. But that shit is ultra classified.”

“You…you fought Reunion?” I gasped around the hand choking me. “B-but you guys didn’t defeat the blades, they just *urk* sort of wander off the field and you have to keep them off Ta-”

The hand tightened, and I saw stars as Gavial’s hot breath washed over me. 

“How. Do. You. Know. That.” Gavial hissed. 

I slapped at her arm to indicate I couldn’t fucking talk if she was strangling me, and she eased up enough for me to gasp for breath.

Sussurro was looking panicked now. “Gavial! Don’t kill him! If he really can cure oripathy, he’s the best hope for-”

“Shut it, Lucia! Now. You. McCoy. If that is your name. Talk.”

I gagged a bit, and Gavial gave me a bit more breathing room. “Not…not a furry.”

She frowned at me. “What?” 

“I’m not...fuck, what’s the word? Kemo-mimi…shit. I’m human!” 

“We’re all human, though I’m starting to question if you’re just a plant,” Gavial snarled. 

“Wait. Hold on. Let him down,” Sussurro said.

Gavial glared at Sussurro, but the fun-sized vulpo drew herself up to her full height. “I’m in command of this mission, Gavial. Let him down.”

She grunted and complied, and I gasped for breath and sank to my knees, massaging my throat. Sussurro stood over me, frowning. She ran her hands through my hair, which I keep relatively short. I’ve never had much time for bothering to comb my hair every day, having to shave is bad enough. Though at this point, I had more than the start to a beard going on. 

“Lucia, what are you doing?” Gavial said, sounding exasperated. “We need to know who the fuck this is, and how he knows this kind of shit.”

“Quiet. You, McCoy. Strip,” Sussurro ordered. 

I blinked at her. “Uh, I don’t think this is really the time for-”

“Strip,” she said firmly. “Now.”

Slowly, I complied. My clothes were more than a little ripe after spending three days in them, not to mention the exertion I’d been through running for my life and the workouts with Gavial. I got all my clothes off, and nervously put my hands over my privates to retain some modesty. 

Sussuro moved my hand away and, uh, inspected the goods so to speak. “Turn your head and cough.”

I almost laughed because that actually made things less awkward. “I’m a bit young for a prostate exam,” I said, but did as she told me. 

After I complied, she made me go to the center of the room so she could walk all the way around me, checking me out from head to toe. It was, uh, well more than a little awkward. Especially with Gavial looming there in the background. How the hell did someone six inches shorter than me manage to loom that well?

It’s probably the crocodile teeth. 

“What’s the capital of Columbia?” Sussurro said, coming to a stop in front of me and looking up at me, frowning. 

Oh shit. Uh, quick, what were all the Colombian cities I knew? Fuck it.

“I honestly have no clue,” I admitted. 

Gavial snorted at that. “Sure, kid. Try again. Anyone would know the capital of Columbia is Max DC. Lie and I’ll rip your arms off.”

Sussurro shot Gavial a glare. “I am in charge here, Dr. Gavial, and if I need intimidation, I will ask.”

Gavial shrugged and mimed zipping her lips, though she continued to stand there menacingly. She really probably could rip my arms off. 

“No signs of fur, feathers, scales, a tail, or any other characteristics of any known race,” Sussurro said, playing with one of her bangs. “Dr. Gavial. What does that suggest to you?”

“Huh? But he…wait.” Gavial came over and did her own very thorough inspection. She even made me open my mouth and peered inside. “Well. Fuck me.”

“I told you, I’m human! I’m, look, I’m not-”

“Not from Terra,” Sussurro finished, and threw my pants at me. “Get dressed. We really need to get you out of here, now.”

“Wait, you’re…not surprised?” I asked as I hopped into my pants. 

“Know anything about the Urals, kid?” Gavial prompted.

“They’re mountains? In Europe?” I guessed. “Uh, like, Russia, I think? Geography isn’t- oh.”

“He’s like those guys from Watchtower 33,” Gavial said to Sussurro, who nodded. 

I brightened at that. “Wait, the Rainbow Six guys are here too? So you’ve heard of uh, homo sapiens before?”

Sussurro looked at me from hooded eyes. “You know a lot of very suspicious things, Dr. McCoy. Are you even a doctor?”

In response, I dug out my wallet and gave her my California Medical License.

“Medical Board of California. Post-graduate Training License, James Leonard McCoy. Expiration 06-30-2028. Original date of issue, 05-23-2025,” she read. She showed it to Gavial, who frowned at it, then shrugged. 

I will never forgive my parents for making my middle name Leonard. At least they didn’t make it my first name. Damn Trekkies. I suppose the primary advantage of moving to Terria is I won’t get any more of those stupid jokes. 

“Well, I guess you’re legit then,” Gavial said, passing me back my liscense. “Though I take it you’re going to need some retraining.”

“Why do you think I’ve been reading like crazy for the past couple of days,” I said, pulling my shirt on. I grimaced, then said, “Sorry for not, well, telling you. I just…sorry. I should have.”

“Honestly, kid, don’t sweat it. Shit, if I ended up on a whole ‘nother planet, ancestors know I wouldn’t want to go spreading around I was an alien,” Gavial said, and gave me a somewhat sheepish smile. “Sorry about the whole scare tactics thing. I’m wound a bit tight at the moment. But kid, you have GOT to keep whatever weird alien knowledge you got rattling around in that skull of yours quiet.”

“Uh, yes ma’am, uh, doctor,” I said, feeling more than a little stupid. I mean…it had just…sort of slipped out. High stress moments and all that. 

Sussurro stayed quiet, turning her back on me and picking up the scattered cards. I knelt down beside her and helped, feeling more than a little awkward. When we finished, I managed, “Sorry again.”

“It’s fine. I’m just…re-evaluating. I conducted several of the exams on the Rainbow Six operatives, so I have a basic understanding of your races’ anatomy. I’m just kicking myself for not noticing earlier.”

“Yeah, well…I probably should have told you anyway. You did save my life,” I said, still feeling rather awkward about the whole thing. 

“You barely know us, Dr. McCoy. I don’t blame you for wanting to keep your origins secret.”

“I’ll tell you all about it later, whatever you want to know,” I promised. 

She nodded, though she still seemed rather cold. Apparently, I’d hurt her feelings pretty badly. Well, shit. At least she was being professional about it. 

“So, Operator Sussurro. You’re in command. What do?” Gavial said when we had everything together. 

“We get McCoy out of here. Get him to the evac point, and get him to Rhodes Island, fast. We already conducted several trials with extremely promising results on the other…homo sapiens. So this is of utmost importance.”

“Question,” I said, raising my hand. Sussurro gave me a flat look, but nodded. “Uh, not to sound racist or anything, but…if I’m homo sapiens…what are you two? I don’t want to keep calling you a fox lady and an alligator lady in my head.”

The stony visage cracked, and Sussurro snorted, a smile quirking her lips. “I would be homo vulpo . Gavial is a homo archosauria. Andrey and the other ursus are homo ursus . Any other questions?”

“Are Sarkaz different? Wait, no, never mind, that’s not actually that important. Anyway, I vote we go save Dr. Medvedev.”

“For someone not from around here, you sure are up on your recent scientific literature,” Gavial said, rubbing her chin. She sighed and shook her head. “But, to the second half…I ain’t in charge, but I’m gonna vote no on that one. I’m tough, kid. But when I say I ‘fought’ an Emperor’s Blade before, what I mean is, I ran like hell with everyone else and patched up the ones who survived the encounter. There were two of them, and we have four squads of some of the very best LGD and Rhodes Island operatives. When were were done, we had maybe one and a half squads of effectives, and one squad of LGD was just completely wiped out. That was WITH Ch’en and the Doctor directing things. Fuck, we just got out of their way, it was Tahlulah and Patriot that really scared them off, not us.”

Sussurro looked uncomfortable. “Gavial…Medelev has saved the lives of countless infected. He’s a good man.”

“Yeah, and? You’re the one who just pointed out we got an invaluable research subject here. Someone who can maybe, just maybe, cure oripathy. Do you know how many lives that is worth, Dr. Sussurro?”

“Annually, about ten million people,” Sussurro admitted, looking like she wanted to cry when she said it, tail and ears dropping.

My head spun at that. “Ten…ten million people die of oripathy, a year?!”

“Leading cause of death globally,” Sussurro said quietly. 

“Oh. Fuck,” I said, feeling sick to my stomach. I clutched my head. “Shit. Shit. Shit. This…this is a triage situation, isn’t it?”

“Sorry, kids. But it is.” Gavial rested a hand on both our shoulders, and when she spoke again, there was raw emotion in her voice and tears on her cheeks. I didn’t think they were crocodile ones. “I wanna go save that kind old man too. But we gotta look at the facts. I…I can’t fight an Emperor’s Blade. None of us can. Sussurro, you’re barely qualified in combat beyond being a damn good medic, and McCoy, from what I’ve seen, you’ve got the combat instincts of a newborn fowlbeast.” 

I could only nod at that. I had gotten in a few fights as a kid, never anything serious, just the scuffles boys get into. I’d got my ass whupped every time, even if we had laughed it off after. 

“We’re doctors, all three of us. So is Sergei Medvedev. So, in this situation…medically…morally…what’s the right call? It’s yours to make, Dr. Sussurro. So I’ll abide by whatever you choose. But you have to weigh it all.”

Sussurro was crying now. Ugly crying, with the snot and everything. Shit, I’m not much of a cryer, but I was hiccuping and dabbing at my eyes too. 

“W-we…we can’t. W-we…we have to…we have to let that good old man…we have to let him die…”

“Yeah. We do,” Gavial rasped, then blew her nose loudly and sniffed again. “Fuck. Look, I wanna be the cavalry, and run in there, arts blazing, and rescue that old coot and ride off into the sunset. But we have here an unprecedented opportunity. A chance to save millions of lives. And we can’t throw that away on the off chance we can get Dr. Medvedev out.”

“So, that’s it then,” I said, feeling hopeless. “Sergei’s gonna die, and Ivanka will be a widow.”

Gavial didn’t say anything, just squeezed my shoulder. 

“They tell you that you can’t save every patient,” Sussurro whispered, eyes closed. “And…and I’ve lost some. Oh God. I…I remember Leithanien, those needlefly wounds…I didn’t save everyone…”

“I read that report. You did damn good. Saved a lot of people. Remember those, Lucia. Not…not the ones you didn’t…” Gavial cut herself off and put her forearm to her face, gritting her teeth. Apparently, she’d had patients she hadn’t saved either. 

I swallowed. “I…I never…I haven’t…not yet. This would be…”

“It’s not your fault,” Sussurro said, and to my shock, she hugged me. I closed my eyes, resting my chin on her drooping ears, and squeezed back, hard. “It’s these damned Ursi and their puttana treatment of the infected!”

“We…we’ll change it. Somehow. If you gotta suck all my blood out, or-”

Gavial barked a laugh, and Sussurro and I jerked apart, staring at her in shock.

“Kid, do NOT say that around Warfarin, or you’re in for a WORLD of pain,” she gasped. 

“Uh, yeah, probably not the turn of phrase to use around a vampire, but you get the idea,” I hiccuped, trying to smile. 

Sussurro laughed, scrubbing at her eyes. “Yes. Most assuredly not. And McCoy…”

“James, please.”

“Very well, James. And call me Lucia. Just…don’t sacrifice yourself, OK? Stay alive,” Sussurro said.

I raised an eyebrow. “Coming from the woman who, without a second thought, ran into the infected quarter and gave herself super cancer.”

She reddened at that, and Gavial chuckled. “Guess we all have a bit of a martyr complex, eh? Why else would we become doctors?”

“Well, the pay is pretty good, right?” I joked.

Gavial and Sussurro exchanged looks, then both giggled. It was cute coming from Sussurro, and a bit disturbing from Gavial. 

“James, I’ll have to show you our pay package some time,” Sussurro giggled. 

“Let’s just say I would have made more opening a back alley clinic back in Sargon,” Gavial chuckled. “Anyway. We’re agreed?”

We all sobered up, and I looked to Sussurro. “I frankly don’t know the first thing about how risky this all is. It’s your call. I want to save him, but…if it’s that dangerous…”

Sussurro bit her lip, and I felt really bad for putting the pressure on her. But she nodded. “We have to get you out, James. And even if you weren’t such a high-value target…attracting the attention of an Emperor’s Blade is sheer suicide. Even if we had the full extraction squad to back us up, and there’s no guarantee we will.”

I felt sick, but nodded. “Andrey, though?”

“Kid comes with us. Ivanka too, if we can swing it,” Gavial said firmly. Then grimaced. “Sorry, I should let you make that call.”

“No, no, you’re the one with much more combat experience. My operations have all been non-combat ventures, stressful as they have been,” Sussurro said. “I’ll rely on your instincts in that matter, but I agree we get Andrey and Ivanka out. At the very least, Sergei Medvedev’s wife will survive this.”

After that, we went upstairs and told Igor and Kataya the plan. Andrey did his best to look brave, but I could tell he was terrified. Kataya cried, and Igor looked close to it, but he nodded and gruffly said, “Yes. We will get Ivanka. Sergei…the doctor is out of reach now. I was not knowing how you would rescue him before, but now…it is too risky. Yes. Come. We will make plan.”

I think this will work, though I honestly just shut up as Gavial and Igor mostly came up with the plan, with Sussurro commenting occasionally. This is one big huge clusterfuck. 

Maybe I don’t die today. 

But me living just means someone else has to. 

Chapter Text

Entry 8: Day 24

This is shocking, I know, but I am, in fact, still alive. Otherwise it would be real awkward writing this. Unfortunately, some good people aren’t. I guess this is my life on Terra now. For however long it lasts. 

After making our plans with Igor, we snuck out in disguises. Gavial was the hardest one to do, as she’s relatively tall and that alligator tail is rather distinctive in a land where more than half the population are bear people, and a lot of the rest of them are cats and dogs. They did it with a long skirt and a head covering, but she still sort of stuck out. 

I got a pair of cosmetic bear ears, while Sussurro, to her disgust, was disguised as a perro kid. They even dyed her fur brown.

“You still look cute, if it makes you feel better,” I told her while she was examining her newly dyed tail with no small measure of disgust. 

“Thanks, but I’m pretty sick of being mistaken for a kid,” Sussurro said, sounding rather disgusted. 

“Not to sound ignorant, but um, are most vulpo, you know…vertically challenged?” I asked, feeling rather embarrassed. 

She eyed me with a small measure of amusement, but shook her head. “No, I’m just a shorty, even for a vulpo. We tend to be a few centimeters shorter than perro and especially lupo, but we’re not all durin sized.”

“Well, it could be worse,” I said, and nodded to Andrey, who had on a sour expression. His disguise was a classic: Drag. If everyone was looking for an Ursus boy…then have an Ursus girl. 

“I’d rather be disguised as a man than a child, but I’m afraid I lack the height, even if binding my chest wouldn’t be hard,” Sussurro said with a grimace. She was rather slender, though anyone who mistook her for a boy was frankly blind. 

“Everyone is being ready?” Igor said, looking us over. We nodded, and Andrey schooled his face into one that looked a lot less like he’d been sucking on lemons, even if he was wearing a skirt. “Good. We go now. Keep close, yes? No getting separated.”

It was late afternoon, well before the curfew, which took place at sunset. There were a lot more guards than I remembered, along with checkpoints blocking both cars and foot traffic. The first time we were stopped, I nearly had a heart attack.

“Papers,” a guard with a full mask and respirator said. He had a sword sheathed at his hip and a shield slung on his left arm, while his partner had an automatic crossbow of some kind. 

Still, I proffered the forgery that Igor had been able to obtain in a shockingly short amount of time. 

“Yakov Nikolayevich,” I said.

The guard glanced at it. My ID claimed I was a factory worker, local to the city.

“My sisters, Lyusi and Andreeva,” I said, passing over Sussuro and Andrey’s papers. I was a bit worried I’d get called out for claiming to have a perro sister and an ursus sister, but the guard didn’t bat an eye at that, nor at their ID papers. 

“You may pass,” I said, and waved us through. I hastily ushered the “ladies” through to the other side, then glanced over at Gavial and Igor. They were let through as well, managing to pass the rather casual inspection that the guards were doing. 

“Keep walking,” Igor muttered through the side of his mouth. “We are being lucky. This route, only city guards, not Infected Patrol, or worse, the Imperial Troops that came with the Emperor’s Blade.”

We nodded and continued on at a quick pace. We didn’t have to go far, just a couple of miles, but we passed two more checkpoints, managing to make it through with ease both times. That didn’t help my blood pressure, which I could feel spiking each time I had to hand over my falsified documents. 

Fortunately, we made it through to the safe house where Ivanka Medvedev was staying. It wasn’t in the poorest quarter where Igor lived, but in a somewhat nicer, more middle-class section, nearer to where the Medvedev residence had been. We reached the house, and Igor walked up, knocking on the door in a specific rhythm. 

A moment later, the door swung open, and Igor said, “Snow.”

“Light,” the man on the other side, a somewhat sallow-faced perro by his tail and ears said. He opened the door more widely, glancing around, then said more loudly, “Ah, Demitri, we’ve been waiting for you. Come in, come in.”

We all hurried inside, and the man nodded down the hall. “Back there. I’ll stay here.”

The house itself was brick and wood, with a somewhat homey interior that looked like it would stay warm in the cold winters. Pictures lined the hall of a family, and something bothered me about them. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but Sussurro hissed at Gavial, “Hold on. This is a liberi family in the pictures.”

Gavial spun, but the sallow-faced perro had a crossbow in his hands he’d drawn from a box by the door. “Don’t make a sound, signora . Down the hall. Now.”

More men appeared from various side doors, all of them armed. All of them were perro, actually, which was a bit suspicious. Or wait, signora? Oh fuck. They weren’t perro…

“ Il latte di mia madre, ” Sussurro snarled. “The Famiglia , here?!”

“What have you done to Ivanka?” Gavial growled, her hands balling into fists. 

“She is well, signora ,” the wolf man at the end of the hall said. He was dressed in a sharp suit, and had not a crossbow like the others, but a gun. If I remembered right, that meant he could use arts, because for some reason I didn’t recall, gunpowder didn’t work here or whatever. “Come into the kitchen, and you can see for yourself. Hands where I can see them, per favore . I would hate for there to be an…accident.” 

Slowly, we moved down the hallway to a kitchen where a frightened Ivanka huddled at the table with a family of liberi; a man, a woman, and two boys. The same as the pictures in the hallway. 

Ivanka let out a strangled sob. “I am sorry! They, they were going to torture Arseniy and Kirill! We…we told them the countersign.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Gavial said, looking around. “This everyone?”

“It is, signora ,” the mafia don said with a predatory grin. He had a smooth voice, with a neatly trimmed beard. “Now, you will give us the man who can cure-”

Gavial’s kick took the don square in the gut, so hard that I heard ribs snap. At the same time, an axe and a knife flew from her hands, the knife taking one of the goons who were guarding Ivanka and the liberi family right in the neck, the axe embedding itself in the other’s forehead. 

Sussurro drew her crossbow and fired it into the gut of one of the thugs who had been shadowing us, while I let out a wordless yell and threw myself at another thug, only to get clubbed over the head for my troubles and crumple to the floor. Igor did a lot better, bellowing in rage and swiping a massive paw at a pair of lupo to send them crashing into the walls. 

Andrey, bless the kid, did the smart thing and dived under the kitchen table to stay the hell out of the way. Ivanka and the liberi just screamed in terror as violence exploded all around them. 

I had an inkling that Gavial was pretty good in a fight. Shit, I had seen her take on five security guards, all of whom were bigger than she was, in about ten seconds. But as a dozen mafiosos, armed to the teeth with swords, clubs, crossbows, and even a caster who started throwing around flashing arts that my mind couldn’t accept were real all closed in on her, I suddenly realized that she was frankly superhuman. You get an idea that operators in Arknights are tough and can do things that should be impossible, but to see it in person…I’ll do my best, but I don’t think I can really describe how incredible it was. 

Two lupo, both of them at least my own height, with shoulders so wide they had to turn sideways to go through a doorway, and neither of them with more than 10% body fat, both armed, attacked Gavial, who had nothing but her tail and courage. Turned out, it was more than enough. 

These two didn’t do the mook thing of one attacking at a time, even in the confined space. One went in high, the other low, and both of them were clearly going in for the kill. Gavial headbutted the one who went high, and blood sprayed as she shoved his nose back into his cranium. Then she grabbed the body, still in mid-air, and bodyslammed him into his partner so hard she broke the floorboards. 

Two more came at her from behind, and Gavial used her tail to swat one into the wall, while doing a spinning floor kick that hit the other in the neck, and actually broke it, probably killing him instantly. The kind of force you have to be able to do that…

Then Gavial scooped up a dropped sword, and the butcher’s work truly began. Igor was down, after his two opponents recovered, having taken a knife in the leg, and they were about to finish him off. Gavial took one of her foe’s arm off at the elbow, then followed it up with a vicious slash across his abdomen. Then she stabbed her other opponent in the groin, and left him to bleed out. 

By that point, the caster had appeared, and Sussurro was trying to reload as she ducked into the pantry door, which exploded into splinters when the arts hit it. 

The caster, however, had seen Gavial take out half a dozen men in about that many seconds, and refocused his arts on her. I shit you not, she did a WALL RUN through the kitchen as the caster fired off bolts, bellowing, “ Xinechixnamiki !” 

Two more goons, one with a crossbow he fired, the other with a sword he raised in a warding gesture, tried to slow Gavial down and give their caster time to take her out. They might as well not have bothered and just lay down to die. Gavial cleaved one from neck to groin, left the sword embedded, and kicked the other in the chin so hard she nearly tore the head off. The caster she body checked into the floor, one last arts attack going off in an explosion against the ceiling that sent plaster and dust flying. 

Then she delivered a rabbit punch to the back of the caster’s head, and he didn’t move after that. 

The whole encounter had lasted less than a minute. I had barely crawled to my hands and knees. Sussurro had finally reloaded her crossbow, but there were no more targets. All our opponents were down, most of them dead. 

Gavial coughed, tried to stand, clutched at her left abdomen, and collapsed. Swearing, I scrambled up and over to her. There was a crossbow bolt embedded in her left lumbar, and unless I missed my guess, it had probably hit her in the kidney. Additionally, she had a nasty splinter the size of a ruler in her right calf, and probably couldn’t stand. 

“Fuckers got me,” she gasped. “ Tlamamali tlen tekuani! I’m off my game… curse these skirts!” 

Did I mention she did all that in a dress? Because Gavial did all that in a dress. Holy shit. 

“This is going to hurt,” I told her grimly, but she nodded at me. I ripped out the splinter and healed the leg, making Gavial scream. The arts came easily, though it was raw and unfocused. I probably needed to learn to use a medical wand, but I re-knit the leg. 

“I…I got the bolt,” Gavial grunted. “On three. One. Two. THREEEEEEE!” 

Screaming, she ripped out the barbed bolt from her own body, spraying out blood and viscera. Looks like it had hit the small intestines as well. Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Still, I managed to get it all back together with liberal application of the arts, though I was light headed and woozy after. I stumbled over to the corner and vomited. I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing the horrific death and violence, or arts use overdose. 

“Everyone on your feet, now!” Gavial barked. I tried to stumble up, but then someone was there, putting their shoulder under my arm, lifting me up. To my surprise, it was a grim-faced Sussurro, and despite myself, I gratefully leaned on her and managed to get up.

“I…I’m good,” I slurred, wiping bile from my lips. “Help…help the others.”

“We need to move, fast like,” Gavial ordered. She’d picked up the biggest sword, and was pointing to the back door. “That commotion-”

The door burst open, and two more lupo thugs tried to storm in. Sussurro’s bolt took one in the arm, making him cry out. Gavial pounced on the other like a gator going for a zebra at a watering hole, while Igor clawed the other into a bloody mess. 

“MOVE IT PEOPLE, COME ON!” her voice bellowed from beyond. 

Sussurro was reloading, so I urged the family, Ivanka, and the two crying liberi children out the door with Andrey’s help. Igor struggled to his feet and hobbled after us, gritting his teeth. 

“It’s OK, that’s just Doctor Gavial. She’s scary, but only to bad guys,” Andrey was telling the sniffling kids. 

We hurried out back into an alley, where Death had already paid a Health and Wellness visit. There had been five more mafiosos aside from the two at the door. They were no longer among the living. Gavial had taken two superficial cuts, one to her right forearm, the other to her tail, which was lashing in irritation. 

“Where did these assholes come from?!” Gavial snarled, looking around at the gore she’d created in disgust. 

“From Siracusa. They were pushed out of Volsinii, something about a reformed judge and the last Texas,” Igor panted. “They have been causing trouble.”

I glanced at his leg, gritted my teeth, and grabbed it. “Hold still. This might sting.”

Igor set his jaw, and I used arts again to knit the wound together. It had been pretty bad, he shouldn’t have been able to walk on the leg properly for a moment, but he flexed it and grunted. “Good as new. Now, we run.”

“W-we cannot flee!” The liberi father said. “Our things, we must get them, and the children-”

“Your stuff worth your kids' lives?” Gavial demanded, and the pale parents shook their heads. “Good, now RUN! Because that much noise is going to attract exactly the wrong kind of…”

She trailed off. We were pretty far north, so despite the late hour, the sun shouldn’t have set for a while. I dunno how that works with the false sky and all, but it does. But it was growing dark, and in a hurry. Black mist was growing around us. And that meant only one thing. 

“Fly, you fools,” I whispered, picked up a kid under each arm, and booked the hell out of there as fast as I could, genuinely completely terrified. I think that was the point at which I pissed myself, but I’m not sure, it could have been earlier. 

Everyone was running at that point. Gavial had ripped off her skirt and was sprinting along, Andrey over one shoulder. The liberi parents were scrambling along with Sussurro screaming at them to move it, somehow keeping up despite her short legs. Ivanka was puffing and pale faced, but she was moving as fast as she could. 

But Igor…he picked up a crossbow and a grenade, and was only jogging after us. “Run! I will make some noise! Go!”

There was no time to argue, no time to plan. Igor took a sharp right, pitched the grenade into the house, and pulled out another. The house exploded behind us. I never saw Igor again. But I don’t have to imagine too hard to think what happened to the old guy. I can only hope that Kataya got out. She’d fled to another safe house once we’d left. 

We had ran only for a block when a unit of Imperial Guards, bearing pikes and spears and with riot shields, moved in from the side. Gavial moved to the side, crashing through a black door by the expedient of simply flattening it, then leading us through the building in a pell-mell scramble past some terrified residents. We burst out into the street on the other side and just kept running. To where I had no idea, but the black mist had faded, so whatever direction was away from the Emperor’s Blade was good enough for me now. 

However, I was starting to flag. Gavial had set down Andrey, and I was forced to do the same to the two other kids. They ran along, no longer crying, their eyes almost completely white in sheer terror. 

Another group of guards jumped us, this time, in a near perfectly executed ambush, save for the fact that they were fighting Gavial the Invincible, who just did not give a fuck. A sniper on the roof to either side. Gavial deflected one bolt with her sword in a move I thought was only possible in the movies, and took the other in her left shoulder. Two more groups of two burst from houses, each pair a crossbow and sword and board combo. I thought we were completely fucked.

Gavial, wounded, winded, and completely unfazed, ripped the shield out of the nearest one’s hands, then proceeded to clobber him and his partner to death with it. 

Unfortunately, the other pair were not just sitting there. Liberi mom went down with a bolt in her shoulder, diving in to shield her older son. The dad was mercilessly cut down with a sword, shielding his other child. 

I thought I was just straight up fucking dead when the crossbow guard advanced on me with a knife, but then he grunted, a bolt appeared in his waist at where his armor was weak, as Sussurro covered me. By the time the guy with the sword turned on me, Gavial whipped the shield she had around. It took sword guy in the neck, the shield sticking in the brick wall behind him. His head stayed on top of the shield. The body slumped to the ground. 

“COVER, NOW!” Gavial roared, and picked up the wounded mother as I grabbed Andrey and the other kid, diving inside the house that had just held our ambushers. More bolts thudded behind us, and I heard Gavial grunt in pain again. 

Sussurro dragged in the dad, but when I went to try to heal him, I could see there was no point. I tried anyway, but my arts, it seemed, could not bring back the dead. I was able to re-knit the body completely, but he didn’t stir. I felt tears in my eyes and tried to start chest compressions, but Sussurro dragged me over to Gavial. “Heal her! I’ll take care of the mother.”

“Where’s Ivanka?” I said, my head whipping around. I hadn’t seen her in minutes.

“She took a crossbow bolt in the back,” Gavial gasped, her eyes closed as she slumped against the wall, two bolts in her. “About half a click back. Didn’t…didn’t stop for her.”

I felt sick to my stomach, but I had already puked my guts up. I ripped out the bolts from Gavial, and she barely reacted. I did heal her back up, and when I did, she got up, but she looked exhausted. 

“What now?” I asked her.

She gritted her teeth, stayed low, and crawled over to the front window. She used her sword to lift up a cushion, which was ripped away by a crossbow bolt. Fuck. We were boxed in.

“Now, we’re fucked,” Gavial said, looking completely drained as she crouched there. Sussurro was huddled with the three children and the mother, all of them wide-eyed and terrified. I looked around, feeling defeated.

“If…If I gave myself up, would that,” I began, but Gavial’s eyes snapped open.

“James, shut the fuck up,” she growled. “I just…I need a minute.”

I nodded. Second crawled by, and I could feel my life tick away as Gavial tried to catch her breath. Even as tough as she was, she could not hope to fight the entire Ursus Imperial Guard, the City Guard, and that Emperor’s Blade, wherever it was. 

Then, there was a crackle on Sussuro’s belt. 

“Deta five-niner,” a woman’s voice said in a distinctive southern drawl. “This is Papa Bird. Y’all ready for a pick up?”

Sussurro scrambled for a second as everyone held their breath, lifting the radio to her face with trembling hands. “This is Delta Actual. We have the package in hand, with three extra boxes. We are currently engaged and surrounded. We…we do not know if pickup is possible.”

“Aw, doncha worry ‘bout that, Delta Actual! Papa Bird ALWAYS gets the packages on time! Doesn’t matter how many of them there are! Stand by for pick up, we’ll be there in a jiffy!” 

“We…we have a Blade on us, Papa Bird. You…you may need to wave off,” Sussurro said, eyes closed, her voice shaking.

There was a pause on the other side, then a new voice spoke. This one was deep, and male.  “Hey, don’t you worry ‘bout that, Delta Actual. Papa Bird Actual is in the house.”

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, and I looked over at Sussurro, who had opened her eyes. Fucking hell. “Wait, is that-” I began, but then the windows around us exploded. 

“DOWN!” Gavial screamed, and the world was engulfed with light and sound as flashbangs went off. 

I didn’t see all that went down then, I was too dazed and bleeding from my burst eardrums and my mouth from biting my own tongue. But when I came too, Gavial was grappling with an absolutely enormous imperial guard. She roared and shoved him back, drew a knife, and stabbed him in the heart, before dropping herself, gasping for breath, covered in dust and blood, more than a little of it her own. I tried to shout as another Imperial Guard loomed over her, raising a battle axe for a fatal blow, but no sound escaped my lips. 

I heard what sounded like faint pops, but with my blown eardrums was probably incredibly loud automatic rifle fire as bullets sprayed. The Imperial Guard fell over, dead, and an angel flew in through the window, guns akimbo, a wide grin on her face. 

“Heya, Gavial! Looks like you got quite a workout! I heard you have a couple packages for delivery? I’ll just need you to sign here first,” the red-headed angel said with a wide grin, though her voice was tinny and distant. 

My first glimpse of Exusiai was not what I expected. Instead of the typical delivery girl uniform she wore in game, she was dressed more in her Vitafield skin, though instead of shorts, she had on full-length combat pants. She even had on a full face mask with goggles to protect herself from all the originium that was being thrown around, though that didn’t stop the quips. 

“Exu, am I glad to see you,” Gavial said with a sigh. Sussurro had gotten up somehow, and was busy healing Gavial, but the older doc shook her off and stood, rolling her shoulders. “Didn’t think they’d send PL for us.”

“When you need a package delivered, no ifs, ands, or buts, you call for best, because we’ve got the guts!” Exusiai said, and despite the mask, I could hear her grin. Then she spun about and fired off another barrage of bullets, which probably left some poor bastard dead or bleeding out. No rubber bullets this time. “Now come on! I’ll try to handle it with care, but this pickup is gonna be bumpy!” 

We scrambled outside, where three more figures were engaging the Imperial Guardsmen. One was a blur of motion with twin swords, flashing across the battlefield almost too fast to track. A rain of swords preceded her wherever she went, impaling her foes in an incredible display of combat arts. That would be the Last Texas. I half wondered if the unemployed terrorist was around, but thankfully, Lappland wasn’t present. 

The other two had raised shields and were holding the line in front of a black VTOL that had set down in the street behind them, firing automatic crossbows that were sending a rain of bolts back at the Ursus forces.  

“We got wounded! Little help, here!” Exusiai called, then mowed down a whole squad with her twin sub-machine guns. 

The shield bearers charged forward, lowering their heads and battering aside the guardsmen they were fighting. Both had ox horns, but they were so heavily armored head to foot with and gas masks on that I couldn’t tell who was who, though I suspected Croissant and Bison. Damn, they really were calling out all the stops. 

We moved in a tight formation back towards the VTOL, whose rotors were thumping the air loudly and kicking up gusts and dust all around the aircraft. There were no markings that I could see on it, and in fact, none of the operatives around me had any distinguishing markings. I had expected the Penguin Logistics logo front and center, but I guess this was an actual black op. 

We had nearly reached the craft, when the sky went dark again. The black mist didn’t so much creep this time as flood into the square, covering the ground. Texas finished off a group, then backflipped smoothly to land beside us, twin blades raised in a high guard. 

“He’s here,” Gavial growled, her eyes darting around. She’d picked up a shield and a battle axe, and her tail was swishing back and forth in irritation. 

“They said this delivery would be interesting,” Texas said in a deadpan. “Seems like it.”

“CONTACT FRONT!” Exusiai roared, and opened up with both guns as a massive black shadow charged towards us out of the smoke. 

I was coughing and gasping for breath despite the N95 mask I’d put on. Sussurro was crouching beside me, struggling to breathe herself, as were the three children and the mom. I blinked through tears to watch as Texas, Gavial, Exusiai, and the two bull-horned shield bearers all clashed with the Emperor’s Blade. 

You remember what I said about Gavial being superhuman? How she obliterated squads of mafia thugs, and even elite imperial guardsman? She caught a casual backhand from the Emperor’s blade as he moved like liquid smoke. She went flying and crashed into a building, then lay in a crumpled heap. Texas had gone in at the same instant, flashing from behind the shield wall to hit the left as Gavial had gone for the right. Her rain of swords and flurry of blows were blocked by the Blade, who then nearly skewered her with his parry. Texas spun away, pain etched on her face, and the armor she’d been wearing shorn through, a bloody gash on her side. 

Then the two shields were carved in half with a single blow, even as Exusiai pumped every last round from her mags into the monster's head and chest. The bullets pattered off like they were rain. 

Close. We had been so close. We had nearly made it, but then this horror had appeared and just swatted aside people who were positively superhuman like they were nothing but bothersome gnats. 

But as they say, there is always a bigger fish. 

Or in this case, Penguin.

The VTOL suddenly shuddered, not with weapons fire, but as a deep base rumble from enormous subwoofers shook it. Out of the ramp stepped, well, what looked like an ordinary Emperor Penguin. If a penguin wore sunglasses, a black skully hat, two heavy gold chains, and a T-shirt with, I shit you not, a goat-horned Eminem with PLEASE STAND UP written on it. Instead of a rocket launcher, or maybe a full sized canon, the penguin held two things. In one flipper, a gun, which was turned sideways, gangster style. And in the other, a much more dangerous weapon.

A microphone. 

Yo, it’s Papa Bird, flyin’ high and proud,

Feathers black, royal crown, I’m talkin’ loud.

You’re flashin’ that blade, tryin’ to hurt my girls,

But I’m the sky’s king, watch me unfurl.

The blade…staggered back. The black mist fled, pushed back as a pulsing, glowing aura surrounded us. I felt energy flooding me, and my ears popped as my hearing was suddenly restored. I got to shaky feet, looking around as Gavial hauled herself up, and Texas’ wounds knitted before my eyes. 

“Ok, boys and girls! Field trips over, let’s get out of here!” Exusiai said, still chipper, but with a quavering in her voice. 

I didn’t argue. As Emperor continued his rap, we all scrambled aboard the aircraft. 

YOU. YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS, BEAST LORD. WE WILL NOT FORGET THIS TRESSPASS, the blade hissed after us. 

Emperor snorted, and continued his rap. 

Wings spread wide, empire in my claws,

You threaten my girls? Boy, pause.

Surprise, mother fucker, I’m back on the hunt,

Papa Bird’s wrath—front to front.

We stumbled inside, the hatch rising even as Emperor continued dropping bars. Behind us in the cockpit, a girl with a headset peaked out. 

“Go, go, go!” one of the horned shield guards said, ripping off her helmet to reveal Croisant’s features. She jumped into the pilot's seat even as the co-pilot, who had to be Sora, lifted us off the ground with a roar of turbines. 

Just as the hatch closed, though, the craft jolted and rang like a bell as a black sword was driven through the closed door, nearly impaling Emperor, who was at the back of the group.

He just spat on the sword, and muttered, “Bitch, please. Let’s fly, girls!” 

Despite that final attack, we wobbled off into the sky, boosting away as Croissant put on a headset.

“Strap in!” Sora called somewhat belatedly, as we were already spilled everywhere. “Or failing that, just hang on!” 

I managed to grab Andrey and shove him into a seat, buckling him tightly before doing the same to myself. The others all managed to get buckled in as the craft bucked and clanged, and what sounded like hail drummed against the hull. Exusiai went to a side door and peered out with her guns. “We got drones on us, boss!” 

“Well what the fuck am I paying you for?! Shoot them!” 

Exusiai didn’t even quip back, her weapons barking until she had to slap in a new mag. The scent of burning ozone filled the compartment, and I could only close my eyes and hold on for dear life.

“We’re clear of the city, bawss,” Croissant’s voice said after several sphincter-clenching moments. “Skies are free ‘til we hit Lungmen! Least ways, I hope so. We took a mite of damage, but I reckon I can keep Ol’ Papa Bird in the air!” 

“Keep us steady, Croissant. I ain’t payin’ overtime just cause you wanted to walk back.”

“On it, Bawss!” Croissant said with a thumbs up, then bent over the controls. 

Emperor waddled back over, and came to a stop right in front of me. I swallowed, even as the Beast Lord lowered his sun glasses. 

If you don’t know what a Beast Lord is…join the club. I think they’re gods or something. I don’t know, I just watched the PV on youtube and saw the hardest image ever of a penguin with a glock facing down a wolf god. What I’d seen with Emperor vs. the Blade confirmed what I think a lot of the Arknights community had long suspected: Beast Lords are completely cracked. That kind of arts was scary . 

“Hey. Kid. You’d better be worth this, you hear?”

“I…I don’t know that I am, sir.”

“Sir? Fuck, I work for a living, kid. Call me Boss. Or just Emps.”

“Yes sir, um, Boss.”

Emperor grunted. “When I got a call from the Old Hag with a priority one pick up…I knew shit was gonna hit the fan. Last time I got one of those…Chernobog happened.”

“I…I’m not the Ghost of Babel,” I stammered. “And I wasn’t in a Sarcophagus.”

Emperor’s eyebrows shot up. You ever seen a penguin with eyebrows? It would have been funny if he wasn’t so terrifying. “Really? Well, that’s food for thought. Fuck. I shoulda stayed home and just listened to my vinyls. Steada declarin’ war on those half demon assholes…”

He flopped into a seat beside Exusiai and strapped in. The Sankta was stripping and cleaning her guns, which didn’t even seem to have had enough time to cool, but she was diligently taking care of them. Texas had closed her eyes and pulled out a cigarette and was puffing away on it. 

Next to her, the liberi mom tentatively said, “Can…can I have one of those?”

Texas opened one eye, took a long drag, then proffered her box. The mom took it with trembling hands, and Texas offered her light before going back to quietly smoking. 

I glanced over at Gavial, but she had her eyes closed and, to my shock, seemed to actually be asleep. I guess she’d been a little worn out. Bison was trying to cheer up Andrey and the two liberi kids, but while Andrey was smiling weakly, the other two were in complete shock.

Sussurro, who was sitting beside me, was looking greener by the moment. The VTOL was shuddering and bucking in the air, so at first I thought it was motion sickness. Bison noticed and handed her a plastic bag, which she took gratefully. 

“You alright? Need any healing?” I offered.

She shook her head. “No, I…James. That was the first time…I’ve… I’ve never… killed.”

“Oh. Fuck.”

“Y-yeah.” Sussurro closed her eyes, then buried her face in the barf bag and emptied her stomach noisily and violently. I rubbed her back, feeling miserable. 

“Here,” Emperor said, and passed over a bottle of water. “First time in combat?”

Sussurro shook her head miserably. “Mostly, but before, I was just a combat medic. This time…I killed someone. A couple of someones, actually.”

Emperor grunted, and Exusiai paused her cleaning to give Sussurro a sympathetic look. “Sorry, Sussurro. I know you’re a doc and all, but hey, you did good! That was a pretty intense pick up, and you even got out three extra packages.”

“Yeah,” I said, feeling the urge to vomit myself. “But we had three more.” 

Sussurro lowered the bag and swigged some water, Bison taking the upchuck and getting rid of it. She leaned against me, looking completely drained. “James…”

“Yeah?”

“We’ll make it count. I promise.”

I managed to swallow and forced a smile. “Yeah. I’m sure.”

She drifted off then, but I was too jazzed to manage it. So I typed all this up instead. Shit. We’ll be hitting Lungmen airspace before too long. After that…who knows. I’m reminded of that last scene in Saving Private Ryan . The one where Captain Miller tells Ryan “Earn this.” 

Hell of a lot to live up to. There’s at least three good people dead because of me. How do you ever earn that? 

Chapter Text

Entry 9: Day 25

Well, I’m not at Rhodes Island yet, but I’m also no longer in an absolute dystopian hellhole. Just a mostly dystopian hellhole. 

While we did manage to fly for several hours out of Ursus, we were in pretty bad shape, and Croissant made the call to land us at the nearest safe port of call. Namely, Lungmen. 

“Lungmen control, this is Papa Bird, requesting permission for an emergency landing,” Sora said from the co-pilot’s chair as Croissant battled the flagging VTOLs controls. “We are bingo fuel and down to one effective engine.”

“We read you, Papa Bird. Stand by for further instructions.” 

We waited for a minute, the ship shuddering and rattling around us. 

“Papa Bird, you are directed to land outside the city. Sending you coordinates now. We have a team on standby to pick you up.”

“Roger, Control. Receiving coordinates,” Sora said, then turned her head. “Uh, boss?”

“Shit. That crusty old man caught wind of something. Do as they say, we’ll figure it out,” Emperor said, shaking his head. He turned to Gavial, who had a grim expression on her face. “Hey, don’t sweat it. Penguin Logistics always delivers the goods, and I ain’t markin’ this one done ‘til I drop you off in the Old Hag’s hands.”

“We going in hot, boss?” Exusiai said, reaching for a magazine to load into her guns. 

“Be ready to go loud, but don’t do nothin’ less I say so. Fuck. Last thing I need is a real beef with that crusty old dragon. Shit, this’s where my crib is! He better not lay a finger on my tunes, or Lil’ Homie gonna pop a cap in his scaly ass.”

 “My dad is gonna kill me,” Bison groaned, reaching for his helmet and slamming it down on his head. 

“Oh don’t you worry ‘bout that, boo! We’ll jess tell him we was on a hot date!” Croissant called from the front. 

“We already used that excuse last time. I don’t think he’ll buy it,” Bison told her, his voice echoing slightly in the gas mask. 

Texas stubbed out her latest cig. She and Svetla Yastrebov, that was liberi mom’s name I’d found out, had gone through an entire pack between them, and the whole ship stank of tobacco. I would have complained more about second-hand smoke if I wasn’t pretty sure that was the least of my problems right now, though I did worry about the kids. Speaking of…

“Hey should we screen the kids and their mom for oripathy when we land?” I asked Sussurro and Gavial quietly as they readied themselves for combat. 

Gavial nodded, frowning at me. “Guess you really ain’t from around here, McCoy. That’s standard procedure for everyone whenever they see combat. All that originium being thrown around? Definitely need a screening.”

“Screening immediately after action, and then another after 72 hours to measure the difference,” Sussurro agreed. She gave me a sad smile. “Is it like that where you’re from? I could never get a straight answer from…the others.”

“I mean, maybe for tetanus, but there’s no analogue for oripathy. It’s like the worst cross between HIV/AIDs and especially aggressive cancer, mixed with a zombie plague. I’m not an expert, though, I was a neurology major and only just finished medical school. Combat was the furthest thing from my mind.”

“Your home sounds wonderful,” Sussurro sighed. 

“And boring,” Gavial added with a wink. 

“Stay sharp, but weapons down,” Texas said to the team as we came in for a landing. 

“Hey, I’m in charge, Shorty,” Emperor said, which was pretty funny because while Texas wasn’t what I would call tall, Emperor only came up to her chest, even with his hat on. 

“Sure, boss,” Texas said, though she didn’t seem terribly impressed. 

“You kids stay behind me, OK?” Bison told the civis. “You too, Dr. McCoy.”

Oh joy. I was lumped in with the women and children. Well, to be honest, most of the women here could completely kick my ass, and I wasn’t sure how tough Sora or Svetla were. Shit, the damn five year old might be able to take me. Terrans are built different. 

The landing was a bit bumpy, and Penguin Logistics stormed out, Croissant leaping out of her seat to grab her weapons and shield so she could bring up the rear, hovering over me like my guardian angel. Though the angel was on point with Texas. Actually, this band of what I had thought of as goofballs was really scary. Even Emperor, who despite still wearing his street clothes, managed to be the most intimidating of the lot. 

Waiting for us were two rows of armed and armored police with Chinese, or I guess Yanese, characters on their shields. At their head was an absolute giant of a woman with green hair and a single horn poking out of her forehead. She wasn’t wearing a helmet, but she did have a massive hunk of steel in her off hand and a serious expression on her face. That had to be Hoshiguma, one of the toughest Operators in Arknights, a feat in-game which her appearance backed up.

Next to her was a much shorter woman, though I’d later see that Ch’en was of average height. Even I look a bit short next to Hoshiguma. Ch’en had a sheathed sword at her side, and sunglasses on her face to block out the morning glare. Her tail was lashing back and forth, which I guess showed irritation.

“Sup. Didn’t think the LGD would roll out the red carpet for us,” Emperor said. Interestingly, I picked up he wasn’t speaking English, or even Bear Russian. Now that I double checked, I could read those Chinese characters. Huh. Babel Fish kicking in again? 

“You caused quite the disturbance, Penguin Logistics,” Ch’en said, removing her sunglasses and frowning down at the penguin gangster. “We’ve had several rather harsh missives from Ursus, and the ambassador is demanding that Lungmen turn you all over to them.”

“Nah, dawg. We were just out for a joy ride. Ask my girls! Shit, we just picked up a few hitch hikers,” Emperor said, pointing his flipper over his shoulder towards the rest of us.

“Is that so?” Ch’en said, nonplussed.

Before things could proceed further, Gavial suddenly stepped forward. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t the weakling! Looking for a rematch, lightweight?”

Hoshiguma, who had been looking grim and imposing next to Ch’en, broke into a broad grin and stepped forward. “What is that? I think I heard something, but it was from so far down, I can barely make it out!” 

The two titans clashed, and I swear, they did the Arnold and Carl manly handshake thing, even if Hoshiguma overtopped Gavial by a head. 

“Gavial, you scaly scoundrel! They sent you on this one?” 

“Haha, you know it you overgrown ogre! When are you getting back to Rhodes Island? It's been too long since we had some fun together!” 

“Ah, you know, work keeps me busy, and…” Hoshiguma trailed off. Ch’en was tapping her foot and glaring up at her partner, while the rest of the guard was shifting and coughing with what I figured was suppressed laughter. 

Hoshi instantly straightened up. “Ahem! You’re all in a lot of trouble!” 

“Oh, give it up, you’ve already ruined it,” Ch’en muttered. She sighed. “Look. This is all a mess. I’m going to have to arrest you all and take you in.”

“Mmm, I don’t know about that,” Exusiai said, lifting one of her guns. The guards instantly snapped to attention, raising their shields. “It sounds like fun and all, but we got a delivery, see, and Penguin Logistics has a reputation to maintain! Maybe some other time, Miss Ch’en!” 

Texas just there with arms folded, sizing Ch’en up. Now that would be an epic sword duel. I’m not sure who would win; I think Arknights operator power levels probably aren’t super indicative of actual combat ability, but the lore I did know had it that Ch’en was some super awesome swordsmaster too.

“Hold up, girls,” Emperor ordered, and Exusiai lowered her gun. He turned to Ch’en. “What’s the old man’s play?”

“Bluntly? Mitigate damage. Then tell Ursus to puk gaai . But this is a conversation we need to have in private. Consider this protective custody.”

“A’ight. But ya ain’t takin’ Lil’ Homie, or the girls' stuff. Exu especially is real attached to her guns.”

“I am well aware of Sankta spiritual customs. And no, you will not be relieved of your weapons. But you will be coming with me to see Uncle Wei.”

Emperor considered that, then nodded. “‘Kay, but you need to take care of these kids. I ain’t haulin’ around no brats.”

“We’ll see to your passengers' comfort and care,” Ch’en agreed. But she pointed at me. “That one comes with us, however. And the Rhodes Islanders.”

“Right. Texas, Exu, y’all commin’ with me. Sora, Croissant, boy, you take care of the others,” Emperor ordered.

“Hey! My boo gots a name, bawss!” Croissant protested. 

“Yeah, I just don’t feel like usin’ it. Go tell your old man you just saved the world, boy. Might not even be a lie this time,” Emperor said, then waddled towards one of the vans waiting nearby. 

I fell in with Sussurro and Gavial as we approached the vans, dropping my voice to whisper, “OK, how screwed are we?”

“Depends on what kind of games Old Man Wei wants to play,” Gavial said, her tone no longer so cheery. “If Ursus is putting heavy pressure on him…it could get real bad. I ain’t so read up on geopolitics, but to call the relationship between Ursus and Yan tense is a bit of an understatement.”

“It’s been especially bad since Chernobog. Ah, you wouldn’t know about that,” Sussurro said, grimacing. 

“You mean the part where Reunion hijacked a landship and decided to use it to go ramming speed on Lungmen?” I asked. “There’s some things about this world I do know, that’s one of them.”

“You’re gonna have to tell us where you get this weird alien knowledge. But later. For now, you’re back to being an Aegir, understand? I’m not too sure how much the Yanese know about R6 and all that, but the less the better,” Gavial told us.

“Let’s just hope Chief Wei values his relationship with Rhodes Island more than he does the one with Ursus,” Sussurro said. 

We climbed into the van, and drove away from the pad. In the distance, I could see a city skyline. At first, I thought it was up on top of a hill. Then, the full magnitude of what I was seeing slowly revealed itself. Lungmen was a massive city, with a population that had to be into the tens of millions. That was sprawled out over miles and miles of cityscape.

And it was moving. The entire damn thing…was moving. 

Great tracked plates, so vast that they stretched for miles on end, were slowly making their way across the dusty terrain. It wasn’t moving fast, that’s for sure, the normal speed of Lungmen is less than a slow walk, really. Later I’d find out they usually move at about 2 kph, though they can kick it all the way up to around 25 kph if there is a Catastrophe coming. 

Still, even at that slow pace…it was absolutely incredible to see this entire massive city moving.

“How…how do they do that?” I whispered, my face glued to the window. 

“Pretty cool, huh? I always like looking at a new nomadic city when I travel as a messenger, but Lungmen is the second most impressive!” Exusiai said brightly. 

“What, is the most impressive the Vatican?” I said, then kicked myself. The Sussurro helpfully actually kicked me. 

“Hmm, never heard of it! But, biased I may be, but Laterano is the most impressive to me, and one of the oldest! To see it traveling across the mountains of my homeland,” Exusiai said, and sighed. “Sometimes, I miss my big sis and my friends back home.”

Texas grunted, and Exusiai wrapped an arm around her. “Don’t worry, Texas! I love my new home with you and my buddies! Though honestly, I miss Laterano Apple Pie!” 

“We’ll make you some when we get home,” Texas said quietly, and Exusiai grinned. 

“That’s why you’re my bestest bud, Texas! Ooo, we should get some for Sussurro and Gavial too! Oh, and you too, Dr. McCoy! You can’t say that Penguin Logistics doesn’t treat its packages right!” 

“Now ain’t the time. Y’all are still on the clock,” Emperor growled. “And watch what you say. Walls got ears.” 

Exusiai mimed zipping her mouth shut, then happily hummed to herself. I kept gazing out the window. It was all starting to sink in. I really wasn’t in Kansas anymore. And there were no ruby slippers I could click to get back home. 

Not that I’ve ever been to Kansas. I hear there’s a lot of corn and soybeans. 

To get up to the city, we entered into a massive elevator that fit the four cars in our convoy. The whole thing was over 200 yards tall, something like 20 stories. And then on TOP of that, there were skyscrapers that wouldn’t have looked out of place in any city I’ve ever been to. 

“How the hell do they engineer this?” I muttered to myself, scrubbing at my forehead. 

“With great patience and effort, Dr. McCoy,” Ch’en’s voice said through the speaker. I winced, and Sussurro kicked me again. I really need to learn to keep my mouth shut. 

We drove until we came to perhaps not the tallest building, but definitely one of the fanciest. There were more LGD guards waiting for us, and we were escorted inside. 

“I don’t suppose we’ll have a chance to freshen up first?” I remarked to Ch’en as we walked through the opulent reception room. Not a soul in sight aside from LGD. “Got a bit of blood on these clothes.”

“You will be given a chance to clean up later. This cannot wait,” Ch’en said. “My uncle will understand.”

We took another elevator up to the top floor, and then were led out into what was an extremely fancy old-style Chinese manor, basically. It looked a lot like it had in the games and anime. Though my memory was fuzzy on some things, I do know that Wei Yenwu was some sort of nobility, not to mention known as a canny old negotiator who could be absolutely ruthless when the time called for it. 

I hoped that didn’t extend to dissecting me in a lab somewhere.

We were led to a sitting room, where two very colorful dragon people were waiting for us. Both Wei Yenwu and his wife Fumizuki were more on the bestial side of things. They had prominent horns, Wei’s looking like deer antlers, while his wife’s was more of a Chinese unicorn deal. What were they called, kirin? Qilin? One or the other. The two werered, and pink, and dressed in lavish clothes. Scarlet silk robes for Wei, an orange and black kimono for his wife. Wait, was she Japanese or something? I honestly forgot, slash just didn’t know. I guess Fumizuki sounded more Japanese? Eesh, I should have read more. 

“Ah, Ch’en, thank you. Officer Hoshiguma, you are dismissed,” Wei said.

Hoshiguma bowed and left with the rest of the LGD guards, while Wei took a long pull on his pipe before blowing smoke out, studying us. Well, mostly me.

Emperor waddled forward and, without being told, flopped up onto the black leather couch. “Alright you scaly old coot. This here’s my goods, and I got a contract to deliver ‘em. So you had better believe I’m billing you for holding up my shipment.”

“Consider this…a customs inspection, you stuffy old bird,” Wei said, a faint smile of amusement on his lips. 

“Uh-huh. Girls, you go chill with tall, dark, and oni. We got some things to discuss you don’t need to bother yourselves with,” Emperor said, waving his flipper towards the door. 

“Sure thing, boss,” Exusiai said, and turned to go.

Texas waited a moment, regarding Emperor. “Boss. Call if you need us.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t sweat it, sweet thing. Some things you’re better off not knowin’.”

Texas nodded, then bowed to Wei. “Chief.”

He inclined his head slightly towards her, and Texas walked off with Exu.

“Dr. Gavial. Dr. Sussurro. I am familiar with the two of you. I have read several of your reports on the treatment of the infected, Dr. Sussurro. For one so young, your insight is impressive,” Wei said with a nod to my diminutive companion. 

Sussurro blushed and bowed. “Thank you, sir.”

“And it seems you have discovered something truly remarkable this time,” Wei continued, making Sussurro stiffen halfway into her bow. “An alien. Who, it is said, can cure oripathy.”

Ch’en sucked in a sudden sharp breath, her eyes going wide. “Uncle?!” 

“Sit, Ch’en,” Fumizuki said, patting the couch beside her. “You need not stand at attention.”

Slowly, Ch’en did sit, though her eyes were locked on me now. 

I coughed. “You know, uh, I think maybe tales of my exploits are greatly exaggerated…”

“Hmm. We will see.” Wei drew a tablet from his robes and tapped at it. “Dr. Yun. Your report?”

“Initial screening has been completed,” a somewhat thin and reedy man’s voice said. Sounded like some sort of senior attending. “I’m worried about the Liberi woman, we’re going to need to put her on close watch. She’s lost her husband and her home. The children will need a great deal of counseling as well, especially-”

“Infection status, Dr. Yun. That is what concerns me. You can see to the other matters under your own authority,” Wei interrupted. 

“Oh, yes, sorry.The boy, yes? Well, Andrey Ivanovich. Ursus, male, aged 10. Very polite child, for all the trauma. No signs of oripathy, but I would like to follow up, as any time you’re involved in combat without protective gear, there is a risk.”

“Thank you, doctor. That will be all for now. I expect a full report,” Wei said, and cut the connection. He met my eyes, which was kinda eerie since he had yellow sclera and red irises. And I don’t mean he looked jaundiced, I mean his eyeballs were actually yellow. 

“Well, I’m glad to hear Andrey’s healthy,” I said brightly. 

“How interesting. When the report I received from Shiraziberg indicated that Andrey Ivanovich was infected. As confirmed by one Dr. Kuznetsova. Her report indicates a Stage 2 Acute Oripathy infection.”

“Uh, she was a Lungmen agent?” I said, sweat breaking out on my forehead. 

“You don’t need to know who my agents are, Dr. McCoy,” Wei said, leaning forward. “Only that it is a fair bet that I have a more complete picture of what took place in Shiraziberg than you do.”

“So you got a report the kid was infected. Maybe this Dr. Kuznetsova made a mistake. Happens,” Gavial said with a shrug. “I’ve screwed up diagnosis reports before. That’s why you take a second set of labs when making a serious call.”

“It was enough that the Emperor’s Blades took a direct interest. So much so that one attempted to hunt your party down,” Wei said, taking a pull on his pipe. 

His wife nodded. “Ambassador Chekarev was screaming at us not ten minutes after Penguin Logistics was spotted in Shiraziberg, to hand over the escaped criminals immediately. To the point that he even implied Ursus might declare war to get them back.”

Oh, shit. That was bad news. 

“I sent a message to the Tsar, but I have yet to receive a reply,” Wei said, steepling his fingers in front of himself. “So. That leaves the matter of what to do with you, Dr. McCoy. Can you, in fact, cure oripathy?”

I looked helplessly to Sussurro and Gavial, who themselves exchanged glances. 

“ Inana ipilkoneuaj , Lucia, I’m out of my depth,” Gavial muttered. “I ain’t cut out for this diplomacy shit.”

Sussurro inhaled through her nose, then met Wei’s measuring gaze. “We don’t know, Chief Wei. It’s something I need to discuss with Director Kal’tsit and Chief Medical Officer Warfarin. The sample size is too small. But…this is something Rhodes Island views as the highest priority. I take it you’ve been in contact with the Director?”

“As well as the Doctor, and Chief Executive Officer Amiya. They are…rather invested in the safe return of your team,” Wei said.

“A’ight, I’ve heard enough,” Emperor said, slapping the arm of the couch with his flipper. “Wei, shut the fuck up and listen.”

Ch’en sat up straight, a snarl on her lips. “You DARE to-”

“Ch’en. Be silent,” Wei said, raising a hand, and she piped down right away. “Speak, Sovereign of Beasts.”

“You and I both know what this means,” Emperor said, taking off his sunglasses and glaring at Wei. “I been in this game longer than you, but we both know that you’re a high-class player. And what this kid brings to the table…it’s something people are gonna be goin’ all in on. So cut the bullshit. You and me both know the best place for him, and I do mean the absolute best place, is Rhodes Island. I seen the Oracle. They’re a changed person, but even if that motherfucker were the same cold fish back in the bad old days, Doc would STILL be the number one individual to entrust this to. The Ghost ain’t fuckin’ around no more. So you gotta decide what side you are on, Wei. You on the side that’s gonna try and fix this fucked up world, or you on the same side as those abominations up in Ursus who just want to devour it. Because straight up, I already picked my side. And I think you know what it is.”

“And what of the Immutable Ancient? She has a hand to play in this,” Wei said, his eyes hooded. 

“Ain’t nobody on this planet that knows what’s going on behind the Witch’s eyes. But this I do know: She’s about as invested in making sure this shit hole of a world thrives and prospers as anyone. I sure as hell don’t agree with her methods all the time. But shit, Wei. If we gotta trust someone with the best damn hope Terra has had since I was hatched, and let me tell you that was a long ass time ago, then fuck it. Give ‘em to Rhodes Island.”

Wei considered that for a moment, then turned to his wife. “And what say you, my heart?”

“While I do not agree with the crassness of the Emperor of Music, his reasons are sound. Consider this, husband: which group has the most advanced methods of treatment of oripathy? Where have we sent our niece for treatment? It is Rhodes Island. They have proven themselves honorable, and their hearts are to heal the sick. So, perhaps, they can be trusted with this burden. Even more than we ourselves.”

“I see. Ch’en?”

Ch’en blinked, breaking her gaze with me. “Uncle?”

“Say this man can indeed cure oripathy. What would you do with him?” Wei said, gesturing to me. 

“He…would be a great asset for Lungmen. And for Great Yan,” Ch’en said slowly. 

“Of that, there can be no doubt. To such a degree that I am willing to go to war with Ursus, and defy even my own Imperial Brother in retaining him here. For one thing…he could cure you, my niece,” Wei said, and he sounded…weary. Exhausted. Like he was carrying a great burden, and just wanted to set it down for a few minutes. Something I suppose I couldn’t blame him for. 

“What?! Uncle, no!” Ch’en said instantly. “My own health cannot begin to enter into this equation! For one thing, my case is mild, and thanks to my treatment at Rhodes Island, I am likely to live a long and full life, even as an infected!” 

“No more than a span of eighty years. When a Lung such as yourself should easily see her second century. I am already ninety-eight, Ch’en. And you twenty-seven. Another fifty years…I would be only middle-aged, as our race reckons things,” Wei said, then took a long pull on his pipe.

“And what of the countless citizens who are infected, whose cases are much more severe!? Are their lives not just as valuable as mine!? Should they not be the first to be cured by this man?!” Ch’en demanded. 

“Might I speak?” Sussurro said, raising a hand. 

Wei pointed his pipe at her and continued puffing, and she took a deep breath. “First of all…you make a great many assumptions. We don’t know for certain if Dr. McCoy can cure oripathy. For another…his method of treatment…at this time it would not be easily reproducible. Nor…sustainable.”

“Eyo. What you mean by that?” Emperor said, frowning at us, somehow. Despite the fact that he had a beak. 

“He has used his ability twice, to the best of my knowledge,” Sussurro said, and I nodded in agreement, but for once shut the hell up and let her continue. “The first time…he contracted oripathy in the process. Stage 2.” 

Chief Wei paused in sucking on his pipe, whie Fumizuki’s eyes narrowed. Emperor growled something in what sounded like German, “ Steck dir dein Geweih in den Arsch .”

A bird of many talents, truly. 

“The second time exacerbated the condition, even though he did not fully cure the oripathy, and the original infection was much less severe,” Sussurro said. She took a deep breath. “We…we may have only one, or perhaps two, chances to see him demonstrate this ability. We could learn a great deal from it. Or…perhaps we will find a way for him to use it more. Either way, I am going to have to keep a close eye on Dr. McCoy, or he’s going to find a way to locate a sick child and attempt to cure them at the cost of his own life.”

“I mean, I didn’t know I was gonna give myself oripathy when I cured Andrey,” I muttered. 

“That’s not what you told me,” Sussurro said. “Nor does that align with what I saw, James. You were sucking the crystals out of his body and into your own. You knew what that meant, didn’t you?”

“I…yeah. I’d studied oripathy enough to know that kind of contact would give it to me. And I knew that…well…it’s universally terminal,” I admitted. “So, OK, I had a strong suspicion that it would give it to me. But Christ’s sake, Lucia, the kid was dying right in front of me and in horrific pain! What the fuck was I supposed to do, let him die!?”

“I didn’t say that. What you did was incredibly brave. But look me in the eye and tell me that if you came across another child in the same condition, you wouldn’t immediately try to cure them, even if it would certainly kill you,” Sussurro said, glaring up at me, her ears standing stiff and straight, tail bristling behind her.

“Who the hell said it would have to be a kid!? Look, I already got three people killed, at a bare minimum! So by my math, I just need to save, I dunno, three more? Then I’ll have at least balanced the scales!” 

“And if you stay alive and we can study your ability, what if we could save a million lives? Ten million! A YEAR, James! That’s what curing oripathy would do! I get having a martyr complex, Santi e angeli , I have one too! But you do NOT get to kill yourself on my watch just to satisfy yours!” 

“I- yeah, well, maybe you’re right. But…shit. I can’t…” Tears filled my eyes, and I couldn’t even see. “What would you do, Lucia? What would you do if you had the power to save someone’s life…and you withheld it.”

“I’d have a hard time sleeping at night,” she said, and I felt her hand on my shoulder. “But that’s what makes you a good doctor, James. Wanting to save those lives.”

“Alright. I just…shit.” Someone handed me a tissue, and I wiped at my eyes and blew my nose. “Sorry. Anyway, look. If you honestly think you have a better shot than Rhodes Island at helping me save as many lives as possible, Chief Wei…I’ll do whatever I can. Not for you, not for Yan, but for all those people in your city who could be saved if, somehow, a cure could be developed from whatever it is I do. I’d do it for HER,” I said, pointing to Ch’en. “And my friends,” I pointed to Gavial and Sussurro. “Not for you.”

Wei was just sitting there. Puffing on his pipe. After a few long seconds, he stood, going over to a window, where he gazed out at the city below him. Fumizuki went to stand beside him, and he put his arm around her as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Staring at them felt…well, like a Peeping Tom, so, I turned my gaze over to Ch’en, who was looking rather gobsmacked. 

“So, uh, weird question…but, um, do you have a Super Soaker?” I asked her. 

She blinked at me. “That is…a very odd question. What is a…super soaker?”

“He’s probably talking about that weird ass gun you hauled back from Dossoles,” Gavial said. “Also, what the fuck, Ch’en? I thought you joined Rhodes Island and left these clowns behind.”

Ch’en flushed and looked to the side. “Sometimes…one’s loyalties to family cannot be overlooked. I am no longer in command of the Special Operations Unit…but I was in town visiting. When Uncle Wei called me…it was too easy to fall into old habits.”

Wei came back over, his pipe between his lips, Fumizuki at his side. “Ch’en. I leave this decision to you.”

“Uncle! You…you know I am now employed by Rhodes Island. My loyalty would be towards them…”

“And as you have already demonstrated, even though you have left the LGD, your loyalty is still ultimately towards Lungmen. So. You choose. What would be the best path forward for Lungmen?”

Ch’en gritted her teeth, closing her eyes for a moment. Then she schooled her expression and stood up. “Then I will escort Dr. McCoy to Rhodes Island. Ultimately, the best way to help the people of Lungmen would be to find a cure, or at least a better treatment, for oripathy. If he can help do that…then that would be of great service to Lungmen. And humanity as a whole.”

Wei nodded. He glanced at Emperor. “Well?”

“Ya done good, kid,” Emperor said, hopping off the couch. He clapped his flippers. “Yo, Texas!”

The door smashed open and a blur of motion swept in, swords out, Ch’en had her sword out in flash, raising to parry the lupo’s blow. 

“Hold it! Fuck, woman! I call you in here and you act like I was telling you to kill everyone? Take a damn chill pill!” Emperor squawked. 

Texas froze, blade mere inches from Ch’en’s. Then, she smoothly stepped back and sheathed her sword. Exusiai had similarly flown through the door, though on seeing Texas standing down, she breathed out a sigh of relief and let her gun hang from its strap. 

“Oh good, we get to still be friends!” Exusiai said brightly. “What do, boss?”

“I’m putting you two on extended assignment,” Emperor said, and pointed at me. “You got one job from now until I say otherwise: Keep this motherfucker alive. All other contracts, responsibilities, and trips are canceled. And I’ll pay you double overtime for the rest of your natural lives if I have to, so long as you keep one Dr. James McCoy from biting it.”

“With an exception for not interfering with my medical judgement,” I hastily added. 

Emperor shot me a look, then pointed not at me, but at Sussurro. “With an exception for HER medical judgement. Not this idiot’s.”

Texas eyed me up and down, one eyebrow up, while Exusiai’s jaw had dropped. “B-boss!? Are you…you’re serious!?”

“As a heart attack. You got a problem with that?”

Exusiai glanced at Texas, who had her arms folded, and was tapping her fingers on her elbow. “Uh, Texas?”

“Why?” Texas said.

“Bitch, because I TOLD you to do it, that’s why!” Emperor snapped.

“Uh, boss man…if you’re going to give me bodyguards…wouldn’t they do their jobs better if they knew why I was suddenly a VIP instead of, you know, Joe Schmoe?” I said.

Emperor frowned up at me. “Boy, some things is need to know. And what you can do is so need to know, I wish I didn’t fucking know. Shit, I wish nobody but you, shawty here, and maybe Miss Health and Wellness Visit knew.”

“I mean, I’m ass at keeping secrets. I’ll probably end up telling them anyway,” I pointed out.

Ch’en sighed. “He can cure oripathy, Texas.”

Texas nodded, as if that simply made sense. Exusiai, for once, was at a complete loss for words. She gestured at me, then at Ch’en, then threw her hands up and flopped backwards, though her wings made her hover a few inches off the ground instead of just hitting the floor. 

Just then, Hosiguma stuck her head in. “Chief? Everything good in here?”

“We are fine, Officer Hoshiguma. Take our guests somewhere to freshen up. Give Texas and Exusiai quarters adjoining the Rhode Islanders. Ch’en, you will return to Rhodes Island with the good doctors here,” Wei said. 

“Of course, Uncle. Come, Hoshi. We’ll see to arranging lodgings. I take it they are to stay in this tower?”

“They will depart from the rooftop pad directly on my personal craft tomorrow. We will see to it that our best pilot takes them to Rhodes Island. The landship is still in the vicinity of Victoria?” Wei asked. 

“That’s classified,” Gavial said.

“Ah. So then I should instruct my pilots to make for 51.5°N, 1.7°E? Or will it have moved by then?” Wei said dryly.

“Uncle. Stop showing off,” Ch’en said with a roll of her eyes. “We will give instructions to the pilots. Though we could not fly directly to Rhodes Island from here.”

“Stopping in Siracusa would be…unwise,” Sussurro said with a grimace. “We were attacked by a famiglia in Shiraziberg.”

Texas suddenly stiffened, her tail bristling. “Oh?” 

“Yes, thanks to the little…event…from last year,” Sussurro said. “Don’t blame yourself.” 

Texas’ eyes narrowed. “I see.”

“Well, at least bodyguarding you won’t be boring,” Exusiai muttered as Gavial gave her a hand back to her feet. She frowned at me. “Pardon my Gaulish, but what the fuck, man?” 

“You know, I’ve felt the same way ever since Truck-kun dropped me off here,” I said with a heavy sigh. 

Exusiai gave me a baffled look. “Truck-kun?”

Fumizuki, however, had snorted and covered her mouth with her hand. Oh? Did I sense a fellow weeb? Not that I was really able to keep up with new releases, but one of my dirty secrets was just how much anime I watched in high school and my undergrad. 

“It’s a reference to Higashi animated shows, specifically the portal fantasy genre they call isekai,” Texas said in a complete deadpan. “Characters who are sent to another world often die in a vehicular accident, which fans label as ‘truck-kun.’ Were you involved in a vehicular homicide, Dr. McCoy?”

I had to do a double-take on Texas, and I was not the only one. 

“Texas, what the fuck?” Emperor sputtered. 

She shrugged. “Sora likes to watch them. I prefer the isekai over idol anime, so we often alternate.”

“Damn, how many of my employees are hooking up, and I didn’t even know?” Emperor sighed. “Whatever. Kid, you stink. Go get washed up. Texas, Exusiai, go grab your shit and get ready to roll in the morning. I assume the LGD is competent enough to keep their crib secure for a few hours.”

As we left, Exusiai was pounding Texas on the arm. “You and Sora hooked up, and neither of you TOLD me?!” 

“She is not allowed to have romantic partners due to her contract. We felt it prudent to keep it quiet.”

“But I’m your BESTEST BUD! You could have told me!”

“I assumed you would have figured it out after the second time she slept over at my apartment.”

“I mean, I sleep over at your apartment, too.”

“Exusiai. You pass out on my couch. Sora was in my bedroom. Wearing my clothes.”

“...shut up, Texas. Also, congrats! Ooooo, I need to tell Croissant about this! She’s going to be thrilled !”

“Hence my previous silence on the matter.”

“Thank God there’s anime here too,” I sighed as we got into the elevator. I turned to Texas. “Any recommendations? I, uh, I’m a little-”

“You’re from Earth, like Ash,” Texas interrupted. 

I blinked at her. “Uh, how…?”

“The way you walk. Your accent. The way you refer to things,” Texas shrugged slightly. “It was obvious.”

“Wait, what’s obvious? Is he like, on Rhodes Island’s black ops team like Ash?” Exusiai asked. 

A slow grin spread over Gavial’s face. “Hey, Exu. What race is Ash?”

“Uh, feline, duh. Have you not seen her ears?” Exusiai said, making little ones with her fingers. “I feel bad about her tail, though, but that’s sensitive, so I don’t ask. I can tell hers is a prosthetic, she forgets to wear it- Texas, why are you laughing!?”

“Tell you later,” Texas said, chuckling softly. She nodded to me when my floor came up as indicated by Ch’en. “Be seeing you.”

Ch’en showed us to rooms, which were rather opulent. “You can each have your own, or share, as you prefer.”

“My own would be lovely,” Sussurro said, looking grateful. “Thank you. It’s been forever since I had a shower, Ch’en.”

“Eh, I’m easy. You wanna bunk up together, Ch’en?” Gavial asked. “We can go over tactics after I hose off.”

“That is acceptable. I will need to locate an acceptable stopover point to refuel on our journey, and I would like your input,” Ch’en said with a nod. 

They both went into a larger room together, and I put my hand on my door. Before I could open it, Sussurro put her hand on mine. “Were you, James?”

“Was I what?” I asked, confused. 

She gave me a sympathetic look. “Were you…killed?”

I felt a lump in my throat. I had to swallow before I could talk. “I…I’m not sure. Maybe. I just…I can’t think about it, right now. If I did…I’d probably shut down completely.”

“Alright. If you need to talk…”

“Thanks. I…yeah. Later. For now…I think I’m about to pass out on my feet,” I said with a tired smile.

She nodded, then stepped over to her own room door. “Good night, James.”

“Night, Lucia.”

Once inside, I stripped, then stepped under a hot shower, which had that cool pressure thingy. I turned it up to a thumping pulse, and stood under it. Then I just sat down, leaning back, letting the water wash over me. 

“Fuck.”

I’m not ready to think about how I got here. Not yet. Shit. Dunno that I ever will be. 

Just gotta keep moving forward. Earn it. I’ve got super cancer, after all. The constant throbbing in my hand and arm told me that. Gotta make every day count. 

Guess dying doesn’t get any easier the second time. 

Author’s Note:

James and Exusiai share a brain cell. Unfortunately, Sussurro and Texas are the only ones who use it. 

Chapter Text

Entry 10: Day 26

I’d like to say I didn’t sleep well, and that I was tormented by the ghosts of those I left behind. That would be a lie. Once I hit the bed, I slept like a log, and I don’t recall a damn thing. Thank God for small mercies, I guess. 

I was awoken by a knock at my door. Groggily, I sat up, blinking. The unfamiliar environment left me with a sense of vertigo, but I managed to pull on a robe that had been left by the bed and stumble over to the door, opening it a crack. “Yeah?”

Ch’en looked back at me, and proffered a bundle. “Get dressed. We depart in one hour.”

I opened the door wide enough to accept the clothing, then shut the door. I got dressed in a hurry, in unremarkable black pants and a grey shirt. There was also a hoodie, though it was a bit warm for it. I went ahead and put it on, pulling the hood up and putting on the face mask and sunglasses as well. It wasn’t the most original disguise, but it would make me kinda hard to make out, even up close. 

That done, I opened the door back up, and found Texas leaning on the wall and smoking in the hallway, Exusiai standing by the door with her gun in her hands. Well, one of them anyway. She was holding a rifle, but she had two submachine guns and two pistols strapped to her, along with grenades, ammo, and other assorted tactical gear. I didn’t get the sense that any of it was superfluous either. Both were wearing combat vests, heavy pants, and thick black boots. Texas had two extremely large swords as well as a pair of combat knives in her boots and more grenades, with a helmet dangling from her belt as well. 

“Good morning!” Exusiai said brightly. 

“Uh, mornin’,” I said with a nod. “You two, uh, stay here all night?”

“Nah, just got here. We got some rack time, no worries!” Exusiai told me. Texas just used the heel of her boot to grind out the cig, then tucked the butt away in a vest pouch. 

“So, er, what’s our itinerary?” I said, feeling a bit awkward. 

“Wake Dr. Sussorro. Get breakfast, get briefed. Head for Rhodes Island,” Texas said matter of factly. 

Exusiai nodded and went over to Sussurro’s door, where she banged on it rather loudly. “Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!” 

“Coming,” a muffled voice said, and a few moments later, the door opened to reveal Sussurro already dressed, though she had a toothbrush in her hand and toothpaste on her lips. Seeing Exusiai, she said, “ Scusami, un momento. Devo finire di prepararmi. ”

“ Non è niente. Abbiamo un po' di tempo,” Exusiai said, and Sussurro walked back in. 

She finished brushing her teeth, applied a bit of quick makeup, brushed her hair and tail a few times, then hurried back out, shrugging on a lab coat. “ Grazie. Andiamo avanti.”

“Fanno colazione così,” Texas said, and headed down the hall. Sussurro went after, so I went along with it.

“She said they have breakfast,” Exusiai told me helpfully. “Don’t speak Siracusan?” 

“No, I don’t actually speak Yanese or Russian, er Ursus, either,” I said, scratching my head. “So I’m at a bit of a loss as to who I can understand and what I can read.”

Exusiai cocked her head to one side hearing that. “Huh. Weird. That got something to do with…you know.” She wiggled her fingers and gestured with her gun, which my admittedly limited training with the Boy Scouts made me think really wasn’t proper muzzle discipline. 

“My unique situation, shall we call it? Sure. But even if I’m a proto-neurologist, I’m the wrong damn guy to ask about that. This is so far beyond my understanding of brain chemistry and nerve function we might as well be talking rocket science. Or applied magic, I guess.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it then! I’m sure it’ll be fine. Plus, you’re a doctor, right? Well, then Rhodes Island is totally the right place for you! There’s good people there, and they’ve got the best desserts in the kitchen! Ooo, I wonder if I can get Lada to make me Sharlotka while I’m there!” 

“You like apples, huh? Trying to keep me away?” I teased. 

“Hehe! I basically never get sick! Pretty impressive for a Messenger, huh? Texas is always giving me a hard time, but I take all the right precautions. You don’t last as long in this business as I have if you don’t!” 

“How long have you been a messenger?” I asked. The timeline on Arknights was a real mystery to me. I know that events hop around all over the place, like the fact that that whole thing with the haunted ghost ship didn’t happen until after the Main Theme stories did, though how much further into the future it was, I had no clue. Where I was dropped off was kinda important. Like, had the Londinium Crisis happened yet? That was stuff I probably needed to know, because if I had secret future knowledge…

Shit, this was a lot to think about. 

“Five years now! Most of it with Penguin Logistics. I was one of the first people Boss hired, me and Texas both! Though she was, um, well she had some experience prior to being hired.”

“I…might know a little bit more of Texas’ backstory than you’d think,” I said, and I noted that Texas missed half a step. Sussurro, who had been talking to Texas in Not-Italian, fell back, giving me a wide smile.

“James. What have Dr. Gavial and I told you?”

“To keep the weird alien knowledge in my head to myself. But, Lucia…they deserve to know I might know a few secrets about them that they probably maybe wouldn’t share with just anyone. Like about-”

Sussurro shot me a death glare, and Exusiai’s smile had vanished, replaced by a look of worry.

“You…know stuff about me? Like…what?” 

“Your love of apple pie, for one thing. And that you blew up your school a dozen times.”

The grin bloomed again, and her eyes sparkled. “Actually, it was 17. But it was all an accident, I swear!” 

Sussurro sighed and shook her head, “ La coda folta della mia vecchia nonna , James. Will you never learn?”

I mean I hadn’t just blurted everything about Mostima and the Fallen and the whole the Law actually being an ancient AI supercomputer that had turned Sarkaz into Sankta (I think, look, I saw the IS5 ending but I didn’t exactly read it super carefully, OK?). So I was counting this as a win. 

“I can understand one accidental explosion. I did the same thing in a chemistry lab once. But 17!? How were you not expelled?!” I demanded. 

Exusiai swelled up with pride, strutting along with a smug grin on her face. “I was considered a tad rambunctious and precocious. I got a special award when I graduated!” 

“Wasn’t that award the staff’s way of thanking the Law you were out of their halos?” Sussurro said, a small grin on her lips.

“I like to think of it as a special blessing bestowed upon them by my departure,” Exusiai said airily as we arrived at a small dining room. 

Ch’en and Gavial were already there, various maps spread out on the table in front of them. Gavial had a cup of coffee and a bun with what looked like meat filling, while Ch’en had some tea and a bowl of rice and eggs. 

“Ah, there you all are,” Gavial said, looking up as we entered. “Grab some grub, we’re struts up in 46 minutes!” 

I took a couple of those buns and a mug of joe for myself, while Sussurro helped herself to eggs and rice as well. Exusiai found some pastries with sweet fillings and chowed down, while Texas took only some coffee and sat down with Gavial and Ch’en, sipping at it. 

“Landing in Vyseheim?” Texas asked after a quick overview. 

“Yes, we’ve got contacts in the city, and they’re relatively friendly to the infected there,” Ch’en said. “We’re using the excuse that we’re an emergency medical flight, transporting VIPs from Lungmen to Rhodes Island for treatment.”

“That’s in Lethania, the deer people place, right?” I said. 

Ch’en frowned at me, while Exusiai gave me a baffled look.

“Caprinae and Elafia make up the majority population,” Gavial agreed, and pulled up some pictures for me.

Ah. Deer and goat people. A few things clicked into my mind, along with a certain evil MILF…

“Uh, Gertrude isn’t still in charge there, is she?” I asked, sweat breaking out on my brow. 

That prompted a raised eyebrow from Texas, but Ch’en shook her head. “No. She…passed away last year.”

Right. She got assassinated or something for killing Ebenholz’s lover by possessing him with Deer Sauron. Or at least, I think that’s how it went. 

That got me to breathe a heavy sigh of relief. “Oh, good. You had me worried for a second there. No objections from me, then. Though I take it I’m to stay out of sight and shut up while we’re there?”

“That would be for the best,” Sussurro said, patting me on the arm. 

“You know about the terroranschlag ?” Texas asked. 

“Uh…” I looked to Sussurro, who was now digging her sharp little nails into my arm. Through the hoodie. “No comment.”

“Mmm,” Texas said, and shrugged. 

“Uh, Bones? You mind if I call you Bones?” Exusiai said, and I cringed so hard I think my soul twitched. 

“Literally anything but Bones,” I groaned. “Everyone calls me that. I absolutely hate it.”

That was, apparently, the exact wrong thing to say. Because Exusiai’s grin turned Cheshire, and she purred, “Bones it is, then! Anyway, Bones, where exactly are you from, again?”

“Columbia,” Gavial said, and glared at me. “That’s his story, and he's sticking to it. And don’t you forget it.”

“Sorry, Exusiai. Later, when we’re at Rhodes Island. We can talk then,” I promised. 

“Hmm, OK. I can keep a secret if I have to,” Exusiai said with a shrug. 

Texas snorted so hard she nearly spilled coffee all over herself. 

“What?! I can, you know! It’s my job . I just like to chat with people and stuff! Just because everyone else can’t keep mum about things doesn’t mean I can’t!” 

Texas nodded. “She is trustworthy. One of the few people I actually trust, not just with my life, but my honor. No one better to have covering you in an op.”

“Oh,” Exusiai said, and she actually teared up. “Um, thanks, Texas.”

Texas shrugged, then reached for a fruit that looked like a banana and peeled it. “It’s true. Figured we should all be on the same page. There’s no one here who can’t pull their weight.”

“I trust Penguin Logistics. We’ve worked together in the past, and your records are exemplary,” Ch’en said with a nod. 

“For sure! Glad to have you people watching my back,” Gavial agreed. 

I just looked down at my shoes, feeling rather useless. To my surprise, Sussurro was doing the same. What did she have to feel shame about? She was a bona fide badass doctor. I was just an idiot intern over his head. 

We finished up breakfast, then headed towards the roof. As we went, I glared at Exusiai. “How the hell did you know to call me Bones?”

“Well, you don’t make no bones about you being some sort of weird alien, you know? And you’re a doctor, like a real one, and they get called Sawbones, so I figured, Bones!” 

“Just so long as you don’t expect me to tell you I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker,” I grumbled. 

Exusiai looked wistful. “I dunno, Bones. If you really can…you know. Do what they said you can…sounds like a miracle to me. And I should know, I’m a Sankta. We’re familiar with Miracles. Even the rotten kind.”

The VTOL that was waiting for us on the roof was larger than the Penguin Logistics one, and looked to be more of a luxury craft than the utilitarian vehicle we’d arrived on. It was larger, and painted brightly in red, with Wei’s personal crest on it. Wei was standing there along with Fumizuki, accompanied by Hoshigumi, leading a contingent of LGD. 

Wei stepped away from his bodyguards, and I looked up a little to meet his eyes. So far, him and Hoshi were the only people taller than me so far, though Hoshi only by a hair if you didn’t count her horn advantage. 

“Well, Doctor McCoy. It seems here is where we part ways,” Wei said. 

I nodded, and extended a hand to him. My gloved right hand, due to it now having raw originium crystals that still ached. Sussurro had given me some pain meds earlier, along with some anti-oripathy drugs. We’d talked a bit over breakfast about continuing the routine, as there were risks involved. My biology was obviously different than a Terran’s, but it was decided it was less risky to give me some basic inhibitors than not to do so. 

“Thank you, sir. For trusting me, and Rhodes Island. You could have been a tyrant. But you choose to be something better.”

Gravely, Wei took my hand. “I am a tyrant, Dr. McCoy. But I am also an Uncle, who loves his niece very much. For her sake, and her sake alone…I am willing to let you go. Know this: If I thought caging  you would have been the best route to curing my Ch’en…you would be locked away.”

“Well, then, score one for love, I suppose.”

“Indeed.” Wei turned next to Ch’en, who stood beside me, stone faced as she regarded her uncle. He put a hand on her shoulder, and nodded to her. “Go now, with my blessing. I will do what I can to support you in this, niece. Whatever storm may come…hold fast to your ideals and to your companions. They are all that will see you through this.”

“Yes, Uncle,” Ch’en said, bowing slightly. Wei patted her on the shoulder, then stepped aside. Fumizuki came up next, and to my mild surprise, wrapped Ch’en in a warm embrace, which was returned. I think I even saw the gleam of tears in Ch’en’s eyes. 

“I will miss you. Write often. Even if you are busy, find the time. Your uncle and I treasure each of your missives.”

“Yes, Aunt Fumi. I will,” Ch’en promised. 

To the side, Texas and Exusiai were approached by Emperor and the other Penguin Logistics members. Sora ran up to Texas, taking the lupo’s hands in hers. 

“I thought we’d have more time together this round…but I’ll be thinking of you, Texas, every time I perform on stage.”

“Alice…” Texas said, and Sora suddenly blinked in surprise. Texas seemed to decide something, and suddenly broke Sora’s grip, then swept Sora off her feet, bending over as she rather thoroughly kissed the pop star. 

That move seemed to shock everyone present, except for Croissant, who just nodded and muttered, “‘bout time.”

Though Exusiai did pump her fist and grin when she recovered, turning to Croissant with a raised palm, who gave her a loud high-five. 

After quite a while, Texas stood Sora back up and set her on her feet, causing Sora to fan herself and blush. “C-Cellinia! What, I mean, I thought we agreed-”

Texas took Sora in her arms again, putting one finger to Sora’s chin. “Alice. I might not come back from this one. This time…it’s serious. And since I might not see you again, I want you to know this: I love you, Alice Springs. With all my heart. So no matter what happens to either of us, or how far apart we are, my heart is always with you, amore mio. ”

Then Texas kissed Sora again, who rather enthusiastically returned it. 

“I…I love you too, Cellinia Texas,” Sora whispered, caressing her lover’s cheek. “What…what’s going on? Boss said it was serious, but-”

“I’m not a good person, Sora. You know that. There’s too much blood on these hands. But this…this is something I can raise my blade for with pride and honor. Perhaps the world will not remember the name of Texas with fear and hatred after this. I don’t know. Maybe they’ll forget me and my family entirely, and that would be for the best. Either way. This is something I have to do. Not because Boss asked me, or because I’m getting paid. But because it’s right. Because I love you. And I know it’s what you would want me to do.”

“I…” Sora closed her eyes, and nodded. “OK. I’ll trust you, Cellinia. You’re a better woman than you think. You helped a stupid, clumsy girl, and reminded her that life doesn’t have to be so lonely. Thank you. Please, be safe. And come back to me.”

“I’ll try.” With one final kiss, Texas turned to me, and strode over. “These blades are yours. My life is yours. By the Honor of the Texas famiglia, I will see you safely to Rhodes Island, and beyond.”

“That’s…a lot,” I said, feeling both honored and rather concerned. “I’m really just a guy, Texas. A first-year resident in over his head.”

“Perhaps. But you are also something more. Do not forget that. Come on, Exusiai.”

“Right behind ya, Texas!” our angel of superior firepower said brightly. She saluted me. “Well, I don’t have any fancy speeches like Miss Drama Queen here, but my guns are locked and loaded! Let’s get this party started!” 

“Ch’en?” Hoshiguma said in an overly loud whisper. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure yet, Guma. Perhaps nothing but a dream. Perhaps the start of something great. Only time will tell.” Ch’en extended a hand to the oni. “Watch over Lungmen in my absence. The LGD will need-OOF!” 

Ignoring the hand, Hoshiguma wrapped Ch’en in a bone-crushing bear hug. “You stay safe, you hear, Captain? Gavial! You watch after her, got it? She needs someone to watch her back, she’s too clumsy to do it herself!” 

“Don’t worry, Lightweight. I’ll make sure these kids stay safe,” Gavial said with a wide grin. “Someone has to be the adult in this group!” 

“And here I thought that was Sussurro’s job,” I mused to no one in particular. Gavial actually cackled and slapped her knee at that, while Sussurro sniffed. 

“And don’t you forget it, James. Alright, people. Time waits for no woman. Andiamo !”

We all piled into the VTOL, along with Andrey, Svetla, and her two kids, Arseniy and Kirill. They were about eight and five, and looked a little better today, though both of them were clinging to Andrey tightly. Ch’en went upfront to act as co-pilot, though the actual pilot was one of Wei’s best. 

“It’s alright, we’re heading to Rhodes Island. Doctor Gavial says it is safe, even for infected, and that they have lots of other kids there for us to play with,” Andrey told the two liberi kids. 

“But, we are not Infected,” Arseniy said. “So why do we have to go? Why can’t we go back home?”

“It isn’t safe, my heart,” Svetla said, looking rather ragged with dark circles under her eyes despite the fresh set of clothing. “There is nothing left for us in Ursus. We will seek a new place to call home.”

“But what about Myshka and daddy?” Kirill asked. 

“Daddy is…not coming,” Svelta said. “And…and Myshka has gone to a farm to live. He will be happy there.”

I guessed Myshka was some sort of pet. Later, I’d learn he was their pet cat, though they stubbornly called it a “kitty.” At least they didn’t call it a purr-beast or something. 

As we rose up into the air, Texas pulled out a tablet and passed it to me. “As requested.”

“Huh?” I took the tablet, tapped it, and a video player with several dozen shows appeared on it. “Wait, you…you actually got me a list of anime?” 

Texas just blinked at me, apparently deciding that the question was too stupid to bother answering. After giving me enough time to feel silly, she pointed at several playlists. “This is Idol. Here, Isekai. Also, sports, and several medical dramas. I was not certain as to your tastes, so I downloaded a large library.”

“I…thanks, Texas. That…that means a lot to me,” I said, gazing down at the lists. I frowned at one. “Wait, Sora no Uta ? Is that…?”

A small smile played on Texas’ lips. “A recent release. She voices herself.”

“Guess she’s not small time anymore,” I remarked.

“Yeah, Sora’s gotten real popular! She’s sold 500,000 albums in Lungmen, and she’s super popular in Victoria and even is making inroads in Leithanien!” Exusiai said excitedly. 

“I had heard she’d gotten her own show, but I haven’t had time to watch it,” Sussurro said, leaning over to look at the tablet. 

Unlike the other VTOL, which just had jump seats and a spartan metal interior, this craft looked more like the inside of a luxury private jet. The seats were plush and roomy, and there was a thick carpet on the floor. There was plenty of space to stow gear and weapons, but things were positively roomy overall. 

I took up one of the earbuds Texas had given me with the tablet, and proffered it to Sussurro. “We can watch it together. I’m sure there’s going to be cultural context I just don’t get, so it might help to have you explain. I know, er, some vague details of what all is happening, but a lot of my knowledge is, ah, somewhat centric to Rhodes Island and people attached to it.”

“Oh, the Old Hags are just going to LOVE you when we get back,” Gavial muttered. She had reclaimed her chair and had her eyes closed.

We popped the earbuds and settled in to watch Sora no Uta . Normally, it very much would not have been my cup of tea. I don’t actually watch that much anime, or, well, TV in general. Generally, if I do, I favor something more like Squid Game or Severance . 

That said, Arknights is my baby. I’ve watched not just the main anime, but all of Lee’s Detective Agency , and Kay’s Daily Doodles . So an idol anime about Sora? Sign me up! She maybe wasn’t my favorite operator, but I’d take it. The whole thing was…well, not what I expected, I guess, but at the same time, 100% what I should have expected. None of the other Penguin Logistics members appeared, except for Emperor, who would show up to yell at her occasionally as her “manager.” Most of the show centered around Sora and two other idols working to become popular and win the “Lungmen Lights Idol Bonanza.” 

And, ugh, it was also set in high school. 

“Why can’t they just be adults?” I sighed as yet another episode devolved into stupid high school hijinks, this time with Sora getting nervous about getting some boy to ask her on a date. I can’t even remember the dude’s name and I watched the episode just a few hours ago. “What is up with them always setting these shows in high school?”

“It’s one of the reasons I could never get into anime,” Sussurro said with a sigh. “Seriously, Sora’s worried about getting a date for a school festival? I can’t really relate. Not to mention, well, now I know for a fact she wouldn’t want a boy to ask her out.” 

“Yeah, at least set it in college. Then maybe it wouldn’t be so…what’s the word? Twee?” 

“Hmm, appropriate,” Sussurro agreed. She glanced over at Texas, who appeared to just be napping in her chair, though by how her ears were twitching she was clearly listening to us. “Sorry, Texas. This show just isn’t for us.”

“She hates it too,” Texas said without opening her eyes. “I found it cute.”

“Ooooo, somebody’s got it baaaaad for Sora!” Exusiai said in teasing tones. 

Texas opened one eye. “Yes.” Then she closed the eye.

“You know, Texas, you would be a lot more fun if you reacted to my teasing once in a while,” Exusiai grumbled. She had been disassembling and reassembling her guns with headphones on the entire time, the faint sound of what seemed like hip-hop at max volume blasting away. 

Texas just shrugged and kept pretending to nap. Gavial was playing cards with the kids again, having gotten bored of napping after only an hour. Arseniy and Kirill seemed to have cheered up and were laughing and smiling now, with Andrey in fine spirits as well. Svetla was looking out the window, her gaze unfocused. I was a bit worried about her, but I was a doctor, not a psychologist. I could fix the body and the physical parts of the brain. Not so much PTSD. 

“Anything on here look more riveting?” I asked Sussurro. 

“Hmm, how about Fangbeast ? I’ve heard it’s quite good,” Sussurro said. 

“Sure,” I agreed, and we clicked on that next. 

We lasted about five minutes. Then we got to the massacre of the refugees of the Bloodpeak Campaign by Ursus forces. Sussurro started crying, and I felt like breakfast was going to pay us a second visit. 

“That…that one’s too real,” I said, and turned it off. 

“Let’s…let’s try Love is Hard When You Have Seven Tails. That sounds like a romcom,” Sussurro sniffled. “And the protagonist looks like an adult…”

“She is,” Texas said, still with her eyes closed. “It’s a romance between a kitsune priest and a mafiosa running from her life in a famiglia .” 

“Wait, hold on. They made a romcom about Lisa’s mom and dad!?” I demanded. 

Everyone looked up at me. Even Texas opened her eyes and frowned, and Gavial leaned over from the card game. 

I coughed. “I mean, uh, I know who Vulpisfoglia is.”

“Who?” Sussurro said, her eyes narrowing at me. “James…”

“Yeah, yeah, weird alien knowledge.” Shit, I guess that I Portatori dei Velluti hadn’t happened yet. That was the latest event to come to EN, and sort of the limit of my rather spotty knowledge. “Um, but I know who Suzuran is. Er, I know her mom as Vulpisfoglia. And…who she is.” 

“So you know Signora Spaventata,” Texas said, sitting up with her eyes now fully open. “Very few people know who her daughter is. I suggest you not spread it around. I figured it out some time ago. For the sake of Lisa, I kept that knowledge to myself. I suggest you do the same, Bones.”

“Wait, hold on, sweet little Lisa is HER daughter!? That’s who Ingrid is!?” Exusiai demanded. 

Texas gave a slight nod. “She’s left that life behind. I can respect that. We’ve talked. It is…painful for her.”

“You actually talked to someone? What, did you both say a single word and you considered that a conversation!?” Exusiai said. 

Texas turned to look out the window. “No. We talked of family. Of blood. Of honor. Of Siracusa. And of the hollowness of revenge. I wish her well.”

“That’s the sort of connection Lisa has, huh?” Gavial slowly shook her head. “I knew she’d fled Siracusa after getting infected. Didn’t realize her mom was a Made Man. Haven’t heard of any Signora Spaventata, though.”

“She’s why the Tancredi famiglia is a shadow of its former self. It’s a story all too familiar in Siracusa. And one reason I don’t miss my homeland very often,” Sussurro said with a shudder. 

“You know, I thought this job was gonna be kinda boring, but if you keep spilling juicy details like that, Bones, this is gonna be great!” Exusiai said with a laugh. 

“Let’s maybe just watch the stupid romcom,” I mumbled. 

It wasn’t stupid. It was freaking HILARIOUS. Easily the best thing I’ve watched in ages. I don’t normally watch romance shows but this was great. From the way that the higashi priest was a sensitive intellectual that kept trying to appear badass and failing, only to further endear himself to the former stone cold killer, to the kitsune goddess who was trying to set them up in increasingly oddball scenarios, the whole thing was a riot, and Sussurro and me laughed ourselves silly until Ch’en came in over the intercom. 

“We’ll be landing in Vyseheim in a few minutes. We’ve made contact with control there. However, this is a small wrinkle in our plans.”

We all looked up at the intercom, and Ch’en continued, “There’s been an unexpected Catastrophe in our flight path. The city itself isn’t in danger, having moved out of the way. But we’ll need to spend an extra day or two in Vyseheim until the Catastrophe blows itself out.”

“Uh, is that bad?” I asked, looking around at the others. 

“It’s not good, but it’s also not that unusual,” Gavial said, putting away the cards. “Stuff like this happens, especially on long-distance trips.”

“I’ve come across more than one Catastrophe that brewed up out of nowhere and had to high-tail it out of there,” Exusiai said with a nod. “It’s only happened to me four times in my career as a messenger, but it’s definitely an occupational hazard.”

“Even the best forecast can’t predict every Catastrophe. This one sounds fairly major, though,” Texas said with a frown. “I don’t like it.”

“Yeah, I hate to agree with Captain Grumpy Pants, but this smells like three-day-old fish,” Exusiai said with a nod. “Trapped in Vyseheim for an extra couple of days with our most important package yet…could we maybe find a way to fly around?”

“I’ll talk to Ch’en,” Gavial said, getting up and heading up front. She came back a minute later and strapped in, frowning. “The Catastrophe is legit. They’re picking it up on long-range radar, and there’s a lot of chatter about it on comms. But yeah, I don’t like this. We need to get to Rhodes Island ASAP.”

“Vyseheim is still unstable from the terroranschlag and Dame Gertrude’s abominations,” Sussurro said, shaking her head. “But Hibiscus is still there. We’ll make contact with her and feel things out.”

“That’s good,” I thought for a moment, then added, “We should probably bring some ration bars. Just in case.”

“That would be wise,” Texas said, her nose wrinkling, and Sussurro and Gavial nodded emphatically.

“I don’t know why you guys are so against her cooking. It’s not that bad. And Bones hasn’t even had any!” Exusiai said. 

“Lateranos,” Sussurro said, sounding disgusted. “All those sweets have rotted your taste buds. L'orecchio sinistro di mio nonno! She tried to serve a carrot and broccoli pizza! With no salt or oil in the sauce! It was just crushed tomatoes!”

Texas visibly shuddered, her tail bristling, and she growled, “ Ambombinazione.” 

“You ate that!?” I said, giving Exusiai an incredulous look. 

“I mean, sure, it wasn’t what I would call tasty, but it left plenty of room for dessert. It was just kinda bland, and some hot sauce fixed it right up!”

“You…you put hot sauce…on pizza!?” I demanded. “Exusiai, that might be worse than putting ranch dressing on pizza!” 

The looks of sheer horror that Sussurro and Texas gave me could only be described as overly comical, especially since it was about as emotive as I had ever seen Texas. 

“You think that’s bad, you should have seen how Texas reacted when I put maple syrup on pizza one time!” Exusiai cackled. 

“You…you are friends with this… creature !?” Sussurro hissed, her tail bristling and her teeth bared in disgust. 

“I burned that filth she made. But I am reconsidering our relationship,” Texas said with a shudder. 

“Pfff, you both love my dessert pizza and you know it,” Exusiai said with a roll of her eyes. 

Both Siracusians immediately blushed and looked away.

“...I thought it was a tart,” Sussurro muttered. 

“I was drunk,” Texas mumbled. 

“Well, I thought it was pretty good. Ranch on pizza, huh Bones? Now that sounds interesting,” Gavial mused. 

The comic gagging sounds that Sussurro and Texas made were actually pretty funny. 

“Don’t worry, I don’t actually put ranch or hot sauce on my pizza,” I assured Sussurro as we taxied in for a landing. 

“Good, or I might have to euthanize you myself,” Sussurro told me deadpan. 

“I do like deep dish, though,” I mused. 

The look of disgust on her face was absolutely worth it. “ Idiota Columbians.”

“Technically, American, but sure.”

I actually don’t like deep dish, but I won’t let that stop me. I’ll have to make Hawaiian pizza some time just to see the shock and horror. 

This landing was a lot less rocky, and when the hatch opened, our welcoming committee much smaller. In fact, it was just two people that I recognized: Hibiscus, though looking more like her alter than the original, and Czerny. I didn’t know much about either of them other than that they’d helped banish Deer Sauron’s Ghost or something, though I didn’t think they’d been involved when the Twin Empresses did that thing with Arturia where we fought Deer Sauron again. 

Honestly, I really wasn’t clear on what all had happened because I was laser focused on getting Virtuosa and Viviana, even if Viviana turned out to be a major letdown. Banger visual design though. 

“Dr. Sussurro! Dr. Gavial!” Hibiscus said, waving excitedly. “It’s so good to see you both!” 

“Dr. Hibiscus, it’s good to see you,” Sussurro said, and the three exchanged hugs. 

“And Miss Ch’en, along with Texas and Exusiai! So many old friends!” Hibiscus said. She motioned to Czerny, who bowed slightly. “This is Herr William Czerny. I believe you’ve met Dr. Gavial and Dr. Sussurro before, but I’m not sure if you know the others.”

“I have met Miss Ch’en, if only briefly,” Czerny said, nodding to her. “I am not acquainted with the others. And who is this?”

“This is Dr. Bones, our new medical intern,” Sussurro said, gesturing to me. “We’re transporting four patients who are refugees from Ursus to Rhodes Island. Mrs. Svetla, and her three children. Andrey, Arseniy, and Kiril.”

“Ah, hello there, little ones,” Czerny said, taking a knee to get on the same level as the kids. “Please, call me Uncle William. I will be escorting you all to where you shall be spending the night. Come, the van is this way.”

The pilot stayed behind with the airship, and the rest of us piled into a large van with Rhodes Island markings on it. Hibiscus chattered away with Sussurro. Apparently, Sussurro had been a couple of years senior to her, and had been both a friend and mentor. 

“And what about you, Dr. Bones. Where did you go to school?” Hibiscus said, smiling at me. 

“Trimount Medical School,” Gavial said before I could open my mouth. “He’s not much of a talker.”

That damn nickname was going to stick, wasn’t it?

“Hmm. Quite the mission to have two members of Penguin Logistics, Miss Ch’en, and you, Dr. Gavial. I suppose it’s classified?” Hibiscus said, cocking her head to one side. 

“Yes,” Sussurro said.

Hibiscus nodded, and changed the subject. “You’ll all be happy to know that dinner tonight…is being cooked by someone else.”

“ Xing hao,” Ch’en muttered, then flushed. 

“Haha! I’m still working on my recipes. Aren’t I, Herr Czerny?”

“You have…improved. Somewhat,” Czerny said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “We have ordered takeout, however. Some roast fowlbeast, with fried potatoes and bread. Though Dr. Hibiscus failed to mention that she has cooked a dish to go with our dinner.”

“Glazed carrots,” she said. “You don’t have to eat them, but even Lava ate them last time she came through and said they weren’t the worst thing she’d ever tasted. I also made a fruit salad. Dessert comes from a local bakery, though! I got some Zimtsterne. I know they’re not healthy, but…well, you did mention in your message you had children along, and they don’t like to just eat fruits and vegetables.”

“I’ll eat whatever you’ve made, Hibiscus! You know I’m not picky like some people,” Exusiai said, a wide grin on her face. 

Texas flicked her ears, and Sussurro mumbled something under her breath. 

We didn’t end up at the Rhodes Island clinic, but instead at a somewhat ramshackle house in the city’s infected Quarter. 

“You will have to forgive the exterior. I have only just returned after a long sojourn at Rhodes Island, under the most excellent care of Dr. Sussurro. Still, the inside has been well maintained, and I assure you, it is quite comfortable, if a bit cramped for such a large party,” Czerny commented as he parked the van. 

We all headed inside, and while the small house did struggle to fit everyone, the food was actually pretty good. Against my better judgment, I tried the glazed carrots and fruit salad, and was rather shocked by what I tasted. 

“Hey, these are actually pretty good!” I said, spearing another carrot and munching on it. “What is that flavor, honey?”

“It is! I used only olive oil instead of butter since that’s a bit healthier, but the important thing is that it still provides lots of Vitamin A and other important nutrients for growing bodies,” Hibiscus said. “What do you think, Andrey?” 

“Good!” he said, taking another bite of carrot. 

The fruit salad had no dressing, just some lemon juice, but it was still perfectly serviceable. The “roast fowl beast” looked and tasted a lot like chicken, and seemed to have come from a local eatery, so no complaints there. 

“You know, from how Lucia and the others were acting, I half thought you’d try to poison us,” I told Hibiscus. 

She laughed at that. “Unfortunately, my cooking has historically been pretty bad. I still prefer healthy recipes, but I’ve come to accept that if the food isn’t tasty, the patient won’t eat it. That, and a little fat and sugar in moderation won’t kill anyone.”

“Good grub is one of the keys to getting a patient back on the mend! I’ve told you that how many times, Hibiscus?” Gavial asked, pointing her fork at her former student. 

“Only about a million, I’m sure. But I’m finally listening. Thanks for your patience, Dr. Gavial.”

“Ah, you’re graduated, kid. Just Gavial when we ain’t on the clock,” Gavial said with a smile. 

Well, it seems like one of the longest running gags in the fandom is dead. I, for one, am grateful. 

After that, Czerny played the piano for us, and I have to say, I have never in my life heard a more magnificent performance. He moved us to tears with one piece, then sent our hearts leaping with joy and laughter in the next. I detected more than a hint of arts in the song, but it definitely would have been incredible even without literal sorcery woven into it. 

“I think it’s time for bed for little sleepy heads,” Hibiscus said, gently touching Czerny’s arm. The kids were in fact drooping and yawning. They were tucked away into Czerny’s bed with Svetla, while he continued to play a lullaby. 

Once the door was closed, Czerny said softly, “It is cramped, but safe. I have several friends keeping an eye on things. They do not know why, as a matter of fact, I am rather ignorant of the situation myself. But they will keep watch.”

“Good to know. But we’ll be going on patrol all the same,” Texas said, standing. “Exusiai?”

“On your six, Texas. Ch’en, Gavial, you got us on comms. Holler if something comes up,” Exusiai said, her voice soft. They both departed out of a window, taking to the rooftops. 

“You don’t need to tell us what’s going on, or why,” Hibiscus said quietly. “But I got a message from the Director. I’ve never seen a Delta Black level priority before. Honestly, I didn’t know they existed. But we’re on alert. I think Vyseheim is relatively safe, at least now.”

Czerny grunted as he continued to play, soft and sweet. “I am only an adjunct Operator with Rhodes Island. I do not need nor want to know. But I owe Rhodes Island my life, and that of dear Franz. Whatever we can do.”

“Your vigilance is noted and appreciated,” Ch’en said, standing. “Gavial, I shall take first watch. You and the others get some rest.”

There was a couch and a couple of armchairs, one of which Gavial took. “You want the couch?” I asked Sussurro. 

She eyed it, then shrugged. “Probably big enough for both of us. I’m fun sized, remember? As long as you’re OK with that.”

I blushed slightly, but nodded. It was a rather big couch, and we were both fully clothed, even if Sussurro’s back pressed up against mine was, ah, rather noticeable. With Czerny’s music lulling us to sleep, I finished up the journal for the day. 

If more days were like this…Maybe I could have a life on Terra, after all. 

Chapter Text

Entry 11, Day 27

Our first day in Deer Germany seemed like it was going to be boring, but honestly, after the excitement, I was up for that. The most annoying part was that the children were not. It’s hard to blame them, little kids do not do well with being cooped up, and the apartment was rather crowded. Czerny did have a television, but all the programs were in Not-German, and that was not going to fly. I ended up giving the kids Texas’s tablet and putting on an anime for them to watch. It was all in Higashi with subtitles. Texas was either a purist, or they didn’t have many not-italian dubs. The flashy action was good enough, and Andrey at least could read well enough to understand it when we set it to Ursus. 

Still, after a few hours of watching TV, the kids were getting rambunctious and needed to move around a bit. Gavial did her calisthenics thing, and Czerny also spent some time teaching them to play a basic tune on the piano, but, well, he wasn’t really used to dealing with five-year-olds, and they both just ended up kinda cranky.

Even then it was all fairly tolerable. Kids being cranky is something you can deal with, and they were at least trying to behave. Hibiscus went out and came back with a couple of simple board games, which did help, and the kids didn’t do much more than whine and wrestle a bit. Which, with three boys, completely made sense. My brother and I were always wrestling when we were kids, even if Michael always did kick my ass, being three years my senior. 

“No movement to speak of,” Texas reported in after yet another patrol with Exusiai. “But something’s wrong.”

“If there is no movement, why are you saying something is wrong?” Czerny said quietly, looking up from the newspaper he’d been reading. 

“Beat of the city is off,” Exusiai said with a shake of her head. “We’ve both been to Vyseheim before. There are too many police on the street, and there’s rumors about movement on the docks. I don’t like it, and neither does Texas.”

“The city’s air has been somewhat different of late, though my memories are colored by distance. Dr. Hibiscus?” Czerny said, tossing the newspaper down. 

She hesitated, then shook her head. “It seemed like things were getting back to normal, honestly, after the horrors of…that night. But the mood in the infected quarter has been bad. It’s been eight months, but so many died…”

“It’s not that. We’ve traveled here since the terroranschlag. Something is wrong. I got ants in my pants, and when I get that feeling…I move out. I think we need to split,” Exusiai said, and Texas nodded in agreement. 

Czerny steepled his fingers, and glanced at Hibiscus. “With the Catastrophe…it would not be wise to leave the city at the moment. Your craft…”

“The pilot says there’s been a problem,” Ch’en said, shaking her head. “They claim they found a minor break in the engine that needs fixing. It should only take a day, however…”

“That does it. We’re getting the fuck out. Hibiscus, transmit Code Alpha Major,” Gravial said. “Get the kids together. We got a safe house prepped?” 

“I, yes, but…Alpha Major? You’re certain?” Hibiscus said. 

“No,” Sussurro said, and Gavial looked at her. “Transmit Code Babel Has Fallen.”

“Babel!? But thats, that’s a code for the Landship itself being under threat! Something existential to Rhodes Island itself, that requires every operator to drop whatever they’re doing and come to render aid! Do we have authorization to send it!?” Hibiscus gasped. 

“Authorization code Oscar, Charlie, Hotel, Niner, One, Niner, Lima, India, Foxtrot,” Gavial affirmed. “Babel Has Fallen.”

“But, we’re not under threat yet, that…” Hibiscus swallowed. “I mean…yes, Doctor Gavial. I…I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I hope I’m just jumping at shadows, kid,” Gavial said, and she sounded exhausted. “But I've been playing this game too long to ignore the report of two top-class scouts who got a bad gut feeling. And the game we’re playing is too high stakes to take any risks. If we overreact…well. Maybe Amiya and the Doctor can talk the Twin Empresses down. But if we’re not…then we’re gonna need everybody.”

“There’s no guarantee the code will get through. Not with that Catastrophe in the way,” Ch’en said, folding her arms and narrowing her eyes. 

“Once that code squawks, every Rhodes Island comm in range will start squawking it,” Gavial said, standing. “It’ll be retransmitted until the situation is resolved. They’ll get the message, even if it takes a few days. Alright, people, let’s move.”

“First, we plan,” Ch’en said with a shake of her head. “This is too large a group for everyone to go together. We will need to split up. Otherwise, our movements will be too noticeable. Texas, are we being monitored?”

“Unclear,” Texas said with a shrug.

“They’ve tried, but I think they saw me watching the sky. A few too many drones have done flyovers,” Exusiai said with a shake of her head. “Should I start swatting them?”

“Not until they make the first hostile move,” Ch’en said. “Maps. I need maps.”

Czerny turned out to have a number of maps of the city, though Exusiai took one look at them, and promptly began annotating the maps with changes and details. 

“How many times have you been here?” Czerny asked, studying the corrections she was making. 

“Three. But I only need to visit a city once to learn all the ins and outs. You picked that up fast as a messenger, or you die,” Exusiai replied without looking up from her work. “A good map is the difference between getting the goods there on time and intact, and your body never being found.”

“She’s the best cartographer I know. Exusiai’s maps go for exorbitant sums on the grey market,” Texas said. 

“D’aww, and here you’re making me think ya like me, Texas!” Exusiai teased, but Texas just pulled out a cigarette.

“Please, no smoking in the house. It is bad for the instruments,” Czerny said. 

Texas grimaced, but just stuck the unlit cigarette in her mouth and chewed on it a bit. 

“We should get you some nicotine patches,” I told her. 

“Need something in my mouth,” Texas said. “Helps me think.”

“Right, looking at this, I think we have a workable plan,” Ch’en said with a nod. “Though I would like a diversionary group…”

“Can I help?” 

We turned to find Svetla standing there, looking nervous and wringing her hands. 

“It’s dangerous, Frau Svetla,” Czerny said, taking off his glasses and wiping them with a cloth. “I do not know what game is being played here, but…it would not be safe.”

Svelta turned to me. “You…you can cure oripathy, can’t you?” 

Czerny’s glasses slipped out of his hands and landed with a clink on the floor. Hibiscus went pale and gasped, “ Ye’ābatochē nefisati t’ebik’unyi! ”

“ Hoden einer Hexe , that…that cannot be,” Czerny said in a strangled voice. 

I glanced at Sussurro, who sighed and nodded to me. I turned back to Svelta. “Yes. How’d you know?”

“Andrey. He says you cured him. He is a good boy. He would not lie. And…and I have been listening. I am not stupid,” Svelta said, giving a weary smile. “My husband, Grigoriy…he believed in the cause of the Infected. I…I believe in the same. If…if you can…I do not know much about Rhodes Island, only that they are the best hope.”

She took a weary, shuddering breath. “I will help. I am the wrong height, but from a distance, and with some heels…perhaps they would not notice.”

Actually, Svelta was pretty tall, about 5’8” or so. Sure, she was still shorter than me, but if anyone here could pass for me…

“You’ve been wearing that jacket and mask this entire time, Bones,” Exusiai mused, looking me up and down. “I think maybe she could pull it off…”

“My children, though…I will risk my life, but not Arseniy and Kirill, or Andrey’s,” Svelta said firmly. 

“Hopefully it doesn’t come to that,” Ch’en said. “But we’d have to make this believable. Who’s the best fighter here?”

“I am,” Texas said instantly. Gavial cocked an eyebrow at her, but Ch’en nodded. 

“You’re likely correct. No offense, Dr. Gavial. But I’ve seen Texas fight. I might have more raw arts power, and you more raw strength…but I don’t think either of us could take Cellinia Texas in a fight.”

“You’d both win a fair stand-up fight,” Texas said, spitting out her mangled cigarette. “I don’t fight fair.”

“Plus, this mission isn’t simply a contest of who the best fighter is, but who could get James out of the city safely,” Sussurro put in. “That’s Texas and Exusiai.”

“Wait, hold on. I don’t know that I’m alright with an innocent woman playing body double for me,” I said.

“Tough,” Texas said, and Exusiai visibly cringed next to her. 

“Bones…I get the wanting to play the hero here, I do,” Exusiai said gently. “But…you don’t get to be the hero until the end of this story. Right now, the best thing you can do is survive. And frankly, the odds of that go up if our opp force thinks you’re somewhere you’re not.”

“Hrmm,” Gavial looked distinctly uncomfortable, and her tail lashed side to side. “I don’t like this.”

“I am not liking any of this either,” Czerny said, finally replacing his glasses with trembling hands. He looked at me. “The truth. You can?”

I sighed. “Yeah. But the process is messy and probably has a limited amount of uses. So I probably can’t just cure you…”

“Me? Heaven forbid! No, I merely was thinking…” Czerny shook his head, his antlers swaying from side to side. “Yes. I fear that if this is known widely…the Twin Empresses would do something…drastic, to get their hands on you. Even the merest hint of a rumor…How did you ever escape from Ursus?”

“By the skin of our teeth. An Emperor’s Blade left us a parting gift that very nearly ruined the whole thing,” I said. 

“ Sein großes Geweih ! You-! Never mind. Yes. Well. Tell me, what do you need me to do? I am not some great fighter, but I have no small skill at arts,” Czerny said, forming his hands into fists. 

“We split,” Gavial said, pointing to the map. “We very obviously take Svelta, disguised as Bones here, to a safe house. Well, not too obviously. We make it look like we’re trying to be sneaky, take every precaution. But we assume we’re gonna be watched.”

“And at the same time, Exusiai and I take Bones out of the city, hidden somehow. Make it look like we’re running for help. We’re messengers, when we saw you squawk your SOS, they wouldn’t be surprised to see us go,” Texas said.

“Yeah, and we never had any real trouble in Leithanien. So they probably aren’t too aware of just how kick ass Texas is,” Exusiai said with a nod. 

“Or you,” Texas said. “Don’t sell yourself short, Exusiai. You’re the best damn Sankta marksman I’ve ever met.”

“You don’t know my big sis then,” Exusiai chuckled. 

“Course not, she’s only out in CN,” I muttered, which earned me a kick from Sussurro. “Sorry, sorry. Uh, one further condition?”

“What is it?” Ch’en demanded. 

I pointed at Sussurro. “She comes with me. Someone needs to be the brains of the outfit.”

Sussurro nodded. “I might not be the best field medic we have, but Dr. Gavial stands out a bit too much for a clandestine operation.”

“Stealth never was my strong point,” Gavial agreed. She rubbed her chin, then glanced at Texas. “Thoughts?”

“Good idea. Four is a small enough group to move quickly,” Texas said.

Ch’en looked around the table. “We are in agreement then?”

“Yes. We won’t share where we’re going, or how. Just know that it’ll be as secure as we can make it,” Texas said. 

After that, things happened fast. Several infected came to the house, and swapped clothes with Svelta and the three boys, their heights more or less a match. They didn’t know what was happening, only that Rhodes Island needed help. Or perhaps more specifically, that Hibiscus did. They all nodded to her respectfully, looking grave. 

Czerny stood, and made a short speech. “My friends, your participation in this task is to give hope to us all. Not just in this city, but across Terra. We go now to conduct the grandest orchestra! May our music bring harmony to this world. Geist und Gesang.”

“Geist und Gesang,” the brave infected echoed. Then, along with Hibiscus, Czerny and five disguised infected were left in the van for the Rhodes Island clinic. They were distraction number one. 

Number two consisted of Ch’en, Gavial, Svelta disguised as me, and the three kids. They all left via the back door and some alleyways to an unmarked van, which would take them to a safehouse hidden further in the infected quarter. 

Last was me, Sussurro, Texas, and Exusiai. We departed via the sewers. 

It was as disgusting as it sounds, though we didn’t have to wade through literal shit for very long. We came instead to a maintenance access hatch, and Exusiai led us into the very belly of the nomadic city. 

To my mild surprise, Texas and Exusiai both turned out to be expert hackers, using a series of faked ID cards and spoofed communication devices to get us into the Support Layer. 

“There’s three layers to cities,” Sussurro explained to me quietly as Texas worked on a stubborn door while Exusiai provided overwatch. We all still reeked of sewage, but there wasn’t anything to be done about it at the moment. “The top layer is where everyone lives. But plates are very complicated. The support layer is the middle tier. It’s where the vital systems like sewage treatment and water reclamation, along with important transportation hubs are located. Below that is the Power Deck, where the engines and treads are housed and maintained, but security on that layer is tight. We won’t be going that deep.”

Right before Texas popped the door, her comm, along with Exusiai’s and Sussurro, began to chirrup and buzz, flashing a red light. Texas and Exusiai quickly silenced theirs, but Sussurro held hers up so I could see, and let it play. 

Lament, Lament, Lament. Babel Has Fallen. Lament, Lament, Lament. Babel has Fallen. All Operators and personnel, return to the Island, for Babel Has Fallen. Lament, Lament, Lament. Babel has Fallen. All Operators and personnel, return to the Island, for Babel Has Fallen. 

“There’s a different code if the landship is actually destroyed,” Sussurro said quietly, shutting off the warning, though the device continued to silently repeat the warning with scrolling text.. “This is just an existential threat to Rhodes Island as an organization. It’s meant to be used if the Landship is under imminent hostile threat, or Rhodes Island as a whole comes under attack. To use it in this situation…it’s extreme, but I can’t think of a better option.”

“I trust you. I’m sure Kal’tsit and the Doctor do as well,” I said, quietly squeezing her hand. 

She nodded, but looked sick. “I hope so. Because if I’m wrong…” She swallowed. “It could be very bad.”

About ten minutes later, while we were walking along a subterranean maintenance shaft that adjoined the sewers, the comms devices buzzed again. 

EMERGENCY. ALL CITIZENS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. A CURFEW IS NOW IN EFFECT. MARTIAL LAW HAS BEEN DECLARED. EMERGENCY. ALL CITIZENS TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES. 

Texas turned to Sussurro and nodded. “You made the right call.”

“ Per me aureola et arma” Exusiai muttered, scrolling through her device. “It’s the Horn Worshipers. They’re attacking the city, en masse.”

“Oh fuck,” I said, sweat breaking out. “Um, has one of the Empresses fallen asleep yet?”

Everyone paused, all eyes on me. 

“No, I do not believe so,” Sussurro said slowly. She licked her lips. “James…if you have some weird alien knowledge…now might be the time.”

“Do…do you all know who Arturia is?” I asked, feeling rather sick. I got a nod of the head from Sussurro and Texas, but Exusiai began swearing volubly. 

“The crazy Gallialo? And that’s saying something, because I’ve had run-ins with her brother. Yes, she's the musician that can play your emotions nearly as well as she can fiddle,” Exusiai said grimly. “She’s on the side of the Horn Worshipers?” 

“Not…exactly. But her and the Candle Knight were involved in battle in Leithanien, where the Echos, I guess the Horn Worshipers? Tried to revive the Witch King. Again. And they nearly succeeded. But…something’s wrong. That was supposed to happen in the capital, not the same city as Lingering Echos…” I shook my head. “Something’s wrong. And I think it’s probably me.”

“How do you know this?” Texas asked. 

I sighed and pulled out my phone, then opened up Arknights. I got the error message that it couldn’t connect, but hopefully my point was made. “I’m not from Terra, as I guess you’ve mostly figured out by now.” Exusiai’s eyes went wide, but she stayed quiet. “The planet I’m from, Earth, there’s a game, called Arknights. It tells the story of Rhodes Island, and the Operators attached to it. That’s were the, ah, ‘weird alien knowledge’ comes from. You’re all, well. All three of you are characters in the game. That’s…sort of how I know stuff about you.”

“I see,” Texas said, nodding as if this all made complete sense. Exusiai was looking at me with sheer horror, while Sussurro only looked mildly disturbed, her tail swishing back and forth in agitation. 

“The problem is…I sort of…didn’t read much of the lore,” I admitted. “I mostly just like playing the game. You’re, uh, you’re all pretty kickass in the game. Sorry, I know this doesn’t make any sense…”

“It’s an isekai,” Texas said with a nod. “Continue.”

Well, at least someone was taking this remarkably well. “Right, so, I have a vague idea of certain events that take place. Some of which, apparently, haven’t happened here yet. Unfortunately, all I really know is what I can suss out from having played the levels and watched a couple of videos, and, er, read a few memes. I know that after the events of Lingering Echos, what you call the terroranschlag-” 

“The Rhodes Island operational files refer to that event as ‘Operation Lingering Echos,’” Sussurro interrupted. “I reviewed them as we were coming here. What…what was the other one, the future event?”

“I’m going to absolutely butcher the pronunciation, but ‘Zwillingstürme im Herbst,’” I said. 

“Twin Towers in Autumn,” Exusiai muttered. She was actively shivering now. “Texas, you don’t think that means…”

Texas cocked her head to one side. “It means nothing to me.”

“The Witch King,” Exusiai whispered. “Bones mentioned the Witch King. The Twin Towers in Autumn…that could be the Horn of Origin. The Spire of Genesis. His…his domain, that was thrown down in the September Uprising in 1077. Texas…if the Witch King is coming back…Babel has Fallen isn’t the right call. The right call is…what’s worse than Babel Has Fallen? Like, the entire world is going to end? Because that’s what this is.”

“Hmm,” Texas’ tail lashed, and her eyes narrowed. “History isn’t my best subject. I’ll have to trust your judgement.”

“It…it should be impossible for the Witch King to return,” Sussurro said slowly. “But…if they’ve heard of a great healer…someone who can cure people of oripathy, and mend the most severe wounds, even re-knitting organs…the Horn Worshipers might just think…”

“They might just think I could revive the Witch King,” I said, cold washing over my body like a wave. “Oh. Fuck.”

“We have to get out. Change of plans, Texas. We have to get the hell out of here. Now,” Exusiai said firmly. “I can’t think of many things worse than the Witch King returning.”

“Uh…I hate to be the bearer of even worse news…but he did,” I said, and Exusiai groaned and clutched at her head, while even Texas was starting to look alarmed. “Only Viviana, the Lich King, the Twin Empresses, Arturia, and, er, the Pope working together managed to banish him again. Or at least, I think that’s what happened. Either way, he’s an actual boss you fight in the game, and it looked like he was back for realsies.” 

“How?” Texas demanded. “How was the Witch King revived?”

“The Song of Terra, I think? Arturia helped, somehow? I think she wanted to learn arts from the Witch King, but she switched sides?”

“That sounds like her,” Exusiai muttered. She had taken out her pistols and was spinning them back and forth through her fingers. It was really impressive, but also a bit concerning as those things were loaded. “We’ve never crossed paths, but I do know her brother and he’s a pain in my ass.”

“Either way…James can absolutely not fall into the hands of the Horn Worshipers,” Sussurro said. “Nor can the Witch King be revived.”

Texas took out a cigarette and started smoking, her eyes narrowed. She glanced at me, then at the increasingly frantic Exusiai, then at Sussurro. “We go to ground. As planned.”

“What!? Texas, we have to get out of here!” Exusiai protested. 

Texas continued to smoke, grimacing. “Rhodes Island is coming. I don’t think this is the work of the Twin Empresses. They’ll probably respond as well. For now, we keep Bones out of sight. We don’t know if what he can do could revive the Witch King. But if we move too much, it’s likely we’d have to fight the Horn Worshipers. Our goal is to avoid fighting. So, we go to ground.”

“The Twin Empresses have a reputation for ruthlessness. They’d probably try to keep James if they knew about him,” Sussurro said, eyeing me with concern. 

“A problem solved by staying out of sight. We wait for Rhodes Island,” Texas said firmly. She turned to Exusiai. “Lead the way.”

Visibly shaking herself, Exusiai saluted. “You got it, Texas. Come on, this way! We’re heading to a good spot to hide, so hopefully no one even looks at us and we keep safe.”

We wound through narrow maintenance tunnels and cramped pipes, ending up covered in various kinds of filth. At the end of it, we came to a basement of an old building, which surprisingly was stocked with a number of supplies. 

“We’re under a department store. I set up this hidey hole a while back. No one but me and Texas know it’s here,” Exusiai said, holding up a glowstick, which revealed a stack of ammo boxes. “Looks like no one’s been here since my last visit.”

“I can never find it,” Texas said with a shake of her head. “You’re the better navigator.”

“Hehe! Least I’m good for something! Right, strip out of those clothes, and use these decon wipes, then stuff ‘em in this bag. There was a lot of originium back there, plus, you know, the shit and stuff.”

I blushed at the thought of having to strip in front of three women, but Texas had already started pulling off her clothes, and Exusiai wasn’t shy either. I hastily turned my back and did the same, using the wipes to clean off whatever bits of skin had been exposed. I tried not to look, but, well, it was hard, especially since the room wasn’t even 10 feet by 10 feet, and we were practically standing on one another.

I had to remind myself that Texas was gay, and that Exusiai was my bodyguard now. They HAD been in my top 10 waifus, though I was sort of having to reevaluate that whole list, considering that, you know, I’d met them now. It felt a lot weirder to perv on a woman I actually knew versus an imaginary character. 

We changed into clean clothes, and Exusiai and Texas set about cleaning the rest of their gear, the four of us sitting on the ammo crates, which turned out to contain not only bullets but rations, medical supplies, and various other survival gear. 

Sussurro set about grooming her tail and ears, taking out her radio and turning it on. For a while, it just broadcast the Fall of Babel lament.

“Fucking odd thing to have as your code phrase,” I muttered. I glanced around at the others. “You…know what Babel was?”

Sussurro looked up at me, a frown on her lips. “James…that’s classified.”

“It was the precursor to Rhodes Island,” Exusiai said without looking up from her guns. “History was my favorite subject in school. I always wanted to travel to all those places we learned about. Now, I have, mostly. Babel being the origin of Rhodes Island isn’t common knowledge, but it is somewhat known. They were a group founded by the last Sarkez King, Theresis.”

Ooooh boy. I suppose it wasn’t common knowledge that Amiya had become the Sarkaz King. Or at least, I think she had. The memes indicate it. But maybe those aren’t the most reliable. 

“I know the code. Never questioned what it meant,” Texas said with a shrug. “Now, I wonder.”

“Is it really going to bring everyone running? I mean like…everyone?” I said. “Just how many operators are there affiliated with Rhodes Island?”

“The population on the landship at any given time is in the ballpark of ten thousand people, but that includes patients and non-combatants,” Sussurro said. 

I sucked in a breath. Ten thousand?! That’s the size of a small city. I mean, I knew that Rhodes Island was big, but that’s freaking huge! 

“That doesn’t count for people like Exusiai and Texas, who are provisionally contracted but stay in the field, or even our full time employees like Hibiscus that operate remote clinics. If those still exist after this,” Sussurro said with a heavy sigh. “We’re probably made them all evacuate. This is going to be such a mess…”

“Wise. Seems news of Bones’ ability has spread far and wide,” Texas said, one of her swords now in her lap as she carefully cleaned it with an oiled rag. 

“Yeah…I mean, I know I’m a blabber mouth, but it can’t be just me spouting off that’s caused this, right?” I said, scratching my head. 

“The famiglia,” Sussurro said with disgust. “It had to be that bum we turned loose. He must have run straight to them, and sold information for a bottle of mead. Then any survivors would have sold whatever information they could for a handful of credits. It’ll be all over the black market by now.”

“Should have tied off any loose ends,” Texas commented. 

“He was just an innocent man, Texas,” I protested. “You can’t just kill people who haven’t done anything wrong yet.”

She glanced at me. “I can.”

“I’ve killed a lot of people,” Exusiai said quietly, holding one of her reassembled guns in her palms. “Some of them deserved it. Others, probably not. But…I couldn’t kill someone in cold blood. Not if they weren’t an active threat. That’s the kind of thing…the kind of thing you lose your halo over.”

“I thought that was just if you pointed your gun at another Sankta,” I asked. 

Exusiai gave me a slight shake of her head. “There’s Thirteen Commandments. ‘Thou shalt not threaten the life of another Sankta’ is commandment two. But number ten is ‘Thou shalt not use thy gun to shed the blood of the innocent.’ There’s…wiggle room, on that one. Obviously, I can use my guns to kill people. But they have to threaten me, the life of another, or my property. You can get…liberal…with the interpretation of some of that. Especially the property part. But you get murder happy, and the Law WILL strip you of your gun.”

“That’s why you have me,” Texas said, holding up her sword in front of her and gazing at her reflection in the blade. “I will do what must be done.”

“Texas I…” I swallowed. I wanted to say, ‘I don’t want you to kill people for me.’ But, that was sort of the whole point of having her as a bodyguard. “I don’t want you to bear any burden that’s too heavy.”

“There is a saying in the Texas famiglia,” Texas said, still gazing at her sword. “Honor is heavier than a mountain. But death is lighter than a breeze.” 

“A rich joke,” Sussurro said, sounding bitter. “The famiglia have no honor.”

Texas lowered her sword, and for a moment, I thought she was going to explode into violence. Instead, she bowed her head to Sussurro. “Truth. Honor and blood. But it’s all lies. That is why I live for something else now. Something greater.”

She sheathed her sword. “The Texas famiglia dies with me. That will be the end of it.”

“What the fuck, Texas!?” Exusiai exploded, and we all glanced at her. She was standing, tears in her eyes, her fists clenched. “What would Sora say to that?!”

Texas blinked. “I-”

“You just poured your heart out to her! She loves you, Texas! I’ve known that for a long time, even if, even if I didn’t really want to think about it too hard! I love you too! Ti voglio bene ! No, that’s not strong enough! Tu sei mia sorella! So don’t you see this as some stupid death quest! You are going to live, Texas, and then you and Sora can adopt a cute kid and live happily ever after!”

Exusiai stood there, nostrils flaring, halo glowing so brightly it was nearly blinding.

Slowly, Texas nodded. “I would take Sora’s name. That is what I meant.”

Exusiai blinked a few times, then blushed deeply. “ La mia pistola e la mia aureola ! Shit, I just made an ass of myself, didn’t I?”

“No,” Texas said. “You care. Don’t apologize for that.” She seemed to struggle with something, her jaw working, then she stood, and gingerly put her arms around Exusiai, who immediately latched onto her like a limpet. “I…am not good with words. Or feelings. But…you are my sister, also, Lemuel.”

“Thanks, Cellinia,” Exuisiai said, her voice somewhat muffled from her face being buried in Texas’ chest. “I’m scared.”

“Mmm,” Texas said, and gingerly rubbed Exusiai’s back. 

Exusiai looked up, a frown on her face. “This is the part where you say you’re scared as well.”

“I’m scared of many things. But not this. This I welcome. It is…what I was born for,” Texas said. 

“You’re a fucking weirdo, Texas.”

“Yes.”

I leaned close to Sussurro. “Touch of the ‘tism, you think?”

“Oh, thank goodness. Here, I thought it was just me,” Sussurro sighed. 

“Texas is not a tism!” Exusiai said, glaring at us. “Uh, whatever that is.”

“I was diagnosed at age five,” Texas said, completely ruining Exusiai’s efforts to defend her. “Mild case. Never bothered me.”

“Wait, I thought you didn’t have oripathy!?” Exusiai gasped. “But, age five!? Hold, on what-”

“Autism,” Texas said monosyllabically. 

“Huh?! But that’s for like, um, you know, invalids, and stuff,” Exusiai said, back to being a derp. 

“Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, manifests in many variations,” I said, suddenly on firm ground I knew rather well. I steepled my fingers. “I would very much like to study how it differs amongst the Terran population vs. the Earth one. Oh, what I wouldn’t give for ten years and a decently sized cohort! Can you even imagine what we could learn about the brain?! Oh, oh, with multiple races, I bet neurological disorders manifest in different ways!”

Sussurro immediately brightened, nodding enthusiastically. “It does! And different races are more inclined to certain types of disorders. Like, for example, you almost never see a Sankta with autism, which we theorize is because of the Empathy they get from the law, though there are rare cases! On the other hand, more asocial races, like Anura, manifest it more frequently! Sankta are more likely to exhibit signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder, especially if they move from Laterano to where there are fewer Sankta!” 

“Huh. Guess Bones really is a doc,” Exusiai mused. Texas just went back to caring for her equipment, which after a moment, Exusiai did as well, taking out some music to listen to as Sussurro and I had a long and very interesting conversation about various neurological disorders and how they manifested in different races. Neurology wasn’t Sussurro’s speciality, but as a general practitioner she had a fairly decent grasp of things. 

I took more detailed notes in another document, but I figure I shouldn’t clutter up my journal with that sort of stuff. 

However, then the radio began to do more than just loop the Fall of Babel broadcast. 

“Watcher 1, here. We’ve been compromised!” Hibiscus’s frantic voice said, and we all stopped what we were doing to listen. “It’s the Echos! They’re attacking the safe house! Czerny is holding the line, but-” There was a bang and muffled shouting. “I’ve got to go!”

A few minutes later, Czerny reported, “Vee haff…*cough*, we have…repelled the attackers. We are evacuating-*static* wounded *static*. Geist und Gesang!”

I felt sick listening, unable to do anything. Sussurro had locked gazes with me, and her tail was drooping, ears lying flat on her head. She was still dyed brown, and it gave her a dejected air. 

Twenty minutes later, another report. “Ch’en here. We’ve been located. Engaging the enemy, then falling back to point delta.”

Texas had out her own tablet, and more reports were coming in from the city. There was fighting all over, not just in the infected quarter, but throughout the city. It seemed that the police and guards were fighting back against the Echos, but this was a wide scale uprising. 

Then, we got another message. Not from our own operators, but a desperate call.

“We've got so many wounded, we don’t have enough trained medics! There’s hot spots throughout the city, all our clinics and hospitals are overwhelmed! Calling all those with medical knowledge, we need help! There’s hundreds of wounded!”

I found myself standing up, Sussurro as well. Both of us exchanged looks: We were not just medics, but trained doctors. Granted, Sussurro was the only full doctor, but I had more than enough medical knowledge that in an emergency situation, they’d have me doing basic surgery and triage for wounded. I knew perfectly well how to suture a wound, or even perform simple procedures that would nevertheless be life saving. 

“Bones,” Texas said, her tone a warning. “We stay put.”

“I…I know he should, but…but I can help! You don’t need me,” Sussurro said, wringing her hands. 

“Give me those bear ears. I can go in disguise too. People are dying, Texas! And don’t you try to stop me either, Exusiai!” I said. 

Sussurro glanced at me, bit her lip, then nodded. “If we keep quiet…we could save a lot of lives. Especially with your incredible arts healing, though you’ll need to keep it quiet.”

“This is foolish. You’re not going,” Texas said, standing up and glaring at us.

“Texas…”

We all turned to Exusiai, who was fidgeting. “Texas…what’s the price of saving the world?”

“Whatever it takes,” Texas said. “The information Bones has is too valuable.”

“Yeah, I know, but…” Exusiai swallowed, and met my eyes. “You really want to help those people, don’t you?”

“I’m a doctor. That’s my job. You go where people need help.” I turned to Texas. “We don’t have to go to the battlefield. Just anywhere there’s wounded. This is a wide scale terrorist attack. How can we sit by while innocents suffer?”

Texas looked irritated, but she looked to Exusiai, who shrugged. “If we’re gonna die for someone…wouldn’t it be better to do it for someone worth dying for?”

“I…” Texas frowned, training off. She shook her head, and contemplated silently. At last, she said, “Sora would go help. And I wouldn’t be able to stop her.”

“Yes! Let’s go!” Exusiai said eagerly, jumping up. 

“Wait,” Texas said, holding up a hand. “Disguise first. We do this smart. No marks that identify you as from Rhodes Island. How’s your Siracusian, Bones?”

“Mama mia! I’ma Siracusian, oh yes! I-a talka witha my hands!” I said, gesturing wildy. 

Sussurro actually snorted and had to disguise a laugh, while Exusiai giggled. “Bones…that’s awful.”

“Maybe just don’t talk,” Texas told me, and I reluctantly nodded. 

She sighed, and pointed to a wall different than the door we’d come in. “That way. I’ll carve us an exit. It will take us into the rest of the basement.”

I don’t know if normal people can carve through drywall like it’s butter, but Texas can. She led the  way out into the rest of the basement, which was full of dust and boxes, along with some ancient equipment. She nodded, then led us to some stairs, where there was a locked door. This Exusiai opened by using what she called a “skeleton key.” That turned out to be a small explosive charge. 

“Can’t use that hidey hole again. Too bad,” she mused. I winced, so she patted me on the back. “Don’t sweat it, James. I wasn’t too sure about you at first. But, you seem like a decent guy. I always want to go help people too, even if it would cause me problems. Boss is always yelling at me about it. Says I waste time and stuff. Then he covers the medical expenses of the people I rescue. You can never tell with Boss.”

“He is Signore degli uccelli ,” Texas said. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Like Zaaro?” I guessed. “He, uh, already had that showdown with them and, um…Lappland, right?”

Texas jerked a nod, baring a fang at the mention of Lappland. Yikes. She hadn’t even done that when I mentioned being a complete idiot and leaving our perfectly safe hole to go treat random wounded. 

“Wait,” Sussurro said, and pulled out an arts wand. She pressed it into my hands. “Do you know how to use it?”

“No, not really,” I admitted. 

“Well, at least use it as a prop. Most people don’t understand arts healing. Most doctors can’t even use one. I couldn’t until I became an infected. So just act like you’re using the wand. It should fool most people,” Sussurro told me. “Don’t worry, I have a backup.”

With that, Sussurro nodded to Texas, who held up a hand. “Wait here. I’ll check it out.”

Texas vanished up the stairs, and the minutes crawled by as we sweated and held our breath. Then, Texas reappeared, nodding to us. “It’s safe, for now. Follow.”

We emerged out into hell. The air was thick with dust and smoke, and I could see fires burning in the distance. I half expected to hear gunfire, but of course, there was none of that, though there were blaring sirens and the occasional distant explosion.

Sussurro led the way, and within minutes, we arrived at a hotel that had been converted into a makeshift hospital. Sussurro and I were both wearing generic lab coats, and I had on my fake pair of Ursus ears. Someone ran up to us and started babbling in German. I didn’t understand a lick of it, but Sussurro said, “ Wir sprechen kein Leithanisch. Wir sind Ärzte. Wir können helfen.”

Texas helpfully added, “Siracusian.”

“ Ach! Um, Grazie per… aiuto. Heir, er ecco! Das…questa parte! ”

We followed our goat horned guide to where they were triaging. There were several people providing first aid, but the best of them looked to be EMTs and best, and just those with basic first aid training in the majority. Sussurro and I had brought whatever medical supplies had been in the hideout, along with basic tools. I swallowed at seeing all the blood, but rolled up my sleeves, put on my gloves, and got to the bloody work. 

There had clearly been several explosions and many fires. Lots of shrapnel wounds, burns, and pressure trauma. A lot of it I treated with needle and thread, bandages, and a bit of ugly knife work. 

However…I also used that arts wand. I actually figured out how to use it rather quickly. You just channeled the arts into it, and it made the healing a lot easier. However, it was also extremely tiring. Like, a few minutes of arts use, and I felt like I had after did a mile swim. I had to save it for the most severe cases, and it was heart wrenching to see just how many of them there were. 

Even worse…I lost my first patient. It was an older woman, one of her horns broken off from severe trauma, the other curled goat horn. She had second and third degree burns, and her left was basically a ruined wreck with bones poking through. Her left leg was also badly burned, and I could see bone poking through, her foot a mangled mess. 

I swore when they brought her in, and nearly called for Sussurro, who was a much more experienced surgeon and doctor in general, but she was already dealing with an older man who had a serious gut wound, a large splinter that was requiring a lot of surgery and work with her arts wand. 

Swallowing despite my dry mouth, I forced myself to triage and work as fast as I could to save the patient. It was going to require a double amputation; the foot at the ankle at least, and the arm at the elbow. It was alright. I had trained for this. I could do it. I quickly checked the head trauma, but the skull wasn’t fractured, and it had already been bandaged. 

So I set to work with the bonesaw. I’d learned how to do an amputation, and even practiced on a  cadaver once or twice. But this was the first time doing it on a living person. We didn’t have any anesthesia, so it was just a couple of shots of morphine. The patient groaned, which was a good sign, and I applied a tourniquet. We started her on an IV of blood, I had a couple of assistants who if they hadn’t been good at getting blood into patients, were now, and I started. 

It was chillingly easy. I sawed away, cutting off the foot first, then the arm, clamping and using arts to heal it up. I might, could, have reconstructed the whole limb, but doing so would have overloaded my admittedly low stamina when it came to that, and there were literally dozens of patients waiting for treatment, and I couldn’t spare the energy. 

I actually successfully performed both operations and got her stabilized. I was just tending to the burns, when she started convulsing. I thought at first it was blood loss, but then I noticed something that made my heart drop.

She was bleeding and leaking cranial fluid from her broken off horn. There had evidently been more trauma there than I had first noticed. I swore and tried to think of what to do. There was obvious swelling, and I would need to lower the pressure in the skull, before-

With one final convusion, she coughed up blood, then flooped back, still. I quickly checked vitals, then started chest compressions as I tried to think of what to do. 

“Dr. McCoy! James!” 

I blinked, staring up stupidly at Sussurro, who was standing there with a face mask on. She stripped off her gloves, reaching out to gently take my hands off the patient. “She’s gone, James. She’s gone.”

“No, she can’t be, I… I performed the amputations, she…she was going to make it…” I stammered. 

“James. Go take a breather,” Sussurro told me firmly. 

“But, Lucia, I-”

“A breather. Just five minutes. You need a break. You’ve been at this for four hours.”

I didn’t point out that she’d been doing this as long as I had. I looked down at the dead woman, her glassy eyes staring back sightlessly. Then I nodded, and staggered outside. I made it a few steps into the alleyway when I leaned against the wall and spewed up everything. Sobs and dry heaves wracked my body, and I felt like I was going to pass out.

“Hey. It’s OK. You’re going to be alright.”

I blinked through the pain, and a smiling angel looked back at me. 

“But…but I let her die,” I gasped, and Exusiai had to grab me to keep me from keeling over right there. 

Gingerly, she helped me move away from my sick, then set me down on the ground. “You’re a pretty good person, aren’t ya, James?”

I shrugged, unable to say anything as Exusiai slumped down beside me. She dug out a canteen and handed it to me, and I took a swig, swished it around in my mouth, then spat to the side before sipping at it. 

“I’m glad, you know? The guy who can, well. A special package right you coulda been a real asshole, you know?” she commented. 

“I guess,” I mumbled, still feeling numb. I started to shiver, despite the warm evening. Shit, was I going into shock?

“Makes me feel better about this job. I’m glad I get to help save the world with a doc like you,” Exusiai commented, clearly trying to cheer me up.

“Haven’t saved it yet. I…I didn’t even know her name, Exusiai.”

“Call me Lemuel.”

“I…sure,” I said, blinking my eyes back into focus. “But, if I’d know more about her race’s biology, if I’d just noticed that head trauma earlier…maybe I could have saved her.”

“Maybe. I’m not a doctor, I don’t really know. But I’ve had a lot of packages, James. And I’ve lost some of them. Sometimes…sometimes if I’d been a little faster, or more vigilant…maybe they would have made it. But you can’t keep second guessing yourself. You have to keep moving forward. Don’t worry about the mistakes you’ve made. Not until later, when you're back home safe. Until then, you keep caring for the packages you’ve got,” Exusiai told me. 

There was pain in her eyes. Deep wounds that were covered up by a chipper attitude and a bright smile. 

“Those packages…they were people, weren’t they?” I asked quietly. 

She nodded, the smile turning maudlin. “Yeah. But like I said. You think about the ones you did save. Not the ones you didn’t. Speaking off…keep your head down.”

“Huh?” I blinked as Exusiai stood, then jumped up on top of a stack of boxes. She raised her guns, and I stupidly half stood to see what she was pointing them at. A dozen figures in dark robes, with masks bearing twisted symbols I half recognized. Echos. The followers of the Witch King.”

“Sorry, boys, clinic’s closed!” Exusiai said in all too chipper tones. “I suggest you go elsewhere.”

“We seek the Great Healer! You will give us to him, Sankta! Or we will-”

There was a loud bark, and bullets flew over the head of the cultists. 

“Clinics closed. Buzz-”

One of them raised an instrument and blew a note, and the boxes Exusiai had been standing on exploded. But she was already in the air, and her guns trained on the cultist. They roared, and death spat out. 

The cultists tried to fight back, sending back arts attacks, but Exusiai dodged and danced away, raining death down on them. The battle didn’t last long, only a few seconds for Exusiai to deal out a great deal of death. Then the cultists scattered, fleeing, and Exusiai ran them down, still firing. 

“ Ad foveam, quam peperisti, filii veneficae Horned !” Exusiai screamed after them as they fled.

Then she switched languages, taking another in the back and shouting, “Ich habe eine besondere Einladung vom Tod! Du kommst zurück, wenn du MEINE Musik hören willst !”

Finally, she spoke in something II understood, shouting, “This clinic is under MY protection, Horned ones! You tell your boss the Angel of Death guards this place!”

The last couple of cultists still alive ran off. I hurried over to one who was down and struggling, ripping off their mask. It turned out to be a young woman with sheep's horns, who was coughing up blood. 

“Shit, shit, shit,” I growled, and quickling diagnosed the problem. She’d been shot in the right lung. I hastily used forceps to dig the bullet out, healed the bare minimum with arts, then bandaged her up.

“ Warum heilst du mich? Bin ich…ich nicht dein Feind ?” she coughed. 

“Shut up,” I growled. “I haven’t healed you completely. Terrorist asshole.”

She blinked at me. “You…Columbian?”

“Rim Billington, mother fucker,” I snarled, trying to give myself an Aussie accent and probably failing miserably. 

My patient groaned and lay back. Exusiai came over, inspected her, then zip tied her arms and legs and gagged her. “You’ll try to help anyone, won’t you?”

“Once they stop fighting, they’re not our enemies anymore. Just another patient,” I sighed. 

“Soft. You’ll need watching.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I looked up and found Texas hovering over me, two bloodied swords in her hands. 

“You got the rest of them, Texas?” Exusiai said grimly. 

“I let one get away. They’ll know not to come here,” Texas said, standing. “Messages don’t get delivered if you kill all the messengers.”

I stood, looking down at my bloodied hands. Then I made fists, and turned back to the clinic. 

“There’s more lives to save. Toss her somewhere safe,” I said wearily, then went back inside. 

That woman wasn’t the last patient I lost that night. I worked until dawn, when I was ready to drop. Texas eventually made Sussurro and I get some rack time. We were both so exhausted we passed out right away. Shit, I’m writing this two days later, on my new phone. 

But I guess the next Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day belongs in the next entry.

I just know that Greta Baumann is someone who will live in my memory forever. I found out later by askingaround that she'd been a grocery store clerk. Lived alone, but sang in a choir. I never got to hear her sing. Wish I had. 

I’m sorry, Greta. I couldn’t save you. I know I shouldn’t beat myself up over it. 

But I will anyway. 

Chapter Text

Entry 12, Day 28

I only got about two hours of sleep before Exusiai hauled me to my feet and shouted, “We need to go, now!” 

I stumbled into motion, nerves already fried from adrenaline as I tried to figure out what was going on. Sussurro was getting up with Texas’s help, and the four of us were hurrying towards the back door of the makeshift hospital. There were still dozens of dying and wounded, but Sussurro and I had worked as long as we could before we were dead on our feet, and the couple hours of rest were not near enough to get us back to effective status. 

“What’s…what’s happening? Horn Followers?” I said, my sluggish brain trying to catch up. 

“No, they’ve been beaten back. It’s the Empresses. They’re here,” Exusiai said. “And that means we need to get you back to ground, Bones!” 

“But, there’s more people we can help! We, we can’t just-” I babbled.

“Look, the Empresses brought in full disaster response units. Their medical team will be here shortly,” Exusiai said. “You did good, Bones. But now we need to split!”

I looked back at the people who still needed my help, the bloody bandages, the weeping, the screams. That was where I belonged. I was in over my head, I wasn’t the best doctor, but I was all there was at the moment. I started to resist, until someone took my other arm. 

“James…Exusiai is right. We’ve done what we can. Now we need to go,” Sussurro said quietly. “I’m sorry. If they catch two infected doctors working in this hospital…it would be bad for us.”

I slumped, but nodded, and hobbled out after Texas, who despite probably getting even less sleep than I had, seemed perfectly alert and awake. “This way.”

We started down the back alleys, but neither Sussurro nor I could move very fast. Hours and hours of grueling work on your feet take time to recover from. We’d worked at least a 15 hour shift, from mid afternoon until after dawn, and it wasn’t even noon now. It’s a miracle we were able to stumble along, even like zombies. 

However, we hadn’t gone very far when the screams behind us started, along with a couple of explosions. Sussurro and I immediately slowed, while Exusiai actually spun on her heels, pointing her guns behind us. We heard the sound of discordant music, and more cries of panic and terror. 

“The Echos! They’re attacking the hospital!” I gasped, and took half a step forward, only to have someone grab my arm. 

“We need to go. Now,” Texas said firmly. 

“People are dying! It’s my fault!” I protested. “We have to do something!” 

“The whole plan is to keep you safe,” Texas repeated. “We need to go.”

“Texas…”

Texas looked up at Exusiai, who was shifting from side to side. “Exusiai…”

“Look, I get trying to keep Bones safe, but…can you really turn your back on people in need?” Exusiai asked.

Sussurro shivered, her eyes haunted. “The smart thing is to leave, but…”

“Look, I’ll keep my head down,” I said, and pointed to the side, where there was a dumpster. “Stick me in that! I’m ass in a fight anyway. You go save them.”

Texas’s eyes shifted from me, to the dumpster, then to Exusiai. 

“What would Sora do, Cellinia?” Exusiai asked. 

“She’d go,” Texas said instantly. She shook her head. “Dr. Sussurro?”

“I…” Sussurro swallowed, then looked to me. “ La coda e le orecchie della nonna .

I’m not very smart either. We’re Rhodes Island. We have to help.”

That seemed to decide it for Texas. “Stay behind me. Exusiai. Cover us.” 

“Let’s rock and roll!” Exusiai said enthusiastically, her cheeks dimpling as she grinned. Sussurro pulled out a crossbow, and I looked about like an idiot. 

“Here. Don’t hurt yourself,” Texas said, and pulled a large knife from her boot before handing it to me. 

I’m not what you would call martially excellent, but I at least know how to handle a knife. Got my Totin’ Chit and everything, and I’ve never cut myself cooking. Not that I’m much of a cook, mind you, but I do know how to chop up some onions or potatoes. 

Still, I gripped the knife, then jogged to keep up with Sussurro as Texas dashed ahead. I’ve seen people run before, but watching Texas run has to be like watching Usain Bolt do it. Only, Texas was wearing full battle rattle and carrying swords that I’m fairly sure no reasonable person on Earth ever used. I was only able to just keep up to watch as Texas reached the clinic, where a couple of Horn cultists were attacking the medics.

I don’t want to say Texas teleported, she did move between point A and point B. It’s just that she did so in a manner that my eyes couldn’t track. One moment she was 100 feet away and the cultists were just noticing her, then next, three of them were dead and in pieces, and the fourth was keeling over from Exusiai sniping them through the head. 

“Move, move, move!” Exusiai urged, and puffing, Sussurro and I booked it for the clinic. We got there just in time for me to see an explosion blow out the few remaining windows, and hear the cries of wounded and dying. 

I peeked out the window, then swore. “That’s the boss! That’s, uh, the enemy leader, what's his name!” 

It was a goat horned pretty boy, snarling and slinging around arts. Not Ebenholz, but one of the bad guys whose name I just do not know, but I recognized him from the dialogues I skipped past. 

Texas and this guy were going at it, hammer and tongs. He had twenty or so cultists with him, and he was slinging around some serious arts as he played on a damn accordion, of all things. Only instead of Polka, whatever this guy was doing was making the earth erupt and boil, and the air split with lightning as he played. Texas was shooting swords at him with every swing of her blade, but he was blocking those with barriers or shattering them with sound. 

I had no time for that, however, as there were more injured. Instead, I knelt and just started helping the wounded, trusting that Texas and Exusiai had this handled. Sussurro was doing the same, treating a kid whose arm had been ripped up by arts, while I was treating a man whose leg had been detonated by the burning earth spell. 

I heard gunfire and more screams, and tried to focus on my work. Then, I heard Exusiai scream. Not a battlecry, but one of pain and fear. I hastily finished my tourniquet, then ran over to where Exusiai was down, scrabbling at her neck, where a glowing fragment of…something, I wasn’t sure what, was embedded. 

I had no time to think. That was a fatal injury. Exusiai was going to drown in her own blood, if not simply bleed out in moments. I did the exact wrong thing to do: I ripped out the nasty thing, screaming in pain as it felt like grabbing molten lava that also shocked you. Then I poured all the arts I had into Exusiai. My vision blurred, narrowing to a fine point, and when I finished, I just collapsed. 

What happened after I had to get from Lemuel and Lucia. Exusiai apparently was able to get back up after I miraculously healed her. However, my outpouring of Arts did not go unnoticed. The Horn Cultist leader made a call, shouting something about finding “the foretold outlander” and firing off a beam of light into the air that cast a strange shadow. Texas used that opportunity to cut the bastard's head off, and Exusiai shot the rest of the cultists dead. 

“James, James!? Look at me! There, focus on my finger. Can you see it?”

Sussurro’s voice. My head was cradled in her lap, and she had a finger she was slowly waving back and forth. It took a second, but my eyes were able to focus on it. “Y-yeah…”

“Can you walk?” she asked. 

I tried to sit up, but my muscles just didn’t respond. “I…I don’t think so…”

“ Merda di merda! Exusiai! Help!” 

My angel was there in a moment, grim faced and covered with her own blood. She hauled me up, impressive as I overtop her by almost ten inches. But she slung my left arm over her shoulders, while Sussurro got the right. They dragged me out of the clinic, to where Texas was finishing off the remaining cultists with a twist of her blade. She looked up, fury covering her face, but then she saw Exusiai, alive and well, and the wrath drained from her. 

“Lemuel! You…you are well?”

“Bones saved me,” Exusiai croaked, her voice more than a little raw. “Let’s book it. He’s down for the count.”

“Copy. Follow me.”

We couldn’t move fast, not with me being dragged like a sack of potatoes. I tried to help, but my legs just weren’t listening to me. My entire body was burning with pain, especially my right hand, which felt like it had withered up and fallen off, though when I saw it dangling over Sussurro’s shoulder, it looked fine. 

We hadn’t gone far before more cultists arrived. They tried to attack, but Texas’ blood was up, and she was taking zero prisoners. The first group to show themselves was impaled on so many blades that rained down from the sky that they looked like pincushions. The next ran right into her blades, and ended up in at least three times as many pieces as they’d started in. It was horrifying, and beautiful. Texas moved like this was a dance that she had long ago memorized, not a single wasted motion, not a single instant of hesitation. Just elegantly executed death. 

Exusiai had a pistol in one hand and pulled off some shots I would have told you were impossible. She even put the gun behind her back and shot someone dead in the chest using the reflection off a car's side mirror. All without breaking stride and puffing like a bellows. 

But, even Texas can’t fight forever. Ten minutes in, and she was visibly slowing, as well as wounded. Even without missing a step, Texas had taken several hits and was bleeding from multiple wounds. She refused to slow down to accept treatment, pressing on. 

I thought we were going to die a death from a thousand cuts, when the radio crackled to life. 

“Delta-five-niner, this is Watchtower. On your eight, multiple hostiles. Engaging.”

We turned to see more cultists running at us, and Texas began to limp that direction. Only for an all too familiar sound to echo across the battlefield, cultists falling in a hail of bullets. 

“That’s…that’s gunpowder,” I gasped. 

The cultists tried to fight back, but their opponents were on the roof on one side, and coming out of an alley on the other. I’m not a tactician, but it looked like a textbook ambush. The cultists all went down, and four figures ran up to us as four more stood overwatch on the roof. I recognized all of them. After all, I’d gone whole hog on their banner. 

“T-Team Rainbow?” I slurred as Ash, Frost, Doc, and Lord Tachanka himself ran up to us. 

“Oh, you is recognizing us?” Tachanka said, grabbing me from the exhausted Exusiai and Sussurro and easily lifting me. Doc was tending to Texas wounds, as she’d just collapsed to the ground, leaning on her swords to even sit up. “I have not been doing such a good job, it seems.”

“Cut the chatter, people,” Ash barked. “Into cover, now! There’s still more of those hostiles close by!” 

We were all scooped up into a nearby building, where after making sure Texas wasn’t going to die, Doc came to crouch by me, with Sussurro right beside him. 

“Hmm. Looks like arts overuse. Didn’t they tell you to be more careful with that, friend?” Doc said conversationally as he pulled out a needle, then jabbed me in the leg. 

“Bones isn’t very good at listening,” Sussurro said, quickly taking my vitals. “And he hasn’t had long to practice his arts.”

“Hey everybody,” I slurred, the shot apparently having contained some sort of adrenaline that was getting my heart going in a hurry. “I’m *hic* James McCoy. Oh yeah, I’m a doctor now. Sorry ‘bout all this. Hey, you guys know how to get back to Kansas? ‘Cause I’m fresh out of Ruby Slippers.”

The Rainbow Six Operators all froze for an instant. It was barely perceptible, but they clearly tensed up. 

“ Ебать ,” Tachanka growled. “Another one? I am not recognizing you. You are also a member of Rainbow?”

“Nah, I’m straight, but your banner was pretty cool. Glad you guys got a rerun, oh hi, Ela, you’re pretty cool too,” I babbled. 

“Don’t listen to him. James has a terminal case of Diarrhea of the Mouth,” Sussurro sighed, standing. “James. I am glad you got to meet the rest of your people. Now shut up.”

“Ok. Did you know you’re *hic* kinda cute? Like, really pretty. You too, Lemuel. Both very pretty. I-”

“I am thinking is time for you to be quiet, Mr. McCoy,” Tachanka said, and pinched my lips shut. 

“That is…an odd reaction,” Doc said, glancing at the needle. “That was just a standard anti-arts drug. Normally, it makes people sleepy, but I haven’t seen it work as a truth serum.”

“Maybe he has ADHD? That can cause odd reactions with certain medications,” Sussurro mused.

I shook my head and tried to say something, but Tachanka kept a hand over my mouth. 

“He’s like us?” Ash asked Sussurro, who nodded. She puffed up her cheeks then blew out. “Fantastic. Right. What was the Babel Has Fallen for? We were expecting to find Rhodes Island under attack, Dr. Sussurro.”

“For James. He’s…special,” Sussurro replied. 

“I am noticing,” Tachanka said dryly. “But we are not usually responding for idiot who cannot keep mouth shut. Even if he is stranger like us.”

I was starting to feel warm all over, and the pain was rapidly fading. Honestly, I felt like I was drunk, or maybe high, though I’d never so much as smoked a blunt. Odd for a California boy, I know, but after learning about the effects of marijuana, mild as they are, I decided I wasn’t going to be OK with mediocrity and eating Scooby Snacks and avoided the stuff. I don’t even ever have more than one or two drinks, bit of a teetotaler. 

“Mmmm, mmmm!” I said, and tried to pull free from Tachanka. He kept his hand over my mouth, and he was far too strong for me to shift. 

“Ela, what’s the situation?” Ash demanded, turning to the other squad leader. 

“Leithanien forces are sweeping through the city and taking out the Horn Followers. They’re getting close to here. If we hunker down, they should be here soon. Might solve some problems for us,” Ela said, eyeing me suspiciously. 

“Can’t…can’t let Bones…fall into…Empresses’ hands,” Texas panted, still looking much the worse for wear. 

The Rainbow Six operators nodded. 

“I’d prefer to keep out of their hands myself,” Ash agreed. “Alright. We move out. Rhodes Island is still hours off, that Catastrophe just ended and it’s going to be a bear to get past even still. I’ll-”

I was slapping at Tachanka’s arms, and he swore when I bit his thumb, dropping me. “What is wrong with-”

I was red faced now and gasping for breath, but I managed to wheeze out, “T-tachycardia, having, having an adverse-”

Sussurro was there in an instant, as was Doc, both of them frantically trying to figure out what was happening to me. 

“His veins! They’re turning black!” Doc hissed, and Sussurro growled in anxiety. 

“His arm! His arts are going-”

I couldn’t contain it anymore. I screamed as that fire began to burn in my veins.

“What did you give him!?” Sussurro demanded, turning on Doc. 

“Neuroquelin! It’s the standard treatment for someone who has overused arts!” 

“Neuroquelin…it shouldn’t be causing this, I’ve never seen…” Sussurro shook her head, but I could see…I could see her whole nervous system. All her organs, layered in her body, little glowing flecks inside of her. 

“I can…I can see you,” I hissed through my teeth. 

“That’s good, vision is fine then, I-”

“No,” I gasped. “I can see…the oripathy. Inside of you. It’s…”

I reached out a hand, and Sussurro took it, a look of deep concern on her face. “James…don’t do anything foolish.”

“I, I won’t, I just-” I gasped as my heart continued to race. 

“Try an arts amplifier drug,” Sussurro said, her eyes locked on mine. “That would counter act the Neuroquelin. Do you have Artilune?”

“No, none of us have arts,” Doc said, sounding frustrated. 

“Left breast. Pocket,” Texas said, and Exusiai hastily dug out a plastic coated automatic syringe, then hurried over

“It’s not Artilune. It’s Amp-X. Texas…uses the potent stuff.”

“Half a dose then,” Sussurro said, and jabbed me with the needle. I didn’t even notice, squeezing her hand so tight I bruised her, though I didn’t notice until later. 

A numbness slowly spread out from the location of the jab. I sighed as my heart rate slowed, and my muscles slowly uncramped. 

“This is…very odd. Normally, Arts suppressors are downers, and the Arts Amplifiers are uppers,” Sussurro said, taking my pulse at the wrist. She glanced at Doc. “Have you ever seen such a reaction from your people?”

“No, I only have those so I can treat an ally. As I said, none of us have arts, so we’ve never taken any,” Doc said with a shake of his head. 

“Can you move?” Sussurro asked me. 

I tried to get to my feet, but my legs felt like jelly and I had to sink back. “Probably not. Sorry. I feel like the damn MacGuffin, or an NPC in an escort quest.”

“What was that about you seeing oripathy?” Doc said, frowning at me. He glanced at my hand, then back at me. “You’ve got a case, I see. But…you said…?”

“Yeah, I’m from SanFran. But somehow, I gave myself super cancer,” I yawned, feeling a sense of lassitude wash over me. 

“Like Lucia said. Bones here is special,” Exusiai said, patting me on the shoulder. 

Blitz suddenly snorted. “Because he’s a doctor, not a miracle worker?”

“Fuck you too, man. Damn trekkies,” I grumbled. 

“We good?” Ash said, and got a nod from Sussurro as Tachanka hefted me in a damn princess carry. Doc helped Texas to her feet, and she was able to stagger, though she looked pretty wiped out. 

“Hold on,” I said. “C’mere. Got something I can do for Texmex.”

Tachana obligingly brought me close enough to Texas for me to grab her, and I poured a bunch of arts into her. 

“Dammit, James, that was what we were trying to avoid!” Sussurro snapped. 

However, using the arts had made me feel a lot better. I flexed my hand and shook my head. “Actually…I’m fine.”

“This isn’t making any medical sense! You had arts overload, then you had an adverse reaction to the suppressor, now using more arts after giving you an amp that should have made you go haywire calms you down!?” Sussurro shook her head in frustration. “This makes no medical sense!” 

“I know when you hear hooves, you’re supposed to think horses, but I’m pretty sure I’m a zebra in this context,” I told her. The look of bafflement I got back made me sigh. 

“He’s talking about, oh, Burdenbeasts and Slumberfoots,” Doc mused. “You really are from Earth, aren’t you, McCoy?”

“I’ve been told I should keep my ‘weird alien knowledge’ to myself. Speaking of, you guys got gunpowder now?”

“I am thinking that is qualifying as ‘weird alien knowledge,’” Tuchanka grunted as we moved out. Texas was back on her feet, though she still looked bushed. “Maybe be keeping thoughts inside small brain of yours. I am fearing they will be leaking out otherwise.”

I switched over to Ursus, we’d been speaking English, and told him, “I learned Russian, by the by. Neat trick, huh?  You guys get any new languages?”

“That is not Russian, comrade. You are speaking Ursus. Very similar, that surprised me. But it’s not Russian. Sounds like my grandfather, if he were from Siberia.”

“Huh, I haven’t really heard anyone speaking Columbian, now that I think about it. They keep assuming I’m from there though, so it must be close?”

“Yes. Many countries match up. Everyone thinks Doc is from Gaul, Ela is from Kazimierz, and so on. When did you arrive, comrade? It took me many months to learn all this.”

“Uh, so anyway, like I said…way back home?” I asked hopefully. “Not that, um, I can go just yet. Pressing business and all, but…is it an option?”

Tuchanka grunted. “Honestly, when I heard you start talking about Earth, I was hoping you might know a way. How did you arrive here?”

I was quiet for a moment. A rarity for me, to be sure. Then I said, “I died, I think. I was trying to save a kid from getting hit by a car that passed a school bus. Think I pushed him out of the way, but then I felt this intense pain, then….then I woke up in Ursus.”

“Ah.” Tachanka was quiet for a moment, and shook his head. “Sorry. We arrived…in another way. And to answer your question, no. I speak the same languages I did when I arrived. English, Russian, German, and Pashto.”

“Pashto? Where do they speak that? Sargon?” I asked. 

“Afghanistan.”

“Afghani- Oh. Ohhhhhh. Shit. Sorry. My older brother…he was there. Served from 2017-2021.”

“Ah. And how is he?”

“Married, with two kids. He and his wife live in Phoenix, Arizona. He’s an auto mechanic. He’s good, just…he doesn’t like to talk about what happened there. Guess I know why now.”

Tachanka grunted. “I suppose you do. When we get to Rhodes Island, we will drink vodka and talk.”

“I didn’t used to drink. I also didn’t used to see so much death. Guess I see the appeal now.”

“Quiet,” Tachanka grunted, as the column came to a halt. Blitz was running back to us, looking worried. 

“Good news is, no crazy musical cultists up ahead,” he said, crouching low with the rest of us behind a hedgerow. “Bad news is that the Gesatzswächter is up ahead, and so is Empress Hildegard.”

“That the dark one or the light one?” I whispered. 

Blitz glanced at me. “Dark one. Why?”

I grimaced. “Sussurro, um, pow wow?” 

Tachanka set me down so Sussurro could put her big fluffy ear up against my mouth, and I hissed, “She’s supposed to get trapped in the shadow realm, whatever it’s called, when they try to stop the revived Witch King. But if that doesn’t happen…I don’t know. I think I fucked with the timeline.”

Sussurro nodded, then looked over at Ela and Ash, who were quietly conferencing. “Can we avoid them?”

“We’re going to try, but the Gesatzswächter are good. Very good. And since they’re mostly casters, we have a damn hard time countering them. We didn’t train for it originally, and even with Maylander’s help, we aren’t best suited to this,” Ash said with a grimace. 

“Oh shit, you guys work for Maylander? Is Tin Man here?” I said, glancing around. 

“He really can’t shut the hell up, can he?” Ela said with a shake of her head. 

Oops. 

“I think someone needs a crash course in Op Sec before he’s ever allowed in the field,” Ash said, frowning at me. 

I gave her a sheepish grin, and mimed zipping my mouth shut. I’d gotten in trouble a couple of times for HIPPA violations. Never anything major, but enough to get written up. I had thought I was getting better…

We moved out again, but we hadn’t gone far before a wall of black flames appeared before us. We skidded to a stop, with everyone looking around in alarm. 

“ Halt! Nicht bewegen !”

Dark shapes materialized, and I recognized the elite knight guys who worked for the Empresses. They were magic knights, which meant that they were all masters of Arts, since Leithanien was basically the arts capital of the entire world. 

“Well, well, well. Rhodes Island, Maylander, and Penguin Logistics? This is a surprise,” a deep female voice said, as the Black Empress herself stepped forward. She was tall and imperious looking, and radiated a menacing aura about her. 

“Kneel!” Sussurro hissed at us, hastily getting to her own knees. 

There was shuffling, as everyone, even the R6 operatives, got down on their knees in supplication to the Black Empress. Well, everyone but me, though Tachanka helped me get to a kneeling position. 

“Your Majesty,” Sussurro said, eyes on the pavement. “We were simply trying to escape the chaos. We did not wish to cause any inconvenience.”

“That is not what I have heard,” Hildegard said, slapping a glove in her palm and looking down her nose at us. I felt my blood freeze, until she said, “Rhodes Island has been rendering aid to Our Citizens, healing the sick and wounded, as well as fighting against the Herkunftshorn. As has Penguin Logistics. But Maylander…you came here quite quickly, didn’t you?”

“When trouble calls, Maylander is there. Majesty,” Ash said, her eyes still down. 

“Hmm. There has been a great deal of trouble of late. Following this one.”

A pair of fine shoes appeared in front of me, and I swallowed. My eyes flicked up, but I was too weak to really crane my neck. Only Tachanka’s hand on my collar was keeping me from just collapsing right then and there. I felt better, but still like a limp noodle. 

“First, you flee Shiraziberg. I have heard rumors that you did so against the will of an Emperor’s Blade. Commendable. But then, you travel to Lungmen, and meet with Wei Yenwu. Indeed, his own niece arrived in the city with you. And now, you travel with…outlanders.”

A hand reached down, and a finger tilted my chin up. I looked up, and beheld dark beauty. Hildegard had dark hair, violet eyes, and black horns like an antelope. She was dressed in a black military suit, with golden pauldrons and cord. Just like her in game sprite, but the power that radiated from her…it was incredible. 

“What is your name? Do not lie. I have the manifest, but it is falsified.”

In that moment, I couldn’t even dream of lying. Something about her voice compelled me to speak, made me ache to answer her. I opened my mouth and-

There were cries of outrage and rattles of steel, and the air crackled with power as a blade interposed itself between the Empress and me, followed by the muzzle of a gun.

“Stay…back,” Texas panted, barely on her feet, her arm trembling, legs shaking, sweat beading on her brow. 

“Sorry, Majesty! But this one’s ours,” Exusiai said, her tone chipper. “I’m gonna have to ask you to back up a couple steps. Respectfully, of course.”

The Empress raised an eyebrow. “You would defy me?”

“Boss…said…to get…him…through,” Texas panted. 

“It’s not personal. Just company policy,” Exusiai said matter of factly. 

“Exusiai! Texas! What are you doing!?” Sussurro gasped, springing to her own feet. “We can’t-”

“ Majestät !” one of the guards shouted. “ Hinter uns !” 

Hildegard half turned, as a roaring sound washed over us along with the backwash of rotors. A moment later, a red streak dropped out of a VTOL, and a burning figure landed in a crater, carrying a white robed woman. A moment later, the fiery woman stepped forward, and a chainsaw revved. 

It was her. My One True Waifu. Blaze, elite operator of Rhodes Island. A long mane of black hair, held back by a scarlet headband, two big cat ears, a devil-may-care smile, and a body wreathed in flames. She was dressed differently than her in-game image, wearing what I now saw as the usual body armor, though hers had a distinctive Rhodes Island crest on it, and her arms were bare, as they were covered in flames. 

Next to her was the Old Well herself. Her expression was about as emotive as Texas’s usually was, and she was dressed in a green lab coat, though instead of heels, she had practical looking boots. But it was Kal’stit alright, stethoscope around her neck and all. 

“Monst3r,” Kal’stit said quietly, and with a hideous screech, a horrific many-legged demon that was more than 20 feet tall appeared behind her in a billow of green and black fog. 

“Director Kal’stit,” the Empress said as her guard formed a protective screen between her and the newcomers. 

“Empress Hildegard. I am afraid that I am going to need to request that you step away from our employees. While at this time Rhodes Island does not wish for hostilities, we-”

“Oh for Pete’s sake,” I groaned. “Twenty words or less!”

To my shock, Sussurro actually let out a nervous giggle. Then kicked me. 

Kal’tsit regarded me for a moment, apparently not appreciating the interruption, but it was Hildegard who spoke next. 

“Then the rumors are true. This man can cure oripathy. And Rhodes Island is willing to go to war to get him,” the Black Empress said. 

“ Blyat ,” Tuchuka growled, already on his feet with his weapon readied. 

“He’s one of the Infected, which means Rhodes Island is here to fight for him!” Blaze declared, her flames flaring up slightly. 

“Give me one good reason I should not simply slay you all for your insolence and take this prize for myself,” Hildegard hissed, arts crackling in her left hand as she drew what looked like a conductors baton.

“Hi, yes, it’s me, the guy you’re fighting over? Can I say something?” I said hopefully. 

Hildegard turned one eye on me, and Sussurro hissed, “James!” 

“Look, uh, we got off on the wrong foot, um, your Majesty,” I babbled, and I knew I was babbling. “But really, um…we should be working together, right? Like, you know, advancing medical science for the good of all Mankind? Or humanity, or whatever we’re gonna call it.”

“That man has a contract with Rhodes Island, and is one of our operators. We will take whatever steps are necessary to secure him. Whatever information he holds, it is something that Rhodes Island would be willing to share with Leithanien. You know that we do not jealously guard information, Empress Hildegard. Rather, we seek to be the light in the darkness for all-”

“The man is impudent, but he has a point, Director. Please, be brief,” Hildegard interrupted.

Oh good. I wasn’t the only skipper here.

“I would not sour our relationship, Empress,” Kal’tsit said, her tone rather robotic. Which, you know, makes sense, all things considered. “However, James McCoy is coming with us. And he will do so with your blessing, or by force. You may choose.”

“You threaten me, here? In my own city?” Hildegard said. Her voice was even, but cold, her menacing aura growing ever stronger. 

Then, there was a click and a whirr, as the R6 team, Sussurro, Texas, and Exusiai all touched their ears. 

PTRS Online. Connecting Operators. Please stand by for orders.

Hildegard hissed, and she looked up, even as the VTOL made another pass to set down. “He is here?! The Ghost?!”

“The Doctor is present, yes. We felt this operation was worthy of the highest level of urgency, and thus, have brought all our pieces to this table,” Kal’tsit said. 

Hildegard snarled, readying her arts, and I flopped my hand up. “Wait! Ma’am! Please!”

“Not now!” Exusiai snarled, dragging me back as the R6 team faced off against the Gesatzswächter.

“I came here to save lives!” I gasped. “I tried, OK? I tried to save…to save so many. I know I couldn’t save Greta Baumann, but give me a chance! Give me a chance to save as many people as I can!”

For a few seconds longer, the stand off intensified, then Hildegard suddenly raised a fist. “ Abtreten .” 

The Gesatzswächter didn’t look happy, but they lowered their weapons and stopped chanting. Slowly, Hildegard turned to me. “What did you say?”

“I said,” I took a deep breath, struggling to even stay upright with Sussurro and Exusiai’s help. “I said I couldn’t save Greta Baumann. I…I tried. But I missed that she had suffered severe cranial trauma and was hemorrhaging and leaking CFS. I…I’m not even a proper doctor, yet. Just a medical intern. But I want…I want to save as many people as I can. If I can help the Infected? I’ll do that. Do you…do you really think I could save the most lives, staying here, in Leithanien? Because if you do, I’ll tell you the same thing I told Old Man Wei: I will do, whatever I can, to heal the sick. Wherever they are. So, can you, Empress Hildegard, tell me straight up, that you taking me, is going to help the most people? Or would I be able to save more lives going with Rhodes Island.”

“And what if I do not care how many lives you save? Only if you can strengthen Leithanien.”

“Well, I’d say that the horn eating wackos are probably only the first group that is going to try to get their hands on me. Actually, I lied. The first group was a bunch of mafia goons. The second was an Emperor’s Blade. The third was Der Graf Pangwen. Sorry if I butchered the pronunciation. You’re just the latest. Honestly, I’m sort of a problem wherever I go.”

“Der Graf-” Hildegard glanced at Texas, who was still on her feet, somehow, blades up, staring right back. “Ah. I see. Some things begin to make sense.”

For what felt like an eternity, Hildegard studied me intently. At last, she said, “You would cause more trouble. And, it seems, you do care, Dr. McCoy. If that is your real name. Very well. Gesatzswächter , Abtreten.”

The ranks parted, slowly, revealing a path to the now landed VTOL. The ramp lowered, and a figure in a dark hood, face obscured by a mask, stood in the hold, hands in the pockets of the long raincoat. It was him. The Doctor. The Ghost of Babel.

The Oracle. 

“My sister and I will not forget this intrusion, Director. Rhodes Island, for now, has our forbearance. You have rendered us great aid in the past, but this is a mighty sin to overlook. We will expect results. Results to be shared with Leithanien,” Hildegard said as I limped past her. 

Texas was still on watch, refusing help, despite the fact that bloodstains were soaking through her uniform. 

“We were aware there would be a price to pay, Empress. I am merely grateful that there was no need to shed further blood of those who should be our allies, not our enemies,” Kal’tsit said in a remarkable display of brevity for her. 

Everyone piled into the VTOL, with Monst3r vanishing back into Kal’tsit’s…spine, I think? I should ask about that.

Actually, I should definitely not ask about that. 

Kal’tsit came to loom over me, and started talking. 

I didn’t really hear what she said. At that point, finally safe, my brain decided now was a good time to power down. 

That’s probably one reason I’m pretty sure Kal’tsit hates me now. Along with that whole 20 words or less thing. 

Oh well. 

Chapter Text

Bones’ File

Profile:

Dr. James McCoy is a recent graduate from an accredited Medical School in Columbia. As a trained doctor, Dr. McCoy has joined Rhodes Island as a member of the medical department, code name Bones. 

This file is for general consumption, but most details regarding Dr. McCoy’s history and abilities are classified, at the request of Director Kal’tsit. 

Clinical Analysis 

Imaging tests show originium clusters along Bones’ major nerves, especially concentrated in the hands and along the spinal column. Granules have been detected in the circulatory system. Subject is confirmed to be infected with Oripathy.

[Cell-Originium Assimilation] - 10%

Bones has a number of visible lesions on his hands and forearms.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] - 0.28u/L

Despite having recently contracted oripathy, Bones’ levels indicate an acute case. He was exposed working in a hospital. Immediate intervention is required and long term treatment is needed to stabilize Bones’ condition.

Patient is to be considered non-cooperative in his own treatment. Bones seems to have an overdeveloped martyr complex and has repeatedly charged into situations that have exacerbated his condition. He is to be directly supervised, and not allowed on combat deployments for the time being. 

Confidential (Individual clearance for these files to be approved by Director Kal’stit):

Bones is another individual from another world (see files: Operation Originium Dust, Operation Lucent Arrowhead), race classification “Earthling.” Unlike the other Earthings, who have shown remarkable resistance to oripathy infection, Bones was infected within weeks of his arrival. However, it is his method of infection that is most astounding.

Based on an eyewitness report from Dr. Sussurro, Bones gave himself oripathy through the method of using an unknown brand of arts to remove the oripathy from a young patient under his care (see file Andrey Ivanovich). In doing so, he completely cured Andrey of oripathy, as confirmed by our own testing. Additionally, Bones then proceeded to treat Dr. Sussurro’s  oripathy in such a manner that her own infection was severely curbed, something that has never before been witnessed in the recorded history of Terra. 

Unfortunately, Bones’ abilities became widely known after his powers were witnessed by an Ursus doctor, and then an unknown vagrant. The doctor immediately informed the local authorities, who launched a massive manhunt for Bones, while the vagrant sold the information to members of the now defunct Bellone Famiglia who had fled to Ursus. 

All efforts to preserve Bones’ life and health are to be taken. For now, he is to be trained as a typical resident. However, should his lack of self care continue to manifest in outrageous risks, extreme measures are authorized. 

- Chief Medical Officer Warfarin. 

June 12th, 1100

Field operations always leave me feeling rather exhausted. This last one had been especially trying. It had been where I had first killed. I remember his face: he was a middle aged lupo, and he’d been trying to kill myself, James, and Dr. Gavial, not to mention the civilians present. I had trained all my life to heal, but for the first time, my hands had taken life instead of giving it. 

I still have nightmares about that mafioso's face. Even there, even in Ursus, the famiglia plagued me. I remember the Lestari Famiglia that operated in my childhood neighborhood. I mostly remember them making old Mr. Carvelli, who ran the arcade I spent so much of my time at, pay protection money. And I remember when they broke his hand when he was late on his payments. 

Do I regret killing that nameless thug? Yes. I regret that life forced me into a position where the best way I could preserve life was to take it. But if presented with the same circumstances, I would choose to kill him again. 

Saints and Angels knows I’ve killed often enough since then. I tell myself I’m a healer, not a killer, but I still cry in the dark hours of the night when I remember the faces of those who I did not save, but murdered. 

Still, I was in the briefing room. I’d already had a thorough decon and exam done by Dr. Warfarin. James was still in a coma at the time. At that point, I didn’t know how I felt about the man. He was equal parts frustrating and endearing. LIke a big, poorly house trained puppy. Adorable and more than capable of making you smile and laugh, but at the same time, capable of great destruction. Not out of malice, but out of sheer exuberance. Had I ever been like that? My parents would likely say yes, as would my various mentors. I had something of a history of creating large messes, though none so impressive as the ones James had managed in his very brief career thus far.

I was slumping in my seat with Gavial, who had several bandages on. She looked tired, but pleased with herself, as she usually did after great violence done for a good cause. I’ve never quite understood how Gavial is able to balance being both one of our greatest fighters and best healers. She gives off an air of being invincible, but she’s far from that. I’ve seen her in her rare private moments of vulnerability. When the hot tears come, and she mourns those we’ve lost, and berates herself for her perceived failures. Yet when the next dawn comes, her indomitable spirit rises once more, and she is Gavial the Great again. 

“So, you got out alive at least, huh?” Gavial said, glancing over at me. 

“Yes, where are the others? They weren’t on our VTOL,” I said, glancing around. It was just the two of us. Exusiai had insisted on clinging to James like a rock spider, and Texas was unconscious and in emergency surgery. That damn idiot had been taking Amp-X. If she wasn’t infected now, it would be a holy miracle of the Sankta themselves. 

“This is just for the two of us. I think the top brass are keeping this compartmentalized. Hard to blame them. And, well, I think the two of us are in for a legendarily epic tail-chewing.”

I groaned. “If only James could learn to control that tongue of his.”

“Huh? No, I mean for calling Babel Has Fallen. Why, what did that dumb idiot say this time?”

Before I could elucidate, the door slid open, and the leaders of Rhodes Island entered. First was Chief Medical Officer Warfarin, looking like she wanted to spit venom. That was never good. When Warfarin developed a temper, she had creative ways of making her displeasure known. Next came CEO Amiya, who smiled and came over to check on us. “You two look exhausted. Don’t worry, we’ll make this initial debrief quick, then let the two of you rest.”

“They can rest when they explain why the fuck they called Babel,” Warfarin growled, her red eyes sparkling. 

“You know why, Warfarin. Now is not the time to call these two to account. You know that it is not our policy to second guess our field operatives decisions in most circumstances. While I will grant that this is not most circumstances, I will also not overly examine the mouth of the burden beast they have gifted us with.”

Ah, yes, our ever loquacious leader, Director Kal’tsit. Honestly, the funniest thing I had heard all year was when James had told her to keep it to 20 words or less. It had been completely inappropriate of course, especially in those circumstances, but twist my tail if it hadn’t also been highly accurate. 

“Twenty words, Kal,” the last member of the command staff present said, and despite myself, I couldn’t help but laugh. Even Amiya had to hide a smile behind her hand, and Warfarin howled at the comment. Gavial chuckled, though she was too tired for much more. 

Kal’tsit regarded the speaker for a moment, her expression utterly neutral as ever. Their expression was unreadable, of course. I’ve never seen the Doctor without their hood on. The only one who ever conducts their medical exams is Kal’tsit. Honestly, I don’t even know what the Doctor’s gender is. They’ve never said, and respond to both male and female pronouns with ambivalence. There were bets early on as to which bathroom they would use, but the answer seems to be “whichever is closest.”

“I will tolerate that kind of disrespect from young men in highly stressful situations, especially when they are as valuable as this Dr. James McCoy seems to be. You, however, I will not tolerate such sass from. While you have begun to regain my trust in some small ways, our relationship is not yet one where such banter is appreciated. Do I make myself clear?”

Doctor shrugged, then turned to Amiya. “Well. This is your show.”

“Thank you, Doctor. Sussurro, Gavial, let’s keep this brief,” Amiya said in her firm but gentle way. She’d grown so much in the past five years, from awkward teenager to commanding adult. And now eight centimeters taller than I was. “We’re aware of the confrontation with the Emperor’s Blade and your meeting with Wei Yenwu. The details of that can wait. For now, we only need to know two things: First, what was the situation in Leithanien, and second, what, exactly, is this Dr. McCoy.”

“First of all, ma’am, I take full responsibility for calling Babel Has Fallen,” Gavial said, her back now ramrod straight despite her clear exhaustion. “I was in operational command at that point, and gave my personal authorization code for Hibiscus to squawk it. Don’t blame the kid, she was just doing what I told her.”

“This isn’t an inquiry panel, Gavial. There will be time for that later. For now, please, just explain what happened in Leithania and Dr. McCoy’s unique circumstances.”

“Well, I…” Gavial swallowed and glanced at me, now uncertain. “I mean, as to what happened in Leithanien, Texas and Exusiai got a bad feeling. Those two are some of the best damn scouts I’ve ever worked with. When your best eyes and ears tell you that something’s wrong, you listen. Turns out it was a damn good thing I did, because a few hours later, the whole city turned into a battleground when the damn Horn Followers attacked. As to Bones…”

“Bones?” the Doctor asked.

“James,” I clarified. “Exusiai decided he needed a nickname.”

“I like it. Warfarin, write that one down in his file,” the Doctor said.

“This is hardly the time to add another to your so-called collection,” Kal’tsit said, her right ear twitching slightly in irritation. 

“Helps me remember them. Anyway, keep going,” Doctor ordered. 

Gavial looked at me and nodded, so I sighed and continued. “You saw that the city devolved into chaos, and at least one of the Twin Empresses responded.”

“Both, actually, though what the fuck happened to Lieselotte I still don’t get,” Gavial said. “There was all this magic being thrown around, a god-damn ghost showed up, then that fucker Arturia Giallo started playing a song with the Empress, and Ch’en used that crazy sword of hers. When the dust cleared, the cultists were dead, but Lieselotte had vanished! They were about ready to round us up and kill us all for kidnapping her before you guys showed up.”

My ears twitched at that. Later, I would come to learn what we all did: the Horn Followers had managed to manifest the spirit of the Witch King. Virtuosa, also known as Arturia Giallo, along with Ch’en and Gavial, had helped seal away the spirit of the Witch King. What Gavial and Ch’en privately confirmed to me later was that to seal away the Witch King, Empress Lieselotte had been trapped as well. 

“Ah, well, our encounter with Empress Hildegard you witnessed yourselves,” I said. “We were rescued from the cultists by Team Rainbow. Apparently, they abandoned their contract with Maylander to render aid.”

“Hmmm,” Doctor said, folding their arms. “Kal, analysis?”

“You’ve read the briefings. Form your own,” she sniffed. 

Doctor kicked their legs out, leaning back in the chair. “Well, I don’t know much about ghosts, but this sounds like the same thing we ran into back in Londinium, doesn’t it? We should get Tin Man’s opinion on this, maybe ask Logos too. That said, the Horn Followers are growing a hell of a lot more bold. Leithanien is going to be destabilized with one Empress gone too. Hrmmm. Gonna be real hard to get good beer and sausage for a while.”

“That is your analysis? That your favorite brands of snacks and alcohol will be more difficult to obtain?” Kal’tsit demanded. 

Doctor shook their head. “It’s pertinent. Leithania provides a lot of supplies. They’re a major economic producer, and Victoria hasn’t recovered yet.”

“Mom, dad, don’t fight in front of the kids, you’ll make them cry,” Warfarin said in sing-song tones. 

Kal’tsit actually growled at Warfarin, who stuck her tongue out at her. Doctor shrugged, and only Amiya had the good graces to look mildly embarrassed by her command staff’s antics. 

“That’s enough for now. And Dr. McCoy? What of him?”

“Good kid. Tries, real hard,” Gavial said instantly. “He needs a firm hand to steer him straight, but he’s got the makings of a good doc. Give him to Lucia here and she’ll get his head on straight. Keep him the hell away from that menace Ack though. The two of them will blow up the whole damn landship.”

“I think they may be somewhat more concerned with the fact that not only is he from Earth, but he may also be able to cure oripathy,” I said, and Gavial shrugged. 

“Bullshit,” Warfarin said, turning from making faces at Kal’tsit’s back. “That’s impossible. No one can cure oripathy. Not even us.”

“I watched him do it. Watched him pull the crystals right out of a late stage 2 acute case and into his own body. Andrey Ivanovich is completely clean now. Test him yourselves. I had Hibiscus run the labs, but do it again. I doubt you’ll find even a trace of originium in his blood,” I said. Then I unbuttoned my jacket, and exposed my collarbone. “Notice anything?”

“You’ve got a good skin care routine,” Doctor commented. “That sunburn you got back in Dossoles is all gone. Not even any wrinkles.”

Honestly, I can never tell if Doctor is a genius, mad, a mad genius, or simply making sport of us all. 

“Your infection,” Amiya said, standing and coming over to examine me. “It’s…it’s gone? But…”

“I watched the kid rip the originium right out of her. He’d have purged the whole thing if only Lucia had let him finish,” Gavial said with a shake of her head. 

“Yes, well, he was exacerbating his own condition, and mine was already well managed,” I said, blushing and letting Warfarin and Kal’tsit examine me. 

“We’ll need to run a number of tests,” Kal’stit said, using her fingers to trace my now unblemished flesh. “But this is…startling.” 

“Well, drain me dry. Huh. Maybe you two aren’t completely hopeless after all,” Warfarin mused, tapping my skin with her finger. “We’ll run some tests to confirm, of course. Heh heh, I was hoping a cute little thing like you would end up in my lab!”

“I will be conducting the tests myself, Warfarin. Restrain yourself,” Kal’tsit said.

“Well at least give me some vials of blood! I promise not to drink them this time!” 

“You will be provided samples, but you will obey chain of custody and properly document their every use, down to the milliliter. This is not a circumstance where sloppy science will be tolerated. We must be utterly thorough and rigorous in our approach, for this may be our first and only chance to finally end the scourge that has plagued our world since time immemorial.”

“Plus, you can’t drink their blood. They’re infected,” Doctor pointed out. “Probably tastes all gritty.”

Kal’tsit looked like she wanted to hit Doctor. Doctor, as usual, was completely unreadable. 

Many have long pondered if Doctor deliberately provokes the Director, or simply comes by it naturally. Myself, I think perhaps they initially did so by accident, but now do so at least partly by design. Much like James at times, Doctor has more than a hint of mischief in their nature.

“This is indeed a great discovery. Thank you for your vigilance in delivering Dr. McCoy to us whole, Gavial and Sussurro,” Amiya said. “Both of you, report in for treatment. I want you to sleep in the medical department for observation tonight.”

I nodded gratefully, and both of us stood up and departed at the dismissal.

Gavial checked behind herself as we walked, then grinned. “Well, that went pretty good. Still got my tail!”

“Yes, I suppose. Do you think…do you think Warfarin would really try to do something to James?” I asked, feeling a tad nervous. 

“Eh, don’t sweat it. She talks a big game, but I’ve never seen her do too much shady stuff. Well, I mean, shady stuff that wasn’t for someone’s own good. Unless they pissed her off. But really, she doesn’t actually harvest people’s organs. Not anymore, anyway.”

I also sometimes wonder if Gavial is pulling my tail or is simply used to living with existential danger. Perhaps she simply assumes she is tough and strong enough to handle whatever life decides to throw at her. I must be far more cautious. Not only is virtually everyone a physical threat to me, but I lack the prowess at arms to even begin to defend myself from someone like Warfarin. If she decided to overpower me, there would be little I could do. So, I must take precautions to defend myself. A vulpo lives by their wits, not their brawn. 

Still, by that point I was much too tired to care. I checked myself into the clinic, and soon passed out. 

June 13th, 1100

They are keeping me all day today. Turns out, I overused my arts. Again. I should have known, really. I could see all the signs in myself, the burning muscles, the tachypneic breathing, and the fuzzing at the edge of my vision. I’ve done it often enough in the field that I should know to slow down and stop pushing myself. Instead, I’ve just gotten used to the symptoms and can ignore them more easily. 

Just like a certain oversized idiot. I hope James is alright. He’s still unconscious. If he dies, not only will the world lose the best chance at curing oripathy it’s had, but it will lose an outstanding doctor. 

I just have to not be an idiot about this. Mother always did say I was an overly romantic fool. 

Anyway, I guess I’ll spend the day trying to beat my own score at Wintermaul Wars. Weedy in Engineering got within 1000 points. How am I supposed to retain my reputation if I let someone out score me?

June 14th, 1100

My throne is secure once more. I worked all afternoon and into the morning today, and successfully eeked out another 64 points by abusing the bug with Crystal Shooter’s interaction with an Obelisk and over buffing its crit rate with some creative mazing. 

James was still out, but I had lunch today with Myrrh and Myrtle, who came to my room. 

“Man, why do you get all the cool missions? I just end up on the lame ones where we just deal with search and rescue and stuff,” Myrtle complained as she munched on her sandwich. 

“I hate going on combat ops,” Myrrh said, shivering. “I'd much rather stay on the landship and work in the pharmacy. Compounding medicines is much safer than running about a battlefield.”

“But the combat pay!” Myrtle said, waving about her sandwich. “It's a nice bonus, and it's way more fun to be out there than back here! I didn't come all the way to the surface just to laze around on the landship!” 

“It wasn’t supposed to be a combat op,” I pointed out, nibbling on my own food. It was mushrooms, cheese, and tomatoes on focaccia bread. My two best friends had known just how to cheer me up, even bringing me a bag of veggie straws and a sparkling lemonade. 

“Yes, how did setting up the clinic go?” Myrrh asked. 

“We got the staff properly trained and all the equipment set up before we were called away. I was supposed to stay for a few more weeks to oversee things, but that’s not what happened,” I said.

“Aw, that’s too bad. I know you were really looking forward to it!” Myrtle said, giving me a commiserating look. 

“Yes, well, I got to have an adventure, didn’t I?” I said. 

“Yeah, and the guy you found is pretty cute too!” Myrtle said enthusiastically, and I nearly choked on my food. 

“Myrtle, he’s enormous,” Myrrh said, sounding exasperated. “You know how the taller races view women like us.”

“Ugh, don’t I just. I’m 22! But people treat me like I’m still a kid or something,” Myrtle complained. 

For a short-lived race like the Durin, 22 was actually fairly old. Most Durin don’t live past their sixth decade, even with how peaceful their underground cities are and how excellent their healthcare tends to be. I was 23 myself, though Vulpo life expectancy is a bit longer at around 65 years. Absently, I wondered what Jame’s life expectancy was. Well, assuming he didn’t kill himself or die of oripathy. 

The world just isn’t fair, and vulpo having shorter lifespans than most other races is just a part of it. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to be born a pegasus, like Maria Nearl. She was already 27, but considered a child by her people’s standards. But as my grandmother used to tell me, you wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one does you more good. 

“So?” Myrrh said, and I frowned at her. I’d been lost in my own thoughts for a moment. 

“Hmm, sorry?”

“Is he, you know…” Myrrh asked, dropping her voice. 

I blushed deeply. “Well I, ah, I would consider him more handsome than cute, but-”

“I KNEW IT!” Myrtle cried, jumping up and pointing at me. “You do like him! Hahah, I always said that the battlefield was the place where love can bloom!”

“T-that’s not, um, Lucia, I asked if the rumors were true and he can, um…cure you,” Myrrh whispered. 

“I helped take her blood earlier, and her count is way down! She might even be cured!” Myrtle said, grinning broadly.

“Keep it down,” I hissed, my eyes darting towards the door, but it remained shut. “And you know you’re not supposed to discuss patients' medical records! You’re going to get your nursing license revoked!” 

“Yeah, but you’re right here, and Myrrh is your friend and fills your prescriptions so, like, it’s not a big deal,” Myrtle mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich. 

“It’s still not very professional,” I said. Then sighed. “But…yes. My OBCD is down.”

“That’s so great! Does this mean that everyone is going to get cured now!?” Myrtle asked eagerly. 

I looked down at my sheets and fiddled with them. “I…I don’t know. Probably not. It still seems like it’s too good to be true.”

“Everyone’s talking about it. It’s supposed to be a secret, so of course the entire landship knows,” Myrrh sighed. “Though they’re not really sure what or how, the rumors are spreading that an entire family was cured of oripathy.”

“Well, you can tell them all that this is simply not true, nor have I been cured of oripathy. I’m still going to continue my treatment plan, even if it will need adjustment.”

“Hmm, OK, but that’s not the exciting part!” Myrtle leaned forward. “Is this new doctor guy hot!? Does he like you!?”

“He’s a colleague that I barely know, Myrtle. And my love life is frankly not nearly as interesting as a potential cure for oripathy.”

“Yeah but that’s like, big picture stuff. You’re one of my best friends! I want the juicy details!” Myrtle said eagerly.

I leaned back and sighed. “He probably considers me to be a child like everyone else, Myrtle. That’s why I stick to dating other vulpo.”

“Well, that’s boring. I’ve dated lots of people! You should try it,” Myrtle huffed. 

“Speaking of, are you still going out with Verdant?” I asked. 

“Harry? Yeah, me and him are still going steady. He brought me this!” Myrtle showed the yellow chrysanthemum in her hair, and Myrrh and I both made appropriate noises. 

“You two are having safe sex, right?” I asked.

Myrrh went beet red, but Myrtle took it in stride and nodded. “Y-yeah, of course! He’s super careful about it. Doesn’t want me to get infected. Although…” She looked wistful. “If he could get cured…maybe we could have kids. I am 22 now. Old baby maker isn’t going to work for that much longer.”

“That’s, um, you still have another ten years at least, Myrtle,” Myrrh said, adjusting her glasses. “All three of us are still young…”

“Pff, by my age, my mom had four kids! Not that I want to settle down and have a family right away, you know, but Harry’s a good guy. I think…well, maybe we have a future together,” Myrtle said, looking slightly abashed. 

“That’s wonderful,” I said, giving her hand a squeeze. I glanced at Myrrh. “You and Gantt are still dating, right?” 

“Oh, yes!” Myrrh grinned at the mention of her boyfriend. “We’re taking a trip to Columbia to meet his parents! I…I think he might propose soon! I just…I hope they like me…I’m from a rural tribe and…h-he lives in the big city…what if they think I’m not sophisticated enough?”

“Then they’re stupid and don’t deserve you. Sophistication is overrated!” Myrtle declared.

“I’m sure it’ll be great. Gantt comes from a pretty humble background. I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” I reassured Myrrh. 

“See, this is why we have to set her up with that new doctor! You ever notice how few single guys there are on the landship? It’s criminal, I tell you!” Myrtle harrumphed. 

“Myrtle, please do not try to set me up with James,” I groaned. “I’m perfectly happy being single.”

Myrtle and Myrrh shared a glance, and I blushed. They’d heard me cry over bottles of wine about how hopeless my love life was, and seen how miserable I’d been for weeks after I broke it off with Steward. He and Merry really were good for one another, it’s just…I had thought he was the one…

Which is why I was determined to not make an idiot of myself over an alien I met barely a week ago. High stress environments lead to an outpouring of emotions, and relationships based off of such emotions rarely work out. Besides, James seemed to have a thing for Exusiai. At the time, I figured that she was taller, like him, so it was only natural. Though I knew that if Exusiai was even mildly religious, he would be in for disappointment. 

What I wouldn’t have given to be even a couple of centimeters taller. Or have a more noticeable bust. Though in that crowd, I suppose I couldn’t complain. I mentally call us the Short Flat Club, because all three of us are ‘vertically challenged’ as James so glibly put it, and are lacking in womanly attributes. I really shouldn’t be concerned about that: I’m a doctor, with a successful career at the bleeding edge of oripathy research. There are thousands of women who would kill to trade places with me. 

…I just wish I was built more like Gavial. 

Yes, yes, spit in the other…

Anyway, to prove myself a liar, as soon I was discharged an hour after lunch, I went and made some fowlbeast broth for James. Maybe I wasn’t tall, but dammit, I could and can cook. You know what they say about the best way to man’s heart…

It’s through his fourth and fifth rib. 

Chapter Text

Entry 13, Day 31

There was one casualty of our time in Leithania that I will eternally mourn. 

My phone. I don’t know exactly when, but at some point in the frantic madness, it got smashed to hell and gone. I don’t just mean the screen cracked, I mean the thing took a hit from arts and damn near melted. 

I guess I should feel less bad about that then the thousands of people who died in that insane terrorist attack, which Sussurro and Exusiai both tell me wasn’t my fault but I can’t shake the feeling was, but also…well, that was a bit of home, you know? 

Also, bit of an unfortunate thing because now we can’t datamine all the events on there to dig up things my illiterate ass doesn’t know. 

They did give me a replacement, namely the tablet they gave me that I’m typing this up on. I’ve reconstructed the entries I wrote earlier to the best of my abilities. Not like I’ve got anything better to do, I guess.

Right, that’s because I’m stuck in a hospital bed, and will be for the foreseeable future. 

I wish I had some dramatic story about my arrival on Rhodes Island. Truth is, I was out cold. By the time I came to, they had me ensconced in the medical department, hooked up to an IV and all that jazz. For a brief moment, I thought I was back on Earth. That this had all been a bad dream, and I’d woken up in the hospital. 

Frankly, I panicked a bit then. I hadn’t realized it, but I was really starting to care for Sussurro, Exusiai, Gavial, Andrey, Texas…all of them. These were real people, who had walked through the fire and the flames for my ignorant ass. 

After my initial shock wore off, however, I spotted a now familiar glow in the corner of the room. Exusiai was snoring and drooling, slumped in a chair with her guns cradled in her arms. Seeing my Guardian Angel, I relaxed and lay back. I had no idea how long I'd been out, but I was still exhausted. The only thing was that my mouth and throat were sore, though the IV in my arm had me hydrated.

Before I could think too hard about that, the door hissed open, and a white haired woman in a black lab coat stepped inside the room.

Immediately, I recognized Warfarin. As usual, her clothes were more practical and less sexy than Arknights would lead you to believe, with standard white scrubs on under the black lab coat. She looked, well, young. No older than I was, with flawless alabaster skin and bright red eyes.

She also had on glasses, which she was peering at a chart through. How could Hypergryph hide this fantastic meganekko from us?! This was surely sacrilege!

She looked up at me and smiled, which revealed a pair of sharp fangs. “Ah, so, you are awake.”

As soon as Warfarin spoke, Exusiai let out a gasp and jerked upright, her head snapping around and gun pointed right at Warfarin.

“Put that away, little Sankta. I'd hate to have to clip your wings,” Warfarin said without so much as glancing at Exusiai while she checked my fluid levels and vitals.

“Just as long as you promise not to suck any of James’ blood, vampire,” Exusiai said, sounding a lot grumpier than usual.

Baring her fangs, Warfarin put on a manic grin, and held up a vial. “But, that is what I am here for! I heard we have blood of the rarest kind here, and I needed a snack!”

I coughed, and managed. “Uh, FYI, I'm Infected. So, er, no drinky blood.”

Sighing dramatically, Warfarin lowered the vial. “Darn. Well, I guess I'll just have to draw it the boring way. We need to run some more labs. It's been about 72 hours since you first checked in, so we need to do a comparison to your first results.”

“I was out for three days?” I said, feeling sick to my stomach. Not from the blood draw, that was fine as long as it wasn't done via the jugular.

“Yes, and this poor little Sankta has barely left your side. I had to strap down that annoying lupo and my idiot former intern to get them to accept treatment and stop trying to bother you.”

I looked to Exusiai, who was still eyeing Warfarin suspiciously. “You're alright? No lingering after effects from…you know.”

My mind went back to Exusiai dying in my arms, which had led to me overdosing on arts and nearly killing myself.

“Just a little sore throat, I'm fine,” Exusiai said with a nod. “Texas, though…she's in bad shape. Sussurro is mostly OK, just coming down from arts overdose like you.”

I blinked. I hadn't even noticed that Sussurro had overdone it on the healing arts, but I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. She’d been going as hard on healing as many wounded as she could as I had. 

“Yes, but shockingly, Lucy managed to not exacerbate her condition. In fact, her BOCD is down to .22 u/L. Funny, that. I don’t suppose you had anything to do with it, did you Mr. McCoy?”

“Honestly, I have no clue,” I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning back on my pillow. “Maybe? I thought oripathy was a made up disease until a month ago.”

“You really are a talker, aren’t you? Well, lucky for you I’m actually someone you can spill your guts to and it won’t cause an international incident. But do try to be more cautious,” Warfarin said. “Here.”

I opened my eyes, and found her proffering a glass of water with a straw in it. She held it for me as I sipped at it gratefully. “Hungry?”

“Starving, actually. But if I’ve been out for three days, it’s probably the clear liquid diet. I don’t suppose you have strawberry jello?”

“We’ll see how you handle the water, but I’ll have a nurse come by with some fowlbeast broth if you can keep it down,” Warfarin told me. She frowned down at me, tapping her arm, and I felt sweat break out on my brow. 

“Did you really tell Kal to keep it to twenty words or less?” Warfarin finally demanded. 

I let out the breath I’d been holding and laughed nervously. “Um, I was a bit out of my mind at that moment. But, uh…”

“He totally did,” Exusiai said, her grin slipping back into place. “It was hilarious . There we are, in a Bolivarian Standoff with the Black Empress herself, and Bones here actually tells Kal’tsit to shut up! Can you even imagine?!” 

“Frankly, I’ve dreamt about it for the past decade. I don’t know who you are, but I like your style, kid. Even if you’re not the wunderkind Lucy thinks you are, you’ve already made my day.”

“So, does that mean I can still apply for my residency here?” I asked hopefully. 

“Haha! As if you have a choice. Don’t worry, I’ve whipped dumber interns than you into shape. Just ask Lucy how thoroughly I chewed out her hide when she was a resident. I even had to put that dope Gavial in her place a time or two. Do try not to die though; I’ve got so many wonderful tests planned for you and your delicious blood.”

With that frankly disturbing parting shot, Warfarin sauntered out of the room. 

Exusiai scooted her chair closer, looking worried. “You OK, Bones? I mean, really. You were acting pretty wacky there towards the end.”

“Fine, I guess. Everyone make it out OK?”

Exusiai nodded, her expression still worried. “Yeah, Ch’en and Gavial are alright, so are Hibiscus and Czerny. Once the Horn Followers figured out they weren’t the one they were after they left them alone. Svetla and the kids are OK too, they’re settling into Rhodes Island from what I heard. Actually, there was a big party for Svetla! She helped a lot of people escape from Ursus, and they were all really happy to see her! Shame about her husband, but…well, like I said. Sometimes you lose packages, so just count the ones you do save.”

“Yeah. I guess…I guess you have to,” I sighed. 

We sat there for a while. I was still exhausted, and Exusiai set about cleaning her guns. I must have dozed off for a bit, but then I asked her for another glass of water, which she got happily enough.

When I’d sipped a bit, Exusiai asked. “So…uh, how much do you know about me, really?”

I considered that question. “A bit. Not your whole life’s story. But you were my first 6*.”

Exusiai gave me a baffled look. “I assume that’s not some weird sex thing?” 

“What?! No, um, I, I mean, in the game, you were my first SSR. Er, you were the most powerful unit I had, the first one. I rerolled specifically to get you, actually. Took me four tries.”

“That’s really fuckin’ weird, James.”

“In my defense, at the time, I thought you were a fictional character, Lemuel.”

“Hmm, I guess.” She fidgeted some more. “So, like, that’s all?”

I sighed. “Well…I know you have an older sister, who’s in a wheelchair. And…well. I know about Mostima.”

“Yeah?” Exusiai wasn’t looking at me anymore, instead fixated on her pistol, which she was disassembling and then reassembling at lightning speed. 

“All I know is that Mostima is a Fallen who reverted to Sarkaz, she was your childhood buddy, and you blame yourself for her being Fallen, I think, and the same incident that caused her to Fall resulted in your sister, Lemuen, losing the use of her legs.”

Exusiai sniffed, and shrugged. “Not a lot of people know all that.”

“Yeah. Sorry. I wasn’t trying to, you know. Perv on you or something.”

“Mmm.” Exusiai put her gun back together one time, sighted down it, then spun it through her fingers, back and forth, back and forth. “So what’s this about reverting to Sarkaz?”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. “Uh, I know this is a lot coming from me…but are you sure you want to know? What I have is, frankly, maybe not all that reliable. I wasn’t a lorehound who read everything, and well, who knows? That was a game, this is obviously real.”

“Yeah, but you know about all kinds of stuff. And, well…you’re not wrong about what you said about me,” Exusiai said. She let the pistol fall into her hand, then looked down at it. “So. What do you mean by ‘return to Sarkaz’?”

“Again…this is some speculation because not all the lore is out yet, but…have you ever heard of Teekaz?” 

“Yeah, it’s an old name for Kazdel,” Exusiai said, nodding and wrinkling her forehead. 

“No, I mean, the race. The people who, well…originated on Terra.”

Exusiai glanced around, then leaned forward. “You mean like…Sarkaz origination theory? But that’s like…fringe stuff.” 

“I really wish I knew more. But, basically…there’s two types of races. Ancients, and Teekaz. Ancients are the animal people. You know, like vulpo, perro, felines, all those ones.”

“Ok,” Exusiai said with a nod. 

“And the others, they’re Teekaz descended, like-”

The door hissed open, and an ominous shadow fell over the both of us.

“What,” growled Kal’tsit, her shadow growing claws and menacing green eyes. “Are you doing.”

Exusiai and I sprang apart like we’d been caught playing tongue hockey by her mother. That actually happened to me, Sophomore Year in high school. Wasn’t allowed over at Maria’s house after that. 

“Uh, talking?” I managed. 

“Just keeping an eye on the package, Director, ma’am!” Exusiai said brightly. What were we even doing? We were adults!

Kal’stit came to loom over both of us, which is pretty impressive for someone six inches shorter than I am. “I have been informed of your propensity for dispensing knowledge that would be best left retained, Dr. McCoy. I see now that what I was told was nothing but a shadow of the true levels of folly you are capable of. Simply because one has a secret, Dr. McCoy, does not mean that one should share it. Indeed, by sharing it, one violates the very nature of a secret. 

“Additionally, one should always carefully weigh one's words before one speaks. The wise man considers full well the consequences of every word that passes from his lips. The fool allows words to dribble away, like a hole in a leaky casket. So, Dr. McCoy, what are you? The fool who wastes away the fortune of knowledge that he contains, or the wise man that carefully considers the impact of what he says, and in doing so, oft remains silent.”

I regarded Kal’stit for a moment. Then, I decided, fuck it. 

“You are a verbose old biddy, aren’t you?”

I think I saw Exusiai’s soul leave her body at that point. I don’t know if she resigned herself to die by the talons of Monst3r, or if was just going to let me suffer the consequences of my own actions. 

“I see my words failed to leave an impact. Perhaps harsher measures are required,” Kal’tsit said, her eyes flashing a dangerous green. Exusiai actually leaned away, raising her hands up in the air. 

“She’s kinda cute for a…what would she even be? Decem milia genarian? Don’t you think?” I commented to Exusiai. 

“I just remembered, I don’t want to die today. Director,” Exusiai said, and scrambled away and out the door. 

Kal kept her eyes locked on me, and I gave her my very best shit eating grin. The kind that always got me in trouble, especially if I’d been running my mouth. 

“I have been given to understand that you seek to complete your residency at my hospital, Dr. McCoy,” Kal’tsit said in what felt like a complete change of topic. 

“Uh, yeah, I suppose so?” 

“In that case, I regret to inform you that I require the smallest modicum of discretion and humility from my residents. Someone who not only seeks to antagonize their senior attending with petty insults, but additionally spills forth secrets I have labored for millenia to protect, is not worthy of being called a physician of Rhodes Island.”

“Uh…”

“So, Dr. McCoy, you may choose. Either you shall learn to curb your tongue and your…we shall be generous and call them ‘witticisms,’ and be welcomed amongst the ranks of the medical staff, or I shall lock you away on the deepest sub-level and wring what use I can from your remarkable ability while minimizing the harm your wagging tongue could inflict.”

I was sweating now, and feeling like a proper idiot. I cringed as Kal’tsit leaned over me. “Let me be succinct: You will either learn to keep a civil tongue in your head, or you will be left rotting in the dungeon. That was twenty words. Was it short enough for you to parse, Mr . McCoy?”

“Yes ma’am,” I gasped, shrinking back on my bed. 

“Good.” Kal’stit stood back up, regarding me. “I will save my lecture on the folly of mindless self sacrifice for another time. As it is…I take it that your primary coping mechanism when confronted with emotional trauma is to blurt out whatever comes to mind?”

“I…” I blinked. “Um, that’s…that’s actually a reasonable assessment, I guess? I mean, I don’t really know, but…I do tend to run my mouth when I’m stressed.”

“I see.” Kal’tsit rested a hand on my shoulder, and I flinched, until I felt how gentle it was. “You need not fear me, James McCoy. Not unless you insist on being a rude child. I know what it is to be cast adrift from all you know, and to wander a cold world alone. You have been ripped away from all you know and love. It is alright for you to cry. It is alright for you to feel pain. Let yourself feel that pain, Dr. McCoy. Do not revel in it, but do not deny it. Mourn. Grieve. You are human. Not a machine.”

“I…” tears misted my eyes, and Kal’tsit gave my shoulder a squeeze before withdrawing her hand. 

“I am not the one you will look to for solace, Dr. McCoy. Nor should I be. However, I leave you now in the hands of those you should.”

“Huh?” I blinked away the tears, just in time for the door to hiss open, and Gavial and Sussurro stride in, followed by a nervous looking Exusiai. Huh. I’d seen Exusiai face down hordes of cultists, an Emperors Blade, and even the Black Empress with a smile on her face. 

Maybe pissing off Kal’tsit was a bad idea. 

“Heya, Director! Not being too hard on my new resident, are ya?” Gavial said cheerily. 

“Merely instructing a young man in the way he should go,” Kal’tsit replied. She nodded to Sussurro. “I will trust your judgement, Dr. Sussurro, in not allowing this young man to say more than is wise.”

“I'll do my best, Director,” Sussurro said. “As long as you promise to let me strangle him the next time he calls you an ‘old biddy.’” 

“Permission denied. My ego is not so fragile as to require you to avenge it. Though I will trust you will not let Dr. McCoy’s head swell too large simply because he can do the impossible.”

“We’ll let the excess air out, Director, don’t you worry about it!” Gavial laughed. 

Kal’tsit nodded, then departed through the door.

Gavial continued smiling, then said, “You wanna smack him, or should I?”

“We don’t want to give James a concussion, so…” Sussurro dope slapped me. Gently. “James! You do not call the Director an Old Biddy!” 

“Even if she is one,” Gavial said, folding her arms over her chest and giving me a stern look.

“Gavial! You are going to give poor Lemuel a heart attack!” Sussurro huffed. 

Exusiai did look about as pale as a ghost. She took a shuddering breath. “Bones, there is brave, and there is stupid. Do you have ANY idea how scary that woman is!? Like, she can make Boss back down! And he’s immortal! Trust me, I’ve checked! He’s died at least ten times, but even he dims his halo and bows his head when Kal’tsit snaps at him!” 

“Though I have to know, kid. Did you really tell her to keep her speeches to twenty words or less?” Gavial asked, leaning in towards me and lowering her voice.

I nodded sheepishly. “I was sort of out of my mind at that particular point in time, but-”

“HAHAHA!” Gavial slapped her leg, a wide grin on her face. “That’s priceless! Do you have any idea how often I’ve wanted to say the same thing to her, but never had the balls to do it? And here you are, an R1, and you’re mouthing off to the mother of modern medicine herself!” 

“I, ah, I may have gotten written up for similar behavior a time or two before,” I admitted. 

“Well, don’t make a habit of it. Kal’tsit is actually as scary as she looks, or scarier, depending on how dumb you are. She’s actually pretty chill when you get to know her, but don’t set her off just for funsies. Save that for Warfarin. When you wind her up, the results are always hilarious. Just make sure you’re OK with waking up with an extra nose or a pint of blood missing.”

“ Lege nos a malis Sarkaz ,” Exusia muttered.

“Hey Lucia, dope slap Lemuel for me,” I said. 

“Hey!” Exusia gasped when Sussurro obliged.

“No racism. Racism bad,” I told her.

“You don't even know what I said!” Exusiai protested.

“I do, James is right,” Sussurro said. “Warfarin is perfectly pleasant. She just revels in making people like you squirm.”

“And the mad science! Don't forget the mad science,” Gavial pointed out.

“Oooo,” Exusiai shivered to an exaggerated degree and rapped her knuckles on the side of her head. “Sorry if it’s racist, but vampires give me the heebie jeebies. I know Warfarin isn’t, you know, as blood thirsty as some, but….”

“Just…maybe tone down the anti Sarkaz sentiment,” I said, trying to smile. If the rumors I’d heard were true…then Exusiai and all Sankta WERE Sarkaz. But…

Maybe I should talk to Kal’tsit before I started dropping lore bombs. See? Even a brain damaged dog can learn some new tricks. If you beat them up enough. 

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Exusiai said, letting out a heavy sigh. “Anyway, you seem like you’re feeling better at least. With these two here, I’m going to go grab some grub and proper rack time.”

“You don’t have to watch me 24 hours a day, you know. We don’t have to be joined at the hip,” I said. 

“Sorry! I am now,” Exusiai said with a wink. “You’re not gettin’ rid of me that easy, Bones! Salve !”

She wandered off, and Sussurro produced some broth in a warm thermos. “Now you’re only to sip at this. It’s just fowlbeast broth. Clear, and with some nutrients, but you were out for a long time.”

I gratefully accepted the broth and took small sips, sighing happily. “Thanks, that’s good stuff. Reminds me of my mother’s chicken soup.”

Sussurro beamed and blushed slightly, and Gavial elbowed her. “Were you going to tell him you made it yourself?” 

“No! Shut up,” Sussurro mumbled. “I’m on a restricted diet too, and I'm a better cook than the rest of the hospital staff.”

“Ha! Well, you’re not wrong about the cooking part. I can heat up an MRE with the best but that’s about it. The less said about Kal’tsit’s cooking the better. You’d think she’d learn to cook well in the million years she’s lived, but I’ve seen her eat ration bars and cup noodles for weeks. Her and the Doctor both.”

I froze, my hands gripping the sheets. The Doctor. He was the player character in Arknights, for a given value of that. But what I did know about him…he was either a clown, or the most horrifying war criminal in history. 

“So, you know something about Doctor, huh? Well, maybe keep it to yourself for now,” Gavial said.

“No, it’s fine. I actually don’t really have a clue, aside from the fact that Doctor is supposed to be some sort of tactical genius. He’s…well, if you play Arknights, he’s you,” I explained. 

Sussurro seemed thoughtful at that. Gavial just looked baffled. “Game? You’re the Doctor? Kid, you might be a doctor, but you’re not THE Doctor.”

“Yeah, forgot my sonic screwdriver at home,” I said deadpan.

“Well, if you want one of those, someone in engineering probably has an extra,” Gavial told me, which threw me for a bit of a loop. “Right now though, you’re on bedrest. Sussurro has appointed herself your attending now that she’s back on duty, and Warfarin and the Director both signed off on it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I sighed. “I’ll try not to be a complete pain in the ass as a patient.”

“Good, because I’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Sussurro, you do the write up on Bones, you spent the most time with him,” Gavial said. “Have fun, you two!”

With a nod, she wandered off, and Sussurro took out a tablet, asking me some basic questions like my date of birth, blood type, all that stuff. I helpfully provided my standard vitals as a baseline, as well as what human normals were. 

“Doc from Team Rainbow gave us those already, but it’s good to have someone else verify it. You’re not too far off of average for Terran norms,” Sussurro commented as she typed it all up. 

“I have to ask, are homo sapiens total weaklings? Because from what I’ve seen, people like Gavial and Texas are outright freaks compared to us. I don’t think even a peak Earthican athlete can do what they do.”

“So that’s an interesting question,” Sussurro said, pulling a few files up. “Physically, you are on the low end of the tests. The exception is in endurance: the Team Rainbow operatives performed in the 80th percentile. Not as much endurance as a minos or a vouivre, but you beat out felines, perro, liberi, cautus, and definitely vulpo. About the level of a kuranta.”

“What about someone like a pegasus like Maria Nearl, or a hippogryph like Hellagur?” I asked curiously. 

Sussurro laughed. “James, we don’t even compare the rest of us to the elder races. Oh, we’re all human, but elder races are something more. Same with Sarkaz. Their baseline physical abilities are so far beyond what Ancient races possess it’s simply not worth comparing them.”

“Huh. I guess not all men are created equal. Too bad you didn’t have Sam Colt,” I mused. 

“Sam Colt?” Sussurro asked curiously. 

“‘God made man. Sam Colt made him equal.’ He wasn’t the inventor of the modern gunpowder weapon, but he did mass manufacture them. He’s sort of a…mythological? Yeah, mythological figure in my homeland's historical narrative, though he was definitely a real person. I shot a colt revolver with my brother once,” I explained. 

“Ah, he sounds like Velos to Vulpo,” Sussurro said with a nod. “In Minoan mythology, Velos was a cunning and skilled warrior, who showed the larger, stronger races that despite our smaller stature, we Vulpo make up for it with our speed and quick wits. Speaking of physical traits, Vulpo do tend towards faster reflexes, better dexterity, and, well, if I do say so myself, being smarter than the average perro.”

“Well, you’re obviously smarter than I am, so I can’t argue with that. Cuter too,” I mused, then mentally kicked myself. There I went with my big stupid mouth running away again. 

However, Sussurro’s tail swished back and forth a few times and her ears pricked up, which I think means she didn’t mind too much. “Well, then hopefully you listen to me a little more often. Right, you need some rest. We’ve talked long enough. I’ll leave you with this tablet, I know your other one was destroyed, so it’ll give you something to do. You were rather faithful with your journaling.”

“Thanks,” I said, accepting the tablet. “Hey, this has games!” 

“Yes, I put a smattering of them on there. You mentioned liking tactical games, and tower defense? Well, Wintermaul Wars is a tactical tower defense I rather enjoy. See if you can beat my high score.”

The sparkle in Sussurro’s eyes made me suspect that might not be so easy. “You’re on! I was pretty damn good at Arknights. Maybe not a world class player, but I cleared Glory of Humanity,  Crazelyseon Sentinel, AND Holy City with-”

I cut myself off, and Sussurro looked worried. “James?”

I fidgeted with my sheets. “Lucia…what if…what if you knew something. Something important. But…but it might hurt a friend, if it got out. It could also hurt them if it didn’t get out. What…what would you do?”

She took my hand in hers, and gave it a squeeze. “That’s…a hard position. No, don’t tell me. I think…I think you should talk to Director Kal’tsit about this, James. It’s some of that weird alien knowledge of yours, isn’t it?” 

I nodded, feeling miserable. “Well, talk to her, really. Yes, she’s scary. But she’s kind too. Be honest with her, go to her privately, and lay it all out. Then listen, actually listen, to what she tells you.”

“I…yeah. Thanks. I’ll do that,” I said, then stifled a yawn. 

“Get to bed. You’re safe here,” Sussurro told me. “Good night, James.”

“Night,” I said, and lay back, closing my eyes. 

And tried not to dream of fallen angels. 

Chapter Text

Entry 14, Day 32

I spent the day in bed not doing much but trying to get better. They did let me get up to use the can at least. It was highly embarrassing, because believe it or not, fucking MYRTLE is my nurse!

When I hit the button for assistance, it was her who strolled in, wearing properly fitting scrubs and with a proper nametag and everything. She still looked like a kid, with long auburn hair and green eyes and a wrinkle free face. I think she must be an adult if they're letting her be a nurse, but with Terran Child Labor laws…who knows. “Hello, I’m-”

“Myrtle?!” I gasped, unable to hide my shock.

“Yep, it’s me! Lucia, I mean, Dr. Sussurro must have told you about me, huh? Well, little apple and I are here to help!” she said brightly, holding up the golden apple in question. 

“I, uh, wow, guess they’re sending their best to take care of me,” I said, feeling a little dizzy. I mean, Myrtle might be a 4★, but she puts out 7★ levels of power. Shit, I used her more for max risk CC than I did any other operator! 

“Yep! It’s time to change your catheter. Unless you think you can get up to go to the bathroom, they said you can try that today,” Myrtle said brightly. 

With the option being a damn loli dwarf sticking a tube up my dick or manning up and crawling out of bed, I crawled out of bed. 

The other thing I did was play Wintermaul Wars. It was an interesting tower defense, more like an arcade game, really. You picked either multiplayer or solo play, then got chose a builder. The free builders were fire, ice, lightning, stone, and poison, with a dozen or so other races that were some sort of premium content. The way this game worked was you had an initial starting amount of resources, and could build static towers as defense. Enemies would spawn on one end of your “lane” and try to run to the other side. You lost a life every time an enemy crossed into your endzone, and the number of lives you got varied by difficulty level. 

You could also build a maze with your towers, which I quickly learned was necessary to survive more than the first few waves. Each race of towers had different effects, like ice slowed your enemies, fire did more AOE damage, lightning had cheap towers good for mazing, stone hit hard but was expensive, and poison did DOT damage. After 20 levels, you got to pick a second race, which made it so that there were a lot of different combinations to try. It was pretty fun, and I was soon getting to harder waves. I tried some PVP and even didn’t do too badly, though PVP threw in the wrinkle that you could spend resources on building towers or attacking your foes by sending additional enemies, launching a sapper that could destroy their towers, or giving them some sort of temporary debuff. 

It’s a good way to waste time, but when I looked at the highscores, the name at the top stood out. TinyTerror. That had to be Sussurro. Her high score was insane, 101,172 points!? I was barely scoring over 30k! Guess I needed to see about unlocking some of those premium races…but how to get money?

Guess I better apply for employment. 

Entry 15, Day 33

I am officially bored of convalescing. Exusiai has been spending more time away now that I’m awake, and I can’t say that I blame her. Sitting here with me can’t be all that interesting, as all I do is nap, hobble to the bathroom, and play Wintermaul. The highlight of the day was when Ash and Tachanka came to visit me. 

“Ah, Bones, you are awake!” Tachanka boomed. It took me a minute to recognize him, as he didn’t have his helmet on. He wasn’t a looker, I’ll tell you that, with bluff, scared features, hair that was more grey than brown, cauliflower ears, and a nose that had been broken more than once. 

“Hey, good to see you,” I said, pausing my game and setting the tablet aside. “Thanks for saving my ass back there.”

“No problem, we is being glad to be doing it,” Tachanka said. “Here! I would be bringing you vodka, but they are saying you are too sick. Instead, I bring apple juice. Small doctor says can be having that.”

I accepted the juice box and took a sip. It was pretty good actually, as my diet was still very restricted. I was on solid foods, but it was all bland stuff fit for someone healing from major trauma. “Thanks, big guy. And you, Miss Ash.”

“Eliza, we’re not on duty,” she said with a nod to me. 

“I am Alexsandr, call me Alex,” Tachanka said, taking a seat alongside Ash at my bedside. 

“Please, call me James. I hate that damn nickname,” I said with a sigh.

“Is good nickname then. I was hating mine when I was first getting it,” Tachanka laughed. 

“That’s not quite why we came here though,” Ash said, folding her hands and crossing her legs. “So. Alex says you’re from Earth, but came here a different way.”

“I…yeah. It’s not your Earth though,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. 

“Oh?” my guests exchanged looks. “Go on.”

“Well…” I thought about what Kal’tsit said, and what Sussurro kept telling me. Honestly, I was feeling a lot less stressed, which did make it easier to think about what I said before I said it. “I’m not sure how much I can say, it’s probably going to end up super duper classified. But suffice to say, I know it’s not the same world, because, well, I know about you. All of you, actually. Not much beyond your names, well, call signs, but I know you’re a part of some black ops team called Rainbow Six, and you ended up in Terra because…I think some scientist found some originium somehow?”

“That’s about as much as is safe to say, maybe more,” Ash said with a nod. “Glad to see you got that tongue of yours pegged down.”

“Have you ever been in situation where life is at risk before?” Tuchanka asked, sounding curious.

“No, I’ve always been a bit of a blabbermouth, but that was worse than usual. Plus…I think I was suffering some sort of psychotic break from arts overdose. Not an excuse I guess, but it does explain why I couldn’t shut the hell up.”

“I’ve seen people with years of training and even some field ops under their belts break under pressure on missions that were less terrifying than that op,” Ash said in a consoling manner. 

“You are being young, I think. What are you, 25?” Tuchanka asked. 

“Twenty six, just graduated from Medical school, was supposed to start my residency at Saint Francis in San Francisco. Then…I got truck-kun’d. Always thought that was just a meme…” I trailed off into silence, looking blankly at the wall. 

A hand rested on my shoulder, and I blinked to find Tachanka giving me a grandfatherly look. “It is being hard, being ripped from all that you know and love. Eliza, myself…we were prepared for death. Me, I am old man. Thought the black dog would be catching me long ago. You? You are young. A doctor. You are thinking you can fight death still.”

“I don’t know about that anymore,” I said, looking down at my hands. “A lot…a lot of people died, to get me here.”

I tried to not let the tears come, but they did anyway. I figured I looked like a bitch in front of these two hard asses, but to my surprise, Ash handed me a tissue. 

“Let it out, Bones. I’ve had ops where we saved almost all the hostages. But it’s the almost that keeps me up at night.” 

“I am old and tired. I drink vodka to forget. For there are many things I am not wanting to remember,” Tachanka sighed. Then he smiled. “But, you are bringing me new grandson, yes?”

“I…what?” I said, blinking back the tears. 

“Andrey! He and my grandaughter Lada are being good friends already! She is teaching him to be cook. Is good! He should do something useful with life. Not pick up gun like an old dog like me.”

“Lada?” I racked my brain for a moment, then said, “Oh, you mean Gummy.”

“Yes, you are knowing her as well?” Tachanka asked, sounding curious. 

“Know is a strong word, but…” I shuddered. “I…well. Let’s just say there are some stories I wish I didn’t know, and the Children of Ursus is one of them.”

“Ah.” Tachanka went quiet, and Ash looked disturbed, which was saying something. 

“Those girls have had it rough. Lada…well. I hope it was her class pet she ate, and not…” Ash trailed off. 

“Best to not be thinking of such things. And not breathing word of it to Andrey. He is having nightmares enough,” Tachanka said grimly. “Lada, Sonya, Natalya, Anna, and Rosalinda, they are good girls. They did what was needed to survive. I am understanding that.”

“You’re…close with them?” I said, recalling the Youtube synopsis of Children of Ursus I had watched. I didn’t think that Gummy was a cannibal…and I preferred that level of delusion in my life. 

“The big softy calls them his grandaughters. He sponsored Sonya and Natalya to go to university in Columbia,” Ash said, giving Tachanka a fond smile. 

“Vodka is cheap. Will not be staying here anyway. What good is money to me, eh?” he said gruffly, but I could see he was smiling. “Am helping Svelta and her boys as well. She is adopting Andrey. Good woman. Is getting job at shop here on landship. Many people, they are being very happy to see her. Many infected escaped Ursus because of her.”

That made me feel sick again. “And a lot won’t now, because of me. Like Dr. Medvedev…”

“Don’t look at it like that, Bones,” Ash said with a firm shake of her head. “Count the ones you did save. Hell, you’re a doctor. So you’ve got some red in your ledger. We all do. But Empress Hildegard let you go because you’ve been crossing it out. Just keep doing that.”

“Earn it,” I said, and tried not to sound bitter. 

“Can tell self that,” Tachanka said. “But is heavy burden. Do not do that. Live for something else besides vodka and ledgers. Find nice woman. Have children. Raise family. That is worth living for.”

“Yeah, I guess…” I fiddled with my sheets a bit. “There’s no way back home, is there?”

“We’re still looking,” Ash said with a tired smile. “But we’ve been here three years now, Ela and her squad more than a year. You were our best lead.”

“Well, I don’t think my method of transfer is one you want to pursue. I don’t recommend getting run over,” I said, and forced a laugh. 

“Eh, is not so bad. I am having grandchildren, I am having my squad, and now, I am having you, James. We is keeping in touch, yes?” Tachanka said, and held out a callused hand. 

I took it, and to my surprise, he didn’t try and crush me. He wasn’t a dead fish, but he didn’t feel the need to try and prove his strength either. He already knew he was strong. 

“Thank you, sir. It’s good to hear from, well, maybe not someone from home, but a fellow Earthling. You too, ma’am.” 

“Ma’am? I’m not that much older than you, Bones,” Ash laughed, but she shook my hand as well. “Shalom, James.”

“Shalom,” I said with a nod. Huh, didn’t realize she was Jewish. “Keep in touch.”

“We’ll be around the landship for a while. Maylander has twigged that something’s up, and they want eyes on you. If you really can…well. Let’s just say we may yet live to see interesting times,” Ash said with a shrug. 

“Oh boy. My favorite.”

Still can’t beat Sussurro’s high score on Wintermaul. I need to get those damn premium races!

Entry 16, Day 34

Sussurro brought me dinner tonight, and I have to say, I am starting to understand what they say about Italian women. Or in this case, Siracusa, because hot damn can she cook. It wasn’t anything fancy, pasta al limone, but it was creamy, tangy, and very, very delicious. 

“This is incredible! Easily the best italian food I’ve ever had,” I told her after eagerly slurping down some of the noodles. 

“Funny, because it’s Siracusian, James,” she said, her ears flicking slightly, though she was smiling as well. 

“Oh, right, sorry. It’s just…never mind,” I said, looking back down at my plate. “It’s really good.”

“I’m aware that several Terran cultures match up with ones from your homeworld, don’t worry,” she told me. “Just…be careful.”

“Yeah,” I said, and took a few more bites. I looked over at her, and frowned slightly. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t scold you too much, just enjoy the meal,” she told me. 

“No, it’s alright, I was just thinking…this is going to be the rest of my life, isn’t it?”

“If you should be so fortunate. I’m a busy woman, I can’t cook for you every night,” Sussurro said with a laugh. 

“No, no! Not that, I mean…this place, here, Rhodes Island,” I gestured to the room. “This is it. Even if I could go home…I can’t. Morally, I mean. Shit, if I can cure oripathy…I’ll miss my family, especially my dad, we were always tight, but…no. I’ve gotta say here. I want to stay here, I guess.”

“Ah.” Sussurro set her plate aside, and looked worried. “Yes, that. I was going to talk to you about that. Dr. Kal’tsit left it to my discretion, but when I judge you fit for duty…we’re going to start the onboarding process. It was indicated that it’s…less than voluntary.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m volunteering then, huh?” I said, pasting on my dopey-est grin. “For eats like this, who wouldn't?”

“Still, you should be given a choice. The rest of us chose to be here,” Sussurro pointed out. 

“Did you, though?” I asked, and she frowned at me, so I clarified. “Look, you’re infected. Most everyone here is too. They’re not here because they want to be, but because in Ursus they send you to the gulag, and even in more enlightened places like Columbia they ship you off to the colonies. Rhodes Island is the only place you can come and still be human.”

“I…” Sussurro sighed, her ears drooping slightly. “I wish that were less true. Even in Siracusa, if you can’t pay the exorbitant health insurance fees…it’s banishment. Which may as well be a death sentence. And of course, if you are infected…it’s hard to find a decent job.”

“Well, fuck that. That’s why we became doctors,” I said, and held out my hand. “So yeah. I’m on board. Maybe I can’t cure oripathy. But we can at least try.”

Sussurro took my hand and shook it. “Well then, welcome aboard Rhodes Island, Doctor McCoy.”

Entry 17, Day 35

After a bunch of medical tests, Sussurro gave the OK for me to start the onboarding process. To my surprise, it wasn’t someone from HR who came by to onboard me, but rather, Warfarin herself. 

“So, they’re going to give you to me, are they, my pretty?” she purred, her red eyes glowing in the dim light as she stood in the door.

“Oh give it up. I know you’re just a theater kid at heart who’s actually a big softie,” I told her. 

“Am I?” Warfarin asked, her fangs barred as she stepped closer. “I have something of a different reputation on the landship.”

“One I’m sure you work quite hard to maintain, but I know who hired you in the first place, and I trust her judgement of character,” I said, folding my arms over my chest. 

“And who might that be,” Warfarin purred.

I opened my mouth, then thought a moment. “You’re uh, cleared for the ‘weird alien knowledge,’ right?” 

“Like the fact that apparently you think we’re all characters in one of those video games that you children are so obsessed with?” Warfarin snorted. “Honestly. I never understood the appeal.”

“Oh right, you’re really like 500 years old or something. I think you’re even in Endfield, though I didn’t get into the beta test,” I mused. 

“Endfield?” Warfarin said with a frown. “What on Terra…?”

“No, actually, you guys breach the false sky, and you guys end up on another planet in the Talos System to-”

Warfarin was instantly in my face, her eyes wide, grabbing my hospital gown in both hands. “Say again!?” 

“You, uh, leave Terra to found a colony on another planet? But not for like, 200 years or something,” I gasp.

Warfarin set me down, looking dazed. She slowly pulled up a chair and sat, gazing off into the middle distance. And I kid you not, a tear slid down her cheek. “Then…then it’s true. I…I get to see the sky again…”

“Uh, yeah. I guess Kirsten Wright really did manage to kick off the space age after Lone Trail,” I said.

“Kristen. Not Kirsten. But…hmm. You do have some weird alien knowledge. That has been my fondest wish since I was but a girl in Kazdel during the reign of King Yliš. Ah, I remember studying at the royal court, looking up at the sky and…” Warfarin’s eyes glazed over a moment. Then she shook her head and regarded me sourly. “I had given up on all that. Foolish, to dream of the stars when there is so much suffering to see here. That’s the lesson I learned from that fool Yliš, and a mistake I vowed never to make myself.”

“Well then, let’s cure oripathy or at least give it a good spanking,” I said, meeting her eye. 

She cocked her head to one side. “Huh. Guess you’re still one then. I’d have figured you’d have been cured after what you saw in Ursus and Leithanien.”

“Still what now?”

“An idiot optimist. The world sucks, kid, and if it doesn’t drain you dry, me or one of my kin will, and toss your bones to the fangbeasts,” she humphed, and dug out a pair of glasses from her jacket and perched them on her nose. “Right, we got a lot of stuff to fill out, twice. Once on the official forms that you’re going to lie your ass off about, and the other on the files that no one but me, Kal, and Amiya get to look at.”

“What about the Doctor?” I asked automatically. 

“What about them?” Warfarin said, peering at me over the rims of her spectacles. 

“Is he, you know…uh, read into the program? Since, you know, he’s like…the field commander and stuff?”

“Doctor ain’t a he, unless Kal’s hiding something from the rest of us. Though that wouldn’t be the first time. They won’t get mad at you if you call them a he, in fact it’s pretty damn hard to piss them off, trust me I try every day, but it won’t do you any favors either. Call them Doctor.” 

“Ok, but, that doesn’t answer my question, even if they’re nonbinary,” I said, feeling both exasperated and rather intrigued. I’d always thought of the Doctor as male, because, well, they were me. But now…now the Doctor was someone very different. 

“Oh, well, in that case, ask Kal. Doctor is on a strictly need to know basis, and most everything about you no one needs to know.”

“Huh. You were with Babel, right?” I asked, stretching back my game lore knowledge, which mostly came from /r/0sanitymemes. 

And, uh, the other subreddit, that I am very grateful my phone was destroyed before anyone saw just how much browsing I did there. And I don’t mean the main subreddit. 

“Kid, you have got to learn to keep your damn mouth shut,” Warfarin hissed, glaring at me from behind her glasses, which shone ominously. I quailed, and she sighed, taking them off. “Look. The kitty is out of the bag on the fact that Doctor was involved in Babel. How much do you know?”

“Not everything. But that he, they, raised Amiya alongside…well. Theresa. Um, I hate to ask, but, er…has Londinium happened yet?”

“Almost two years ago now,” Warfarin said with a slow nod. “I assume you’re referring to the Crisis we were heavily involved in, against my better judgement, that resulted in Siege getting herself declared Speaker of Londinium. A lot came out of that, including me being involved in Babel, and, well, who Doctor was. But that’s mostly only known by the top brass openly, so don’t go spreading it around, you hear?”

“Right, so, uh, if I see Civilite Eterna, I should just pretend-”

I found myself pinned to the wall again, sharp fangs pressed against my skin. Not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to let me very firmly know they could if I breathed wrong. After a pause, they withdrew, and I found manic red eyes boring into my own. 

“What. Do you know,” Warfarin hissed. 

“That Civilite Eterna is another name for the Black Crown which is the symbol of the king of Sarkaz and Theresa gave it to Amiya before she died back in Babel but no one probably knew that and then after she got her medic form when she battled Theresa’s soul in the Matrix Amiya was acknowledged as King of Sarkaz even though she’s not a Sarkaz or really even a cautus but probably more of a chimera but then you get Civilite Eterna as an operator and even though she’s a knock off version of Skalter she’s still pretty good especially for a welfare but I wasn’t clear if she like actually joined the landship or if Amiya just wore her like a hat and oh hi Sussurro and Exusiai I was running my mouth again please don’t kill Warfarin!”

“Put him down, vampire,” Exusiai said coldly, her gun pointed straight at Warfarin’s head, finger on the trigger. They’d stepped into the room halfway into my rant, and apparently Warfarin had been too focused on my inane babbling to notice. 

“Dr. Warfarin, I am going to have to insist you set James down,” Sussurro said, her voice surprisingly firm. “Even if he is perhaps saying more than he should again.

Warfarin closed her eyes, grimacing in annoyance. “How much did you hear?”

“I didn’t hear that our dear leader is apparently the king of my race’s most ancient enemy, which is perhaps why Bones was so insistent on me not being a racist ass,” Exusiai said, the normal chipperness from her tone replaced by a terrifying chill. 

Warfarin slowly lowered me until I was able to stand on wobbly legs, and turned around to face the other two women. “You can’t breathe a word of this. To anyone. The only people who know about this can be counted on both hands. SWEEP, me, Kal’stit, Amiya, Doctor, and apparently now this idiot and you two.”

“I thought I was supposed to tell you about my weird alien knowledge!” I gasped, massaging my throat. “You told me to! Next time, I ain’t saying shit unless Sussurro and Exusiai are there!” 

“Would that I thought you had such self control,” Warfarin growled. She studied Exusiai and Sussurro. “Sankta, I do not care for your kind. Santimonius assholes, the lot of you. The Law and the Curia cannot be allowed to learn of this. If they had the opportunity to assassinate a nascent king of Kazdel, especially one with the sort of forces Amiya has at her control…they would take it.”

Exusiai swallowed, and slowly lowered her gun. “I…I’m not a heretic. But…” she shot me a pleading look. “James?”

“I…” I looked at Warfarin. “...I need to have a talk with Kal’stit. Preferably with Sussurro there. But…you can’t trust the Law, or the…Curia? The ruling council. You can maybe trust the Pope, he seems like an upstanding dude. But…you can trust Amiya. Even, or perhaps especially, if she’s the King of Sarkaz.”

Exusiai sagged, and slowly nodded. “I…yeah. Ok. But whatever that weird alien knowledge you have about me and the Sankta…please, trust me James. Just…tell me, OK?”

“I want to, but…I think I’ve gotta talk to someone who actually knows all this because she was there first,” I admitted. “And probably Lucia too.”

“Glad to hear you trust your doctor that much, but I don’t know that I need to be read into all the deepest darkest secrets of the world,” Sussurro said in too light tones. I could tell from how her tail was bristling she was not happy, though for once, that didn’t seem to be directed at me.

“Well, Sankta?” Warfarin demanded, her fingers seeming to take on the shape of claws as she hunched as if to prepare for a leap at Exusiai’s throat. 

“I don’t trust you, vampire. But I trust James, and I trust Amiya.” Exusiai turned her gun so that it was pointed at her own heart, hands folded over it, and solemnly said, “I swear by my Patron and Halo that I, Lemuel of Penguin Logistics, will speak not a word of this to a living soul, not even the Pope or the Law itself, until I am so released by Director Kal’tsit of Rhodes Island. Or may my Patron abandon me and my Halo dim.”

Said halo flashed brightly three times, and Warfarin and Sussurro both were staring at Exusiai open mouthed. After a moment, Warfarin slowly closed her jaw, then nodded. “I…would not have required such an oath. But since it is given…I accept these words. May the Law guide you and your Patron preserve you, Lemuel.”

“You…you know the ancient words?” Exusiai said, holstering her gun and looking shocked. 

“Please. I may not be old enough to have been there when they were written, but we vampires have long memories, especially when it comes to…well. You are not my hated foe, Lemuel. I am Qassirah of the Vampires. We meet in peace, and may we depart in peace.”

Then, Warfarin pricked her own finger on her fang, a scarlet drop of blood appearing there. She held it out, and to Exusiai’s shock, marked the Sankta’s forehead with it. “I mark you with my scent and seal, Lemuel, that others may know you are under my aegis.”

She did the same for me, then Sussurro, and stepped back. After a moment, she laughed. “Ha! You have me acting like a superstitious old biddy. Right, Sussurro, you handle the damn onboarding. I’m going to find Kal and rip her damn ears off. Setting me up like this, she knows something fucky is going on!”

With that, Warfarin stalked out, leaving the three of us alone. 

“So, uh, first, sorry about that, second, what just happened? I get that I was just a part of some sort of religious ritual, but I would like some context.”

“You just witnessed a Sankta and a Vampire exchange their most sacred oaths to one another,” Sussurro said, sitting down heavily and looking poleaxed. “Something that hasn’t happened in…”

“Since the first stone of the Tower of Revelation was laid, as far as I know,” Exusiai said, sounding rather dazed herself. “No one…no one’s ever sworn themselves to a vampire. I just…James…is Amiya really…?”

I looked at Sussurro, who just shrugged. “In for a centesimo, in for a florin.”

“To the best of my knowledge, yes. She’s the true King of Sarkaz. Though, uh, her not being full Sarkaz means that this is…problematic,” I admitted. “Though I don’t fully grasp all of it to be really honest. There was this one meme going around, about how to be Pope of Laterano, you have to be fluent in 12 languages, memorize all the scriptures, immaculate drip, a great beard, be 6’3”, and you know, be Sankta. The requirements to be Sarkaz king were to be Sarkaz, but it was optional.”

“You think Yvangelista XI has…drip?” Exusiai said, cocking her head to one side. 

“That’s what you got out of this?” Sussurro said, giving Exusiai an exasperated look. 

“I mean, it’s just…those pope robes are like a thousand years old! That’s not drip, that’s tradition! My messenger clothes have more drip than those stuffy old things!” Exusiai protested. 

“I don’t know why I even put up with you people,” Sussurro said, flicking the papers in front of her. “If you don’t have any further earth shattering revelations, perhaps we can get started.”

“I mean I think I’ve probably got at least a few more but we can save the fact that I’m secretly an alien from another dimension for later,” I said.

Exusiai scooted her chair into a corner and started cleaning her guns while blasting hiphop again, which seemed to be her way of dealing with stress. Sussurro helped me fill out all the “official” documents, in which I was a an Aegir from Trimounts in Columbia. Maylander had fabricated a backstory for me, which I found odd for a detective agency. Then again, Tin Man had dropped a few hints in his voice lines that maybe there was more to Maylander than met the eye. 

Guess I didn’t know everything. Though I’m still wary of Maylander. I thought they were the damn Pinktertons.

“So, Oripathy simply doesn’t exist on your world, and there’s only one race?” Sussurro asked as she jotted some things down. “I’ve heard it before, but I just don’t know if I can believe it.”

“I mean, we say there’s other races, but it’s really just different skin tones of people. It’d be like you being called a different race of vulpo because you have pink fur,” I said. Sussurro had dyed her fur back to pink a couple of days ago, leaving behind the brown job she’d been forced into in Ursus. 

“My hair isn’t naturally pink, James. It’s naturally red. I dye it,” Sussurro said, sounding rather amused. 

“Oh! Uh, didn’t realize,” I admitted. I glanced over at Exusiai, who had cherry red hair herself. “What hair colors are natural, anyway?”

“I lighten my hair a couple of shades, it’s naturally more of a rusty red,” Exusiai said, looking up from reassembling one of her sub machine guns. “Red and pink hair are pretty common amongst Sankta, actually. But it’s also normal to dye your hair to a new color. Bright ones are the most popular.”

“I used to frost my tips in junior high, but I haven’t had more than a basic bitch haircut in a while,” I admitted. My light brown hair is usually pretty messy. I keep it kinda short, but it’s gotten a bit long because I haven’t seen a barber in a while. “Actually, I could use a haircut. Too bad I’m broke as hell.” 

“Hmm, I think we can work something out, you’re set to be discharged tomorrow. Honestly, we probably didn’t need to keep you as long as we did, but we’re being overly cautious,” Sussurro admitted. 

“Oh, uh…where do I stay? It’s not like I can pay for an apartment,” I admitted. 

“You’re an employee now, so you’ll be assigned a cabin. You’re a…special case, so you’ll be given a solo cabin, next to Texas and Exusiai’s.”

“The cabins aren’t too bad. A bit cramped, this is just a landship instead of a full city, but it’s not so bad,” Exusiai said with a nod. 

“Food is provided free of charge to all employees as part of your compensation package, as are most services on the landship. Some things are extra money, like booze, hair cuts, and some luxury items, but Susie has a standing policy that everyone’s first haircut is free. We’ll take you by tomorrow,” Sussurro promised. 

“Hey, speaking of Texas…how is she doing?” 

Exusiai and Sussurro’s expressions immediately fell, and Exusiai started crying. I sat up, horrified. “No, she’s not…did she die?!”

“Texas did some very stupid things in the battle,” Sussurro said quietly. “She pushed her body and arts further than anyone should. And…and she was taking Amp-X.”

“You mentioned that, some sort of arts amplifier? You gave me some,” I pointed out. 

“Yes. But you’re already infected.” Sussurro took a deep breath. “Amp-X is an originium based arts amplifier. It’s highly illegal, but it’s very popular amongst Sarkaz mercenaries because of how much of a power boost it gives you, even if the consequences are…severe.”

“Wait, originium based, you mean-”

“Texas infected herself,” Sussurro said grimly. “When questioned about it, she stated that she had sworn her blood and honor to protect you. Additionally, by straining her arts so heavily at the same time as she contracted oripathy…her case has progressed quite severely. She’s in intensive care.” 

I stood up, throwing off the cables and ripping my IV right out. “Well fuck that. Get Kal’tsit and Warfarin. Now.”

“James?” Exusiai said, jumping up, her expression hopeful. “Do you mean you will-”

“You’re damn right I will, and don’t you fucking tell me I can’t,” I said, glaring at Sussurro. 

She regarded me for a moment. “You realize that this could exacerbate your own condition. It could kill you, James. We don’t fully understand what’s happening to you.”

“And I get that. But I’m not going to let Cellinia die! How bad is her case?”

“Not terminal, yet. But oripathy is always terminal. She’s Stage 2 already. She was taking a lot of Amp-X, and that much arts use…it stimulates orginium growth. Her outlook, if she immediately halts Amp-X use and follows a healthy lifestyle, is ten to twenty years before symptoms become so severe that she enters stage 3. After that…another decade at most.”

“Fuck that noise. She swore to protect me, but that comes with responsibilities on my end, too. Now it’s my turn to protect her,” I said firmly. “Get them. Tell them I’m not asking permission to do this, but if they want their damn data…now is the time. Where are my pants?”

Exusiai tossed me my clothes, and Sussurro went over to the phone and placed a few calls while I dressed. No shame this time, even if Exusiai was watching me, a look of hope on her face that was, well…heart breaking. 

“Did you know she was taking Amp-X?” I asked her. 

She shook her head tearfully. “She’s used arts amplifiers before, but always the safer, less potent kinds. Those can still cause complications, but not oripathy.”

I strode out, Exusiai leading the way and Sussurro scampering along beside me. I noticed, and slowed my pace so that she wasn’t having to sprint to keep up with me. I’ve got long legs, being 6’ and all, while she’s like 4’8”. 

“Don’t stop, I can keep up,” she told me, her teeth gritted. I picked up the pace a little, but didn’t go back to my full stride. 

We found a familiar face waiting for us, Gavial with a grim expression. “So, they finally told you, huh? Figured you’d find out eventually. You sure you know what you’re doing, kid?”

“No, but since when have I let that stop me?” I said, pulling up short and looking down on her. She was dressed in a labcoat and green scrubs, with her hair loose about her shoulders instead tied up in braids like they’d been in the field. 

She regarded me for a moment, then jerked her head towards the door. “Don’t start until we’re ready, but I’ll go to bat for you, kid.”

I went inside, and found Texas, looking pale and wan, asleep in the bed. Her ears were drooping, and her hair looked dull and lifeless, though it was spread out in a sweaty halo about her. Right at that moment, she didn’t look like the legendary deadly assassin and master of combat arts. She looked like she was at death’s door. I checked her chart and the machines, and grimaced. 

“COA 5%, lesions on her thigh and abdomen where she was injecting herself. BOCD is .23. Shit, that’s bad. And symptoms of a major arts overdose, not to mention numerous internal injuries as well as major external ones as well.” 

“She got beat to hell and back,” Exusiai said soberly. “But she kept on fighting. Somehow.”

Texas stirred, her ears flicking and one eye opening. “Exu? Bones?”

“I’m here, Texas,” Exusiai said, taking her friend’s hands. “Bones is too. He’s going to help you.”

Texas grimaced, and tried to sit up. “Don’t…worry…about me. I’m…I’m the one who protects you.”

“With this?” I demanded, and held up a vial that Exusiai had given me. “Are you for real?”

Texas glanced at the empty vial of Amp-X, then shrugged. “Made a promise. Had…had to keep it.”

“Well you then your autistic ass better listen to me, Cellinia Texas. Because if you pull this kind of stupid ass stunt again, I’m liable to kill myself to save your life. No, don’t open your mouth, this is listening time, not talking time. I’m your doctor, dammit, and your friend. I am not going to sit by and watch you suffer and die just to keep me safe. So next time, either find another way, or ask for some goddamn help! You are not an island, missy, and you’ve got me, Sussurro, Exusiai, and the rest of Penguin Logistics right here to help you! Do you understand?”

Texas nodded weakly. “Yes.”

I turned around to find the room was now rather crowded. Kal’tsit was there, so was Warfarin, but also Amiya, Myrtle, and Folinic, I think? Hard to tell, they were all masked and gloved up. 

“Well, Dr. Murphy, it seems you are going to insist on testing your abilities before I had planned,” Kal’tsit said, her voice muffled by her mask. “A suggestion, however? It would be best to do this in surgery instead of a hospital room.”

“Right,” I nodded. “I wasn’t planning on just ripping it out of her. Sussurro’s described the process to you?”

“She has,” Warfarin agreed. “And we’re going to run tests on both of you before and after. And get this whole thing recorded.

Myrtle’s eyes were wide, and she was staring right at me, but she had a hand held camera ready to go.

“Let’s do this properly then,” I said. “You get whatever you need set up, set up. And, um, I…might have to get a little naked for this. Her too.”

“I am not attracted…to men,” Cellinia said, her eyes closed. “Even if I am certain you are…objectively conventionally…attractive.”

“Don’t be gross, Texas. It would be a major HIPAA violation, or, uh, whatever we have here, for me to make this even slightly sexual,” I told her.

“That was…a joke,” she said, a faint smile on her lips. 

“Very good. Lemuel, you will wait in the observation room. Dr. Gavial, escort her there. The rest of you, prep Miss Texas for surgery. Dr. Murphy, you will come with me,” Kal’tsit said. 

I nodded and followed after her while the team sprang into motion, getting Texas wheeled into the various tests before they would get her ready for surgery. 

Kal’tsit took me to an office that was rather spartan, save for a few plants and what looked like odd mementos on the wall or on small pedestals. She sat me down in a chair, then pushed her own chair around the desk and sat beside me. 

“Well. You have the air of a young man on a crusade. One that will not be dissuaded from his chosen path, no matter how foolhardy. So I shall not attempt to dissuade you. But I will ensure you are fully aware of the potential consequences of your actions. Do you understand what originium, and oripathy are?”

I opened my mouth to say yes, then thought about it. Man, talk about character development. “Let’s assume that I know less than you.”

Was that a small smile I detected? Maybe Kal’tsit had a sense of humor after all. 

“A wise assumption. I will not get into the metaphysical aspects-”

“Like how it’s clarktech designed to terraform the planet or something?” I blurted. 

Kal’tsit paused, studying me. I swallowed. “I’m, uh, feeling a little stressed. And, well, if I can blab to anyone…”

“Why do we not begin by outlining what you do know, Dr. McCoy. That may save us some time and energy, and allow you the outlet you seem to desperately crave.”

I nodded, and started wracking my brain. “Originium is a wonder element that does everything from power toothbrushes to give people magic. It was created by the Precursors-”

Kal’tsit’s hand shot out and covered my mouth. “I have reconsidered. We will discuss this another time, it seems, as we lack the time to go into sufficient breadth and depth to cover all you know, or think you know, it seems. Do not mention what you know of originium again until I tell you to do so. Do you understand?”

I nodded.

“Do you grasp that if you do so, it may cost your life, and the life of everyone on this landship? I make no threats, Dr. McCoy. I am only stating a reality.”

Oh, fuck. Priestess. She could hear? I nodded hastily again and gave a thumbs up.

“Good. You showed a discernible amount of discretion by waiting until we were in private to make that statement, and I did, after all, ask. So I can hardly fault you. Let us limit our discussion to the medical ramifications of originium and the nature of oripathy, and not the deeper philosophical and historical questions relating to the element.”

“Uh, alright. Um, Originium doesn’t behave like any known pathogen or disease. Er, well, I should say, not any from my dimension. It’s the bastard child of a prion and a virus, only it’s crystalline. When it gets into the body, it begins to convert the cells, starting with the major organs and spreading through the circulatory system, into more originium. This results in organ failure, and ultimately, death. 

“The side effect, and why a certain autistic idiot is now infected, is that it also amplifies your arts. Of course, if you abuse this, it just makes the infection spread faster by causing the crystals to replicate even more quickly. Modern oripathy suppressant drugs don’t inhibit arts as much as the older ones, but they do still dampen arts ability. I would hazard the new line drugs are modeled after the blood of, um, your dad, and…”

I trailed off, as Kal’tsits eyes had gone wide, and she was sitting up ramrod straight. Not that she normally had bad posture, but she looked like someone had goosed her. 

A single tear trickled down Kal’tsit’s cheek, and when she spoke, her voice was raw with emotion. “You know a great deal, James McCoy. Many things that not you, nor anyone else living, should know. And yet, you are ignorant of so much more. The Oracle…the Doctor…is not my progenitor.”

“Uh, well, I wasn’t going to repeat the joke about him being your ex-husband since, you know…but that kinda slipped out,” I admitted. 

The shock was replaced by a look of actual bafflement. “Ex-husband?”

“Uh, you know how I mentioned that my knowledge comes from a video game in my world?”

“Yes, Closure has the remains of your device, though it is doubtful she will obtain any relevant data from it. Not only is it in a completely different set of programming languages, but it is also nearly destroyed.”

“Right. Well, uh, due to your…interactions…with the Doctor in the game…the joke was you behaved like a jilted lover. Or…an ex-wife. Later revelations, um, colored your interactions a bit differently.”

“In what regard?”

“Well…how he gave you a name…and how you’re an android,” I admitted. 

She regarded me for a long moment, then slowly shook her head. “There are none now living who know that information. Even the…Doctor…has forgotten. And yet, you so casually discuss such things, and in such an ignorant fashion…”

She took a moment to gather herself, then said, “You are correct that the Doctor’s blood has been instrumental in modern first line oripathy medications and treatment protocols. As has the blood of your fellow Earthlings. Yours portends to open even more lines of research, and I have had to restrain Warfarin from attempting to exsanguinate you.

“I bring this up because your case, Dr. McCoy, is unique in a number of regards. For one, it is not your major internal organs that show signs of oripathy infection, but rather your nervous system. Additionally, Dr. Sussurro has proposed a very particular theory. One which I believe we are about to test the merits of. I myself will reserve judgement. Despite my extremely long life, I have never seen anything quite like you, Dr. McCoy. I do not mean that in the typical trite manner that all life is unique, but rather that yours is a whole original circumstance using powers and abilities I thought long lost, or never existed in the first place.”

“So, uh, that means?”

“You are quite precious, Dr. McCoy, but I will be forthright with you: I fully intend to use you up. The potential to cure oripathy, or even the oripathy of a few key individuals, is invaluable. Are you aware of which world leaders are secretly infected?”

“Uh, no, aside from Amiya and I guess Ch’en, though I don’t know if she qualifies.”

“Well, then you are at least willing to admit ignorance of some things. Let us simply say that there are those with tremendous wealth, power, and military might who would give quite literally anything to obtain the cure for themselves or those they cherish, or perhaps simply to be able to inject their troops with deadly arts amplifiers, as your foolish friend did.”

“So, just to lay the cards on the table…I’m OK with you using me up. As long as you don’t do it in a stupid way, and since, well, it’s you…I’m not real worried about it.”

“Your trust in a person you have just met and barely know is naive in the extreme, but I will do my best to demonstrate that it is not ill founded.”

“Honestly, I know it’s weird, but…I feel like I know all of you already. I mean, it’s probably a real unhealthy parasocial relationship, like you feel like you know an actor or streamer or something when you’ve never met them, but…I played a probably unhealthy amount of Arknights. I saw you all every day. It’s just…”

“Do not confuse a facsimile with reality, Dr. McCoy. That said, I can understand your feelings, false as they are. It is a common failing of humans, your kind included. Now. Do you understand that this procedure that you propose to do could very well cost you your life?”

“I do. That or turn me into an invalid.”

“And you still wish to go through with this operation?”

I took a deep breath. “I’m scared, I won’t lie. I could die. Again. And that…” My hands started shaking, and I clasped them together to try to control it. Two hands folded over mine, and I looked up in shock to see Kal’tsit meeting my eyes. 

“James McCoy, I am, perhaps, the only living being who truly understands the fear of death as one who has died. My many deaths have never been pleasant. I also, however, understand the courage to stare death in the face, and declare that you will not bow to that fear. I cannot tell you to take up this burden. There are other paths you may take, and…I begin to ramble, do I not?”

“A bit. It’s kinda soothing, actually,” I admitted. “Sorry about, um, the whole twenty words or less thing. I’d come up with an excuse, but, well…”

“You were suffering from arts overload, terrified for your life, and you are something of a babbler when stressed. It is a trespass I will forgive this once. But as I said, I expect more decorum from my residents.”

“Yes ma’am. I…I’m trying. I just…I don’t want to die, you know?”

“I do. Now. Are you ready to spit in the face of death?”

“What do we say to the god of death?” I whispered to myself, forcing myself to my feet. To my surprise, my legs weren’t shaking. “Not today.”

“As is ever the duty of the physician. Now. Let us get you prepped for surgery, Dr. McCoy.”

There were multiple imaging tests for both myself and Texas, MRIs, ultrasounds, and a few I just didn’t recognize. All that done, we were taken to a surgery room. Texas was anesthetized, unconscious and looking rather small and frail. I was dressed in a surgery smock, with a mask and slippers, though I had to take off my gloves. 

“Wait,” Sussurro said, coming up to me. “Before you begin, I want to use your arts to heal her. We’ve done what we can with our own arts, but I want this to be an opportunity to see what yours can do. I’m going to draw some blood first, however. Nurse?”

Myrtle turned out to be part vampire herself, quickly sticking me and pulling out a vial of blood. I was hooked up to multiple monitors myself, with Warfarin, Kal’tsit, and Folinic in the surgery with me. There were people in the observation room as well, Amiya and the Doctor I recognized, but I didn’t have time to worry about that.

“Alright. Beginning arts healing,” I said, taking the proffered wand, then pulling back the sheet from Texas. 

What I saw was painful. Texas had multiple fresh wounds, many of which had already been sutured, as well as places where arts had been used to patch her up. She also had multiple lesions of originium nodules showing on her thigh and abdomen. I paused a moment for those to be recorded by the cameras, though I wasn’t pulling them out just yet, even though I could sense them. 

Using my arts, I began to re-knit all of Texas’ wounds. I took my time, going over her from head to toe. I was going to rip her apart again, but it was best to start with her fully healed. 

That done, Sussurro had Myrtle draw my blood again, which was marked and labeled. I wondered why, but I didn’t question. 

“Right. Are we all ready?” I said, looking around the table. “This is the messy part.”

“Standing by,” Myrtle said, and the other doctors nodded. 

I took a deep breath, and put my hand to the lesions on Texas’ abdomen. “Begining originium removal of abdominal lesions.”

I gritted my teeth, then connected with the originium inside of Texas. I started with removing those nodules, healing as I went, replacing the crystallized flesh with healthy, living tissue. I could feel the cyrstals embedding themselves into my hand, and gasped in pain as they burned up my arm, then into my spine. The process took several minutes, though I was going a lot slower than I had with Andrey, having a slightly better feel for it.

I paused once that was done, and checked Texas’ vitals. They looked good, well, for someone who was knocked out and very ill. 

“Begining removal of ventral thigh lesions.”

More blood, more pain. I used the other arm this time, as my left didn’t have any lesions yet. This time I let myself scream in pain, to the point that Warfarin asked me, “Do you want morphine?”

“No. After. Need a clear head,” I gasped, keeping my hand steady despite the overwhelming tide of pain, and the new black crystals in my palm the size of dimes. That done, I placed my hand over Texas’ superior vena cava. “Right. Gonna take a breather, then…then I scrub the system. She’s still got crystals in her bloodstream. If I don’t get those out…she’ll still be infected.”

“Take all the time you need. Vitals look good, for both of you,” Folinic said. 

I took a full minute to do some breathing exercises. Then, I returned my hands over Texas’ heart. I watched her chest rise and fall, but I wasn’t really seeing the skin. I was seeing those tiny little flecks of crystal, circulating through the body, doing some mental calculations. Right. 

“Begining…beginining circulatory scrub,” I managed, then, I yanked. 

I think I took all the blood in Texas’ entire body out, and made an absolute mess of the entire surgery room. I also, however, replaced all that blood, growing it inside of her. Texas was of medium height and build, and the average adult has about 5 liters of blood. When you’re getting it everywhere…it looks like a slaughterhouse. 

This part took much longer, at least 20 minutes, though I wasn’t looking at the clock. When I was done, I healed up the wound, stepped back, and collapsed into the arms of Folinic and Warfarin. 

“Blood draw, stat!” Sussurro ordered, and samples were taken from myself and Texas. 

“Such a waste of good blood,” Warfarin muttered, and I could see her lick her chops under the mask. 

“Not…not gonna heal you if you’re…stupid…stupid enough to drink this,” I slurred. “I think…I think I might check out now…”

“We’ve got you. You take a nap now, James. You were incredible,” Sussurro told me, pushing down her mask to smile at me. 

That was the last thing before I saw Myrtle pushing morphine into my IV, and consciousness fled. At that point, I honestly thought I was going to die. I had quarter sized lesions on my right hand, and nickel on my left. 

But, at least I had blotted out some of that red in my ledger. The stray thought flitting through my head, was that I hoped I wouldn’t make Sussurro cry. 

Chapter Text

June 18th, 1100

Texas’ surgery had ended an hour ago. She was awake now, alert, and thoroughly pissed. Mostly at James for endangering himself for her. Ch’en challenged her to a sword fight, and over the objections of the entire medical department, those two knuckleheads are currently going at it hammer and tongs in the training facility. Hopefully, they won’t break anything, but it’s probably the best way for Texas to blow off some steam. 

Later, Warfarin is going to get Projekt Red to help her give Texas the tail-twisting of a lifetime. I’m not sure why all the other lupos are so afraid of Red, she’s just kind of a sweet but quiet kid as far as I can tell, but it’s rather hilarious to watch all the supposedly big and strong lupos run for the hills whenever Red shows up. I’ve requested to study the phenomenon multiple times, but I’m always denied. 

I suppose it’s for the best, I’ve found something far more intriguing to delve into. 

Myself, Chief Warfarin, Folinic, Director Kal’tsit, Leader Amiya, the Doctor, and Gavial were all sitting around a conference table, studying charts and looking at the images on screen. 

“Alright, someone smarter than me is going to have to explain this shit to me,” Gavial growled, her hand massaging her forehead as she stared at a chart. “Because I get what the numbers say, but this makes no damn sense.”

“I’m equally baffled,” Folinic admitted, shaking her head. “His numbers went down after using arts to heal Texas? But, that’s not how arts works. Arts use should elevate his levels, not reduce them.”

“It could be wrong. The difference is minute enough that it could just be the margin of error,” Warfarin said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. 

“But you don’t think it is, do you, Dr. Sussurro?” Amiya said. She wasn’t looking at the charts at all. While she did have powerful healing arts, along with well, powerful arts in general, she wasn’t trained as a medic or doctor, so a lot of these numbers would have been somewhat meaningless to her. 

“I suspect it wasn’t. His numbers were trending downwards on his daily tests, which didn’t make sense, except for the fact that he was using arts daily,” I said, stepping up and using a ruler to point to the screen, being too short to easily reach all the way. “Additionally, there’s the odd way that his oripathy is developing. Generally, we see oripathy develop first in the liver and kidneys, along with the spleen and the rest of the lymphatic system. Those are the organs responsible for filtering your body from contaminates, so it follows they would develop crystals first. It’s not completely unheard of for oripathy to develop along the nervous system, however…”

“However the cases where it has are the ones where originium was artificially implanted,” Folinic said with a nod. “Yes, I see.”

“Which leads me to my next point. James is an Earthling. We’ve got eight other cases of Earthlings, who are all remarkably resistant to oripathy. Blitz even had a large fragment of originium embedded in his skin during a mission, had it removed, and did not develop oripathy. That’s practically unheard of, even when first aid is administered as quickly and professionally as it was in his case.”

“Ok, so how the fuck does that explain his levels going down?” Gavial demanded in disgust. 

I gave her a cool look, and she rolled her eyes and quieted. “I’m not finished yet. The final key is how James responded to arts suppressors, and arts amplifiers. His system reacted in completely the opposite manner from what we would expect. To call that highly unusual is an understatement. Now, while further study needs to be done here, I have a working theory, and I think our observations here bear it out.”

“Let us hear your analysis, Dr. Sussurro,” Kal’tsit said, gesturing for me to continue, as I’d paused for comments. 

I took a deep breath, steeled myself, then said, “I think he’s directly using the originium in his system to fuel his arts. He commented that, prior to his infection, he couldn’t use arts at all. Now, that’s not unusual, many people are either incapable of using arts, or have limited capacity, until they develop oripathy. But all of the other Earthlings also have zero capacity for arts. So, when I say he’s using originium to fuel his arts…he’s acting less like an organic organism, and more like an artificial tool like an arts wand.”

Silence as the table mulled it over. Doctor was sitting backwards in their chair, arms wrapped around the chair back. “So, your theory is that Bones is basically a living arts conductor. We’ve seen that before though. Leithanien historically used living arts wands. I read about it during my time there. Scary stuff. In those cases though, the people used inevitably died because they fully crystallized.”

“Correct, that’s the major hole in my theory,” I admitted. 

“It has merit. Further research must be conducted,” Kal’tsit said. “However, we have a larger problem. Dr. McCoy’s infection has greatly increased in severity. His COA is at 12%, and his BOCD is at .39. He is still a stage 2 case, but this is accelerating rapidly. By current estimates, he can cure no more than one or two cases of similar severity before he dies.”

“Texas has a clean bill of health,” Amiya said, glancing at her sheet. “Her numbers are now at the level of impossible anomalies, such as Kjera. No cell integration, 0u/L. The oripathy isn’t just gone. It’s been annihilated.”

We all sat around in silence. It was a miracle. There was no other way to describe it. James had completely cured Cellinina Texas. He’d also manifested healing arts so potent that no one on record, not even the Witch King, Lateran Saints, or legendary Sarkaz Shamans had claimed such powers. He might not be able to bring back the dead, but he could completely reconstruct someone’s body. 

“One thing,” Warfarin said, and all eyes turned to her. “I’ve crunched the numbers. He’s not infected enough.” 

“Explain,” Kal’tsit said, eyes narrowing. 

“Even accounting for his bigger mass, the amount of originium he should have taken in should have killed him, stone cold.  Or, at the very least, infected him so much he was on death’s doorstep. But it manifestly didn’t. He’s not in good shape, but he’s kickin’, and should last a few decades with our best treatment. That said…based on his reaction to arts suppressors…I don’t know that our treatments are a good idea.”

“Put him in surgery,” Doctor said, and all eyes turned to them. “While I’m not a medical doctor, or at least I don’t think I am unless Kal’s been hiding something from me for a while now, I know enough to know that he’s a major asset. Full organ regrowth? Complete blood replacement? Put him in surgery and get him trained for field ops. This is the sort of thing that can not just turn the tide of a battle, but a war.”

“Always you see the potential for violence instead of deeper ramifications!” Kal’tsit snapped. “This man can change the entire world! Do you not know for how long humankind has sought to rid itself of the scourge of oripathy! Do you not realize that we have in our grasp an invaluable resource that can do more than simply win the next brutal conflict, but alter the course of history entirely?”

“Yeah, which is why everyone is going to be gunning for him,” Doctor said. 

Silence met that statement. Even from Kal’tsit. We all knew, just from the short journey back to Rhodes Island, that people were willing to kill to get their hands on James. There was no possible way that once confirmation got out that not only was James capable of curing oripathy, but he possessed the strongest healing arts on record, that people would do nearly anything to get their hands on him. Including going to war. I was no historian or grand strategist, but I hazarded that this was the sort of thing empires could rise and fall over. 

At last, Amiya stood. “I’m approving the onboarding of Dr. James McCoy, Codename Bones, as an operator for Rhodes Island working in the medical department. I haven’t shared this with the entire landship, or all the senior leadership. But at this point it’s going to be impossible to keep this quiet. We’re going to make a formal announcement for internal consumption only. We now have an operator who is capable of suppressing or curing oripathy, but only in limited capacity.”

“Let us hope he is able to somehow metabolize the originium. It is, theoretically, possible that he is able to do so. It is how our more advanced machines use originium as a fuel,” Kal’tsit said. “I would prefer longer to fully study Dr. McCoy’s abilities, but I fear that circumstances will push us to glean all we can from him during only a brief window of opportunity.”

“I think first we need to remember that James is a person, not just a tool,” I said, glaring around the room. It’s a bit hard for me to pull off. Frankly, I am one of the least intimidating people on the landship. There are literal children like Kay and Bubble who are far more imposing than I am. Still, I felt compelled to try to remind everyone that we were talking about a man. A good man, not just a lab experiment. 

“I remind myself of that every day. Along with those we have lost,” Doctor said, standing and coming over to the screen I was by to peer at Texas’ image. For once, I was at eye level with them, and I got a glimpse of pale flesh and milky white eyes. Doctor turned to me. “Keep this one safe, Sussurro. He’s an asset, but don’t let him lose his humanity. We’ve had enough martyrs.”

With that, Doctor wandered off, apparently having said all they wished. 

“I think perhaps we need not worry about Dr. McCoy losing his humanity. If anything, we must prevent his humanity from leading to his death,” Kal’tsit said. “I will make arrangements for his training. Both medically, and in regards to preparation for combat. It would be overly optimistic to believe that he will be able to avoid fighting at all. I fear that the Doctor is correct, and conflict will seek us out.”

“Yes,” Amiya agreed. “Already, there are those who would seek to destroy the Infected. If there is a chance for salvation, they will surely desire to control it for their own ends.”

With that, I was left alone with Warfarin and Gavial. I looked to my seniors, who both looked rather disturbed. 

“That kid ain’t cut out for combat,” Gavial sighed, massaging her temple with her fingertips. “Frankly I think keeping him the hell out of it is the better solution.”

“You’re not going to be there to save his ass forever, Gavial. Doctor is right. The whole damn world is going to be coming for that kid, and not just because he doesn’t know when to shut the hell up,” Warfarin sighed. 

“In James' defense, you told him to speak openly to you,” I said, frowning at her. 

“There’s speaking openly and having no damn tact. Sheesh. We’re gonna have to keep an eye on him. Good work on that report, Sussurro. We’ll see if we can’t burn off some of that originium. If nothing else, having someone that skilled at healing arts will be an asset. At least this idiot is an interesting one.”

“I suppose,” I said as I gathered up my reports. “Do you think we’ll be able to develop new treatment methods based on what we’ve learned?”

“Too soon to tell, but I’ve got some ideas, at least. If we can get Bones to do his magic trick one or two more times with differing cases, that would be great. Too bad it would probably break him, but I’m sure if we tell him a baby purrbeast will die if he doesn’t he’ll get right on it,” Warfarin said, then cackled. 

I saw red for a moment, and I’m not really sure where it came from, but the next thing I knew, my palm was stinging, and Warfrain’s eyes were wide, her head snapped to the side after I’d slapped her. “Patients are NOT experiments, Qassirah! But our colleagues are ESPECIALLY not your lab beasts! Grandmother’s fluffy tail, James IS going to die! Just like the rest of us Infected! And it’s our job to try to save him, not encourage him into an early grave!”

Warfarin blinked at him, touched her cheek, then spat out a little blood. Perhaps I’d hit her harder than I thought…

“Sorry, boss, but you deserved that,” Gavial said, stepping between the two of us. “Lucia, go cool your head, I’ll talk with Warfarin.”

“No, it’s fine,” Warfarin said, shaking her head. She grinned at me, showing bloody teeth. “Didn’t think you had it in you. Staking your claim on him, eh?”

“I’m claiming him as a human being, Qassirah. As my friend. And as a doctor, I’m claiming that we approach this ethically instead of as one of your mad experiments,” I hissed. I could feel my tail bristling. Saints and Angels, it was rare for me to lose my temper like this. But I was worn thin, and, well, this sort of attitude disgusted me on multiple levels. Not to mention I truly did consider James a friend. And not one I wanted to lose any time soon. 

“Fine, fine. Kal would kill me if I tried anything too crazy with him. But I am going to be designing experiments. Need I remind you that we have Vitracline and Oxiomera because of my ‘mad experiments.’ Those Earthlings didn’t even miss the extra blood I took.” 

“And you had consent when you harvested their blood. Even if you did drink a little,” Gavial said, folding her arms over her chest. 

“I did not!” Warfarin huffed. “I’m fully vegetarian now, thank you.”

“Are you?” I demanded “Because you’re acting like you’re one of the monsters from the story I’ve heard as a child!” 

That was probably a bit far, but my blood was up, and when you do manage to get me to lose my temper, I have just as much control over my tongue as James does. 

Warfarin chuckled and shrugged. “You have horror stories told about you long enough, you tend to live up to them, Lucia. But this I can swear: nothing but Sangvita has crossed my lips in six years. It was the last promise I made to Theresa. And it’s one I will keep for the rest of my life, however long it will be.”

“To Theresa?” Gavial seemed baffled by that. “What, the sister of the Sarkaz King we dealt with in Londinium?”

“Huh, guess that blabbermouth managed to keep his lips sealed for once. Gavial, go tell Kal I’m giving you Babel level clearance. You're one of our Elite Operators, and after you called Babel, it’s only fair you know what you did,” Warfarin told her. 

“Alright. But if I hear you’re bullying either Lucia or McCoy, I’m going to have a bone to pick with you, boss,” Gavial said, folding her arms over her chest. “Don’t make me dangle you out a window again.”

I shot Gavial a glance, but Warfarin just laughed. “I wasn’t actually going to dissect Kay, even if she did eat some things she shouldn’t have. But that idiot child hasn’t dared wander back into my lab, so I’d say it was effective. Anyway, we have work to do. Sussurro, go check on James before you pine away. I’ve got samples to analyze." 

I watched Warfarin walk away, my senses still warning me I was in danger. “Did you really defenestrate her?”

“Do what now?”

“Try to drop her out a window.”

“Try nothing. I had her by the heel and would have dropped her just to see if vampires really can turn into a vesperwing. But Kay had eaten a bunch of samples, the feral idiot. That was back right after we found Kay in Bolivar, you were just an intern back then.”

“Ah.” I briefly wondered if James knew anything about Ceobe, but resolved not to ask him. It was something of an open secret in the medical department that Ceobe was actually not a Perro, but rather a Cerberus. She was probably much older than the teenager she appeared to be, but information on Cerberus is spotty. What I had learned was that Kay was the equivalent of an early adolescent, though she had just barely learned to read and write after a great deal of tutoring. 

She was also something of an absolute terror on the battlefield. I’d watched battle records of her ripping apart Rhine Labs security mechs with her arts as casually as I’d pluck a fowlbeast. Then wag her tail and ask if that was worth ‘snackies.’ 

“Well, I’d best go check on James then,” I said, turning to go. 

“Hey, Lucia, you holding a torch for the kid?” Gavial said, which made me freeze at the door. I turned to her cooly, trying to maintain my calm. 

“He is a colleague, with whom I have shared some rather traumatic experiences. He is also a naive idiot who needs a senior attending to keep him from making too big a mess. I am simply looking out for his best interests.”

“Uh huh. Well, don’t do anything I wouldn’t,” Gavial said with a grin. 

I rolled my eyes. “And that limits me in what regard? If half the escapades with coworkers and former patients you claim are true, you are rather busy.”

“Wasn’t trying to limit you! I’d live my life to the fullest, with no regrets! Gonna die sooner rather than later, so why leave anything on the table?” Gavial laughed. 

I sniffed and departed, my heart beating a little faster. I had to ask myself, was I pining for James? No, I decided. I cared for him, but anything deeper were my idiotic bosses watching too many Siracusian soap operas in their free time. 

Then I went and got the fresh Minestrone that had been cooking in Myrrh’s and I’s room, and brought it to James, reminding myself that Denile is not just a river in Sargon.

To my relief, James wasn’t still out cold, but sitting up and looking much better. Less to my relief was the fact that he was laughing with Exusiai about something. She was becoming a dear friend, but, well, perhaps I wasn’t the only one developing an interest in our resident miracle worker. Fine. I was a professional, and I could act like one. 

“Good to see you’re awake, Dr. McCoy,” I said. “Feel up to eating? How about you, Lemuel?”

“Hey, Lucia. Oooo, what smells good?” Exusiai said, perking up as I entered. 

“I could eat,” James said, smiling at me with that boyish grin of his. He looked a bit hollow eyed, and I checked his morphine drip as I handed him a thermos of soup. “I’m fine. I’ve seen enough addicts not to want to depend on a morphine drip. Save it for when I need to sleep. I can live with a little pain.”

“You’re in pain? I thought something was wrong,” Exusiai said, accepting her own thermos. “Maybe you should…”

“It’s fine,” James said, taking a sip. “Hey, this is more than fine! Thanks, Lucia, you made this yourself? Sure doesn’t taste like cafeteria food.”

Despite myself, I found my tail swishing back and forth in delight and my cheeks turning a bit red. Damn tail. It makes concealing your emotions that much harder. I’m not as bad as a Perro, but, well, we canines all suffer the tail give.

Even if mine is far fluffier and more attractive than some thin perro or lupo tail. 

“I did, I thought you deserved a reward for a successful surgery,” I said, sipping at my own soup. Honestly, I immediately started dissecting it for flaws. It just doesn’t taste quite like Nonna Lulu’s minestrone. I can never get it quite right, no matter how I try. But, she’s been dead some 12 years, Saints and Angels guard her soul. 

“Exusiai was just telling me Texas is already up and about. That’s good to hear,” James said with a grin. He sipped at his soup a bit, then casually said, “Hey, Lemuel, why don’t you take Texas some soup. She’d probably appreciate it, being Siracusian herself.”

“That’s a good idea! You’ll watch him, right Lucia?” Exusiai said, getting to her feet. 

“Of course,” I agreed, and handed over the rest of the soup.

“Great! Back in a flash,” and our angel sped off. I hate to admit it, but she really is a lovely person. Most Sankta come off as, well, sanctimonious , or at least patronizing. But Exusiai never did, and her upbeat attitude was rather refreshing. I’m a bit of a natural pessimist, though I consider myself a realist. 

“Alright,” James said, setting aside his thermos and lacing his fingers together. I’d noticed he did that when nervous or scared, so I had a good idea as to what he was about to ask. “What’s my prognosis?”

“You’ve cut years off your lifespan. Your COA has gone up to 12%, and your BOCD is at .39. That’s the sort of increase we usually see after years if someone’s on the proper treatments. You’re bordering on Stage 3. And once you hit stage 3…management can only do so little. If you don’t stop and focus on your health…you’ll be dead shortly. I’m sorry, James.”

I took his hand and squeezed it. He was uncharacteristically silent, looking down at his other palm, where his new lesions were visible. He flexed his fingers a little, closing his eyes and grimacing. 

“I’m turning up your morphine drip,” I told him. 

He didn’t fight me this time, just nodding. I pushed 15 milligrams of morphine, and James’ taut expression quickly relaxed, and he sighed in obvious relief. 

“Am I being an idiot, Lucia?” He asked, opening his eyes. 

“Perhaps. But you’re being a very noble one,” I said, my voice hitching a little. 

“I know it might not seem like it…but I don’t want to die,” James admitted quietly. “But…but if I saw someone else I cared about, dying of oripathy…I don’t know. I might…do something really stupid.”

“Just, wait. We’re analyzing the samples. And…and there’s hope, James,” I told him, then explained my theory that he was burning off the originium in his system, albeit slowly. 

He brightened at hearing that. “Really? You think so? But wait, I thought arts use exacerbated the condition.”

“Ordinarily, yes. Which is why we’ll take this slow. Have you use your arts in a controlled setting. Our hospital and ER are constantly busy. Not only is this a city with 10,000 people, but we have a steady stream of  people who come to the landship for treatment. Not just those suffering from oripathy either. Rhodes Island has a reputation as the best medical treatment available, and, well, we are a PMC. On an average day, we get multiple battle wounded coming in who need treatment. Not to mention the standard injuries you’d expect in a small city with major industrial centers.

James nodded at that. “Alright. It’s worth a shot. And besides, I’ll at least be getting in my trauma rotation as a resident. I’m going to become a doctor, even if it kills me. Eh? Eh?” 

“It would be funnier if I hadn’t done exactly the same thing,” I sighed. “Well, you’ll just have to stick around to keep me from killing myself either.”

“Sounds like a plan. We’ll do it together,” James said. “Oh, that reminds me. I’m really struggling with something and need your help.”

I won’t lie, my heart both skipped a beat, and a sense of existential dread washed over me. What had this idiot done now, and was I really the first person he turned to for help?

“I’m really struggling to get past wave 40. It might be just because I have the dogshit free races, but I think it’s because my mazes suck. I’ve tried experimenting with different formats, but I’d like your feedback,” the colossal idiot said.

I laughed in relief that this wasn’t him deciding how he was going to try curing all the patients in the critical ward. “Oh, really? Show me.”

“Well, I started with a basic row maze, but that seemed inefficient, so I’ve been trying to build a spiral, but I don’t think it’s the most optimal…”

We spent far too long talking about how to build hook double spirals and diagonal switchbacks, along with which races were best for mazing (and thus the easiest starter races) and which complimented them as secondary races. I also went on about abusing certain mechanics to eek out an even higher score, which James absolutely lapped up. I think I might have a new challenger to my throne, once he gets the better premium races unlocked after his first paycheck. 

It was…fun. Some of the most fun I’ve had in a while. 

I had better not be an idiot about this. James is going to be dead inside a year if he keeps this up. I’ll have to keep his head on straight, and mine as well. 

Anyway, I’m looking through my grandmother’s recipe book and wondering where I went wrong with my life. 

Chapter Text

Entry 18, Day 36

To my great disappointment, I was not immediately assigned to surgery, though they did let me out of the hospital one day after I managed to cure Texas. Aside from now having an even worse case of super cancer, I was mostly fine. Except, you know, for the constant pain. I have a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine. They call it something else, Codetheron, but unless my chemistry fails me, it’s the same thing. 

And I hate to say it, but I need the stuff. The aches were bad before, but they’re worse now. My limited research into oripathy, and by that I mean I’m reading for a couple of hours a day now, indicates that acute pain is one of the most common symptoms. Based on my current trajectory…I’m more than a little concerned about developing an opioid addiction. I’d be basically non-functional without this though, so I guess I just have to grin and bear it. 

Instead, Sussurro and Exusiai took me to my new apartment, which was located not far from their own. Sussurro shares with Myrrh, while Exusiai and Texas bunk together. The landship is enormous, but space is still at a premium, so my own private room consists of not much more than a fold out bed, a small desk, and a couple of basic appliances like a microwave and a small tv. There’s also a small bathroom and shower stall. The walls are all bare metal, and the floor is vinyl and a bit of carpet. It’s cramped, but the fact that I have it to myself is nice. 

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything to put here,” I admitted. “Not even clothes.”

“We’ll go requisition some,” Sussurro told me. “I’ve been assigned to escort you today.”

“And I’m your bodyguard, so I’m coming too!” Exusiai said brightly. 

“What about Texas?” I asked. “She’s OK now, right?”

“Oh, she’s fine, but they’re making her do a bunch of tests today to make sure the oripathy is really all gone,” Exusiai said with a shrug. “She’s grumpy as usual, but she’s OK. More than that, really. I thought she was going to die for sure…”

“She’d have lived for a while. Most people survive taking Amp-X for years. Her main problem was the initial shock of her body contracting oripathy plus the arts overuse,” Sussurro said with a shake of her head. 

Both women were dressed more in their casual skins than their normal clothes. Sussurro had on black slacks, a t-shirt and jacket, and a ball cap with Siracusa and what looked like a team logo on it. She did have on sneakers that looked about three sizes too big for her, which was sort of adorable. Exusiai was wearing black shorts that showed off her legs, and a white hoodie with DDD and the stylized face of that one DJ from Heart of Surging Flame that looked like Daft Punk. Oh, and a couple of guns, because why not? 

They took me first to an official Rhodes Island supply depot on the upper decks, where a bored looking worker issued me a couple of sets of scrubs, two pairs of casual clothes, a lab coat, a pair of hospital slippers and a pair of boots, along with some socks and underwear. 

“You want anything fancy, you’re gonna have to pay for it, but this is the basics. Welcome aboard Rhodes Island…Bones?” the grunt said, reading his clipboard. He blinked, then looked up at me. “Wait, you’re not the one who-”

“ No hablo ingles. Gracias por la ropa ,” I said, then turned around and hurried off. 

“I didn’t know you spoke Iberian,” Sussurro commented after having to sprint to catch up to me. “But it would be ‘No hablo victoriano’ for future reference.” 

“Oh, right,” I said, wincing and kicking myself mentally. “Uh, what is the official language of Rhodes Island, anyway?” 

“Officially, it’s Victorian, but people speak a lot of languages here, so don’t expect that trick to work very often,” Exusiai told me. “Though that was pretty funny, especially since you started off speaking Victorian to him.”

“I…have a hard time telling which language I’m speaking these days,” I admitted. “Not the least of which because you all sound like you’re speaking English to me. Well, unless you spoke Iberian, which would sound like Spanish.”

“My Iberian is rusty,” Sussurro admitted. “And not very fluent.”

Exusiai grinned. “ Hablo ibérico bastante bien, pero estoy sin práctica. ¡He aprendido muchos idiomas como mensajero! Aunque es más fácil ya que soy un Sankta .”

“You speak a lot of languages because of your job, but being an Sankta makes it easier?” I translated. My own Spanish is high school level, though I used it often enough to be conversationally fluent, since a lot of patients had it as their primary language at the hospitals I trained at.

“Yeah, Empathy,” Exusiai said, pointing to her halo. “If another Sankta speaks a language and teaches it to you…it’s just easy. It’s a little harder if you’re learning it from another Race, but even then, we Sankta pick up languages faster than most.” 

“One of the many unfair things about life is that Sankta are better at just about everything,” Sussurro said with a heavy sigh, and shot a jealous look at Exusiai. Odd, she was normally pretty chummy with Exusiai. 

“Hey, your cooking is way better than mine! I prefer sweet things, but your soups are really tasty! I can only ever do boxed recipes, I never really learned how to cook,” Exusiai said with a grin. 

“I can manage not to burn water, but I’m not much of a cook myself. Your stuff is delicious though, Sussurro,” I told her. 

That got her tail wagging, though she obviously tried to stop it. She was kinda cute like that. I know she’s not a dog, but the tail does seem like a dead giveaway most of the time. 

“Sorry, not to sound like a jealous beckbeast,” Sussurro said with a heavy sigh. “I was raised in a Lateran family, and while I’ve drifted away from the Church…I never got away from the sense that the Holy Sankta were better than all of us.”

“Nah, that’s a bunch of bullshit,” Exusiai said casually. “Sure, we’re blessed by the Law, but it’s not like we did something to deserve it, you know? It’s like they say: Grace. We’re not any better than anyone. Heck, plenty of the Saints are Liberi, and there’s even Saint Vellatria. She was a vulpo, and a doctor like yourself!” 

“I…yes. I, um, still say prayers to Holy Vellatria sometimes,” Sussurro admitted. ”Not very often, mind. I really have drifted away from my childhood faith over time. But, well, it slips out from time to time.”

“Well then you’re more devout than me! Here we are, let’s stash this stuff, then take you somewhere fun!” Exusiai said as we arrived back at the apartment. 

“Yes, I was going to take him to Susie’s, he could use a haircut, and so could I,” Sussurro said as we set the clothes on my bed, I’d put them away later. 

“That sounds good! I could definitely go for some beauty treatments. My hair’s getting kinda long,” Exusiai said, pulling a lock of red hair down to inspect. 

“Yeah, looks more like your alter than yours-…” I trailed off, and kicked myself again. 

“Oh ho, do you already know what haircut I’m going to get, Bones?” Exusiai laughed. 

“Uh, not exactly,” I admitted. Thinking of that, I really needed to talk to Kal’tsit about The Masses Travel. I didn’t know everything about it, but I’m pretty sure it was the one where it was revealed the Law as an ancient AI supercomputer, or something. 

“This is from Arknights, isn’t it? I don’t suppose I’m supposed to get a significant haircut,” Sussurro said, her eyes narrowing at me.

“Well, uh, I mean…I only know about your, um…other skin, that I got,” I admitted, blushing myself. 

“Other skin?” Exusiai said, looking back and forth between us. “Come on, you’re both blushing like high schoolers! Spit it out, Bones!”

“Um, well, you sort of…get Swimsuit Sussurro,” I said, not meeting her eyes. “I…sort of used that one. It was cute.”

“You would be so lucky to see me in a swimsuit,” Sussurro huffed, but her tail was wagging again for some reason. Well, at least I wasn’t in the doghouse. 

“Well, I hope my skin or whatever was cute too! Damn, you’re going to have to spill more of this tea, Bones! Here it seems like you know all about us, and we barely know anything about you!” Exusiai laughed, opening the door. “First though, haircut. You really are all scraggly.”

I rubbed my face, which had at this point, several weeks worth of beard on it. Normally, I was clean shaven, if for no other reason than it’s more comfortable when wearing a mask. My hair was also longer and messier than I usually prefer it. “Yeah, sounds good. Though I am a bit broke…”

“Susie’s a sweetie,” Exusiai said as we headed down the corridor. “First haircut is free. And pretty deep discounts for all Rhodes Island Personal. And patients at the hospital. Honestly, she probably couldn’t stay open if RI didn’t subsidize her.” 

“She provides a needed service, and she’s a really good hairdresser. I’d go mad without her,” Sussurro said with a shrug. 

We made our way to one of the middle levels, where a sort of mall had been set up, with lots of shops and small cafes. I was led to a hair salon named “Electric Glitter.” Inside, a familiar face was waiting for us. 

“Welcome!” the proprietress said, looking up from another customer she was working on. “Oh! Hello, Lucia, Lemuel! Who’s your tall friend?”

“This is James,” Sussurro said, nodding to me. “He’s a new doctor joining the medical department. 

“Oh! You must have told him about my special. I’ll be right with you!” she said. 

We took a seat, and I muttered, “You didn’t tell me Goldenglow was the hairdresser.”

“Huh? We said it was Susie,” Exusiai said, frowning at me. 

“She almost never goes on ops or by her code name. She studies arts on the side, but her real passion is hair care, and since she’s the only hairdresser on the landship, she keeps plenty busy,” Sussurro said, frowning at me. “Odd you know her code name, I only know it because I saw it on her file during her last check up.”

“She’s, uh, well, before a certain jobless lupo, she was one of the strongest casters in Arknights. Still pretty good even after that, just not completely busted,” I whispered back. 

“Susie!? You can’t be serious! I saw her cry when she was supposed to use her arts on a live target, a bunch of originium slugs!” Sussurro protested. 

“Wait…jobless Lupo?” Exusiai said, her eyes narrowing. “You don’t mean…”

“I was trying to be discreet, and don’t you dare breathe a word of it to Texas,” I hissed. 

Exusiai grimaced. “Yeah, even I don’t know what all is going on between Lappland Saluzzo and Texas, but I do know those two can’t be in a room together without trying to kill one another. Which is too bad, because Lappland’s a lot of fun! Totally insane, but fun!”

“ Lupo idiota . Doesn’t even try to manage her oripathy,” Sussurro said in disgust. “I ought to sick Red on her.”

“That…might not work so well anymore,” I said. That earned me startled looks from both my companions, but then Goldenglow hurried over, grinning widely and bowing to me. She was dressed in a red apron, with a green scarf wrapped about her pink hair. “Welcome to Electric Glitter! I’m Susie Glitter! Welcome to Rhodes Island, Dr. James!” 

“Just James, I’m only Dr. McCoy when I’m on duty,” I said, standing and offering my gloved hand. 

Susie glanced at it, then gingerly took it. I let out a yelp, as a spark of static electricity zapped the originium crystals through the wool. 

“S-sorry! Um, I mostly have that under control, I’m not sure what happened,” Goldenglow said, hastily jerking her hand back.

“Sorry, I’ve got lesions under the glove, must have attracted the shock,” I said, shaking my hand out. 

“Oh! Yes, that happens,” Goldenglow admitted. “Um, it should be OK, unless you have more on your skull…”

“Don’t think so. I thankfully don’t have literal rocks in my brain. Yet, anyway,” I laughed, and followed Goldenglow over to one of the chairs. 

She put an apron on me, then mussed my hair. “Hmm, nice and thick, with a bit of a wave! Do you have a haircut in mind, or would you like to look at my catalogue?”

“Sure, I’ll take a look. Don’t really know much about local style here. I’m from, um, Trimounts.”

“Ah, I’m from Caladon in Victoria! I’ve been here at Rhodes Island for two and a half years now, and it’s been wonderful! They’ve helped me open up my dream salon, and even brought my mother here!” Goldenglow said, as she settled Exusiai and Sussurro into their own seats. “What will you have today, Lucia?”

“I’d like to keep it long, just a bit of trim on the bangs and some fluff off my tail, I’ve been shedding something awful since summer started,” Sussurro said. 

“Of course!” Goldenglow agreed, and several of her drones zipped out, and began to shampoo and massage Sussurro’s hair. 

“Something a little longer and wilder for me, and I’m thinking I want to go a couple shades lighter on my hair,” Exusiai said, her eyes closed. 

I ended up going with a long and curly fade, which seemed like it would be nice and low maintenance, but still a bit stylish. I might not be overly fussed about my haircut, but you’ve got to look at least somewhat professional and trendy. If you look like a slob, it sends the wrong message, and I get enough people thinking I’m an idiot without looking like one too. 

The girls chatted for a while as Goldenglow went between each of us, but her drones did most of the work. It was actually really impressive how fine her control was, and rather novel to have my hair cut by robot. I talked a bit as well, though I did my best to be careful, as I didn’t exactly have a lot I could share. I told a couple of anecdotes about medical school that seemed like the sort of thing that could still happen on Terra, which got everyone laughing, so it seemed to work. 

“Bye! Come back soon!” Goldenglow said, waving to us as we departed, before ushering in her next set of customers. 

“I texted Texas, she’s joining us for lunch at Dreams and Spices,” Exusiai said as we left.

“Is that the cafe that Beanstalk runs?” I asked, remembering the place from Kay’s Daily Doodles.

“Yeah! Huh, that weird alien knowledge comes in handy, huh?” Exusiai said with a grin. 

The cafe did look a lot like the one in the anime, though it had quite the lunch crowd. I didn’t spot Ceobe or her friends, but Texas was waiting at a booth and looking incredibly grumpy. When she spotted us, she jumped up and ran towards me. I thought for a moment she was going in for a hug with how she stretched her arms out, so I spread mine wide. Only for her to lift me up by my collar. 

“ Testa di cazzo !” she snarled, her ears flat back on her head. “I should kill you!” 

“That seems extreme?” I coughed, even as a worried Exusiai drew one of her pistols, but didn’t point it at Texas. 

“Texas, put him down!” Sussurro shouted, but Texas just glared at her. 

“He cured me,” she hissed, tail lashing back and forth. 

“Uh, yeah, you were sort of dying,” I gasped, though she wasn’t really choking me. “I thought you’d be happy!”

“I was. Until I realized you cured more than you said,” Texas snarled, setting me down and now yanking my head down so we were at eye level.  

“Uh,” I glanced around at the patrons, who were staring uncomfortably. “Maybe…we should have this conversation somewhere more…private?”

“Hmph,” Texas let me go, then stalked over to the corner table. Her murderous gaze had everyone around us calling for the check and scrambling away, which made Exusiai sigh and rub at her head. 

“Texas…you’re doing it again,” Exusiai said, holstering her guns. “You know, that thing where you give off the sense that you’re going to murder everyone around you?” 

“It’s his fault,” she grumbled, arms folded across her chest as she glared at me. 

I scooted a little closer to Sussurro as Beanstalk came over and hastily took our orders before rushing away. “Um, Texas, I know you’re not super happy about me curing your oripathy, but I couldn’t watch you die…”

“Not that,” Texas took out a pack of cigarettes, and slammed them on the table. “This.”

The rest of us stared at the smokes, then looked up at Texas. 

“Texas, use your big girl words,” Exusiai groaned, slumping in her chair. “None of us know what you’re talking about.”

“I can’t smoke,” Texas said, gesturing to the cigarettes.

“We very specifically told you that you shouldn’t smoke after your surgery, Texas,” Sussurro sighed. “You really should quit. Not only is it a disgusting habit, but now that you’re cured of oripathy, that just increases the risks you’ll die of smoking related health issues.”

“You told me. Didn’t listen. Tried to smoke last night. Couldn’t,” Texas said, still glaring at me. 

I blinked a few times. Then I looked at Sussurro, a shocked expression on both our faces. Then we fell all over one another, laughing hysterically.

“It’s not funny,” Texas grumbled. “Can’t think straight.”

“Hahaha, you, you mean he- oh santi e angeli , I’ve got to tell the, hehehe, director!” Sussurro giggled, holding on to me.

I was leaning on her myself, howling with laughter. “Hahaha! Well, it’s for your own good, you crazy wolf! Hehe, I can’t believe it! Hohoho, I’m going to do this to all my patients now!”

“Uh, did you like, do something to her brain, Bones? ‘Cause, that’s kinda messed up if you did,” Exusiai said, looking a little disturbed. 

“Ha, no! Or at least, probably not,” Sussurro said, wiping a tear from her eye. “He rebuilt her entire circulatory system, and apparently her respiratory system too! That means she’s got a brand new set of fresh, clean lungs, with no tar buildup, and her body’s probably purged of nicotine too.”

“That’s hilarious! We’ll get you some gum or something,” I sniggered, shaking my head. 

“Need something for my mouth. Don’t like gum. Too sticky,” Texas huffed. 

“Hey, Jasiri! You got any pocky?” Exusiai called. 

“Um, yes?” Beanstalk said, looking up from where she was making our lunches. 

“Bring us a box. Strawberry flavor,” Exusiai said. 

The sweet was delivered, and Exusiai foisted the box on Texas. “Here, try some!”

Reluctantly, Texas put the pocky in her mouth. She chewed on it a bit, then sucked on it. At last, she nodded. “Fine. But I’m still mad.”

“Sorry, I honestly didn’t mean to cure you of your smoking habit,” I said, shaking my head. “But, consider it a happy byproduct. I’m sure Lucia’s been telling you to quit smoking since she first saw you.”

“Indeed I have. Those things might as well be called cancer sticks,” Sussurro said with a nod. 

“It is kinda funny, though. And Sora has said she wishes you would quit,” Exusiai said apologetically. 

Texas frowned, moving the pocky stick around in her mouth with her tongue. “She didn’t tell me.”

“She’s too nice too, but I bet she’ll like kissing you a lot more now, so you’ve got that to look forward to. Trust me, I’ve dated some smokers, and it’s super gross to try to make out with them,” Exusiai said, laughing at Texas’ mortified expression. 

“Oh. I see,” Texas seemed to consider this deeply, so deeply that she continued to think for a half a minute after Beanstalk brought us our food. At least, she nodded, finishing off her pocky stick. “Alright. Sorry. Thank you.”

“We’ll get you some lollipops or something. That much sugar isn’t good for your teeth, but candy is way better than smoking if you need oral motor stimulation,” I told her, taking a bite of my burger. It was pretty good, with french fries too, though they were called ‘stick fries’ on the menu. No French, I guess. 

“You should come with us, Texas, we’re taking James shopping! He needs some stuff for his apartment,” Exusiai said.

Texas nodded. “Yes. I must return to duty.”

“I don’t think anyone is going to try to assassinate me on Rhodes Island,” I said skeptically. “It’s just a shopping trip.”

“Enemies can appear around any corner. We must be vigilant,” Texas stated. 

I shrugged and didn’t argue. My friends ended up buying me a bunch of stuff, from some carpets, to pajamas, to a towel and toiletries, and even a poster and some other decorations. 

“You guys really don’t have to do this,” I said, feeling embarrassed as Sussurro picked out a few shirts for me.

“I owe you a debt. It must be repaid,” Texas told me, having already bought me a pair of pants and some nice sneakers. 

“I mean, you saved my life too,” I pointed out. 

“Consider it a welcome to Terra gift!” Exusiai told me, handing me a pair of headphones and a gift card to download music. Though I would later use it to unlock some sweet, sweet premium races on Wintermaul. 

After we delivered everything to my room, Sussurro revealed she’d made authentic Siracusan Pizza, which immediately made Texas’ ears perk up and tail wag. “You’re all invited, Myrrh and her boyfriend Gantt are coming, and so are Myrtle and Harry. It will be cramped, but it would be good for you to get to know some of the other people you’ll be working with, James.”

“Sure, I’d stay in a closet if it meant I got to try your pizza,” I said with a grin.

She blushed and then glared at Exusiai. “But so help me, if you put any ranch or hot sauce on my pizza, I will use your halo as a frisbee!”

“I won’t, promise!” Exusiai said, crossing her heart with her fingers. “I’m always up for pizza!”

Gantt turned out to be Windflit, while Harry was Verdant. Turns out they’re both pretty fun guys who are just chill dudes. Windflit works in engineering, while Verdant works in the pharmacy and herb garden. It turned out Myrrh had introduced Myrtle to Verdant, while Myrrh and Windflit had met at the cafeteria and hit it off. 

“You must be something special to get Sussurro to actually cook, normally, she just eats the cafeteria food or buys stuff from the cafe,” Windflit told me. 

“I’m just a guy,” I said, trying not to paint a target on my back. 

“Just a guy who can apparently cure oripathy,” Verdant said, pointing at me around the can of beer he was holding. “Don’t try and hide it, we’ve all heard the rumors, and there’s only one new aegir doctor on the landship. Rumor has it they’re going to officially announce it soon.”

“I, uh, look, even if that were true, I can’t just cure you,” I told Verdant, sipping at my own glass of wine. “It’s…complicated. And messy.”

“James! No curing anyone until we get your own infection under control!” Sussurro snapped at me, her wine sloshing in her glass 

Verdant and Windflit eyed me, and I sighed heavily. 

“Look, to cure someone else’s oripathy…I have to give it to myself,” I told them. “That’s how I ended up infected. 

They both gaped at me, obviously shocked. “You…you deliberately infected yourself?! Are you insane?!”

“Well, I mean, I didn’t do it deliberately. It was sort of an accident,” I said, shifting uncomfortably. 

“He used it on Lucia too!” Myrtle said excitedly, her beer sloshing out of her mug as she gestured at Lucia. 

All eyes turned to her, and she flushed. “He…didn’t cure me. But, um, he might have severely reduced my symptoms. We were just experimenting, to see if he could even repeat what he’d done.”

“He cured me,” Texas said quietly. “Should have done it to someone else.”

“Well, just don’t use Amp-X to try to save my ass again and we’ll call it even,” I said, glaring at Texas. 

“Shit, dude,” Windflit said, shaking his head. “You really can cure someone, but you infect yourself? I’ve done crazy things to get laid, but that takes the cake.”

“Uh, I used my ability first on a ten year old kid, so don’t get any ideas,” I told him, frowning.

“I’m gay,” Texas said flatly, which made Exusiai snort out wine and half choke. 

“Lucia isn’t and she-” Myrtle began, then let out a yelp like something had bit her. 

“James is merely a fellow physician with an overly developed martyr complex. We’ve learned a lot from his ability already, and the hope is we develop new treatments based on what he can do,” Sussurro sniffed, withdrawing her foot from Myrtle’s leg. “The pizza is my way of saying thank you.”

“Well, Texas appreciates it. She’s always going on about how Lungmen doesn’t really have authentic Siracusian pizza,” Exusiai commented. 

“It’s good,” Texas agreed. 

“Well, a toast to our new doctor,” Myrrh said, raising her glass of wine. “May he enjoy his life, and practice his art, respected by all men in all times.”

“I’ll drink to that,” I agreed, and we all took a drink. 

Once more, I was reminded that life here on Terra isn’t always bad. The food was damn good, the drinks were relaxing, and the company was warm and inviting. Heck, Gantt and Harry are basically just two guys you’d have a couple of beers with. Even the local ladies are mighty fine. 

I guess I can enjoy this life after all. 

However short it may be.