The Epilogue
By the time your eyelids relent once again, the pain and fatigue that once lingered on your body has melted away. No longer are you wrapped in the uniform of a dead man, but instead you feel the soft touch of loose clothes, covered by a bed sheet tucked into the bed supporting your back.
The world around you is no longer colored in amber. Warm, yellow-tinted light illuminate the small, clean room around you. Next to your bed, several machines with screens murmur beneath their breath, their wires and tubes snaking beneath the bed sheet, probably connected to your body, monitoring your status. One of the tubes, however, twists upwards towards your head, until it melts into the border of your vision, forming a blurry bubble covering your mouth and nose. Through it, you feel the breeze of fresh air caressing your face. You cannot smell the stale air that has plagued you for so long.
It is as if everything has been a dream.
“Oh, you’re finally awake.”
Of course.
“Good morning~ had a nice sleep, your highness?” her smug grin emerges from the side, the hazel eyes staring into your eyes. She is holding up her chin with a human-like, if obviously mechanical hand. Like you, she has changed out of the pilfered uniform for another uniform. Its odd, asymmetric design hugs her petite body tight, suggesting that it is her own uniform.
“Hello? Anybody home?” her other hand enters your vision, knocking on your skull playfully. You can feel the familiar cold touch from the metallic fingers. It stings a little. Feeling that she might punch your temple soon, you answer her verbally, deepening her smile as she pulls her artificial hand back.
There are so many things you want to ask her. All the unanswered questions piling up inside your mind. However, as your mind starts registering what had happened right before you fell asleep, one question stands on top of all the others, and you decide to ask her. The air feels a bit cold and wet.
“Oh, these?” her eyes turn aside as she turns her arms. Their movement is smooth, but clearly non-human in an indescribable way. “Spare arms. Even you can’t sleep through the entire fabrication process, so they have to do for now.”
You try to lift yourself from the bed to see her lower body, but twisting your waist is enough to wake up the slumbering pain within again, causing the steel arms to push you back into the bed. Her movement nonetheless shows you that her legs and tail are still intact, though. Now that you know she is no worse for wear, you decide to ask the next question. As much as you want to trust her, you cannot help but feel that she had expected that powered armor to find you in the control deck.
“O ye of little faith,” her smile lingers. You feel she would pinch your nose again had the breathing mask not been in the way. “Had I gotten all my limbs there, I would’ve dispose of it myself. Almost got it, too, but it caught my arm right before I could pull back.”
“So I gotta say I sent you to the bridge, to trash the system,” she slides her hand into her pocket, pulling out the familiar lipstick before your eyes. She flicks her finger and sends it your way. With your hands tucked in the bed, you can only watch it land on your forehead. “It knew what it could do, so it rushed after you without finishing me… well, it couldn’t even if it tried, but getting one more prosthesis will seriously cut into my pay, you know?”
“Hey, don’t gimme that look! I knew you’re smart enough to survive it. You even manage to finish the job!” the hazel eyes linger on the drifting lipstick, and the smile fades away somewhat. “… did it hurt?”
It did. Still does. However, even though you feel she is good at manipulation, her expression nonetheless dispels any anger you might have.
“If it helps, your sacrifice’s not in vain. I’m a pretty decent shot even with my tail, but aiming can still take a while… especially if you have to hit a small hole made by an explosion happening just beforehand. The hot air kinda messes with our sight, you know.” her tail perks up behind her, waggling slowly in the air as if it is trying to claim the honor. Not that you would know how her kind works.
“So… what now?” she asks, her eyes moving away from your bedridden body to the machines next to you. “The doctor said the injury’s not too bad. It should only take… 24 more shifts until you can leave your bed. Then-”
You do not know how long that is, but then again, she probably does not know how long a day is in your world either. But more importantly… how should you answer her? There is no place for you back home, not after all these. If you ask, she or whoever her people are might be willing to drop you on the nearest non-hostile settlement, but then you doubt you can just make a decent living when everything you have is now gone. Besides…
“Hey, you listening to me?” she raises her voice and manages to invade your thoughts. “Jeez, I’m pretty sure none of your meds would make you doze off like that.”
“So, what’s your plan forward? Hmm?” she asks again, but this time, she calls you by name, confirming that you did not misheard last time. To stop your mind from wandering into the darkness and potentially inviting a pinch or punch from her, you can only tell her that you do not know. The fact that she met you in the brig should be more than enough for her to know your predicament.
“Oh. Umm… I was thinking – ouch!” her finger coils her hair unconsciously, until her own thought is interrupted by a pained expression. It seems the gaps might have pulled her hair. “Argh, tolhpalh…”
“Anyway, I was saying…” she clears her throat. You feel she is acting a bit odd, or perhaps this is her real self when she is not in a life-or-death situation? “You’ve assisted me well, and for that I’m thankful.”
“As such…” she does not seem comfortable speaking in such a formal manner. “I’m offering you a choice. To join us.”
“I must warn you though, what we do isn’t always well-received among the more ‘civilized’ folks, and you can easily lost your life in line of duty. Or if someone can’t hit the broad side of the barn…” she mumbles beneath her breath. You think you like that side of her more. “If you don’t want to live our life, we can drop you off at the next friendly port.”
“Of course, you’ll get your share for your help either way. It’s more than enough for you to start a new life,” the hazel eyes stare into your eyes, as if searching for an answer before you can respond. Her smile is much milder now, with a fine balance between friendliness and seriousness. Both of you know this is not an easy decision. It will change your life… including cutting it short. The lingering ache in you body reminds you of the risk. However, if it is with someone you can trust…
You gulp, and your head dips slightly, feeling the faint tug of the tube. The smile on her face widens.
You tell her that this is on one condition, though. You ask the only important question remaining in your mind.
“I guess you’ve earned that,” her smile grows even more.
“My name’s Nari. Welcome to the herd.”