✅ Project SETI Trilogy

Chapter Two - Part XXIV: Defiance

          Novala and Temet left the private residential deck as soon as they were both ready. It didn't take Temet long to finish modifying the energy cell, and while poking around the apartment, Novala managed to find two firearms: a common energy pistol with an adjustable power level, and a plasma rifle that he recognized as belonging to Gabriel. His first thought was that Jarah took it as some kind of trophy, and Temet confirmed that it wasn't out-of-character for her to do something like that. He also thought it was a good idea for him to cover up more, even if it was only minimally helpful—just something to better hide the fact that he was human.

          Temet helped him put together an awkward but serviceable outfit pieced together from both her and Jarah's things. To hide his head and arms, she had him wear the top piece of her ceremonial attire; it was dark grey, long-sleeved, and had a hood. The front and back were adorned with small metal plates arranged into severe geometric shapes, and could serve as a weak layer of armor if it came to that. On top of that, he tied a long piece of tough brownish animal hide into a large cloak that further hid his arms and body. He kept the plain grey pants that Temet had given him initially and managed to fit his feet inside a pair of claw-shaped boots. Temet soldered off the outcroppings on the heels so that they were a little less awkward to wear and run around in, and even though it was still a bit uncomfortable, it worked well enough.

          "That whole look... it's actually kinda... is badass the right word to use?" Temet remarked as he gave himself one final look-over, now that the two weapons were concealed beneath the heavy hide that covered most of his body.

          Novala was tense and anxious, but he allowed himself a snicker at that. "I guess it is, in a mis-matched, hipster-y sort of way."

          Temet heaved the large rucksack that held the modified energy cell onto her back, pointedly adjusted the straps so it was snug against her body, and tapped her beak together in a rhythmic fashion. "Okay. I think I'm ready."

          "Do you have something to defend yourself?" Novala asked.

          "I... well... you're the one with the weapons and that training data," Temet tripped over her words and her feathers shrunk. "I thought..."

          "You really should have something," Novala insisted. "Even if it's just like, I dunno, a little knife?"

          The Daxut loudly clicked her beak in a frustrated sigh. "Okay. Fine. But we should really try to be as non-violent as possible about this..."

          "I'll try, I promise," Novala watched as she went over to her desk and picked up a soldering tool. He nodded at her and opened the bedroom door. "Alright. Ready to go?"

           "As ready as I'll ever be," she said with resignation as she stepped through and led him to the front of the apartment.

          The unlikely pair navigated through the mothership as quickly and quietly as they could. Temet took the lead and checked around the corners to make sure the coast was clear before proceeding. By some small miracle, they made it to the transport pod on the private deck without issue.

          "I have an idea," Novala whispered once they were securely inside the barely-lit pod.

          Temet hovered her fingers over the illuminated touchpad and whistled quizzically.

          "You said there's humans on the 'prison' deck, right?"

          "Yes..."

          "Do you think it's feasible for us to go down there and free them to cause a distraction?"

          The Daxut stopped and considered. "Mm... maybe. It's not very well guarded, honestly... but I think I have a better idea," her voice lilted upward as she thought about it further. "We could short out the power. Each deck has its own connection to the main generator—if we disabled power for the prison deck, the energy fields in the prison should stop working, along with everything else."