Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 50: Hyaenidae

September 21, 4021 21:57 [Matriarch 04- Hyena Living Quarters]

The procession continued well into the night. By the time the Hyenas had reached their headquarters, most of them were eager to get a good night's rest before the long days ahead of them. The newly inducted Hyenas started to make their way back to the Housing Units once they had dropped down from the palanquin, helping Kaluza into his wheelchair.

"Where are you three headed off to?" Tengri called after them.

They looked confused as he beckoned them towards the headquarters. Indra eyed Jin warily, hovering his foot over the threshold. The senior Hyena jerked his head to the side, encouraging Indra to step in. They followed Tengri into a vestibule. The doors sealed shut, allowing pressurized air to blow into the antechamber for a moment. A small array of light passed over their bodies, identifying them and processing security information accordingly. A pleasant note from a speaker above signaled the end of the sanitation cycle as the doors leading into the living quarters opened.

A fissure of air escaped as the doors slid to the side, revealing a sizable lobby. A front desk attendant stood at attention as they arrived. Indra noticed they were wearing a soldier's uniform. An infantryman; she must be part of one of the regiments. They walked past the soldier into a hydraulic elevator; it was a smooth ride up. Indra stared out of the elevator window, watching as the city below became smaller. The streets were still alive, and the lights seemed to get brighter against the backdrop of night.

They entered a cozy living room on the ninety-eighth floor. The view from above utterly dwarfed anything Indra had seen before, except perhaps the Precipice Hotel in Zìyóugǎng. The room was filled with bookshelves, plush chairs, beanbags, two sofas, and a coffee table. An ancient sound system from the late 3900s sat snugly on a shelf near one of the armchairs, records of all types of eras and genres lined neatly on the shelf above.

"Tengri's collection," Grisha pointed out to Indra.

The latest Holoscreen had been mounted into the wall, a live feed of the nightly news already playing. The living room opened into the dining area and the kitchen. Jin gave them a tour of the area, unusually animated about the utilities and the types of cookware they had on hand. He spent a good few minutes explaining the functions of the stovetop and the amenities it came with before Grisha cut him off with an exasperated sigh.

He scoffed indignantly as she led them to their rooms. The stairs led up two more floors, though Grisha stopped at the first, waiting patiently as they carried Kaluza up the stairs.

"Since you guys are newbies you'll be on this floor. We'll be on the floor above," she explained. "Get settled in. We'll call you for dinner when it's ready."

The senior Hyenas left them to their devices as they explored the ninety-ninth floor. There were several more bedrooms other than theirs, all marked with distinct symbols. Indra observed the symbol on his own door. A black lotus, like the ones on the tongues of his shoes, was emblazoned across it. He grinned, recognizing the handiwork.

His eyes lit up as he stepped into his room. It was spacious and clean. A window set to the east would allow for ample sunlight in the morning. A soft-looking bed sat in the corner, facing south. Across from it was a desk with a monitor installed into the wall just above. There were shelves for Indra to place personal items and a closet already filled with tailored clothes.

The crown jewel for Indra, however, was seeing the doorway leading into the private bathroom. No longer would he have to share with another person or time his trips so that the queue didn't stretch for a mile. Thank God.

"Do not thank the heavens for an accomplishment I enabled," Usha replied.

Oh, fine. Thank you, Usha, for enabling me to stay in a place that has a private bathroom.