Innu-Akku

Fairy_tale?

The dream transported Esma to a children's playground. There, amid the slides and play structures, the kids played tag, shouting: "Danya-Danya, the Wise Cat! Whoever catches me first gets to choose the tale!"
Watching from the grass, the familiar cat in the scarlet center uniform observed the scene. In the daylight, it resembled a colossal plush toy, even more endearing.
Nodding genially, the cat carefully watched the lively youngsters, especially the little one with sun-bleached hair.
Suddenly, everything was veiled in darkness, and the joyful shouts and laughter turned into sinister, malicious cackling.
Blows rained down one after another, making legs and arms feel like cotton. Esma could barely discern her feelings, mixed with memories of Buran. The rescuer herself felt uneasy and even scared, unable to comprehend what was happening. But in contrast to the chaos, the familiar's thoughts exuded calm and even relief.
Soon, the blows ceased. The body felt heavy and unwieldy.
Raising a hand seemed an insurmountable task.
There was no more music, no more flashes.
The smell of camp chemicals hit her nose.
Struggling to open her eyes, Esma saw that she was in a temple.
Its interior was as modest as the village itself. And if not for the altar with golden coverings, the temple could have passed for a barn or a granary. With this thought, the scent slowly transformed into a warm mixture of hay, wood, and some oils intertwined with wax.
Leaning on the throne sat the maimed Buran in his black and tattered garments, while above him loomed the white figure of the matron. This time the woman was not veiled, revealing a noble face with shining, fierce eyes. As they gleamed, she unmistakably conveyed that not all spirits had disconnected from their vessels. In her compelling visage, the influence of a powerful protector was felt - she was not typical, retaining the allure of individuality and imperfection.
- What did you think, by changing your tail and paws, you would go unrecognized? Ah, 'Dantes'? Or rather... Valentin? You hid behind others' backs for too long! Did you think you could escape your conscience? Or that you wouldn't be seen by me?
- And such thoughts did not cross my mind, lady Ermakova, - the dog whispered hoarsely, lowering his head. - What brings you to Elem?
- Don't play the fool. You know everything!- Matron clarified with a cold, menacing tone, placing her hands on her hips.
- I know! Of course I know! - Buran fervently agreed. - But how was I supposed to act, when you planed something wicked? I unwittingly discovered that you want to sell the center as unprofitable. And for that purpose, you intended to contaminate all the wards with prions. You knew they wouldn't be traced. After so many centuries, is there no sense of guilt?
- No, - the woman replied shortly, raising Buran's sharp canine muzzle and staring straight into his eyes.
- I found your reports, madam. Wasn't it your idea to send two carbon lines to check the radiation background? Did you wish to sabotage the colonization of Elem? I've heard that Mars demanded freedom, which is not beneficial for Earth due to the manufactories and cost-effectiveness of production. Not to mention the rights for the tailed ones. Are you an executor of someone's order? Am I right in understanding that the deaf and blind 'Kellers' and the allergic 'Serralins' served this selfish purpose? As well as the destruction of the entire local ecosystem, the agony of which generated an unprecedented electromagnetic burst? And then the water was poisoned with hallucinogens! To make it easier to control? Isn't it true?! I see you haven't changed. Building intrigues with foreign hands! Poor Kass! She sent a detailed report to Earth about the 'Arxelonams' as the first encountered extraterrestrial intelligent life, and you not only intercepted it but also used it for your selfish purposes! Everything was planned! The burst will be attributed to the activity of the nearest sun. They even landed the module long after the strikes! One thing I don't understand, villain, why did you turn children against us? We would have continued to serve...
- Not your concern! Do you know the easiest way to turn a lie into the truth? Change the smallest detail and it will drown in the ocean of truth. It has always worked. Even with you, the tailed ones. Or do you think I installed and connected two capsules directly to the canpics myself? Admit it, a well-behaved mother, tending to the carbons during the flight, is easy to believe. That flat-faced bimbo girl did it all by herself!
- You deliberately disconnected her last time, didn't you?
- Of course. I keep my promises. This concerns you as well. And don't dream that you'll get off easily. I know perfectly well: the entire colony has been pinned on you, - Matron slowly walked behind the altar, taking out one of the cams with a black glowing rose. - Recognize your beloved "dear lady"?
Buran tried to move, clearly hearing something familiar, but his body no longer obeyed.
- A successful expedition of my trusted ones a couple of centuries ago.
- So that's why the children used to climb into the lowlands, - the familiar sighed audibly, sprawling on the side. It became clear why the youngest was not afraid of the "demon" with his strange incomprehensible speech and reached into the pond. And her seizure, so inopportunely remembered, made it clear - the girl knew how to communicate with the arxelonams, catching electromagnetic waves.
- Here's my punishment to you for the denunciation! You remember that the 'Serralin' line has the genes of your beloved. I worked on it and added a part of the code of this marvelous "little rose." Excellent result. Now their organisms produce stem cells throughout their lives. Wonderful apples of perpetual youth. They will nourish your suffering, not allowing you to die again and again! Perfect donors for the canpics. Every life of such a girl will be on your conscience. Enjoy the triumph of your worthless life! Today is your shining hour - the last Innu-Akku will be "banished".
"Betrayed! They betrayed him!" - Esma horrified, realizing what awaited Buran.
Being tied to her familiar, the Martian stumbled upon the preparations of a shed, fire, and the joyful hum of the crowd. Even the ecstatic joy of Buran engulfed in flames.
"As long as they're hope for a change! And barricades to overcome!" - familiar lines pulled into the server room.
There, Esma found runaways who had grown up, holding a jar with a black flower in their hands.
It was only now that the memories revealed that the eldest, barely recovered, brought a "gift" as a thank you for being saved.
To the protests of the dog, claiming that it was unnecessary to take from others and stealing was shameful, the elder proudly raised herself:
- Ace Kalimeya sepnot!
- Do you think of me as a demon since you stole the sacred book? - clarified the familiar, recalling the legend that had circulated in the community. - Do you think I will recoil like a bat out of  hell?
Without saying anything, city girl handed over the value to the familiar and, sniffing, went to the younger one, embracing her.
Turning the book, Buran understood that it was turned out to be a disguised tablet. As outdated as all the technology in the colony, but it was working and had an unexpectedly new battery. There were no passwords - a fact that only caused a nervous chuckle. Really, why? Who to protect the data from? The settlers had long formed their own language and Earth's language was perceived by them as some kind of devilry. And there was no one to read these records - neither familiars, nor bootleggers, nor even the old people who knew Earthly languages remained in the colony. Except for the runaways who apparently understood some Russian. Well, or individual words that had survived in common usage. But the familiar understood - the girls could hardly read anything.
Joining forces and digging into the stored data, Buran grimaced with disgust:
- Is this what you ran away from the temple for?! You must be a local princesses? Oh, I never thought this disgrace would become reality.
Looking at the girls huddled together on the divan, the dog ran the scanners, only confirming the accuracy of the data.
Esma, too, was curious, peering over the familiar's shoulder. Thanks to the alien mind, the unfamiliar language became understandable, telling everything about the Arxelonams.
"Why do they need outer space? They are self-sufficient in their world and stability." - Apart from their strange appearance, the "flowers" had collective consciousness and no individuality. Connected through a nerve network, like mycelium, these creatures created an unimaginably powerful and fast neural network. Living quantum computers, capable of correcting what was created by humans and bringing peace. No wonder that someone ordered to cleanse the planet, fearing their technology and established order.
"Cycle" - thought the rescuer, knowing whose hands Elm had turned into a fierce predator with a terrifying bloody grin.
- Alright, 'Alenushka and Ivanushka'! The canin witch will help you. I have my own scores to settle with your 'Immortal' matron. It's time to put an end to this! Don't be mad, Ivanushka. You'll have to return to the people. I can't feed two of you. Unless you climb into the stove. Just kidding. I don't eat humans, - grinned the familiar, seeing the older sister immediately cover the younger one. - And they won't do anything to you, or you'll claim that a demon disfigured you and murdered your sister. You'll become a hero. Stay calm; I'll protect Alenushka's soul and keep her safe, - Lana's promise came to mind again. - We hasn't much time to prepare, but here's what we'll do...- his voice started to fade and drift away, and the memory dimmed.
"Her death in..."
As soon as Buran's mind flowed into the flower, city girls gave the command to drain the remaining camp.
"Her death is in the button, the button near the canpic, and the canpic beneath the temple..." a bitter smirk of revenge was heard.
It was a minor matter - just a few minutes, and there it was, the end!
Another association made Esma nervously smile — folklore was so deeply interwoven with reality. There they were - the stakes of death...
The devices began to emit a piercing beep. Along with it, a distress signal was sent. The same SOS that reached the Enclave months ago. It seemed like the automation reacted to the "central processor's" demise.
A rhythmic music started playing, met by a strange echo: "Alkonost" carried away, enveloping in warmth.