For only what lies beyond.

Blinking, passing, and a little freind.

Whirrrrrr..

Buuzzzz...

Craacckk!

....

Stars was not one to like noise, even if they had grown to get used to the panicked and terrified whirring of their dying processes. Even now, it's just louder. Though filled with the sparking of programs running to keep them alive.

They did document the noises they could tolerate most.

Each hum of the coils.

Each little squeak from the inspectors.

Each buzz from the neurons.

Atleast those sounds were sllighhttllyyy comforting. Let them know they were still alive. Or atleast still breathing.

Wasn't like there was much else.

Not like their citizens made any good music. It was all mostly prayers in song form. Or something about the void. Oh how they wished for a simple melody... That would be music, rather than noise.

Maybe next time their Scholar visits they could ask them to bring music. Or maybe they should leave the little thing be, it's done enough.

They blinked and time just seemed to pass.

More noise.

Theres one singular thing that drowned out it all though.

PAIN

And a lot of it. A lot...

The headache more specifically. It felt like their head was gonna burst open, and it already has. Not to mention that still hurt too.

They usually just rode it through. But today it was even worse than usual. A burning agony that creeped even into the numb areas of their structure. Crawling like the rot that infested them, burrowing into each plate like it too.

It made them feel like their already bad vision blurred further.

It was worse than the rot.

They blinked again.

Trapped.

But! They had overseers! They could use those!

They ordered one of their overseers to find their scholar. They wanted to see if they were okay.

It was hunting and eating centipedes as it usually does, it was sort of nice watching it. After all it had a way with spears. It waved to the overseer. They responded by projecting a face with a smile for a few seconds, it seemed happy.

They continued to watch the thing fight.

That's when some stray overseers saw a red centipede heading for the room theirs Scholar was in. They knew how those things were...

They immediately flashed a big danger warning at the next room, scholar quickly took to taking the spare spore puffs from their bag. It lunged for scholar.

They shut off their optics for a movement, out of fear.

Luckily they Just Heard- two spore puff throws, armor clanking off, and a sharp object going in and out of soft flesh.

They turned back on their optics.

They took a picture of their scholar over the dead red centipede.

They opened up the chat

[Private broadcast]: Three Stars Upon Voids, Rains on Eight Suns

||!!COMMUNICATIONS TOWER DAMAGED, SIGNAL MAY NOT SEND!!||

[TSUV]: Hey Rains.

[TSUV]: look what my slugcat did!!!

[::|USER TSUV SENT AN IMAGE]

[TSUV]: impressive thing aren't they?

[RoES]: ....Yes, But why are you sending this at around the time I rain?

[RoES]: If you mind me, I'm getting some sleep.

[TSUV]: =[

[TSUV]: RAINNSSSS

[TSUV]: RAAAAAIIIIINNNNNSSS!!!!

But they blinked again

They watch their little Scholar get to a shelter somewhere in their underhang. Didn't they have more time until the cycle ended- right.. RIGHT?

The first droplets fell. The first Zaps started,

It was the end of the cycle already?

No no.. that couldn't be... But.. Yeah, they could definitely hear their structure creaking at the stress of the steam that was rushing out. Dying systems sputtering at the force used. Atleast the cooling of their systems soothed the headache. Even if just by a little.

They felt somewhat bad for the creatures below.

They commanded the overseer to stay with the thing, it didn't sleep well, so they thought to show some comforting images.

Blink..

Blink..

As soon as that slugcat closed its eyes, they shut off their optics, laying against the umbilical arm. They start to shut off their awareness as much as they can without striking a taboo. They shoved each warning to the back of their processes and got as much rest as they could in their state.