“I do not understand what that means.”
“Let’s just get started, shall we? I’ll start the recording, introduce myself and you, and then just tell me as accurately as possible what happened aboard Lianov’s ship. Okay?”
I nod, though I am still confused by her answer to my question.
When I finish my story, Corrina stops the recording. I begin to stand when her hand reaches out towards me. She stops before making contact with me as if she is hesitant to touch me. “Krish,” she says. Then she shakes her head. “Thank you for yourstatement. Once I have Davix’s story later today, I should have everything I need for the council to review the matter.”
“When you have everything you need, will you have time to take us to visit the rest of the station?”
“I, yes. I should have more time once it’s in the council’s hands. But you don’t have to wait for me. I can send someone else. Curran, for example. You know him. Or Wenschel.”
“We will wait for you,” I say simply. It is not that I do not find the company of Wenschel or Curran pleasant enough, but I would prefer to be with Corrina. It is a strange feeling. I have not felt this kind of preference since I was a kit growing up with the rest of our brood and began to be drawn to Zann and Davix. Perhaps it is a product of familiarity, though Wenschel is probably as familiar to me now as Corrina. I shake my head. Being around so many new creatures at once is a little confusing.
When I return to our quarters, I tell Zann and Davix about my brief encounter with Councilor Vertage. Davix asks if I consider him a threat, and I shake my head dismissively. “He is smaller even than me, and he does not have the look of someone used to fighting.”
“Still, it is good to know that there are those who are hostile to us.” Zann sighs. “Corrina has been fair and trustworthy with us, but we know that not all humans are like her.”
“I wish there were something to fight,” Davix signs.
“I agree,” Zann says. “We cannot even really wrestle in these small chambers without running the risk of breaking things.”
“There is a place where the humans practice fighting. They also run and test their strength,” I offer. “Wenschel told me about it. She wanted to know how strong we are.”
“Where is this place?” Zann asks. “Can we go there?”
“I do not know where it is, but Wenschel seems to think we can. I will ask the soldiers outside.”
Four sets of eyes swing towards me as I open the door to our quarters. “Can you take us to the fighting practice place?” I ask.
“The weapons range?” one of them asks. His expression and stance suggest surprise and discomfort.
“I don’t know what that is,” I reply. “We want the place where you can test your strength and run.”
“Oh yeah, we can take you there. You all going?” one of the female soldiers asks.
“Yes. We all wish to fight and run.”
“Oh, this is going to be good,” the female says.
“We can’t,” the first one says. “They are supposed to stay in their quarters.”
“One of them literally just got back from being out of their quarters,” the female replies.
“But he was going to the Commander’s office.”
“Jurr, look at the time,” the female says.
The other three soldiers all glance at devices on their wrists. “Oh,” they say in unison. The other male grins. “Yeah, this is going to be fun. Are you ready to go now?”
I glance back at Zann and Davix, who have been watching the whole exchange silently. They both nod. “Yes. We are ready to go now. Take us there.”
Chapter Fourteen: Davix
I ignore the chattering of the soldiers as we move through the hallways – two of them preceding us and two trailing behind us. The hallways, like most of the spaces we have seen, are composed of smooth walls and floors. The air is usually almost bitter with chemicals, but as we round a corner and another door slides open, the air begins to change. There is still the undercurrent of chemicals, but now there are organic scents as well. I open my mouth and curl my upper lip to draw in the scents. There are so many that it is almost overwhelming. But then, one scent cuts through the rest – the female Corrina. For a moment, I am startled that her scent has become so familiar to me, but I dismiss the thought quickly as I see what lies ahead.
We emerge into a large, open chamber. A group of humans runs in a pack along the far wall, while others manipulate various contraptions. On mats scattered around the center of the room, figures come together with punches and kicks or wrestle each other to the ground. A silence falls over the room as individuals see us. Some point and murmur while others just stare. Some of the runners stumble into each other as their companions stop.
“I don’t recall giving anybody permission to stand around,” one of the figures on the mats yells loudly. He looks up from where his partner is pinned beneath him and his eyes meet mine. “I see,” he says. He leaps to his feet and comes striding over. “Just on a tour, Kendrick?” Curran says to the female who was most excited to bring us here.
