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A metallic clank crashed Jake into consciousness. He stared at the dark ceiling, where was he? Then he recalled the fight with the thrid, and a shudder went down his spine… had the HSI found him after he failed? What would they do to him now? As he tried to turn his head he froze and cringed, waiting for the pain in his neck to subside. The surgeries that repaired his face were able to lessen the pain,  but the surgeon wasn’t skilled, and skin was still healing in places… not to mention he looked entirely different than before the attack.

When Jake was able to rotate his head, he was relieved to find the HSI had not forced him to be part of some experiment but didn’t know if it’d be a worse shock than seeing the thrid.

It was seated at a workbench, holding his helmet and scraping some blue junk out of a crevice. It wore pants, but its exposed chest revealed muscle rippling under its scales. Jake gulped; that monster could easily tear him apart. He felt an unpleasant shrinking feeling, the same sensation he’d gotten when he was nearing the generator. This thing was too large, too strong. Jake reached for his pistol; his heart fluttered – why was he in his underwear?

Jake’s attention focused on the beast’s handlike claws. They were strong and dexterous as they scrubbed some dried anti-freeze off the surface of the helmet. He frowned. An anthropomorph? No brainer HSI wanted the body back along with whatever he had to steal. This was anything but common.

Jake turned his attention to the rest of the room, scanning for any exits, something that may look like what the scientists wanted, or weapons. There were metal walls and floor, their dented surfaces scarcely reflecting the warm light coming from horizontal windows along the ceiling, and a heater near the foot of the bed, both of which contrasted a heavy-duty lantern’s white gleam. But from where Jake lay in an alcove with three mattresses lined up, there was no way to see the exits… nor any reachable weaponry.

Jake pushed himself upright before his arm buckled. He rolled his crippled limb out from under him with a stifled grunt. His gaze travelled from his solitary ring and pinky finger shriveled with healed burns, the purple bruise that covered much of his side, to where the grey sheets should have draped over his right leg. What was he doing here? Waiting to become the thrid’s dinner?

“Ah, uh, h-ell-o.”

Jake froze, turning slowly towards the thrid.

The monster set its work aside, its round eyes staring at Jake, “D-o ya… y-ou feel al-right?”

Jake answered slowly as he propped himself up with his undamaged arm, “Fine, besides the bruise.” He scanned the room again, “Where are my clothes and prosthetics?”

The monster glanced to the part of the room Jake couldn’t see, then went back to his work, “I… w-anted t-o m-ake sure that ya… y-ou… w-w-eren’t hurt.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, “To make sure I wasn’t hurt?”

“Yes.” The monster wiped off a blue smear.

“I feel pretty alright.” He frowned as the thrid narrowed his eyes at the button on the side of the helmet, “What are you doing with that?”

“Trying ta… t-o fix a glitch.” The thrid pressed the button, and the helmet camouflaged with the background, “Y-our suit was gl-itch-ing wh-en I pu-lled y-ou out of the chem-ical.” The helmet reappeared in a garish pink.

Jake grimaced.

The thrid set aside the helmet, “I w-was never good with… tech-n-n-nolo-gy.”

Jake pushed his mousy hair behind his shoulders, “How long was I out?”

“Several hours.” The thrid got to its feet, “I sh-ould check yar vitals.” it took a medical scanner and approached Jake.

While the monster had no aura of malice about it, and Jake recognized the instrument, he could not help shrinking back when he realized that he appeared as a child next to this technological advancement. The monster squatted beside him, “Settle down, I w-on’t…” it shut its eyes and mouthed the next word before forcing it to its throat, “B-ite. I know I have the face uf… of a thrid.”

Jake’s attention was drawn to the thrid’s large eyes as they peered down the long muzzle. They were an unnatural, chemical blue. Instead of slit pupils, its looked normal, almost human. He leaned away, the expression in those eyes was a plea. It has to do with his lack of facial muscles.

The thrid held up the white stick. “It’s no w-earon… I m-ean, w-ea-pon.”

Jake let it go under his tongue. Speaking around the medical instrument, he said, “Tho, why an I ear?”

The thrid removed the scanner and examined small symbols and colors that arrayed themselves on it, “Gud. B-ut you are still w-weak… and tell m-e w-hat y-ou w-want t-o kn-ow later.” The monster went out of view and returned with an oversized jacket. “You can w-ear this to keep w-arm.”

As Jake reached for the garment the thrid touched his wrist, “I don’t think that y-ou can do very w-ell with the zi-pper.”

Jake flinched and tried to rub the coldness from the monster’s palm off, “I don’t need it zipped.”

“Oh.” The monster rubbed the soft spines along the back of its neck, “I gu-ess that it is w-arm.”

“Understandable,” Jake took the jacket, “You are cold-blooded I guess.”

The monster’s face deteriorated into a slight grimace. “I w-ill get y-ou a snack and a drink.”

Jake guided his right arm through the sleeve as the monster went away. What was the creature doing here of all places? It wasn’t even the closest landing point from where it had escaped, and the surface was so freezing even humans couldn’t survive without proper clothing. The metallic sound of a drawer opening and closing brought Jake back to reality. He shook his head; he wasn’t here to think about why the thrid had come to this blasted rock.

The monster returned with a food bar and a metal bottle, “Here.”

Jake took the bar and nibbled at the edge, then sniffed the bottle’s contents. Satisfied that neither were poison, he began to eat, “Where am I?”

The monster gestured around the room. “M-y hut.”

Jake swallowed a sweetened chunk of the bar, “But where is it?”

“You w-ant curdinits – I m-ean, c-oord-inates?”

Jake raised an eyebrow, “You know about those?”

The monster straightened, “Yes.”

Jake pushed his hair behind his ear, “Hm.” He looked at the places he had hit the monster; there was light bruising, but other than that, nothing. He frowned, that was the most powerful blaster available… wasn’t it?

The thrid pulled up a stool and sat by Jake, “Why did y-ou try to kill me? Are you ge-tt-ing pa-id?”

Maybe I should shoot it in the mouth next time… but why wasn’t I told where a weak spot was? “In a sense.” Jake sipped his drink. The dynamic of this relationship was obvious, what point was there in lying? “But then why am I here? Information?”

“N-ot really,” The monster looked down and away, running his hand along spines on the back of his neck, “I d-on’t kn-ow exactly w-w-hy. Pr’aps – ugh! P-er-haps – ‘cause hu-mans should hel-p each o-ther more than they do…” The monster shrugged and looked down at his hands. “And I do-n’t want pe-ople to die.”

Jake hmphed, “From my experience, humans only help others if they intend to get something from them.” He crossed his arms, “So really, why did you bring me here? There’s no such thing as innocent motives.” A smile played at the corner of his mouth, “You can’t be that idealistic.”

The monster stared at him for a long moment, then got up and muttered, “B-ecause,” he sat by the workbench, taking the helmet in his hands and scrubbing at it, “life is p-recious… that’s the on-ly answer I can give.”

“Well, suit yourself.” Jake saw his gun’s black handle near where the brush had been, “But thrid, since I am your captive, I’d like to know what you are going to do to me.”

The monster jerked as if he had touched an open wire. “I… intend ta send y-ou a-w-ay. By the w-ay, wh-at’s your nim – I m-ean – na-me?”

Jake narrowed his eyes, “Why d’you need to know?”

The thrid shrugged, “I d-on’t w-ant you t-o call m-e thrid and I want to call you by y-our na-me. M-akes u-s f-feel less like ani-mals.”

Jake smirked, But you are an animal.

The monster put a hand on his breast in the usual gesture of introduction, “I am Fafian,” he frowned and looked down, “Fa-b-ian.” Fabian gestured towards Jake, “And you-rs?”

Jake forced the tension out of his rigid shoulders, this was simply a monster that shared his brother’s name, nothing more. “You can call me Jade. If you want to know my job, I suppose it’s obvious that I do a contract occasionally.” Jake downed the last of the drink and wiped his mouth, “And it doesn’t take much brain-power to know that you probably survive for a living…” Fabian’s fingers flexed around the brush, “unless there’s some hobby of yours or something that you do besides that.”

Fabian looked back at his work and scrubbed. “I s-ur-vive…” he shook his head, “You’re after m-y br-ain?”

Jake laid down and studied the ceiling, “Attached to your body, preferably.” What was Fabian avoiding? Was it something to do with the chemical? Why was he concerned about his brain? The HSI wanted his body. He twisted the bar’s wrapper. There was more to this than what was on the surface.

Fabian rubbed his neck and sighed, “Why a-m I relea-sing you?”

Jake put his arm under his head. “You said it already, you have some strong morals for a… whatever you are.” This was beginning to feel like talking to his little brother. He rubbed his sternum. His brother’s memory kept on clinging to him, like the boy had in life… at least before he found out what Jake really did.

Fabian cleared his throat and rubbed his neck again, “You sh-ould begin to get ready now, evening’s cl-osing in. The days here last m-onths, nights even l-onger.” Fabian lifted the metal arm and leg from somewhere out of Jake’s view and laid them on the bed. “You can ga… ugh! g-o, h-o-me.”

Jake slid his limb into the bionic arm, the reassuring pressure of the metal as it reattached itself to him soothed his tight skin. Jake’s brow furrowed as he moved his arm about: “Why’re you allowing me to leave?”

Fabian looked up, “D-on’t you h-ave a life? Even if y-ou’re bad?”

Jake laughed, his voice hollow, If you can call playing around the galaxy a life, then I have one.

Fabian disappeared behind the wall, “Why d-o you laugh?”

Jake pulled on his metal leg, bending the knee and foot joints. “You talk nonsense. Like my—” Jake cleared his throat, “a-a friend of mine.” He stood.

Fabian reappeared with Jake’s backpack, he scratched the back of his neck, “D-o I?”

Jake stood, “Well, you talk like life’s a bedtime story.” He smirked to hide a frown, “In fact, the universe is just a big ruse that’s played on us by whatever gods there may be, or it’s simply a big accident. No matter what we do or who we are we’re nothing more than a bunch of animals – science they teach the smallest child in half the words.” Jake swept a hair out of his eyes, “Where are my clothes?”

“That’s a sad way to l-ive.” Fabian went into the next room again before reappearing with Jake’s clothing and suit, “You’d rather n-ot know if the-re was m-ore to life than that?”

Jake shook his head as he began to get dressed, “I may look like I’m young, and I am – but…” his carefree expression creased, “I’ve lived long enough to know there isn’t.” Jake forced a smile. It looked like his first destination after this job would be going to a pleasure-station, and an unmentionable amount of alcohol. “The only thing that drives us is survival of the fittest.”

Fabian leaned forward, “But don’t you think that –”

Jake jerked his jacket collar so it would lay in its most striking manner, “You did a decent job cleaning up the suit.” He picked it up and examined it, “You’ve been quite busy.”

Fabian shrugged and put the gun in his pocket, “I… haven’t much to d-o.”

Jake rolled back his shoulders, “I can see it being pretty boring here.” But it won’t be for long.

Fabian’s eyes widened as Jake shoved his legs into the suit and zipped up the front. Jake frowned as he put his arms in the sleeves. Fabian stuttered: “I-I c-an sh-ow you the w-ay ou-t.” He handed Jake his backpack. “But I won’t give you your g-un.”

Jake slung his burden on one shoulder, “Got it.”

Fabian motioned Jake to follow him. They entered the space Fabian had so many times vanished into and approached a door made from a piece of tarp, a golden glow seeping around the frayed edges. Jake paused and glanced around the room; his blaster was in the farthest corner among a forest of newly cleaned machinery – primarily communicators, detectors that came out of a spaceship, some cabinets, miscellaneous screens, and some portable batteries. Jake narrowed his eyes, What’re you looking for?

Fabian pushed aside the tarp. Jake squeezed past and in one expert motion his hand slipped into Fabian’s pocket and drew out the gun, hiding it in his backpack as he stepped into a fungus garden.

For a moment Jake’s eyes followed the contour of the strange and plant-like shapes as they curved and rippled over every surface of a room big enough for a whole living complex. He sighed and shook his head, dispelling the languid hovering of glowing spores that softened his newly angular features. There was no time to admire even the prettiest of spectacles. Anyway, he had gone to find his brother in the fungus jungles so often the sight wasn’t that captivating.

“Y-Y-ou w-ill need these, air’s not very breathe-a-ble.”

Jake turned to Fabian, whose scales had lost some of their blue pigment, What’re you scared of? “Smart living situation you’ve got.” his gaze caught a stairway leading to a door with a crank in it. “Are we inside a generator?”

Fabian stared at him fixedly and didn’t respond.

Jake repeated himself.

“Yes.” Fabian looked at Jake’s helmet (which had returned to its normal color) and a small oxygen-tank he was holding, “I m-made the hut, it w-as w-armer here than the ship.” Fabian offered them to Jake, “Y-You need these.”

Jake put on his helmet, the shaded visor darkening the room. He took a breath, “You changed the filter.” He squatted in front of his backpack, “I doubt I’ll need that tankard.”

Fabian’s eyes fixed on Jake. “It’s b-blizzarding ou-t there – the ice dust will lower the o-xygen.”

“Fine, I’ll take it.” Jake received the metal cylinder, pretending to rummage in his bag while he checked to see if a bullet was in the chamber.

Fabian opened his mouth and closed it again, he stared at Jake, “Ja—?” his voice died in his throat.

Jake drew his gun and pointed it at Fabian’s face, “Where’s the phial?”

Fabian’s eyes widened in an expression Jake understood all too well – betrayal and fear, but why? Didn’t it anticipate this? “Ph-phial?”

Jake got to his feet, “The one you stole?”

Fabian blinked rapidly, his chin dropping to his chest. “I-I des-troyed it.”

Jake raised an eyebrow, “I have trouble believing that.”

“I-I can-t t-ell ya.” Fabian stepped forward and Jake backed away, “Th-ere’s m-ore ta this than ya kn-ow!” He searched Jake’s visor-shielded face before looking down. “I… I-I need ya…y-our help.”

Jake blinked, “What?”

Fabian straightened, “I-I need your help. I’m being hun-ted.”

Jake’s finger caressed the trigger as he mulled over killing Fabian now, or waiting for what he had to say, “Well of course you are. I’m hunting you.”

Fabian gulped and nodded, “P-lease hear m-e out.”

“Why?” Jake shook his head, that phrase… he huffed and tightened his grip on the gun, Why can’t I shake that kid! 

Fabian opened his mouth, then Jake’s tracker began to beep. He seethed, “Look, if I don’t accomplish this mission, I’m dead.”

“B-ut… Jake.”

He froze, “My name’s Jade.”

The roar of a spaceship landing crashed down on his ears and his tracker screamed at him… Drat. “Get me out!” he yelled.

Fabian hurried up the metal stairs and to the door. He turned the crank and grey light issued into the room. “It’s safe f-or a g-ood three meters out the dur… d-oor.”

Jake hurried through a tunnel and into the main interior of the oxygen generator. He turned around as Fabian stood, staring at him. for a brief moment they made eye contact before Fabian slammed the door.

Now that was weird. Jake turned away to see a misshapen hunk of spaceship – Militia property judging by the logo on the side. But why would Fabian have a ship designed for detecting signs of life? A fighter would be faster, and both types were kept in the same place at the facility Fabian had fled. And what was the thrid trying to tell him anyway? How did it know my name?

Jake forced himself to think of the present and set down his backpack. He looked out at the landscape; a blizzard had turned the scenery a solid white. Fabian said he destroyed the phial. Jake recalled how Fabian had been almost ashamed to tell him of the chemical’s destruction, and when lying his brother had the same tells as the thrid.

A woman shouted, “Drop your weapon!” As a man stepped from behind the ship and Jake fired. The enforcer fell and others emerged, training their blasters on him. The same clear voice demanded, “Don’t fire again Jake, or we will kill you.” Jake held up his hands, smiling at the woman who had spoken. She stepped forward, her albino face in high definition behind her clear visor.

Jake laid his gun between his feet, he smiled, “Missed me?”

Marian’s nostrils flared as she kicked away his weapon, “You’re under arrest.” She took out her handcuffs, “You should know better than to fight.”

Jake smirked, “I never do.” he kicked her with his metal leg.

Marian flew back farther than expected. As she landed, she somersaulted and righted herself in one fluid motion, “Bad move.”

He agreed under most circumstances. But he’d had time to dive for his gun and shoot at one of the enforcers as they readied their blasters, but Marian hit Jake’s bionic leg.

He clenched his teeth as he fell and the electricity paralyzed him. He felt his heart pound as the other soldiers aimed, preparing to kill. Why was Marian such a good shot? A man stepped forward and kicked Jake onto his stomach, pressed his foot on his back, and poised his blaster centimeters from Jake’s head. He should’ve tried to shoot Marian instead of the soldier, but he could never bring himself to do that… and neither could she.

Jake looked over his shoulder at Marian’s steely purple eyes as she approached, trembling as adrenaline pumped through him and the clenching of his muscles ebbed away… she might just let him die even if her feelings rebelled. Or the enforcer would disobey her… if he didn’t give the fool an abrupt reminder that this wasn’t standard gravity.

“Sta!… I m-ean, st-op!”

Jake turned to see Fabian dressed in his spacesuit. What the…?

Fabian flung up his hands, “Don’t shut – uh, sh-oot! I…” Fabian glanced at Jake, “I am-m Fa-b-ian. Y-ou are a-b-out to kill Jade… I m-ean, Jake.”

Marian’s lips parted. What was going on inside her brain? Jake had always wondered how she might think being an Entek. But he had no time to wonder. Before anyone recovered from the shock of the thrid Jake located his pistol and hid it under his shoulder.

The thrid lowered his shaking hands, “I-I need him a-alive.”

She whispered, “Who are you?”

Fabian looked down, “I… am noduddy, ugh! No-b-ody.”

She raised her eyebrows, “Then why did you tell me your name?”

“W-ould you b-elieve m-me if I told ya…” Fabian shook his head, “you the tr-uth?”

Marian glared at Jake, “I know a liar when I see one.” She lowered her blaster, “You’re only scared.”

Fabian looked up from staring at his boots, he rubbed the back of his neck: “W-hat ab-out J-Jake…”

Marian’s sharp features relaxed, her eyes warming from their usual knifelike gaze. “I can’t make promises for the safety of criminals, but I do what I can for innocents.”

Fabian gulped, “I a-m Jake’s b-rother.”

Marian’s eyes narrowed.

Fabian hugged himself so tightly his arms shook, “M-Marian p-please… hear me out… you’ve got t-o be-lieve me I… I… help me.”

After a long moment of silence Marian nodded sharply.

Jake’s glove made impressions of the lining on his palm. This had gone too far. He needed to stop this ghost. As he leapt out from under the soldier, he roared, “Don’t lie to me!” and fired at Fabian.

As Jake’s missed shot ricocheted, the soldiers ducked, and he made for the exit. Marian shouted words his hot ears didn’t bother to translate as he dashed into the outdoors, the wind battering him in a flurry of white wrath as he heard a beating sound behind him, having no time to get his bearings before a weight smacked into him. His arms were forced at his sides and he thrashed against Fabian’s body. Jake glowered into the stolid, scaly, face.

Fabian forced Jake into the snow, “Jake! Sta! Ya ‘ill b-e al-right!”

“NO!” Jake worked his arm free and shot the visor, shattering it. Fabian immediately loosed his grip and fell back as Jake ran into the fogged distance, his hollow heart throbbing inside his chest.

But as he ran, he began to feel his muscles moving slower as the cold seeped deeper into his form. He forced himself onward, wrapping his arms about himself and trudging through, the oxygen-poor air raking his lungs. The wind beat him until he was on his knees. Finally he fell, his vision going out of focus…