Page 12 of Fallen from the Stars

“Yeah, I work on board their interstellar ships as a mechanic.” Her brow furrowed. “How do you know about the IDC? Whatisthis place?”

He clenched his jaw and drew in a deep breath, willing his hearts to quiet. He couldn’t be sure whether she was unaware of the IDC’s history of Halora or only pretending to be, but how could he fully trust someone from the organization that had kept his ancestors as slaves?

“Why are you here?” he asked. “Whyhere?”

“First tell me wherehereis,” she demanded, eyes narrowing.

Was she seeking confirmation or was she truly as lost as she claimed? Those old lessons —never trust humans— whispered in the back of his mind, but they didn’t apply anymore.

Or do they? None of the humans in The Watch are part of the IDC. Those memories are as distant for them as they are for us…

“Kraken, I need answers, and I need them now,” Theo said.

Vasil felt as though he were being pulled in opposing directions. He wanted Theo. He was illogically, undeniably drawn to her, but if she was part of the IDC…wasn’tshe his enemy? It didn’t seem right, didn’tfeelright, but he had more than just himself to consider. All his people would be at risk if they were found by the IDC.

What decision would Dracchus have made in this situation?

Dracchus would choose the kraken. He would do whatever is necessary to keep our kind safe.

But even Dracchus had fallen for a human. Things were different now; the distinction between friend and enemy was no longer clear.

Vasil turned toward Theo fully and met her gaze. A bit of feeling had returned to his wounded tentacles — a hint of pulsing pain still too distant to be distracting — and his limbs were shaky with his fading bloodlust, but he refused to show weakness.

“This world is my home,” he said, “and I will not betray it or my people. I mean you no harm, Theo. I think I have proven that to you now. I will do all I can to aid your survival, but until I know I can trust you, I will only offer informationIdeem safe to share.”

She holstered her weapon and sighed. “Look, I’m not here to hurt youoryour people. I’m not even here by choice. I just need to know where the hell I am.”

“So you can send for the IDC?”

“The IDC or whoever can get me out of here.” She released a puff of air and shook her head. “If I can even figure out how to get a signal sent off-planet.”

Vasil tilted his head to the side, studying her expression. “What do you mean?”

“There are no satellites within range to amp any outbound signals, but that’s not even the half of it. The pod took some damage, and the comm equipment is fried. I’d need a long-range transmitter and some kind of broadcast tower to get a message toanyone.”

“She left her spare tower in her other jumpsuit,” Kane said, making the orb of light floating over Theo’s wrist pulse.

Theo rolled her eyes. “Har har.”

Vasil’s brow fell; he’d never witnessed such an interaction between Sam and the humans who used the diving suits, nor between anyone and the Computer in the Facility. “Why does it speak to you that way?”

“Kane?” Theo asked, raising her wrist. “He’s an advanced artificial intelligence, military grade. Meant to assist in my duties.” She glared at the orb. “They aren’tsupposedto have such strong personalities, but I guess they gave me a defective unit. He’s basically a person without a body.”

“Theodora, that is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said about me,” Kane said.

“Just my luck I got stuck with a sarcastic jerk.”

Kane’s light seemed to condense into something more solid, almost as though he were narrowing his eyes. “You know we are programmed to learn from our environment.Youtaught me everything I know about personality, Theo.”

“Anyway…” She lowered her arm and met Vasil’s gaze. “You gonna tell me where I am?”

“You truly have no means of contacting the IDC or anyone else outthere?” Vasil asked, waving a hand toward the sky. He didn’t doubt the records and holograms he’d seen regarding existence beyond Halora, but it remained a difficult concept to internalize; his world, already too large for any one kraken to explore in a hundred lifetimes, was so tiny and insignificant compared to the universe…

“I wouldn’t be standing here asking if I did,” she said. “The emergency beacon on the pod would’ve transmitted my location if anything was in range. I wouldn’t have to tell them where I am.”

Despite everything, Vasil didn’t doubt her honesty. He’d always been good at reading others, despite his people having limited social interactions in the past, and that talent had translated surprisingly well to humans.

“This world is called Halora,” he finally said.

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