Page 28 of Cozy Prisons
Hale looked surprised, but hid it quickly behind the stony expression the human had when they’d first walked off Progress. “I guess I can understand why you were upset. It probably looked bad.”
“Even if it appeared as if you were being aggressive," Daxus said, “I should’ve hesitated before rushing into the situation. In my past, I didn’t act quickly enough and someone was hurt. It’s haunted me ever since. It still affects me in my present.”
Hale seemed to relax a little. “Yeah, I can understand that, but I still want my data crystal back from Nataly.”
“That is why I’m here. She wanted me to bring you back,” Daxus explained.
Hale hesitated, as if debating between their desire to get the crystal back and having to be around Daxus. Finally, they pointed. “You go first, I’ll follow.”
By the time the two of them made the short journey back, Nataly was standing in her doorway. Daxus stepped far to the side, hoping to make Hale feel more comfortable. The human ignored him and stepped closer to Nataly.
She held up an oddly colored data crystal with a visible crack running through it. “I couldn’t fix your old crystal,” she said, handing it back to Hale.
They accepted it with a nod. “Thank you for trying.”
“I didn’t fail though,” Nataly said and held up a second crystal. “I was able to get all the data off your old one before the repair gel completely failed.”
Hale stared at the new crystal she was holding up. Their hand shook as they took it from her. “The tech on Progress said this wasn’t possible,” they whispered.
“The tech probably didn’t have the practice I have,” Nataly said. “I’ve spent a lot of years fixing things because we couldn’t afford to buy anything. It gives me more insight than someone who could easily replace anything that breaks.”
“Will this play on a standard information square?” Hale asked.
“It’s formatted to be compatible with any of the machines here on Arise,” Nataly said.
Hale blinked rapidly, as if trying not to cry. “Thank you for this. It’s…it’s important.” They pulled in a deep breath. “If you ever need anything from me, it’s yours.”
She gave them a teasing grin. “Well, I’ve been wanting a new kidney.”
Hale’s expression didn’t change. “It’s yours.”
“Woah there, I was joking,” she said, looking at Daxus. He didn’t speak because he didn’t know what to say either. Hale felt like an emotional landmine ready to go off at the slightest breeze.
“I know you are,” Hale said. “But I’m not.”
With that, they turned on their heels and walked away.
Daxus moved next to Nataly. Together they watched Hale disappear down the path.
“Do you know what was on the crystal?” he asked.
“No,” Nataly said. “I didn’t look at the contents, only the quality of the transfer and overall numbers in the amount of data. Honestly, I don’t think I want to know.”
Daxus didn’t blame her. Sometimes lack of knowledge allowed for more happiness.
Sounding a soothing rumble, he faced her. “Are you prepared for me to fix your ceiling and reorganize your domicile, or do you require rest after all that’s happened?”
Nataly scoffed at his concern. “That wasn’t anything. Besides, I can’t wait to see what my floor looks like.”
He sounded a rumble of amusement. “As the human wishes, so it is my pleasure to accomplish.”
She laughed and led him into the house. He adored the sound. If the ancestors listened to his prayers, he’d hear it much more in the future.
Chapter 10
Nataly
By the time Daxus was done, Nataly’s place looked a lot like a well-organized repair shop instead of a mess of a domicile. She didn’t care that her personal space resembled a store because now she could easily find anything she needed. No more searching through piles or boxes; everything was in bins and on shelves with thin displays adhered to every bin that continuously scrawled a list of the contents.
