"Terminated? For seeing a pint-sized pilot?" I yell, straining against the bonds. "We won't breathe a word! We're adventurers, not gossips!"
Fiona's eyes blaze, her Dublin fire undimmed. "Yeah, let us go! We've got quests to crush, not secrets to spill!"
Dmitri grunts, muscles bulging. "Fight us fair if you're so big. This is cowardice."
The aliens' optics flicker, but they're unmoved. "Silence, humans. The decision is final." I glance at Fiona, her hand twitching toward her staff, then at Dmitri, his eyes glinting with that Moscow grit. "Blimey, this is like a bad gym lock-in," I mutter. "No escape, no snacks."
Fiona snorts, despite the tension. "You're thinking about snacks now? We're about to be cosmic dust!"
Dmitri smirks. "He's always hungry. But they're right—we won't talk. Let us prove it."
The aliens' leader rumbles, "No proof. Only elimination."
I sigh, flexing uselessly. "Mate, we've fought eels, slimes, pirates—this is how we go? Boring."
Suddenly, the door hisses, and Varkis strides in, his dark metal armor glinting, sleek as a shadow. "Hold," he commands, voice sharp. The aliens pause, optics flickering. "The 13th Elder arrives to decide their fate. Wait."
I blink. "The 13th Elder? Our elder?"
Fiona whispers, "Varkis! What's going on?"
Dmitri leans close. "Play it cool. He's our ticket out."
The aliens murmur, telepathically buzzing like bees. "The 13th? Here?"
Varkis nods. "Council meeting concluded. He's en route."
I exchange glances with Fiona, her eyes wide. "This is cosmic drama," I whisper. "Like a gym rivalry gone galactic."
She rolls her eyes, smirking. "Only you'd compare elders to gym bros."
Dmitri chuckles softly. "Quiet, lovebirds. Elder's our shot."
After a tense wait, the door hisses again, and the elder enters, metallic skin like cracked starlight, eyes like twin suns. He surveys us, then the aliens. "Release them," he commands, voice rumbling like gravel in a warp drive. "I take responsibility. They'll work under me."
The aliens hesitate, optics flickering. "13th Elder, they saw—"
"I know," the elder snaps. "The council agreed. They're mine now."
Varkis bows, and the aliens release our bonds, bracelets reactivating with a hum. I rub my wrists, flux sparking. "Blimey, thanks for the save, Elder!"
Fiona stands, staff in hand. "What does 'work under you' mean?"
Dmitri's eyes narrow. "No more freedom?"
The elder gestures, and Varkis taps his wrist—we teleport to his office, a sleek white room with a space window framing swirling nebulae. The elder settles at his desk, holo-displays pulsing. "Frustrated, I see. This was harrowing, but you weren't at fault. Our secret must remain guarded." He leans forward, metallic skin glinting. "We've protected it for eons. Our true bodies are small, weak—fist-sized, red humanoids. We pilot these robotic exosuits to fool and intimidate others. With time, we've relied on them completely. On our home planets, only children and recluses don't use them. No outsider has seen our form and lived—except a few trusted allies. Now, you three."
I blink, jaw dropping. "You're tiny pilots in big mechs? That's hilarious! Like a cosmic action figure!"
Fiona snorts, staff dimming. "So all those bulky aliens are just suits?"
Dmitri chuckles. "I thought they were tanks. Now they're tin cans with squishy centers."
The elder's eyes flicker—amusement? "Yes, comical to you, but deadly serious to us. Leak this, and you die. But I see potential in you—I'll keep you safe."
"What's the catch?" I ask, crossing my arms. "We're not your lab rats."
The elder's voice softens. "Changes: No more living in Habitat-382, no Guild missions. You'll reside on our side of the ship, work for me. Your needs met—food, gear, training—but no leaving unless I order or accompany you."
Fiona's eyes widen. "Prisoners? We just got D-rank!"
Dmitri's fist clenches. "From adventurers to servants? No way."
I step forward. "Elder, we're Ramblers—we ramble! This clips our wings."
The elder sighs, metallic skin creaking. "It's for your safety—and ours. Trust me, it's better than termination."
Fiona paces. "This is nuts. We almost died, and now we're deeper in the cage?"
Dmitri grunts. "We fought for freedom. This is chains."
I nod, flux sparking. "Elder, give us a break. We won't spill. Let us keep questing."
The elder's eyes soften. "I wish I could. But the council's strict. You're under my care now." He and Varkis exchange glances, then leave, the door hissing shut.
We slump on stools, space window mocking us with stars. "This is bad," I say, head in hands. "Almost died, now more prisoners than the rest."
Fiona's voice cracks. "We were free—ish. Now? Elder's pets."
Dmitri punches the air. "We escape. Fight back."
I look up. "Fight elders? They're the bosses. We're specs in their game."
Fiona sighs. "What will happen to us now?...."