Selene stood in front of a line of scantids. About 7 of them... And one very small one. Weirdly enough their carapace was a different color than what she's seen before.
They were green. Instead of pearlescent and purple. The same areas as before were a brown / orange color, the edges of the chitin plates and their skin below. But towards the center of each piece of chitin gradually transitioned to a dark shiny green color.
And instead of red their eyes were a vibrant yellow.
There was a lot to tell them to do. Don't build hives, don't attack people, try not to leave marks on the ship with their claws, don't go here, don't go there.
But Selene had some experience dealing with unruly pets.
"You can build a hive in here." She said.
'bleh' 'bleh
'bleh'
'bleh' 'bleh'
They all begun expunging the excess biomass they'd been storing. It quickly pooled across the floor and climbed up the walls before coating the ceiling and hardening.
Supporting indented rings formed naturally to give the shape strength. Beams of the stuff formed in the most architecturally reasonable places. It was a marvel to watch.
The pantry room was in the room directly below the pilots cabin in the lower floor of the ship. It was one of the larger rooms and not very needed. As they had moved all the food into the kitchen next to it.
"Stay." she said, closing the door leaving the busy scantids.
She changed out of her Zykra form and her clothes became baggy again. Her antenna receded into her head. Then she went into the cargo hold to find Zephyr and Danny. They were just leaning against some crates talking.
"Hey."
They looked up at her, glad to see her in her normal form. Though they're still clearly torn up by the events of yesterday. Selene didn't care—even in her human form. They were slavers. Worse even.
"So what can you guys do? What are your telepath powers?"
They shared a glance at that. Danny crossed his arms, the seams of where his fingers had been sewn back on visible on his sides.
"I'm a kinetic. I... Create fire."
He said it as if it were a thing to be ashamed about. He noticed Selene's confused look and explained; "It's only a very small amount." he snapped a finger and a candle flame hovered above his finger about an inch away.
Ah.
Selene looked to Zephyr.
"I can make a air-tight barrier around me—but only for a second. Haven't found anything it couldn't stop though."
She was mildly impressed by that. Unlike the candle power her brother had that seemed like it could have a few combat uses. Maybe if she created a way to infest them she could increase their powers. Make commanders of them.
Just then Selene heard the clinking sound of a can being knocked off a shelf near the door behind them.
Raymond had entered the room, realized she was there and was caught turning to leave.
"Oh, was just looking for Dr. Bryant." he said awkwardly.
"Oh." Selene said.
He turned and left.
Zephyr seemed like she wanted to reference that bit of awkwardness but decided against it. She brought up something else instead; "You know... I probably have some clothes that fit you."
Selene looked at her current outfit. Shiny orange cropped bomber jacket unzipped down the middle and a black turtleneck with black shorts. Her shoes were a lot like Selene's hightop sneakers but some designer brand. Her hair was tied into a pony tail with her bangs freed of it and swept to one side.
"..Is that a yes?" she asked, noticing Selene's up and down look of her.
"Fine. Got a hoodie?"
"No."
She got changed into a set of fresh clothes and found Raymond and Dr. Bryant in the pilots cabin. They were standing around the holographic table that displayed the star system.
"Ms. Carrington, nice of you to join us."
Raymond took a double take, noticing her change of clothes. Just a plain white T-shirt and khaki pants with boots.
"Are we there yet?" she asked.
"..Almost. A couple more hours... Just to be clear—how much do you want to your family to know? I don't want to let anything slip if we're keeping secrets." Raymond asked.
Selene had already spent some time thinking about this.
"I'll tell them everything but keep the stuff about human traffickers out of the conversation."
"..Alright."
Dr. Bryant was tapping away on the tablet.
"We won't be able to land."
He said.
Selene looked at him. He kept tapping away on his tablet.
"...Why?"
"—Cause it's a prison planet. They document all ships that enter or leave the atmosphere."
Raymond was pilfering through a mini-fridge snug between a few consoles and monitors. He looked over his shoulder; "Then what are we supposed to do? Just throw Selene out of the cargo bay?"
Dr. Bryant looked up at him, surprised at that.
"That is actually a fantastic idea Raymond."
Raymond left the fridge with some kind of can soft drink and a look of surprise; "It is?"
"Won't I burn up in the atmospheres like a space rock or something?" Selene asked.
Dr. Bryant sighed and held the tablet at his waist.
"No. That only happens due to the high velocity of space debris. We'll be dropping you off at less than 100kph so that you should have no difficulty slowing yourself before landing. There's a forest near the colony that will suffice as a landing zone. Once there you can get your family off world."
Selene couldn't believe she was about to jump onto a planet.
Her heart beat fast until she transformed. And she calmed a bit. Still the idea was anxiety inducing. She picked up the metal backpack off the floor and strapped it to her bare back. She'd taken off her clothes before the transformation this time.
Earlier when she had more carefully examined the transformation in the captains bedroom mirror, she noticed it essentially functioned as clothing as it 'covered up' everything. Like a Selene-shaped body suit.
There was a hissing sound as the cargo bay doors opened. The room depressurized and the sound disappeared as the void of space entered.
A teal-blue planet took up the view in front of her. And she stepped off the ramp. The momentum of the ships thrusters kept it stationary and didn't rely on orbital motion to maintain it's distance, so velocity wise it was still.
But the planets gravity pulled her in, surprisingly gently.
This planets gravity was a 3rd of Endelons.
The planet grew even larger before her as she neared and eventually became all encompassing as she entered the sky. Wind whipped around her as she fell. Her body assumed the 'eagle fall' position—her arms and legs spread to made a 'X' shape. This was to help achieve terminal velocity.
An expanse of grey-blue fauna was below her—and hundreds of miles in the distance was the farming colony. And a hundred miles across from that—a prison.
There were lakes and rivers about to.
It seemed that plants here had chlorophyl which evolved to be blue instead of green, for whatever reason. Dr. Bryant hadn't explained.
Two sets of dragonfly-like wings folded out from her back in an instant and yanked her back in the air. She had no idea which Zykra variant they were inspired from, but they weren't hidious. The clear film between the veins of orange and purple sparkled in the sunlight like crystal.
They began to flap quickly creating a soft buzzing sound as they carried her above the trees and towards the colony.
'I'm flying! Weeeeee!' Selene thought to herself as she took the time to do a few spins. But then she got serious. She had no time to waste—the Zykra she left behind would get finicky without her around soon.
She landed outside the colonies walls a fair distance—likely outside their detection systems. And changed back into the clothes Zephyr had given her. Plus her slightly baggier red hoodie.
She casually walked out of the tree line and was met with a concrete walkway. It led around a controlled park-like area outside the city-sized dome of the colony. People were going on walks, taking their pets around, jogging, some sat on benches reading, others were selling stuff from wheeled vendors.
As much as she hated to admit it—it was a bit of an upgrade from Endelon. Though she'd still take the fields of wheat over this humid jungle crap. Also the low gravity felt weird. Lighter. She was currently a 3rd of her original bodyweight and if she jumped she would go 3 times higher.
But that changed as she entered the colony. The set of city gates about six meters wide and three meters tall hissed and slid open sideways. And the moment she entered she felt the gravity triple back. Becoming normal.
Each planet would be different she supposed. People had a way to adapting to each planet they colonized. On Cyros it was a matter of staving off the cold. Here it was a matter of gravity.
Inside was similar to Endelon but a bit larger. The steel streets weren't meant for private use like the station. But there were people using the concrete sidewalks.
The steel modular buildings stacked high towards the dome, many of them had large monitors displaying advertisements.
"I've added your families address to your nav-data Selene." Dr. Bryant's voice said from the earpiece she'd equipped when she landed.
The tablet showed a blue line for her to follow throughout the city.
"Okay..." she breathed.
She was nervous. Meeting her family again after half a year was surprisingly nerve wracking. Mostly not due to the time since—but all the things that have happened. She put on some music into the earpiece and started walking, blending into the crowd as best she could.
Since this colony was a bit denser in population people didn't live in individual homes. So the tablet had led her to a large expansive building.
Vents, whirly-birds, fans and pipes sprouted out of the compartmentalized metal building. One-sided windows lined the many floors. And a glowing white neon sign hung off the side which said: 'G-2B'
She went inside. The lobby was carpeted with a beige colored carpet. Tan colored padded seats lined the sides and there were a few coffee tables and potted plants and flowers.
The walls were a form-fitted with padded white panels that curved and bent according to necessity. And there was a glass window and counter in the center ahead of her with a receptionist sitting behind it. A girl around Selene's age sat there chewed gum and typed at a keyboard.
"They're on the sixth floor in apartment 21." Dr. Bryant's voice said.
Selene went into one of the hallways that was on either side of the lobby and entered an elevator there. She hit floor 6.
'Deep breaths Selene.' she told herself.
She'd thought about this. What to say.
Before the elevator door closed a man put his foot in it. He was tall, dark auburn hair and a stubble shaved into a southern style. He wore a brown T-shirt and navy blue slacks and black loafers. Probably around thirty.
"Hey. Do you mind?" he asked.
Selene stepped into the corner to make more room.
"Alright." he said and stood in the elevator. He pressed '6'.
The doors closed.
It was weird after the first turn.
Then got progressively weird until they both stopped outside the same apartment.
"Uh... Do you live here?" Selene asked.
"No?" the man said.
The door opened and her father was standing there; "About time, get—" he hesitated and turned to look at Selene.
Selene felt herself swept up to a bearhug that restricted her ability to breath. He swung her left and right.
"Sel!"
"Dad... Can't.. Breathe!"
He made an apologetic expression and set her down. But kept his hands on her shoulders as if she'd disappear if he let go.
"How are you here!?" he asked excitedly.
Selene smiled; "We have a lot to talk about."
'Ahem'
They looked to the man next to them.
"Oh." her dad started; "Guess we'll have to do this another time Preston, this is my daughter."
Preston got a confused look then as if it were impossible. But then nodded a few times. "Okaaay, I'll uh- come back another time then. Just let me know."
Dad nodded and Preston left. Glancing behind him once more before turning the corner.
"Get in here kiddo!" he swept a arm around her and pulled her into the apartment.
"Jen! Camden! Get in here!"
Mom hurried into the room. All the small details of her face seemed to pop out at Selene in this moment. Her light brown hair and near-black eyes, tan face and small slightly-upturned nose.
The room around them was carpeted in a tan color, with off-white walls and navy blue pleather seats. A few windows to the back wall showed the colony outside.
'Arf!' the grey used-mop of a dog Tywin barked and ran over to Selene already panting. She chuckled and pet his dreadlocked hair before hugging Mom.
"Selene! You're home!"
She leaned away from Selene and cupped the sides of her face.
"You seem so grown up!" she beamed at her.
"Hi mom." Selene said cheerily.
Mom's eyes welled up in tears. Here come the water works.
'Behuuu'
She hugged Selene again while crying. Tywin was nuzzling Selene's leg. After a few moments her mom let her go and sniffled, she chortled; "I have to get a tissue, I'll be right back and we're going to talk."
She said before disappearing down a hall.
Selene turned to face Dad but then saw Camden standing in another hall near the front door.
"Cam!" she knelt down and held her arms out.
He gave her a disbelieving look. A hurt look. Then turned and ran back down the hall.
"That little asshole." Selene said.
Her Dad put a hand on her shoulder. "We tried to explain it but you know how kids are. He'll come around."
For some reason that last line irked her.
"I'm going to talk to him. You and mom wait in the living room."
Her dad gave her a confused look, as if he'd never heard her be so assertive with him before.
"...Okay?"
Then she followed Camden down the hall. The door just slammed shut at the end.
She went to it and tried to open it.
Locked. Of course.
She rapped the regular wooden door with the back of her knuckle a few times.
"Camden?" she asked.
"Go away! Since that's what you're good at!" he said in his angry little voice.
She grinned angrily before gripping the doorknob and slowly pushing. Gradually applying pressure. She didn't need her Zykra form for what her nanofiber muscles could easily accomplish.
'chink'
The lock busted and the door opened.