Grieving ferociously, I curl around the delicate areas Bench’o and the others love targeting. White hot pain washes through me.

  Playback of the crimes attributed to me begins. Surely Sally will see the video and choose to allow her guards to take me away.

  Rufus tries to attack, the only problem being you can’t harm holos. Well, I can’t damage Bench’o or the others, but they hurt me. I don’t understand or like it.

  All of my eyes screw shut and I stay wrapped around myself until the sound associated with the punishment cycle ends.

  Pain radiates through me in familiar waves.

  “M’Awk?” the rest is gibberish, Bench’o disabled holo. Sally sits, lifts a head, and strokes parts and pieces Manta used to after prayer. I understand nothing outside my name.

  “Disabled — translator,” I murmur.

  The tone suggests Sally says we’ll figure out a way to communicate. I nod slightly and wrap my arms around her, seeking comfort from the first kind entity I’ve come across in far too long. The Rufus lies on top of my main trunk. Pain overtakes me and everything fades to black.

  #

  It’s dark. Sally is resting in a synthetic cocoon, making rhythmic sounds. Rufus touches me with his tongue and nuzzles a hand.

  Prisoner. if you return to stasis until the humanoid awakens, I’ll give you one hour with the translator.

  I hate stasis, but need that time. Agreed.

  #

  All the horrific things they accuse me of doing plague stasis. Constant reminders of the horrors they subject me to and attribute to me.

  My eyes open and the bright light assaults me.

  Sally is preparing nutrients. “Hey sleepyhead. Shit, probably can’t understand me. Um, hi M’Awk, think you recognize your name.”

  Phantom tendrils of past pain make vocalizing difficult. “Earned time with the translator.” Breathe in, push it out slowly. “It’s understandable if after learning of my status you want your guards to do awful things, deserve them.”

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  Yes, you do, Prisoner.

  Agreed, Holo.

  Sally stops, comes over, and wraps around me.

  “What I saw is what we call a load of horseshit.” She leans back. “Sorry those things hurt you. Anything I need to heal? I’m pretty good with a first aid kit.”

  I’m unprepared for that to be her response.

  “Wait, you do not think me a sevanst?”

  Prisoner is being punished appropriately. The council is infallible! You are a Sevanst.

  Yes, Holo, agreed.

  Sally shakes her head and smiles (I decided that’s what this facial contortion is). “No, you’re not a Seven-cyst, so, we should make the most of your translator time. Learn a way to chat without it. Can you tell me what you can eat?”

  I laugh, fidgeting. “Right now, you are glowing green.”

  Prisoner is not allowed that reaction!

  Sorry, Holo.

  “I’m gonna assume you’re laughing. Because it’d make my heart happy to know you laugh. I probably don’t taste very good, but you can take a nibble.” The way the color in her pale face reddens alarms me.

  “Your facial coloring is changing! Are you well?”

  Sally runs her hand through the shaggy coating on top of her head. “Just caught a blush is all, it’s fine. How do I ask you if you’re hungry?”

  “What is a blush?” I ask.

  “Aw well, shoot, I uh... Sometimes words have multiple meanings. Last time I used the word nibble was in a very different context.”

  I don’t understand, but the color is deepening. The questions must cause pain or discomfort. Instead, I respond to her question and tell her how to ask if I’m hungry.

  Sally covers the sides of her head. “Oh! What was that?”

  “How to ask if someone is hungry,” I explain.

  She violently rocks her head, popping the holes on the side of her head.

  “Let’s try that again. But slower and quieter, please? When all your heads get going, it’s awful loud.”

  Oh! That’s the issue. I retract to my main self and give her what I hope is a reassuring smile.

  “Is this better?”

  Second warning. Prisoner is not allowed that reaction!

  Sorry so sorry, Holo. I just want to calm the native.

  “Oh wow, how’d you do that?”

  “I am Sik’tali. When we’re in danger, all ourselves present to make a larger target. If we’re in a safe space, we may fold in on ourselves.” I hesitate for the briefest beat unsure I should say the next part. “I know I’m safe with you, Sally.”

  She smiles and initiates contact with me again. I do my best not to react in a way that will set off Holo’s detectors.

  “You are. So, where is your home planet?”

  I can’t help the grief that drips from me. It’s an automatic reaction when I think of home.

  “Gone... Lost most of our population when the moons collided. Those of us that got to ships and escaped have been trying to find a safe space to rebuild ever since. Others call us scavengers and criminals. Entire civilizations banned us from entering their space. All we want is to find a new home and rebuild.”

  The shaggy coating above her eyes slants, and her expression shifts. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

  Her hand grazes one of mine and it warms me through and I want to do more than touch her. I can’t think those things though. They’ll get me in trouble.

  Prisoner is not allowed that reaction!

  No, wait!