Chapter Fifty-Eight (Vuxten) (2/2)
Vuxten knew he was crying, thick tears that oozed down his furry face.
All he could do was stare at Donovan's body.
He didn't think that humans could die.
”You OK, kid?” Sergeant asked.
Vuxten looked up, opened his mouth to say no.
A bright flash lit the world. White, blinding. Vuxten's vision cleared just in time to see it. A roiling cloud of red and black rising from the city center.
Another flash. Another. And another. Yet another.
One final one, for good measure.
Five 1.2 MT nuclear blasts, surrounding a 12.5 MT blast in the center, the outer ones detonating in a star pattern around the center, increasing the damage, maximizing the force.
The Precursors had reached down with atomic hammers to strike the city center.
The shockwaves, overlapping, increased in strength by the others, smashed into Vuxten, knocking him off the hill of rubble like a giant had kicked him in the face. He bounced twice, caught air, and slammed through a building, the glass and plasticrete shattering around him. He bounced off something hard, fell, and smashed into the street.
His armor pulled his limbs into a t-pose. He blacked out.
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Brentili'ik sat in the forest clearing, on a comfortable rock, using it as a chair, looking at the broodcarriers around her. Many of them had wounded humans in their arms, stroking them gently, nuzzing them, crooning to them. The humans had been wounded on the same planet her husband still fought to protect. Brought to the hospital ship, and sometimes, when the wounds were severe enough, brought here.
Brentili'ik had seen how much the broodcarriers liked humans. Humans were warm, humans smelled nice, humans loved.
'love human good human safe human' a broodcarrier crooned her song to a human. He had no injuries that were apparent, but he moved slowly, stiffly. His skin was pale and he was bald. He stuttered when he talked, had problems remembering, and cried often, putting his face in his hands and weeping while a broodcarrier would try to soothe him.
He was sleeping, held gently by a broodcarrier, who covered his chest protectively with her fluffy tail. His name was Donovan, he had been shot through the head by a Precursor and it had damaged something that made it so he was traumatized even after the Confederacy had somehow saved him.
Major pinged her datalink.
”Please come in,” Brentili'ik said over her still slightly tender datalink.
The leaves rustled behind her as she watched a broodcarrier pet another human who was laying on her lap. The human had been injured by radiation that had attacked his DNA, making regeneration of his limbs a long and painful affair as his cells had to be cleaned. The human came to the broodcarriers to be held after each gene therapy session.
The broodcarriers sang to him and stroked him until he went to sleep. Brentili'ik had learned humans healed the most when they slept.
”Brentili'ik, I need you to brace yourself,” Major said.
Brentili'ik swallowed, wondering what it was. Another badly wounded human? A podling that had been saved against all odds? A weeping broodcarrier heavy with eggs and clutching orphaned podlings, its fur still crusted with the blood of its mates.
The last month weighed heavy on her shoulders.
Citizenship is a heavy burden.
”I am ready,” Brentili'ik said, slowly turning around.
At first, she could not believe it. She blinked, staring, then rubbed her eyes. Then rubbed her eyes again, still not believing what she was seeing.
Vuxten stood there, next to Major.
He looked awful. The fur around his eyes and jaw was silver. One eye was cybernetic. His leg was in a traction brace to keep the bone straight and still. He was missing an ear.
He looked terrible.
He looked wonderful.
She flew off the mossy rock she always sat on, running to him. She grabbed him in her arms, sure that this time, like all the others, she would wake up with empty arms.
Instead, arms went around her, squeezing her, one arm weaker than the other.
”I am home, my love,” Vuxten said, his voice rough, raspy, but still his. ”I am home, and I'll never let you go.”
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V CORPS (OLD METAL)
System cleared of Precursor threat.
Request relief and rotation.
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TERRAN CONFEDERACY CITIZENSHIP AGENCY
The attached names, numbers, genetic codes are all new citizens, with the full rights, responsibilities, and privileges thereof.
>SEARCH: VUXTEN-68934-6221-527194
1 RECORD FOUND - Full Citizen. Terran Confederacy
>SEARCH: BRENTILI'IK-827149-2356-156132
1 RECORD FOUND - Full Citizen, Terran Confederacy
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MANTID FREE WORLDS
We welcome our Telkan brothers to the fold.
Our dreamers and prophet-singers and seers welcome you.
Freedom, horrible horrible freedom awaits.
May you find its nectar sweet.