Hello Lovelies! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews as I appreciate everyone who takes the time to give me their thoughts. I don't have much to say about this chapter; at this point we're just moving right along, so hopefully you enjoy and I'll have the next out soon.

Chapter 8 – Something New

"You believe the nuur'az words," the reaver finally asked after remaining silent for many, many moments.

Lykrosis had described, in detail, everything that had occurred between himself and the pair. It was a risk to divulge what sounded very much like treason, but he was loyal to Kreesis and had always felt the same from the reaver in return. At the very least, he believed the other vandal would allow him to explain and consider the situation before making another report to the captain. "I am skeptical, always. I have found no untruths yet."

"It speaks so freely. Information could prove useful."

"Information is useful. Last City, hu'ins. Weak creatures they are. Strategically viable target."

"You forget, information is hierarchal. Much of this the captain may know."

"I do not forget. The captain, yes. However, we know. We have advantage over others. Easier to increase rank, class."

"This may be truth. No more or less, the information is intriguing, helpful."

"Perhaps more. Perhaps some the captain does not know."

"Perhaps." The reaver repeated quietly as though he was not convinced. "This… mating perplexes. You enjoy it?"

"It is… pleasing. I am wary. However, touching the female…" and his words trailed off. Lykrosis wasn't even sure how to describe the feeling or if he did, how Kreesis would interpret the words.

"Your pheromone output increases. The composite, unusual," said Kreesis as he scented the air in Lykrosis direction.

"Mating pheromones, I surmise. The female releases them, the scent is beyond enticing."

"Thinking of mating causes their release?"

"I had not noticed previously, yes."

"Advise not considering mating around others."

"Sound advice."

Kreesis didn't speak for many moments after that. The rapid twitching of his lower claws indicated he was thoroughly considering everything they had discussed. He looked Lykrosis over once and awhile and scented him a few times while he thought. "What you desire, Lykrosis? From this situation, from me."

"The pair, information prove useful, valuable. I wish to discover much, report all to the captain. Earn respect and status, for us. Honor for the crew."

"You believe them that valuable."

"I need more moments, more evidence. Prove useful or not, hostile or not. This I seek from you." When Kreesis did not reply for many more moments again, Lykrosis finally admitted, "It offered a favor." He had been withholding this fact because there were too many implications of a 'favor', but he knew it would also make Kreesis curious.

"Favor? What you gave them to offer this?"

"I know not. I am wary. However, I admit curiosity."

"It is unexpected."

"Agreed. I know not what to request."

"You over think, always. You attempted to follow their movements, yes? Request to view their lair." Kreesis seemed to think better of his words. "I speak as though you will return. You place me unfairly, Lykrosis. Loyalty to you or the crew."

"Perhaps. Perhaps it is the same. Words are not enough," he finally said getting to the point he had always intended to make, "You will accompany me, after this next patrol. You will interact with the pair. Decide for yourself."

Kreesis seemed surprised at the suggestion and then thoughtful. The pacing started up, his lower claws twitching again. This lasted for many moments, each one all the more important. Lykrosis needed the reaver to understand his logic, to agree with him about the pair's potential usefulness. Not only did he see the chance to redeem his own shame and bring honor to his crew, but his existence depended on this now.

The reaver growled loudly. "I will accompany you," he said his lower claws flicking in acceptance even though his voice suggested resignation.

"This is advantageous."

"For you. Your curiosity will destroy us all," Kreesis stated sarcastically.

Lykrosis' previous apprehension had finally eased with the reaver's agreement and he allowed himself to laugh.

The vandal was not yet at the hollow when they arrived. The female lounged on top of a boulder while they waited, her mind wonderfully active. The ghost was getting all kinds of emotions and sensations from her as she took in her surroundings. The heat from the sun, the chill of the frost beneath her, the heaviness of the air from the top most layer of the pools evaporating. Insects and small animals moving about, their mini-scale worlds full of life. All of it was a torrent of thoughts as they entered her mind and fascinated her as though she was experiencing it all for the first time.

And perhaps she was.

Her mind had always functioned and she was extremely intelligent. The female knew so much about the universe that she honestly shouldn't know or understand, but somehow, she did. Often, she would make connections seemingly out of nowhere and yet they always turned out to be correct.

The problem was, she forgot so much. It was as though her mind was dampened or slowly being sucked away. Experiences, thoughts, feelings. They came and went, sometimes with perfect clarity and other times as a blur, barely registering.

The memories from before they had met on Mars were the most affected. Everything that made her whoever she had been before was locked away, like this thing inside was trying to erase her completely. She couldn't remember any of it as far as it knew. The new experiences were better retained, but she still went through periods where it seemed like portions of those were taken from her as well.

But now, right now, the female was experiencing everything so clearly and it was making her so happy. That particular emotion was a strong chord running beneath every other as she gazed at the landscape. There was recognition as well; she could tell the difference, the change in her own mental state as she experienced things anew.

The arrival of the vandal brought an instant shift in her focus. She was happy to see him and excited, very excited. The flickers of thought were loud to it as she scrutinized him. His form, his armor, and the bright crimson of his house. She liked it all, was attracted to it all. The female dismounted the boulder wanting to be closer, to capture his scen—

The transmissions abruptly cut off and she stopped moving. Something had caught her attention, but now she was blank. It didn't know what was going on, but something was wrong. Before it could prompt her for the cause, another vandal a little behind and to the left of the first decloaked.

The ghost backed away from the fallen; it didn't like this. Why was this vandal here? What did they want? Was the whole crew coming next? This situation had turned from familiar to dangerous in a matter of seconds. The ghost silently urged the female to retreat, now.

It felt her hesitancy and curiosity. "Now is not the time to be curious," it said quietly. She ignored it as her curiosity doubled. She was scrutinizing them both now and the ghost finally understood why, the female couldn't tell them apart. Without the scent, which was currently being blown away from them, she could only observe them visually and they were identical. Their helms, armor, cloaks, weaponry, all the same. Their forms, the height, shoulder span, arm length, also all the same.

The ghost had never been this close to multiple fallen of the same class before, let alone those that weren't moving about trying to kill it, but she was right. Except for slight variations in damage and wear to their armor, they were exactly the same.

The only reason the ghost could tell the difference was because the vandal in front was much calmer than the second. While he still held his shock blades, they were lightly grasped and lowered whereas the other was in a defensive stance ready for an attack at any moment. Vandal number one was the one they had been interacting with this whole time.

Strange though, the ghost thought to itself. Were all vandals identical? That seemed highly improbable. Perhaps these two were related?

It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered at this point was what they wanted.

"This is unfavorable. Location is exposed," said the second vandal.

"Unfavorable is a word for it," said the ghost moving closer to the female to which it received an aggressive warble. "What is going on here? Why have you brought another vandal?"

"Unimportant. We shall converse, yes? Then we will mate."

Wait… we? Did the vandal think… "Hey! Is that what you brought him here for? The female is not some toy you can just pass around to all your friends." The ghost had moved closer in its anger, too familiar with the vandal to remember and forgetting to exercise caution. It recognized that error when vandal number two tensed, its shock blades drawing up higher.

"What mean these 'toy', 'friends'?" the first said as though nothing else was happening.

The ghost was just about done with this situation. It didn't even want to answer this presumptuous vandal. How could he think—

Ghost.

"What?"

Ask.

"Ask what?"

Important. Why.

"The female says it is important and she wants to know why you brought the other vandal."

"The reaver will observe, conversation, mating."

"Observe. So, you do not expect her to mate the other vandal?"

The vandal did not say anything for a moment making the ghost wonder what was up. "This was not considered," he finally said much to the ghost's relief. Unfortunately, he didn't stop there. "The idea has merit," he continued turning toward the other. More quietly he added, "Perhaps you should mate the female."

"What?! No," shouted the ghost a little too forcefully as it realized it had made the situation worse.

Both vandals returned their gaze to the ghost, probably surprised by its outburst. The first asked, "The female declines mating the reaver?"

The ghost went to say of course she did and then stopped itself. It certainly hoped she would decline, but now it was the one being presumptuous. The female had been relatively silent and blank since the second vandal had decloaked compared to her excited state from before. It hadn't been paying as much attention to her reaction to this situation as it probably should have, but it floated up to her eye level and asked, "Do you want to mate with the other vandal as well?"

Her answer was difficult to interpret; it felt undecided, almost confused. She wasn't outright against the idea, but she also didn't affirm it either.

"As glad as I am that you are not rearing to do another one, I think they are looking for a Yes or No."

He wants?

"She wants to know if the reaver wants to mate."

"I will observe first."

"You will desire it," the first said.

The second vandal made a noise that might have been disbelieving, but the ghost couldn't be certain. "Touching the… female, the idea, does not enthuse."

"So that's a no. Good. Now that that is settled, we also want an agreement. This is an unexpected change and we are outnumbered, unfavorably. If we do not turn hostile, then neither of you turn hostile."

"Agreed," said the first almost immediately. The second vandal took a bit longer, and first asked if they could be trusted to honor this, but he eventually agreed as well.

"Okay, so you said you want to converse first, right?"

"We will converse after. I desire to mate."

Thoughts? Anybody have any opinions on Kreesis yet?

Fallen Language. Listed in order of appearance:

Nuur'az – tool of light