The next day at school, the entire campus was gripped with a sense of bated breath as white-capped, white-caped, white-armored police marched the halls in their determined stride, broken only occasionally by a brief interlude of some unanimous, subliminal agreement that they would stop, huddle in an exclusive circle, and discuss in undertones what their next move would be.

They were, of course, all Sheikah, identifiable by their stark white hair, pale skin, and gleaming red eyes that seemed to match perfectly the red federal officer's badge sewn seamlessly on their shoulder. Also, every single one of them was female and, as everybody knew with and equal level of fascination and disgust, bred to reproduce asexually with no desire to indulge in sexual pleasure. To what lengths federal scientists had to go to achieve such a feat nobody knew; but though most people living on UIR planets didn't know why the Sheikah worked, they knew how they worked, and desperately fought not to think about the unnatural truth that was spawned with the need for these half-human, superhuman beings.

Link, as he walked into his history class with Zelda and Ghirahim by his side, first learned of the Sheikah investigation when he found one standing at the front of the room where the teacher would usually be, eyes narrowed and lips pursed in cold calculation of the students. He froze.

"Is it just me, or did someone undergo a major shift in fashion preferences?" Ghirahim said, pointing with more curiosity than shock at the slender figure before them.

"It's not just you," Zelda replied. "I think Ms. Maxwell is really reconsidering her inventory."

Link shot an annoyed glance at the other two.

"What's gotten into you?" Zelda asked.

Link looked at her solemnly. "You don't get it, do you? History teacher gone, Sheikah in her place; what are the implications of that, do you think?"

"Nothing terrible could of happened, I don't think," Ghirahim said, looking the Sheikah over. She paid no mind to him. "I mean, more likely she's on formal business with whatever petty emergency is going on and the Sheikah's just here to formally inform us that she won't be here for a while. Right, Ms. Sheikah lady?" She appeared not to have heard him. The first time Link had seen a Sheikah, she had reminded him of the stoic, expressionless British guards in front of Nottingham Palace from ancient films he and his parents would watch. Except the guards back then were trained to be that way; the Sheikah were bred to maintain their demeanor.

When the entire class was settled, gazing expectantly at the woman in front of them, she hadn't moved an inch, at least not in a way that didn't seem deliberate and purposeful. She was a creature of no excess. "I expect you all want to know why federal officers are in your school. Unfortunately, your history teacher, Ms. Maxwell, has disappeared. The cause of her disappearance is not yet known. However, all evidence suggests she was in this very chair," and at this point she rested her hand on the swivel chair in front of Ms. Maxwell's terminal, "at the time she was, as it seems to be, kidnapped."

Gasps came from every sides of the room, as well as a few laughs, not so much out of humor as out of utter disbelief. "I know this information may come as a shock to you," she continued, with a quiet intensity, "but for now first period will be free for you until this mystery is solved. All students are required to remain on school grounds and to stay in groups or under the supervision of adults. Any questions?" Nobody raised their hand. Nobody dared challenge the feral beast. "All right, then. Excellent. I advise you leave this classroom, as I will be commencing with further investigation."

Slowly, doubtfully, students began to file out of the classroom. Link, Zelda, and Ghirahim did the same with grimaces toward each other. All was silent, the tension heavy. As Nabooru filed out last, however, the Sheikah narrowed her eyes even further. "Young Gerudo lady, could you stop for a moment?" Nabooru did was she was told systematically, steadying her posture and facial expression, solidifying her disposition and preparing for an onslaught. "Do you know anything about the kidnapping?" the Sheikah questioned.

"No," Nabooru said firmly and confidently.

Link and Zelda turned around to watch, though the classroom door was already closing and obstructing their view. It stopped a few inches from closing, however, still letting the sound through. Silently, so that the woman wouldn't notice, Zelda sat down against the wall next to the door and gestured for Link and Ghirahim to do the same. Link complied, but Ghirahim ridiculed the notion. "Oh, come on," he said. "Don't try and be a hero, you guys. It's not racist, it's realistic. Of course they're going to suspect the Gerudo." Yet even as he said so, he quieted his voice and sat next to the other two, conforming even before he could express his first thought of objection.

"Are you positive?" the woman asked from inside.

"Yes."

"Young woman, who is your mother?"

"Adele Nakame."

"To what species does she belong?"

"She is human."

"Does her genome contain the Hylian chromosome?"

"No."

Involuntarily, Link reached up and touched his pointed ear. He looked to either side of him, embarrassed at such a gesture. For the first time, he noticed something odd about Ghirahim. Ghirahim seemed to know exactly what he was observing. "I know," he said, a small smile on his face. "I usually hide it under my hair. No geneticist could really explain the phenomenon. But hey, at least it's just my ears." Link shrugged, chuckling a bit. Despite his confident manner, Ghirahim seemed relieved that the discovery hadn't had an adverse effect. The more superficial level of tension gone, They turned their attention back to the task of eavesdropping.

"Who is your father?"

"Ganondorf Nakame."

"To what species does he belong?"

"Gerudo." There wasn't the slightest fluctuation in her voice as she said so. Link was impressed, seeing as he had only heard the Sheikah's demand and felt his throat clench in fear. Nabooru had to face not only that, but the intensity of her scarlet eyes. Such a thought brought him to consider the badge on her shoulder of a similar color, which revealed in full the fact that he was eavesdropping on a federal officer.

"Hey, guys," he started, "perhaps we should-"

"Shh!" Zelda hissed, bringing a finger up to her lips and keeping her eyes fixed on the door, even though there was nothing to see.

The Sheikah continued to interrogate Nabooru. "Does he live among humans?"

"Yes."

"Was he, at some point in his life, with the Gerudo?"

"Yes."

"And was he, as is traditional with male Gerudo, a king?"

"Yes. But he was a benevolent king. He left in a small ship to settle with humans because his brigand wouldn't obey him."

"And what were these orders they refused to obey?"

"He was trying to direct them away from thievery and slavery and toward life as merchants. They didn't listen."

"And how do you know this?"

There was a pause. Link held his breath in sympathy. "I was there."

"How old were you at this time?"

"Twelve."

"And how old are you now?"

"Sixteen."

The questions continued for some time. "Alright, let's go," Zelda decided, standing up as silently as possible as Ghirahim followed in suit. Link, however, stayed where he was. He listened with horrified fascination as the questioning got more aggressive. "Link, come on!" Zelda insisted, tugging at his arm. He signaled for her to wait.

The questions had started on a practical level, based solely around the inevitable fact that most Gerudo were involved in the plunder of many a people and planet. Soon, though, they took a different direction and became intrusive, prodding into every aspect of Nabooru's life with questions that would have been considered unacceptably irrelevant to ask a human in a similar situation. The interrogation had started at such a level as, "Have you ever committed a violent crime under direction or supervision of your father;" yes, unpleasant, but still relevant. Now, on the other hand, the woman was probing Nabooru about whether she masturbated, to which the answer was a hesitant and embarrassed yes, sometimes, but not really.

Link could see horror spreading on the faces of the other two. They could finally see why he wanted to wait, what he heard in the voice of the policewoman that had caused him to stay. "We've got to do something," he whispered. "She's tearing Nabooru apart."

Zelda and Ghirahim looked at each other, then at Link, and nodded in agreement. And they wouldn't just take a stand now, but any time a federal officer dared harass a student or teacher with the indifferent hostility that was built into their genes. Boldly, the three friends pulled aside the door and entered. Already glaring at the door in anticipation of their entrance, the Sheikah fixed them where they were with her needle-like eyes. "It's not polite to eavesdrop," she said simply. "And you must understand that I do this for the protection of your school and your planet. I must not overlook a single potential clue regarding the assailant and whereabouts of your teacher. Rest assured that there will be no racial discrimination here, only realistic investigative decisions. Now stay if you like, although there would be no use in your doing so. Otherwise, leave." Zelda and Ghirahim shrunk back, the fire sucked out of them by her words. Link stayed a second longer, making eye contact with Nabooru for a brief moment. The first impression she gave was stoicism, but under that Link could see much more. More than he wanted. In those fierce amber eyes he saw a plan, a desperate plan, a plan formed out of the belief that there was no other option.

As he followed his friends out of the room, he almost thought he heard Nabooru whisper goodbye.