Hissandra banged my head against the cage, raised her fist and knocked out my teeth. I didn't yet need to gum my food, but I'd never have a perfect smile again.

"Hissandra! I would never poison Grandma! I love her!"

"Just like you loved mother?"

I pretended not to hear that. "Ssorzechola was trying to infect Grandmother with her worms! Ssusjmori and I were trying to stop her!"

Hissandra struck me in the chest. "That's what she said you'd tell me!"

She choked me. "I know all about your xulrubdan! If I find you infected Grandma with it, you're dead!"

The elevator arrived, its slow moving doors groaning open. I ushered the children inside. "We just spared her from being infected. If you don't believe me, go ask Grandmother." I stabbed a claw in that direction. "She can tell you herself."

As I joined the boys in the compartment, Hissandra growled, trailing me in. "If this is a lie, I will hunt you down and tear open your exoskeleton."

She frowned at the white shape clutched in Landon's arms. "What happened to Ssusjmori?"

"She just saved Grandma's life."

Giving me a suspicious growl, Hissandra turned away, rushing off to Grandmother's house.

I pushed the button for floor ten, watching the doors slowly making their way to the closed position.

An adolescent Ss'sik'chtokiwij approached the threshold, looking like it intended to hop in and eat my friends, but, on a whim, I opened my mouth, flashing my damaged communication worms.

The sight so startled the stranger that she flinched and jumped back. The doors closed before she could try anything.

The elevator rose, and we numbly watched the floors of the building passing by the safety fence, from time to time catching glimpses of dark Ss'sik'chtokiwij bodies climbing between levels. Timmy stared at the ceiling.

"One of these things is not like the other," a voice croaked in a sing-song. "One of these things...doesn't belong..."

Maria.

Landon looked startled enough to drop her. I don't think he was expected the larva to move and talk.

"Maria!" I cried, rushing close. "Are you all right?"

My tiny friend nodded. "I absorbed the worms into my body. I struggle against them for dominance of my mind, but I presently have gained control."

I swallowed. "Is it safe?"

She shook her head sadly. "Not everything worthwhile is safe."

Landon, uncomfortable and scared, really looked like he intended to drop her now.

"She will not harm you." I didn't know if it were the truth.

Landon's breath shallowed in fear. "It was easier when I thought it was dead, or asleep. I could pretend it was a monster toy or a puppy."

Maria looked pained. "I'm sorry. I'd like to believe the worms won't hurt you, but your fear may be justified."

As she spoke, some tapeworms crawled out.

With a cry of disgust, he let go, and would have allowed my friend to fall to the floor, had I not been there to catch her.

I caressed Maria's shell, clutching her to my exoskeleton. "Can you walk?"

"I don't know. I'm very tired."

Maria nuzzled into a comfortable position. The tapeworms wiggled across my chest plates, as if looking for a place to infect.

"A thing rests by changing." She drifted asleep.

Nobody felt like talking after that.

I contemplated saying something religious to the children, but sometimes, if such things are not solicited, they come across sounding like meaningless platitudes.

"Children...I have lost family too. And many good human friends. You are not alone."

The boys nodded, but didn't speak.

"Jesus is with us. Even now. This thought gives me great peace."

"Is he with my dad?" Landon asked.

With a heavy heart, I nodded. "Yes, but I don't know if your dad wants Him there."

Landon didn't have an answer to that.

The doors opened at the tenth floor.

The moment we stepped out, the doors started closing again, the call light indicating that someone had summoned it from below.

Not sure who or what had pushed the button, but I didn't want to stay and find out. I gently nudged the boys forward.

As we traversed the catwalk beyond, some Ss'sik'chtokiwij watched us.

I feigned being tired, handing Maria to Landon with a groan.

"No way! I'm not touching that thing!"

"Landon, if you want to live, you have to."

He grimaced. "What about the worms?"

"Would you rather have a couple worms in your body, or have one of those things tear you open, or lay an egg in your chest?"

Sighing, the boy took Maria from my arms, holding her to his chest.

The moment he did this, the Ss'sik'chtokiwij backed away, shocked at what they were witnessed.

We kept walking. Timmy walked so close to me and Landon that we nearly tripped several times.

All around us, as we made our way to the exit, Ss'sik'chtokiwij devoured the bodies of those who abandoned Noah's flock, and random people who had come with, sometimes cocooning them to pipes or machinery.

We neared the exit, but three Ss'sik'chtokiwij gathered in front of us, blocking our passage.

"What is this?" said one of them. "Why do you have livestock carrying our young?"

"I can do what I wish with my prey." I flashed them my severed worms.

Startled, all three of them retreated, allowing us safe passage.

The moment we got outside, Landon handed Maria back, shuddering as he checked and rechecked his clothing for worms.

The boys didn't walk, they ran back to the base. With Maria's weight in my arms as I chased after them, I felt like a football player going for the Heisman trophy.

Timmy and Landon arrived at the north gate, gasping and panting for breath.

The big doors were closed, and I didn't have an android with me this time.

For a moment, I just rested against a wall, staring absently at the processing stations, which from this distance now looked rather small and insignificant.

To my surprise, my companions knew how to get in.

Elevating his height with a rock, Landon stuck a card in a nearby keypad, typing in numbers. A moment later, we marched down the wide hallway inside.

"Let's go to the lounge," Landon said to Timmy.

The boys marched into a living module containing snack machines and arcade games. I set Maria down in a comfortable looking chair. The boys seated themselves at a low table, far away from us, glumly staring at each other.

After I tinkered with a machine for a few minutes, I poured each of them a glass of orange juice, which seemed to raise their spirits.

"What are we going to do?" Landon said to the boy. "That guy is brainwashing everyone. It's like something out of one of those Body Snatcher movies. He even made Dad kill Mom."

Timmy didn't answer.

Landon frowned at me. "Can you save Dad?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I can bring you his body, but...he just had a socmavaj on his face. He'll already have an egg in his chest cavity. If he's alive, he isn't going to live very long."

Landon looked crestfallen.

"I'm sorry."

"Can you take the egg out?"

I shook my head. "Your father was lucky to be able to remove it the first time. I'm afraid too much time has passed now. The egg has likely attached itself to vital organs. If I must, I will go back and get him, but I can't make any promises."

"Do it," Landon urged. "I have to see."

I reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But both of you need to hide. From everyone. As long as Ssorzechola is around, you're both in terrible danger."

"My sister has a hiding spot close to here," Timmy said. "It's part of the air conditioning system. No one will find us there."

"Good. You should go now."

I frowned. "Unfortunately, I'm going to need something to open the gate."

Landon handed me his badge. "The code is 2157. The year the colony was founded."

"Thank you."

I gazed sadly at Maria. "Can you please look after my friend? As stated previously, she won't hurt you. She used to be human once."

The boys frowned at me like I had made up a story.

"It's true. Can you please help?"

The expression on Landon's face told me he believed this to be an unwanted duty he'd be required to perform to get his father back. He nodded gravely.

I thanked him, hurrying out to the muddy countryside.

As I approached the processing station, a group of strange figures came marching my way, Noah at the lead.

At his left hand, Mr. Rockett, and, to my horror, Kumar strode beside his right. Noah had brainwashed him.

Behind them came the deluded followers:

A strangely attired Portia.

The African man who wasn't supposed to live, in his shirt patterned like a Pizza Hut table cloth, and bluejeans. (In case you're wondering, Roger told me about Pizza Hut).

The rock guitarist, in distressed denim and a Space Invaders t-shirt.

A thin, goony looking older woman with glasses on a chain, and a long nose, face frozen in an expression of one smelling a foul odor. Capri pants, a sleeveless blouse carelessly displaying folds of skin that once housed excess fat.

A dopey looking thick limbed man with a beard and hair balding friar-like, dressed in the fashion of a farmer. Coveralls and plaid.

A tiny little young woman with blonde hair, glasses and mouse-like ears, dressed in an airy puff sleeve purple blouse and leggings.

A bird nosed man with elegantly styled hair, classy polo shirt and khakis.

Sole survivors, it seemed. I shuddered to think what lies they would tell other people on the base, how they were `Spared by the hand of Ssorzechola,' or some other nonsense. I felt tempted to kill them all, just to stop the deception, but knew this would accomplish nothing.

Refusing to talk with them, or even get near, I took a detour, about ten or twenty yards out of my way, just to have no dealing with them.

When someone tried to get close, I ran an extra dozen feet, hiding behind a boulder until the group passed.

I made my way back down to Grandma's house unmolested, searching the egg laying chamber for Mr. Butler.

All around me lay the bodies of the less fortunate, ones with socmavaj on their faces, or cocoons, or impregnated and gasping for air on the floor, some with larva feeding on their flesh. Others screamed as hatching took place. Rapchuck's words about me being a failure haunted me. It saddened me to think that I could do nothing about it.

"Back so soon?" Grandma said.

I made no reply, searching the floor for signs of Dave.

"Lose something?"

"I misplaced a human. I know I left him somewhere."

Grandma laughed. "I'm sure he's incubating an egg right now. Just like the others."

I found Hissandra sitting quiet and still next to Grandmother. "So? What did she tell you?"

"As much as I hate to say it, there is some truth to your story. If you were responsible for the worms, you would not use Ssorzechola's humans to do it. That is now how you do things. You are far too weak to command this many humans. Even if it were an accident, where they did not know you possessed the worms, it's too convenient an accident, especially in light of the suspicious gift of all these humans. Ssorzechola cannot be innocent of this."

Her statement made me feel hopeful. "Then, will you aid me in destroying Ssorzechola before things get worse?"

She snorted. "I will talk to her. I do not kill family members like you do."

"What if she doesn't listen?"

"I will deal with her my own way. Without your involvement. By your actions, you proved yourself a coward, and a traitor to your race. Take my advice, Sh'kassk'dwuissueblik. Leave Ssorzechola alone."

I didn't reply, but the silence told me the conversation was over.

Cattleprods lay scattered haphazardly among the eggs and bodies, all broken and useless as weapons.

Mr. Butler sat on the floor near an egg. He appeared to be somewhat alive, but I knew a new larva gestated inside his body. "Mr. Butler..." I touched his face. "Dave."

The man moaned, gasping for breath.

"Slow your breathing. You have an egg in your chest, and it's going to hatch early if you panic."

"Landon. Where's my son!"

"He's safe. I left him with the other boy, Timmy. He wants to see you. I'm going to try to get you out of here."

"Can you get that thing out of me?"

"I'm sorry, I'm no surgeon. The eggs attach to vital organs. You were lucky to be able to spit back the egg the first time."

Dave looked at me like he knew nothing about that. "I did what?"

I told him what happened.

"Un-fucking believable. Why the hell can't I do that now?"

"I don't know. But the egg is probably too far down now."

"Wonderful." Understandably disappointed. "How long do I have?"

"I don't know. Do you know exactly what hour a pregnant woman will give birth?"

Dave groaned.

"Can you walk?"

"I guess so."

"Then I will take you to the elevator."

Although weak, Dave managed to rise to a standing position. I half led, half carried him to the elevator. "I've been told that some victims can do amazing things with an egg in their body. They ran and climbed ladders and fought Ss'sik'chtokiwij, I mean, aliens, all apparently without noticing it was in them."

Mr. Butler looked hopeful for a moment, until I added, "Of course, I believe the growth of such eggs have been stunted. Like a dwarf."

Dave twisted his lip. "Gee, thanks for the inspiring speech."

"Sorry."

Four other people waited for the elevator with us, all smelling of socmavaj. Others, tired of waiting, had gone up the stairs instead.

Not sure where or when these people would experience their hatching.

The man with the cat shirt stood by the elevator call button, nervously smoking a cigarette. I supposed he hoped for a larva with birth defects.

On the opposite side of the door sat a coffee colored twenty year old with an orange shirt, hair colored to nearly match his apparel. Nearby, an umber woman with curly hair played Candy Crush on her phone.

A lanky, wrinkled woman with the tattoos and the head bandanna smoked as she talked on radio phone to someone on a survey expedition. "I feel fine enough to walk, but I'm going straight to the medic." She paused. "Honey, I know the company doesn't take responsibility for this, but I want reimbursement. Don't charge me for the operation. Give me base currency. I could use some free drinks at the bar. Maybe some premium items shipped from earth."

The humans backed away when I approached. Except for Candy Crush Girl. "We won't do you any harm. Besides, the harm has already been done."

They stared at me. The orange haired guy got frightened and ran up the stairs. The woman playing Candy Crush...continued playing it, making me wonder if that's how she got attacked.

As the elevator lumbered downward, I pointed to the cat on the curly haired man's shirt. "What's that?"

He seemed confused by me talking, and talking about something so trivial, but answered anyway. "That's Plushicat, my fursona."

"Is that a cartoon show?"

"No. I'm a furry. Do you know what that means?"

I shook my head.

"Oh God," Dave groaned. "Take my advice. Just tell him yes. You don't want to know. Trust me."

"I take it you've met."

"Yes. Unfortunately everyone on this base has run into Mr. Plushiecat at least once."

The elevator opened, Candy Crush Girl, too absorbed in her game, unthinkingly stepping inside, not paying me or anyone else any attention.

The old woman with the bandanna sighed and gave me this look that said, `Just kill me already' as she joined us in the compartment.

Cat Shirt Guy...just seemed desperate to escape Grandma's place.

Mr. Butler closed the gate, and the elevator rose.

Plushiecat silently stared through the fencing for a moment. "Can you take that huge thing out of my body? It's getting hard to breathe."

"I'm sorry. I don't know how."

He puffed his cigarette.

"You know, that probably isn't helping."

"Fuck you."

That generally signals the end of meaningful conversation, but I thought I'd make an attempt. "What is a furry?"

Dave rubbed his face in annoyance. "Man, why did you have to go and ask him that?"

"What is a furry..." Plushiecat launched into a speech about people who pretend to be animals, wear costumes like football mascots and go to conventions, and how they used satellite relays to keep touch with like-minded `furs.'

Odd to be speaking about these things with such enthusiasm when he had larva in his chest waiting to rupture his vital organs, I guessed having a somewhat calm and positive demeanor could possibly delay the inevitable for a few minutes. "So far, I'm the only fur on the base. I consider myself an ambassador for the furry community. Maybe one day after I get medical treatment and someone kills all these motherfucking monsters (no offense), and we grow a little bit more, we'll have a fandom. Wouldn't be that exciting? The first furry community on Archeron!"

"If you live that long," Dave said.

"I'm hopeful a surgeon will be able to remove...whatever they put in me."

Although naive, I appreciated the opportunity to converse, especially on unusual subject. "This furry thing, is it a religion?"

He gave me a weird look, took a puff of his cigarette.

"No." Dave answered.

Plushiecat ignored him. "Well...sort of. The fandom actually contains a variety of different religious—"

He screamed and clutched his chest, dropping to the floor.

Wincing in pain, he turned his eyes heavenward. "God, it's your faithful servant, Ruben. I know I haven't been the best Jew lately, but don't forget the good things I've done. If you just allow your servant to live another day, I promise to do a good mitzvoh to balance things out."

Plushiecat let out an agonized cry, clutching his chest. "Several mitzvohs! I promise!"

I frowned. "What's a mitzvoh?"

He gave an expression that reflected both fear and supreme annoyance. "A good deed." It came out in a gasp.

"You know, I really don't think that's how it works."

Plushiecat groaned. "So how does it work, Mr. Alien? What does your highly advanced alien mythology say about situations like this?"

I replied, "But God shows his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

"Oh God." He quickly glanced at the ceiling. "No offense." Plushiecat returned his attention to me. "Look. That stuff might work for you, but I'm Jewish. Unlike Gentiles, and...maybe aliens, we have to earn our salvation."

The larva took this opportunity to rupture his chest.

"That sounds very difficult."

`Ruben' only managed a gurgling grunt before expiring. And I was just about to ask if he knew Brice.

The other passengers backed in horror.

Well, except for the lady with the video game.

I regarded the victim with pity. He died with fear and guilt in his heart.

As for the larva, I had nothing to say to it. Without my Wooby Worms, I knew it wouldn't listen.

The lift doors opened at Floor 10. I helped Mr. Butler out the door.

"That thing that came out of that guy..." he said. "Is that what mine will look like? When it comes out?"

"Probably." I led him down a catwalk. "Though each Ss'sik'chtokiwij has a different appearance, in the same way your people have a wide variety of facial and body configurations."

"Great. An ugly thing is going to rip a fucking hole through my torso, but it's going to be a very unique and special ugly thing."

"Mr. Butler, there was a time in which I did not see the beauty of your people, a time in which I saw you only as meat. But God has changed my heart, and I now see beauty in all intelligent beings, Ss'sik'chtokiwij and human."

Dave slumped over a control station, catching his breath. "Right now, I'd almost prefer you to just eat me and get it over with."

"Your son wants to see you. For this reason, I'd prefer not to."

He sighed, continuing onward.

The Ss'sik'chtokiwij did not interfere with our passage through the plant, due to the tell-tale scent markings of socmavaj impregnation. They only stopped to stare at the humans like a group of cattle marching into a slaughter house.

I, Dave and the two women exited the facility unscathed.

We got joined by a fat man with muscular calves sticking out his khaki shorts. A black man in a motorcycle jacket followed behind him. They both smelled of socmavaj.

About five yards from the base entrance, the fat man's round, red face contorted in a scream as his larva came out . The biker managed an additional five.

I and Dave continued on.

"Didn't those things lay their eggs at pretty much the same time?"

"Perhaps. But part of the gestation process takes place inside the socmavaj itself, before it latches on the victim, so some were already at their latest stage."

"What happens if it never gets to lay an egg?"

"They generally die, but it takes awhile. Your scientists stored one in a tank for more than a month, but the egg still lived long enough to develop larva in my friend Sarah's body."

Mr. Butler gave me a suspicious look. "I'm getting the distinct impression that it's not safe to be your friend."

Guilt again settled in my stomach. "Maybe so. But I'm still one of the few Ss'sik'chtokiwij on this base that actually care for human life."

Not sure he believed me, but that's okay. At least he didn't try to fight me or anything.

We arrived at the base entrance.

Obviously I don't have pockets. Expecting trouble at the station, I had hidden the card key under a rock.

I tried the dirt caked card a few times, wiping it on the building a few times, but it wouldn't scan.

No clothes to wipe it on. I spat on it or licked it, it would melt. I frowned at the lock.

"Here." Mr. Butler handed me a card. "Use mine."

I swiped the card, opening the door with the security code.

The man looked really tired now. Once we entered the corridor, he stopped and sat next to a wall. "Where's my son?"

"Stay here. I'll get him."

Then, noting how bad that sounded..."I'll bring him here. Alive."

I returned to the small break room. No sounds but the creaking building and the Galaga game making missile sounds.

To my relief, the children had departed, and so had Maria. I pried open the nearest register, climbing inside the vent.

It took a few minutes to locate the children's scent, but I found the hiding spot, a cramped little concrete box with a massive fan built into the ceiling.

Rebecca, Landon and Timmy cowered in a corner, staring anxiously at the fan blades, not so much in fear of them than fear of what lay beyond. I didn't see Maria anywhere.

When they saw me coming in, they got so startled that I thought one would jump up and decapitate themselves. To my great relief, none did.

"Landon, your father's here. I'm sorry I could not help him. But you can at least say goodbye. He does wish to see you."

Suppressing a sob, Landon nodded, following me back through the base to his father.

Timmy came along, but Rebecca stayed put. It seemed she still hadn't resolved a few emotional issues in our relationship.

We arrived a moment too late. Mr. Butler's body lay sprawled on the flooring, his outfit bloodied from a cavernous chest wound, a new Ss'sik'chtokiwij larva devouring his chest.

"I thought you said he was alive!" the boy whimpered.

"He was. I'm sorry."

Landon clenched his fists, like intended to hit me, then let go, silently watching the Ss'sik'chtokiwij nibbling his father's corpse, his body shaking with uncontrollable sobbing.

"Make it stop," the boy gasped before weeping some more. "Please make it stop eating my daddy."

As much as I hate humans dying, when they're already dead, I can hardly justify taking a newborn Ss'sik'chtokiwij's life in exchange for theirs. That's why I didn't just kill it.

I considered opening the door and throwing the larva outside, but...not a good Christian witness to the young Ss'sik'chtokiwij either.

I spoke to it in our language. "I have a request to make of you. I will allow you to continue eating this carcass if you disappear into another room for a few minutes. I promise to not eat a single bite."

I pointed to the boy. "He wishes to perform a death ritual. It is important to his growth."

The larva frowned. "You must think I was born yesterday."

"You've been alive for far less time than that."

She paused a second and thought. "Fair enough. May I watch?"

I frowned, glancing at the children. "Only if you watch discreetly."

The new Ss'sik'chtokiwij nodded. I led her around the corner, away from the kids.

Landon staggered forward, dropping to his knees next to the body as he wept.

He wanted to hug his father one last time, but I could tell he didn't want to touch the bloody wound, so instead just placed his hand on the man's face and cried.

Never having been to a real funeral, only a simulation, I had no skill in presiding over things like funerals, or weddings, for that matter. I've seen a lot of death, but nobody ever asked me to give an eulogy. I asked the child. Awkward. "What religion was your father?"

"He didn't have one."

I did what they did in movies, talking about his good points. What I knew from our brief moments together. How good a father he was. I didn't mention him killing Becky, of course.

Timmy chimed in with his own comments: Before trying to steal the man's food, Timmy had met Mr. Butler briefly at a party. The commemoration of the atmospheric generators, something like that. He also saw him from time to time at the base garage, and he thought him a pretty nice guy, overall.

Landon, now seeming to have recovered a little from his grief, mentioned other stuff:

In days where the rain lightened up, they'd play baseball out in the mud. Becky complained all day about the ruined clothes, but seemed to be glad to be doing something together. Before that, they'd played catch in the corridors at least once a day, frequently breaking things in the process.

Mr. Butler, a vehicle mechanic, studied geology in his free time. They often took trips to the countryside, where Dave showed him different rocks and identify things like Plagioclase.

Sometimes, he'd show Landon how to fix engines. He cooked so well that Becky blamed him for making her fat. He could work magic with the most tasteless of food supplies.

Sad how you learn more about people after they're dead than when they're alive.

The new Ss'sik'chtokiwij had been watching and listening to this whole ceremony, though not comprehending much due to the language. The emotion, though, seemed contagious, for I even heard her crying.

As the two boys sat on the floor, one arm around the other's shoulder, commiserating, I answered her questions about what they were did, translating their words. The young Ss'sik'chtokiwij cried more. Of course, the boys probably just thought she had a cold.

"It's so sad! My birth has caused misery."

"Such is often the case with birth. Even when humans beget their own. Yet, it brings the Creator great joy."

The Ss'sik'chtokiwij paused, thoughtfully observing the children grieving. "I seem to have lost my appetite."

I sighed and nodded. "I know the feeling. It is why I became a Christian."

This term confused her, so I explained.

She paused and thought for a long time. "That is interesting."

I figured this would be as close to a conversion as I would get. "What is your name?"

"Why do you ask me what my name is? I was just born. Did you have a name before someone gave it to you?"

That's when I remembered the moment mother named me. "I'm sorry. You're right. Can I name you?"

"Let the child name me."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Really?"

She nodded.

"What if he calls you `killer' or `murderer' or `asshole' or something else terrible?"

"It is in honor of the dead. It's only right."

With shoulder plates drooping, I cautiously approached the boys. "Excuse me...the larva wishes to have a name, to honor your father's memory."

I pointed back at her.

Wiping tears out of his eyes, Landon muttered, "Scum bucket." He paused. "No. Demon."

Timmy shook his head. "Ernie said it wanted to honor your father."

Landon sighed "Pain. Because that's what he caused father. I want your friend to remember that."

I told the Ss'sik'chtokiwij, explaining the meaning.

"Pain?" She thought about it for a minute, sobbing a little. "If that's what he said, that will be my name."

"You are Grandmother's direct descendant. She will give you a better name if you wish. Also, whenever my friend Maria brings a Ss'sik'chtokiwij to the Lord, they sometimes choose a Christian name, but that is up to you."

"This Maria sounds interesting. Is she a human?"

A white creature the size of an adult German Shepherd clicked out of a doorway. "I was."

I stared in shock. It resembled Maria. It smelled like her. It even sounded like her, but she wasn't supposed to be that big. At least not yet!

And her shell...why was it white?

"Maria?"

She nodded. "It's me, Sh'kassk'dwuissueblik."