The Machine God Chapter 96 - Borrowing Trouble

Chapter 96

Borrowing Trouble

The dining area had transford over the past months. Augustus had acquired a long table, solid wood built to last, that could comfortably seat twelve. Tonight it was ladened with dishes both familiar and alien, steam rising from platters of grilled fish, roasted vegetables, and things Alexander had learned not to examine too closely.

He was the last to arrive.

Annie sat to the left of his usual spot at the head of the table, sothing the others had decided for him, already reaching for bread. Augustus claid the right, pouring wine with the practiced ease of soone who’d hosted dinners in another life. Talia had taken the seat beside Annie, tablet nowhere in sight for once.

Felix sat next to Augustus in golden retriever form, sohow managing to look dignified despite being a dog at a dinner table. Gilly occupied the next seat, six eyes bright with anticipation as he studied the spread. Krrsh’s multiple limbs made seating arrangents complicated, but they’d worked it out months ago.

The others filled in down the table. Chi’s crystalline form caught the light from the overhead fixtures. The quiet one sat near the far end, content to observe. Goram and Reth sat at the very end, carefully distanced, with their own specialized als.

Alexander’s nose caught a whiff of sothing sulfurous and imdiately regretted the instinctive inhalation as he passed by. He’d learned not to look too closely at what the rock alien ate.

Chilli’s cage sat in the corner, door open, a cracked window allowing the bird to co and go freely. Currently sleeping, the scarlet macaw was rcifully quiet.

“About ti,” Annie said around a mouthful of bread. “Augustus wouldn’t let us start without you.”

“Basic courtesy,” Augustus replied, serving himself vegetables. “Which you might try soti.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

Four months of this. Four months of family dinners and casual banter and the comfortable rhythm of people who’d learned to live together. Alexander took his seat, accepting the wine Augustus poured for him.

They were avoiding the big topics tonight. No one ntioned the news feeds, the reports of random Drear awakenings across Earth, people developing powers through nothing but exposure to others. No discussion of GOLD folding what remained of STEPS into AEGIS, officially ending the bounty organization even as rumors persisted about internal operations still running. The protests and riots that had dominated headlines since the first invasion had finally begun to ease in so places after the UEG’s announcent about humanity’s “reclassification” by the Galactic Council, whatever that ant. But unrest continued in many parts of the world.

Here on this island, they’d built sothing else. A pocket of normalcy in a world gone mad.

“Gilly,” Augustus said, passing a platter, “I tried sothing different with the salmon tonight. Let know what you think.”

The aquatic alien accepted it eagerly, gills fluttering. He took a bite and his eyes widened. “Is... grilled? With the fire? And also the...” He gestured, searching for words. “The plant that is small and green? Herb?”

“Dill,” Augustus supplied. “And lemon.”

“Yes! Is very good!” Gilly’s enthusiasm was infectious. “On my world, we have fish, but we eat them... not like this. Raw, or in the water-salt thod, but never with fire. Earth has so many ways to prepare the sa food. Is amazing.”

He launched into a comparison of Earth’s cooking thods versus his howorld’s limited options, and Annie jumped in with questions about what other foods he’d discovered. The conversation flowed naturally, comfortably.

Alexander watched them, a small smile tugging at his mouth. This was what they’d built. What they’d fought for.

His gaze drifted to Annie. She was laughing at sothing Gilly said, gesturing wildly with her fork. Happy. Fully present in the mont.

He’d noticed the changes, though. The way she sotis went still when she thought no one was looking. How she’d started swimming farther from the island, staying out longer. The careful control she maintained around the others, like she was constantly monitoring herself.

The Spinosaurus form was affecting her more than she admitted. The predator instincts were getting stronger, harder to resist. She thought she was hiding it, and maybe she was from the others. But Droney had alerted him to the problem, and he’d kept an eye out since. Had seen her fight against the urge to hunt, to kill.

She was working on it. Training herself, pushing through the instincts with sheer Will. And getting better at it, slowly.

He wouldn’t ntion it unless she asked. She deserved that privacy, that dignity. If she needed help, she’d co to them. Until then, he’d just keep watch.

“Alexander.”

He blinked, realizing Augustus had said his na twice.

“Sorry, what?”

“I was asking if you wanted more wine,” Augustus said, the bottle already tilting toward his glass.

“Thanks.” Alexander accepted the pour.

“The salmon really is excellent, Augustus,” Talia said. She’d actually cleaned her plate, which was rare.

Augustus accepted the complint with a modest nod, but Alexander could see the pleasure in his expression.

The al continued. Conversation ebbed and flowed. Krrsh asked about human music theory. Shimr wanted to know if all Earth cities were as chaotic as the feeds suggested. The quiet one simply ate, occasionally nodding at comnts directed their way.

Even Felix participated, though watching a golden retriever hold a conversation while delicately managing utensils with surprising dexterity never stopped being surreal. Four months of practice hadn’t made it normal.

Alexander found himself relaxing despite everything. Despite the rcenaries Santiago had hired to hunt them. Despite the three ambushes on Astra Omnia over the past months, hastily organized but dangerous enough that the station’s security now went on alert whenever they arrived. Despite knowing they couldn’t stay here forever, isolated and hidden.

For tonight, this was enough.

Dessert appeared, sothing Augustus had baked, sohow finding the ti for even that. The conversation had llowed, comfortable silence mixing with occasional observations about the food or gentle teasing.

Then Felix shifted slightly in his chair, drawing everyone’s attention with the subtle movent.

“There’s sothing we need to discuss with you all,” he said, his rough-edged English thoughtful.

The atmosphere sharpened. Everyone knew this was coming. Had known for weeks.

Alexander set down his fork and gave Felix his full attention.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“We’ve been talking amongst ourselves,” Felix continued. “About going ho.”

Felix’s posture straightened slightly, as much as a golden retriever could manage formal bearing. “So of us want to return to our howorlds. Others...”

He paused, glancing down the table. “Others have decided to stay.”

The words hung in the air.

“I want to stay,” Felix said, his rough voice carrying certainty. “With Grimnir. If you’ll have .”

“Of course,” Augustus said imdiately.

Felix’s ears twitched. “But I need to check on soone first. Before I can fully commit to staying.”

He shifted, and sothing vulnerable entered his tone. “Her na is Maya. She was a security guard at The Nexus. She... taught English. Helped when I first arrived at the station, treated with kindness when others saw only an oddity.”

Alexander leaned forward slightly, listening.

“When they ca for ,” Felix continued, “she tried to stop them. Got hurt protecting . I don’t know if she survived.”

The table had gone quiet. Even the quiet one had stopped eating.

“When we deliver the others ho, I need to stop at The Nexus. Just to check.” Felix’s voice fird. “After that, I’ll return here. But I have to know first.”

“We understand,” Talia said quietly.

Felix nodded once, then continued. “I won’t be the one to bring the System to my people. I understand it’s probably inevitable. The galaxy will change. Every species will eventually awaken. But I won’t be the catalyst for the Syltharians.”

Alexander respected that. The weight of that choice, and the responsibility Felix had placed on himself.

Gilly’s gills fluttered rapidly, drawing attention. “I want to stay too! Is... okay? I stay?”

Annie grinned. “Obviously, Gilly. You’re part of the family now.”

The aquatic alien’s six eyes brightened. “Earth is amazing! So many things! On my world, we have water, yes, very much water, but here you have mountains and forests and deserts and...” He gestured expansively, nearly knocking over his glass. “And the food! So many ways to cook the sa fish! And the birds!”

He glanced toward Chilli’s cage with sothing like reverence. “We have no birds. No creatures that fly in air. Everything is in water. Beautiful, yes, but... only swimming. Earth has much variety.”

Gilly’s enthusiasm was building. “My people, we don’t have permanent... groups? We swim together, we share knowledge, but we don’t stay in one place. Don’t form the... the bonds like humans do. Like you do.” He looked around the table. “Here, I have found sothing new. Sothing my people don’t understand. Family.”

His English faltered only slightly on the longer thoughts, and Alexander noticed how much he’d improved. Four months of constant imrsion had done wonders. Gilly had even offered to teach him so Galactic Common, but he’d been too busy then.

“Besides,” Gilly added, “the technology! The music! The holo! I could spend lifetis exploring Earth and still find new wonders. My howorld is vast, but Earth is... variety in ways I never imagined.”

Alexander found himself smiling despite the weight of the conversation. Gilly’s joy was infectious.

Then Krrsh spoke, their multiple limbs going still in a way that signaled importance. “I also stay. Life debt demands it.”

Alexander felt his jaw tighten slightly. They’d been over this.

“Grimnir saved us,” Krrsh continued, their translated voice formal. “Gave us freedom when we had none. Gave us safety when we faced death. Gave us ho when we had nothing. For my people, this creates obligation that cannot be set aside.”

Augustus shifted in his seat. Alexander caught Talia’s brief glance, saw Annie’s mouth press into a line.

They’d each tried talking to Krrsh about it. Alexander had pointed out they’d saved the aliens because it was right, not to create debts. Annie had insisted they were friends, not debtors. Talia had researched Krrsh’s species, tried to find cultural loopholes. Augustus had approached it from a military honor perspective, explaining that forcing obligation wasn’t honorable.

None of it had worked. Krrsh’s culture ran too deep, and they’d simply refused to accept that the debt could be dismissed.

Eventually, they’d had to accept it. To respect Krrsh’s autonomy, even if it made them uncomfortable.

“However,” Krrsh said, and Alexander caught the compromise they’d reached together, “I have family. Brood-mates who will worry. I will travel with the others, return to my howorld briefly, ensure they understand I am well.”

Their limbs gestured in a pattern Alexander had learned ant sincerity. “Then I will return. The debt remains, but family also matters. This is acceptable within our traditions.”

Alexander nodded slowly. It was the best they were going to get.

Goram rumbled from the far end of the table, the sound like stones grinding together. “I go ho. My people need to know I survived. Bring power.”

Simple and direct. No elaboration needed.

Shimr’s iridescent scales caught the light as they shifted. “My people will have mourned by now. I should return and let them know the mourning was premature.”

There was sothing almost wry their tone, and Alexander appreciated the dry humor.

Reth spoke next, voice tight with an urgency he couldn’t quite hide. “I need to go ho. Need to check on...” They trailed off, then simply said, “I need to return.”

Alexander noticed the anxiety there, the way Reth’s claws clenched. There was sothing important waiting for them back ho.

Chi made a soft sound like wind through crystal, nodding agreent with the others going ho.

The quiet one simply raised one hand, palm flat. A gesture they’d all learned ant agreent.

The table fell silent for a mont. The division was clear now. Of the rescues, three were staying, and five were going ho.

Not counting Chilli, who was an Earth bird and had no choice in the matter.

The team exchanged glances. Alexander caught Augustus’s subtle nod, Talia’s assessing look, and Annie’s slight grin.

They’d discussed this possibility weeks ago. Agreed that when the aliens were ready to go ho, they’d make it happen. They deserved that much. Deserved to make their own choices about their futures.

The how was the problem.

“We’ll help you get ho,” Alexander said. “All of you. Whatever it takes.”

“Thank you,” Felix said quietly. The others echoed the sentint in their various ways.

“So,” Annie said, leaning back in her chair, “how do we do this? We can’t exactly buy tickets on a passenger liner.”

“No,” Talia agreed. “Too exposed. Too many questions. And comrcial transport wouldn’t take them to their howorlds anyway. Most alien species don’t allow human vessels into their core systems.”

“We’d need our own ship,” Augustus said.

Alexander had already run the numbers in his head. “We can’t afford one. Even second-hand ships with jump drives cost tens of millions of credits minimum. And I refuse to go into space with only the gateway network to rely on.”

He’d looked into it after the tournant, curious about the possibility. The sticker shock had been imdiate. In-system or gateway-dependent ships were relatively cheap, not much more expensive than a luxury hovercar. But the mont you added a jump drive capable of FTL travel, the price skyrocketed. The technology was expensive and monopolized by a handful of manufacturers across the galaxy.

“Then we steal one,” Annie said brightly.

Alexander shot her a look. “We’re not stealing a ship.”

“Why not? We’re supervillains. It’s literally our job.”

“Because stealing a ship ans picking a fight with whoever owns it,” Alexander said. “And that list is very short. Military, civilian transports, or ga-corps. We’ll borrow one. Temporarily.”

He glanced at Augustus. “Military is out, right?”

Augustus nodded firmly. “Absolutely. Attacking UEG military assets is sothing even the most dangerous supervillains don’t do. The UEG Space Force has its own monsters. We’d never have another mont of peace.”

“Agreed,” Talia said. “And we’re not hijacking a civilian vessel either. That crosses lines we don’t cross.”

Annie deflated slightly. “Okay, fine. So that leaves...”

“Non-military governnt assets, or the ga-corps,” Alexander finished.

The table fell quiet. The implications settled over them.

Alexander ran through the options. The Five controlled most of the advanced non-military ships in human space. Goliath manufactured actual warships and advanced combat gear for the UEG and private militaries, so they were out. Zhao-Matsuura built the fabrication equipnt that made everything else possible. Zeigler controlled pharmaceutical supply chains and was the biggest supplier of the serum itself. Volkov BioResources fed half the colonies and mined the resources that kept human space running with their asteroid and colony operations.

And then there was Santiago Systems, with a near monopoly on advanced cybernetics, computing architecture, and the autonomous systems that ran half of human space. Their recent expansion into the Arican market with their cybernetics and superhumans had made them vulnerable.

“I don’t really want to pick a fight with the various governnts or any of the other ga-corps,” he said slowly. “Not without a good reason, anyway. We’ve got enough enemies.”

Annie’s grin spread slowly across her face. “So we’re going to steal a Santiago ship. Obviously.”

“Borrow,” Alexander corrected imdiately. “We’re going to borrow one.”

“Riiiight.” Annie’s grin widened. She made exaggerated air quotes with her fingers. “Borrow.”