Chapter 34

"So in conclusion, I need four humans," I explain determinedly to a preoccupied General Lyra, who is looking through a microscope at cells that divide concurrently, becoming clones of each other. Recently she's been spending a lot of time and resources on cloning technology. 

Her lips purse but she doesn't answer. I take one breath, then two, wondering if I should repeat myself, the silence and her reluctance putting me on edge. 

"You have been acting independently so far, why do you need my help now? Certainly Lucian can help you since you two seemed to have teamed up for this escapade." She looks up at me through magnified lenses, her blue eyes larger than ever through those glasses. 

There's no mistaking the sarcasm in her tone even though her face displays no emotion.

I take a step back, chagrined. "I... I've found a way in. Finally."

She looks back at the eye piece of the intricate machinery embedded into the table. She adjusts the focus on one of the pieces and then looks into it again. "I told you to lay low. Did you not get my message?" 

We're in the underground laboratory and General Lyra was not expecting me today. Her clear instructions were for me to stay under the radar ever since Lazarus locked me up but I can't pass up on such a golden opportunity like this. 

Not when this might be the only chance for me to find out what those heat signatures under the labs are. 

And then there's Ron but I've been trying not to think of him and the imminent death I'm sending him to on Earth. 

"You've always been stubborn and reckless. I thought I'd ironed out that part of you but it seems it has remained." The General murmurs. "You know I can't get involved. Grievous took the risk but smuggling humans is illegal, even leadership cannot escape those rules." 

She gives me a side glance and I know the implication behind her words. She's not only talking about herself. 

"I know of the risks but in this case the risks outweigh the benefits." 

"You don't know that." She straightens and pulls off her gloves, throwing them into a sanitary bin below the marble countertop. "You don't know if there's anything significant under there. This human you talk of, the one with the missing brother, what if they recognise him? If they took his twin, certainly they will." 

"They deleted his records. I'm banking on the fact that they won't." I scratch the inside of my wrist absentmindedly, her doubts are making my skin itch. 

"We have humans here but they know of our existence and therefore they can never leave. I'm sorry, Luna but you got yourself into this mess, I'm afraid you're on your own." 

All I can do is stare after her open mouthed as she leaves me in that chamber alone. In all my years of service, General Lyra has always had my back. This has to be the first time she's refused to help. 

It takes a moment to sink in but soon all I feel is anger. She's the one who set me on this path to begin with and now when stakes are higher, she conveniently pulls out. 

I charge out of the Sympathizer labs without speaking to anyone else and then head to Onyx to meet Ron. He's by the bar, serving drinks to a customer when he spots me. I order a drink and thankfully it's less crowded this evening. 

It's easy to slip out of view and meet him at our freezing rendezvous point. 

"I've found a way to get you in." I tell him and watch his face brighten with hope. "But I need four more willing humans, preferably ones who won't babble." 

I'm pacing now, my shoulders just inches from hitting hanging pieces of gargan meat. Thank the stars, that the freezer is this cold or this entire room would be stinking of raw meat. 

"Four," Ron repeats, eyes widening. "Four?" 

"Yes, four," I snap, my frustration getting the better of me. Now the generals warning take on a new meaning and instead of anger, I feel wary of getting myself incriminated with Lazarus and my father. 

"I could ask around," Ron suggests but he doesn't look so convinced. 

I sigh loudly and then curse when my shoulder grazes the raw meat. Maybe I should ask Lucian. He must have humans working for him in the quarters or else how would he have known about them disappearing? 

Ron squares his shoulders suddenly and nods my way. "I'll get it done. I know a few people who want answers as well." 

How many humans have gone missing? 

"And you can do this covertly?" I ask skeptically. 

He nods and the surge of hope I feel is intermixed by a multiplying bout of guilt. Not only am I getting him involved, I'm going to be sending in four more humans to their death. 

I shake my head suddenly, taking a step back. "You know what. Maybe this is a bad idea." 

A flash of panic crosses his face. "Are you having second thoughts, PG Luna?"

"Yes, I am, obviously," I point out. "First of all, I'm putting myself in a tight situation by sending you and others in. And there's no guarantee I can bring you back...."

I trail off and his mouth forms a tight line. "I knew that. I knew the risks when I approached you, PG Luna."

I swallow hard. "And you're okay with that?" 

He smiles widely, taking me aback. Not the kind of reaction I was expecting. 

"You are kind and you deserve leadership. You have a good heart, PG. If I survive, it will be my pleasure to serve you." 

My stomach churns uncomfortably. His eloquent words are food to my soul and I never knew how much I needed to hear them, least of all from him. But he's brave and more selfless than any Plutonian I've encountered, especially recently. 

Maybe the humans are more evolved than we give them credit for. 

"Please do this for me. I will do my part, I will have four volunteers by the time you need them."

Lazarus never specified a time frame but I figure the sooner the better. 

"It's getting cold." I say, rubbing my shoulders. "We should leave."

"Meet me here in five cycles. I'll have those names by then." 

I stare at him, at the mop of brown hair brushing against his eye brows and the light smattering of freckles on his high cheek bones. He looks so young, such promising potential. 

I cross my arms over each other, the chill getting to me. "We don't have to do this. Your brother is most likely...." I trail off before continuing. "But you're here and you are free to rise ranks in the army without a Plutonian sponsor. You have so much going for you." 

He smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes. "I have not lived since he went missing. If my life is the cost for the truth I will gladly pay it."

"But what good will it do?" I frown and we both rub our arms to keep warm. I know I'm wasting our time by asking these questions but a part of me is genuinely concerned and curious. 

"I won't be able to do much. But once we know the truth, you have the power to decide what to do next, don't you?" 

I unconsciously take a step back. This whole time I've been thinking about finding out what they're hiding under there. I never thought about what would happen after I found out. 

"I suppose that depends on what we find," I answer evasively. Most likely I won't be able to do anything. I can't act against Lazarus and my father without General Lyra's and the Sympathizer's backing. Again, I wonder if this operation is worth the risk but Ron has a point. 

The truth is what we seek and that is all that matters for now. 

I nod stiffly, not liking the way I feel about this whole thing. The more I interact with this human, the more I worry about him. I've been trained never to feel anything for my subjects but this particular human brings that side out of me more than I'd like to admit. 

I leave Onyx and he goes back to work. The wait is unimaginably slow but by the end of five cycles - and to my utmost wonder - he's able to give me four names. Four other humans who have motives similar to his and are willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause. 

Tiara, Mason, Tim and Sonja. 

Lazarus and my father bring me to a facility hidden within the confinements of the training rooms by the pits. It is the first time they've brought me here but I see a few Plutonians scatter about when they arrive. Some of them belong to General Grievous's squads. 

"Luna, I can't say how proud I am that you are finally thinking about your future. I have been waiting for this day." My father says. 

My lips purse into a reluctant smile and they lead me into a room with a projected screen floating above the table's recess. 

"Always knew she had it in her," Lazarus boasts, stroking my shoulder affectionately. We sit down next to each other, with my father on the other side. This room is private, no other officers in sight. The walls are dark, almost black. The only source of light comes from the screen in front of us and the scattered micro lights above. 

"Alright show us what you have." My father says. 

I hand the disc to Lazarus and he puts it into a small recess on the table's surface. The folders pop up on the screen before us and my pulse spikes rapidly. 

I did a background check on all of them. Tiara and Mason are officers like Ron, both left free by their previous sponsors and lovers. Tim and Sonja are slaves in the quarters. None of them have siblings missing like Ron but they have loved ones who volunteered and never came back. 

Only Ron and his twin brother are my greatest worry. 

My father sifts through the files one by one, reading through their progress reports. "Hmm, three officers. Risky, but faking their deaths would be somewhat easier considering they travel on missions. But why would officers want to volunteer for something like this?"

He looks at me skeptically, leaving their folders open. Ron's face is floating on the screen and I'm banking on the fact that they have never cared about humans enough to recognise him. I can only hope and pray that they don't. 

I told them they'd get paid. The remittance will be issued to the person of their choosing. 

"Ahh of course." General Grievous mutters. "Let me guess gold bars?" 

"They were content with fifty silver coins and five gold coins each." I say and he rolls his eyes. 

"We're not going to pay them obviously. We just need them to believe that." Lazarus adds, his voice laced with humour. 

I turn to him. "We don't?" 

He laughs at me and I really can't tell if there's condescension in his tone but it grates on my nerves anyway. So volunteers who went in before this never got paid? Meaning Ron's brother never got his disbursement?

"Obviously not, Luna. We can't leave a trail, can we? Alright let's take a look at the slaves you brought us." 

He sifts through their data, not bothering with Ron's profile to my relief but I'm still percolating on what they just told me. 

They can't leave a trail? I could pay a human a hundred gold coins out of my pocket without leaving a money trail and so could they. They just aren't bothered to. The liars that they are. 

Once they are satisfied with the humans I've provided, the two of them discuss a vetting procedure that they will go through before heading to Earth. 

"We need them urgently down there. If possible by three cycles. Luna, you could do the honours and get them settled in over there."

Both Lazarus and I look up at my father in surprise. 

"I hardly think she's well versed with the labs, General." Lazarus says cautiously. 

"Well get her acquainted then. She's one of us now. Good job, Luna." He gets up and leaves the room, not allowing any room for discussion. 

I look at Lazarus who has hesitation written all over his face. He still doesn't trust me enough but apparently my father does. I try to hide the excitement that is threatening to burst from within. 

Lazarus grips the handle of the chair tightly. "So it looks like you'll be heading to our facility as well." 

I let a small demure smile graces my features. "I'm honoured to be considered for the opportunity."








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