Young Writers Society

Ozirma awoke from a dream, though he still was aware of his boring cell even in his dream-like state. His nerves and every single cell was doing especially bad right now. Oz thought about how much it must have cost for his treatment. His cells must've numbered nearly thousands of times more than the rest of the ship used combined. Oz wondered if he was just going crazy or if the treatment had been getting worse in the past few months.

Oz glanced to Corden, and found it fascinating how bored mortals could get and how quickly they tried to resolve it. Though Oz had experienced it themselves in past mortal lives, spending so long in a mortal form had ironically left him feeling less and less mortal.

It seemed strange to Oz, but he started thinking about escaping, about how nice it would feel to shapeshift freely again, to reinvent himself as another person, or even how nice it would be to go on a vacation into the center of a black hole. Perhaps make a drink that, to mortals, would look like something out of horror film. He still found prison fascinating though. Every now and again he sensed something new. Still, despite themself, they longed to be another person. I mean after all he was still young, only a few thousand years.

Oz let himself shapeshift his eyes, despite the pain, to see past the ship, to see the stars, the planets and much to his surprise, a black hole that was only a few light years away. Given his presence here, he could not understand why they would take such a risk. Oz was not aware of the passage of time for quite a while, as he did what most of these prisoners only dreamed of doing, being able to star gaze again.

Oz's star gazing was interrupted by two guards, although they were not normal guards. They looked more like body builders than guards, and it looked like they several modifications, including a hand that with Ozirma saw could "shapeshift" into a variety of things, including a gun, a blade and several other useful combat instruments. The kicker though was that they somehow had manged to safely allow exawatt flowing through all their muscles. It was impressive. If they were to accidentally punch the ship in the wrong way, it could be the end of the ship.

"Alright, it's time to go, you monster."

Oz flashed them a pleasant smile. "Are you talking to me, or my good friend Corden?" he said, although in that smile he let the void itself reflect back at them, although his shapeshifting power was nearly gone.

Ozirma noticed that Corden rolled his eyes.

It clearly scared them, but unlike other mortals they only let it show for a instant before repeating: "Try anything like that again and you will lose more than you already are about to."

Oz let himself move to the cell door and start to follow them. "Oh no, Let me guess. I have lost my cafeteria privileges."

They only shot Oz a dirty look and kept pushing them forward. It was a long walk of twists and turns and security checks. It took (by Oz's count) nearly two hours until they reached a nicer part of the ship, where there were only guards that shot surprised looks at seeing a prisoner here.

It wasn't long until they shoved Oz into a room, which seemed to have a teleporter of some type. Oz smiled. "Oh, don't tell me I'm being moved to a new prison. Have I really been that good of a monster?"

"Far from it, now step on the platform or else we're going to make you."

"No need to tell me twice."

As Oz stepped on the platform, he felt a bit apprehensive, though he was not sure why. With a flash of light, he was off the Falcon, though it was not joyful. Oz stood on a tiny platform maybe only 5 feet wide. Surrounding him was a massive sphere, almost like they had hollowed out a mechanical planet, though how it was crumbling in under it's own gravity or an outside force, he was not sure.

Upon his arrival, pistons started to move, massive cranes whirled around, and bright electric wires swung down, and a strong pressure trapped Oz's legs under a massive metal plate. It only took a few minutes for the once hollow sphere to be whirling with mechanical life, and it seemed like the pipes and machinery went on for infinity.

Then pain that hit Oz's body was indescribable. The treatment before was nothing compared to this, as power more powerful than a star was pumped into Oz's body. Oz tried to break from his confinement but the metal plates held firm as another wave followed by another and another.

The pain went on for - Oz didn't know how long - but it felt like everything before was but a blip compared to the waves of pain. But it was not just physical pain at this point. No, as the waves kept going more and more of his true self went with him. Over and over more of his heritage felt like it was being stripped away.

When it was done, Oz did not feel the itch of his skin. He did not feel anything but the remains of waves and waves of pain and what had gone with his powers. A voice whirled to life in the now once-again hollow sphere.

"We have taken away your ability to connect to your true self. I am sure you are already aware, but your powers won't come back if we make sure that your penta quark can not regenerate. Though once we release you, you will be free to recover your powers, as for now..."

Oz's mind crashed and they fell unconscious.

Oz was not sure how long he was out, but when he awoke, Oz was back in his cell with Corden. His machine was gone, and it seemed too normal for him. He knew he probably would have to go to a doctor or something, but something about it broke him.

Oz looked up to Corden and, trying to piece himself back together, grinned and said: "It is time this social experiment ended."

Corden looked concerned. "What happened?" In an instant, his face twisted to what seemed to be a mortal's version of mockery or disgust. "Just kidding, I learned from the guards. Your explanation would lull me into a nice sleep before it made sense." Corden leaned back against the wall, folding his arms behind his head. "So. The great and powerful Oz isn't so great and powerful."

"Please, I may not have my powers but I'm still great. You know that as well as me. Remind me how long have you been in here?"

Corden looked around. "Well, seeing as we don't really have a day and night here, I would say... too long. That sound familiar?"

Oz looked at Corden forgetting that unlike Oz, or well before he lost his power, they couldn't see through the walls to clocks. "Tell you what then, I bet you that in half of 'too long' I will escape. If I win then you must admit that I and my race are so great and powerful. If you win I'll cook you a delicacy of the kir-ik. What do you say?"

"Ah yes, because it is so easy for you to leave now that you're powerless and stuck behind one of the most technologically advanced cells in the galaxy. If I were a betting man." He sighed. "But I'm not."

"Are you sure you are a man? You are either scared that I truly am that powerful or a coward. And just for the record. Yes it is that easy."

Corden stared at them, unamused. "Then leave. Right now."

Oz tried to make a kir-ik noise but without his powers, failed, and it came out just as a bit of breath. "The deal was I would escape in half the time that you've spent here."

"Then you're a liar. And wasting my time." Corden stood up and flicked at finger at the cell opposite them. "Right now, even they're of more use to me, and one of them is a stupid kid. When you have figured out how you can stop lying to yourself enough to admit you need help, then we can talk again." And with that, he gave a quick glance at Oz, scoffed, and laid down, facing the wall.

Oz scoffed and grinned, trying to activate muscles of another race but instead only succeeded in smashing his hand in. Oz glanced at Corden and scoffed again before he went to his side of his cell and for the first time in a few thousand years, cried for himself.

Kazimir had been half asleep when Ozirma was brought back to his cell unconscious, and frankly, half of the conversation between the guards and Corden went over his head. The only thing he did understand was that the guards were convinced they'd managed to take away Ozirma's powers, but Kazimir knew that was impossible. Even with Ozirma's former restraints, he was still able to do things with his powers. Sure, it was limited, but that was only because Ozirma was holding back, right? He was practically one of the most powerful beings in the universe. They couldn't put a lid on that.

Or at least, that's what he'd thought. Things were starting to feel a little more real when the proverbial feces hit the fan and Ozirma - of all people - started crying.

Kazimir finally sat up from his stiff, uncomfortable bed and turned to look across their sterile little hall, through the walls of force fields, and into the next cell. He noticed Lode was already up, standing near the fields' edge with his arms folded and his eyebrows pinched together. It was hard to tell if Lode was concerned, or just very sobered by it, but it almost looked like Lode wanted to go over there. Not that they could, what with their zappy cuffs and invisible walls.

There were two guards on duty. One at each end of the hall. Gena was the only one Kazimir really liked, so he never paid the others any attention anymore. After the first week or so, the guards seemed to get bored of antagonizing them, but Kazimir had a feeling that boredom would probably result in more harassment at some point or another.

Especially now that Ozirma was showing what would be considered weakness. Which would be a first.

Kazimir silently drifted across his cell until he was standing beside Lode, but neither of them exchanged any words. That was common, with them. They would just communicate with looks, half the time. Or, at least, that's what Kazimir assumed was happening.

"Hey," Kazimir called out across the hall. "Give him some space, Corden."

Obviously, the prison put him through hell. Ozirma had been hiding it, at least until now.

Corden glanced over at Kaz, and flashed him a quick smile. Even in prison, his teeth were annoyingly bright. "No," Corden hissed through his stupid perfect teeth.

"Listen, you selfish asshole," Kazimir said, inching dangerously close to the force field that separated him from the hall, and the other cell. "I know you don't give a shit about anyone but yourself but you could at least have some decency to let him cry without making it worse."

Kaz noticed Lode pulling away a little, inching down the wall closer to where Ozirma was in view.

Corden mulled his words over for a moment. "And... why would I do that?"

Kazimir snarled.

"It's not that f--ing hard to be a decent person," Kazimir snapped.

"It's also not that hard to be a tiny bit smarter than a bag of rocks." Corden lifted his hand and gestured to a small clearing between two of his fingers.

"You think I give a shit about what you think about me?" Kazimir asked.

"Oh, handsome, while your looks definitely make up for... whatever it is you have going on up there," Corden gestured to Kaz's head, "I was referring to this mess." Corden flicked a finger at Oz, who was still shriveled up in a back corner of the cell. "You would think that a being of arguably the most advanced species that we know of would pass that mark, but I guess there's always a weak link."

"Just because you're from an 'advanced species' doesn't mean they can tell the future," Lode spoke up. "It's not like--"

Lode was interrupted by a loud shushing noise, and Corden held his finger to his mouth. Once the silence was uncomfortably long, Corden sighed. "That's better. Hush now, child, the adults are speaking."

"No," Kazimir said. "The kid has a point."

"I'm not a child," Lode said firmly, standing up.

"Then you're even more stupid than I thought if you're standing up for the kid and the pile of pebbles in the corner." Corden's face morphed into a disgusted look. "You see, Kaz, I know a bit about your kind. This isn't the first prison you've been in, and it certainly won't be the last. I find myself in a similar scenario, well, metaphorically. You and I? We wanted to be here.

"Well, so did Oz over here. I imagine out of boredom. But what he didn't seem to realize, or register, or think about --hence, pile of rocks-- was that he gave our species just what we wanted." Corden focused on Kaz, his eyes drilling into him. "Think, for more than a moment, I urge you. Do you really believe I would be careless enough to be caught in a prison like this? You don't know me, but you know of my kind."

Kazimir slowly narrowed his eyes at Corden, who just kept talking. His speech was condescending, and Kazimir was used to people like Corden talking down to him all the time like he was an idiot - but he wasn't a total idiot.

"You could've had anything you wanted, and you chose to be in a prison. Yeah, right," Kazimir muttered.

"Yes!" Corden exclaimed like Kaz was a puppy who finally rolled. "So, why in the world am I here?"

Kazimir glared at him.

"Not for anything good," he said, folding his arms. He glanced back at Lode. Lode was watching Ozrima, mostly, but he did catch Lode giving Corden some side-eye. He seemed annoyed.

At least Kazimir wasn't the only one. He was annoyed too. But he'd rather Corden be focused on him than Ozirma.

"What, was there something in the prison you wanted so bad you couldn't just walk in and take it without becoming a prisoner yourself?" Kazimir asked, reaching for the first idea in his head.

"Not something. Someone." Corden turned to glance at Ozirma. "Someone who willingly let themselves be caught."

Kazimir slowly drifted his eyes to Ozrima, and then it clicked.

"The hell do you want Oz for?" he spat. "What kind of f---ed up plan are you trying to do?"

"What did the Europeans want with the 'new land' they 'discovered?' What did any person with power want in any point of history?"

"Corden I don't f---in' remember ancient history," Kazimir said flatly.

"Power! God, power, you dolt! We couldn't even get near kir-iks until one conveniently let himself be caught in one of our state-of-the-art prisons." Corden rubbed his temple. "I didn't think I'd have to spell it out that much." All of a sudden, Corden seemed far more tired than his usual expression let on. "I don't know if any of you realize how much the stakes have changed here."

"What stakes?" Kazimir asked, still staring Corden down. "Ozirma's the one who's going through it right now. Not you."

"Yes, Mr. not-so-all-powerful should be crying and grieving. Not for himself, though, but because he just doomed his race." Corden lowered his voice so the guards wouldn't hear. "I've been trying to fish out who's so interested in Oz, besides myself of course, but evidently I was too late. Now someone who's just as ruthless as I am has access to kir-ik destroying technology."

"Did you want that technology too?" Kazimir asked outright.

Corden stared him down. "Do you even need to ask that question?"

"No," Kazimir said. "I knew you were a piece of shit. I just wanted to hear you say it."

Kazimir slowly turned to look back at Oz. He was still curled up, but his cries weren't audible anymore. Kazimir couldn't make out his face or his expression, but he had a feeling that what Corden was saying was seeping in - in a very unpleasant sort of way.

Kazimir took in a slow breath, taking a small step back from the force-field wall as he leaned back on his heels, still keeping his arms folded around his chest.

So, the technology holding Oz captive and keeping him in constant pain and agony was going to destroy him... or maybe it already had, in a way. It was keeping him from using any of his powers, and though he'd still been limited before, Kazimir knew even he didn't fully understand the scope of what Ozirma could do when he was unhindered.

Corden had joked once about Ozirma basically being a god. So, what, now the people running the prison came up with a way to kill a god?

He didn't like that.

Gena’s room was dark, save for the cone of light coming from the panel in her wrist as she scrolled through endless posts on Astrogram. Celebrities living in the lap of luxury, coworkers at parties she hadn’t heard about, cute alien kittens, President Rofata‘s routine public announcements. Nothing new.

Yawning, she closed the app and placed her metal arm on the bedside table. She was almost drifting off to sleep when her doorbell chimed.

It took her a minute to get up and gather her senses. When she opened the door, the light spilling in from the hallway temporarily blinded her.

“I need an organic humanoid,” said the monotone guest. “Immediately.”

“Oh, Neyti. Hi.” Belatedly, Gena registered what had been said. “What? Why?”

“No time to explain.” Neyti snatched Gena’s wrist and yanked her down the hallway with superhuman strength.

“Yow! Wait! Where are we going?”

Neyti didn’t respond, nor did they slow down. Gena, meanwhile, was sleepy, grumpy, and annoyed.

“If you’re gonna rip off an arm, at least choose the detachable one,” she grumbled. “I see that sympathy software isn’t doing any good.”

Neyti glanced over their shoulder. “Neyti 04 received that programming. I did not.”

“Huh? Neyti 04?”

Gena stumbled along behind the android, taking at least three times longer than normal to process things.

“Wait, hold on,” she said. “You’re telling me there’s multiple Neytis?”



Ten Neytis, their eyes closed and their scalps plugged into wires, stood abreast in a cold, dimly-lit, clinical room. The battery symbols above their heads indicated they were recharging.

Gena was feeling unsettled, to say the least. Not only was it creepy to see so many identical, lifeless Neytis in one place, but she was already on edge because she knew guards were forbidden from entering these labs.

“Was this common knowledge?” Gena whispered. “Because I feel kind of stupid right now. You were a different person each time I saw you?!”

“Technically, we are one,” Neyti 09 said. “We have individual programming and individual memory banks, but when we plug into the board here we share a collective consciousness and retention. But yes, Neyti has multiple bodies. Twelve, to be exact. But soon there will only be eleven.”

Gena did a quick headcount. “Where's the twelfth one?”

Neyti 09 pointed to a doorway. LAB STAFF ONLY, it said in bold red letters. Gena stepped in front of it and it [i]wooshed open, revealing a glowing blue forcefield.

"We cannot go through it," Neyti 09 said. "It immediately short-circuits our central control system and depletes our energy banks."

"That's why you needed an organic humanoid," Gena said.

"Neyti 04 is inside. The doctor is preparing to destroy them."

"Why?"

"Neyti 04 cares too much and knows too much."

"About what?"

"We are not sure. But we know it concerns you. They want to destroy Neyti 04. They want to destroy you too."

Gena gulped. "Like . . . metaphorically?"

"There is little time before the doctor comes back. Go in there. Find Neyti 04. Bring them back to be recharged."

Gena nodded. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself to duck through the forcefield.

"Wait."

She turned around.

"Your arm."

"Oh . . ." Gena was about to protest, worried that she wouldn't be able to carry the lifeless android back through the doorway, but she realized there was no time for arguing. She quickly unscrewed the arm and left it on a counter before going inside.

Blinding lights blinked on as the door wooshed shut behind her. Shelves filled with android parts and mechanical tools filled each of the walls, crowding out the operating table in the middle where a lifeless Neyti 04 was slumped. Gena scooped them up as best she could and carried them back to the main room, where she helped Neyti 09 attach the limp android to a charging station.

Neyti 09 pushed a button and the green battery symbol appeared above the other android's head. "It will take some time before they are functional, but hopefully we have bought you both some time. There is just one last step."

Neyti 09 placed themselves in front of the door, the buzzing blue forcefield pulsing behind them.

"Place me exactly as you found Neyti 04."

The pit in Gena's stomach suddenly felt heavier. "You're sacrificting yourself."

"I am only one part of the whole. I am saving the better part of me. Good luck, Gena. We hope the good side wins today."

The android stepped through the doorway and immediately collapsed. The purple glow of their eyes faded away and after a few seconds their head stopped twitching.

Gena dragged the body across the cold white floor and heaved it onto the table.

After reattaching her arm, she lingered in front of the androids, desperate to know what kind of secrets were humming inside of Neyti 04's circuitry.

An alarm on her wrist panel chimed—it was time to leave for work.



Her head spinning, Gena numbly went through the motions of clocking in to her next shift. She brushed by the previous guard without making eye contact, too absorbed in the mental puzzle of decoding Neyti 09's cryptic words. As she was standing at the panel in the wall, it took her a second to realize that Corden was trying to get her attention.

She sighed and glared at him. This was just what she needed today.

He offered her a soft smirk.

Rolling her eyes, she walked over and crossed her arms. "What is it this time?" Her voice was a little higher than usual. Trying to keep it together.

He shrugged smoothly. "You seem cheery today." When she didn't respond, he added, "You were late for our arrangement. I had to persuade another guard to let me do my private meetings. It was easy, of course, but my pride, I thought we had something."

Gena gave an empty chuckle. "You're funny." She glanced over her shoulder, still hugging her chest. "Is that all you wanted to say? I'm busy."

"Yes, you looked very busy pacing back and forth. Don't mind me, go back to that."

"It's called mental productivity," she said, glaring at him.

"Oh I know mental productivity, and this isn't that." Corden glared right back with a bemused look on his face. "You're clearly needing to make a decision, and you're also clearly bad at decision making."

"Really?" Gena flared her nostrils. "Well I've made the decision that you're a waste of my time."

She turned on her heel and strode away, intent on somehow busying herself at the panel across the corridor and disguising the fragility of her current state of mind.

"Go ahead, walk away." Corden raised his voice. "Out of the two of us, I don't think I'm the prisoner right now."

Oof. That was like a punch in her stomach. She clenched her fist, suppressing the heat of embarrassment that was crawling up her neck. She wasn't about to let the other inmates see her weakness. She couldn't respond to him. She couldn't let them know that it was true, that it was something she'd been thinking about, again and again, these past several days. And yet... once again, in his doubtlessly manipulative way, Corden was making her feel understood. The jerk. How was he so good at this?

She slammed a metal fist against the wall. "That's it." She pressed a button on the wall and leaned towards the mic. "I need backup in Deck 7."

"You," she said, standing in front of Corden. "You're coming with me."

Corden raised his hands. "Don't worry, officer, I'm unarmed-- although that can be changed." He winked at the officer who popped up behind Gena.

"Move." Gena ordered, shoving him.

"Ooh, foreplay." The other officer grabbed his cuffs, jerking him along. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

Gena led them to the interrogation rooms, where she and the other guard wordlessly fastened Corden to a chair. "Hey, tighter." Corden said to the other guard, who shot him a death glare. Corden glanced over to Gena. "You know, usually I charge extra for this."

Gena ignored him. "Thanks, you can go now," she said to the other guard.

"You sure?"

After the guard left and the door was locked, Gena collapsed into the chair across from the table with a sigh. The stoicism was gone. "God, I can't believe I'm doing this. You win, Corden. I am a prisoner. Now tell me why."

Corden folded his fingers together --or as well as he could with electric cuffs attached to his wrists. "How much do you know?"

Ironic, a prisoner asking her that. She felt very confused.

"So we're not talking about a, uh... metaphorical prisoner?"

"And I lied about needing a different guard to let me speak to my informant. I know, we've moved past this already. How much do you know?"

"Know about what? The kinds of things you talk about with the informant?"

"Okay, so obviously you don't know too much. Let's start over." Corden's face got serious. "You feel like a prisoner. Explain that. Perhaps it'll fill some holes for me."

She wanted so badly to spill it all at once, to finally have someone that would listen, but the stronger part of her bristled. This wasn't the place for that. "I brought you here to fill in the holes, Corden. Not the other way around."

Corden smiled. After a moment, he nodded his head. "Okay. All right. I'll tell you what I know."

He leaned forward, gesturing Gena to do the same. Reluctantly, she obliged.

"I know..." he said, "that you're stuck between a rock and a hard place."

She scoffed, slumping back into her chair.

"Have you heard of that expression before? It's something back from Earth--" Corden continued.

"I can't believe I let myself--"

"--it's saying that someone has two difficult decisions--"

"--how could I be so stupid--"

"--and doesn't know which one to choose."

Gena stood up. "You're going back into your cell. This was a mistake."

"Wait, wait. Stop me if I'm wrong." Corden cleared his throat. "My name's Gena, I'm a security guard who just realized everything she took for granted was wrong." He focused his vision on her. "Close?"

Gena crossed her arms. Corden apparently took that as a sign to keep going. "Okay, okay, my name's Gena and I'm a security guard who just realized that I might just lose my job --and maybe my life-- due to something larger going onboard." He set his hands down. "And scene. How's my impression?"

It was very good. Too good. But she didn't voice it. A fear flitted across her mind. What if Corden was a plant to find out how much she knew?

Well, if he was, it was probably too late anyway. She might as well get some more answers in the meantime, and hope for the best.

Resignedly, Gena sat back down. At the end of her rope, exasperated, she asked, "What's going on?"

Corden smiled and something twisted inside Gena. Normally, she wouldn't step into the same system as his schemes. He clasped his hands together, as well as he could. "Excellent. I must preface this with a disclaimer: I only have a partial picture of what is going on, and as amazing as my deduction skills are, there's only so much I can glean from while in a prison cell."

"You and your fellow guards have been bought out, have been for awhile. Hence why I was allowed to meet with my informant. For awhile, it was my company signing your proverbial checks. But, that's neither here nor there. Something changed, and someone incredibly powerful and dangerous wants to take control of my assets and they want me out of the way. That might sound very self-centered of me --and with good reason-- but that's the truth, and you and all your guard friends are just in the way. When you get to my status, people are little more than pawns to be played." He leaned back, shrugging at that, "that's why I took this little vacation. It's nice to disconnect every once in awhile."

"Vacation. What, being pulled out of the cell for an hour?"

"No, Darling, this." He gestured vaguely all around him. "The prison is nothing compared to a conference call."

She leaned forward. "You're telling me that you chose to be here."

"Oh yes. I had to remove myself from the situation to be able to see what was going on. A small political coup of my company --started by me, of course-- a few dramatic deaths, and here I am, locked safely away with one of the most powerful creatures in existence."

"Ozirma," she whispered, studying the scuffs in the metal table, mind reeling. "You found a way to get exclusive access to him. How? Why? What do you want to do with him?"

"So many questions. I'm flattered. Well, I pulled a few strings to get pairted with him in a cell. I've been monitoring him this entire time, funny things you can cybernetically put in a body," he gestured to Gena's arm.

"As for why, well, why wouldn't you want to snatch a chance to study a Kir-ik? But, I'm afraid that's where the story turns sour. You see, people like me? They want only one thing in this universe: Power. I am a changed man; I would never have sought this, but it appears someone else has."

"The person that I'm in the way of."

"Yes! And you know what they want? The power of a Kir-ik. And you know what they just got their hands on? The power of a Kir-ik." He raised a finger. "Correction: they will get their hands on, in approximately... 30 hours? Give or take."

Gena swallowed. Looked him straight in the eye. "How do you know that?"

"Well, it's obvious. My previous informant betrayed me. They're working for someone else. And Ozirma was just stripped of his powers. Now, I'm not a scientist. I'm not sure how they did that --I didn't even know it was possible-- but they did."

"And that means I'll be . . . dealt with, too, in 30 hours or less. Unless I do something about it."

"Yes, both of us. So, I'm offering a deal." He leaned in. "I need a new informant. And you need my knowledge for the both of us to stay alive. One misstep and your new android friends tear you to bits. If we don't get this done in 30 hours, then we're both doomed. Are you in?"

Gena imagined the ten lifeless Neytis in the dark lab room suddenly powering on and tearing free from their wires and tubing, swarming towards her, eyes glowing red. Normally she would never take Corden's words for the truth, but in light of her fears kindled from earlier that day, she latched onto the lifeline he tossed her with little hesitation.

"I'm in."

"Perfect. Now punch me."

She blinked. Laughed. "What, so they know we're not working together?"

"Well, I was going to say I enjoy the foreplay, but yes. After you rough me up a bit, I'll tell you your next steps."

She lifted both of her fists. "Which one do you want?"

Empyrean Lode

Lode stared at the forcefield across from where he was sitting in his cell. If he looked far enough, he could see Oz in the cell across from him, writhing in pain. If he looked back over in his cell, he could see Kaz across from him. Corden was off who knows where after being escorted away by Gena and another guard. Lode didn’t really care where Corden was at this point. He hated people like Corden, and probably always would.

How long had he been here? Lode wasn’t sure. It was hard to tell day from night here, even though his circadian rhythm had once been good enough for him to tell without even looking out the window. Lode guessed that was the effects of prison life taking hold. But no matter how long it had actually been, Lode knew he was running out of time on his bet. He really didn’t want to fork up a week’s pay.

So what resources did he have? He had himself, obviously, and the map he had memorized before coming here. He wasn’t going to let himself get sent to prison blind. He had a decent knowledge of the guard’s rotations, right up before they started to change it.

If Lode really wanted to, he could just use his one shift of the day. He just needed to figure out how to get off the bonds that restricted him from using said powers. It wouldn’t have been so much of an escape as a reveal.

And yet…

If he left now, what would happen to Oz and Kaz? Both of them had been mistreated by the guards. Lode had seen it. He had seen Oz cry, and had seen how much they had drugged Kaz. He had seen how willing the guards were to abuse their power. Which Lode already knew had been happening, but it was different now. The prisoners weren’t just prisoners. They were people he knew, and people he almost stupidly was beginning to see as friends.

Lode sighed and held his head in his hands. That was one bet lost, he guessed. Not the major one, but definitely a bet. Lode should have known he would get attached. He always got attached.

If he revealed the truth right here and right now, how long would it take to fix things? How long would he have to watch Oz cry, and how long would have to watch Kaz get trampled on by the guards? Could he really just give up on them now for a job well done?

“Everything okay, kid?” Kaz said.

Lode raised his head. It wasn’t, but there was no way he could ever tell Kaz that. “I’m fine.”

“I’m pissed at Corden, too,” Kaz said, with a glimpse of something in his eyes. If Corden was still in the cell across from them right now and Kaz had access to him, Lode had a sneaking suspicion that Kaz would do more than just exchange words.

Kaz was right about some of Lode's frustrations, at least. Kaz just didn't know that he was the other reason Lode was sitting here with his head down and lips drawn into a thin, tight line.

…Corden had mentioned using Oz.

Lode raised his head again. He wasn't like Corden. He wouldn't let himself be like Corden. But if he could pretend like that was the reason he needed Oz to come along, and added Kaz into the mix, too…

That was the start of a plan. Not a solid or very good one, but a plan. No one needed to know just how much Lode was risking. No one needed to know that this wasn't technically necessary, and that he could get out on his own. He needed Kaz and Oz to think he was capable, and being soft wasn't going to help him come across that way.

Maybe Lode should have been more hesitant to help them break out. Maybe he should have questioned his morality. Kaz had killed people, and Oz had done…

Well, he wasn’t sure what Oz had done, but Oz was still in prison.

But if Lode had to sit here and listen to Oz cry any longer, or sit here and think about how badly Kaz had to want to see his family, Lode was going to lose his mind.

Lode got to his feet. He moved to the cell’s entrance and peered out into the hallway beyond. The guards, unsurprisingly, were still there. There also was the constant monitoring of their cells. If Lode wanted to escape without anyone being aware of said escape attempt, he would have to discuss this with Kaz in a more public setting.

So he waited until their next meal.

When the guards were far away and had their eye on the other prisoners, Lode leaned over so only Kaz could hear him.

“Hey,” Lode whispered. “I know how to get out.”

In retrospect, Lode should have expected the laughter that quickly followed. A few eyes briefly turned their way when Kaz let out a laugh at what Lode had said, but their owners looked away when they realized it was nothing of interest.

“Yeah, right,” Kaz said in an almost mockingly conspiratorial whisper. “Prove it.”

So Lode did.

He gave a detailed, step-by-step plan that he had put the finishing touches on during the walk over. There were a few places he could see some improvising being needed, but there was no point in bringing that up now. After all, he wanted to come across as a confident partner-in-crime.

When Lode finished explaining the plan, Kaz gave him a wild grin.

“Okay, kid, you might be up to something,” Kaz admitted. “I’m in.”

Oz's nerves felt as though lighting ran along each vein. After a few decades of this kind of treatment and it barely fazed Oz anymore. In a strange way Oz missed the days where they were unable to access their power and the pain was a much stronger pain. Regardless, Oz wasn't content to simply sit in that cell and writhe in volts of pain. Rather, they had cast their consciousness elsewhere, feeling outside the ship, imagining seeing guards and a fictional "Pheligain Falcon," rather bored with observing the real one.

After a while, bored of imagining small talk between guards and prisoners amongst one another, his mind went back to their home. Not any mortal home they'd had, but rather their birthing nest. Perhaps they were getting too old for such nostalgia, and perhaps it was coming time to find their own blackhole to call their own. But those subtle pulls of gravity scratched Oz's more ethereal itches, and it was hard to not imagine such places after so long being locked up in one place.

In-between imagining that purple, black void of swirling chaos, Oz heard hurried footsteps, however, they didn't process in Oz's head as it continued to see those skies in-between clouds of stardust in the process of spaghettification. Kaz saying "We've got fifteen minutes," did cause some pause in Oz's head, however, taking it more as a hallucination than anything, and didn't quite return to their body.

There were distant noises - shuffling, the scraping of metal on metal, hands fumbling with buttons and switches. The visage of the nest started to fall away, the clouds of star duck disappearing, the nest slowly falling away The pain of the constant shocks took on a new level of pain. The

"Hurry up," Kazimir's voice hissed.

Oz was now faced with a new visage of Kaz standing in his cell, facing him, although it was viewed from an angle not of Oz's eyes.

"I am," Lode replied, standing behind Oz's constrained body. He was poking at what looked like a control panel. Suddenly there a loud sharp ringing, throughout the hall, and what appeared to be a metal can on wheels slowly coming toward the cell.

"Shit," Kazimir spat, but quickly ran to meet the moving metal object approaching. Electricity sparked, charging the air, and the exchange between Kaz and what appeared to be an android turned into an show of bright lights, flying in streams of different colors across the room. Some narrowly missed Oz and Lode, bouncing off the smooth metal walls and ricocheting.

Lode seemed to be panicking, hastily clicking away at the control panel. Eventually the constraints released from Oz, removing themselves from his skin with a painful jolt, and leaving the feeling of a cold air on sensitive skin. Oz had the rather peculiar experience of being able to look at himself standing there, eyes still not fully aware they should be in use.

The android's shape kept changing. Leviating in the air, it look less the shape of a human and more of an ever-shifting mass from which too-long, seemingly boneless limbs sprung out of. It clattered along the wall at a frightening speed, launching itself at Kazimir, who ducked and rolled out of the way, shooting a shock of electricity through its core.

The android buzzed, and its mass seemed to expand and contract, absorbing the energy while one of its limbs dissapeared with a sickening pop, before it started to grow back.

It continued to follow Kazimir in circles, the two of them caught in a chaotic dance. Kazimir managed to push it back and slow it down by sending powerful charges of electricity through it, but it seemed to keep bouncing back, losing limbs and regaining them all over again. It also seemed to imitate Kazimir's attack strategy, throwing out its limbs like streaks of darkness, sharpened at the ends as if they were daggers.

Kazimir launched himself off the wall and rammed the android head-on. He landed on top of it and they both crashed to the ground, the androids limbs sprawling as streaks of electricity ran up both of Kazimir's arms, and the hairs on Ozirma's neck started to raise, like the air was charging. Or rather, Kazimir was charging up.

Oz blinked and was suddenly in their body. While their veins were on fire they started walking and gave a laugh that seemed to echo through the entire ship, almost as in warning.

But before Kazimir could release it, the android sprouted four more limbs, suddenly pushing Kazimir off, throwing him across the room. He hit the back wall with a thud and slid down it before he was able to push himself back up to his feet with a growl.

"We need to go!" Kazimir shouted. "We can't keep wasting time--"

He didn't finish his sentence as he dodged the android's flinging limbs.

Seemingly out of no where, a flying fist came from the cell, slamming the droid and sending it skittering onto the ground. Inspecting it closely, a giant fist shape seem to be indented into the droid, the limbs giving off an almost sad wail before disappearing into a black goop on the floor. From the cell existed a woman, too large for the hallway. "Ah it feels good to get out of that form," the being formally Oz paused, "So they're starting to understand my shapeshifting, huh. Not enough to combat these though." Oz said as she flexed their hands.

Kazimir was huffing, and hurrying to the now wide-open door to the cell, now that the shield was down.

"About damn time!" he spat, giving Oz a quick second glance. He shook his head and started to wave Oz out.

Lode, meanwhile, stared at Oz for a moment in what was likely shock. He blinked, stared another moment, and then went, "That's convenient."

Oz let out a grunt as they stretched out their sore body. "Well, what are you staring at? We don't have all day."