The deep red sunset reflected off of a pair of bright silver eyes. That unblinking gaze looked over a large hexagonal foundation of concrete that spread out on the red desert sands. Those sands marched in regular dun-colored formations towards the distant horizon. With a sigh, Sssnnathor turned and moved away from the balcony overlooking the construction site.

Nerlharg-of-Aergh, his white-furred Dorarizin second in command, straightened up as the mottled blue-and-black figure of the tyrant slithered towards the holographic tank in the center of the room. Nerlharg had survived in Sssnnathor's employ for many years through being exquisitely tuned to the Jornissian's moods, and he knew that this particular sigh was not a happy one.

"[What's the problem, Excellency?]"

""

Nerlharg gave his equivalent of a shrug as he gestured to the circular display. Within the tank, a blue six-sided pyramid grew like an accusatory finger pointing to heaven. At regular intervals, its walls had a shelf-like set-back. Each set-back was filled with a green garden of trees and ferns which hung over each edge. The very tip of the pyramid was coated in gold.

Sssnnathor looked the model over with a critical eye. ""

His subordinate looked a little panicked. "[Excellency, the walls are a foamed metal-ceramic composite. It's more than strong enough to take the loads involved.]"

The ruler of an entire planet gave a hissing laugh. ""

"[But...we've already begun construction.]"

"" Sssnnathor pointed behind him at the balcony. He flared his hood out in imitation of a Dorarizin male fluffing up his mane; the ironic gesture was intended to take the sting out of his seemingly harsh words.

Nerlharg bowed. "[It shall be done, but the cost may go up.]"

""

The Dorarizin straightened back up, his amber eyes puzzled. "[Excellency?]"

Sssnnathor moved towards him and clapped his shoulder in a comradely gesture. ""

Understanding dawned on Nerlharg's face. "[I understand, Excellency. You wish them to dismiss this as just another pleasure palace.]"

The Jornissian nodded his hood as he turned to regard the display once more. "" He gestured, and the base of the pyramidal building expanded outward, taming the hexagonal tower's aggressive profile. ""

"[I shall. When the first few floors are complete, the second build team will begin the underground portion. I already have them primed and ready to go.]"

Sssnnathor rubbed one edge of his hood thoughtfully. ""

Nerlharg bowed in mute agreement.

""

"[After a fashion, Excellency.]" The Dorarizin gestured to the display and the building vanished. It was replaced by a star map. "[The signal was routed through this star cluster to some unknown final destination. It was encrypted, of course, but based on the sheer amount of data it had to be a real-time holographic transmission.]"

"" There were already several such spies present on Sssnnathor's planet. They were in no danger of being killed, of course, because Sssnnathor was the exact opposite of a fool. No, those operatives were worth their weight in gold to him. Each was carefully managed, much like one might tend a small garden. They were fed a steady diet of false information which was then dutifully passed on to the Senate. That information was used to present the picture that he was nothing but a decadent and decaying fool of a Jornissian tyrant, one concerned with only pleasure and amassing wealth.

"[I don't believe it's that, Excellency. This signal was much too obvious. A Senate operative would be more discreet. I've contacted our own sources within the bureaucracy, of course, and they've heard nothing about a new spy being sent here.]"

""

"[And if they're not with the Senate?]"

"educate them.>"

"[It shall be done. Oh, speaking of education there is a new shipment due this afternoon.]"

Sssnnathor's hood spread out in pleasure. ""

"[Two [Karnakians] and a Jornissian.]"

""

"[They are extremely rare, Excellency. And every one that leaves their planet is very well protected. Don't worry, sooner or later we'll get you one.]"

The Jornissian sighed again. ""

"[And the others?]"

Sssnnathor smiled at his number two. "[You've been working hard, and you deserve a reward. Pick whichever of the remaining captives you fancy, then sell the other. You may keep the proceeds for yourself.]"

"[You are too kind, Excellency!]" The Dorarizin hesitated. "[The market is fairly tight right now. I might have difficulty selling them.]"

The tyrant shrugged. "guests.>"

He swiveled his torso and slithered away at high speed. Sssnnathor hummed in happiness as he made his way down the exterior ramp and planned his afternoon. First a nice hot bath, to make sure there were no errant patches of shedding scale left on his body. Then...perhaps that red-and-gold jacket? Yes, that would look very sharp. He had to appear at his best, after all, when choosing the next lucky recruit for his eternal harem.

Through his many years of existence, the Jornissian had come to the conclusion that people were much easier to manipulate than anyone realized. In the end, it was a simple matter of positive and negative reinforcement. These slaves would be scared and demoralized, lost in the utter sink of negative emotion. Therefore he'd start with the guise of a positive, benevolent ruler. He'd have them cleaned and groomed...with utter gentleness, of course...then led to a feast at his table. Then, while they ate their fill, he'd make his choice. His decision would cause the chosen one to fear anew, of course, so he'd have to balance that negative emotion once more with honeyed words and gentle caresses as he led them back to his nest-chamber.

And only then, once they'd regained their equilibrium and felt safe...only then would he strike.

He'd bind them, using both restraints and his own long body. Breath-play was something he took particular pleasure in, and he found such suffocating torture more than sufficient to reduce the strongest will into meek subservience. To keep breathing, they would do anything.

And he would make them do anything. Anything that struck his fancy, for the rest of their life. If Sssnnathor had anything to say about it, that lifespan would be eternal. After all, it was only right to reward proper obedience.

Ter'yeik looked up from his meal of gruel as he heard the familiar rattle of toe-claws outside his cell/quarters. He set down the bowl and assumed a properly contrite posture, with his head bowed and his wing-arms folded under himself.

But the door slid open to reveal the bright yellow figure of the other Matriarch, Ma'elge'yk. His crest rose in puzzlement as she poked her head inside his small room. "|Reverend Mother?|"

She raised a clawed hand in a 'be quiet' gesture. "|I don't have much time, and this lock bypass will only last so long. Tell me, why did you participate in the theft of the Claw?|"

"|To preserve the Final Sutra!|" Ter'yeik replied with fervor. He gestured to his terminal, the only other thing within the cell. "|I have a more thorough explanation here...|"

Ma'elge'yk made a gathering gesture with her hand. "|Give it to me.|"

The former Second Claw didn't hesitate for a second. He folded the terminal shut and handed it to the Matriarch. She snatched it up, and with her other hand poked at Ter'yeik's chest.

"|You may have gone astray but if it was for good reason, you might yet deserve forgiveness. As Sutra Two Hundred and Six states...|"

"|...An abundance of zeal can lead even the purest of heart to ruin,|" finished Ter'yeik. He bowed his head again. "|I can only submit myself to the Great Mother for such judgement.|"

"|Perhaps not only the Great Mother may judge you.|" Ma'elge'yk tapped the terminal against the underside of her muzzle as she thought. "|I shall read your explanation. If it shows proper contrition and clarity of thought, then perhaps you have a future that does not involve isolation and gruel.|"

As Ter'yeik's crest rose higher in hope, she withdrew and the door slid shut again. He realized with belated regret that, with his terminal gone, he now had absolutely nothing to occupy his time. Other than eating and meditation, of course. The Karnakian sighed as he picked up his bowl of porridge and resumed his meal.

Maria was sitting in the mess and in the middle of another Karnakian translation effort when semi-disaster struck. The minor catastrophe came in the form of two xenos who shouldn't have been in the same room.

It almost went down like an old Western. Irr''kttz (AKA Frick) walked like a mobile blue cloud through the door at one side of the mess, and nodded agreeably to Maria. She nodded back and bent her head again to her datapad. Thanks to Oscar's presence on the ship, the Dorarizin already had the necessary high stools for her to be at actual table-height.

Maria kicked her feet absently as she puzzled through a tricky bit of interpretation. One of the poem's stanzas ended in a glyph which indicated the rapture a Karnakian felt upon viewing the meshing of souls during a congretory speaking. But given that she had no idea of what even a single 'soul' looked like to a Karnakian, Maria was stumped on how to translate that into the best human emotional analogue.

The door on the other side of the mess hissed open, and Maria saw Irr''kttz's neck-feathers flare out in anger. She looked up again and saw a familiar gray Karnakian glaring in.

"Aw, dammit. Hey, Tarky? Frick? You boys play nice, now..."

The two Karnakians didn't pay her any attention as they stalked towards each other, feathers frizzing out in random locations.

Irr''kttz's jaws gaped open as he let out a menacing hiss. "[You traitor!]"

Tk'rii'na's neck-feathers were now flared just as wide. "[Me? Your fool of a Matriarch started all of this by allowing the unworthy to view the Claw...]"

By now their snouts were nearly touching, and their foot-claws twitched with vicious intent. Maria realized she better do something right now or there would be feathers and blood...and maybe some viscera...all over the place. She drew in a deep breath.

"HEY!"

Both of their feathers settled as they peered at her.

"Speaking as one of the 'unworthy' in question, both of you settle the fuck down. You aren't going to solve your issues now, and you sure as shit better not settle them here."

Her presence seemed to finally percolate into their awareness, and she was relieved to see both sets of ruffled feathers subside.

"[I'm sorry, [Maria],]" said Tk'rii'na. "[I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.]"

"[Nor did I,]" added Irr''kttz, and he bowed towards her. "[We almost put you in danger.]"

"[We did?]" Tk'rii'na looked struck with mortal fear at the thought.

Irr''kttz's eyes narrowed. "[Have you forgotten what started the whole mess in [Atlanta]? A [human] would be in danger even as a bystander to our fighting.]"

Tk'rii'na stared at the floor in clear distress. He looked so miserable that Maria figured she should at least try to smooth things over.

"It's okay, Tarky. We humans have a saying, 'no blood, no foul'. Now, both of you come here and sit. I need some Karnakian input and I figure two feather-heads are better than one."

The two aliens glared anew at each other. "[I will not sit at a table with this...traitor,]" spat Irr''kttz.

"You're not. You're sitting at a table with me, just as Tarky is sitting at a table with me. Satisfied?"

Neither looked all that satisfied, but they did both take seats at her table. She did note that they pointedly did not look at each other again.

"[What help do you require, [Maria]?]" asked Tk'rii'na.

She called up a picture on her datapad, then turned it so they could both look. It showed the face-on portrait of a Karnakian with raised crest, but overlaid on the seated figure's head was a brighter, nova-like burst of light with multiple rays extending in all directions. By clever overlays of color the artist was able to give a pulsing, shimmering effect to the static image.

The two Karnakians brought their muzzles low to the table-top as they peered closer at the picture.

"Is this a good image of what your soul-sight looks like?" she asked Tk'rii'na. "This was painted by a Karnakian, so I figure it's gotta be close."

"[Yes, I recognize the picture,]" said Tk'rii'na. "[It captures a little of the idea, although it does not move.]"

Irr''kttz tilted his head. "[It is also more 'flat' than the real thing.]"

"Okay, can you recommend something else? Maybe a video or hologram?"

The gray raptor gave a shrug of his crest. "[This is as close as one may get with mere images.]"

She rubbed her forehead. "But you guys see this soul-aura with your back pair of eyes. It must be some kind of image, right? I'm just trying to get some handle on what the 'real thing' looks like to you."

Tk'rii'na pondered the question for a moment, then scooted himself closer to her. "[Have you ever eaten a [t''fala] fruit?]"

"Of course not."

"[That is wise,]" said Irr''kttz. "I believe they are deadly poison to any [human].]"

Tk'rii'na shot the blue Karnakian a dirty look, then continued. "[Thus I can only use words to try and communicate to you the experience of eating one. I could, for example, say that it is sweet mixed with a salty tang. I can say that the after-taste of it is slightly metallic, but in a way that is surprisingly addictive.]"

Irr''kttz now looked wistful, which was a strange expression to see on the face of a giant predator. He also began edging himself around the other side of the table towards Maria. "[There is also the emotional part of the description. I and my clutch-mates used to beg for [t''falas] from our parents, and it was always a happy day when they relented.]"

This time, Tk'rii'na didn't look irritated. "[Yes, that's a good point. We can tell you all of these things, and trust that the translator matrix will turn our description into something appropriate for your species. And yet, when all is said and done, our paltry words have not given you even a tenth of the experience of tasting a [t''fala] fruit.]"

"Qualia," said Maria bemusedly as she stared at the picture on her datapad. There was the merest brush against her shoulder, and she realized it was a feather. Then she realized that she was now book-ended by two Karnakians snuggling ever closer on either side.

"Er, guys? Personal space." Not that she had anything against a hug or two, but she did not want to be stuck in the middle if these two got into another spat. Both Tk'rii'na and Irr''kttz made a slight movement away from Maria that had almost no effect on their actual position. She decided to leave off pressing the issue for now.

"[What does [qualia] mean?]" asked Tk'rii'na. "[That term does not translate very well.]"

"Really? Okay. I only know it from a intro to philosophy course I took in college. Qualia are conscious experiences which are also subjective."

"[Like pain?]" asked Irr''kttz. His feathers brushed a little more firmly against Maria's shoulder.

"Not that general. It would be more like me experiencing the pain of a particular headache, say."

"[What's a [headache]?]" asked Tk'rii'na.

She glanced up at him in surprise. "Really really? You guys don't get headaches?"

Irr''kttz's crest bobbed in thought. "[You mean a pain in the head? We do get those sometimes, but only in cases of extreme sickness or injury.]"

"So you've never had a headache? Either of you?"

Tk'rii'na's arm-feathers brushed against her side. "[I haven't. Are you saying that you've had a headache?]"

"Sure, lots of times."

She missed the dual looks of stunned horror as she continued. "Humans get them all the time. We get them when we're stressed, or if we don't drink enough water, or if we drink too much of a particular thing other than water, heh..."

For a moment Maria thought she might be in danger of getting squished between two concerned aliens. "[Do you have a headache now?]" asked Irr''kttz as both of them loomed over her protectively.

"No! No, I don't, and I'm not planning on getting one any time soon, so no need for...whatever you had in mind. Thanks for your help!" She made ready to hop off of the stool.

"[But we didn't help,]" said Irr''kttz.

"Sure you did, I know now that I'll just have to imagine what soul sight is like." She grabbed her datapad and slid off the stool, then sidled with 'casual' rapidity from in between them. Now that the Karnakians no longer had a human in the middle, the pair quickly realized they were almost touching feathers. Maria continued to back up as they bared their teeth at each other.

"Guys? Behave."

Irr''kttz glanced at her. "[Of course. Sutra Eleven: Do not be the first to draw blood.]"

"[I also follow Ta'irrl'qc, heretic.]" spat Tk'rii'na. "[That is why the Final Sutra must be kept from those who will not understand it.]"

Two sets of neck-feathers began to fluff out in anger again as Maria cleared her throat. "I'm guessing the Final Sutra must have something to do with soul-sight. Can you at least give me a hint of what it says?"

They both looked away bashfully as she sighed. "Fine, be all secretive and shit. How about this? Can you describe what my soul looks like? And don't use the word 'sparkly', I've heard that one before."

The two Karnakians paced away from each other and then approached Maria from two separate angles. It almost reminded her of an injured wildebeest getting stalked by a pair of lions, but Maria tamped down her fear and waited patiently as they examined her. She had a door at her back, so she didn't feel cornered...not really.

"[I have to confess, until I met you and [Oscar] I had never seen a human's soul,]" said Tk'rii'na. He looked almost shyly over at Irr''kttz. "[You've known her for longer, perhaps you should go first?]"

The blue Karnakian gave a shrug of his crest. "[If you wish. The souls of most species look...I believe 'stable' is the best word. Their souls are like a bright flame, and they flicker at the edges. But they all have a central 'core' that never wavers in brightness.]"

He tilted his head. "[But [humans] look like a collection of sparks. There is no central, unwavering core. You look like a never-ending explosion of stars.]"

Maria gave a shaky laugh. "That sounds kind of bad, to be honest. It makes it sound like we have no strong center."

"[Not necessarily,]" replied Tk'rii'na. "[According to the Seven Rings, all beings go through cycles of reincarnation, with the last one a purely spiritual plane where angelic beings reincarnate into themselves endlessly. There is a sect of the Seven Rings which believe that [humans] are closer to this final cycle due to the appearance of your souls. They claim that visible 'lack of center' means that you have shed more of this physical world than our kind.]"

"[Don't tell her that!]" said Irr''kttz. He smiled slyly at Maria. "[If [Maria] thinks she's closer to godhood, she will become even more bossy than usual.]"

The joke broke any remaining tension in the room, and Maria threw her head back as her hearty laugh echoed through the mess. "You better believe it, Frick! I'll make you all bow before me!"

The Karnakian known only as The Silken Feather trilled softly to herself as she trotted along a gravel pathway through the park. It was a good day for her both externally and internally. Externally, the sky was sunny and cloudless thanks to the arid nature of this planet. She was also surrounded by a carefully manicured profusion of red and green vegetation. Sssnnathor had created many such pleasant places on this world, as a symbol of both his power and his generosity.

Internally, The Silken Feather's mind was awhirl as she tried to come up with an appropriate opening bid for the auction of the Claw. Both of Ta'irrl'qc's sects were very rich, but it would not do to be too greedy. If she started with too high of a number, there was a risk that they would both just walk away and hire mercenaries to track her down.

She snorted at the thought of anyone tracking her, but such an outcome would still result in less money for her. She'd then have to sell the Claw to Sssnnathor. While the tyrant was quite wealthy, he still only had one planet's worth of resources to draw on.

There was also the issue of Ssssnnathor's ruthless reputation. She would have to be very careful during the exchange of Claw-for-money, since it was even odds that the Jornissian would simply kill her to reclaim his cash.

The Silken Feather paused her musings as she heard a rustle nearby. Most would have dismissed the noise as just the local wildlife, but she knew this particular rustle was far too substantial to be such. Her stride didn't falter, however, as she kept up the act of being lost in thought.

When the attack came, she was ready. A blur of fur erupted from a nearby shrubbery, and at that motion The Silken Feather made a graceful leap into the air with her powerful legs. The Dorarizin attacker sailed through the empty air below her and landed with a much-less-graceful thud into the dirt.

The Silken Feather landed in a crouch and surveyed the four Dorarizin who now surrounded her. Her original attacker rose and dusted herself off.

"[Behave, sister. The Boss-Fella just wants to have a little chat, that's all...]"

Someone else not familiar with Sssnnathor might have gone along with them. The Silken Feather was very familiar with the tyrant, and so she didn't waste time in replying or complying. Her implant sent a mental command to the nano-LEDs and other devices embedded in her clothing...

For one brief moment, the park was filled with bright starlight and a wavering screech designed to disrupt and confuse anyone with auditory nerves. The attacking Dorarizin flailed about in confusion for only a few seconds, but that was long enough.

By the time their senses cleared, the gravel pathway was empty.

The Silken Feather had many plans which nested one inside the other like a clutch of newly-laid eggs. Plan A was to sell the Claw back to one of the Sacred Paths, and Plan B was to sell the Claw to Sssnnathor. Plan B was now defunct, so it was time to fall back on Plan C....namely, get the Claw from where she'd stashed it and get her tailfeathers off of this rock. Then she'd find a new base of operations and try to execute Plan A again. If that didn't work, she'd resort to Plan D; find a new buyer. As for the latter plan, she already had a list of twenty likely candidates.

She crept up along an outcrop of stone that overlooked the construction site of Sssnnathor's latest palace. It was a logical place to hide the Claw, as there was lots of traffic in and out of the area. She hadn't placed the Claw in the site itself, of course, as that would have been too dangerous. So she'd placed the small shielded container as close to the job site as possible without detection. It should be a simple matter of sneaking up, recovering the container, and running.

The Silken Feather's eyes widened in surprise as she peered over the edge of the outcrop at the site, which was about [half a mile] distant. She knew exactly where she'd buried the Claw, and as she looked at its location she was shocked to see a piece of earth-moving machinery parked right on top of it. Her gaze darted about as she took in the scene. It was clear that the job site now had a much larger footprint than before, and with all of the various workers now milling about it was equally clear that she had no chance to approach.

The green Karnakian flattened herself back down against the stone as fear filled her stomach. Her prize was so close, but it might as well be on the other side of the galaxy right now. Then the thief got ahold of herself. It was clear that she'd just have to wait. She would wait, observe, and determine the scheduling of their work shifts. Then she could go in during an appropriate lull and retrieve the Claw.

But as The Silken Feather watched and waited, it became clear that there would be no lull. If anything, the job site became more busy as time went on. She began to plan other methods...perhaps she could dig under the construction? No, there was nowhere nearby that was sheltered enough to start a tunnel. Besides, there was already a lot of digging going on.

Her head tilted as she pondered the problem. Now that she thought about it, there was a lot of digging going on, and that digging was much deeper than she would have thought necessary...