Broken Boundaries

06 - Steadfast Support

'Tiness?' asked Asitha and knocked on her door. 'How're you feeling?' She knocked again and looked back at Alain when there was no reply.

'She wouldn't do something radical, right?' he asked.

'There's an automated alarm when the environmental system detects a sudden change in people.' Asitha said and moved away from the door. 'She likely shut off the door control because she can't face us just yet.'

Alain sighed. 'How do you feel about all this?'

'I'm not sure. I can't say if things feel different for me now.'

Alain stared at the work list in his hand. 'Yeah, same here.'

Asitha looked at him. 'Our males would be furious. You don't feel that way?'

He looked at her. 'I just feel a little lost because I thought I got to know a little about her. Now I don't know how much secrets she has.'

Asitha nodded. 'Not much use sitting around and worrying.' she said. 'I'm going to do some work for now.'

Alain looked at his list again. 'I'm going to get some work done as well. Maybe she'll come out in the meantime.'

Asitha nodded and went up the ladder to get her suit. 'See you later.'

'Later.' Alain said and went to the kitchen to see what he could pick up from the Walkurea on the way back.

***

Alain looked in the direction of Tiness's pod at the end of the next day. 'Still nothing?'

Asitha shook her head.'

'But it's been two days now.' sighed Alain. 'She must be hungry.'

Asitha smiled a little. 'I think I can imagine her shame. Silth like her are shunned and harassed in our world. I'm glad you still call her a she.'

Alain sat back in the couch. 'Well, technically she's not, but I can only think of her as female. Her whole personality is just that, and although in her own way, but I still think she's just as cute as you.'

Asitha blushed a little. 'I think that's part of why she's ashamed and frightened, you are the resident male and even if you're not Silth, she has probably only known hardship from males.'

Alain nodded.

Asitha fiddled with the tip of her tail. 'I'm afraid for her.'

Alain looked at her. 'Why? Could she still decide to do something bad to herself?'

She nodded. 'Most Silth like her end it sooner or later because they can't cope with life any longer.

Alain sat upright at once. 'Then we have to do something!'

'She won't answer the door buzzer. She's likely afraid of our reaction.'

Alain stood up. 'Is there a way to open the door?'

'I'm not sure.'

'What about emergencies?'

Asitha looked up at him. 'Oh! There is an override in case of emergencies and power loss.'

'Can you trigger an emergency?'

She pondered for a moment. 'Yes, I can trigger a test mode of the controls.' she said and stood up in front of Alain. 'I'll need you to cut the power at that moment to the door and short the lock before it resets.'

He took a deep breath in relief. 'Good. But first we need to do something else.'

***

'Ready?' asked Asitha after she prepared the emergency test mode.