Cassiopeia approached the giant alien plant with a knot in her throat. She was not scared anymore. She was just sad. So, so sad.
She knew Sixamnians were not saints, they kidnaped humans to study and impregnate them… But this… this was too much. Sixamnians would never trap and torture another intelligent life form this way.
Once she climbed to the top of the platform Mother opened her mouth, leaning over Cassiopeia in all her terrifying glory. But the girl didn’t felt threatened. She knew Mother was no harm to her, she just wanted her help.
"I want to help you… I really do… But I don’t know how. Tell me how I can help you, Mother…"
Suddenly the words she heard in her head during the possession came clear to her mind again, and the pieces fitted together. She knew what she had to do.
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The voice of the Mother filled Cassiopeia’s head, whispering a petition in the depths of her brain. It was a crazy, dangerous petition but without thinking it twice - maybe because of the possession - Cassiopeia accepted .
I’ll save you, she wanted to say, but Mother already knew.
This time as Cassiopeia struggled to leave, as she dropped on the floor when she ran out of strength all alone, she didn’t feel fear. She already accepted what was coming. She knew what she had to do now. She knew how to save the town and how to save Mother too.
Even if it was at her own cost.
When Cassiopeia slowly came back to her senses, after what felt like an eternity, there weren’t voices in her head anymore and the anxiety she felt for weeks was gone too. There was only a clear and peaceful feeling inside of her. The feeling of those who know and accept their fate.
Jess’ voice reached her ears. She was talking with Christie, her daughter, and Cassiopeia didn’t move for a moment, pretending to be asleep a little longer. Maybe it would be the last time she would be able to enjoy a calm moment like this. Even if it was the calm before the storm.
After a few minutes she finally decided it was time to move.
"Jess…?"
"Cass! You woke up, finally!"
"Did you bring me to your house…?"
"Yeah, you weren’t replying to your phone, so I went to look for you at the lab. You were lying in front of the back door when I found you"
Cassiopeia could see Jess was upset when she sat by her side on the loveseat. She knew she worried her friend, and with a spark of guilt she though she would have to worry her even more in the future.
"Don’t make that face, I’m not going to scold you" She said "I’m angry, but I know you have your reasons… And we have more important stuff to discuss right now"
"More important…?" Cassiopeia muttered, confused.
"You told me to contact you if I found out why Erwin wasn’t replying you… Well, I did"
Jess let out her signature sigh, tired and worried, and when her friend looked back at her, Cassiopeia felt a knot forming in the pit of stomach.
"He was arrested by the army, Cass. They have him imprisoned in Simarea 51"