Yve picked up her tablet. "Nine, I'm giving you access to my tablet. Extract only the relevant information concerning Jenkins and restore its power."
She placed the tablet into a flat, circular recess embedded within the control table.
The moment it settled into place, the circle beneath it faintly illuminated.
A soft pulse of light traveled across the surface of the tablet as Nine began interfacing with it, drawing energy from the control table while simultaneously sorting through its stored data for anything related to Jenkins.
While the system worked, Yve turned her attention to the box and began organizing Jenkins' scattered notes.
She leaned over the scattered notes, squinting at the unfamiliar symbols as she slowly sounded out each word beneath her breath. "The... bl-blad had..." She stopped, her brow furrowing. "The blad... had..." She exhaled sharply and lowered the paper. "Urgh. I've asked Dylan to teach me how to read multiple times," she muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Multiple times..." Her eyes returned to the page, but the symbols still refused to make any sense.
After another moment of silent frustration, Yve looked toward the control table. "Nine?"
"Yes?"
"Do you know how to read the human alphabet?"
"I can recognize the symbols of the human alphabet, but I cannot read them."
Yve blinked. "So... you can't read English either?"
"I understand the English language. I simply cannot interpret its written form without the appropriate linguistic framework."
"Oh." Yve looked back down at the notes. "What's taking so long? Download it."
"Would you like me to integrate the human alphabet into my linguistic architecture?"
"Yes." Yve hesitated before adding, "And monitor my room for any movement."
"Understood."
"Especially Jenkins. The moment he wakes up, tell me."
"I will."
Yve returned to the notes. For the next minute or so, the room remained quiet as she once again tried to decipher Jenkins' handwriting. "The bl—"
"Your tablet's power has been fully restored," Nine interrupted. "I have also finished extracting the information concerning Jenkins."
Yve immediately looked up. "Good."
She walked back toward the other side of the control table and retrieved her tablet from the circular recess before sitting down. The interface came alive beneath her fingers. "Tell me what you found."
"I found seventy videos, one hundred and fourteen images, and five files containing information associated with Jenkins," Nine said. "The videos consist of several categories. There are extensive recordings documenting Jenkins' transformation surgery, as well as personal recordings, including several instances of him documenting himself vomiting, presumably following the procedure. There are additional recordings of Jenkins speaking with several Sirens. I identified Celeste Ysa Virellis in one of them with a high degree of confidence. There are also several recordings of Jenkins speaking to himself."
Yve listened quietly.
"The five files contain one primary surgical report, along with several other documents that appear to be personal notes written by Jenkins."
Yve stared at the tablet for a moment. Then her expression changed. "Those surgical records..." Her voice became quieter. "The data about his transformation."
She swallowed.
"Hide it."
"Would you like the files hidden from the tablet's standard interface?"
"Yes." Yve's fingers tightened around the tablet. "I'm screwed if anyone finds those. If someone gets access to this tablet, they could uncover everything. Make sure I'm the only one who can access those files, and don't upload them to the Galactic Web. Under any circumstances."
"I understand. Would you like me to transfer the files into the ARC's secured system?"
Yve thought about it for a moment before nodding. "The ARC. Delete them from here. Keep my access restriction intact. It's much harder to breach the ARC's system, and this thing can be stolen."
"That is a reasonable security concern."
"Transfer them to the ARC. Encrypt them. Then remove every copy from my tablet."
"I can do that."
Yve hesitated. "And Nine?"
"Yes?"
"Don't lose them."
"I won't."
Yve slowly exhaled and looked back toward the scattered notes. "Good."
"I'll upload the files to the ARC's system first. Place the tablet back into the interface. Once it's connected, I can transfer the files directly."
Yve nodded and turned her attention back to the tablet. She lifted her hand a few inches above its surface, and the interface responded to her movement. A small galaxy-shaped symbol appeared beneath her palm. She tapped it, opening the Galactic Web, and immediately noticed a new message from Null-04.
She tapped his icon.
Another lead identified.
Location attached.
Galactic Coordinates:
Sector: Orion Spur
Reference: Sol System
l: 0°
b: 0°
Distance from Galactic Center: ~26,700 light-years
Yve's eyes moved to the next message.
System Scan Report
Aura Persistence:89%
He never left EA003, Yve.
Yve froze.
Her fingers tightened around the tablet as her eyes began to water. She abruptly stood, staring at the message as if she couldn't quite believe what she was reading. For several seconds, she remained completely still, until reality finally caught up with her. She released a heavy, trembling breath, trying to keep herself from crying.
Her voice was barely audible. "He's here?"
She immediately tapped the call button. As it began ringing, Yve turned toward the control table and raised her hand. The surface responded, projecting a three-dimensional spatial interface into the air. Symbols and controls materialized around her, shifting and rearranging beneath her fingers as she moved them through the projection.
She quickly entered the coordinates.
The system processed them for several seconds before the projection changed.
Earth appeared.
The planet hung against the darkness of space, viewed from far beyond its atmosphere. Its entire sphere was visible in the projection, blue oceans and sprawling landmasses covered by drifting clouds.
Yve stared at it. "He's here?" Her breath caught. "He's actually here?"
The call connected.
The projection of Earth remained suspended above the control table as another holographic projection began forming several feet in front of Yve.
Light gathered in the empty space, first as a faint outline before rapidly resolving into a three-dimensional figure. Within seconds, Null stood before her.
The hologram was remarkably detailed. His body appeared solid and lifelike, every movement rendered with such precision that Yve could almost forget she was looking at a projection. Subtle shifts in his expression, the movement of his eyes, and even the texture of his skin were reproduced in extraordinary detail.
Yet the faint, almost imperceptible distortion around his edges betrayed the truth.
Null was not physically there.
And his appearance was unmistakably unique. Two horns rose from his head, their carefully shaped contours reflecting the meticulous horn culture of his people. His eyes were large and distinctly oval, unlike the horizontally shaped eyes of humans, and his skin carried a deep red coloration.
Yve stepped closer to the holographic projection. "Null!" Her voice shook. "This message you sent... are—are you sure?"
Null responded immediately in Jinari, his native language flowing through the holographic transmission in unfamiliar sounds before Yve realized what had happened.
"Wait, hang on. I forgot to turn on the automatic translation system."
She quickly navigated through the tablet's interface and activated the translator before looking back at him.
"Okay, it's on. Speak again. Wh-what did you say?"
Null repeated himself. This time, the translator rendered his words into English. "Me and my companions used our finest aura detection system. The new one. It's been upgraded beyond the previous model. We also mounted the new telescope and reading instruments."
He paused briefly.
"The report is accurate."
Another pause followed.
"As accurate as my enjoyment of my new toys."
Yve stared at him, too overwhelmed to question the strange comparison. Her legs began to shake, and she quickly sat down. "Well... do you have coordinates for where he might be?"
"That is the difficulty," Null replied. "His aura is behaving strangely. Sometimes it is there, sometimes it is not. We thought the new readers were defective, so we tested them on you."
Yve frowned. "Me?"
"Yes." Null glanced toward a monitor on his side of the call. "Your aura is stable. It is glowing on my screen even now." He turned his attention back toward Yve. "I do not know what causes his aura to shift, but at least now you know he is on your planet, Earth."
Yve stared at the projection of the planet. "He's on Earth..."
"Yes."
She took a slow breath, trying to steady herself. "Then why hasn't he come home?"
Null chuckled softly. "Clyve, I am not a mind reader."
Yve closed her eyes for a moment and rubbed her forehead. "Yeah, yeah. Sorry." She looked back at him. "Okay. Are there any other useful pieces of information you can give me?"
"There is a pattern I've noticed."
Yve's attention sharpened.
"Every few days, his aura becomes highly concentrated around a small cluster of islands. That is where the signal becomes strongest on my screen. I'll send the coordinates to you."
Yve nodded slowly. "Thanks, Null. I'll get to it."
"Null logging off." He paused. "You know how to pay me."
"Yes," Yve replied, giving him a small nod. "I'll send it."
The connection terminated, and Null's image disappeared from the projection while the image of Earth remained suspended above the control table, silently rotating in the darkness.
Yve stared at it, her eyes still wet. She remained seated for a few moments, watching the rotating image of Earth.
Then another notification appeared on her tablet.
She blinked and looked down.
A new message from Null.
Yve tapped it and coordinates filled the screen.
She immediately stood and turned toward the control table. With a wave of her hand, the holographic display responded, Earth expanding as the system began following the newly received coordinates.
The view swept across the planet.
Continents passed beneath the projection as the system descended toward East Asia. A moment later, the display settled over a peninsula surrounded by dark blue waters.
South Korea.
The projection showed a landscape of dense cities, mountains rising between them, and scattered islands stretching along the surrounding coastline.
Yve stared at the location. "What is he doing there?" She slowly lowered her hand.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then a quiet sigh escaped her, carrying years of exhaustion, uncertainty, and hope.
Her eyes remained fixed on the coordinates. "I'll come and get you..." Her voice trembled slightly. "Dad."
Just then, the bridge-side door opened.
Ysa stepped inside but stopped almost immediately when she noticed Yve. "What's wrong with you?"
Yve quickly wiped the tear from her cheek and turned away. "Nothing."
Ysa stared at her for a moment. "Weirdo." She shrugged it off and continued toward the other room, apparently looking for something she'd left behind. Before disappearing through the doorway, however, she glanced back. "By the way... Raine and the others are back."
Yve immediately turned around. "Really? H-How was their trip?"
"I told them to come up here and get their stuff."
Yve hesitated. "Did they find Emily and the others?"
Ysa stopped. Her hand clenched into a fist. For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she slowly turned her head toward Yve.
"No." Her jaw clenched.
That was all she said.
Ysa turned away and continued into the other room and Yve watched her disappear before letting out a quiet sigh.
Her attention returned to the tablet beside her.
She picked it up, staring at the information still suspended across its surface. After a moment, she looked toward the monitor. "Nine... what is my estimated value?"
There was a brief pause.
Then Nine responded. "Reviewing publicly available records."
The display shifted as layers of information began moving across the screen.
"Your estimated net worth is approximately twenty-one billion Pearls."
Yve's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Twenty billion..." She thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "That's just the public estimate…I'm giving you access to the real thing."
There was a brief pause.
"Private financial records require authorization."
"I know." Yve turned toward the control table. "So access them."
A section of the control table shifted.
A smooth, crystalline mechanism unfolded from beneath its surface, revealing a small circular aperture that emitted a faint beam of light.
"Authorization to access private financial records requires biometric confirmation. Present your iris to the resonance scanner."
Yve leaned toward the device, and a thin band of light passed across her eye.
The mechanism gave a soft chime.
"Confirmation complete. Identity verified. Authorization granted."
The display changed.
"Accessing registered Value Lattices, active yields, value stakes, custodianships, property claims, accumulated reserves, and outstanding obligations."
Several seconds passed as the system processed the information.
"Your current total valuation is approximately twenty-eight billion Pearls."
Yve nodded slowly. "How much can I mobilize immediately?"
"Calculating."
Several seconds passed.
"Your immediately accessible Pearl Measure is 1.2 billion Pearls."
Yve nodded.
Then another thought crossed her mind. "And the current Galactic exchange rate between Pearls and Jinnero?"
The interface changed again. "Current conversion rate: one Jinnero may be exchanged for 1,045.18 Pearls."
Yve stared at the figure and scoffed. "Wow... what the hell are our leaders doing?"
Nine remained silent.
Yve shook her head before continuing. "I owe Null one hundred thousand Jinnero." She glanced toward the monitor. "How much Pearl Measure would that cost me?"
"Calculating."
The numbers began shifting across the display.
"One hundred thousand Jinnero requires a settlement of 104,518,000 Pearls at the current exchange rate."
Yve's expression immediately fell. "...One hundred four million?"
Nine answered without hesitation. "Confirmed. One hundred four million, five hundred eighteen thousand Pearls."
Yve stared at the figure for another moment before sighing. "Fine."
She paused.
"He's a good guy. Let's add another sixteen million to that... and I'll—well, I'll grant him one Binding Favor. Draw up a contract for that."
Nine responded almost immediately. "A Binding Favor Contract will require a blood pact enforced by Galactic law and its recognized authorities. Failure to fulfill the favor will result in a reduction of your societal trust level and public standing."
Yve sighed. "I know what it is, Nine... just make me one."
"What are the specifications of your contract?"
"He can ask me for anything, anytime. But he can't ask me for marriage or to kill someone. Those are the only limits."
There was a brief pause.
"That is quite specific. I assume you have been asked for marriage through a Binding Favor Contract before."
Yve scoffed, a small chuckle escaping her. "Oh, you have no idea..."
Nine spoke again. "Jenkins, from Room C, has regained consciousness."
Yve's head turned slightly. "Oh. Okay, thanks." She glanced back toward the control table. "Finish the contract. Let me know when it's ready before you send the payments to Null."
"Understood."
Yve didn't wait for another response.
She turned and hurried toward the left wing, leaving the control room behind as she made her way toward her room.
~~~
The door hissed open to Yve's room.
Jenkins was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Yve immediately slowed her steps. She carefully raised one hand, palm facing him in a calming, almost surrendering gesture. "Jenkins..."
He looked up.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Half of his face still looked unmistakably human. His familiar features remained on one side, while the other had transformed into something distinctly Siren—the skin replaced by scales, the features sharpened into a predatory form that looked almost foreign against the human half.
Jenkins slowly lowered his gaze at his trembling hands.
One remained completely human, covered in smooth skin. The other was covered in scales and ended in subtly elongated claws.
His eyes moved between them as he flexed his fingers.
Then he tried to speak.
The first sound that escaped his throat was hoarse and rough, almost a growl. His next attempt sounded closer to his normal voice.
"Yve..." He swallowed. "What's happening to me?"
Yve approached carefully and sat beside him on the bed. "Jenkins... are you alright?"
Jenkins suddenly growled. "NO, I'M NOT!"
Yve immediately shifted backward, putting a little distance between them, but she kept her posture firm. "Jenkins. Calm down."
He stared at his hands again, his breathing becoming heavier. "I'm hideous..." His voice trembled. "I'm a monster."
As he spoke, the scales began spreading across the human side of his face.
Yve's eyes widened slightly. "Whoa, whoa. Jenkins... careful." She raised both hands. "Please calm down. You must calm down."
Jenkins stood abruptly. His breathing became ragged as he reached toward his face, his trembling fingers tracing the boundary between human skin and scales. "What have you done...?"
Yve stood as well. "This is Siren biology. The instinct to hunt for blood. To kill. To attack. To become hostile." She kept her voice steady. "But I need you to understand something, Jenkins. This is not you."
Jenkins stared at her.
"This is what happens when the predatory instincts take over. Sirens learn to control them. You have to learn too."
He shook his head. "I-I can't!"
"You can."
"I can't!"
Jenkins suddenly turned away.
His shoulders tensed.
Yve took a cautious step toward him. "Jenkins—"
He spun around, his eyes shifting as he lunged.
Yve reacted immediately.
She caught his arm and twisted aside as his claws tore through the space where her chest had been. Jenkins snarled and swung again, forcing Yve backward.
She blocked the strike with her forearm. "Jenkins!"
He hissed and attacked again.
Yve ducked beneath his claws and shoved him back. "You need to fight it!"
The struggle continued for quite some time, and the room gradually became torn apart around them. Furniture had been overturned, objects were scattered across the floor, and deep scratches marked the walls where Jenkins' claws had struck. Jenkins remained relentlessly on the offensive, attacking Yve again and again, while she simply dodged and defended herself. She refused to fight him directly, knowing that retaliating might only aggravate the predatory instincts already consuming him.
Jenkins lunged at her once more, but Yve caught him and used his momentum to throw him across the room. He slammed into the opposite side and staggered back to his feet.
Yve had finally grown frustrated. "Malcolm Jenkins! Fight it, I said! THIS IS NOT YOU! DON'T LET IT CONTROL YOU! FIGHT IT!"
Jenkins lowered his body, planting his feet as he prepared to charge. His claws extended, his breathing becoming heavier as he fixed his eyes on her.
She remained where she stood, watching him carefully. "Jenkins... please."
Yve didn't move. Instead, she slowly lowered her guard and closed her eyes.
Jenkins suddenly lunged.
His body surged across the room, claws extended toward her face. But just before he could reach her, he stopped.
His body froze in mid-motion.
One leg remained raised behind him from the force of his charge, while his claws hovered mere inches from Yve's face. His other hand had suddenly grabbed his opposite wrist, gripping it tightly as his entire body began trembling.
Yve slowly opened her eyes.
Jenkins' expression had changed.
One side of his face remained vicious and predatory, while the other had begun to soften. The scales covering one side of his face slowly receded, revealing patches of his human skin beneath them. His eye on that side regained the familiar look Yve remembered.
He was fighting himself.
Jenkins' grip tightened around his own wrist as his body violently trembled. "N-No..."
His voice came out strained.
The predatory expression returned for a moment, and Jenkins snarled through his teeth. His claws twitched as though some instinct inside him were trying to force his body forward again.
"No!"
He screamed, fighting against himself.
Yve watched him carefully. "You can do it..." she said softly. "Fight it, Doctor."
Jenkins gritted his teeth. His elongated fangs began slowly retracting, the sharp points gradually becoming less pronounced as his transformation fought to retreat.
"STOP!"
His voice suddenly shifted.
For a moment, it was the deep, guttural growl that had come from him throughout the fight.
Then his normal voice broke through. "Get out of my head!"
Jenkins released his wrist and stumbled backward. He grabbed his head with both hands, twisting violently as though he were trying to tear the overwhelming instinct from his mind.
"Stop! Stop! Just stop!"
He struck himself.
Once.
Then again.
"Jenkins!" Yve shouted.
He stumbled across the room, twisting and turning as he screamed. Tears streamed down his face while his voice continued to shift between the deep, monstrous growl and his own familiar voice.
"NO! I WON'T!"
His voice dropped into a guttural snarl.
"MAKE IT STOP!"
Jenkins struck himself again, his body convulsing as he struggled against the predatory instinct overtaking him. He screamed through clenched teeth, sobbing between breaths as his hands remained pressed against his head.
"Please..." His voice was suddenly small. "Please..."
Yve remained where she stood, watching him.
Jenkins' knees finally buckled.
He collapsed against the wall and slowly slid down until he was sitting on the floor, clutching his head as he continued to sob.
"Make it stop... please." His voice trembled. "Just make it stop."
Jenkins' transformation slowly began to recede. The fins along his body shrank and flattened, while the scales covering his skin gradually receded, revealing more and more of his human form. Most of them were gone now, though patches still remained along his neck and across his back.
Yve carefully approached him and knelt beside him. She placed a hand on his back and gently patted him. "It's okay... you're fine. You did well."
Jenkins continued trembling. His hand rose toward his head again, and he struck himself once more. "Stop... I can't... I can't..."
Yve immediately caught his wrist and stopped him. "Don't beat yourself up."
Jenkins looked at her through tear-filled eyes.
"This is normal," Yve continued. "Every Siren has been through this. I've been through this. I know how it feels... so let me help you."
Jenkins' face crumpled as another sob escaped him. "It won't stop..."
"I know." Yve kept her hand around his wrist, making sure he couldn't hurt himself again. "Don't give in to it. It's not who you are. Don't let it control you."
Jenkins shook his head desperately. "I can't make it stop..." His breathing became increasingly uneven. "Make it stop... please. I can't make it stop."
Yve gently placed her hand against his back again. "It'll pass. Don't give in to the instinct. Just keep fighting it."
Jenkins' strength finally gave out.
He crumpled onto the floor, curling into himself and wrapping his arms tightly around his body. His remaining scales shifted slightly with every trembling breath as he lay there, sobbing uncontrollably.
Yve remained beside him. She watched him for a moment before lowering her gaze. "I'm sorry..." Her voice softened. "I'm so sorry..."
Jenkins didn't answer.
He simply continued trembling and sobbing on the floor, hugging himself while Yve remained beside him in silence.