Chapter VIII: Around the Fur – Part III: Sol Niger
Interlude – Arika POV: Observation Protocol
The medical bay corridor stretched long and narrow beneath cold, dim blue illumination, lighting up section by section as the two visitors arrived earlier than regular working hours. Its polished floor reflected the ceiling panels like still water. At the midpoint of the corridor, a green LED flickered constantly from a digital clock mounted on the wall, displaying 5:13 AM. Light strips hummed softly overhead—steady and unblinking—while diagnostic screens embedded along the walls pulsed with muted vitals and unreadable graphs. The air was clean to the point of sterility, carrying only the faint trace of antiseptic and recycled oxygen.
Nurse androids moved through the space with quiet precision—slender frames, neutral faces sculpted without expression or ornament. Their movements were economical and deliberate, optimized for function rather than comfort, as they adjusted equipment and guided automated gurneys into sealed rooms. There was no attempt to mimic warmth. No programmed reassurance. In SAI, care was measured in efficiency and survival, not the illusion of empathy.
Near the floor, small squat cleaning bots trundled along the corridor edges, their shells scuffed from decades of service. They followed glowing guidance lines embedded into the floor, branching methodically into every wing of the facility. Soft whirr–chirp tones accompanied their movement as they detected the recent visitors' arrival, promptly changing direction and continuing their polishing route away from Arika and the King. Their presence gave the corridor a peculiar sense of order—quietly active, unmistakably alive, yet tightly restrained.
It was the first time Arika had seen the medical bay this calm, accompanied by her escort a few paces behind, already disengaged from the exchange they earlier had. Before she could assess the unfamiliar stillness, the King unintentionally broke the silence, turning toward her with narrowed eyes.
"Tell me, Commander. Did the boy—or the pink-haired woman… Nyla, yes?—give any explanation for their arrival at SAI? Any indication of origin or intent?"
Arika straightened her posture.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We had a chance to speak with the boy while taking him to a late dinner. He said he needed a specific spare part to repair his damaged android companion, a component no longer available within CSDS. He offered labor equivalent to the cost of the part—any assignment, any task. He also asked whether we had ever encountered a physicist by the name of Dr. Sarenee Anava."
She paused, tapping her temple as she recalled his exact phrasing.
"Despite his age, I find his intentions genuine," Arika said quietly, just loud enough for the King to clearly catch her message. "He didn't appear to be hiding anything."
Kadavar's brow lifted as a faint grin crossed his face.
"I still find it far too simple for Zhang Bo to nonchalantly allow a young boy with strange power, a tiger cub, and a teenage girl carrying a sniper rifle nearly her own height to cross the old developmental zone merely to reach us—for an android spare part and a physicist." He let out a dry, sarcastic laugh. "Had they not encountered your team, I suspect they would still be fighting through cannibalistic demon-lord scum."
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Still, Arika, I trust you'll find an appropriate assignment for the boy. You have full authority over these two CSDS personnel. And don't forget to procure whatever the boy is seeking through the Order—the Ordnance & Augmentation Order."
I think the boy—despite his unfathomable dormant energy—could be subdued easily if he turned hostile. But if the old fox has placed this much confidence in him, it would be unwise not to keep the boy in a favorable position… just in case.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"And regarding the girl, I want you to check with the Order for a military-grade arm implant to grant her as a reward for assisting your team in subduing the monster. I do not like owing the lives of my people to those of a different belief."
Two armored sentry androids stood before the designated patient room which is located just beyond the central intersection of the 4th floor medical bay corridor. Arika and the King came to a halt when the sensory eye on top of the door panel automatically detected the arrival of non-robotic visitors and immediately activated the digital LED screen, displaying the patient's details.
+----------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
| PATIENT NAME | NYLA |
| LEGAL CLASSIFICATIO N | CIVILIAN (CSDS) |
| AGE | 16 |
| SEX | FEMALE |
| BLOOD TYPE | O NEGATIVE |
| HEIGHT | 168 cm |
| WEIGHT | 54 kg |
| PRIMARY CONDITION | Traumatic left-arm amputation (above elbow)|
| | Post-operative regeneration harness active |
| SECONDARY NOTES | Elevated cortisol levels |
| | Sleep deprivation indicators present |
| | No neurological impairment detected |
| STATUS | STABILIZED / UNDER OBSERVATION |
+----------------------+----------------------------------------------------+
+----------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| PATIENT NAME | DEK CHAI KAODIN |
| LEGAL CLASSIFICATION | MINOR / 'AS-07-K' |
| AGE | 10 |
| SEX | MALE |
| BLOOD TYPE | AX3R |
| HEIGHT | 141 cm |
| WEIGHT | 37.8 kg |
| PRIMARY CONDITION | Acute exhaustion |
| | Metabolic instability |
| SECONDARY NOTES | Respiratory regulation required |
| | Monitor for stress-induced shutdown |
| STATUS | STABILIZED / UNDER OBSERVATION |
+----------------------+--------------------------------------------+
Standing guard before the room, the two sentry androids pivoted in perfect synchrony. Both units halted their idle diagnostics simultaneously.
Servos clicked once. Their frames were angular and overbuilt, dull composite armor plates riveted over exposed joints.
Both units drew their right arms across their armored chests in a mirrored salute—a single sanctioned response embedded deep within their limited behavioral stacks, a basic protocol triggered when their visor sensors detected the iconic SAI badge worn on the left chest of both individuals.
Soft acknowledgment tones chimed from their cores as their optic modules briefly flared imperial gold, identification protocols locking onto Kadavar and Arika. No facial simulation followed. No variance. The light faded back to neutral as the androids returned to rigid standby.
At Arika's command—"At ease"—the units transitioned without pause. the right foot firmly in place, while the left adjusted by a precise fraction for a calculated redistribution of the weight balancing rather than a gesture of rest. The change was minimal, but intentional.
Their upper frames remained upright, but a slight chin adjustment downward to return the optical sensors to neutral standby alignment stance. Chin angle adjusted downward by a measured degree, not in deference, but to return optical sensors to neutral standby alignment. Behind them, hands clasped formal parade rest style, No weight sagged. No posture collapsed.
Inside, only one bed was occupied.
Arika immediate reflex, thinking the boy, exhausted, could potentially been drugged and kidnapped, turned sharply toward the door.
"Sentries, report immediately, did anyone enter or leave the room before our arrival, and if any patients were permitted to leave the room before our arrival?!" she called….
Interlude—Kaodin's POV: '30 mins before arrival'
Kaodin woke abruptly, eyes fully glistened and widened, fully rested.
Pale moonlight of the pre-dawn filtered through the thin curtains along the far wall, barely strong enough to soften the room's edges. Directly ahead, above the bathroom door opposite his bed, a digital clock glowed steadily—04:31—its green numerals sharp against the muted wall, counting forward with slight "click-click" constant sound for each passing second.
The bathroom door beneath it was half-shadowed, sterile white panels broken only by a metal handle dulled from constant use. Medical rails framed both beds, their lines too straight, too deliberate. The screens beside the headboards were dark, waiting. The room smelled faintly of antiseptic and warmed fabric; recycled air that felt clean but impersonal.
Kaodin still felt a cozy-warmth feeling underneath the sheets, he quickly gauging his own feeling whether he would indulge in the warmth of the bed like how Wawa is still coiling himself nearly like a small tiger-cub ball, but then he strips away the laziness immediately as soon as he imagined how uncomfortable, unsettled, sloppy, he often felt whenever he missed his routine.
Quickly glanced toward Nyla's bed, confirming she was still sleep soundly.
Relief flickered across his face. Carefully, he reached for Wawa—already awake, but still pretending to sleep with squinted eyes. Kaodin gently scooped Wawa up from the soft, warm bed, then immediately straightened the sheets and folded the blanket tightly with quick, silent, practiced movements. He paced softly to the wardrobe opposite his bed and opened it to find his clothes and shoes neatly cleaned and sealed in air-tight bags. His eyes widened, glistening with gratitude at the sight of clean clothes, and he carried them straight into the bathroom.
He tore open the medical bay's sanitary kit, brushing his teeth quickly and paddled water over his face before changing out of the patient attire and into his regular outfit. He didn't forget to gently wipe Wawa's face as well.
A faint tingle lingered at the base of his spine, instinctively drawing his attention, as he approached the room door,
Something or someone were standing there.
Not hostile. But observant.
He slid his hands along the door seam and tried to pull it open, but the airtight door remained locked without clearance authorization.
A mechanical voice responded immediately.
"PATIENTS ARE UNAUTHORIZED TO LEAVE THE ROOM. PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR BED AND AWAIT SCHEDULED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE."
"Hello, sir," Kaodin said softly. "I just want to go out for a quick thirty-minute jog. I'll come back right after."
"REQUEST DENIED. REQUEST DENIED. PATIENTS ARE UNAUTHORIZED TO LEAVE THE MEDICAL BAY. PLEASE RETURN TO YOUR BED AND AWAIT MEDICAL SUPPORT."
"…Uhm."
Wawa shifted on his shoulder. Kaodin froze and turned sharply toward Nyla, eyes wide.
She shifted in her sleep, letting out a small, uncomfortable sound—half yawn, half snort, mounful face—then settled again.
Kaodin exhaled slowly. "She's still sleeping," he whispered.
I was asking nicely. Why do they have to sound so strict? Now, how am I supposed to get out without waking her…
He slowly moved toward the window instead, standing on the balls of his feet to peer out. An air compressor sat just beyond the glass-panel window frame.
That might work.
Wawa lifted his head fully now. Their eyes met; mutual understanding was settled among themselves with just an honest gaze through the other's eyes.
Kaodin eased the window open.
Metal protested softly with screeching sound.
He winced and turned back at once.
Nyla shifted again, clearly uncomfortable, unable to roll onto her left side. Her body tensed around the missing weight of her stabilization-wrapped arm, a pillow propped awkwardly to compensate.
Kaodin frowned, his chest brimming with guilt. He turned back to the window and opened it only just enough to squeeze himself through, carefully easing out in a squat without causing any unwanted sound. Once outside, he closed it gently behind him and sighed as the cool morning breeze rushed over his small frame, bringing a slight sense of relief.
For a brief second, as he adjusted himself, he closed his eyes and focused on his breathing.
In that jiff—no words. Just a slow and constant focused on his breath.
Wawa responded according to his master's intent.
The tiger cub coiled in a spiral, his spectral form compressing into a smooth, practiced circular motion in the air—drawing inward, compact and precise. In a small quiet of time, Wawa completed the transfiguration, Jamlang-Kai, his form expanding as bone, muscle, and spectral mass unfolded, until a full-grown tiger formed and crouched beneath Kaodin, solid and ready.
Kaodin lowered himself onto Wawa's back. Wawa turned his head slightly, meeting the boy's gaze as Kaodin gave a small nod—a simple acknowledgment, quiet and grateful.
The fully grown tiger, pale blue fur marked with deep black stripes, cut sharply against the pale yellow first light of the winter dawn. With swift, feline precision, Wawa navigated across the lower-floor conservative air-conditioner compressor unit, pivoting down toward the first floor in a single fluid motion.