0-SA (The Last Ship Series)

"How much longer until we're there?" Raven yawned before rubbing the back of her neck. She hadn't felt well in the past few days, but had written it off as just the tension of leaving, "It's getting dark. Are you sure they're close?"

Osa hummed. The Irinaut pulled out his map, "We are on the right path. I believe if we continue on this way, we will at least be to the pod for the night."

Raven nodded before leaning back against Osa, "As long as we're there before dark. This trip has been uneventful and I'd like to keep it that way. She closed her eyes, "Do you really believe they'll take us there, Osa?"

Osa wrapped his arm around her stomach as he directed Prune. The Irinaut's eyes flashed brightly before he went still for a moment. As Raven asked about their willingness to help, he shrugged, "I can't say for certain until I meet them."

"What makes them so bad?" She pulled on his cloak before wrapping it over her frame, "You've never really spoken on it."

Zio listened from behind with Sage. He hissed lowly, 'Osa, I suggest against mentioning this. It was in the past when Tyr was in control. The male was unstable. It is why Fex and I left.'

He grimaced. Osa shifted a bit before holding her close, a low growl came from him, 'She deserves to know what we could be going into, Zio.' The purple skinned Irinaut swallowed, "Darling like your people, not all of ours are good. When we first came here, it was believed we were on within an agreement to speak with your species first on possible willing candidates." He rubbed his cheek against hers, "Like you and I."

"What are you saying Osa?" Her eyes opened beneath her mask. The woman was genuinely curious about what he had kept from her.

"We were never given the chance to speak with anyone. Yok had sent out ships, we had some unknowingly infected fools boarding as well, I'm certain-"

"Osa." Raven suddenly cut him off, "Darling what is it?" The woman could tell he was dragging on what had happened, and it was clear he was avoiding it.

"When we got here, some of the Class A's and B's had become, feral. It is not uncommon in times of stress, but it was quite unexpected with the stress of possibly losing our race, but instead of going back to one another and getting their heads together, they chose to follow Tyr. Tyr was one of those Class A's, and he never came out of it. After coaxing the others who were sick with him, they went on their own rampage. Most died to the spores, but those who were sentient enough to suit up survived and began building their own communities." Osa sighed, "Because they were frantic to take a queen or even simply a partner, they were kidnapping women." He whined softly, "It was never part of the plan."

Raven went silent. She hated hearing this. Even more so, if these Irinaut's were feral, the woman didn't know if they could be trusted, "If Tyr is gone what about these women they kidnapped? Will our daughter be safe, Osa?" The woman felt her entire body tense, "What will they do if they find out Luna is a queen, Osa? What then?"

"Not all of them were bad, Raven. Their minds were feeding off each other. Some of them snapped back and once they, terminated Tyr, Lou took over, and it helped clear most the other minds." Osa picked up the pace with Prune. He wanted to get to the pod as soon as possible. At the mention of Luna, he grimaced, "They will not know about her until I know we can trust them."

Sage sat up from Inka. The woman easily fit on the beasts back and she preferred the spot mostly for sleeping, but she had caught wind of the conversation, and her own curiosity rose, "Osa, I thought only the queen could control you all. Yok?"

He glanced back, "No. Well, yes, I mean." Osa groaned, "Yok's powers only go so far. The spores allow its' travel to only spread. These males were without a queen, not infected, and had no guidance. Naturally one of the Class A's will take control, but it is violent." Osa swallowed, "It is why we keep Queens."

Zio's eyes dimmed at the thought, 'Without them, most of us do become beasts.' He hummed, knowing only Osa understood him, but it seemed Sage and Raven both felt the shift of the mood. Both of them seemed saddened by this.

Raven listened to the group. It wasn't often that Osa was so open about his kind, but it was clear why having a queen was so important, "So without a queen, you all could just, what, go wild?"

Osa murred deeply, "I suppose so. Wild? Feral. Yes." He glanced at his map, "Not all are affected. Being within a larger group is worse. The goal of a feral Irinaut is only to survive, and find a way to rebuild the hive. No matter the costs. Losing queens could set us back generations of intelligence, technology, our own minds." He grimaced, "If they were truly doing what I have been told, for all we know they could have a Queen as well. It is hard to tell."

"Are we safe?" Sage shifted a bit on the Yeti, "What if it's all a set up?"

Osa looked forward before pulling the coat over Raven before holding her protectively. As the sky dimmed, they became deep red as the sun set, "We will have to hope it is not." The male rolled his shoulders.

Zio barked out, 'I am quite hopeful it is not. If Lou really is in charge, I do believe things have changed.'

Osa's attention turned to Zio, a low purr came from him as he spoke directly to Zio, 'What was it like with them, Zio, truly?'

He growled out; even sneering his lip and revealing his rows of razored teeth, 'Anything but delightful. Once I noticed Fex was losing his mind and falling back into his old ways, I had to get us out of there.' Zio whined softly.

'The two of you are close?' Osa knew a lot, but he didn't know everything, and he often would rather ask before digging through someone's every thought. It was a habit he had broken for Raven in their first years.

Zio had a bland expression. It was blank without much thought for a moment, 'Friends? I was one of the first to help integrate him back into the hive when they found him. It was unusual, like your case. He was alone, and full of rage. He killed several of our brothers in arms before he was finally put down.'

Osa could feel his feathers flattening against his neck, 'What changed him? Do you believe he could become sick again?'

The Irinaut nodded, 'I know Fex. He has changed. With Luna, I believe any part of him that was feral is very much dormant. He really wants nothing more then to prove himself as a knight. I have known this since he learned of the Class A's. Something would have to really upset him to make him snap.' He hummed softly. The male rolled his shoulders. Zio's chartreuse eyes glistened under his mask as he looked up at the sky, a low whine came from him, 'Darkness is coming, Osa.'

Osa hummed softly. He suddenly began to pick up the pace on Prune, 'You're right. Fex is just to closed off. A knight is never this way.' The male's attention turned towards the map, 'We're not far away.' He purred, 'Just pick up the pace.'

Raven turned a bit on the Yeti. The woman held her stomach, "Osa, easy with the Yeti."

The Irinaut immediately turned his attention to Raven, "We have to pick up speed. It's getting dark, and I don't want a repeat of barely making it out of the dark. Just look forward and hold on tight. Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

The woman shifted, seeming confused at the mention of being sick, "Sick?" She laughed softly, "Osa I'm not, I'm not sick it's just this ride."

Osa hadn't noticed her not feeling well prior to the trip aside from being a bit sluggish. It had been so long since she had been outside, he worried about how her body was handling it, "I do not believe it has been just the ride. Can I look at you when we arrive at the pod?" He leaned forward overtop of Raven as Prune began running faster. It was clear Osa wasn't interested in wasting more time.

Raven sighed, "Fine, fine, but could you watch the bumps? They're making me feel terrible." The woman wrapped her arms around one of Osa's own as the beast bolted through the destroyed town. Nothing remained but decayed buildings, overgrown grass, and empty children's playgrounds.

Osa murred deeply, "I will be as gentle as I can, my love, but I need you to do one thing."

Raven briefly looked up at him as she was doing her best to hold it in, "And what is that?"

"Hold on."