-From the perspective of Lily-

  The m, I was the first to awaken, aside from the current night guard naturally. The first thing for me was to che the information that the wandering brood gathered throughout the night.

  While doing this, I absentmindedly flipped my appeo get rid of some of the sand stuck between my natural chitin armor which was c a rge part of my body. The tooth grindiion of sand stuck between my chitin ptes was extremely irritating.

  In the current circumstances, I was beginning to miss the time when my body's surface wasn’t covered in the protective yer at all.

  I have long siiced that every time my mutations advanced, a rger part of my skin became covered in the hard bone like material. In a se was a sed set of skeleton.

  My movements seemed to earn an icy gre from the strange-looking man who was sitting on the opposite side of the cavern. He was some sort of alien which I hadn’t seen before, or at least I couldn’t remember seeing something like that. Unfortunately, I couldn’t recall his all…

  I grudgingly decided to refold my appendages behind my back, trying to ighe itess that had been a stant panion since we arrived on this inhospitable p.

  Inhospitable, you say… oh pitiful and ignorant offspring of mihis pce is a treasure trove of opportunities. I practically feel the pulsing presence of energy rich resources ying uhe vast amount of sand here.

  Are you speaking of Khaydarin crystals?

  No… not likely, but as you already know, or at least should know. Those crystals are not the only material that holds rge amounts of psioniergy. Using that particur material was nothing more than a matter of venie would have been foolish to ighe vast amount of unharvested energy left behind by the Xel'naga, our creators.

  That was true, the zerg could basically adapt to anything. It would have been ridiculous to assume that switg to a different type of resource would cause them problems.

  Should I look for them?

  I asked in my mind, curious about his opinion.

  You should, however, it would be a waste of energy as I already did so while you slept.

  I blihen asked, fidgeting a bit.

  I didn’t know that you could do that.

  I have merely supervised this pitiful thing that you call your brood. It was doh the purpose of creating a foundation which might allow you to grow into something meaningful.

  Well… thanks, I guess?

  What I found was a highly potent substance which I ordered the workers to harvest and e. Naturally, only after the creation of a hatchery for its ste. It is a strange fungus, in the form of a simple looking bck moss.

  Its essence is quite powerful, still not parable to a khaydarin, but it has caused an acceptable rate of growth in the units at hand.

  I was surprised, but happy with the situation.

  You are surprisingly kind to offer me your help… I thought that you disliked me, but it seems I was wrong.

  I do not dislike you. There is no purpose in such feelings, but if you insist on the use of that particur phrase. I would say that I dislike your efficy, or the ck of it… What… what are you doing? Rein in your emotions, child, before they overwhelm me!

  Ah… ugh, sorry… I-I will try… I am just relieved that you don’t hate me…

  You have beeed by me, with a specifitention and purpose. Ohat you have mostly fulfilled. Even if that happehrough ued means. Besides that, at the present time, we share the same body in a symbiotic retionship. When I regain a physical body, you might tinue serving me as a cerebrate as a reward for your service.

  Uhm… I am not sure. Didn't you said that our minds 't be separated as that would result in one or both of us dying?

  Indeed, but that doesn't mean I 't expand my sciousness into a different physical body more capable of eling my will. My essence have been hidden in your being long before you realized that fact. It will simply return to its dormant state.

  I see... More importantly, will you still try to dissect me?

  It has already been done several times. I see no further reason to do so, and even if that happens, you will be resurrected afterwards. It is merely a momentary invenience.

  A few horrifying memories emerged from my subscious as I was reminded of things that I didn’t want to remember. I immediately suppressed and chased away the thoughts. I wave of anger and frustration came over me and I directed them at the beied in my mind.

  …You might see it that way… but for me, it is definitely not a minor invenience! If you ever try to do something like that again, I would rather kill myself and be doh it.

  Though… I do not prehend the reason for yer… If that is what you demand, I will accept it. My survival precedes the loss of a valuable sample of information.

  …I ’t believe this… that’s what it took you to leave me alone?!

  I did not agree to leave you alone.

  What? Just give me a break already!

  Not possible.

  Why?

  I have suspected this, but you do not seem to be aware of your own value. You have been modified through a long process of trial and error in order to serve as a backup for my psyche. Creating you was one of the most arduous tasks I have done i ten thousand years. Even if the process itself only took a few years.

  I eechless while listening to the shamelessness of this being. Still… after the time I spent with Kerrigan, he was clearly the lesser evil. At least the Overmind didn’t try to torture me without reason, for its simple amusement and joy. Its essence was too logical to eveertain such as. In other-words, he redictable, at least to a degree.

  I decided that I could live with that.

  I directed my thoughts back towards the Overmind.

  Fine… So tell me what you wao do now?

  You have accepted my superiority in a surprisingly docile way. Was that the result of our unication?

  …Obviously?

  I uand. It seems that sharing iions and ideas in such superfluous ways lead to desired agreements. My earlier observations are proving to be true. Still, further analysis is necessary.

  Are you still on that? You know… you have all that knowledge and logic at hand, but you still… hmm… How did the bald guy phrase it? Ah, yes… you are quite special! Just like me…

  Indeed. I am satisfied that you have finally reized my capability. You, my daughter, might eventually grow into a fine cerebrate.

  I hope sood. Now it is time for me to retreat and refocus my attention on further expanding our slowly growing presen this p. I will notify you if the need arises. Until then, you are free to enjoy yourself among the pany of these lesser beings.

  With that said, I felt our ental e weakening until it became distant and hardly noticeable.

  I gave a curious go the information which was gathered by the drones and zerglings. I immediately felt the presence of aronger psioniion. It beloo the hatchery. As our minds touched briefly, I felt the thoughts of a dutiful mind ready to serve. It was already busying itself with the sole purpose of expanding the brood. I felt a sense of happiness and ess from the simpleminded creature.

  I drew back my awareness, deg to let it be. It has already received its orders. There was nothing for me to say.

  I realized that I was feeling a lot better now. Eager to see what will bee of this new y and what my role will be in it.

  -Something troubles you?

  The suddeion jolted me out of my thoughts. As I refocused my attention on my immediate surroundings, I found myself sitting across the gray colored twi’lek girl who seemed to be me.

  Her eyes were unnaturally sharp pink. A lively color, whi nature was often a sign of extreme toxicity. However, that was not the reason I felt slightly unfortable around her. Since I was also holding a siderable amount of poison in my body.

  Throughout my short life, I have been forced to realize that I was a uity, ohat more often than not aroused revolting feelings in others.

  However, pared to me, this girl definitely got the short end of the stick… Her very presence was screaming with an undeniable purpose. Even being near her was making me unfortable, but sensing her eyes looking at me was making me dht antsy.

  I could sense a weight, an i behind the smallest gnces. She was burdened with responsibility and expectations. Those poisonous looking pink eyes were filled with a cutting awarehat prickled my skin as her gaze passed over it, like small needles probing, searg, seeking, always suspicious.

  Her psionic presence was also simir to that sensation. At first, it felt calm. Only after careful observation could I sehe raging storm carefully hidden uhe still surface. Sihe attack of the robot earlier, that storm has only grown wilder.

  There was a lingering tension arouhe air felt heavy and oppressive. A subtle sense of danger h in the air, her aura sharp and cold, ready to sh out at any sed.

  Sihe droid attack, I was instinctually trying to avoid her. Only speaking when it was necessary. To my surprise, the others didn’t seem to notiything.

  My thoughts were frozen as I felt the pink eyes loto my own.

  She has grown bored with waiting for an answer, and tried to remihat I was supposed to be in a versation. She spoke in a whisper.

  -Did your little friends find something troublesome?

  I shook my head. The Overmind has pulled away most of them to create the hatchery, but it still left behind several of them to scout the nearby caves.

  She observed me carefully. I had to force myself to not break the eye tact.

  Eventually, she rexed somewhat, her oppressive presence weakening siderably in the process, which made me a lot calmer too.

  Seeing that the tension surrounding us had abated, she showed me a hesitant smile. Then added a few words.

  -I should have anticipated that I could not hide such powerful emotions from a telepathically attuned being as you. It seems that I have uionally troubled you in my anger. I am sorry.

  I felt strange hearing those words. Couldn’t figure out how to properly react to it, because of that I simply nodded.

  Seeing that, Nizzal seemed to bee silent as well. Her smile morphed bato aionless expression as her gaze stuy folded appendages.

  A few minutes went by as the sileretched. her of us has tried to break it again. Soon, sounds created by slow and heavy movements could be heard nearby. Both of us gnced in the dire of the noise.

  They were made by Barriss, who had been awakened. She was sleepio the twi’lek and now was in the process of sitting up while gring at us with an exasperated expression.

  She bed through her long bck hair with a frustrated flick of her wrist and the use of her fingers. Her hair, which was usually hidden under her hood, tied in a tight knot, became loose somewhere through the night. Something she was trying to rectify.

  After managing to do so, she allowed herself a satisfied smirk, momentarily fetting about her earlier frustrations. Then her eyes wao our staring forms, leading to the appearance of the earlier frown.

  Eventually, her lips parted with a sigh.

  -ime, you should wait with your oh so insightful chatter until the rest of us are awake, right Kali?

  There was no ao her question.

  A deepening frown and a flicker of annoyaer, she turned around, staring at the obliviously sleeping form of Kalifa. She blinked, newfound amusement sneaking onto her features.

  At st, she shook her head weakly before turning back to us.

  -It seems that I should only speak in my ’s enviable how deeply she could sleep, even in such dire circumstances.

  I blihen stated.

  -I don’t quite uand what you mean. I fall asleep whenever I deem it necessary. Is it different for you?

  Another voice chirped into the versation ing from the other side of Kalifa. It beloo Ahsoka, who had also been awake for a while now, listening to us.

  -Quite so, it is more of a process of the sort… not like pushing a button and sn right away. Still, that is an ability which many soldiers would have killed for otlefield. I couldn’t t the number of nights when I was desperately trying to fall asleep, only for it to elude me entirely.

  Barriss seemed to uand what Ahsoka was talking about, as she nodded with a serious expression.

  Nizzal, oher hand, only showed a knowing smile.

  A new, mildly amused voice appeared ing from the opposite side of the four to five meter wide chamber which we used as a temporary campsite.

  It maybe not so surprisingly beloo the unusually chatty ahusiastic ruta woman. Her name was one I actually remembered. She was called Malle; she was asking us a plethora of questions through our walk yesterday.

  She reminded me of Mady and the ragtag group of pirates I had once been traveling with.

  My gaze unsciously turned back to the gray twi’lek girl, she told me that Mady was safe and sound, and her friends were proteg her. A subtle sense of warmth and relief filled my tummy as I pyed with the thoughts.

  My attention, however, was quickly brought back to the present as the voice belonging to Malle reached my ears, first in the form of an amused whistle.

  -How cute. I never expected to see a bunch of prepubest girls sharing their old war stories.

  All of us exge wry g one another.

  Eventually Barriss spoke up with a flicker of annoyance.

  -That’s good, then. Since we are not prepubest to begin with.

  She somehow mao pull off the act with ued haughtiness.

  As a rea, Nizzal face palmed silently in the background while Malle, against Barriss's expectations, burst into a fit of ughter.

  Eveherwise gloomy alien atg over the entire exge from a dark er of the chamber seemed to smirk at that.

  Naturally, the vivid rea of the ruta mao wake up the rest of the camp. Earning quite a few frustrated gnces in the process.

  Gres that have been slightly mollified after she shared the subject of her ughter.

  Before we know, half the cave was snickering at the utter absurdity of our situation. Something that her of us could truly deny. It only showed how far the civil war, thanks to the careful maations of the Sith, has pushed the otherwise retively peaceful gaxy.

  In the end, Kalifa woke up as well.

  Following that, the people in the camp slowly began to move. Sharing a small portion of food and water between everyone. We ate what we received, then began to pack up our things. Luckily for me, I had literally nothing aside from the slightly modified jedi clothes which I was wearing. The only modification was done in order to allow me to wear it with my extra limbs.

  Aside from that, my only possession was the currently not w lightsaber hilt resting otom of one of the deep pockets of my clothes.

  Soon enough, we were tinuing our walk towards the exit of the cave system.