Lux tries to persuade Olan to help her

As the state of bliss fades, Lux finds herself confronting once again the cold reality of her situation. Also the cold, being that she’s still naked. She’s torn between the desire to be nearer to Olan and his warmth, and a definite wariness, given that she was his prisoner not too long ago.

“So,” she says cautiously, still a little breathless, “what happens now?”

Olan takes a while to respond, staring up at the stony ceiling. “Just how did you get involved in all this?” he asks. “Why were you with Atara?”

“I…got hired to look into some bandit attacks,” Lux says. “And I ended up here with a collar on my neck. Atara’s the only person I found who might be able to help me get rid of it. What’s your story?”

“Me? I was – we were kicked out of here, years back.” Olan rubs his head. “Me and my wife, Mala. The Machine exiled us, for speaking out.” He sighs. “We had a life out on the surface, a happy life, until – until she passed. I was angry after that. Wanted to make someone pay.”

“So you joined up with these other ‘outcasts’,” Lux says.

“Right.”

“Sounds like you’re not sure if that was a good idea.”

Olan nods reluctantly. “Right,” he says. “Starting to realise a lot of them were thrown out for good reasons.”

“Look,” Lux says, sitting up, “Atara’s not exactly my friend, and she’s certainly not yours. But I need her help. And I don’t think she deserves whatever those other guys are going to do to her.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Olan asks.

“So – will you help me? I just want to get this collar off and go home…”

Olan groans and sits up, rubbing a hand over his face. He reaches over to the pile of his clothing and passes an oversized shirt and some clean-ish rags of cloth over to Lux. “Here,” he says, “You must be freezing. And then…” He trails off as he starts to get dressed.