[Flashback] The universe does not sing; it hisses

[Silen]

Oh, Lord, Silen had never planned to save a crowd of women from captivity. He bit his tongue, figuratively, holding back the argument that meeting numerous prisoners surprised him deeply in the first place.

"Huh?" naga glanced at his ally. "That's Escarix." - he said, naming the planet as they moved down the corridor he used to break in. Barely was it the most convenient path for females, yet it was the best and the safest he could offer.

How could it be, neither she nor any of her fellow prisoners could tell where they were. This overwhelming disorientation somehow touched him. "Where were you last?"

Once they're out, they're on their own, he promised himself. Women looked, in his judgment, healthy and adult, which was enough in his eyes to take care for themselves and, maybe even someone else who comes along. As this naga, quietly slithering next to him.

He was the first to climb out and, as he grounded back to the roof container, Silen raised himself up, balancing on his tail and started helping the women to get out. He could imagine they were scared, but the scent of the freedom they felt was powerful enough to calm their fear, at least to some extent.

The routine of helping them out gave Silen a minute to collect his thoughts, even as he heard the shooting on the other side of the building. Unaccustomed to such things as police attention to gunfire at an unreasonable distance from the space port, he didn't expect any third party to intervene. And, looking forward, even if the conflict was spotted by any public guardian service, they would understandably hesitate.

Soon the last of the freed girls touched the ground and rushed away from the prison. Silen turned to the dark haired naga, hoping that it wasn't quite obvious that the her smile was melting his brain. He wasn't too sensitive, nor was it love at first sight. Simply, she was the first female snakeling he had ever met since reaching conscious age, and an attractive one at that.

"Move. I don't think it's safe for you here," - he said, reached out to the window from the outside and offering her help to climb out. "I'm Silen and it's Escarix." - he repeated tha name of the planet patiently. "You got a name?" He had already come up with the idea that he was tricked into making a distraction and mess a little bit. "The police? Like, the city guard? I have no idea. Let's leave. I was told there is one hostage to release, and it seems like I've overachieved."

The gunfire approached, and Silen, grabbing naga by the hand, pulled her into the maze of old container stacks in the yard, heading away from the territory.

"Take you with me? Where?" Her new question caught him off guard again.