Niv Ewb |verified| -

Then, softer: "Need. I. Voice. Extract. Water. Breathe."

And Aris had just become its warden — or its liberator. niv ewb

The signal grew louder. Niv. Ewb.

Aris realized with horror: NIV EWB was a cry for help. An alien, trapped for centuries in a human-built station, had learned just enough of their data language to spell out its needs phonetically. Then, softer: "Need

It was a prisoner.

Until tonight.