#arkreli

Upon boarding their saucer, Arkreli met Sves. Sves was knowledgable, and soon revealed why the Cephalix was in danger of extinction- Poachers.

See, Cephalix did not just reproduce via cloning. Their saucer's communications 'going dim' was because half the saucer's population would develop the ability to produce eggs or sperm, like cephalopods. They would then pair off, court, and tend to eggs until *millions* of tiny tiny Daleks hatched. Saucer infrastructure was built to handle a sudden decrease of workers, and ensure the survival of as many Brooders and their eggs as possible.

Sves stated that pairings are generally among Daleks that are compatible, naturally repulsed by any with blood relations. There is nothing fully personal save for long-running, rare monogamous pairs.

Most standard Daleks who had come before Arkreli opted to be given medication to abort any biological changes that come from this season, as there is favoring towards newcomers to reproduce and add new DNA.

Arkreli chose to allow the changes if they come. His emotions were allowed to develop further than their already advanced state. Increased hunger and fat storage allowed his body to begin producing the ability to create sperm cells that could be encased in slime and given to a brooder partner. Sves developed as a Brooder, the underside of the Cephalic Cradle becoming a pocket of blood-rich tissues and cushioned with fat to nourish the eggs. Sves and Arkreli began courting, compatible for their shared intellect and curiosity.

The threat was Poachers, who would stun entire saucers and board looking for 'Gravid Daleks', ones with chambers of fertilzed eggs. They would be killed, eggs taken, and the eggs sold as a delicacy. The eggs would be served on the cephalic plate of the deceased brooder. Only fertilized eggs are consumed, as 'virgin' eggs are oily, rubbery, and tasteless.

Ideally, according to harvesting regulation, only 10% of Gravid Daleks are to be harvested. However, the Poachers do not simply identify Gravid Cephalix, instead stunning all on board and then cracking shells with a tool meant to force open the midsection. This tool is often illegally modified for an easier cracking, but it risks stabbing the very conscious Dalek Mutant and injuring them (eye, face, and cranial injury most common). The aftermath of poaching often sees mates of gravid Daleks going into distress and Emotion Sickness.

The Poachers had invaded the saucer just as Arkreli and Sves were in the mid-stages of courting. The stun had, by sheer luck, not affected Sves and they, plus three other luckily not immobilized Daleks, fought Poachers until they could use an airlock to suck them and the Poachers out. Sves was killed by the Poachers, casing cracked open upon capture.

Arkreli took the survivors to Davros. His sperm was extruded and frozen. To him, he'd lost Vanna and Sves close together.