Before:

     A wall on one side of the hall where Niki labored rose...

     to reveal a pool beyond.

     On the other side of the pool, racks of towels and clean clothing.                          Niki watched as everyone else walked to the pool.                                                   Once there, they stripped off the protective gear they wore, then dove in.             A transparent partition separated one side of the pool from the other.                    To get to the other side of the pool, everyone had to swim under the partition, completely submerge.

     Once on the other side of the partition, they swam to where they could climb back out and dress. 

     As Niki walked to the pool herself, she thought, well, at least now I'll be able to find out if there are any humans here besides me.

     She stripped off the protective gear she wore, then dove in.

     She swam to the center of the pool, closed her eyes, then sank to get under the partition through water Niki figured was loaded with decontamination bullshit. It irritated her skin, or was that just her imagination?

     She came up for air on the other side of the partition, then swam for where she could climb out.

     As she toweled off, she counted at least six different species.

     Some had cocks. Some had breasts. Others had neither or both.

     The biggest entity looked to be, easily, twice the size of any Grizzly

 bear Niki had ever seen on TV.

     No one went anywhere near the behemoth.

     She saw another entity, roughly her size, resembling a hunched over rodent on two legs, growl and snarl as she made her way across to where Niki figured she'd find food and lodging.

     Everyone stayed away from that creature, as well.

     Niki looked around for something to wear that wasn't a yellow toga. 

     It didn't take long to find a top and trousers that fit.

     She even found sandals for her feet.

     I'm getting hungry again, she thought.

     She started for the doors that led beyond the pool.

     Yeah, a little something for the munch, then a place to nap for a month or two would be great, she thought.

CONTINUE