I had been a slave to the Qharr nearly my entire life, but one fateful day
everything changed. I joined up with a group of rebels, and through a twist of fate,
no one could have ever foreseen, I became the woman I am today...
Author's Note: Please note I am posting this as a serial, and while the bulk the story does need some final edits it is more or less done. I can't promise a set schedule, but I will try to post each part in a timely manner. The total length of the story is well over 200,000 words so please be patient.
Although, it's a bit spoil-rific I feel I need to warn people that I do kill off a lot of characters throughout this series. I make no apologies as I believe in staying true to the story even if it means putting my characters through hell.
Thanks to the following people for pre-reading the story and helping with grammatical edits: Beyogi, Maggie Finson, Loki and Zapper.
Chapter Four
'We must speak,' the void itself said.
"Where am I?" I asked, my voice echoing through the emptiness.
The air a half a dozen feet in front of me seemed to ripple and where there had been nothing a woman appeared, but a woman like none I had ever seen. Her hair cascaded down her face in dark-blue colored ringlets, and her eyes were strange whirling disks which seemed to rotate endlessly. She was tall for a woman, standing at close to five-nine, and she had the look of a predator ready to spring. She was one of the most beautiful creatures I’d ever laid my eyes on, but there was an inhuman quality about her that almost made her seem repulsive.
"This place... it is in your mind, Jellfree." She smiled and tilted her head at an odd angle.
"My mind?! So I'm not conscious? And what are you some sort of figment of my imagination?" I stroked my chin, somehow I didn't doubt any of it.
"Wait I know you! You're that voice... that thing in my head that piloted the transport ship!"
The woman eyed me with almost inquisitive expression and nodded. "Correct."
"Damn... What the hell are you?"
"I am K'teth." She didn’t blink or move a muscle as she studied me.
My jaw dropped and I stared at her with eyes wide. "K'teth as in... Edant K'teth?"
She shook her head, "I am K'teth. The Edant... they are the Qharr masters. You are not Qharr therefore we are not Edant K'teth. We are something... different."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I am K'teth. You are my host. We are joined."
I swallowed hard and tried to wrap my head around what she was saying, "Your host... So you're some sort of parasite?"
This seemed to offend her and she responded with a very loud and very angry "NO!" before settling back down.
"If not a parasite then what are you?"
"I am K’teth! We are joined! The words they are difficult... Your mind is strange."
I bit my lip and stopped a moment to think about what she was saying, but try as I might she didn’t seem to be making a whole lot of sense. "You're inside of me?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Then how are you not a parasite?"
"I AM NOT A PARASITE!" she howled in fury before once again calming back down. "We are joined. It is... beneficial for K'teth and host."
"And how did you get inside of me?"
"You killed my host the one you know as Jahal Tkyr, the Overseer. There were none of the masters near... I cannot survive without a host so I was forced to attempt to bond with you."
I shuddered "And can we be un-bonded?"
"Only if you wish to die."
I gulped and stared at her with wide eyes. What exactly did that mean for me to be joined with this alien entity? The creatures were obviously aligned with the Qharr somehow... Did that mean that she would wish to continue her relationship with her masters? If so what did that mean for me?
"I must stop now... It is difficult for me to speak with you. Your body it resists me... I must fix it... then, then it will be easier," she whispered and disappeared without any sort of flash or bang. The world faded out and the darkness was absolute.
Chapter Five
I woke, gasping for breath and struggling to bring air into my lungs. I felt strange... my whole body had this intense itching-crawling sensation and it seemed to be growing stronger by the second. My insides felt as if they were on fire and my bones felt almost as if they were vibrating. God, what was wrong with me?
I sprang up into a sitting position and found myself inside a nondescript room. The walls had probably been white at one point, but the paint had grayed with time and it was peeling from the wall. That in and of itself was highly unusual, the Qharr were meticulous in the care for the buildings they inhabited. If the paint was peeling they certainly would have seen to it that the room be repainted.
I heard a loud squeal just before a sudden weight pressed into my side. "Jellfree! You scared me!" Kaya's voice pronounced.
She slowly drew away from my side and I turned my head to look her in the eyes. "Where am I?"
She shrugged, "One of many of our hideouts."
"What happened?"
"You saved us! I don't know how you did it, but you managed to pilot the ship and fight off the Qharr patrol ships," she replied the beginnings of a thoughtful thrown forming on her face.
"I remember... what happened after..."
"You collapsed, Jaysen turned the transponder off and we got away," she frowned. "Jellfree, what is it? There's something wrong isn't there?"
I wasn't even sure how to answer. I remembered speaking with the K'teth. It seemed so vivid, so real to me at the time, but looking back I had my doubts. How else could I explain what had happened? I wanted so very badly to tell Kaya, but what would she think? Would she think me crazy? Or worse... What if she thought I was being influenced by the creature? It had saved us, true, but what if it had been looking out for its best interest? What if it intended to return to the Qharr at its next opportunity? If that happened would I be able to resist it? It had already taken control of my body once already.
"No, I'm fine," I said, feeling ashamed with my lie.
I couldn't bear the thought of Kaya's scorn even after she'd let me walk into the firefight unaware. I stared at her for a moment... I loved her, but how much did I really know her? I understood why she might have kept the truth from me, but it stung. I'd laid my soul bare for her and she hadn't done the same. I thought I knew her, but I'd been wrong.
"Kaya... How long have you been a reb..." I sighed. "A freedom fighter?"
She shook her head and refused to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry Jellfree... I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid if I did that you'd give me away."
That hurt... after we'd shared a bed for so long she'd thought I'd turn her over to the gray skins. "Kaya..." I shook my head. "I wouldn’t do that."
"Jellfree there are things I've never told you. When I was twelve, I lived in a mining complex... the Corrector there--" she paused to shaker her head and wipe away a tear, "--he was one of the cruelest and most hateful Qharr I've ever known. Beatings were something you expected whether you'd done anything to warrant them or not. They barely gave us enough food to prolong our miserable existence. I lived there with my older sister... she was the only family I had. The camp's cook took a fancy to me and in exchange for sneaking me and my sister extra servings of food I spent my nights with him."
I wished I could say I was shocked by Kaya's story, but I'd heard similar tales time and again. Many slaves who got into a position of power often used that position to take advantage of other slaves. Kaya selling her body for food wasn't so unusual, but it was detestable nonetheless especially since she'd been so young and worse yet, her sister had gone along with it.
"My sister and I, we hid the food and kept a small supply hidden inside our little corner of the women's quarter, but then one day the Qharr guards did a search and found our stash. My sister claimed no knowledge of it and implicated me and the cook."
I stared at her aghast. That sort of thing did happen sometimes, but my own bond with my older sister had been such that we would have died before ratting one another out. The fact that Kaya's sister had betrayed and used her in such a way went against everything good and decent. Families had to stick together; if the Qharr managed to force our families apart then we had nothing but ourselves. Something I knew all too well having watched my parents murdered before my eyes and being separated from my sister for almost ten years.
"So... what happened?"
"I was beaten and they had me chained in the center of the camp. They left me there for over a week without food or water. I almost died, but I managed to make it through. The camp's cook wasn't so lucky he was executed and my sister managed to escape any punishment... I was nursed back to health by an older woman who was sympathetic, but my sister would never look me in the eyes or speak to me again. I grew angry and I came to hate her. So much so that a few months after I recovered I snuck over to her bed and slit her throat in the middle of the night."
Tears were streaming down her face and I wrapped my arms around her doing my best to provide comfort. I couldn't imagine hating my own sister so much that I would want to kill her, but I can't say that if I’d experienced what she had I wouldn't have done the same thing. Such acts of retribution weren't uncommon among slaves, and the Qharr didn't really care if a body turned up here or there. They only stepped in if things got really out of hand.
"I was betrayed by the only person I cared about... That's why I feared to tell you, Jellfree, I was afraid you'd turn on me like my sister did. Even when it came time to plan the attack on Jahal I just couldn't tell you. I'm sorry I should have trusted you. I put your life in jeopardy and I can never forgive myself for that. I love you Jellfree which makes what I'm about to tell you all the more difficult," she said lowering her eyes in shame.
"The two of us getting together... it wasn't my idea. One of our leaders, a woman by the name of Mara, suggested I get close to you. She said it was important. I still don't know why," she said sobbing hysterically.
A lump formed in my throat and let my arms fall away as her words settled in. She'd seduced me because she'd been told to, not because she had wanted to and she'd put me in danger by letting me walk into the middle of firefight without any warning. I felt betrayed and I started to shake with sudden rage. I had loved her and the whole thing had been a ruse! I wanted to grab hold of her and shake her until she started to scream. I'd never been so angry in all my life and I was terrified of what might happen if I gave into it, but try as I might to contain it, it raged within me like a tempest storm.
"Jellfree! You've got to believe me, I really do love you!"
"You... lied to me! You seduced me! You used me! Dammit Kaya I loved you! Hell, I think I still do! How the hell can I trust anything you say?!"
She nodded and wiped the tears from her face, "I don't know. I'm so sorry Jellfree."
"Got out of my sight! I can't even look at you right now!" I yelled and turned away from her, the rage still stewing and bubbling inside of me.
I heard a sob escape her lips then she scurried out of the room and then I was alone...
It had only been a few moments since Kaya had left and I was staring down at my hands trying to keep them from shaking. They were numb... Dammit, what the hell was the K'teth doing to me!? Everything was falling to pieces at my feet! First, there had been the attack on the compound, that thing inside of me, Kaya, and finally my own body was betraying me. The creature said it needed to fix my body, but that could mean almost anything. I was terrified and a part of me longed for the comfort of Kaya's embrace even after what had happened between us.
"Jellfree?" An unfamiliar voice asked from behind and I turned to look on the newcomer.
An elderly woman stood in the doorway. She had a calm almost dignified bearing and her eyes studied me like a Qharr scientist would examine an interesting specimen. The hair stood up on the back of my neck and I got the distinct impression that despite her frail appearance, this woman was very dangerous. I eyed her cautiously as she approached.
"God... You look just like Harold did at that age..." she said reaching out to touch my face.
I flinched and jumped back and the woman let out a throaty laugh. "I'm not going to hurt you, Jellfree Briggs."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Mara. I'm one of the leaders of the resistance," she said stopping a few feet away from me.
"You're the one that told Kaya to seduce me!" I yelled stepping a few steps back and shaking my head in disgust.
Mara sighed and shook her head, "That girl... I merely suggested she get close to you. I never intended her to go quite that far, but I should have realized she would interpret it that way. For what it's worth, she really does seem to care for you."
"What do you want?!" I asked folding my arms across my chest as I continued to glare at her.
Mara laughed, "I wanted to see you. Why the last time I laid my eyes on you, you were an infant."
"Look lady, I--" I started to say, but she suddenly interrupted me.
"You really have no idea who I am, do you?"
"And why should I?"
"Maybe your parents never told you about your Uncle Harold and me, but I'd always assumed that your sister would have at least," she replied staring at me between pursed lips.
My heart skipped in my chest. My sister had told me about an uncle and the name Mara certainly sounded familiar, but it had been so long ago that I'd almost forgotten about it. "You're Harold's wife?"
"That's right," Mara gave me an approving smile.
I felt a lump form in my throat. So much had been taken away from me and now... maybe I could get something back. A link to my past someone who had known my parents. My sister had told me about them, but she had only been seven when they had been murdered by the Qharr. This woman had known them as an adult. Since Becca and I had been separated I'd lost hope of ever being with my family, but maybe I'd given up too soon. This woman certainly wasn't of blood relation, but we had a common connection something that we both shared.
Yet... living the life of a slave had taught me one thing and that was to be cautious. This woman was a rebel, and I had no doubts she was dangerous. I'd have to be cautious so as not to let myself get burned, but even as I told myself that I realized that a part of me really wanted to trust her. I'd felt so very alone since I'd lost my sister...
"I'm glad to have finally found you Jellfree. I had hoped that we could get better acquainted, your uncle has been dead for many years and you and your sister are the closest thing I have to family," she coming over to place a hand on my shoulder.
"I-I think I'd like that," I said placing my hand atop hers.
"Okay, that’s a little weird.” It had taken me all that time to realize that my arm felt completely fine. Hadn't I broken it back at the compound? If that was true why didn't it hurt? The answer came to me quick enough... somehow that thing inside of me had healed it.
"Is something wrong?"
"I-I it's--"
Before I could finish my sentence my scalp started to burn with sharp pain and I clutched at it and fell to my knees. White light blinded me and I thought I was going to pass out again, but then my vision cleared and I felt a hand on my shoulder. Something had changed... I knew it without anyone telling me, but it was a sort of vague indefinable feeling.
I just knew that my body had been altered me in some way. Perhaps, I spoke too soon; I could detect at least one thing that had changed. My already perfect vision had become more acute; I could see things in greater detail than should have been possible. Everything from the previously imperceptible cracks in the wall to the tiny little pores on Mara's face. And did I mention the colors!? Everything seemed so much more vibrant and alive.
"Good God!" Mara gasped covering her mouth and taking several steps back.
"What is it?! What has that thing done to me!?" I yelled my hands shaking with rage.
I sank back down the ground and clutched at my head and tried to fight down panic. Just when I didn't think it could get any worse my hair started falling out. It started with a small clump that tumbled down my face before slipping down the collar of my shirt. I reached up to touch my head only to find that regardless of what part of my head I touched my hair fell away.
"Get the doctor! Something's wrong, hurry!" Mara called cracking the door open speaking to someone on the other side.
She closed the door then knelt down next to me planting a hand on my arm.
"Don't worry Jellfree. You're going to be fine," she said and I was pleased to realize that the concern I heard in her voice sounded sincere.
"Hmmm... most intriguing," the tall bulb-headed creature tooted absently scratching at one of the bright orange tubular protrusions that jutted out from the bottom of its green face. The creature was vaguely human in shape, but its frame was tall and elongated and gave it the appearance of something that might blow away in the wind. It had no mouth, ears or nose that I could see and I had no idea how it was speaking let alone breathing.
Mara had called the creature the doctor, but hadn't given it a name nor had she indicated that it had a gender. It continued to examine me for several more minutes before looking back to Mara. "Vakrexid, needs to scan him with my equipment. This is most puzzling."
Mara nodded, "Whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this, doctor."
"Vakrexid has a notion, but if it proves true it will be most perplexing. I must be sure before Vakrexid makes this diagnosis," the creature fluted.
Mara folded her arms across her chest and let out a long sigh. "Very well then doctor."
"Jellfree, may Vakrexid call you Jellfree?" The creature said turning back to me.
I nodded. "Yeah."
The creature let out a loud below, "Good, sometimes it is difficult for Vakrexid to know with you humans. Many have I met who do not use their full names and prefer to shorten them. Vakrexid finds this most befuddling, but I do try to be respectful of their wishes."
"Look I really hope I'm not going to offend you by asking this, but I've got to know. What on Earth are you?"
"On Earth? Vakrexid is the same on Earth as I am on any other planet. Your question makes no sense."
"It's just an expression," I said. "I just meant to ask you what species you are."
"Ah, of course. Vakrexid believes I've heard some of you other humans use that expression. I have little memory for such things. Vakrexid is dexagarmetrax. We are a wandering people we go from world to world and learn from other species so that we may fulfill our sacred duties as commanded by our gods. Vakrexid specializes in medicine most choose to study different subjects."
"Is there something I can call you... I mean I can't keep calling you Doctor, can I?"
"Doctor... it is the only form of address that would be appropriate. Among my people one is always referred to by one's profession. It's sacrilege for anyone but Vakrexid or my life partner, should Vakrexid chose to take one, to speak my name," it trilled.
"And what about your gender... Are you male or female?"
"Both, Vakrexid's species is hermaphroditic, but please if you chose to refer to me by a pronoun let it be he. Vakrexid likes the way it sounds in your language, but let us stop this discourse as it is not currently pertinent. You are in need of medical care and I would prefer to examine you sooner rather than later in hopes of staving off death."
"Death? You think this could kill me!?"
The doctor cocked his head, "Perhaps, Vakrexid doesn't know what's wrong. Death is a possibility, but so is life as is the chance that your skin will turn a deep kleferix and you'll sprout flarks out of your ears. It is best to be cautious when dealing with that which is unknown. Can you walk without aid?"
I tried to stand up, but immediately fell back onto my ass. "No, I guess not."
"Doctor, you get his right side, I'll get the left I think the two of us should be able to move him to your lab without too much difficulty." Mara placed her hands on her hips and staring down at me with pursed lips.
The doctor tooted something unintelligible then the two of them knelt down next to me on either side and lifted me up. Mara seemed pretty fit for a woman her age, but I could tell that the effort was straining her. The doctor on the other hand didn't show any sign that he was having any difficulty whatsoever. They each grabbed a shoulder then the doctor flipped the door open and they carried me down the hall.
Midway down the long undecorated and dimly-lit corridor we passed Kaya. She didn't say a word as our gazes locked, but tears were streaming down her face and I felt that bubbling rage rise up to the surface just before I turned away unwilling to look into those eyes any longer. A part of me wanted to reach out her, to tell her everything would be alright, but another part wanted to start yelling and cursing at her at the top of my lungs.
In any case Mara and the doctor had me inside the dark lab after a very short trip. They set me down atop a long narrow bed and the doctor moved away to flick the lights on. Unlike the corridor and the other room, the walls were stark white and looked as if they'd been painted sometime within the last few years. Below me the bed came thrumming to life and a strange white board, which had been previously indistinguishable from the wall, detached itself and hovered over the bed. Bright white light blinded me and I closed my eyes against the illumination.
"It shall only take a moment," the doctors' voice spoke as the bed began to thrum louder and louder.
Something inside of me stirred and I swore I could feel something ripple underneath my skin... 'LIFE!' the K'teth's voice screamed within me and I clutched at the side of my skull as my screams joined those of the being lurking under the surface.
God it hurt! Never before in my life had I known such pain! My body was burning from the inside out and I thought that I would lose consciousness at any moment. Yet, the darkness never came and the pain kept on building until it reached a climax and I thought that every fiber of my being would be consumed. I writhed in agony and thought that if it didn't stop soon that it just might prove to be too much.
Then I was beyond it, and there was only the pain, but then it was joined by something else. Power the like of which I’d never known. I could feel it waiting to be seized and I had only to reach out for it to be mine. So I did exactly that, or tried to, but it was the K'teth within me that reached out. I could feel the energy being pulled into me and while the pain wasn't diminished somehow it became more bearable. It began to focus on different parts of my body starting in my face, but briefly extended to my scalp my shoulders and chest, but then it ceased and the light from the hovering platform disappeared.
'Not enough!' the K'teth's voice screeched inside of my head.
My eyes snapped back open and I found that I didn't feel nearly as weak as I had before coming into the lab. I glanced over to my side and felt my eyes grow wide as I looked on the doctor. The board which had been hovering over me was clutched in his arms and his chest was rising and falling almost as if he’d overexerted himself. I slowly sat up and felt hair fall into my face...
'What the hell...' I thought, as I reached out to touch it.
It must have been close to fifteen centimeter long, but that wasn't the odd part... It had gone from my usual brown to blue! 'Blue? Blue like those damned Edant K'teth,' I thought my hands starting to shake. 'What the hell are you doing to me!' I yelled at it.
'Damn you, answer me!'
'More life! Need more life!' the K'teth muttered its voice growing weak and distant.
I shook my head and sat up locking eyes with Mara. "Dear god!" She gasped and took a step back the moment we matched gazes.
"Vakrexid would not believe it, if a rolling claxid had come along and beat upon my trelp!" the doctor suddenly called out.
I turned my head back the other way and watched as the doctor gently placed the board down then turned to me. "Vakrexid knows what has happened to you."
"Then whatever that thing was... it worked?"
"No!" he cried his hands flapping wildly. "It didn't work at all, but it matters not! What happened to you, it showed Vakrexid what I needed to know!"
"And that is?"
"You have been joined with a K'teth!"
"I know..." I muttered quietly.
"You did? Then why did you not tell Vakrexid?"
"I-I was afraid about what you would do to me if you found out that I have this damn thing inside of me? Can I even trust myself? What if it takes control of me and forces me to...?" I trailed off unable to let myself utter the last few words.
"Ah, Vakrexid believes I understand. The K'teth are a symbiotic species. Previously, it was always believed that among intelligent beings only the Qharr were able to join with them, but apparently it is not so. I cannot say with certainty, there is little known about their nature, but it is believed that the K'teth are incapable of controlling a Qharr host. Most likely it would be the same if a human were to bond with one."
I nodded, acting as if I was reassured by the doctor's comment, but I didn't feel even remotely better. I'd already had the K'teth take control of my body once before and if it could do it once there was a good chance it could do it again. What happened if it took over completely and I became a prisoner in my own body? There was, however, a small glimmer of hope. The K'teth had only gained control of me because I had let it do so, maybe it couldn't control me unless I allowed it to. It was a flimsy hope I know, but if I let the rebels know that it was possible the creature could control me I didn't like the prospect of what they might do to me.
"Doctor, how exactly is it that you came to realize Jellfree was infected by this... what did you call it a K'teth?" Mara asked.
"Vakrexid knew as soon as I activated the body scanner. Jellfree began to glow and consume the energy from it. It was fortunate for you Jellfree that Vakrexid was near. I was able to catch the upper unit once all its energy had been drained."
"I-I glowed... a-and consumed energy?!"
The doctor bobbed his head, "That is how Vakrexid knew. That and the changes, only a K'teth has the ability to do such things."
"My hair... and eyes..." I said remembering that Mara had said something about my eyes.
"And face..." Mara added.
"Oh, god! What did that thing do to me! I need a mirror!" I yelled reaching out to touch my face. It felt wrong, my nose was far too small, my lips were just a tad fuller and my skin felt as smooth as freshly boiled g'tck. As I traced my hands over my face I realized that all my stubble was gone and my eyes grew wide as the doctor flung a mirror in front of my face. What I saw in that mirror was enough to make me sick. The reflected image was the visage was that of a woman, but not just any woman; it was the face of an incredibly beautiful one. The eyes were the strangest part of the face, they were so inhuman. They looked like magenta-colored swirled disks which when paired with the blue hair and feminine face would definitely make me stand out in a crowd.
I shuddered and forced the mirror out of my face feeling tears start to form out of the corner of my eyes. The face I had seen in that mirror hadn't looked anything like the form the K'teth had taken in my mind, but the hair and eyes were the same. I knew what the K'teth was doing to me, but I still didn't understand why. What possible reason could it have for changing me into a woman? My new face was proof enough of its intentions, but that still didn't provide any explanation.
'Why?!'
Again, the K’teth didn’t answer, but I was coming to expect it.
"It is most distressing that the body scanner is no longer of use, but since Vakrexid has been left with no other choice I would still like to perform a physical examination. It would tell Vakrexid little in comparison to a full body scan, but I think it would be best so that Vakrexid may chron... No, that is not right. Ah, yes, document, that is the word. So that I may document your changes," the doctor said suddenly.
I let out a long sigh trying to calm myself and looked up at the doctor, "I guess... Yeah, that would probably be a good idea."
Vakrexid bobbed his head, "Strip down to your skin so that Vakrexid may examine your testicles!"
Mara snorted and shook her head then stalked out of the room the sound of laughter following her as the door closed behind her.
He cocked his head, "Did Vakrexid say something wrong?"
I snorted a bit myself then I looked over to the doctor, "Can we just get this over with?"
"Yes, yes, of course, but first you must remove your clothes."
I sighed and started to unbutton my trousers, "Sure, doc... Whatever you say."
The doctor's examination while brief was definitely an experience I wouldn't want to repeat. I'd never met a human doctor, well, at least not that I could remember, since the Qharr had seen to it that anyone with advanced scientific knowledge be put to death. Because the gray-skinned assholes only allowed the most injured and sick to be treated by their healers I'd never actually had a doctor look me over. I shuddered, suppressing thoughts of Vakrexid's long fingers running over my body like a dozen small tentacles. Hell, was it really necessary for me to turn my and head cough? What exactly was that supposed to tell him?
Once he finished up he let Mara back into the room and I could tell by the look on her face that she was trying to determine what to do with me. "I'm sorry Jellfree, but you can understand why I'm concerned. There's no telling what influence this K'teth creature might have on you," Mara said, her eyes boring holes into me.
I bowed my head and wiped away the tears from my face. "So what exactly do you intend to do, kill me?"
"Nothing quite so drastic. For the time being I'd like to keep an eye on you. You'll be allowed full access to all the communal areas of the compound, but I'm afraid I'll have to insist you be escorted by an armed guard at all times. Just until we're sure that thing inside of you is not a threat," she said placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"Vakrexid agrees. It does not hurt to be cautious," the doctor chimed running a hand up and down his center face tube.
I nodded and forced down my fear as I met Mara's gaze. Her concerns echoed my own that the K'teth might try to gain control of me or at least influence my mind. If it came down to it, I would fight the K'teth with every fiber of my being, but I wasn't sure if it would be enough.
"And...what about these changes?" I reached up to touch my face or maybe it was best to say the face the K'teth had given me. It wasn't mine, not exactly.
"They will continue," the doctor tooted. "Vakrexid cannot say how long it will take, but if that face shows the truth of the K'teth's intentions it will need to feed upon a very large amount of energy before it completes your transformation."
"Feed?"
"Feed, what is the right word? The K'teth consume energy. To a point they can draw it from the host, but they cannot take much for fear of harming them. Feeding on the energy from the body scanner allowed it to transform your face. If it had more energy upon which to consume it could likely complete the changes," the doctor said his big purple eyes blinking repeatedly.
"What about phase energy?" Mara asked stroking her chin thoughtfully.
"Yes, yes. It is why the Edant K'teth can withstand phase blasts. Energy is absorbed by the symbiote and some of it is passed back to the host. The host is given superior endurance, speed and strength as a result. It may be better to give the symbiote the energy it needs so as not to prolong your transformation," the doctor replied.
I shuddered and looked to the doctor then to Mara and finally back to the doctor. "There isn't any way to stop it from changing me, is there? I-I don't want to live my life as a woman."
"Vakrexid is afraid not, I am sorry, but even if Vakrexid were to operate and attempt to restore your facial features, there is nothing to keep the symbiote from returning it to the way it is now. The K'teth is bonded to you at the deepest most microscopic level; it is not just changing your genetic structure. That would not be unlike changing a blueprint after a building was built. No, it is changing you cell by cell. Moreover it is only because it has suppressed your immune system and is in fact acting in its place that your body has not rejected the new cells."
"Oh, god! So... I can either sit back and let this damned thing change me, or shit... I don't really have any choices, do I?" I whispered. There was one possibility I hadn't really voiced, I could take my life before the changes completed. The idea of committing suicide had always been pretty unappealing to me. Despite living under the Qharr's thumbs for so long, but the prospect of becoming a stranger in my own body coupled with the fear of the alien entity gaining control of my mind terrified me.
Mara eyed me thoughtfully. "This must be very taxing on you. Why don't you get some rest? I've had a room prepared."
I stared into her eyes and swallowed hard as she met my gaze. She may have phrased it as a question, but I got the feeling that she meant me to do exactly as she had asked. That woman might have looked frail, but she had a core of steel and I just knew she wasn't about to take no for an answer.
I nodded. "That would probably be for the best."
Mara stood up, moved across the doctor's lab and swung the door open. "Felix."
A tall lanky man who looked to be somewhere in his late thirties stepped into the room. He had a battered looking phase pistol holstered at his waist and he looked like someone who knew how to use it. His eyes scanned the room and when they landed on me, they widened slightly and he pursed his lips before his gaze settled on Mara.
"Felix, be a dear and show our friend Jellfree to the guest quarters I had prepared. He has free access to any of the public area of the compound, but do try to keep him from wandering into areas that might get him into trouble," Mara said placing a hand on his shoulder and smiling fondly.
Felix nodded and muttered a "Yes, ma'am" before jabbing his thumb over his shoulder. "Coming?"
Felix led me down the hallway and up a flight of stairs before stopping at a featureless door. Never once did he speak to me, and I wasn't feeling very sociable so that was just fine by me. He kept glancing at me and looking at my face, and I suppose if our situations were reversed I'd have done the same. I was a pretty odd sight and with the female face, and the male body, not to mention the magenta-colored eyes and blue hair. Really, it was a wonder he could stop gaping for even a minute. It was humiliating, but I held my head up high and pretended like it didn't bother me. What the hell else was I supposed to do? I stepped inside the room and heard the door shut behind me. I was a prisoner plain and simple, Felix knew it and so did I.
The room really didn't look all that different from the one I'd had back at the Qharr research compound. It was just little larger, and only had two pieces of furniture including a small chest of drawers and a bed, not a bed pad, but a real bed with a frame, foundation and mattress. I sat down on the edge of it and slipped my boots off then I just sort of melted into its soft surface. The last time I'd laid on a real bed my parents had still been alive and though I only vaguely remembered doing so the experience seemed very familiar. I savored the feeling of the fabric as I closed my eyes and let out a long sigh.
'Are you there?' I thought at the K'teth.
For a moment I was met with only silence and I was about to call out to the alien creature again when it finally answered back. 'I am always here.'
'Why are you doing this to me?!' I demanded screaming out inside of my mind.
There was another pause, this one much shorter. 'Because I must... I wish I could help you understand, but I know not the words. Your mind is still strange to me.'
'Well that's just swell and all, but I'd really like you to change me back now,' I replied slamming a fist into the bed.
'I cannot.'
'Why?'
'If I did so much would be lost.'
'Dammit... Are you trying to piss me off? Do you want me to trust you or not?'
'Your trust is not necessary.'
"Just tell me what it is you want!" I screamed growing so angry that I actually said the words out loud.
'In time. Now... now I must rest.'
"Oh hell no! You're not getting out of it that easily!"
The K'teth ignored me and I howled in frustration. 'Answer me! This is my body! The Qharr may have taken everything else from me, but the one thing they could never rob me of was my body! They might have claimed to own me, but this body is mine, dammit!'
Again the symbiote was silent.
"God damn you! You fucking parasite! I'm talking to you, you damned ass-dripping piece of shit!" I yelled letting out several curses I would never have otherwise let myself utter.
No matter what I did or said to provoke the K'teth nothing seemed to work and I tried everything I could think of as I offered up insult after insult. Hell, I even threatened to do myself in and still the stupid thing wouldn't answer. I sat back up in the bed--feeling my new longer hair fall into my face as I did so--and felt tears well up in my eyes. I was used to feeling helpless living as a slave, but this felt different. The symbiote threatened to take away the very essence of my being and I don't think there was a thing I could do to stop it.
I wiped the tears from my face then I stared at my hand... What the hell was that thing doing to me? Why was I crying? I felt so wrong... I didn't feel like myself my emotions were so much closer to the surface than I was used to.
"No," I whispered clenching my hand into a fist. I wouldn't let the K'teth have the satisfaction of seeing me succumb to my emotions so easily. I would be strong, more importantly I would be me! I wasn't going to lose myself to the K'teth not if I could help it!
I sighed and laid back in the bed, I stared up at the tiled ceiling and absently ran my fingers through my hair. I didn't even know what time it was, but I was tired... Living as a slave had taught me how to sleep even when I feared for my life, and while the threat the K'teth presented loomed over me I was able to drift off into the world of dream without too much trouble.
Chapter Six
I woke and knew immediately that something was wrong. I looked around groggily trying to remember where I was. The place looked familiar, but the memory was just out of my reach. I was in a dark room and as my hands felt around the surface upon which I was resting I realized I was lying on a real bed, not the thin pad that most slaves were forced to sleep on.
"What the hell?" I muttered and gasped when I heard my voice. That voice--a light soprano wasn't even remotely close to my regular medium tenor! Then the memories of the previous day came flooding back to me.
I reached up to touch my face and traced my hands down my neck and chest. I sighed with relief when I found that, on the outside at least, nothing had changed. Whatever the K'teth had done to me while I slept the only change that I was able to find was my voice. I sat up and felt something fall across my face. Hair, I brought my hand up to brush it away and realized that one other thing had changed. My hair was longer, it had grown at least another seven and a half centimeters overnight. I shuddered and slipped off the bed and moved to the door. It was dark, but light was coming through the cracks in the door and it provided just enough illumination for me to see.
I pulled the door open and on the other side I found a figure seated on the floor fiddling with a small mechanical device about the size of my fist. He looked up and once I saw his face I realized that it was just Jaysen.
"Morning, sleepyhead."
He grinned scratched at his chin, his eyes lingering on my face just before he returned to the device. He didn't seem at all disturbed by my female face and he didn't say a word as he continued to tinker with whatever the hell that thing was.
I watched him as he toyed with the device for a moment before speaking. "Jaysen what time is it?"
He stared up at me with wide eyes as if I'd startled him then he pursed his lips. "Oh, well if I had to guess I'd say about ten... probably." he said then returned to his gadget.
"Ten?!" I asked in disbelief. As a slave I'd always been expected to wake at the same time, five in the morning. It was strange to think that I'd allowed myself to sleep so late.
Jaysen nodded absently, but didn't give any other indication that he'd heard me. "Hey, look..." I started, but Jaysen cut me short.
"You're probably hungry," he said frowning up at me. "I doubt there's any warm food, but I think we could probably scrounge up some cold bread and maybe some cheese or something if you like."
I nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great."
"Well, look who it is Farris," the tall muscular man said as we stepped into the kitchen slapping the back of his hand against the chest of a shorter man with platinum blond hair that was so light it was nearly white.
"It's the sissy and what's this..." he said grabbing the underside of my chin with his left hand then pushed me away. "I think I'll call you the freak."
Farris grinned. "Quite a pair these two make, eh Pyramus? The sissy who wants to be a girl and the man with the face of a woman and… God! Look at those fucking eyes and that hair. I don't know what Mara was thinking when she recruited 'em."
"Why don't the two of you just fuck off?!" Jaysen said shaking with impotent fury.
Pyramus snarled glaring down at the much smaller man. "That wasn't very nice! Apologize! Now!"
Jaysen opened his mouth, but Pyramus pounced before the other man could so much as squeal. I wanted to intervene, but both bullies were larger than me and I doubted I'd be able to do anything but get myself hurt. Then the whole world came to a screeching halt and I stared at Pyramus as his fist hung motionless in the air.
"What the hell have you done?" I gasped looking around the room to find that Pyramus wasn't the only to have been frozen in place.
'I slowed down your perception of time,' the symbiote answered back.
"Well, undo whatever it is you did. This is damned creepy!"
'You can beat him,' the K'teth whispered within my mind.
"What the hell do you care?"
'I do not like bullies,' the symbiote replied just before the world lurched into motion, but at a snail's pace.
Pyramus's fist moved as if it were passing through molasses and I only hesitated a second before making my move. I grabbed his arm and threw it aside then I slammed my open palm into his chest. The world erupted back into a full boil, returning to full speed and Pyramus went flying to the ground with far more force than I had anticipated. Hell, the blow had hit with more force than I thought I was capable. I looked down at my hand in disbelief and shuddered. It was that damned thing inside of me it had to be. Just like it had done for the Overseer, it had given my enhanced physical capabilities.
"Fuck!" Pyramus yelled between clenched teeth.
I walked over to where Farris was standing and grabbed him by the collar, "All we want is to get something to eat. Leave now and everything between us is square, but so help me if either of you try anything like that again I'll beat your asses down," I said glaring at him with all the false bravado I could muster.
Farris gulped and nodded. I released my hold on his collar and he promptly booked it out of the room. I glared down at Pyramus and he glared back up at me before shaking his head and stumbling back to his feet.
"Shit, I don't know what the fuck you are, but just keep the hell away from me," he spat and followed Farris out the door.
"Holy freaking hell! That was awesome! I don't think I've seen anyone put Pyr in his place well except maybe Mara, but hell that woman could boil water with a look. Not that your way was less impressive. God I wish I could have gotten a rec of that! The look on his face!" Jaysen proclaimed with a huge grin on his face.
I wasn't really sure what to say to that, and I didn't have to because Jaysen spoke first, "It's because of that thing in you isn't it?"
"Yeah," I said bowing my head and running a free hand through my hair. "How did you know about that?"
Jaysen scratched his chin, "Well, Mara told me. I guess it explains why you were able to pilot the Overseer's ship. And god, it probably won't be long 'til those two jackasses find out too."
"And, what do you think about that... the K'teth I mean?”
"Well, to be honest I don't know what to make of it, but what I do know is that you saved us from those patrol ships, which is something I'm not going to forget!" He shook his head and looked at me with a grateful smile.
I swallowed and bit my tongue. I wondered what Jaysen would say if he knew it had been the K'teth that had piloted the transport and fought off the patrol ships and not me.
"Is it... is it going to change you all the way?" he asked suddenly fidgeting with his hands and staring at me with a nervous smile.
I nodded, "Yeah, so I've been told."
"Oh, well... um why don't we get you something to eat?" he said with a smile that didn't quite hide the flash of envy mingled with revulsion that passed across his face.
I felt my eyes grow wide and for a very brief moment I let myself believe what Pyramus had said about Jaysen wanting to be a girl. If it were true it might explain the look he'd just given me, but then again I had to consider the source. In the end I decided to let the matter pass and watched as Jaysen turned away and moved to the center of the room where a line of cupboards were mounted to the wall.
The room had the look of a kitchen, but it was much larger than any kitchen than I'd ever seen. There were rows of cupboards, metal counters lined with dozens of cooking implements some of which even I didn't recognize along with half a dozen ovens, automatic dishwashers and sinks. The compound the rebels occupied was huge and clearly was intended to house several thousand people.
"Jaysen, what is this place?"
Jaysen who had opened up a cupboard and was looking inside turned back to me with a rueful smile, "Well, Mara's the one that found this place. She said it was built many decades before the war with the Qharr back when the world was still divided and the threat of conflict between the nations was a constant threat. This place was built in case the worst should happen and the North American Union got obliterated. Once the United Republic of Earth was formed this and other places like it were abandoned and forgotten about."
"And how did Mara know about it?"
"Beats me. You'd have to ask her," Jaysen shrugged and returned to the cupboard.
"Here," he said suddenly tossing a bread sack at me.
I grabbed it out of the air and set it down on the counter then caught the next as it came soaring through the air toward me. "How many people live here in the compound?"
Jaysen walked slowly across the room and set a container down on the counter next to the others. "Well we're up to twenty-three, counting you."
"It's getting close to lunchtime," I mumbled with a quiet whisper. I looked around the kitchen and smiled, "Well they didn't call me master cook for nothing. Might as well put my skills to use."
And so I did.
I always liked to cook, but was constantly frustrated at the lack of nutritional eats that I had to work with. The Qharr gave us food, but only to fill our stomachs. They didn't care how long we lived or if we were living healthy. The only thing that mattered to them was that we continue to work and the food they gave us was enough, in their eyes, to do just that.
Most days the best I was able to make was soup broth and simple unleavened bread, and the sort of food the rebels had access to wasn't really any better. God, I didn't know what I was expecting. It wasn't as if they could go find an empty field and start planting crops. The Qharr would never allow that sort of thing and the rebel farmers would be found out in short order.
So, I ate a little bit of the bread--which was a few days old and very dry--then I got to work cooking the meal. I was in the process of cutting up a few stunted carrots when I heard the door creak open and turned to look and see who it was. Kaya was standing in the doorway and she looked pretty surprised to see me. She stood there with her mouth hanging open and I half-expected her to turn her back and disappear back through the door, but she did just the opposite.
"Jellfree..." she stepped through the door and let it swing shut behind her.
"What do you want Kaya?!" I snapped feeling that familiar anger boil up to the surface.
"I-I didn't expect to find you here. It was my turn to prepare lunch and I thought I'd get an early start," she responded looking back and forth between me and Jaysen. "Mara told me what happened to you but, God, I don't think I really believed it. Shit, Jellfree I'm so sorry. I can't help thinking that it's somehow my fault. If I had included you in our plans maybe... maybe it wouldn't have happened."
I glared at her and said nothing. Jaysen grimaced and scratched his head, "I'm sure Jellfree doesn't blame you. It might have happened even if he'd known. Right, Jellfree?"
"Why don't you mind your own damned business?! This is between me and Kaya!" I yelled rounding on him with knife in hand my anger exploding out of me suddenly and without warning.
Jaysen eyes grew wide and he shook his head, "You know what... I think I'm going to step outside for a minute. Obviously something has happened between the two of you and I really don't want to get involved."
"Yeah, I think that would be a good idea!" I growled at him as he fled the room.
"There's no need to pick on Jaysen, Jellfree. I'm the one you're mad at so take it out on me!" She yelled.
"Alright then I will! What the hell am I supposed to do Kaya?! I loved you and it was all a damned lie! You put my life in danger and now everything is going to hell! I trusted you and you took advantage of that trust Kaya and now... God, Kaya... what am I supposed to do now? I just don't know anymore!"
Kaya moved across the room and took my head in her hands. I tried to protest, but when her lips unexpectedly locked around mine all my anger suddenly fled. When we broke for air I stared down at her flabbergasted as she started to weep.
"Oh hell, if you hated me before you're really going to hate me now. Jellfree, I-I love you and before you started to change I would have fought with every cell in my body to try and convince you that I wanted to be with you, but now... Hell I can't. I do love you, but... God this is so hard. I wish there was some other way, but that kiss it didn't feel right. I'm not attracted to women, and I can't fight to be with you knowing that you're changing into one."
I started at her and slowly started to shake my head, "So that's it? It's over between us?"
She nodded and pursed her lips. Tears were flowing freely down her face and I wanted nothing more to scream and yell at her, but she looked so vulnerable... so sad standing there that it was all I could do to keep myself from wrapping my arms around her and tell her everything would be alright then I came to my senses. I glared at her, "It's not fair."
"I know," she whispered. "We can't be lovers, but maybe we can stay friends. I want to help you through this, Jellfree. It's the least I can do after everything I've put you through."
"I don't know," I scowled. "It's going to take time Kaya. I can't just pretend like nothing happened!"
She nodded tears flowing freely as she spoke. "I will do whatever it takes."
I shook my head then grabbed some supplies out of the cupboard and turned back to her. "Well, I could use some help with this meal."
Kaya sat down across from me and smiled as she set her plate down. I tore off a piece of food and held it out with my fingers before slipping it in my mouth and savored the taste of the freshly baked bread. "So, I guess I'm a rebel now. What exactly am I supposed to do?"
Kaya held her spoon out in front of me and pursed her lips with a thoughtful frown. "Well, I've been discussing that with Mara. She wants us to take some time off and get you trained before we move on to the next mission."
I shook my head and tapped my fingers against the table. "You mean she wants to wait to see if I can be trusted."
"Of course, you can be trusted! After what you did I don't know how anyone could not see that!" Jaysen protested from his seat at the table next to Kaya.
"Kaya's not the only one who's had a talk with my aunt. She's afraid of that damned parasite inside of me. Hell I am too. I can't blame her for not trusting me I'd probably react the same way in her shoes. Maybe it would be better if you just locked me up and threw away the keys. If that K'teth gains control of my body--" I shuddered. "--who knows what it might do."
"Your aunt...?" Kaya asked staring at me with wide-eyed confusion.
"What, she didn't tell you?" I asked looking from Kaya then to Jaysen and back to Kaya. They each shook their heads and I let out a long sigh. "Well she says she was married to my uncle Harold. I don't really remember, but I think I believe her. It's weird, until yesterday, I'd forgotten I even I had an Uncle Harold."
"Well, that certainly explains some things," she said waving her spoon around then dropped it into her soup. "Look Jellfree we're not going to lock you up. We're fighting for our freedom and we need everyone we can get."
"And if this thing gains control of me?"
"Then... I'll do whatever's necessary," she said narrowing her eyes and saw just a bit of that manic fire come to life inside of her again.
I shuddered and locked gazes with her. There was no doubt in my mind if she thought the K'teth had taken control of me she'd do whatever it took to stop it, even if it meant taking my life. I smiled... I couldn't live being a prisoner in my own body and if I became a danger I wouldn't want to go on living knowing what it might force me to do. I think if anyone could find a way to kill me it would be Kaya and in a strange sort of way I'd rather it be her than some stranger.
"Sustenance!" a voice called from the other side of the bunker's massive cafeteria. All our eyes turned to watch as Vakrexid came sweeping across the floor and halted in front of the large pot of soup I'd placed on the table in the next row over. He grabbed a bowl from the nearby stack and scooped some soup out of the pot. He lurched back into motion and plopped down at the table beside me.
"Hello Doctor!" Jaysen beamed.
"Hello all. It is most agreeable to see you," he tooted and promptly dunked all three of his tubes in the bowl of soup. There was a strange sucking sound and within just a few seconds the doctor's bowl had been sucked completely dry. Well, other than a few chunks of meat and vegetables that wouldn't fit up his tubes.
The doctor cocked his head and touched me lightly on the shoulder. "Vakrexid would like you to pay a visit to my lab. I have unpacked some equipment that should allow Vakrexid to run tests on you without use of the scanner. Those tests will not be as conclusive, but there is little else I could do. "
I nodded. "Sure thing doc."
"Also, Vakrexid would like to encourage you to continue your transformation. I have procured a powercell which would be most suitable for this task," he said absently rubbing at his tubes.
"You can't be serious!" I protested staring at the doctor with my mouth hanging wide open.
"The process, it will be most unpleasant, I believe it would be a much easier adjustment if we sped it along. Vakrexid would much rather it be done under my supervision. If you were inadvertently exposed to a power source and the K'teth began to consume its energy the process could leave you weakened and unable to find aid."
I sighed and pursed my lips. "Damned K'teth, I... I thought I would have more time."
"The choice is yours of course. Vakrexid was merely suggesting what I thought was the most prudent course of action," the doctor said running a finger along the inside of his bowl.
"I-I'll think about it," I muttered and promptly crammed another piece of bread into my mouth.
"Very well," Vakrexid tooted then he suddenly lurched out of his seat and scrambled away with his empty bowl in hand.
I shook my head. "Such an odd creature. How exactly did the doctor get caught up in the rebellion?"
Jaysen shrugged. "I tried to ask him once, but all the doctor would say was that he had nowhere else to go."
Kaya pursed her lips, "Mara told me once that the Qharr despise the doctor's people, but that for whatever reason they have some rule against doing them any harm. The gray skins won't lift their fingers against the doctor, but neither will they help him leave Earth. Mara says she’s known him for years, but he’s only been with the resistance for about five.
"You mean to say he was alone on Earth for almost twenty years without anyone to help him?" I asked finishing off the last little bit of my bread.
Kaya shrugged and shook her head. "Mara said once that the doctor is a part of a much larger puzzle about the Qharr one which most of the pieces were missing. She wouldn't say anything more."
"Well, maybe we can find the pieces," I said dipping my spoon in the soup.
Kaya nodded then downed a mouthful of food and didn't say another word. All the pieces... Then it occurred to me, maybe I'd already found one of the missing pieces. I couldn't escape the feeling that I was missing something about the K'teth something that would explain so many mysteries about our self-proclaimed masters, but there was still too much I didn't know. God, if only that damned thing would speak to me again, but nothing seemed to catch its attention.
I sighed and continued to eat my soup and resigned myself to hoping the answers would come with time.
Just as we finished eating the rest of Kaya's band started to show up. I recognized a few of them from the compound, but other than first Jaysen then Felix, I had never learned their names. The rest of them were new faces and they studied me with thoughtful expressions as they passed our table. Pyramus and Farris made an appearance too, but neither would look me in the eyes and went out of their way to avoid me.
"My dear Kaya, you're looking absolutely breathtaking today, just as you always do," a tall bearded fellow with fiery-red hair seating himself next to Kaya with a roguish lopsided smile on his face as he threw his arm around her shoulder.
Kaya rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Strave, so help me if you don't remove that hand I'll break that damn thing off."
"You'd really do that? You'd really break my arm?" he asked his eyes growing wide in mock disbelief.
Kaya face stretched into a wicked grin and twitched an eyebrow. "I wasn't talking about your arm."
Strave chuckled and quickly slid his hand away. "Kaya my beloved queen of ice someday I will win your heart, I just know it."
"It will be a cold day in hell, Strave," she glared at him.
Strave grinned and shook his head. "So... you must be Jellfree," he said his eyes suddenly darting across the table to land on me. "Everybody's been talking about you. You've got Pyramus and Farris all fired up which is a surefire way to make friends around here. The name is Straffen McMillan, but all my friends--" he said pausing and glanced at Kaya before continuing. "--call me Strave."
I choked. "The Straffen McMillan! God, you're a real person! I always figured you were the product of someone's over-active imagination."
Strave grinned and stroked his beard, then turned to me lowering his voice. "Some of my exploits may have been exaggerated. If I'd done half the things that people say I've done, the Qharr would have had me hunted down and killed me long ago."
I shook my head in amazement... Straffen McMillan was something of a folk hero among the slaves of North America. There were dozens of tales about him freeing slaves, and fighting Qharr with his bare hands each more ridiculous and over the top than the last. When people spoke of Straffen McMillan it was always in hushed tones out of earshot of the Qharr. I'd always enjoyed hearing the tales, because they always depicted the Qharr as the blood thirsty tyrants they really were, but I'd always figured them to be fiction. Perhaps, there was some truth to them after all.
Kaya snorted. "I'd say. Strave is pretty good in fight, I'll admit that much, but the only reason he's still alive is because he has more luck than any person has any right to have and an ego twice as big."
"Kaya," Strave said in mock-surprise, "I do think that's the closest you've ever come to giving me a compliment. There's hope for us yet!"
"Why don't you leave Kaya alone, Strave? I think it's pretty obvious she despises you," Jaysen said suddenly.
"Jaysen my good friend, what would be the fun in that?"
He paused and looked at me with the spark of curiosity in his eyes. "Is it true? What they're saying? That you've been... inhabited by some sort of creature one which grants you superior strength?"
I coughed then looked around the room. "Well that didn't take long to get out."
"It's also responsible for giving him that face and it's probably going to give him a body to match. So if you're interested in having one of those things put inside of you I'm all for it. Maybe if you had a pair of breasts of your own you'd even leave me alone, for a change," Kaya said glaring at Strave.
He grinned and let out a soft chuckle. "Kaya, my love for you is eternal. I'd be willing to go lesbian for you!"
Kaya rolled her eyes and let out a long sigh. "Come on, Jellfree. I think I've had about as much of Strave for the day as I can handle. Why don't I introduce you to the rest of the group?"
I nodded and gave Strave a sideways look before following Kaya to the next table. "Hey, Bentley!" Kaya called and then began the round of introductions.
Besides Pyramus, Farris, Strave, Kaya and Jaysen there were five other rebels in the room I had yet to meet.
Bentley Laden, was the first to step forward and introduce himself. He scowled and shook my hand, eying me with a set of cold blue eyes, before smirking and stepping aside to. My first impression of Marta Galday was an interesting one. Outwardly she seemed open and friendly, but there was something about the way she kept glancing into my eyes that made me uneasy.
“Name’s Territh Roggin,” a wizened little fellow stepped forward and clasped his hands in mine. He looked frail, but the firmness of his handshake definitely seemed to belie that impression. He grinned, displaying what few teeth he had left, then stepped away without another word.
“Uh, hi? I-I’m Nate Leeson,” a gawky kid stepped forward rubbing at the back of his neck. He reached out to shake my hand, but yanked it back and wiped it on his shirt. “Sorry, I’m a little sweaty. Been working out.”
He smiled and put a hand on the shoulder of the final member of the crew. She jumped and looked up at the kid with wide eyes. “This here is my cousin Loon Melowitz. She can’t really talk though. Her old qharr master cut her tongue out.”
Loona nodded and opened her mouth to demonstrate. I averted my eyes, and cleared my throat before returning my attention to the group as a whole. “Nice to meet you all. I’m sure you’ve heard all about me already.”
There were a few polite exchanges, but then things took a decidedly uncomfortable turn when they started up the questions. Most of them were about the K'teth symbiote and for the most part I really didn't have any answers. I gave it my best, and the questions certainly didn't get any easier to respond to. My answers were met with a lot of skepticism and distrust, and looking back I don't think I handled it all that well, but considering the way I had been received it wasn't all that surprising.
"Fuck it! You guys really think I have the answers! I'm through with all your damn questions! All I know is I have this thing in me! I don't know why it's doing this to me or what it wants, but I do know it scares the shit out of me and I don't need you people badgering me for answers that I don't have!" I snapped then went tearing out of the dining hall.
I stopped just outside the doors leaning against the wall and taking deep breaths as I fought down the vast array of emotions that I suddenly found myself confronting. My body had been invaded by an alien being and I had no idea what it was doing to me and on top of that I had been caught up with a group of rebels nearly all of whom were worried that I was under the influence of the entity.
"Jellfree," Kaya said from the doorway.
"Leave me alone Kai," I yelled thumping my head against the wall. "I don't want to be consoled, especially not by you. I just want to be left alone."
"Fine.” She folded her arms and stepped away before disappeared back down the hallway.
I stood there with my head still resting against the wall and let loose the torrent of tears. God... I hated what was being done to me. I knew there was no way I could stand up to that freaking parasite. It was fused to me like two metals melted into an alloy. How could I resist that?
I heard footsteps again, but this time they were coming from the opposite direction. I wiped the tears from my eyes and turned to find Mara standing at my side with a single raised eyebrow. She put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Jellfree, dear, what wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine." It was an obvious lie, but I didn't want anyone else prying into my business.
She frowned and folded her arms across my chest. "If everything is fine why you were crying?"
"I-I, just leave me alone!" I yelled then shouldered past her and fled back to my room.
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