Chapter 26
"Well, it seems you're in perfect health," Melgara stated, and Violet rolled her eyes before glancing at Melgara’s blindfold. She wasn’t sure if the stellarie could even see the eyeroll in the dimly lit med-bay.
"I told you I would be," Violet clarified, her tail bristling with her emotions, only for her to have to brush it to relieve the tension and hopefully keep the hairs straight.
"Yes, well, believing and knowing are two very different things. As someone in the medical profession, I must endorse the latter." Melgara put away her tablet and began putting several instruments back in their cabinets.
Violet rolled her eyes. "Am I free to go?"
"You've always been free to go," Melgara emphasized, "but now I would say that you are done with your examination."
Violet smiled politely and stood up. However, the action caused Lily's black mycelial network to slam down around the door.
"What are you doing?" Violet insisted, placing her hand on her teacher’s beam saber.
"Closing the door so that we might have a conversation, the three of us," Lily said, seemingly unperturbed but watching Melgara. Lily found that most people communicated immensely with their eyes, and it was far more difficult for her to be sure of the stellari's intentions.
"I see the captain has gone and spoken to you," Melgara said simply.
"Ah." A smug grin split Violet's face. "That explains it." Understanding filled her tone as the purple-haired Kikai pushed off the bed. "You've come to discuss the captain's misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" Lily's attempt at confusion was ruined by the mirth in her voice.
"I believe his only confusion was brought on by you.
My conversation with him was quite simple.
He does not require any further partners.
I am enough," Lily said proudly. "Though he's certainly flattered by the question, Violet.
" Lily’s tone held a clear view of victory.
"I do believe it's still in everyone's best interest to improve the captain's capabilities," Melgara pushed.
"Why should I?" Violet crossed her arms and leaned back on the bed. "As far as I can tell, you have failed to provide any reason that I should."
"It's the captain," Lily all but growled from the ceiling. "His health and safety benefits us all."
"So you say." Violet wasn’t in the mood to be helpful.
"The captain is currently assisting you with your own crises," Lily snapped. "To deny him more safety after his assistance is childish. Or would you rather our ship abandon you here on this planet to face whatever these divine foes of yours might bring next?"
"Careful," Melgara said, looking between the two of them. "I do believe the captain would dislike such disharmony amongst crew members. And besides, given the captain's tendencies, I highly doubt he would leave Violet high and dry with everything that we've learned."
Violet had the gall to smirk at Lily’s sensory organ that she dropped from the ceiling. It made Lily want to wipe the look off her face violently.
"And you”—Melgara turned to the kikai—"aren't doing yourself any favors either. The captain has been incredibly generous to you as well. If he were to learn about the two of you fighting, I doubt he would take it lying down."
Violet began to argue before snapping her mouth shut. "It's simple, really. All I have to do is tell him the truth. Replication of divine abilities isn't possible. I'm sure he would respect anyone's desire to not be subjected to experiments. Even if, technically, it would make him weaker."
"Using his kindness against him." Lily scowled.
"Not at all," Violet protested. "I'm simply refusing to be experimented on, and I'm certain that if I hold to that belief, I can make him see reason. Besides," Violet asked, glancing around, "where are you? Why are you just speaking to us from the ceiling?"
"I am currently busy with the captain," Lily said, her tone the definition of smug.
"Perhaps there's a solution to all of this?
" Melgara offered, watching the two bicker with some level of amusement.
"If you two are done," she asked, "I do think there are better ways to settle this debate.
After all"—she nodded to Violet—"her understanding of how this all works is critical to any attempt at replication. "
"I said I'm not doing it." Violet put her foot down but narrowed her eyes when it did not seem to faze the doctor at all.
Melgara was as calm as ever as she spoke.
"Well, we don't have to give the captain anything.
Instead, this is simply an effort to help you better understand your own abilities.
After all, it seems that more than anything, rather than there being no scientific explanation, it has simply been taboo to seek a clinical understanding of things attributed to more…
ritualized capabilities." Melgara smirked.
"Well, I wouldn't say your commentary was entirely incorrect." Violet crossed her arms as her tail swished agitatedly behind her. Research into the divine was punishable by death. "I am certain that more than a few kikai of old spent considerable resources trying to improve themselves."
"Oh, perfect. Then we're in agreement." Melgara smiled.
"Though if it was ‘of old’ they must have had old, outdated technology.
Not to mention, they did not have a helivore available.
Lily, for all intents and purposes, is a revolutionary tool to alter genetic code and expression. Nothing that exists can compare."
Violet's ears flattened against her skull while the others watched. Violet’s eyes darted back and forth between the people present as she thought.
"Allowing you to perform this research is practically giving you carte blanche to make modifications to other people.
In fact, this sort of research could wind up incredibly dangerous, should it get into the wrong hands. "
"Of course." Melgara put a hand to her chest. "There will be very little documentation, and even should we achieve a potential gene therapy, it will be safely locked behind Lily's unique capabilities.
Thus, the chance of anyone being able to duplicate this is extraordinarily limited.
And the goal here is to save the captain, not publish this for profit or anything of that nature.
" Melgara waved a hand. However, the hypothetical made Violet's tail go rigid, and the stellari rolled her eyes.
"It was a hypothetical. And it's something I'm actually interested in.
Trust me, I have dealt with enough people who try to wring profit from every idea, stripping them of all nuance and imagination.
No, this is something purely for our ship.
I just had to address the idea that might occur to you.
Besides," she added, "how likely is it that anyone else in the universe has access to a friendly helivore? "
Of all things, that was what seemed to make Violet relax, and she went back to brushing her tail out. "You're right. There's some potential. But don't get your hopes up. As I said, I'm certain others have looked into this and failed."
"We won't know until we try," Melgara said sweetly. "So the first question is: where does the energy required for the regeneration come from? And for the purposes of healing, where does the mass come from?" Melgara pulled out her tablet.
Violet shrugged her shoulders. “From the tails.”
Melgara stared at her deadpan. "The tail shrinks?" she asked for clarification.
"I don't know." Violet shrugged. "It just heals me. I think about it like a muscle that I push through my tail to produce most of the effects. As far as I can tell, there’s no mass involved."
"The tail could very well be a psychosomatic way of controlling it rather than any actual source," Melgara cautioned. “But an energy-to-mass conversion? If there’s no mass shift, then that’s the only explanation. Are you sure it comes from the tail?”
"Well, without the tail I die. And it's another divine's tail that helps me increase my own power. So, I'm pretty sure it comes from the tail." Violet shrugged.
"Of course." Melgara smiled. "Are you aware of any particular dietary needs that might be different from others? Are you hungry after healing?" she hedged.
Violet's tail swished behind her as a slow smirk spread across her face. "Nope. I have no idea where it comes from. But I know how to use it. The energy, for the abilities I use connected to the tails, does have a limit. I can grow tired from using it."
Melgara squinted and tapped a fingernail on her tablet in thought. "Are you simply unable to use your tails at that point, or is there a full-body exhaustion as well? As for recovery, are there any things that assist or inhibit said recovery?"
Violet squinted into the middle distance. "A bit of both. Sorry. I know that's particularly unhelpful, but it's the truth. I'll find myself unable to continue using my tails at all, and physically, I would be exhausted. The regeneration might slow, but it never stops."
"Then you're truly immortal until your tails are removed." Melgara seemed particularly curious.
"From everything I've been told, yes. Though if my entire body is destroyed save for the tail, that would be the end as well." Violet went back to grooming her tail as she spoke.
"Of course, that’s still separating the tail from you," Melgara murmured. "Well then. I suppose the best option we have would be Lily's ability to copy the traits of those tails that she's consumed. Were you able to ascertain if they were from divines in your master's armory?" Melgara asked.
"You're going to grow a tail?" Violet asked, turning her attention to Lily.
"For the test. I don't believe a fox tail holds any interest in my romantic life," she said as her humanoid body stepped into the medical bay.
“Done already?” Violet asked.
“The captain was tired as it was.” Lily waved a hand. “Besides, he doesn’t need to participate in this conversation just yet. The first step will always be me testing this on myself.”
“Rayden is okay with this?” Violet pressed.
“Of course, though it might even be best for you to give some distance.” Lily produced a vicious grin.
The way Violet's eyes clamped down into an angry squint said more than words ever could.
"Fine," Violet spat. "However, I think you should be careful with too many assumptions. Who knows, one of these days you could find yourself upsetting the captain rather than solving anything."
"I'll keep that in mind," Lily said.
The two of them had a brief stare-off before Melgara cleared her throat.
"Right." Violet cast one more glare at Lily. "I suppose it'll take you some time to grow your tail before the experiment can commence," she said, as though it were a challenge.
Lily rose to the challenge in an instant, grinning and pinching her eyes together for a moment as the back of her black mycelial suit began to bulge and split, a tail growing from her backside.
All the while, she fixed the kikai in front of her with a sharp grin.
"It doesn't seem that your tails are that difficult to produce. "
Violet crossed her arms. "That is, if it works.”
“Since we're looking to improve the captain's own regeneration, that should likely be our first test and an easy one at that," Melgara said.
Lily, however, frowned. "I already regenerate quite quickly."
"Are you able to stop that ability, at least temporarily?" Melgara asked.
Meanwhile, Violet stood nearby, arms crossed, a smirk firmly in place.
"I’ll have to. My regeneration needs substantial calories, but I can partition some of those for the test…" Lily said as her voice trailed off.
One of her nails elongated, and she stabbed it into her arm, slashing downward without even a grimace.
Melgara's expression was worse than Lily's. She looked downright pained as Lily's blood dripped to the floor and became contaminated, useless for any sort of research purpose.
"Are you squeamish?" Lily asked, frowning at the doctor. "That would be a terrible trait for a medical professional."
Melgara frowned at Lily. "No. I'm simply lamenting the potential value your blood could have to multiple disciplines of medicine. Yet, here it is, being wasted."
Lily shrugged and glanced down at the wound she had produced, which remained open.
“Is there a trick to it?” Melgara asked Violet.
“No.” The kikai shrugged. “Though there may be…”
All eyes in the medical bay were fixed to Lily’s arm as the wound closed.
"It does seem to work, but there was a delay." Lily smirked at Violet, who frowned.
"That can't be." The kikai’s tail lashed behind her.
“Perhaps there was a secondary characteristic that the tail needed to adjust to?” Melgara theorized. “Still much for us to understand.”
"Just because you don't believe something, doesn't make it impossible," Lily said, victory gleaming in her eyes. "Now then, how do I start moving things with my mind?"
At that, Violet snorted. "Years of training. Learning to reach into your senses and move things with your will. You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?" A small smirk played on her lips.
Violet was trying not to show frustration. She had trained much of her life for the abilities she had gained. Nobody should be able to achieve it so easily. Not after all the blood, sweat, and tears Violet had put into learning it herself.
"Now, this is an interesting first step," Melgara said.
"First step?" Violet glanced up at the other two.
"Of course. You don't think we're simply going to turn the captain into a kikai, do you?
" Melgara said. "No. We must identify exactly which part of the tail produces these effects and, if possible, graft only that onto the captain.
And if we go about this correctly, we could put nine tails' worth onto him, making him more durable and far harder to kill. "
“Impossible to kill.” Lily growled.
"Your assistance will be invaluable," Melgara added. "After all, while the first test might be regeneration, there are other aspects certain to be far harder to replicate, not without someone who has an intimate understanding of how things should work."
Violet scowled. "You are both treating this far too casually. This is the secret of my people, carefully protected and held sacred for thousands of years."
"Yes, yes," Melgara said, waving a hand. "Now, Lily, we must move on to more detailed tests. Would you mind letting me have samples of the tail? From there, we can begin testing the individual components."
Violet cleared her throat. "Once you've gotten your samples, I'd like to borrow Lily."
The helivore squinted at the kikai before nodding slowly. "I suppose that's acceptable."
Violet grinned. "Perfect. Then I think it's best we talk a few things out."