Chapter Thirty #2
She poked a finger against the ring, “My mate, what do they say? That’s Vrozian, right?”
Deep in the crystal, as if etched with a laser before the rings were carved, were distinct words. She’d never seen them together like that before, but she knew the language enough by sight to tell it was theirs.
Xexis softened, his gaze melting her insides. “The four rings stand for the four pillars of our people. Honor in the hunt. Aid to those in need. Science for the betterment of others. Community that bleeds together in harmony.”
She traced her fingers along the crystal rings, circling him to see all of them. Only, she stopped on his right, top arm and smiled. Jabbing her forefinger the ring, she announced, “This one! This one is the one talking about the hunt.”
Xexis wrapped his other arm around her and ripped her into his chest. “Yes, you are correct.”
“See! Languages aren’t that hard once you recognize the pattern.” She wiggled her shoulders smugly. Language is just patterns, and patterns are like numbers, and numbers are my thing. Aphrodite glanced up and her smugness faltered at the soft, breathless expression on his face. “What?”
“Every day I exist at your side, Aphrodite Kerso, I am amazed at you,” he exhaled, the arm around her back trembling.
“It’s not…it’s not that big of a deal, it’s the least I can do.” She fumbled with the words tumbling out of her mouth. “I mean, you learned my language and studied all kinds of things for me. The least I can do is learn yours.”
“You are doing more than the least, my mate.” He pressed his forehead to hers and she leaned into him.
His warmth radiated through the fabric and off his chest. Aphrodite swallowed hard, scrambling to find words to say.
Thankfully, she didn’t have to—the doors to the room snapped open and Quagmor stumbled inside with Reevar on his heels.
“Kannatch, Mphronatch, come quickly! You’re going to want to see this.”
Aphrodite and Xexis lurched into action, flying across the room. The group stormed out into the main living area where Xnasis was standing before a massive television screen. Aphrodite stopped moments before disaster. Xnasis stepped aside steadily and motioning to the screen.
Her heart stopped.
Breaking news: The Main human Space station, known as Frontier7, has crashed into nearby planet, Orvian, home of the Orv peoples.
It is unknown why the space station fell, but rumors speculate that the station was purposely driven into the planet side.
There is conversation arising that this catastrophic disaster had something to do with the death of Council Woman Barbara Finn.
There is no definitive answer as to these rumors or speculations, however, the human government has declined to comment or even speak about this disaster.
We will keep you updated with the rising death toll, for both the humans and the Orv.
This is has been CSIN—your source for intergalactic news. More to come.
Xnasis paused the stream playing on the television.
He stared directly at Aphrodite. All eyes, in fact, were on Aphrodite.
Her body trembled as she stood, frozen from skull to toe.
A shot from space, watching the massive space station crash into the side of a small, beige planet, sent her brain into overdrive.
She’d known about Orvian; they’d landed there many times for trade.
The Orv were the first beings humans ever met.
Little salamander looking people who waddled around their planet, following their sun.
Frontier7 used to sell little Orv plushies.
I had one in my bunk back on Apolo. Oh…oh no.
Her heart crumbled in her chest as she wrapped her arms around herself.
Angry tears burned her eyes, but she couldn’t get them to go away.
The perfectly held mask of control and composure tumbled off her face.
Her lower lip quivered. Tears continued to well up, doubling in quanity as she rewatched her station fall from the stars.
An entire station. The station she’d come from, the main one they used for scout missions; it’s where the major portion of the government was, it was her home before Xexis.
Her stomach was torn apart, hollow, and sinking into her feet.
Not even her breathers whirling to life could fix the tightness in her chest. Aphrodite stumbled back from those around her.
“Aphrodite,” Xexis breathed.
“It’s because they were found out, wasn’t it,” She squeaked, snapping her blurry gaze to Xnasis.
“They only lash out when they’ve been found out.
It happened with Fqa, when the researchers tried to bring him back to life.
Max and the Council woman only freaked out when they were found out.
Like a defense mechanism, they go rabid and lash out. That’s what happened, wasn’t it?”
Xnasis sighed, “We’re not sure why they crashed the station—”
“But you’re pretty sure that’s why!” she barked.
“Yes,” He diverted his gaze away from her, arms crossed over his chest. “We sent word back to your station, informing them we wanted to aid them and destroy all pests that may be hiding among their people. The entire human entourage except for Winrow and one other were infected. We found their Council shuttle pilot murdered in the ship and their engineer was infected.”
Aphrodite’s vision swirled as the traitorous, stinging tears spilled down her cheeks. “And we didn’t send people first, why didn’t we just go out there and say ‘surprise inspection!’ instead of giving them a warning!”
Get it together. Stop. Calm down.
“Because it is protocol. We are the Council, not some tyrant that can storm into another beings station without approval. Your people were given the option to accept our help or not. We can not force them!” Xnasis spoke with such a cold distance, it snapped something within her.
His eyes narrowed, his pincers crooked in anger.
They died because you let them! They died!
“You knew what was there! You knew the Council woman was infected! So you knew that likely others, especially officials, were probably infected.” She tossed her arms out to the side. Fury made all the hair on her body stand on edge.
“The Council followed protocol and your people declined our help. Our hands were tied.”
“Fuck protocol!” Aphrodite barked, clapping her hand between each biting phrase.
“Fuck your hands! They killed thousands of people! And we don’t even know what they are or how to stop them.
My people will not understand how you sat back and watched that station.
My station! Implode and kill thousands of our people when. You! Knew!”
She shoved past the bodies blocking the exit and tossed herself out of the room. There were guards at the escalators, but they didn’t stop her as she flew out of the protective film and into the station. Her body ached as she came to one of the many rings and grabbed the railing for support.
Breathe and get in control. Fury pumped through her veins like acid.
They’re gone and you can’t change that. She dried her angry tears on the back of her arm.
Likely many people were infected. Panting for air, she tried not to dig her fingernails into the chrome.
They were already dead before they crashed. Her biceps trembled as she knelt onto the floor and hung her head. They were already dead.
“I just don’t understand,” she moaned, sniffling. They. Were. Already. Dead. The reality was, there was no telling how many died in that crash, and how many were already dead before it hit the planet.
Buddy cooed metallically as he floated into her wavering vision.
She dropped her hands into her lap, staring out into the swirling rings of the Council station.
Aphrodite took deep, wet breaths in. Trying and failing to control her emotions, she hiccupped.
“I just don’t understand, Buddy. Where did those things even come from?
Why do they take over dead bodies? What do they even want from humans? Why? What could I have done?”
Buddy dropped into her lap. Text scrawled across her screen.
They came from the shadows.
She furrowed her brows, jerking her arms up to dry her face on her sleeve. “What do you mean shadows?”
Us pests exist in the void. We are not sure where we came from, but we found you, Aphrodite Kerso.
Aphrodite inhaled sharply. “Buddy, I need you to be very clear with me…are you the same species as those things taking over people?”
It took a long time to answer. Green text slowly typed across the screen.
Not the same species. But we come from the same void. Brexzkit feed from organic, biological material. Like calcium. Zrexeit feed on electricity and energy…I feed on energy.
Aphrodite cupped the metal octopus in her hands and furrowed her brow. “So, it’s not my drone that’s sentient, it’s you. There's a person in my drone.”
I am Buddy. But your drone is a healthy exoskeleton.
She exhaled, “Well, that makes more sense I guess than what I was thinking might have happened. But why didn’t you tell me before?”
I did not have the language to explain. I have been learning. Access to your device and you have improved my being much.
Aphrodite cocked her head to the side, ready to ask more.
Movement caught her eye and she followed it away from buddy to the continuously moving escalator.
Xexis stood still, spotted like a deer in headlights, headed for her platform.
He watched her with worry. I can tell because his pincers are curled up like he’s the one who Slowly, she climbed to her wobbly feet.
Buddy floated up and sat on her head. Gripping the railing, she followed it toward him.
Xexis met her at the cross section closing off access to the escalators.
She exhaled, “My mate.”
His face lightened, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “My mate.”
“I know, you’re going to say it’s not fair to force the Council to intercede when that’s not what they’re meant to do, but…I just…” She trailed off, her throat closing around a lump.
“We are meant to help, not demand,” he whispered.
“I know,” she whimpered, looking away to the rings. “But we could have helped. We should have gone there immediately, we should have—”
“There was no way of knowing the extent of infection.” He put a palm to her cheek. She lay her face fully in his hand, cupping it. “Not when they refused any help and demanded we stay away.”
“But that was the Brexzkit!” she blurted out.
Xexis’ brow furrowed as he stared at her, baffled. “I am missing context?”
She swallowed again, stepping directly in front of him. “Buddy was able to confirm their species. The pests. They’re the same shadow creatures you built those light cannons to destroy. It’s them. They must have realized that living in a host, they can’t be hurt by the light.”
Xexis grabbed her by the nape of her neck and brought her forehead to his. They lingered for a moment in silence. When he pulled back, he growled, “I would hunt you for the brilliance, but I fear it is a terrible time to be aroused by you.”
Aphrodite sputtered, cackling and snorting. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled his forehead to her lips. Kissing him hard, she sighed as the tension held in her shoulders fell away. “It is, but I very much appreciate that.”
He engulfed her into his arms, squeezing her tight. Aphrodite found herself finally able to take a deep breath and hold it in. Her heart still ached and there was a headache threatening her composure, but she would take the small blessings. Xexis released her.
“We must return to our station, Xnasis is staying here at the Council for a few cycles, to oversee things.” Xexis took her hand. “Quagmor and Reevar will meet us at the ship.”
“Is there any way I can get in contact with Vivian, or do I need to go rush to her now and grab her data pad address?” She glanced around, finding people beginning to fill the rings again.
“We can go to her quickly, but we can not stay. Now that I know what the pests are, it is even more important that we return and rally the hunters. New protections will have to be put in place.” He ushered her up the steps as they bolted for the medical bay.
There was a part of her that said this was to pick her brain about the pest. Get more information from a medical specialist. Vivian and her were close once, and she used to trust that blue haired woman with her life.
Things weren’t that different anymore; they could connect again.
The other part of her soul was begging to reconnect.
To have a friend, an ally, and soon another human to understand what it was like to be mated to a Vroz.