Entry 015: Truth and Consequences
Day 66
Our time on Poop Hole finally wound down, which left us all with mixed feelings. Besides giving me a chance to gamble my life, that damned Challenge reopened my eyes to who these beings were. The Vy’keen are, and might be forever, dyed in the wool warriors to the core. And Pirates? Even more so. I might have to accept them for what they are, though that didn’t mean I had to like it. But this begged a serious question: how in the world were these three races ever going to get along, when one of them held so tightly to a warlike attitude and an eternal grudge?
Seri was melancholy, but she saw now how easy it was to return, relatively speaking, so that eased her mood. On the other hand, Adjaha was more than happy to leave this world of monsters behind. She enjoyed it a lot when she went on walks, far from the village, though she looked at avian creatures wisfully as they flitted about. She clearly missed flying, but insisted that being Human was its own delight, and she had taken amazingly well to her new form. However, she had no desire to see Father and the other Dragons. I had a feeling at his parting with me that he suspected she would pull some stunt to force traveling with us, with me. But if so, she likely wanted to put off that revelation to him for the far future, whenever that was. I guess I couldn’t blame her, as Father seemed rather strict, a huge surprise. What father wasn’t overprotective of their daughter?
That “us” thing, though, that troubled me, a lot. My Walk was not a safe one. I had already endured quite a few events which had tortured me physically, emotionally, even spiritually. One such calamity would normally be a once in a lifetime experience to scare grandkids with, and I had many, with a feeling I was just getting started. Then there were the fates of my friends. Andonai had nearly died. K’tarsgh, that rascal, had nearly died, and still could. Grabas had faced death, and only survived when I intervened. My dreams of the girls’ fates horrified me, and there was the one on the Anomaly of a girl perhaps on her death bed, someone I loved, and I had no desire to give that a chance of coming true. Still, leaving them… how could I manage that without an epic scene?
I waited to leave till after an early supper, in order to arrive at the Infineon hopefully tired enough for a nap before Standard Time caught us in its evil grip. Perhaps a long nap. We made the circuit of our few friends there, discreetly letting them know we were leaving for a good while, though I promised to return someday. And it might even be to set up a home there, as it was an amazingly perfect world, Pirates aside. The absence of Sentinels was a big selling point for all three of us, and being able to visit Father, with a proper invite, was a huge lure. Perhaps with a home nearby. Gweth had finished up a few goodies for Adjaha, and Seri too, though Adja didn’t share them with me. I had to make sure she never did. Grabas had wanted more advice on the Walk, so I wrote up something like Golden Rules which I had gleaned from what I could remember of my distant original life, and transfered them over to his tablet. He seemed impressed. “I don’t know how well these will be received by the others, but I will share with all, and try to live by them,” he promised. I couldn’t ask for more than that, though hopefully a few more Andonais might wake up from time to time.
I had to pay one last visit to K’tarsgh who was still in his deep slumber, which was understandable as his body had a lot to mend in order to live. Seri felt led to pray over him in that musical tongue of hers, and I felt her spirit flood the place, or a spirit. Was she invoking Tanri for his sake? It sure felt very somber and numinous just then, and it was humbling. When she finished, I was surprised as the Pirate croaked out through tears, “Seri… my pain, my shame… so great… what I did to you… but it got you a rather good man.” I had to smirk at that, a backhanded compliment to the end. But then he said to me, “And you… my pain, nothing compared to yours… guard yourself, my friend… I will try… find you…” But that was all he could manage before he slipped back into his life restoring coma. What the heck did he know?
Seri clasped her hand over his before we left, murmuring, “Oh, K’tarsgh… you poor, infuriating thing… find your peace with Tanri’s guide, and be well.”
So, we snuck off, telling everyone we were going for a walk to to watch the sunset, which was almost true. I regretted not being able to take Seri up on her invite for one night alone in our “honeymoon suite,” but there wasn’t anyplace to stick Adjaha for the night, and I had little doubt she would resent it. I lingered for a bit on a hilltop with them on either side as I admired the world for one last time, in case it was a long while till we returned - if ever, but I tried not to think that way. What an amazing, troubling world.
I had to lighten the mood in my usual ornery way, telling Adjaha, “One last chance to see your dad…”
“Oh no! No no no no,” she replied just that promptly, making me laugh, which earned me a sharp punch in the arm.
She asked me if she could ride shotgun on the way back, and I thought, why not? Especially if I abandoned them, this might be her one chance for a front row seat to see starflight, though I tried my best to muddle those thoughts. Which, how well did that work? So I rode in the kiddie seat as the girls took to the front, and Seri was quite confident now, running through startup without any help, and took to space as if she was a seasoned cadet. I had to get up and lurk over their shoulders to enjoy the experience of Adjaha’s delight at the spectacle, which naturally she was quite vocal about. I enjoyed mooning over them because they were my angels, and Seri was my life. A life I was going to abandon for a time, but… would I, really? Every instinct told me I should.
Two festive jumps later, we arrived at the Infineon, and Seri landed without incident. I watched as we settled down next to Adjaha’s would-be home, with the expansive mattress and sahara of litter. And to my delight, there was a new large pool, so we should go for a swim the next day.
And then one last hurdle as we went up to our rooms, which I hoped wasn’t a big one. I went to Adjaha’s room as she was unsuiting, with Seri lingering behind me for moral support. “Hey, listen…” I began a bit hesitantly, and it seemed she was sifting my thoughts at the hint of reluctance in my demeanor. “Why don’t you… sleep in here tonight?” Seri handed me Porsuk, which was overjoyed to see us after so many days away, and tried his darndest to lick my face. “You could cuddle up with Sucky, here.” Seri gave a snort at my nickname for him. I couldn’t imagine a better teddy bear for a girl, besides a kitten or puppy, but those were in short supply.
She made a face at that, but relented as I handed over the wriggling furry face menace, and she allowed it to give her a nice little cheek bath. “Ohh… I guess I have been a little clingy lately… you’re right, and I’m taking alone time from both of you.”
That surprised me, but having a telepath around, it really shouldn’t have. “Well… yeah. I mean, it hasn’t been all that inconvenient with you around, though it was…”
I was glad that she saw the humor in it, giving us a welcome laugh. “Okay, okay, I get it,” she muttered, then said to the wriggling ball of fur, “Wanna sleep with me tonight?” He gave her what I took for a willing growl, and set him down as Seri brought his litter box into the bathroom.
“Thank you so much, mənim eziz dostum,” she said, the two sharing a warm embrace. “I love you dearly, but… my man…” she murmured, giving me a fond look.
“I know, I know… I’ve been a bitlemek to both of you, and I’m sorry.” She gave Seri a rather passionate kiss, which reminded me that she truly was alien, and extremely expressive in her passions to both of us. Maybe I should let her be that way, be her Dragon self… some. Just some.
I gave her hand a squeeze. “Goodnight, sweet heart.” I added discreetly, “And thanks, you’re a dear.” She snuck in one last kiss before I departed.
And now… oh my Lord, how I wanted my wife, and she was feeling just as amorous, giving my cheek a good tongue bath herself. “Ohh, my love… menim perestizhim… ohh, how I need you…”
I was afraid we would spend some time to express ourselves to each other, a bit too much time, but we found ourselves lulled to sleep before it got too early. Sleep in, a little, I told myself, and let her sleep in a bit more.
I lurched awake sometime later though, as I felt someone settle next to me under the covers, and that could only be one Dragon. “Sorry… but… I can’t sleep,” she whispered to me in a way that sounded almost sincere. “It’s still kinda scary, and… you’re so darn… comfy.”
Yeah, but this was way too Dragony, and way too teenagery, and I had no idea how to respond. “Aaah-djahaaahh… come on,” I grumbled out, meaning to scold her, but I was just too tired to deal with it, and I had to admit that I missed her warm presence on my other side. That wasn’t too convenient, was it? I reached over and gave her bottom a little pat, and cringed as she had nothing on, and for crying out loud, couldn’t I feel that she had nothing on? Maybe I was being a little too free with those butt pats.
You think?
That wasn’t her, and I decided I’d pay attention to that Voice tomorrow, when I was more awake and being less typically male. She giggled as I stroked her skin lightly, feeling my way to her hand to clasp it, and whispered to her, “Okay… one more night, but… we have to work out of this, hon, be a proper friend. It’s… you know.”
I know, she thought to me, squeezing my hand fondly. Just… not tonight. It’s too hard all at once, and I’ll always love you.
I sighed as we’d have to all at once sometime, but… what the heck. I gave a brief thought of affection back, hoping this didn’t awaken Seri. And just as I thought it, my wife wormed her fingers into mine, easing Adjaha’s hand away. I heaved another sigh as the girl settled into me, laying her arm over my side. Why in the name of Heaven and Gautakht was my life so fraught with complications? One, a cute, bratty complication…
Someone was there
I lurched wide awake, clenching in alarm at the sight of a black robed figure gazing at us dispassionately from across the room, and to my horror, the face beneath the hood was nothing but a red orb. glowing in a way that seemed malevolent. I clutched my two girls to me in fear for their lives as I struggled through a tight throat to shout hoarsely, “Go away… go away! Leave us alone!”
There is no away with ME
There is no avoiding ME
There is no place I do not EXIST
You will LEARN
Learn to RESPECT
Learn to SUBMIT
Learn to FEAR
Now, I RESET
You will SUBMIT
Or I will RESET
YOU
That proclamation was menacing, and I shivered as we clung to each other tightly. How could I escape - we escape - such an omnipresent horror! We couldn’t speak, could do nothing more than quake with dread as it pointed a long, black gloved arm at me, and exclaimed
RESET
It seemed to originate right at that poised, accusing finger, sweeping out faster than light to jolt through me like a bomb blast, to reorder all of reality with whatever alterations to our world that damned demigod saw fit to afflict on us. I jumped as Seri began to whimper, jarring in that awful silence, “Nijol… w-what is that! What is… happening…”
I looked to her and screamed as nothing was left of her head but a skull, with only two eyes gaping at me in a horrible mockery of her face, but then the rest of her withered away, with only her skeleton to lie against me, and I couldn’t stop screaming—
I lurched awake, hopefully this time, and jerked again at the sensation of some evil monster clinging to my head. But as I reached up instinctively, I could feel a familiar badger-otter pelt and heard a disgruntled snarl in my ears. As I settled back down to sleep, hopefully, I grumbled, “Sucky, who invited you to the party?” And then a presence to my left reminded me that she had, and I muttered to myself that I seriously needed to have some assertiveness training, and a family chat with our adoptive daughter, who still seemed to want to be a little more than a daughter…
“Commander.”
I groaned in consternation, “For crying out loud… I need a do not disturb sign that’s disturbing enough to scare him off.” Then I was reminded of three beings sleeping with me, and decided to have mercy on them, assuming I could manage to keep from disturbing them. Which I couldn’t, all three of them protesting. I stroked Adjaha’s hair and gave her a good morning peck on the cheek, whispering, “This is what you get for sleeping with daddy.” She giggled so the message didn’t take, but it was the wrong time for that. I fumbled into some shorts, nearly falling over in my half-awake state as the Captain called over the speaker for me again. What the hell was it this time? I lunged through the door to grumble at him, “Yes? And this had better not be a surprise breakfast.”
My chutzpah faded quickly as he looked serious. “Commander, your ships are making warning sounds.”
Oh crap! Seriously? I began to run to the landing bay, but then recalled that the suit handled the management of all my gear, and I groaned as I turned to go back inside. “I’ll see right to it - just a bit.”
I dragged my gear as quietly as I could to Adjaha’s room, the room she was supposed to be sleeping in, the adorable brat, to spare them the noise and curses as I donned my suit. And then it struck me what I had just dreamed, and… no, it couldn’t be… but what else could it be! I faced towards the nose of the ship and exclaimed, “ATLAS, you asshole!”
As I secured my helmet and headed for the landing bay, I called up the displays on the ships, and sure enough, most of the tech was overloaded. But… why? I soon realized it was all the black market upgrades. And that brought me up short as I peeked at my suit and Multitool, and they were in the same overloaded state. I’d forgotten that I’d been a busy shopper. Only a couple were superior to my S Class units, but all had lost their ability to sit in cozy harmony with the other upgrades. Damn it all to gautakht! Well, the girls would probably enjoy a few free upgrades. And that reminded me of something else I’d completely forgotten; the unique E Class upgrade I’d crafted on Teskyevinde’s doomed Freighter. Checking the Infineon’s tech screen, it had more than enough headroom for even the most extreme upgrade, which I hoped this one was. But, first things first…