BETH
Beth was already awake and dressed when the Captain’s call had reached her. She had slept well after deciding to take a break from the translation training with Tern. Sleep had found her quickly and it had been deep, she felt refreshed. Tern’s presence in her mind had not disturbed her sleep this time.
“Captain Samuels wants us on the bridge,” Beth said, giving Tern a pet on his outer shell.
Tern floated behind her in a silence that was smooth and powerful, as if he was a fictional ghost. The route to the bridge was short.
Milo came around a corner, his eyes bloodshot and his fingers rubbing the sides of his head.
“Are your temples tingling?” Beth asked.
Milo shook his head. “No. I have a headache. Don’t worry, Saif is not inside my mind.”
Milo stopped and hesitated when he saw Tern. It was difficult for Beth to understand how others felt about Tern’s presence, they had not really gotten the same time to bond as she. It had been a few days since Tern arrived at their ship and she was starting to get used to the concept of being his companion and having him inside her mind.
“Good morning,” Milo said, his voice trembled. He was afraid.
“Jes,” Tern said in her head.
Beth smiled. “Tern’s says ‘good morning’ too.”
Why could not Tern drop his thoughts into others’ heads too? The orbs clearly had the technology to tap into other minds. There had to be another reason for this behavior. She committed the thought to memory, deciding to ask the question to Tern later.
“Beth. Flesh.” Tern gave her a friendly bump. “Flesh. Bonded.”
“Yes, Tern. We are bonded, or rather we are bonding,” Beth said. “Once we can fully understand each other, then we have bonded. I don’t know what you mean. After a few more words, then I will ask again.”
Where had Milo went?
Beth looked up from and away from Tern, and Milo was not in the junction anymore. Had she been so occupied with interpreting Tern’s sequence of words that Milo managed to snuck away? Alright then, his loss, not hers. To the bridge.
“Let’s go, Tern,” Beth said.
Everyone was already present. Leopold sat in the back in the pilot’s seat, Diego in front of him with Claire on his side. Birgitta sat with them, Milo sat on the left side and Captain Samuels sat in his Captain’s seat. She thought that she had reacted quickly to the call, but the Navy trained crewmembers were obviously even quicker. It was natural that they were, because when the Captain told you to haul ass to the bridge, you better haul that ass fast. She moved over to the seat besides Birgitta and Tern floated with her, always hanging by her side.
Birgitta nodded. “You look glad.”
“Yeah, I…,” Bet started, but she was interrupted.
“It is weird how you spend all your actual time with the floating ball instead of with us people? How does that work?” Leopold said.
Beth wanted to smash his ugly face in, but was able to suppress the urge. Leo had this uncanny ability to tell the truth at you without any regard to your feelings or how it sounded. So old school of him.
“Leo, please. Don’t be like that,” Milo said.
“But, but. How much have you seen of her the last few days?” Leopold asked.
Diego grabbed, shoved and turned Leopold around. Curses were exchanged between the two.
“Leo, shut it,” Captain Samuels said. “Here they come.”
Two orbs floated into the bridge. A flesh creature walked behind the left one and a swarm hovered behind the right one. The right orb was clearly larger than the left one, it looked at least twice the size. Tern’s size could be compared with the left orb’s.
“Chieftain Argus.” Tern floated across the floor and stopped in front of the larger orb.
The orb Tern called Chieftain Argus, the larger one, bumped carefully at Tern. A greeting of sorts.
“Beth. Here,” Tern said. “Flesh. Here.”
Beth understood what was asked of her, but it was jarring being ordered around by him. The other crew members looked at her as she made her way to Tern, she tried to ignore them. She stopped and stood behind Tern, keeping the sweetness at her tongue.
Chieftain Argus floated up to her. This close, the Chieftain’s immense size felt even more intimidating. Its black surface was as smooth as Tern, the seams of the potential modules hidden.
There was an argument to flow her skin into metal, but the potential adverse effects were greater. Alarming Tern’s kind felt like a stupid move, she would not want to create hostilities. But she could not help herself from tensing her hands into fists. The chill up her spine put the jitters into her legs, making it a chore keeping them still. If Chieftain Argus decided to unleash its scattering beam weapon, there would be few human survivors in this room. Including her and she doubted her reaction time would be quick enough to flow out the metal skin. She remembered pain across her stomach, where Tern’s flesh creature had inflicted a serious wound on her all those months ago. She had to stop herself from clinging at that old wound.
“Beth. Tiny. Chieftain Argus surprised,” Tern whispered.
This marked Tern’s first time to couple three words together and the orb had done it twice in a row. Also, the first time Tern had lowered his voice in her head. Could the Chieftain hear them? Maybe through Tern, because she was convinced that she would be able to detect if Chieftain Argus was in her mind. She had detected Tern without problem.
“Strong. Much strong,” Tern said.
The Chieftain floated back up, right to Tern.
“Us rewarded,” Tern whispered.
Was the lowering of his voice a way to show respect towards Chieftain Argus? It sounded plausible.
Seams grew distinct in the Chieftain’s surface in a square-like shape no larger than a fist and smoke billowed out as the module slid straight out. A similar sized gap opened in Tern’s surface and a brief vibration traveled through his surface. Tern grew. His surface expanded to encompass the new gap and the new void underneath, for the new module to have enough space.
“Yes.” Tern floated closer to the Chieftain.
Excitement emitted from Tern’s thoughts, Beth felt it as he placed words in her mind.
“Yes,” Tern said.
The module hovered away from the Cheintain’s orb, hovering in mid air and slowly crossing the distance between them. It rotated so the endpoints would match the correct direction.
“New module,” Tern whispered.
The module made a final approach towards Tern’s surface and aligned itself perfectly in relation to the gap. It made contact and slid into Tern’s orb. Seams merged with the surrounding surfaces and vanished, as if they had never been there.
“Tern, is this some kind of ritual?” Beth asked.
The Chieftain bumped into her before making its way out from the bridge again, followed by the smaller orb and the two companions.
“Argus like Beth,” Tern said.
Beth nodded at his words.
“Goddamnit. What just happened?” Captain Samuels stood up and said. “Beth, please explain.”
How would she accurately describe this alien exchange when she had little clue what happened? She had a theory, but it was not more than speculation.
“Tern and I have been rewarded with a new module. I think we just witnessed a ritual, where the Clan’s Chieftain handed this module,” Beth said. “The Chieftain goes by the name Argus. Chieftain Argus.”
Captain Samuels tensed the fingers of his cybernetic arm. “Alright, can you explain that one more time, I don’t think I really got it properly?”
Tern turned to her. “Us. Mission. Beth, I. Mission. Danger.”
“Captain, I have difficulties to explain it all. Tern doesn’t know enough words yet,” Beth said.
“Module by Chieftain.” Tern bumped into her. “Honor.”
Was he encouraging her to translate the message to the other crew members?
Captain Samuels coughed, rubbing his cybernetic arm. “Something. Tell us something. I don’t like being sidelined in my own bridge.”
“My interpretation of what just transcribed and what Tern has told me: Firstly, the Chieftain rewarded ‘us’ a new module. Secondly, Tern and I have been given an assignment.”
There were too many questions and it made her uneasy, almost as if she was sick in her stomach. The Captain wanted an explanation, but he would have to be happy with speculation.
“Assignment?” Milo said, cutting in before the Captain. “Are you leaving?”
Beth sighed. “I don’t know the particulates. But I don’t think the mission will take place inside the Final Sight. Tern’s amount of words are not enough to describe complex things yet. I can only tell you what I know.”
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“What is a module?” Birgitta stepped in.
“Yeah, right. I forgot to say, didn’t I?” Beth said. She had promised to tell the scientist of the recent discovery, but it had slipped her mind. “The short version: All the orbs are constructed by modules and these modules make up all its collection of functions, e.g. their hovering and their weapons. Evidently, the modules can be moved between orbs, they can be traded for other modules, valuables or favors. Or handed over in rituals. Or given to try to sweeten deals of allegiances.”
Birgitta’s face lit up. “What a discovery! History has been made here today.”
“With ‘Chieftain’, do you really mean like Tern’s boss?” Captain Samuels asked.
Was that worry in his voice, it was difficult to determine, but there had been a slight hesitation from the Captain when saying the word ‘Chieftain’.
Tern placed some words in her mind.
“Yes. Chieftain Argus is the clan leader of the Devou Clan. The clan which Tern belongs to,” Beth said.
“Our. Our. Our Chieftain,” Tern said.
Right. If she was Tern’s flesh, she was part of the clan. She had not really gotten used to the idea yet. But Tern’s unrelenting use of ‘us’ and ‘our’ made the conclusion unmistaken.
“Chieftain Argus is our clan leader. Of the Devou Clan. Both me and Tern,” Beth said.
Milo stepped forward. “That just feels wrong. You are part of this crew.”
“Well, I don’t know anymore,” Beth said. “This is how they make contact with new species and how they establish communication between them. Yeah, it is strange, but what options do we really have at this point? Since we escaped Europe13, everything has felt wrong, my mind has been plagued with thoughts about Saif and all he has done to me. Tern has made me feel better, I feel useful. I was chosen for this and I will see it through.”
“No. No. I don’t accept it. They can’t snatch you away. I just saved you, we just saved you. I tried my best to get you in a better mood. I kept you company when you crawled into the corner of that room. I brought you food when you didn’t eat. I took care of you,” Milo said. “But what mission? Are you going somewhere? Whatever, whenever, I am going with you. Cannot have these aliens do whatever they want with you. Someone got to keep you safe.”
Milo really cared for her, she had not thought about it before. Biologically, they were siblings, but their shared time together had been anything other than significant until they escaped from Europe13. His posture and the pitch of his voice spoke a thousand words. It was so clear when put into the right context. How could she have missed it for so long?
Beth turned to Tern. “What do you think? Can he come?”
“Yes.” Tern didn’t hesitate.
“Milo is like me, but different. He has a power. Will that not anger your people?” Beth asked.
“Yes. But anger easy.” Tern floated at Milo.
Milo flinched, not at all comfortable having an alien, floating orb bumping into him. But it was not difficult to understand why anyone would react in this way. Tern was intimidating, it was not until he dropped words into her mind that she began to understand him. At least Tern was not invasive, but instead friendly and understanding. Would all the other orbs be similar in their manners? Probably not, all people had individuals with varied opinions, opportunities and prospects.
Beth put a hand on Milo’s shoulders. “You can come. But rest assured, it will probably be dangerous.”
Milo nodded in reply. “Lightning does not fear anything, lightning causes fear. When do we move out?”
Tern dropped the instructions in her head and she repeated them for Milo. “In one hour we are leaving for a clan meeting. Our task is to observe, learn and in the extreme case protect Chieftain Argus if a new clan war breaks out. This meeting will be between many different clans. It is interesting how divisive they all are. Each clan having their own community and the communication between each of them potentially ending very differently.”
“Sounds logically,” Milo said.
“The mingling for allegiances is all about power and being mighty. The immediate relative strength between two clans can be summed up into three levels. Either one party is weaker, and if that party initiates the negotiations the stronger party will strongarm and dominate you. There will be little room to expand the terms, you will be sucked up. With those circumstances it is better to wait until the stronger party acknowledges that you have something they want, then you will be able to set some terms of the relationship. Or you challenge them, to prove that you are strong,” Beth said. “The second option is when we are the stronger party. In those relations we can initiate anytime, since the weaker party will see it as advantageous for them when interrupted by a strong clan,” Beth said. “The third option. We are equal enough to the other party and then the companions or their chosen warriors have to fight in order to determine the stronger party. Clan Devou is often viewed as the weaker party, which means we have to be careful. Which means it is much safer for us to wait for the other clans to find us interesting. Making them initiate first contact.”
“That was a lot of words in novel sequences. I am not sure if I can remember it all,” Milo said.
“You don’t have to. Stand where you are told to stand and observe,” Beth said.
Milo nodded. “Roger that, boss.”
Captain Samuels stepped in between them. “I don’t like this, not one bit. Having our two heavy hitters leaving the ship at the same time. Saif and his minions are out there, they are hunting after us. I would feel better if one of you were held back in reserve. What if your clan meeting hits the fan? We cannot afford losing both of you.”
Was the Captain trying to butt heads with her on purpose? The cold in his eyes, the level of his shoulders and the iron in his voice. Captain Samuels would have a hard time not getting his will through by sheer willpower.
“I don’t like you,” Beth said. “You could always try to stop us. I would like to see you try me. You will just have to deal with this on your own, Captain.”
Captain Samuels’ face didn’t change a bit. But Beth recognised when the man planned for violence.
“Alright.” Captain Samuels nodded. “Alright.”
Milo stepped forward and pulled his friend back. “We will be okay. It is okay.”
“Alright,” Captain Samuels muttered.
“Get ready, Milo. We leave in one hour,” Beth said.
-
Birgitta pulled her aside after she came around the junction, just outside her room. Beth had been heading to freshen up, a shower and a fresh change of clothes. It might be a good idea to pack some supplies, too.
“You should bring iteration two,” Birgitta said, smiling wide and open, her teeth flashing as usual.
Beth sighed. “What?”
“Your, our weapon. Of course!” Birgtta said as if it was the most obvious thing. “You will see that I have made ample improvements since the initial version.”
Right. The weapon. She had forgotten. Which was not that surprising, since ever Tern started bonding with her everything else felt dull and not that important anymore.
“Of course. But why didn’t you not bring it to the bridge. I know how you love to show off your results,” Beth said. “Or did the last iteration fail so much that your confidence shattered?”
“Beth, you belittle me. I am disappointed in you,” Birgitta said. “But alas, I am more mature than you. No I have not failed, I would have loved to show the whole wide world. The thing is, I cannot move the darn thing. Only you and the lab’s hydraulic lift can do it. And maybe some select few people that are strong enough.”
Good. Birgitta had heeded her remarks. If the weapon weighed enough, it would not be as easy to deflect or catch.
Tern floated behind her as she followed tight behind Birgitta, as they made their way to the lab. The door slid open.
The weapon was lying on Birgitta’s workbench. A half meter metal handle fused to a big, uneven lump of metal. The proportions between the lump and the handle seemed all wrong. It would without a doubt be unbalanced. Beth placed her hand on the cold metal, her fingers clutching the handle. There was easily enough room for two hands. She grabbed and pulled, without her power. The handle moved, but the lump anchored the weapon in place. No way she could lift it with her normal strength. Or anyone else.
Beth smiled, she couldn’t help herself. Whoever tried to lift it would fail miserably. Too heavy and incredibly unbalanced, without enhanced strength it would be rendered useless. Perfect.
Sweetness flooded her mouth. The strength came to, her muscles had anticipated it. She grabbed the handle again, but this time teeming with confidence. She lifted it. It must have been comical for anyone to stumble in here without knowing about her. She twisted the weapon around in the air and tested a few swings. That lump, with its weight and her strength striking it down, would do some serious damage.
“What do you think?” Birgitta asked.
“This is so much better,” Beth said. “But how did you manage to fuse the handle to the lump, without having the bonding fail? The tension between the two must be incredible. It feels weird that it doesn’t snap in half, just from the sheer weight. Look, even when I hold further out.”
Birgitta smiled. “Claire has some fine tricks up her sleeves. Being a master class engineer and all. She helped me solve it. That lump is far more than just welded to the handle. There is a complex set of anchors inside it; threads of carbon nanotubes distributed through the lump’s interior and along the handle’s inside. An ingenious design.”
Beth slowed the sweetness down to the smallest trickle she could manage but also being able to lift the weapon. She could keep this trickle for many hours before depleting the deposit.
“Thank you. I will give you a performance review when I come back,” Beth said. “If I need to use it.”
“Nice,” Birgitta said. “And goodluck.”
-
There was one more thing on her agenda before heading out. Diego Rubalcava, the ship’s medical doctor. Beth had some suspicions that needed to be addressed, not about herself but Milo. She walked into the med bay, only the Doc was present.
“Diego, I have a question,” Beth started. “What are the signs of addiction?”
Diego turned, wearing a medical robe. “This is a complex topic and is dependent on the affected victim, but it has been thoroughly documented throughout human history. So, before we begin, why would you ask this? And don’t play coy with me, this crew is small and I am the ship’s medical officer, I know everyone of you and your wellbeing.”
Of course there would be no point in lying with Diego.
“Milo. I am worried that he is abusing his power. Specifically when fueling with blood. There is a sharp contrast with him before and after fueling with blood. He looks so worn out when he doesn’t get his high often enough,” Beth said. “I guess there are more symptoms which I have yet to observe, but I am certain he is addicted to the blood.”
Diego nodded. “This is not news. I have talked with both him and Sam.”
Beth hesitated, the reveal was strange. She had been kept in the dark and obviously Diego and the Captain had let Milo continue down the path. Stupid and downright destructive.
“But, why do you let him continue with it? You are a medical doctor,” Beth said.
Diego’s chin dropped. “We cannot let him stop. The Captain has made it pretty clear that we cannot stop Milo using his power and fueling with blood. We need him to hit hard. Milo and Captain Samuels are aware, and have promised to stay minded about any dangerous behavior and symptoms. They know what they are doing.”
“Thats a fucking lie. You cannot control an addiction like that. You know this. It starts small and little, but over time it escalates until it causes danger to the people around him. Why are you standing behind this decision?” Beth said, the rage creeping up from her stomach.
“Well, I am not the Captain and it is not my place to question his decision. Our current situation is unique, but we are also very, very isolated. We cannot have our heavy hitters stop hitting. We cannot afford that. In time of war, you don’t have the luxury of comfort,” Diego said.
Beth shook her head. “Those words could as well have come directly from Samuels’ mouth. Well, you and him will bear the consequences if Milo’s using backfires. I will watch him like a hawk. What more symptoms should I look for?”
“For instance, the one you mentioned. That he looks and is perceived as more wakeful when high on the blood. That is not too dangerous, but it is as you said, he will grow more and more tired between the usages. Another one is if he starts stashing of personal hidden caches of the substance, like fuel cells in this case. Dropping hobbies, is one. Has he stopped cooking and reading? Those are the kinds of signs you can look for,” Diego said.
“He has not cooked any food that I am aware of or even held a book in his hands,” Beth said. “But I was locked in my cell for months, so it is hard for me to confirm it.”
Diego nodded. “I know, I know. But even though they are signs of addictions, they are harmless. The more dangerous ones are the inability to stop using even though it causes problems for him, him taking uncharactics risks and decisions just to score him a high. Having problems with getting proper sleep and increasing difficulties with withdrawal symptoms. Those are the ones you should pay close attention to.”
“Oh wow. Not that safe, at all,” Beth said. “I feel like this will bite us in the ass when the water flows over the edge. We will just hope that their gamble is worth it. That your gamble is worth it.”
“I feel the same. I don’t like it, but I cannot stop it either,” Diego said.
Beth muttered. “Yeah. Well, I would be thankful if you kept me in the loop from now on. And don’t play coy with me, or else.”