Unipsi, lovely entity
chapter 49c: loyalty
With the video ended the room was silent and the air was heavy. What they saw was not easy to digest. They called back the counselors, those who were not too sick after what they saw. They mostly looked defeated, Dhalia was angry and Csuicha was visibly nervous. The only one that was fairly calm was Scilla. She didn’t expect less from Idra. She saw her using the WAWC without any regards for the livings. More over the video proved Idra’s will to keep her promise and distance herself from the WAWC, which was a positive thing that unfortunately only she knew.
“this is a fucking disaster” said Csuicha breaking the silence while pushing her hair back.
“I don’t think so. More over it showed that we made a powerful ally” replied Scilla.
All stared at Scilla who was the only one that stayed positive and kept defending her collaboration with Idra.
“it shows that we decided to collaborate with inhuman people and even worst put emphasis on how atrocious our main ally is.” replied Csuicha.
“as much as I like the successful expeditions, they means nothing if everybody is against us. We should call off the contract” said Dhalia.
So I guess that’s the betrayal that Idra predicted. I figure why she said that she can’t be trusted. She immediately went with cutting her off.
“Who fucking cares. All those bitches already hates us for killing the Droxi scums. We can either keep siding with the strongest or swap to the weakest. But do you really think they will help us?” Replied Scilla. She was determined to be civil as long as possible but she was ready to defend Idra with all she could.
“They are lunatics Scilla!. They could turn on us at any moment and in that case we would be totally alone” Dhalia was heating up.
“you are the lunatic if you believed in the other fucker. They didn’t help us when the Droxi declared war. The Xoraxtas sided with them at least diplomatically. The Pridians ignored us. Terrans kept being neutral. War is bad, war is sad. I fucking know, we fucking know better than any other. We didn’t ask for it, but there was no way out. The only ones that gave us help were few independent human colonies and the Esterians. They at least helped us once!” remarked Scilla.
“I get your point Lis. But we have to think also about our people. This video for sure was sent to all planets. How Idra acted was probably to terrorise and dissuade from future attacks. However I think they went too far. We are speaking of 46 millions lives.” Csuicha was far more collected and methodical. For her it was all a matter gaining against losing.
“I get that you are saying Liin. But as I said, we are already alone. In 7 years we barely commerce with the Pridians that will hate us no matter what we do. For them we are just warmongers who eradicate a species. We can’t also be sure that they will be around much longer” was Scilla’s reply.
“WHAT?!” said Dhalia.
“well what we saw could bring them to war. Who do you think will win? Pridians who would stab their firstborn in the back for a bunch of money, or the extremely loyal and organised Esterians that already single-handedly ended our war with the Dorxi? My bet is on the Esterians”
“I agree. Our society could easily tank the hit from the total collapse of all commerce with the Pridians…” said Csuicha.
“than what are we waiting for?” replied Scilla.
“well first they could try to bring us into a war as well, second our people won’t appreciate. We are desensitised Lis. But look around us. Most of the Ittiri puked their souls out. Those who are still here saw just a fraction of the full video. Normal citizens are even weaker. They wouldn’t understand even if keeping the alliance is the best way forward.”
“they don’t need to understand. You are the fucking Liin. Your words are law. You still have absolute power for 3 more years before the war emergency is closed. You can impose what you want, who care for those cunts”
“that’s exactly why. I was elected after an assassination. Peoples needs to trust me and trust that the government thinks about them. I don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the past. That is also why I kept the assembly active even if I can rule alone. We are no longer under treat of enslavements, so we must look forward a new age for our kind. Maybe an age were war is not so close” Csuicha’s words were filled with wisdom. One of the many sign of Liin with the Mark.
Fuck. How do I reply? I can try to go all in, but is it the right moment? No, I can try again, if it doesn’t work than I’ll shot my last bullet.
“I get it. I know what you are trying to do both what is needed and reassure people. I know it’s hard. But our future is here and now. It passes trough us, the Sheridan and Idra. Like all nations the technology revolution is stopping or stopped. We need breakthroughs. We can’t wait for them if we want to be ready for future enemies. We need them as soon as possible and the alien technology that we can bring home with Idra is invaluable. We need it and we need her more.”
“She is a mass murdered Scilla! She killed 46 millions of people. 46 fucking millions!” shouted Dhalia.
“Than what am I?! I killed billions for our kind and I would kill them again. I killed soldiers, civilian, babies that had yet to see their sun. Idra did the same, she killed for her people. She pressed the button they told her to. We are not different”
Silence. For few seconds Scilla thought that she won.
“but we are different Lis. Our war was justified. If was us or the Droxi. The Esterians had no reason to kill more that what they needed. We saw that Idra was able to track them all down. We could have closed an eye for killing their families and the torture. But all the others were innocents.”
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!… I guess I have to.
“I… I… know. But what else could we do?”
“what do you mean? We can just take our distance easy right?” replied Dhalia.
“easy indeed. But there is more underneath isn’t it Lis?”
right were I wanted you.
“Liin this has to be just between me and you. So you all others, get the fuck out, guards included”
Csuicha stopped her guards for a moment and stared back at Scilla.
“If it’s such sensitive information, why only now?”
“because it would have been better if I never had to tell it. Not even to you.”
In Scilla’s eyes a bottomless sea of determination.
“guards, go out. I’ll call you back later”
reluctant the guards left the two alone.
“so”
“I literally gave all for working with Idra. It was never a collaboration, I just tried to buy myself some time”
“explain it better Scilla. We are alone”
“Idra and the Esterians gives no shit about us. They would never help us unless they want something from us. You know it better than me that they gave us weapons only because they wanted our farming tools. They just saw an opportunity”
“nothing new so far.”
“well Idra didn’t want to work with us. She stated multiple times that we are slowing her down.”
“then what is she keeping her here? You?”
“yes.”
Csuicha was surprised. She believed for a moment that Scilla succeeded into initiating a relationship with Idra. Which was true but Scilla was not talking about that.
“it’s not the relationship you asked but close, sort of. When we met I didn’t recognise her ship. We didn’t know someone like her existed. She almost killed some patrol officers. So I went with the diplomatic route, got to her and tried to speak. You know like I did with the first encounter that made us win the war. Idra was pissed and hostile and I had 3 options. 1 fight and die in the ruins, 2 run away but surely she would have come for me, 3 try to reason as initially intended. So I spoke with her and she didn’t kill me. Don’t know why but she decided that she wanted me so she was set to kidnap me. I talked her out and somehow managed to convince her that working side by side was going to be more entertaining. I know for sure that the moment she decides that she had enough I’ll be gone with her. I don’t know how may days of freedom I have left. I gave our kind all I have, even my life. I traded it for technology. If we break the contract beforehand I’m sure I’ll just be kidnapped and we all lose. Me, Idra, the future technology and more importantly a connection with the Esterians. Their ambassador was never a stable connection and now they even took it back so…”
“is all you told me true? 100% true?”
“I would tell you to just ask Idra but she is not here. But yes. She doesn’t give a fuck about us, nor do her people. I’m her friend and I know her way better than before. Because I know her, I can tell you that if she has no more reason to be here, she will pack her things, me included and leave.”
“won’t she hear you out? Like if you ask to be left here with Wiola. She must know how attached you are to her right? She also considers you a friend so why would she not allow you to be free?”
“she does know how much I like this place. I also took her to my home-town…. I don’t know how she would react. What I can say is that friendship has a limit.”
“so with no contract the probability that she left us are higher?”
“not sure. she had never and will never follow it. What I’m saying is that we can’t pull the rope too much. What we should avoid is her anger. She wasn’t pleased when I didn’t appreciated a compliment about eugenetics. If she feels treated she will run away. If she feels that her propriety is in danger she will take it and run. As fas as I can tell I’m among those proprieties.”
Csuicha sighed.
“this changes a lot of things. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“what makes you think I could? Those days are the first days in months without Idra near me. How could I even find a way to tell you?”
“fair enough”
“I know that I took the first decision. I… I understood it…. Long ago. I decided that if I had to lose my freedom at least I could exchange it for something.”
“Scilla, speak clearly from friend to friend. You know I can’t put you before our entire species.”
“I know Liin Csu...Serafia. What I’m trying to say is that I’m fine with my decision. I don’t really regret it. But I have to fight to keep it as I intended. I think we could scrap the contract. Idra doesn’t really care about it. This way we can save face or whatever. However this doesn’t mean that we have to stop working with her. If we let her go she would not return as a friend, but only as an enemy. I saw enough of her to know that the moment we tear the contract is the moment she will laugh. We will have to give her, or her people something to keep her. But more probably she will require something from me or you.”
“so to sum it up you are telling me that we could do a secret agreement with her directly?”
“yes. Which is mostly as intended initially. I’m positive if we speak just the three of us we could get to something. At least she would still help us for a bit”
“you think your crew will keep their mouths shut?”
“I can force them. Or we can bump into Idra on mission’s sites totally by accident.”
“kind of a stretch but I suppose I could double down on your crew. After all the Sheridan is a special case”
Their conversation dragged a bit longer but in the end they decided to pull out of their agreement with Idra. However to avoid special surprises they went with the classic, give them a chance to explain then proceed. So The public was mostly told that their relation with the Esterians was going to be cut off but not before hearing also their side of the story from Idra. After all just 7 years before they put an end to the Droxi that were far closer to them than Humans. This way they could make a new secret agreement as they intended.
Around dawn the Liin pre-recorded message started to be broadcasted and at the same time the net was put back online. People had access to both the horrifying video and at the same time their Liin response. It worked as intended. Idra’s massacre was soon being shared everywhere along side their Liin decision. It was a good reply yet it didn’t stop some demonstrations, especially in front of Hakavor’s HQ, as they were technically the one that brought Idra closer to them.
Days passed and rain drastically reduced the temperature of those early days of November. The cold didn’t stop the manifestations that however reduced in size. Liin Csuicha had yet to return home as she was waiting for Idra as well. The Liin, her guards and Scilla spent their “peaceful” days at the planetary administration palace. A gargantuan structure composed mostly of administration offices. They were in a conference room at the 32 floor. Taking their lunch break from their constant discussion of plans to apply once Idra came back that rainy day.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“I don’t understand why you insist on cooking and eating what you make. I could make us have all the food we want” said Csuicha looking at Scilla that was sitting on the other side of the table giving her shoulders to the windows.
“what you don’t get is why I do so. I get up before Wiola and I make her food. Doubling it for me doesn’t cost me anything”
“oh come on. The hell are you? And helicopter parent? You are fucking rich. Just let her go out to buy something for herself”
“No. the food you…”
Scilla saw the uncertainty in the Liin guards and the Liin herself. They were staring outside the window.
“are those rain splashed?” said one of the guards confused.
Scilla turned to see that the rain was stopping right outside their windows, as if something was there. As she blinked twice to make sure she wasn’t seeing things the NDU revealed itself appearing instantly out of thin air. As they looked in shock and confusion the room door bursted open. Idra made her appearance shouting and tossing flower petals around.
“I’m back bitches! Did you miss me? Eh? Eh? Eh?” while saying so she moved closer to the Liin and in contrast to before her guards could move and put themselves between them. In particular the Liin was sit facing forward toward the NDU outside and Scilla. Idra moved to her left were a guard put her arm to stop her. Idra slowly laid her hand on the guard forearm.
“Thais, Thais, what makes you think you could stop me?”
The guard didn’t reply but it surely was afraid as she was indeed named Thais. Idra pushed forward.
“You should think more about your family. I know your daughter has just made her first friend at the daycare. I would be a pity…”
“Idra stop” intrude Scilla. The guard was scared but kept her position. She was trained to do so.
“I’ll defend my Liin.”
“You are not fun, I just came back and you all have brooms up your asses. Oh and just to be clear…”
A second Idra appeared crouched on the conference table with one arm keeping her knees closer and the other fully extended to touch Csuicha nose at the millimetre.
“boop” said softly and before the guards reacted she was gone again and appeared beside Scilla.
“I suppose you are having a lot of fun, you seemed a lot more… mature the first time we met” said Liin Csuicha while Idra was taking place beside Scilla.
“you know, when you get more comfortable you let yourself go more right?” while speaking Idra took off a “standard” backpack from her back that appeared almost out of nowhere as Idra’s movements suggested that it was just covered with some clothing that made it invisible. As if it was a school desk, Idra proceeded to pull out a lunch box.
“plus you know if you are in a good mood it will influence how others sees you” concluded Idra while staring at Scilla’s food box.
“you want some?” asked Scilla, she was mostly calm as she knew that Idra had no intention to harm her or so she always said.
“can I?” asked back Idra looking up to her.
“I would feel bad to let you eat your…” Idra opened her box that strangely didn’t consist in greyish mush. In contrast it was a well divided mix of mostly unknown elements. The main solid components were red moss, the blue flower that reacted to electricity and some soft wide leaves. Along side those in their own small slot there were 3 sauces.
“when did you learn how to cook?” asked Scilla surprised.
“I didn’t. Moss and flowers are raw, the leaves are obtained by boiling them at 100°C for 4 seconds. The reddish sauces is just boiled sap for 192 seconds, the brown one extracted by pressing a fruit at 11 atm (11*Terra atmospheric pressure at sea level) and the last one is just oil from a different plant.”
“That’s… oddly specific… what happened to the mush that you liked to much?”
“nothing, I still eat it. I made this just to steal your food with the premise that I can exchange it with something different, but not the oil, it is poisonous”
“poisonous just for my species?”
“nope, it’s poisonous for all carbon creatures, it’s similar to chocolate. Won’t kill me but would kill a dog.”
“fair enough, also did you change armour?” asked Scilla without any care for her Liin. Her idea was to show that Idra could be cooperative if asked nicely. Idra’s armour was fairly different. Now it was a bit bigger and held a deeper goo layer. The armour module could be seen more easily as they changed the goo shaped around and some pocked trough it.
“yeah, the AMS-111 was just a pain to fix. Over the years I also developed some upgrades. It was just the perfect opportunity to swap to my new AMS-388. Better in all possible ways.”
As predictable from their conversation Idra’s goo around her hand shape shifted into a series of acuminate appendages. As they saw the dark needle like structure piercing into Scilla’s food and cutting away some smaller pieces images of torture popped in their minds. They all remember too well how much pain such needles have caused just few days before. Resisting her urge to look away Csuicha intrude in their lunch time.
“You are surely more aware than me about your video and the massacre that your people and you brought upon Alsheva...”
“Are you sure that you want to talk about it?” Idra’s voice has changed. From something happy to a more cruel one.
“it’s not something I ever wanted, but it’s something I have to do to protect my people”
Idra busted out laughing.
“I like the spirit. Get your guard out so we can talk in a more friendly way”
“and you move your spaceship away, I don’t like having it staring at me all the time”
“sure”
As silently as it appeared the NDU turned away and relocated itself at the top of the building. Far stranger was the total silence coming from it. There never was a ship with no sounds or almost none as glass separated them. Following Csuicha’s commands the guards left again.
“I hope you will protect me in case she goes nut right Lis?” said the Liin.
“I can try, but I can just ask. Idra can you please don’t be physical aggressive?”
“I’m never aggressive”
“where? In your dreams?”
“yes… no wait… I think I had a few were I killed someone”
“well… we want to break the contract we have with you. I know we insisted on having it but things have changed, we don’t feel like it benefits our people any more.” said Csuicha breaking the dynamic duo.
“why do you care about Alsheva?”
“I need to know your side before calling off the contract definitively”
Idra opened her helmet lower half. Her mouth was contorted into a malicious grim.
“Things have a price, if you don’t pay what you own they send someone to take care of you. The mercenaries blood were all legally condemned and demanded for public painful execution. Denied request, stronger repercussion. There is not much more to add.” Idra was smiling satisfied. For her all she did was just serving justice to criminals.
“well I suppose that gives me the answer I needed… the contract is off. Now how about a more private agreement between us?”
Idra smiled again but this time it was a full smile with her teeth visible. She of course was fast enough to put her fingers in a V shape to cover her fangs.
“very well, but it has a price. So what do you offer me?”
“it’s pointless to just keeping running away. So what do you want? Scilla? I won’t and I can’t sell you people”
In an unheard move Idra opened the rest of the helmet leaving herself face to face with the Liin. The suit kept covering almost all the face as the aperture span from just blow her lips to her eyebrows excluded. The rest was still covered. Csuicha could tell that Idra was fairly good looking but not the same extent as Scilla.
The hell is she doing? Is this some kind of mind trick?
“I already own Scilla. I can claim my price whenever I want…”
“I’m not your propriety” replied Scilla. It didn’t sit well with Idra that stood up and stare at her.
“you get it wrong. I’m not your friend. I just seized an opportunity. An opportunity to get my new pet, a really obedient one.”
“I’m not yours…”
“wrong. You are mine and obedient at every order. You never know what could happen to your sister” Idra was smiling again covering her fangs alone. It was a sadistic smile enhanced by her stare, one of a true mastermind, almost as she had predicted all from the second they met. Scilla bolted up but mid way she was stopped by Idra’s hand that grabbed her shoulder.
“you wouldn’t dare…”
“I would and I will if necessary. You showed me your weakness, the people you care about. I know all and I can do all I want. So now sit and shut up pet, we will have our fun….”
Idra pushed her down back onto the chair and lowered to her ear to whisper.
“bluffing” than she pulled back.
Scilla’s blood that was already infused with rage cooled down.
Fucking hell I thought she was serious for a moment.
“what I want is all your history”
“never, you don’t know what you are asking for”
“indeed I don’t. I just know your kind is really secretive about it and that I liked the “official” book about the Droxi war. So I figure something else may be there. Like how did you became the Leans in the first place”
“7 years, the one after the war. You will be allowed to look at all the secret recording. No more. It’s too sensitive”
“300”
“that still almost all if you cut the Droxi”
“yes”
“14 years”
“no. you think I don’t know the immense help I already provided to your kind”
“your immense help is now gone as all would see us as enemies”
“it’s none of my concerns. 250 years”
“26, your age. It seems appropriate to me”
“not enough. Lets make it 41. Scilla’s age.”
The Liin was left in a difficult position and she has yet to know what the new unwritten agreement will actually give her.
“ok, 41 years. Exactly from the day Scilla was born. Not a day more, and you swear on your Founder that you will never divulge anything you read in the logs?”
“why should I divulge it? I want to know the prequel”
now both Scilla and Csuicha were confused but Scilla had to stay shut.
“what do you mean the prequel?”
“well it means the prequel. You know all the stuff that brought to the war. I want to read about them, i hope they are as fun as the book about the war”
“wait, let me understand. You want to read our recording because to you they are amusing stories?”
“yes? Why else?”
Csuicha’s face displayed a mix of confusion, hysteria and laughter at the same time. It was just so stupid. A master plan that took months to be completed to read some logs for amusement.
“then what kind of aid are you going to provide…”
The conversation spun several topics, in the end they mostly kept their contract as a research and scavenge agreement were they split physical loot as 50-50 until and digital loot as 99-1 as the Leans were unable to decipher anything they ever recovered. Scilla was kept out of it, but they both knew that as long as Idra was pleased she was not going to take her away. The contract was purely verbal but they both swear on their kind that they will keep it secret. Considering how stubborn they both were it was guaranteed. Idra was also banned only on paper from the Leans’ planets but in the end she just had to avoid being seen which she was way too good at.
Both happy with their agreement they decided to go on their way. Idra with Scilla and the Liin with her guards. In few hours the Liin was going to hold a press conference stating the “fake end” of their collaboration with Idra. Not with all Esterians even if they had no other contact with them.
Once inside the NDU, that flew away for a while before going invisible, Idra stopped just outside the airlock. Scilla was right behind her.
“Scilla, I have a few things to say, so please don’t move ok?”
“ok”
“so… I’m sorry about before. I had to push Serafia to get what I wanted. You are no my pet and I don’t want obedience from you because you feel that your family is under treat.”
“it’s ok. Kinda a hard push and let me tell you, when you do the villain I can’t tell if you are lying. When you are… normal, you… you are basically unable to tell lies. But oh boy, I hate to admit it but until you told me I thought that you had planned it all.”
Idra laughed happily. Her voice radiated joy around the empty NDU cargo bay.
“I’m not a witch. I don’t know so much into the future. However I know a lot and my drones recorded a lot. I saw that you defended me and I also understood that you tried to be friendly with the food exchange to show Serafia that I’m not all evil. Thanks”
“well you were spot on with the betrayal from Dhalia. She went immediately to it”
“did you ever had a crush?”
eh? the fuck does she means? Is this a translation error? It doesn’t seem connected.
“You mean on someone?”
“yes”
“honestly I had. I think I had 2 long ago. Why?”
“how do you know when it’s just a crush or it is love?”
“hard to tell, but I would say that love doesn’t fade away even when the other is at his worst. Why?”
Idra started looking down at the ground. As all the time she is nervous she started playing with her hands. However Scilla couldn’t get to her to reassure her about whatever she was thinking, she had to stay still and let her speak as she requested.
“My time away and your answer made me think. I had a lot to think about. I can tell that I am in love. In love with you…”
“thank you. I love you too”
“but love ain’t all. Ain’t eternal. Love could fade as we get old, as our bodies give up. But you know what doesn’t? Loyalty.”
Idra pulled off her helmet. In such move her neck was visible before the hair fell out of the helmet. The collar had changed shape. Now it was spelling -Scilla-Lis-Scilla-Lis-. Scilla read it and saw as Iris’s ears turned burning red.
“Loyalty is slowly built but can endure any time. Our founder, my grandad. He choose Elvira not because of her extraordinary beauty nor because of her unhuman intelligence. He choose her because she was absolutely loyal to him. He could thrust his back to her and vice-versa. Can you lower your head to face me but at my head height?”
“sure”
Where is she going with this? Is it some kind of super love confession? I like it but it feels so strange, she is not telling me that in the end we can’t be together right?”
“you proved to me your loyalty. And I. I’m loyal to you”
Iris immediately turn on herself, grabbed Scilla’s head with both hands and kissed her. Well she didn’t know what a kiss actually is so she just pressed her lips on Scilla’s lips. Then after about a second she pulled back and run to her room leaving a totally dumbfounded, infinitely happy and with a racing heart Scilla back.