by T. R. Harris
Even with his moniker as The Mad Aris, there was very little known of Kracion or his species. The most anyone knew was he was an immortal from another universe and came pouring out of the Juddle Nebula with fleets of Klin causing death and destruction across half the galaxy. Yet within this lost world at the edge of the galaxy, TeraDon and his people found other Aris—mortal Aris, apparently—in an ancient base. And when a vast hibernation chamber was later discovered, containing even more dead Aris, the mystery only grew deeper.
But Te’moc wasn’t concerned with the enigma that was the Aris. He now moved through the cold and deserted corridors, seeking resolution to a mystery of his own.
Eventually, he came to a room, sparsely furnished with only a pair of cots. That’s when he found it. He entered and bent down, his breath coming in short gasps.
A small glass vial lay on the floor, its tip broke off and the contents gone — all except for a single drop of bright green liquid resting conspicuously on the concrete floor.
Te’moc leaned in closer, gazing reverently at the drop. Instantly, it all became clear….
“Hello, sister,” he said softly. “It has been a long time. And now I understand; it has been your essence I have been tracking and not you.” He snickered. “Now my task is simpler; however, the Sol-Kor will not be pleased. No, they will not be pleased in the slightest. In fact, they will be devastated.”
25
“Your memories of Te’moc are my memories, Adam,” Panur was saying. “As a result of our mind meld, you’re experiencing a form of genetic memory transfer. It’s nothing to be concerned with and should only come intermittently.”
“Anything else you’ve been keeping from me? And here you had me monitored. So who is Te’moc? The two of you are freaking out just from the mention of his name?”
“Te’moc is a creation of the Eternal Queen of the Sol-Kor, just as I,” Panur continued. “Yet it is more complicated than that. But let me say, if not for Te’moc, I would not be here today.”
“He’s another immortal mutant, like you?” Adam asked, a little worried that the memories he thought were his, weren’t. What other false recollections did he have or would have in the future?
“No, Te’moc is not immortal, not in the traditional sense.” He paused. “I see from the blank stares further explanation is required.”
“Ya think,” said Sherri. She was fidgeting on the couch, looking as if she had to pee, but not wanting to leave in the middle of the big reveal.
Panur smirked. “Let me continue. Even Eternal Queens get bored, and five thousand years ago, to occupy her mind, she embarked on an ambitious plan to create a new kind of being, someone who would live as long as she and would keep her company. The Sol-Kor she produced died off constantly, leaving her no continuity of thought, no one she could truly confide in. So she tasked her scientists with creating an immortal.” He looked purposefully at Adam and Riyad. “As some of you know firsthand, the Eternal Queen was not eternal, yet as long as she provided for the Colony and guided their civilization in an efficient manner, she was maintained. She was the longest surviving Queen in Sol-Kor history at this point, and with the prospect of lasting even longer.
“To accomplish her goal, she had first to create a master being, something that could be used throughout her experiments to refine and advance the process she had in mind. The being she created was Te’moc, and he became a sort of living incubator for the various versions of the life essence that would be at the center of each new creation. Also, as a basic requirement for the experiment, blank lifeforms were developed, beings without cognitive abilities. Later, these masters would be infused with the life essence in multiple stages, each time a more refined version of the last.” Panur smiled and waved his hands over his tiny grey body. “What you see here is that basic body form. Later models were more aesthetically pleasing.” He looked at Summer/J’nae and winked.
He returned to his narration. “Once the life essence was introduced, these blanks became living creatures, and over time, began to take on a life of their own. The problem in the early stages of the experiment was that the extraction process for the essence would kill the host body, which meant a return to the baseline after each transition. As Te’moc himself developed, it became possible for him to extract the essence without destroying the host. This was a major breakthrough, and it was from Te’moc that my body received many of my long-term abilities, such as shapeshifting and cell regeneration. No, I was not born immortal. That was an upgrade.”
“How could he do that, extract the essence?” Summer asked. “I thought you said that was impossible?” Adam knew what she was getting at. So did Panur.
“Unlike the basic cellular fusions I can perform, Te’moc can completely merge with another body. At that point, the experimental life essence will bond with his cells, and when he withdraws, the essence goes with him. The process is unique to him. I cannot do it. However, Te’moc did this countless times, and with each cycle, the essence became more distilled, more refined, until the last infusion, which resulted in… me.”
He looked at Summer’s anxious face. “Do not consider this, Summer. The process only works on certain lifeforms, and Humans are not one of them.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’m Panur. Accept what I say.”
Summer’s shoulders slumped as the spirit drained from her body. Monty reached over and took her hand.
“It was an idea,” he said, comforting her.
“What about J’nae?” Riyad asked. “Is that how you created her?” As he spoke, he stood up from the couch. Unlike Sherri, he wasn’t waiting for Panur to finish his excruciatingly long story; he was hungry and went into the galley to fix lunch. He could still listen from the kitchen. This new interruption, however, promoted a wholesale exodus to the bathrooms. When Adam came back—after washing his hands—he also grabbed a bite from the food processor before returning to his chair.
Panur stood impatiently to one side of the room, pursing his thin lips.
When everyone was back in their seats, Adam waved a hand at the mutant. “Go on. As you were saying….”
“I was about to answer Riyad’s question, so I would appreciate no further interruptions.”
“No promises,” Sherri said, quickly flashing Panur a sweet grin.
Panur glared at her but then continued. “J’nae came much later, yet to create her I had to resurrect the ancient technology that had made me. By this time, Te’moc had been retired, which is a polite way of saying he was placed in suspended animation and stored away. The Queen and I decided his special abilities might be useful someday, so we preserved his body and mind.
“The idea for J’nae came to me after the Sol-Kor began using the trans-dimensional technology I developed to explore other galaxies and universes in search of food. The life we encountered was varied and exciting, yet it could also prove dangerous to the Sol-Kor. As Adam has often said, there’s always someone bigger and tougher than you, even for the Sol-Kor. I worried what would happen if an unknown threat destroyed the Queen before replacements could be bred and brought to fruition? The hierarchy of the Sol-Kor system was tenuous; it had always been. So I sought an answer, a way of transitioning the race from a single breeding source to a more traditional system as a way of ensuring the survival of the species. To do this, I needed Te’moc.
“Knowing that the Queen would see my actions as a form of treason, I hid my activities from her in a special facility, a pyramid designated as M-34. This was beyond the normal sequence of the Sol-Kor Colonies, so it was off the books. I brought Te’moc there and began my experiments. After years of attempts, the final version of J’nae was created.”
“But if only Te’moc can extract this essence, how it is the Aris did it with J’nae?” Summer asked, not wanting to leave the subject of extraction. It was strange for Adam and the others when it appeared Summer answered her own question.
“There is a means, yet it always results in t
he death of the host. The body Panur gave me was just that, a host. However, unlike in your case, it was a blank canvas with no competing personality. It is the same with Panur. His body is just a host to the essence within. I allowed the essence to be extracted from my body—killing it in the process—because I had no intention of returning.”
“And now this Te’moc creature is in the Milky Way? Why?” Copernicus asked.
“The answer is obvious.”
“To you, maybe.”
“That, too, is obvious.” It was Panur’s turn to grin at his joke. When no one else saw the humor, he continued. “First of all, either the war with the Ha’lic is over, or a point has been reached where the Sol-Kor are desperate for the return of their queen. And the only queen they have at this point is J’nae.”
“He’s here to find J’nae,” Monty stated. “And he’s been tracking Summer because she’s in her body. How is he able to know, able to find her?”
“It is simple to understand if you accept the fact that since J’nae’s essence was processed through Te’moc, he can sense her presence, even over thousands of light-years. When I revealed my creation to the Sol-Kor, they learned the location of the facility and of Te’moc’s resurrection.” Another smirk stretched across the mutant’s grey face. “Also, I may have mentioned in my notes Te’moc’s ability to sense the life essence in J’nae. So my conclusion is the Sol-Kor have sought out Te’moc in a desperate attempt to locate J’nae and return her to the Colony.”
“But she’s in pieces,” Sherri pointed out.
“The Sol-Kor don’t know that. The last they saw of J’nae, she was fully intact and being taken to the Milky Way. For all they know, I’m still holding her against her will, and they see sending Te’moc to find her as a way of liberating her. And without a Queen, the Sol-Kor will die as a race.”
“So he’s been following this scent… in me?” Summer asked.
“Apparently.”
“Why didn’t he follow Kracion’s scent or the other Aris?” Adam asked. “And don’t you have the other vials of J’nae juice?”
“First of all, the J’nae juice is frozen. He cannot detect it in that state. And secondly, as I have said on multiple occasions, the Aris are different from other species. The energy that circulates within their bodies must be able to mask the presence of the essence. However, with Summer, the signal is clear and strong within her, more evidence for how thinly absorbed she is into Summer’s system.”
“So the force is strong in this one?” Riyad said with a snicker.
“I understand the reference, Mr. Tarazi, and in this case, you are correct.”
“So he can track me. What happens when I get back home?”
“You said you intend to stay with us until we find a way to extract J’nae from your body.”
“And I thought you didn’t want me to do that.”
“That was before I learned of Te’moc’s presence.”
“But if there’s a chance….”
Panur turned serious. “You do not want to entertain that idea. You don’t know Te’moc as I do. Even if he extracted the essence, it would be deadly to a Human.”
“What would happen to J’nae if that happened?” Adam asked.
Panur looked at Summer, waiting for J’nae to make an appearance and answer the question. When only Summer’s agonized stare met his, he replied.
“It would be such a small amount it would make no difference. As Sherri has so eloquently described, she is in pieces.” He looked at Summer. “But until Te’moc is dealt with, it will be best if you remain here. Lila and I will do all we can to help. It would be much safer if you stay here with us.”
“And how do we deal with Te’moc?” Adam asked. Dealing with situations often fell within his wheelhouse.
“We let time do it. By now, he has lost the scent, and as a result, he will have no reason to remain in the galaxy. Also, the Sol-Kor will be demanding results. Once they learn Te’moc can’t find their Queen, he will lose their support. We bide our time, and he will leave the Milky Way on his own, never to be a concern again.”
26
After the meeting, Summer returned to her tiny cabin aboard the Arya. Because of the design of the ship, there were six private rooms, which was more than normal for a ship this size. With Summer and Monty staying behind, there would be five people returning to the Milky Way.
You know Panur is wrong, J’nae said inside her mind.
Summer didn’t take the bait, trying to exert her independence by not engaging in a conversation unless she wanted to.
He’s wrong about the extraction. It can be done without harming you.
J’nae knew Summer couldn’t ignore the statement. The fact she might be right infuriated the young woman even more.
Bullshit, Summer thought. He’s Panur. He created your sorry ass, and now you say he’s wrong.
Panur is indeed a genius, yet he has not experienced the extraction process in a very long time. I have. He is right, however, about my host dying. But what he doesn’t know is the Aris and I came very close to saving her. We tried; you must believe me. She was more a part of me than you can imagine. The essence is merely an idea, a concept. The host body is real, and it was my body.
But you were being pulled out of it, voluntarily. Wouldn’t that have left your precious host just some mindless slug after that even if she lived?
On the contrary. Panur mentioned how over time the hosts take on a life of their own. It was the same with mine. She would not have been a full person, but enough to experience life for a long time to come. But you are different. If I left, you would return to normal.
You’re saying now that it can be done, that you can be extracted? You said it wasn’t possible and Panur says I’ll die if we try.
With the information we had at the time, we were both right. But that was before Te’moc. I know how the extraction process works. I know that with my experience and Te’moc’s abilities, it can be done, and safely.
Summer fought to keep her inner thoughts her own. She still wasn’t convinced J’nae couldn’t read them anyway. How could she have any independent action, any privacy, if J’nae was in every corner of her mind? At that point, there would be no reason to go on.
Even if what you say is true, Panur would never allow me—us—to contact Te’moc. From what he says, the guy is really dangerous and possibly insane.
Summer felt a chuckle in her mind.
How well do you know Panur? I know him better than anyone. He has agendas. He’s smart enough to see that Te’moc and I could help you. But then he would lose his hold over you.
What hold? He doesn’t control me; you do.
But in light of this new information, we can do something about it.
Like what, steal a ship and go to Te’moc by ourselves?
As you said, Panur would not allow you to go. He wants to imprison you—us—here in the Aris station. That should tell you what this is really about.
What’s that?
It’s me. He wants to control me. And as long as I am trapped within your body, he can do that. But I don’t belong here; you sense that. I belong with my kind, back in the Sol-Kor universe, and far away from you and everyone you love. I can merge with Te’moc and return to my people.
I thought you didn’t want that, to be part of the Sol-Kor? You said they were using you, that your full potential was being smothered. Now you say you want to go back. Make up your fucking mind, you freak.
Whatever future I have with the Sol-Kor is still better than the two of us suffering a lifetime of misery… together. You may not be immortal, but because of my essence, you will live thousands of years longer than any Human before you. This dichotomy, this conflict you feel inside, it will go on for all that time. Is that what you want?
You know what I want. But I also don’t want to die. You’re asking me to trust you over Panur.
I am not. All I have said is Panur does not have all the facts about the risk you would
be taking. He is operating on false assumptions.
Then we go to him and explain it.
That may work with regards to you, but not me. He will never let me return to the Sol-Kor. He will never allow an alliance between me and Te’moc. He is a shallow and vindictive being. His genius and his longevity have made him so. If this is to happen, we must do it alone.
My father…?
Not even he can come, at least not for the extraction procedure. But think, once you are free of me, you and Monty will have your lives back. And the sooner we find Te’moc, the sooner you can be reunited with your father.
Summer felt as if her mind was about to explode. She didn’t want to believe J’nae, but she made sense. Besides, what were her options? She didn’t believe Panur and Lila could help her, no matter what they were saying now. And if Summer was destined to spend an exceptionally long life continuously haunted by the presence of J’nae, then she didn’t want to live. She would find a way to end her life.
So what if she died during the extraction procedure? What would be the difference? One way or another, she would be free of J’nae.
We will have to steal one of the TD ships and jump back to the Milky Way, Summer stated.
It will have to be the Arya. The Sansa is too ingrained in the operations of the mutants and the Aris.
But I’ve only had a few lessons in piloting, and nothing about making trans-dimensional jumps.
A chuckle came again in Summer’s mind.
Worry not. Just give me command at the proper time, and I will take care of everything.
27
Preparations began for the team’s departure in the Arya. There would be five people aboard since Summer and Monty wouldn’t be leaving. At first, the mutants protested Summer’s father staying with his daughter. They pointed out he had no ‘utility’ as they called it. He said he’d mop the floors of the station if need be, to which Panur mentioned the Aris have robots for that. But Monty wouldn’t be deterred, and in the end, the mutants gave in.
