The Stream

by Mark White

  'Try and stop me,' I said.

  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't really this. It was all so, well, ordinary. Alien, but ordinary. I emerged from a fairly small formal building. The building had no obvious windows, and was only a single storey high. The surface of the walls had a creamy plastic appearance, and the building was topped by a similar roof, sloping down from back to the front of the building. That's assuming I had emerged from the front of course, it was hard to tell. It was just bland and featureless.

  The building was surrounded by an open vista with a formal feel, with small hills covered with a well maintained purple grass-like plant. Cutting through the grass were pathways wide enough for three Bora side-by-side. They were all a light yellowish-grey in colour, with a dark green border separating the path from the grass. The path I was standing on had a matt surface, but other than that it just looked as if it had been painted flat onto the ground. Dotted randomly across the landscape, but all separated well apart, were some uniform buildings, smaller but similar in appearance to the one I'd just left. On Earth I'd probably have described them as chalets, but I have no idea what the purpose is here. In the distance I could see a border of large tree-like plants that seemed to surround the area, coloured both dark green and purple. There was the occasional tree scattered throughout the nearby area too, often near the chalets. If there had been a couple of swimming pools nearby, I might have thought this was some sort of up market holiday complex, topped off with a salmon pink sky with an orange-red sun for effect. There weren't any clouds, but there did seem to be an odd swirling texture sweeping slowly across the sky. Once I'd seen it, I found it hard to take my eyes from it.

  I turned to Safira and asked, 'Is this a small town or village?'

  'No, not really,' she replied. 'We don't really have an equivalent to your towns or cities. Don't forget we spend most of our time out of these bodies in our native state. When we inhabit the Bora, we usually do so for a purpose, and live in an area that is conducive to that purpose. This building is one of many dedicated to the purpose of resolving the Confluvium issue. This one here has been investigating how Raj lives in the Stream, and how to bring you back to life. These smaller buildings are the accommodation for the scientists working here. I have been living here when helping to bring you back and monitoring other progress.'

  'Where can I stay?' I asked, suddenly realising I was a homeless, unemployed immigrant.

  'If it is agreeable to you, until you have fully learnt our society, you may stay with me,' she replied.

  That was a relief. 'Yes, of course. Thank you Safira,' I said.

  'When I am not fulfilling my duties elsewhere, I will spend my hours educating you on our existence. I still believe you will have an important role to fill in what has yet to happen. You need to understand us fully first however,' she said.

  'I'll take your word for it,' I say. 'I do of course wish to help in any way I can. I have one question, may I ask as I think of things?'

  'Of course, Kofi. What is it?' she said.

  'How do I tell the difference between a native Bora, and a Bora that is, um, inhabited by a Safiran? I'd hate to accidentally insult someone by making an incorrect assumption,' I asked.

  'The more correct word is cohabited, rather than inhabited. It is a partnership. You have no need to worry. When we are not with them, the Bora prefer to go back to their native forest habitat to live. You can see the trees surrounding this academy, my Bora will go there when I leave,' she replied.

  'Do you always use the same Bora?' I wondered.

  'Wherever we can, yes we do. If I need to be in this area, I will use this body. However there are a collection of Bora around the planet that I will use, depending on which is closest to where I need to be. This is my favourite however, we are very compatible. I have an exclusive arrangement with this Bora, whereas others I may share as needed. Your Bora was the exclusive symbiont of my partner before she became a Redoubt. That is why there was no other call on that body. These are the bodies we always used when we mated,' she said.

  I could tell she was trying to speak as dispassionately as she could, but failed as she got to the end. I need to tread carefully, the last thing I want to do is upset her. Probably best if I change the subject.

  'Why did I need to be bought back into a body? Why couldn't I have been bought back in an incorporeal form like you?' I asked.

  'Actually, that was what we tried first,' she said 'This region of space is unusual. There is a, let's call it a, weakness here. The boundary between this universe's brane and the bulk is thin here. The bulk substrate impacts the local space more strongly than elsewhere, so there is a wash of exotic structure around here. We evolved in this exotic space, and we could not have evolved without it. We hoped that we would use this structure as the matrix on which to reform your consciousness. We failed.'

  'Do you know why?' I asked.

  'We believe it is due to your evolutionary background. Your consciousness evolved tied to a body, it would not reform without one. We felt the Bora would be the perfect host for this, as it was a body already adapted for accepting an external intelligence', she said.

  'Thank you, that makes sense,' I said. Then I suddenly realised things weren't as straightforward as I'd complacently thought. 'Hold on, you describe your relationship with the Bora as a partnership. Do you detect their consciousness when you cohabit their bodies? I get no sense of anything with my Bora,'

  She looked troubled. 'Yes we do. The resident consciousness voluntarily goes into a quiescent state while we cohabit, but we can sense its presence and can send reassurance and thanks, and it learns from us. I must admit however, we are concerned about your Bora. I believe due to your alien nature, you have completely suppressed the resident consciousness, we can detect no sign of it at present. It may emerge again once you have left, but it is a concern,' she said.

  'What can I do? I cannot kill another in order to live myself,' I said, shocked and distraught.

  'Do not be distressed Kofi,' she replied. 'It may not be irreversible, but if it is, the damage is already done. Nothing will be gained by leaving the body right now, other than your death. Be aware also that this Bora volunteered for this. It was aware of the risks, but wished to proceed for the good of all. It has felt unfulfilled since my partner left it for the last time, and this gave it a sense of purpose. We are looking to find ways of helping but you should not worry about it Kofi. There is nothing you can do.'

  Shit. Guilt rushed through me. That's another death, specifically so I could live. How do I live with this? How do I not? If not, then it died for nothing. Shit.

  'Now I am in this body, am I likely to be able to leave? You said that you were working on it,' I asked.

  'Yes Kofi, what we said was true,' she replied. 'The problem we had was restoring you to consciousness in the first place, given the hasty and not fully prepared scanning process. Now you are alive again, we believe it will be a simpler task to transfer your consciousness to an artificial vessel, or remove your need for a body altogether. We are working on both routes. Only when one is ready will we be able to find out the true fate of your Bora. I am sorry.'

  I can't say I'm happy with this, but what choice do I have?

  While we'd been talking, we'd been slowly walking along one of the meandering paths through the academy. We continued to walk in silence as I contemplated all that I'd learnt. I was becoming more confident walking as time went by, and I didn't need Safira's support continually. We passed other Safirans occasionally, none of whom spoke to us, but all acknowledged us with interest.

  The path eventually came close to one of the nondescript buildings that I'd seen in the distance. 'This is my residence,' Safira said. 'Please come in. It is very simple, but my needs are simple.'

  She's right. It's simple. The inside surface matches the outside. There are two small single beds against opposite walls, two chairs shaped for the Boran form, and an odd looking piece of furniture right in the
centre of the room. It was almost horseshoe shaped, possibly a bit more like a Greek omega symbol with the two horizontal bars swivelled ninety degrees to point downward from the curve. It was about the same height as the bed and chairs, although the end of the bars were slightly higher than the main curve, so that the bars sloped downward towards the curve. There was only a narrow gap in between the two straight legs, which were covered in a padded cushion, and were angled inward at around thirty degrees. The curved area was filled with padding that looked just like the bed.

  'What's that?' I asked, pointing at it.

  She considered for a moment, and then said, 'I'll share more details of our culture with you this evening. For now though, you look tired after our walk. Would you like to rest?' She pointed towards the bed.

  Actually, she was right. It had taken quite a lot of effort to get here, made worse by my inexpert way of walking I am sure. I hadn't realised quite how tired I felt until she mentioned it, but I definitely need to sit down for a while.

  'Close your eyes,' she said. 'It will do you good to take a nap. You'll need your strength this evening.'

  I'm not sure I could sleep right now, this is all too new and exciting, but I do need a rest. So I'll just lie down and recuperate until my legs stop aching for a bit.

  OK, so I fell asleep. I'm not sure how long for, but I feel better for it. Surprisingly comfortable beds. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

  I can't see Safira, but I can see that the main door is ajar, and that it's dark outside. Maybe she's gone outside for some fresh air, so I'll go and take a look.

  Pushing the door open, I walked outside, and am immediately taken aback by what I see. The sky is moving. Although I can see the expected darkness of space with the odd star peeking through, it is covered by a moving pattern. It's hard to describe, it's a thin filigree of yellow orange candy floss blowing in a breeze. Sometimes there are grid patterns, sometimes spirals, sometimes curtains of streaks; all moving slowly and elegantly across the night sky. It's like the Aurora Borealis on acid. It's as if Vincent Van Gogh had painted it after someone had stolen all his colours other than black, cadmium orange and yellow. It's hypnotic. I'm so entranced, I don't hear Safira walk up next to me.

  'Like it?' she asks in a whisper.

  'Yes, it's beautiful,' I whisper back. 'What is it?'

  'That is our true home. That is where we evolved. That is the sight of another reality close to our own. Our brane's weak spot. We guard and cherish it.'

  I have nothing I can say to that, so I just look up and stare. It's a while before I realise that Safira's hand is in mine. It feels right.

  We continue to stand hand in hand, admiring the beauty of the sight. Eventually I get distracted by that annoying itch on my back and movement of my cilia. That ache spreads inside me.

  Clearly Safira senses my discomfort, and although I'm sad the spell has been broken, she speaks. 'Come Kofi. Come inside, we need to talk. There are things you must know.'

  She leads me inside, still holding my hand, and takes me to the omega chair in the centre. She indicates for me to sit in the centre of one of the bars, and she moves to sit facing me on the bar opposite. As I sit down, the padded cushion rises automatically to form a horizontal surface underneath me. The forward angle on the cushions mean that we automatically are leaning in towards each other, our faces resting unnervingly close to each other. My back is itching uncontrollably, and she looks towards me and smiles.

  'Kofi, there is no need to be embarrassed. I can see your cilia are active. I assume your back is itching, and your body is aching?' she said. I can see her failing to suppress a grin.

  'Yes, what is it? Is there anything wrong?' I asked nervously.

  'No not at all. It is a natural reaction, one I must teach you to control to save you future embarrassment. It is something we learn at a very young age,' she said.

  'So what is it. Some sort of allergy?' I asked.

  'No,' she said. She paused as if searching for the right words. 'The analogy is not exactly the same, but I will use terms that will be familiar to you, particularly as a male of your species.'

  'Yes?' I asked, realisation suddenly dawning.

  'You are sexually aroused. You have an erection,' she said, grinning.

  'Ah,' I said. I'm not sure if Bora blush, but now would be the time.

  'A boner, a stiffy,' she continued.

  'Yes, I get it,' I said.

  'Wood, hard on,' she chuckled.

  'OK, stop. I think it appears to be a subject that you've studied in detail,' I said.

  'I like to be thorough,' she said. 'Seriously though, it is something I can show you how to control. Would you like to do it the long way or the quick and easy way?'

  'Quick please. As quickly as possible. I am sorry Safira, I hope I haven't offended you,' I said, mortified.

  'Do I sound offended?' she said, laughing. 'OK, Kofi, we have a way of sharing learning and experiences with another. It is the quickest way to learn, and I can also impart a great deal of knowledge in a very short time that will help you adapt to our society. Does that sound OK?'

  'Yes, please,' I said. 'How?'

  'Well the method we will use has another added advantage. It will help scratch that itch on your back,' she said, smiling affectionately.

  'How is th…ah. Are you saying what I think you're saying?' I said, the penny finally dropping.

  'Yes. It is a very different process and experience for us, but the closest equivalent in the human experience is that we need to mate,' she said.

  'Ah. Is there no other option?' I asked. I said I wanted to embrace the experience of living as a Bora, but wasn't quite expecting this. Well, at least not yet. A human-Boran hybrid can always dream.

  'Well yes, I can teach you slowly, just by talking. This however is quicker. And I can assure you it is a lot more fun,' she said, grinning again.

  'Ah,' I said.

  'You're saying that a lot,' she said.

  'Mmmm. One important thing I've never asked, not that it really matters to me. Are you actually female? Indeed is this body male?' I asked. Probably something I should have asked before.

  'Neither. We Safirans are inherently asexual. We can reproduce in our native form, but it is a long and hard process. It's much easier and more interesting when we're in Boran form. The Bora are hermaphrodite, so the question is irrelevant,' she said.

  'Ah. I mean. Um. Well I did notice that there was one item of anatomy that was missing that I was used to. Where is it?' I asked. God this is embarrassing, having to ask where you've put your sexual organs.

  'Again, there's no direct equivalent. However, you know the velvety fur on your back that is itching? You know the cilia that are currently waving uncontrollably under your arm flaps? Guess what goes where. Think of Velcro,' she says, laughing at her analogy.

  Velcro? Oh. 'I'll never get my arm flaps round my back,' I said, realising how stupid I was being as soon as I said it.

  She looked at me, trying to work out a way of telling me I was an idiot tactfully. 'Either I wrap my arms around your back, or you wrap yours around mine. This first time, I suggest that I wrap around you. I will take the lead, I will control the melding process.'

  'Melding process?' I asked.

  'Yes, although that may not be the right word. To continue the Velcro analogy, when I merge my cilia hooks into your loops, this establishes not only a physical connection between our bodies, but also our minds. It will take a few minutes, but we will share the same thoughts. We can transfer memories of experiences and knowledge, share anything. It is a very intimate and rewarding process. Perhaps the word conjoin would be more appropriate.'

  'Conjoin,' I said. I couldn't think what to say, so I just repeated the word to see how it sounded. 'Ah. That does sound very intimate. Do we share all of each other's thoughts?' I'm not sure I want everything about my past known. She might not think so highly of me.

  'No, you can choose what to share; everything, selected m
emories, or nothing. It can be entirely under your control. I will need to show you how to close off your memories once we are conjoined, but I promise I will not take any memories from you until you are prepared,' she said.

  'OK. Um. Safira,' I said, suddenly feeling humbled again.

  'Yes?' she asked.

  'Thank you for this. You know our friendship means a great deal to me. This will be very special, I don't know how to thank you enough,' I said. Once more I really don't know what to say.

  'Oh Kofi,' she laughed. 'You know your friendship means a great deal to me too. But please don't misunderstand, this is something we Safirans do regularly to share knowledge and experience. I often do this with my work colleagues after returning from Geraldine to let everyone know what is happening. Obviously in those cases I only share the select memory of interest, it is a very efficient way of passing information.'

  'Ah, sorry,' I said.

  'When with a close partner though, the experience can be much more. We can open up and share everything, become one and hold nothing back. It is a life affirming process. For now though Kofi, I need to teach you about yourself. I will take this as slowly as you need. There is no need to hurry, or for you to be worried,' she said. 'If it helps, it does feel rather nice too.'

  'How do we start?' I asked, suddenly feeling brave; and if I was honest, more than a little excited.

  'Well we're sat in the right place. I think the best name for what we're sitting on would be a conjoining couch. Here, just move a little closer to me, keep your arms by your side, and let me put mine around you', she said.

  'OK,' I said, snuggling into her. She wrapped around me, and I could feel her flaps enfolding my back and the cilia playing over it. The itching stopped and was replaced by a cool wash of sensation. I could feel the fur on my back being pulled taught as the cilia burrowed into it, and the sensation increased. It was quite, well, pleasurable, and I had to close my eyes and savour the warmth. At once, I felt a change, as if I was both falling and floating at the same time. A feeling of peace and calmness swept over me in the darkness.