***
Ronnie landed inside New Hope. Apathy once again settled in his chest. And the sole reason for that was not so much the horrors he was exposed to. The walk down the corridors was painful. He did not respond to any of the personnel who greeted him. His gaze was imbedded in the floor. It was almost identical to any other day back on Earth, excluding the lack of any sort of response to anyone greeting him. He got to command and as soon as he entered, Sable quickly stepped towards him, arms thrown to the side:
- I'm glad you're still alive. How did you escape?
He embraced Ronnie.
- I... can't give you a straight answer. Just followed the wind and it led me out of there.
- Did you manage to destroy or take anything from the Overlord? - Stromak barged into the conversation.
- Broke some equipment, killed about a few dozen of those creatures, flipped off the Overlord and abandoned ship. - Ronnie answered.
Stromak was annoyed and visibly irritated.
- You were sent there on a mission, soldier.
- I was sent there largely against my will, without any one of us having a say about it. - said Ronnie. - And another thing: it was horrible up there. You try staying up there and enduring physical and... sexual torture. - Ronnie slightly choked on his last words. Stromak did not seem affected, let alone convinced.
- Are you simply trying to evade your responsibilities to New Hope, Ankonian?
- What? Me? Listen here, grumpy, they snapped my soul in half and tore it to pieces, ok? Do you have even the slightest idea how judgmental my people can be, once they find out... that a representative of the supposed stronger sex has been... violated by women? - Ronnie could barely string sentences completely without pauses.
- You're not here to complain and I won't tolerate your behaviour! - Stromak shouted. - The images you've seen are only a portion of what you'll face in the future, so man up and quit sobbing. Your friends have been assigned a task and they should soon return. They will be happy to see that you're here with us. Now leave my sight!
Sable accompanied Ronnie and they both walked out into the corridor. This gave him a chance to say something while Stromak wasn't around to hear it:
- He still doesn't have trust in you. That's why he's hostile. - said Sable.
- Did I sound like I was lying, Sable? - Ronnie said.
- No. I believe you. The road to his trust is long and brimmed with obstacles.
- I don't need his trust.
- I agree and disagree. You, Hexer and Kugen are under his direct orders; you agreed to this. However, parallel to that... he didn't say you have to do everything the way HE wants you to. A simple, innocent thought, Ankonian. - Sable tried to make Ronnie think. - Now, I know that now's not the time to bother you with training, but... how long do you think it will take you to heal and resume your training?
- Months... I can't tell you... - said Ronnie.
- Try shrinking that timeframe as much as you can. For now, go home, spend time alone, with your family or significant other, ventilate and then come back. I'll let your friends know that you've returned safely home and that you've been here.
Getiya stumbled upon Sable and Ronnie. Her mind filled itself with joy and hopped into Ronnie's arms:
- I thought you wouldn't make it back! I'm so glad to see that you're still with us!
Ronnie hugged her without much enthusiasm.
- What's wrong? What happened to you? - she asked. He made a step sideways and continued walking without uttering a syllable.
- Why is he so silent? He looks drained. - Getiya asked Sable.
- You'll get to talk to him once he returns. Until that moment comes, do you duties, don't ask questions about him. You can keep him in your thoughts. Don't share them with anyone.
In the middle of the confusion and calamity, Getiya could only nod and remain silent. She began wondering if and how she could help Ronnie. Getiya felt her heart was aching and it could not leave her thoughts at peace, so she quickly returned to her room to spill her thoughts away from everyone else. Just her, her mind and her concerns.
- "I want to... no, I feel like I should help him. But he's so distant, so out of reach. He doesn't look like he wants to say anything to anyone right now. Maybe, if I ask his friends... no, they don't know if he's alive. It's too soon to ask. I'll have to wait. Or maybe... ask non-suspicious questions about him, gather some insight and then make careful steps towards him."
Her line of thoughts was interrupted by the arrival of Hinu.
- I saw you striding towards your room. What's happened? - she asked.
- That's... too early for me to say. I'm confused and in need of cogitation. - said Getiya.
- Very well. If you need anything from me, you know how to find me. I'll be in the medical centre. We've got a few injuries to heal. Don't dig too much into yourself and come back as soon as possible - we'll need some assistance eventually. - Hinu said in a cold voice and left the room. Under normal circumstances Hinu had low tolerance for drama and emotions and was currently unaffected by Getiya's sulks.
***
Sharon, Zoey and Abigail were consumed by the events at the party and the fleshly deeds that were heavily associated with it, while Ashlynn was as silent and pale, much like a concrete wall. Yet again The Gossip Crew tried to drag her out of that state of mind, so that it doesn't ruin theirs and so that they could hopefully force her to toughen up.
- Have you not realized what happened last night? Are you that... thick? Inconsiderate? Immoral? I can't find the right word for it. - said Ashlynn.
- How moral you are... silly girl. - said Abigail. - This world demands you, no, begs you to be ruthless, to step on people's toes and get what you want and what you deserve. If you think you'll get by on good behaviour and sweet talking, you have no idea how wrong you are.
- Yeah... what Abi said. - added Zoey.
- You won't find better friends than us, Ash. - said Sharon. - I mean, what other people can you possibly find in Frankfort, who would agree to hang out with you? Mostly nerds and society rejects like Ronnie. Ugh, give me a break. People like him sooner or later end up in a sect, in jail, a miserable job or completely broke and unable to feed themselves, let alone pay for a dinner. Ronnie is a train wreck. Face it, girl. He's no different than those other emo death screamo metal addicts you see on TV.
- Have you ever talked to him in person? - said Ashlynn.
- Do I even need to? He's been oddly missing these past couple of weeks, don't you think? - Sharon quickly diverted the attention away from herself. She was fully aware that she could lose control of the situation and an opportunity to further manipulate her, as well as the possibility of publicly humiliate Ronnie. - He won't get a degree by being away from university and a man without education is worthless to you.
Ashlynn remained silent. Her thoughts were already preoccupied with remorse from last night. Sharon then looked witheringly at Abigail and Zoey. Without exchanging any words, they realised they had to find a way to separate Ronnie and Ashlynn. Abigail busied herself with the task and messaged Clyde:
"Do you have the phone number of that buddy of yours with the stuff? The one who asked for Ash."
"The dealer? Yeah. Why? You want some of the stuff he delivered at the party?"
"No. Ashlynn is interested in him."
"Ooooh, I get it! I'll send it to ya in a minute."
***
Azzurra was checking some translated texts, but a part of her mind was wandering ever since she last saw Ronnie. That part was chaotic and worked on a rotary principle. First it gets possessed by guilt, then by fear, then by lust, then by desire, doubt, expectation and then back to guilt. As a result of this unrest, she had to call Michaela Basin, a colleague and close friend, so that she could spill her guts and discuss this personal issue.
- Hey. Are you having issues with the translations? - Michaela said.
- Oh no, not at all. My problems are more... personal. Is it possible to go for a walk or ta
lk over a cup of coffee?
- I'm afraid I can't do it right now. Can you not say it now or...
- I feel uncomfortable talking about it on the phone, Michaela. When can we go out together?
- Hm, let me have a look. Tomorrow's a little busy for me, but the day after is mostly free for me. How does tea at my place sound? At 3 in the afternoon. Is it really serious?
- I... I can't say if it is, but it has been bothering me recently and I need someone to talk to about this.
- Alright. Once you come home, I'm shutting my phone down and opening my ears solely to you. See you then!
- Wait! Should I bring something to eat? Some chocolate? - said Azzurra.
- Yeah, I'd love some! Alright, talk to you later. Bye.
Michaela hung up. She was building up expectations about a story related to a middle-aged man with a riotous interest in Azzura. Meanwhile the Italian beauty was still contemplating. She wanted to see his face, but the existing photos that she found predated his transformation and, while she did find him handsome before, Azzurra was looking for more recent photos. Instead of photos, she found footage from the Trinity's battle with the Overlord, the assassins and the Ptulens that took place not long ago. The video irradiated her with Ronnie's true secret. She stood there, motionless and tacit.
- He's... Has he truly turned into an alien?... - she whispered and watched with her mouth agape. - "Why do you hide this, Ronnie?" - she thought. When she saw him in university, the day Ronnie talked to the dean about his exams, she perceived him as quite extraterrestrial. Azzurra wanted to find Ronnie and talk to him, but with so many questions on her mind and Ronnie being absent, her frustration grew.
***
Ronnie finally landed back on Earth. But instead of landing straight home, he found his way back to the abandoned house, where he, Tyler and Garret fought the assassins. The memories flew back into his head and as a result, he felt grief-stricken. As he left the town, the visions persisted and so did his mood. Ronnie decided to walk around the town of Winchester. He wanted to get his blood flowing in his limbs after the excessive amount of time spent immobile in the cell.
The people in the streets immediately recognised him. After the events back in Frankfort, nearly everyone began gossiping and discussing the Trinity. The stares pierced through Ronnie and his thoughts began revolving, making him sick and scared. He didn't have to invade their minds in order to guess what they were thinking about him. None of it was particularly pleasing to the ear:
- "Wow, dude, Halloween is too far away."
- "Black metal's not really appreciated here, kid." - a middle-aged man was thinking.
- "Just you dare say or do anything to my kids. I swear to God..."
- God has not been merciful to you, child. - a priest said. That priest caught Ronnie's attention more than the rest of the naysayers. The primary reason for this was the fact that it was a person closely tied to religion and, while Ronnie did not believe in God, he was interested in different viewpoints, including those of religious people.
- It is true: God hasn't been exactly merciful to me... if he really exists, of course and if he really did something to me. - Ronnie said. The priest was startled by those words, but not to the point of panic.
- Have you... I mean, do you believe...
- I don't know if what I've done is sinful. - Ronnie overtook the priest's thoughts. - I just did what I had to do, when I had to do it. I'm not yet entirely familiar with the concept of sins and virtues. If it feels right, I'll do it or contribute to it. If it's wrong, I'll back off.
- What's your name, child? - the priest asked. - Forgive me for my doubts. I've seen striking people, but none like you before. Has something... life-changing happened? Or have you always looked like this?
- I can already see how different the answer to this question will be later in the future, but I digress. No. I used to look quite normal... for the most part. Until recently.
The priest sharpened his ears.
- You seem... confused, child. And you don't seem threatening at all. You don't feel like you want to hurt me, do you?
- Why would I do that, pastor? It's a crime. I can be sued, thrown in jail, have my life turned inside out and upside down because of it. I don't want to be a criminal. I want to live, do something, help, ascend. Those sorts of things. Hey, look at me, I'm satanic! I can burn down a church! I love drinking human blood, mutilating babies, ripping off organs, seeing people suffer...
- Alright, I understand now. You're not hostile, though your speech sounds... contradictory.
- I was using sarcasm.
- Ah, this clarifies things now. Do you live here, child?
- I have no idea if I will belong to this race sometime in the future.
- Why do you say that?
- I underwent many changes and still do. I'm morphing into something else. Something that most likely should not belong here, on planet Earth.
The priest was now intrigued. There were many prospects for an interesting conversation, loosely tied to fate and belonging. Ronnie, though, felt too annoyed, annoying and contemplating to talk to anyone. So he politely left. A middle-aged couple approached the priest and asked whether or not he asked for help.
- It's too early to say. But it is entirely certain that something's deeply bothering him. With such an exterior he will surely attract a lot of attention and we will find out what his purpose is. I just hope his purpose is not infernal and that the Lord watches over him.
***
Kalhun and Harmon helped unload the last canisters of vebrills in New Hope's main hangar. Garret and Tyler sat down to catch their breath.
- OK, are we done? Can we go and see Sable now? - Tyler asked Harmon.
- We will handle the rest. Your services are not required at the moment. Once we closely examine them, you'll be notified about the results and possible travels to other places in outer space. - she answered.
- Sable wants to see you immediately. - Kalhun said.
The boys zipped across the hangar and headed for main command. Garret was expecting to leave New Hope immediately in an attempt to save Ronnie. As soon as they walked in main command, Sable said:
- Ankonian is safe.
- Cool! Where is he? - Garret yelped.
- He's on his way home or is already home. I'm not entirely certain.
Tyler gave a sigh of relief.
- However...
This "however" froze Tyler's blood.
- ...he may not be the same Ankonian you knew.
- OK, what's happened to him? Is he sick? Has he lost a limb? Come on, tell me! - Tyler said.
- He's seen a lot and needs some time for himself. He's in a good physical condition; quite tired, but still on his feet, nonetheless. The biggest problem is that he has been repeatedly sexually violated and confronting him about that will not yield positive results at this moment in time.
Sable's words dragged а cold silence to the room.
- Raped? - exclaimed Tyler. - A man can't get raped.
- You're disappointing me, Tyler. - Garret scolded him. - There are many cases, where men get raped, but those cases are never discussed and the victims are forced to isolate themselves out of fear that society will point and laugh at them simply because they, as men, could not defend themselves. Did he say anything, Sable? How did he behave?
- He was quite... grey. Pale. As if he wasn't here with us. Barely wanted to share his experiences, though that is entirely intelligible. I'd suggest you give him some time and he should contact you... should he find the strength to stand up. I'd advise you to wait for a couple of days, maybe weeks, then help him up, so you three can resume your training.
Stromak barged inside.
- Your excuse of a...
- We know, he escaped. - Tyler said. - And I assume you didn't lift a finger.
- I was assembling a team. Here it is. - Stromak said.
The team in question walked inside command.
- Just tho
se five? - Garret exclamated. - Really?
- I can't bring the entire platoon here, in this room. Are you thick? Or did you simply seek an opportunity to make me look like I have little regard for the Immortals' legacy? - Stromak carped at him. - What happened to those vebrills? Did you find any?
- Yes, we filled... how many canisters? - Tyler said.
- 14. - said Garret. - The science guys told us that we need some sort of contraption, like a charger, to recharge the vebrills and we might have to go out there again soon to find some aliens who have such a device.
- Where exactly? - Stromak asked.
- Messier 16, the Eagle Nebula. - said Garret.
- Good. You're free to go. Once they're ready, you'll go there with them.
Tyler and Garret left command.
- Way to explain it, dummy. - said Tyler.
- I was trying to be a bit funny!
- Well it didn't work.
- Oh... - Garret was slightly saddened. - I wonder if we should go and see Ronnie right now...
- Are you in... hm, actually, that's a fairly valid question. He was stuck there for God knows how long and he probably wants to see some of his friends. He's probably going to omit the rape part when talking to his parents.
These words forced Tyler to think about how to behave in front of Ronnie once they see him back home.
- There's actually something off topic that bothers me.
- What's that, Garret?
- Why would he bring some soldiers in main command just because?
- It's fairly obvious, mate: he's trying to prove that he hasn't been sitting around scratching his nose, but instead has made enough of an effort to seem to us that he hasn't been lazy or anything like that. He can't hide that from us. Mind reading, remember?
- Oh yeah, I forget that, now that we're not biologically human anymore. But can we deal with Mr. Grumpy, like Ronnie named him, later? I'm just saying that the issue with him will persist for quite some time, but it should be more important to focus on Ronnie's condition right now, because he's in a lot of pain, he's been through a lot, God know what, and I want to alleviate some of his tension. - said Garret.
The Immortal Trinity: Inheritance Page 22
