by Pearl Tate
“Is it best for me to be restrained here? Poked and prodded and studied by everyone in this strange facility? Is this what’s best for me?” I can’t keep the venomous dismay from my voice as I question her.
Letting out a sigh, she steps closer, leaning in as if sharing a secret. “Unfortunately, we don’t always get to enjoy our lives the way we’ve planned. I wish you could have lived out your life with me, blissfully ignorant of the political chaos raining down on us. I tried to keep you from it, despite what I knew you could potentially become…”
“Become?” Finally, she’s being honest. After all the lies of omission I’ve been fed through the course of my life.
“Yes. The Truth Tellers or Shamans have always come from the Sacred Mother’s line. There haven’t been many births to us over the last two thousand plus annual rotations, but we’ve always known that there’s often no way to keep secrets from them.”
“So why…?”
“Besides the fact that you’re my flesh and blood? Why did I not end your life or send you away?” Her frankness catches me off guard, and I open and shut my mouth, unsure of how to respond.
My emotions are in turmoil. What she’s speaking of—killing and banishing—is barbaric and antiquated. How could we not be past this?
I’ve spent a large portion of my life in the archives, studying and entertaining myself with history. What I couldn’t see to learn, was taught to me. Why let me learn this to only take it all away now?
“You’re actually one of a kind. You must realize this?” Looking up at the ceiling, her thoughts seem to drift as she speaks. “The dual colored eyes, one light and one dark, are the normal tell of a shaman. But yours are both blue, and you’re totally blind… or were. I wasn’t sure if the prophecy even applied to you…”
When she pauses, I prompt her softly, “A prophecy about me?”
“Yes, yes.” Looking back down at me, my mother seems to gather her thoughts. “It doesn’t really matter. We changed that when it was supposed to occur. The prophecy spoke of you exposing the truth and starting a new era for Quasar, but you were supposed to go with another to meet with the Ashen. That didn’t happen.”
I’m not sure exactly what she’s referring to. “We sent Remus and he wasn’t supposed to make it, let alone meet with the Ashen and get mated. Everyone is up in arms about the matings and now the entire crew of our spacecraft Discovery has mated. The Councilors are panicking. Females are rioting, sure they’re going to lose their males to an alien species. It’s all spinning out of control.”
Unsure of what to say, I wait, wondering what she plans to do about it. Is this just an apology? She’s one of the most influential females on the planet. Can’t she change their perception?
“What’s so wrong with the matings that you’re willing to detain your son and allow him to be used for an experimental study? Can’t the females just get along? Is one male not enough?”
I don’t pretend to fully understand the complexity of male and female relationships. I’ve certainly never had any females show any interest in me. I’ve never been promised or even tried to procure Canesta just to experiment. All of this sounds so extreme.
“It isn’t just about losing the males in their homes. This is so much more. If the matings continue exactly the way they did in the past, females will be subjugated to the males, and no one is willing to let things slide to that point again. Not everything about our society is perfect now, I agree. Males have and will continue to be objectified to a certain extent, but it doesn’t compare to how things were previously.”
I can tell she’s getting worked up as her energy lights up with passion, flickering and tracing her outline in an accelerating speed. “No. The thing is, we’re close, so close to manipulating the mating change. It doesn’t have to mean exclusivity and rage—”
“You’re close?” I cut her off, surprised that they’ve been able to accomplish so much already. How long has this been going on? I’ve only known about it since my vision began to change, although from the sounds of it with the doctor here, this is something that’s been in the works for some time.
Her face takes on an animated expression I can’t remember ever seeing before, and I carefully review her energy, noting the tightening in the colors and the way they seem to reach for me, pressuring me. “Yes. We’re almost at a point where we have made changes so that the males won’t go through the accelerated extreme change. They can grow, sure. Get their libido working without Canesta. But stop this madness before they get so enlarged they need to sink into daily reflections if they stub their toe. It’s a fine line, but we’re almost there.”
I study the trailing lights and vortexes I see flitting around her form and in the space that her energy field reaches. It expands as she speaks, filling the air as she passionately speaks of what they hope to accomplish. And hope is the key word because she’s not being honest. At least not completely. Maybe some of that is in the works but it isn’t the whole truth.
“What is it you want from me?” Rattling the metal restraints on my arms and legs, I emphasize where I am now. If she really loves me as she claims, how can she keep me like this?
I’m aware that I don’t understand every nuance of relationships and love, especially considering she’s the only close family in my life—and look at how that’s going. But when you love someone, you don’t confine them or lie to them.
My mother grips my arm tightly, bending over to squeeze me, and I shiver with disgust at the oily feeling of her energy skating across my bare skin. “I want you to agree to stay. Willingly. Your mate is on her way here, and I’m sure if you talk to her, she’ll consider it.”
I open my mouth to argue and she cuts me off. “You don’t have to stay here in the Mating Re-emergency Study. You can go back to your dwelling. Nothing has to change. Dr. Mila Fortane will be there, and you’ll have all your things and your mate.”
Listening to her try to convince me to stay, shows me just how much she doesn’t know me. I knew we’d grown apart, but for her not to understand that I want to go above and see new things, discover new places… why would I want to go back to my dwelling—forever! Sure, it’s nice, and I don’t lack for anything material, but one thing the mating has really shown me in the last ten daily rotations, is how bored I was.
I’m ready for something new. Something different. Something exciting. I’m ready to meet my mate. “I’m sorry, mother. What you’re asking me to do is just captivity in a nicer prison. I deserve better and so does my mate. I’ve been gifted someone for me. It’s a wonderful thing that I never imagined. I’ve always been different. Handicapped. And now I’m still different, but I’m not handicapped. Why can’t you just let me go?”
My mother releases me as I speak, her eyes hardening as her lips tighten, sparks jumping around her head in a fiery red. Her anger is palatable as she takes a step back, shaking her head slowly. “I’m sorry that it’s come to this. I can’t just let you leave. This is bigger than our relationship as mother and child. There are too many other factors at play.”
As she moves closer to the door while she speaks, I realize that she’s leaving. “Wait! Please! Mother, don’t do this. Don’t hurt her! Just let us go!” When the door slides closed behind her, I relent, sinking back into the chair.
I’m so absorbed in my own pity, losing my mother and knowing that my mate is most likely restrained in another part of this facility, that I don’t even realize when the door slides open again, it isn’t her returning. When I hear a gasping sob, my eyes flicker open to see the most beautiful sight ever. My mate.
She’s smaller than I envisioned, but she doesn’t fear me or hesitate, flying across the room. She throws herself against me, even as additional large males file into the room, amplifying just how small she is.
I want to touch her as she’s doing to me, running her palms over my chest. I strain against my restraints, frustrated with them again as the communication screen on the far wall flickers on, my
mother’s face creating a sinking sensation I know is shared with my mate.
CHAPTER SEVEN
- Nitara
“She’s trying to talk Chevepak into agreeing to the Mating Re-emergence Study.” Karen’s voice is pitched low behind me as she interprets what the Sacred Mother is saying on the screen to us. I’ve never been more thankful than I am right now to have her at my back.
For the most part, I ignore the angry conversation happening in front of me. I know there has to be a way to release him. “Ask Mihile how to get these off,” I hiss to Karen, but right then, the view on the screen changes from the Sacred Mother’s face to the group we left behind. There are at least thirty in the group. Mostly men from the Proscribe Movement, an underground—quite literally—group that meets to try and help males in need. They’re the organization that was helping Matthias and Chevepak get abused males out of their homes and ultimately, off the planet Quasar.
My stomach sinks as I see them still in the tunnels we used to get here, and they’re lit up like it’s daylight there. On the screen, they’re crunched into a circle, and I notice that they’ve pushed Susan and April into the middle while all the men all face out. Who’s surrounding them?
“What the fuck, Selas?” Karen steps closer to me as she throws her hands on her hips and hisses at the men in front of us. Selas and Chevepak have both taken a step toward the screen, while Selas holds up a hand behind his back toward us. The drone that’s been following us, recording for the news with Barek, settles into one of the back corners.
As Chevepak continues to question and argue with the Sacred Mother on the screen, I look down at Mihile. Tears stream down my face as I think about how far I’ve come to see him. I’m so close. Is this how it’ll end?
“You tell her, Chevepak!” I don’t even look up at Karen as she eggs him on. I just want to get Mihile out and off this fucked up planet. “He’s telling that bitch the matings are a blessing, and playing God with our genetics to serve your own purposes is not something any of us will be a party to.”
Both Chevepak’s rant and Karen’s interpretation are emphasized by a whoosh of air that seems to emanate from Mihile under my hands. All my hair stands on end as the strange electrical charge crackles in the air, and with a popping sound that I’m not sure is in my head or actually around us, everything goes dark.
Even though it’s pitch-black all of a sudden, I don’t stop trying to pull the heavy, inch-round pin out of the metal manacle around Mihile’s forearm. As I fumble, I sniff, trying to keep the snot from running out of my nose. Thank goodness no one can see me. Hiccuping as I cry, I’m relieved when I feel another hand reach over to help me.
Static dances in the air between us as our skin brushes, creating sparks like fireflies. Suddenly, the drone that was hovering in the corner illuminates the room with a bright light above us, and I realize that Selas is on the other side. He’s the one that released Mihile’s other arm. The light circles the room before settling back on us, and Chevepak gently nudges me to the side, reaching out to help Mihile stand.
Mihile sways slightly on his feet, and I hop under his arm on his other side, excited to finally be making a move to get out of here. I don’t know exactly what happened to all the power, but I suspect it has something to do with Mihile. Touching him feels like experiencing a low voltage electrical fence.
When I was a young teen, our family took a trip one weekend to the country to enjoy the Asola Dairy Farm. My older brother showed me how to take a long blade of hay or straw that was growing in their field and rest the end on the thin electrical wire they used as fencing around their fields. The electrical pulse is similar to that as the hum throbs through my body.
It doesn’t hurt. Instead, it draws me to him, creating an intense desire to get closer. I try to ignore the totally inappropriate thoughts I’ve begun to have as Selas snorts, picking up Karen at the foot of the bed. She looks at me while she wraps her legs around his waist translating, “They think the Councilors Contingent will be coming. No idea what happened, but they figure it’s probably only bought us a little time. We have to get back to the others and see if we can get them out of that barrier.”
As we move into the hall, I wrap my arm around Mihile’s waist, but he really seems fine. He’s supporting me as much as I am him—and he’s so big! “Is that what it was? A barrier of some sort?”
“Yeah, they call it a voltaic barrier?” That’s the last thing I get to ask as I’m picked up by Mihile, and everyone starts to run. He’s carrying me like a baby, and he was just in restraints for who knows how long! Wiggling a bit, I turn and wrap my arms around his neck, giving up on talking or trying to interpret anything around us.
Mihile’s hair dances along my arms and strokes me gently. Comforting me almost. I’m worried for the others and understand why they want us all to get back as soon as possible. Chevepak has disappeared ahead of us, and even though Barek is keeping up with Mihile, he’s staring blankly into space, and I know he’s controlling the drone and keeping the light ahead of us as we run.
They race back the way we came, and I’m shocked by how loud it is long before we reach the place we left them. Yelling and groans echo back to us, and my heart speeds up in panic. What the hell is going on?
It’s still pretty dark in the underground area we left everyone, and it’s just as dark down here as it was the entire way. I wonder why they aren’t using the drones that Barek left with the other technicians he brought with them to light it up. They must have been shot down or something.
Chevepak calls out for April as we enter the chaos. Barek’s drone lights up the space by circling around, and I see that there are quite a few bodies littered around the floor outside the tight group. Please, oh please, don’t let anyone have gotten hurt.
Mihile’s footsteps slow as we start to circle around. I can’t see much of the bodies he’s stepping over gingerly, but his face is lit up slightly and matches the sorrow I feel from him. Rubbing his chest lightly, I croon, “I’m so sorry…this is awful.”
Mihile is already on his way over to Selas, when Selas waves his hands over his head declaring, “We need to go! Everyone focus here.” When we reach him, and they begin talking over my head in Quasarian, I wiggle and push off, dropping my feet to the floor to look around.
Immediately, I’m pulled into April’s arms. Sighing, I let out a relieved breath, now that I know she’s okay. “What the hell happened here?” As we pull apart, I gesture to the scattered bodies only feet away. Some of them really look dead, and they were carrying some type of guns still laying by them.
“We were surrounded by all these female troops… I mean after the voltaic barrier went down. It went totally dark, especially after having that barrier light, but the Council’s Contingent said they were moving in to ‘place restraints’ or something. Nobody was going to just sit around and let them do that. When they came at us, we ended up fighting.”
She glances over at Chevepak. Both Selas and Chevepak are listening to Mihile and nodding. Pulling me into a hug again, she whispers in my ear. “I’m so relieved you’re alright. When you left… I was worried I’d never see either of you again.” Without letting go, she turns to look at the men. “They’re arguing about whether they should stay here and wait for the Discovery’s team to get us or go somewhere else. It sounds like Mihile wants to head back to his rooms and gather some of his things.”
She pauses for a few seconds, listening to Mihile talk. I’m so jealous she can understand them. “He says he wants to start a language download there from his… network? I don’t know. There isn’t really a comparable word for what they call their communications. It’s like our ‘world wide web’ though. But he claims that he can ‘see’ where everyone is. Something about his sight?”
Letting go of me, she takes a step closer to their group, and I follow, wondering what she’s looking at. She turns totally around to face me, blocking my view as she mouths, “Is he blind?”
Really?
I laugh, startled. “No! He just carried me all the way here.”
“Strange, though. He’s talking about the mating change, and how it gave him sight. He’s fairly confident his ‘vision’…,” she uses air quotes around the word, “…isn’t the same as the average Quasar.”
Wow! Yes, his eyes are really light, but all of his coloring is. Compared to Selas especially, he’s very fair.
“They’ve agreed,” April smiles wide. “We’re going to gather up all the weapons here and head to where Mihile’s been living. He’s positive it’s abandoned right now, and he says he has some things he wants to grab. Then he can take us over to where Bren and Hannah are, or we can notify them and meet somewhere.”
I just raise my eyebrows impressed. If stopping at his home will allow us to talk, I’m all for it. A download is a lot better idea than him planning to have sex real quick, right? I mean, I want to communicate—and have sex eventually—preferably in that order!
CHAPTER EIGHT
- Mihile
I don’t think anyone anticipated how close we were to everything at this location. I knew from my growing abilities exactly where we were in relation to where my private quarters are. Never in my wildest imaginings could I have dreamed that there were so many places to discover on the surface.
And my mate! She’s a vision. When she walked into the room, her pale, colorful aura reached out to me before her. It extends around her more than twice her body size, flexing and bouncing around her, reflecting her mood. I can tell she’s worried about something. The light flickers against her skin, accelerating as the colors swirl faster around her.
I glance behind me where she’s walking with a few other females as I lead everyone as quickly as I can to one of the outlying entrances to my dwelling. This time, when I connected with the energy in the air, I made sure that I didn’t absorb it into myself the way I did the last time—when I was trying to escape. That was what overloaded my senses, causing me to pass out.
