The following is a complete work of fiction.
Any resemblance between the characters and any real life person is completely coincidental. Please do not copy or distribute the story without the author's permission.
Disclaimer:
The following story contains erotic homosexual situations. If it is illegal for you to read this please leave now.
*** This is a completely revised version of the original story... If you are lost or confused please read it from the beginning in its entirety.
Chapter 7 Bittersweet
I stared into Bransen's pale blue eyes waiting for an answer. He seemed lost in thought trying to grasp the enormity of the question I had asked him.
"I suppose not." He let out a deep breath finally answering. I wasn't very convinced.
"Why?" I asked him point blank.
He paused again in thought before speaking. "Some of them are innocent." He finally replied.
"Certainly most are guilty of one thing or another, only a few innocents would be lost. Casualties of war they call it. Why not kill them all and put them out of their misery?" I asked coldly.
My line of questioning seemed to confuse him. He was fighting with what was right and what was easy. Surely it would be easy to just yell 'collateral damage' and have done with it, I was hoping he was finding it more difficult to become a cold blooded killer.
"It's just wrong." He said sounding agitated.
"Why? After all that they have put us through wouldn't we be justified?" I asked again.
"Because if we kill even one innocent person, then we are as bad as they are! Kelay was an innocent, he did everything he could to help and protect us and you. He gave his life! How can you ask me this?" He yelled at me.
"Now you have the answer to your question." I said with a sigh. "Now you understand. The Thorens are as much my family as you feel to me now. They are far from perfect, but I do not wish their death. I will tell you this though. Had I to make the choice... I would pick you."
I saw the realization hit him as the answer to his morbid question, "Why don't you just kill them all?" entered his mind.
"I'm sorry." He said wrapping his large arms around me in an embrace. "I didn't realize what I was asking."
"Don't apologize. Had you answered differently, you would have broken my heart in two and I wouldn't have survived it. Thank you for being the person I know you to be." I replied pressing my lips to his in a gentle kiss.
"You have ability to fight the Thorens hand to hand now. Soon you will be able to protect yourself from their mental efforts. You will be able to block their intrusion into your mind. You know this from the memories I have given you. We need to disperse this information amongst the team. Give them the memories of this day as well. However embarrassing, it is a learning thing and they will benefit from it. You must share the memories with them as I did you. They must then pick 10 people to train, who will train another 10 until the information is passed to every man in this facility. The process should take approximately two days to complete." I said to him laying my head on his chest. "They will also know... that I am not one to be FUCKED with." I said with almost a sad chuckle.
"What's wrong?" he asked me hearing the sadness in my voice.
"When the training is complete, we are going to have to get to work and people are going to die." I said trying to avoid the thoughts of coming battles.
Bransen dressed and we exchanged a few affectionate kisses.
"It's nearly time for training. We should probably get moving." I reminded Bransen.
Making our way out of the humid jungle of hydroponics bay four we entered the lift and Bransen pressed the '10' button pulling us to the Rec area and a path we would no longer be able to avoid.
The lift doors opened and we entered the recreation and training area. It was only our team members that sat on the mats that dotted the exercise and training area. I gave Bransen a slight squeeze around the waist as we parted walking past the games tables and kitchen area and into the training area.
As I had asked, Doc had made sure that Dusty and Chris were there as well. They were sitting in a mismatched pile as Doc stood over them worrying like he usually does.
As we reached the mats all eyes were on us and Bransen spoke.
"Khore and I have spoken and would like to invite you to this team. Dusty, you would be a valuable addition, and from what Khore has told me you are adept in your understanding of this alien technology. Chris you are skilled in medicine, and you too would be extremely valuable in the field." Bransen said speaking to them.
Dusty thought a only a moment before saying, "I would be honored and I'll do my best, but don't be expecting me to work miracles with this old bitch. She's moody and I've got a lot of work to do."
Chuckling I replied, "If you thought you were busy before, then you're in for a lot of surprises." Knowing he was up for more than the daily challenge of keeping this place running.
"It's settled then," piped Bransen. "You'll be partnered with Neek."
You could see Dusty's face brighten at the thought of being around Neek. Neek looked over to Dusty and nodded slightly.
"You will train together. Whether you room together or not will be entirely up to you, but we can only hope for the best." Bransen said with a grin on his face as he saw the embarrassment burn Dusty's cheeks.
"Chris?" Bransen asked looking now in his direction.
"Of course!" he blurted out too quickly getting a few chuckles as he tried to hide his eyes having embarrassed himself with his obvious enthusiasm at the opportunity to be near the Doc.
"Good then." Bransen said with a smile, "You will be partnered with Doc, and according to Khore, I hear it told, that you two don't need much more than the infirmary to get your workouts." We laughed at their obvious embarrassment.
"Neek, Dusty, Rift and Twist... come with me. Doc, Chris, Raven, and Sweed, you are with Khore." Bransen ordered as we drifted to separate sections of mats about 20 feet apart finally sitting in circles facing each other.
"Everyone join hands in your circle." Command Bransen. "This is not a time to play." He stated after a few giggles escaped the groups. "Khore... please explain to them what is about to happen."
"Bransen and I are going to be sharing memories with you. Approximately 5000 years worth of knowledge and skills in mental ability and combat. Do NOT resist it. It will only make it painful for you. It will at first seem overwhelming, but if you accept it, it will be quite pleasant." I said with a grin glancing at Bransen before continuing.
"You will be expected to do the same with ten people, and they with another ten until everyone has this knowledge. In two days the entirety of the complex should all share these abilities and knowledge. You will NOT be perfect in ability and will have to practice. There are methods of practice you will learn that will help you in your development. In one month, I will test you all. If you do not meet up to standards... it will not be pleasant. We do not have time."
"But I thought we had all the time in the world now." protested Twist.
For the first time that I could remember since my arrival, Rift spoke, "We may be able to live forever, but as the Thorens draw nearer to their own deaths, they will become more ruthless in their tactics to capture Khore."
"Why would they want to take you away?" Bransen asked me with concern that made me fear for our future.
"Keelon, as you know, is the leader of the Thoren people. He is a terrible and ruthless creature that has let his obsession with eternal life corrupt his mind. When we discovered we were dying some four thousand years ago, he abandoned the path to advance himself in mind and spirit. He now clutches desperately to his one and only purpose. To live."
"After eight hundred years of searching the galaxy, we finally found this planet. After a decade of study I was the one that recommended you as a species that would be our best chance at finding the solution in the time that we had left. Your species was strong. Your genetic code showed enough similarities that there were fantastic possibilities. Your culture though still somewhat violent and destructive to yourself and your world, showed great potential and it appeared could benefit greatly from the exchange of technology for our admittance to your world. A blending of culture, species and knowledge was our goal."
"Keelon used everyone's fear of oblivion to guide us in our search for a solution. Many of us wanted to find a compatible species that we could mate with or even possibly that might possess in their genetic code, the solution to our problem." I paused. "There had been much debate on the course of action once we found a compatible species. The arts community, as well as the science community, felt we should merge cultures. The military community had a much more abrupt notion. Keelon as leader and having come himself from the military community embraced the idea that we should simply take what we needed from an inferior race already bent on self destruction. Being sure that we had swayed the majority with our argument and logic they backed from their position and let us pursue ours."
"Another hundred years passed as we collected ourselves outside this solar system as we called all the remaining of our race with promises of great advancement in the solution to our problem. With our research we had already been able to extend the life span of those who had been fast approaching their time of passing."
"When the last of our kind had finally gathered on the edge of this solar system, we made our way to this planet encircling it completely. Once in place, having caused a great deal of havoc and chaos on a global scale, a transmition was finally sent. Keelon broadcast a message containing four words. "You Will Serve Us" and I and many others watched in horror as the virus was released into your atmosphere." A great sadness had spread through my body.
"Keelon had believed our solution was an inferior one to his own. He, with the backing and aid of the military community, had secretly developed a viral agent that would simultaneously remove the female populace forcing your culture to simulate our own, while at the same time adapting your genetic code to better accommodate ours. It was an inconceivable atrocity and we watched in horror unable to do anything to stop it. Our bodies had become frail over the millennia. We needed stronger bodies that could contain our minds as well as reflect his deviant perception of his own perfection." I could see the horror of the Thorens' actions pass before their eyes and enter their souls as shame flooded my mind.
"We were in danger of losing our lives at this point. Keelon made it clear that we were not to interfere with his plans and announced that ANYONE found to be interfering or acting in contradiction to his goals would be executed. This is a threat that hadn't been made in hundreds of thousands of years of our people's history. The mere thought of it was completely deplored and long since forgotten in our culture. In one fail swoop, he had resurrected it, and it was then I knew he truly was insane."
"Over the next several hundred years, Kelay secretly changed his own genetic code in hopes of cross breeding with one of the humans. Nearing his conclusion he had met my Pouch Father Briar alone hunting in the woods not far from the caverns. They came to meet there regularly and fell in love at Gods' Table and eventually I was conceived." I explained.
The room felt somewhat colder now and everyone was listening intently. "While Keelon is not as strong in ability of mind as I am, he is most surely a frightfully powerful being. He is ruthless and cunning and above all a resolute opponent set out to complete his task. In addition to this, he commands armies of Thorens that would decimate us should we be discovered before we can increase our numbers."
"They have no intention of killing me. They need me to charge the remaining humans to ensure their eternal life, and then it is there intention to transfer their conscience to you and the rest of the humans essentially stealing your body and evicting your souls. The technology is not yet perfect, but they are getting closer every day. We are running out of time." I had finally finished the horrid tale.
"You heard the man..." Bransen said very sternly. "Let's do this."
Bransen and I in our respective circles joined hands with those on either side of us and released the memories like water going down the steps of a ladder, first filling one, then over flowing to the next and then again until everyone was full.
When the merge was complete, all eyes went to Bransen making him blush furiously, and then to me with a different look. They were afraid of what test I would be administering at the end of this week especially after having seen with their minds eye what I had done in the hydroponics bay.
"Each of you will absorb certain aspects of what you have learned today faster than others. While you all possess the same memories, you have been given two perceptions of these memories. Half of you have my perception of the events. Those with Bransen possess his perception of certain events. You will extend yourselves now beyond what you are now, learning fastest in your particular area of expertise because it is that part of you that makes you who you were, and who you will become."
"Practice the three lessons with each other, with those you teach, and alone at every opportunity." I said firmly.
"Doc, Chris... I have something extra to give you to in private." I said looking over to Bransen to say with my eyes I would explain later.
"Come with me please." I asked him as I rose from the floor extending my hand in his direction. Grabbing it I helped Doc up and I led our way to a side room off the REC area meant for staff meetings.
"I need your help." I said quietly looking at his slate blue tired eyes.
"Of course" Doc said then turning to look into Chris beautiful green eyes.
"I don't think you understand. I need to give you knowledge, and yet another one of my many mistakes." I said turning my eyes to the floor.
"Anything Khore. I can't deny I'm envious of what you know." Doc said too eagerly.
"Whatever we can do." Replied Chris.
"I'm sorry." I said as I touched their temples lightly. "Know" I whispered quietly as I sent everything I knew medically about what I had done. A millennia of memories flooded their minds. Long moments passed in silence as I fed them the last of the medical knowledge I possessed.
"I need you to fix this for me. I don't have the time to do both." I said sadly.
Doc nodded after the rush left his mind understanding. "We'll do all we can" he said finally.
"Thank you. Your discretion is appreciated." I said looking from Chris to Doc before we exited the conference room.
As I lay in bed with Bransen some nights later after making love I thought back to my conversation with Doc. He had begun his work on a solution to one of our many problems, but we were missing some of the necessary equipment to progress further. This ancient facility and its culture simply did not possess the needed technology. We were going to have to takes steps at procuring the necessary components and equipment if we were going to win this battle.
Noticing the change in my mood as my mind wandered I felt Bransen give me a squeeze and roll over to face me propping himself up on his side. "What's on your mind?" he asked me in a whisper.
"Our future." I said looking over to meet his eyes.
"Doc is working on a solution for the children to come. As it is now, those born will age so terribly slowly that it would take an eternity to outnumber the Thorens. A seven hundred year old child of 7th age will have a difficult childhood at best. It's a prison of my making and it's my hope that Doc's work will release them from it." I said sounding more hollow than I expected. "The problem also remains that if we multiply too quickly we will overrun this planet like an out of control infestation."
"I see" Bransen answered as he relaxed himself into his pillow bringing his left hand to my face trailing his fingers through my hair. "So that is what you spoke with Doc about the other day then. I know you have come to terms with your merge with Kelay, but I do hope you don't let the weight of responsibility for his acts become your own."
"How can I not?" I asked a bit too quickly. "I'm responsible, and this is just one of many so mistakes I've made in the past."
"Kelay made those mistakes, not you." He whispered to me.
"I know, but the problems are now ours regardless who caused them. I have the memories of Kelay's actions as if they were my own, and I also bear the guilt." I was quiet for a while feeling the warmth of Bransen's body comfort mine.
"We need to get some equipment from one of the spheres so that Doc can continue his work. That is going to have to be our first mission after the training is complete. We must have a future to look forward to or we will not have reason to fight, but I do have an idea." I said as my mood began to lift.
Kissing Bransen and giving him a quick embrace I rolled over on my right side pulling his strong arm over me like a blanket.
"Can we talk about this tomorrow hun? I'm exhausted. You are insatiable." I giggled as he pulled me in tight to him.
"Of course, and thanks for sharing that with me. I love you." He said kissing the back of my neck.
"I love you too." I whispered back and drifted off to sleep.
Waking the next morning we showered together and then dressed ready to begin the routine of our day. We made our way to the cafeteria on level eleven and shoveled our breakfast into our mouths. We made small talk at the table preparing for another arduous day of training with our new team; both Dusty and Chris our latest additions sitting in attendance.
"So how is your training going Neek?" I asked. We had smoothed over our problems, but the tension of what had happened still lingered in the air and I was making a special effort to heal our past.
"Actually... pretty good!" He grinned his weasily smile as hash browns flew from Twist's plate and splattered against Dusty's cheek.
"Hey I was going to eat that!" yelled Twist.
"Don't even think about it!" Doc said startling us while taking his place next to Chris at the table.
I had to laugh at the memory of our first meal together. We were becoming a family and it gave me hope. I loved them all in my way. I feared for their future as well as my own, but just couldn't shake the good feeling in the air.
"How are individual MFM's coming Dusty?" I asked looking into his familiar hazel eyes.
"They should be finished in a couple more days" he replied as he pushed another strip of bacon into his mouth.
The proximity alarm sounded and we all froze. When the announcement didn't come that yet another animal had set it off we all sat staring at each other.
Bringing his wrist COM to his mouth Bransen tapped the communications button saying "Status Report".
"There appears to be a human some 100 meters outside the complex. Their life signs are weak and they appear to be unconscious." The metallic voice informed us.
"Chris, Khore, Neek, Raven, come with me. The rest of you gear up and guard the entrance." Bransen ordered as we rose from our chairs.
We entered the lift and ascended to level 1. The five of us exited the lift and walked quickly to the weapons room. Clipping the portable MFM's to ourselves, we then pulled our weapons of choice from the racks that surrounded us.
Twist had been busy. Guns, knives, and equipment I wasn't familiar with lined the walls as we proceeded to strap on sheaths and holsters to accommodate our weapons of choice.
Chris had pulled on a vest to protect his chest and abdomen that would protect from projectile weapons. He had also grabbed a medical kit and draped it across his neck.
Neek clipped his MFM to the underside of a much lighter vest I suspect was made for his ease of movement. He strapped two black leather sheaths to his thighs that contained sharp and deadly knives. On his waste hung a cockeyed belt that held a short blade for use in close combat.
Raven and I both grabbed a similar protective vest and MFM which we attached to its underside and I finally snatched up a wrist COM device so I could hear Doc screaming at me all the more.
Bransen holstered two large hand guns with triple barrels that glimmered as he moved them into their soft brown leather beds. He clipped his MFM to his belt causing the fabric to sag against his narrow hips.
Leaning into me we kissed softly and then separated.
"Okay then... let's go see who's knocking on our door" Bransen said as he exited the room and we followed.
Per suggestions from others, and a bit of work, I have re-written the entire story. Much of it is the same and the changes were cosmetic. I have also added some more depth to beginning characters and added a few other things. The chapters are for the most part longer and I have corrected some continuity problems. I know that I have much to learn as a writer, and would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism regarding this story. Please contact me at gaywriter72@yahoo.com with suggestions and criticisms. Thanks!