Chapter 51

Carrots, Sticks, and a Whole Lot of Tricks

There are times when you work as a team that things get heated. Thoughts are said that should likely be avoided uttering ever. Therefore, eventually I think I will grow to regret some of the words I’ve said. Not really the implication behind what was said, but the words used to convey my thought and utter contempt for my partner.

“It has come to my attention that you might have said some unflattering remarks about your bonded partner.” A not Dr. Charleston states. This person is not someone that I feel confident in talking to. Mainly as she is one of the Endarians that seems to be drawn in by my pungent pheromones.

With that one statement a whole slew of thoughts roll through my head. With each thought, I can almost see the doctor sniff at the air hungrily. This reminds me of the men at the barracks from my past lives. The ones who would go wild over a little bit of perfume, and some scented oils that women wore. To all of you women, I apologize if I ever acted that way towards you. This is disgusting, worse, it’s not like I can just wash off the pheromones. They just keep coming back, more pungent than ever, apparently.

“Yes.” Is what I finally settle on as a non-committal answer.

Hearing that the doctor nods her head.

“I see this is a bit of a touchy subject for you. Why don’t you lay it out for me?”

“The issue is that we have been given two goals, either a time deadline or a physical Attribute increase deadline.”

“Let me stop you there. What do you mean by a Physical Attribute increase deadline?” She asks.

I nod.

“This is a deadline where we as a team can be granted early access to the Gemini Temple, if our Physical attributes go beyond the fifteen-point threshold in all categories.” I responded.

“And you have managed to do this?” She asks.

It had been two months of intense training since my last check in. This is already the start of my fourth month here, and I have had minimal gains to show for my efforts. Well minimal in what I wanted to get out of my stay here. I am most disappointed in the fact that my first month being held in human captivity was basically wasted. I did work out, but not as often or regularly as I would have liked. As such my gains feel rather limited. But just like I did for General Tigran, I showed my most recent results.

Name: Kyle Goldman-X Age: 18 Race: Half-Human* Mage Class Type: Support (Common) Mental Class Type Psionic Prime (Omega)

Physical Attributes

Attribute Original Current Strength 13 -> 15 Dexterity 16 -> 18 Agility 16 -> 17 Endurance 13 -> 15

Agility only went up by one, mainly because speed drills suck. Still increasing Agility by one point in two months is something that is unheard of in the universe I come from. This is partly why I feel the need to improve as much as possible. I also managed to make the fifteen-point threshold in all Physical Attributes, just as the general demanded. If we were being judged on my performance alone, we would be in the Gemini Temple today. But we aren’t being judged on my accomplishments alone. We are a team after all, which means we are only as good as our weakest link. Or to put it another way, we are only as good as Rayquel is.

I don’t mean to sound mean or disparaging about my partner. The only problem is, she is well over one hundred and seventy something. I don’t know the exact age, never ask a female that, regardless of species. But seriously if she hasn’t had the motivation to break the fifteen-point threshold in all those years, why would she now.

I could tell you her attributes, they are quite impressive.

Name: Rayquel (Iron Butterfly) Age: ??? Race: Endarian Mental Class Type: Sage

Physical Attributes

Strength 20 Dexterity 31 Agility 14 Endurance 20

Remember how Power was my attribute that seemed to have no limit. Well, there seems to be no limit to her Dexterity. She did point out that since training with me her Dexterity attribute managed to increase for the first time in a decade. But still, her Agility is abysmal.

Worse, she knows how to improve, but will only do speed drills if I work on those with her. Also, apparently all of her flying that she does goes to improving her Dexterity, meaning she can only improve when she is on the ground. Logically I see why her Agility isn’t that high, why would anyone walk, or run for that matter, when they could fly.

The only problem is that now we are being held back because of her lack of dedication to personal improvement.

Seeing my Physical Attributes and comparing them to the scores that were on file she nods in understanding.

“I see. So, you are frustrated with having a teammate who is so superior to you?”

The question comes from nowhere, and I am so flabbergasted, yes flabbergasted, by the comment that I just look at her like she is particularly dense.

“What? No!” I all but shout.

“Then why don’t you tell me what your true concern is here?”

“Well first I have questions about how a soldier could exist for so long without increasing their Agility in the slightest. Isn’t that proof that she skipped leg day, every day for a century?”

Shaking her head, the female counselor just sighs in exacerbation.

“The Iron Butterfly has only recently been appointed to the military, even then she was given a decade of bereavement once she lost her partner.”

“A decade?” I shout.

“Yes, the intricacies of pair bonding are so intense that one can feel lingering effects of the strain for years. A decade is just enough time to begin to move on with parts of your life, while being able to move on.”

“Okay, so that explains ten years of skipping leg day, but what about the other 90 years?”

Shaking her head, “you clearly don’t understand. The habits that are formed during that decade of bereavement are what help form the basis for the rest of your life.”

“Got it. So, skipping leg day during bereavement is the same thing as saying you will be slow for the rest of your life.”

“Are you listening to what I am telling you…”

“Are you listening to what you are saying?” I fire back.

Silence.

The counselor looks visibly angry at this moment. Then taking a deep breath to calm herself, she begins again, with the next subject. “I have also been informed that you and I quote, ‘claim that Rayquel has the most advanced form of the worst possible timing gene that you have ever seen.’ End quote.”

I nod. “That is a fairly accurate retelling of the quote. I believe the exact phrasing was ‘you, meaning Rayquel, have got to have the most advanced case of the worst possible timing gene that I have ever seen.’” I state.

“So, let's break this down. What makes you think this?” She asks.

“Well, she is always there during a battle, or fight, or kidnapping, but doesn’t really show up until the end. You know, after everything is said and done and the outcome is all but assured. Only then does she show off the flashy wings and swoop in for the rescue. The only problem is, there is nothing to rescue. Yeah, sure there are images of her princess carrying me away, but I wouldn’t need to be carried away due to exhaustion, if she was there helping me the entire time.”

“Yes, it did appear the Endurance was one of your lower attributes, having only recently breached the fifteen-point Attribute threshold.”

“Whoa there. You are saying this is my fault?”

“At least partly. You are a team after all. Did you ever consider the fact that she might feel she needs to hold back, to make sure you can get out safely?”

I pause at that. Then anger rises. “No. That is stupid. Why would you wait to join a battle then wait to contribute.”

“You know she is contributing.” With that the doctor pulls up video feeds of the three major conflicts we have been in. In each she is clearly doing a lot of work. Only during the first one when she got injured did she truly go all out. That was the Rayquel that I wanted to team with. The others that fired a few shots, or only smashed through a high-rise building window after the action was over, that was the Rayquel that I was complaining about.

Still looking at the videos I could see she was always doing something. She was firing shots and screaming wildly at the shields of the first Prolaxian Infiltrator that we fought. One scream, after I had been slammed particularly hard into the floor, caused more of the stage to break up. That scream was of course broken by the protective shield around the PI, but still an impressive attack none-the-less.

Seeing the different clips, it was clear that she was trying in all. Even in the case of my kidnapping, she was constantly moving to try to locate and protect me. Then she was ready to storm the building by herself, but only got clearance to do so once the support teams were already in place and moving.

I realized that the operation took time, but really, she needed to work faster or something. I could have used some help on the last one. Then I realized the whole reason why I was in that mess was because I had messed up.

Seeing the different clips, I slink back into my chair.

“So now. Why don’t we get to what the true core of your concern is?”

I just shrug. I don’t know what my true concern is. Though this person being a psychologist will surely give me some level of insight that I might otherwise miss.

“I think the issues come from the fact that you feel double scrutinized.”

“Double scrutinized?” I parrot as I try to understand what that even means.

“Yes, you feel judged twice. Once by the course of your actions. Then a second time based on your thoughts. As you are no doubt aware, you are half Endarian. Which means you produce the pheromones that all but give out how you are feeling.”

Sniff.

As if to accentuate her point, she takes in a deep whiff that is slightly unnerving.

“Yes.” The counselor says, as if reading my discomfort from the pheromones she is breathing. “I can see how this would all be concerning for an outsider. As many Endarians grow up, we learn to repress, or hide our pheromones so others can’t read them as easily. You do not seem to have this filter, as such every emotion you have is clearly visible to us. This makes many forms of interactions tough at the very least. Unfortunately, you would need to be able to sense or experience these pheromones to learn how to block them. That seems to be a problem for you, as your nasal cavity is that of a human, and therefore not as unique as the Endarian nasal cavity.”

Unique, that is one way to highlight further evolved. Though a human’s sense of smell has long since been noted as being unnecessary to survival. That or humans naturally evolved away from developing a sense of smell, to have increased importance placed on other senses, like sight.

All I can do is nod in agreement.

“I can also see how you’re having no filter on your pheromones means your thoughts are wide open. While we can’t guess your exact thoughts, we can get the gist of what you are thinking from your pheromones. Take for instance right now, your pheromones are contemplative and brooding.”

I am not brooding.

“Oh, now you are going off on one of my words. Likely brooding, but that is okay.”

With that, I just let out a sigh.

“Yes. I can see how this would be annoying, having your thoughts and actions scrutinized with every action you take.”

She then contemplates.

“Well, I hear the tower has ways of changing people. Rayquel was able to evolve into wings. You might be able to evolve so you can experience the very pheromones you are giving off.” She quips.

Hearing that, I get a somewhat less than pleasant view of this Temple run. I am in it for the Attribute points, not the growth of butterfly wings, or a bigger nose to smell people with.

“Or you could evolve in a unique way that is suitable to you. It is hard to say for certain. All I do know is that, while you are in here with me. Your partner is outside doing speed drills right now.” With that she points to a large window.

I look out the window and see Rayquel on the track, doing long distance shuttle sprints. Seeing those my sides just hurt thinking about them.

“You have less than a month left to prepare for your run. But you do have a chance to get even stronger before your run. I’d suggest you take advantage of this opportunity while you can.”

I nod, getting up to leave as if this is my cue.

“Oh, and I have some news that you might find useful.”

Hearing that I turn to the counselor.

“Your award ceremonies for your distinguished actions have been pushed back to after the new year.”

With that I let out a long sigh. This was good, as the award ceremonies were to be another excuse for one of the Prolaxian Infiltrators to take a shot at me. Seeing as I already dealt with two of them, I was not looking forward to a potential third. Hearing these words did make me feel a little bit better about my predicament.

“The General said you should be pleased. Oh, I will also tell Rayquel that she should stop judging you so harshly on your personal thoughts. This is a learning process, as for us and our society, it almost comes across that you want us to know your every thought. This is partly why there might be such adverse reactions to your pheromone levels.”

With that I left.

The counselor had given me a lot to think about. Most notably the fact that according to their culture, I am almost screaming to have my thoughts read. They realize this is not the case, but it is hard for them to separate my personal thoughts from regular conversations. I wonder if wearing a spacesuit to train in would alleviate most of this tension.

With that in mind I go to put on a thin basic liner, figuring that at the very least it will provide some protection from my pheromones leaking. While also serving as an excellent way to ensure I work up a sweat. With that I join my partner, who is looking particularly tired.

I open my mouth to console her, but instead cast a quick Cleanse on her. Then I joined in the speed drills. This Temple Run better be worth speed drills.