Unipsi, lovely entity

chapter 23: past

Idra was already sleeping deeply while Scilla was there beside her totally, covered with one blanket. Her excitement was finally fading bringing back her lucidity and curiosity. She was staring at the sleeping beauty, memorizing every single detail she could. Her initial score of only 16 out of 10 was an understatement. Idra’s beauty was not only subjective checking all Scillas preference but also objective, it was a form that spoke directly to your brain. For starters she was symmetrical, her colours followed perfect tonality combinations and contrast. Her appearance were just mesmerizing. Finder her unattractive is borderline impossible, finding her repulsive unimaginable. Maybe it was due to her unknown DNA or maybe it was due to her universal reproductive abilities, who knows.

Best decision ever, my guts never fails me. Fortunately I kept my arms inside the blanked cause I don’t know if I could be able to stay still like this. Fuck…. She smells so good. I know it’s... well her natural scent but it’s so fucking good… wait am i a pervert?, have I become one? No no no… I’m just complimenting her.

Then a small light coming from Idra’s neck captured her attention. She moved around a bit and finally saw a strange structure, similar to a collar or a choker but that was clearly neither of those, around Idra’s neck. At first glance the object was clearly black and made of some fabric but looking closely some purple and blue threads appeared and disappeared as if that thing was alive. Rarely it also emitted a small pulse of white light for a fraction of second. It was odd and definitely not of a similar design to idra’s sister’s ring. It also had no clear way to remove it.

What the hell is this? Should I touch it? Is it a common accessory? Don’t think so, she doesn’t wear anything else expect her ring so… I guess I will ask her once she wakes up.

Scilla’s mind was running wild with possibilities and theories but then she was distracted by a brief and soft mumble combined with some small movement.

How cute!!! and her ears twitched too, like a cat. I want to touch them so fucking bad…. This is a torture. She is so close, so defenceless yet I can’t have her. I can’t even hug her just in case she wakes up and gets mad.

Then the light reduced to only a minimal amount, barely enough to distinguish the objects’ shape.

I guess it’s bed time. Does the ship also sleep with her? Damn it so many things to ask.

After fighting with her inner self for an hour and a few minutes of silence, Idra started waking up. Lights immediately back up on full power. She stretched under the covers to then pull herself up. Now sat in bed with her legs under the mountain of blankets she let off a long yawn. Her teeth were shining and intimidating. Then she opened her eyes. A lifeless gaze moved around scanning the room. Then they eyes meet. Idra blinked twice and decide to get back under the covers. She turned her back toward Scilla and feeling the air gap due to Scillas bigger body, she pulled the covers. After a bit she realise that her beloved blankets were stuck somehow. She turns and stare back at Scilla that in all this didn’t flinch. Idra stretched her arm and with one finger poked Scillas cheeks a couple of times, then she jumped back shouting.

“Che cazzo! È vera! (what the fuck! She is real!)”

“what?”

Idra pulled herself as far as possible, pushing her back against the wall that enclosed the bed. Now she was completely visible in all her form. Her legs were covered with a pair of trousers taken from a way to big tracksuit. They were baggy and visibly thick. On top of those starting from her hips she was wearing a strange heavy skirt built divided in layers. It was as if someone took a normal skirt and cut triangular shapes every 45° leaving 4 main triangular pieces covering front, back and the sides. That strange thing basically covered everything until Idra’s knees and then opened up. Idra’s torso was covered with the rest of the baggy and massive tracksuit which sleeves covered her hands entirely. In a similar way her torso was covered with a heavy half cloak that exceeded her waist divided in 4 allowing the arms to get out easily. That was a peculiar selection of clothing that were all dark coloured with some details in blue or purple. In their singularity they still looked comfy and warm, exactly what a sick person needs. Now that she had lost her covering Scilla could see how small Idra really was. Only 174 cm, 6 cm less without the suit, way thinner and with pointy joints bulging out of her cloths. Now Scilla could definitely believe why Idra weighted so little but her contemplation was cut short when a bare foot impacted her face. It was one of the weakest kick she ever revived. Wiola’s light kicks while sleeping had more power than that. Then a second kick.

“how the fuck did you get it!? I’m going to blow your…”

Idra phrase was cut shot as well as Scilla grabbed her foot and pulled her in effortlessly. Then she jumped on top of her blocking all idra’s limbs. The squishy esterian struggled in vain with all her strength.

“IDRA! It’s me clam down”

“I know it’s you! You fucking moron how the hell did you get in? you useless cunt good for nothing piece of…”

She is not lucid!

Scilla thought quickly and decide to apply an old traditional remedy for confusion, a head butt right in the middle of the forehead. Oddly enough that worked, somehow.

“aah my head…”

“do you remember now?”

“I.. yes I do… but why did I forgot?”

Idra relaxed but she was still pinned on her bed. Her voice was shifting toward a serious tone.

“my head It’s a mess. Fuck… I’m sorry Scilla… I...i… please don’t hurt me too much”

“mmh hurt you? Why should I do so?”

“well I attacked you… I kicked you in the face. I must have hurt, so andeye for an eye a tooth for a tooth no?”

saying so she closed her eyes and turned her head away getting ready for some kind of punch or slap, but Scilla did nothing.

“I will never hurt you, I already told you so. I will hit you only if it’s needed to bring you back just like a few second ago. Also your kicks were weak as fuck, for a moment I thought you wanted me to look at them but miscalculated the space needed.”

“what?!? I’m not that shameless and I’m not weak”

She tried to wiggle out of Scillas grasp to soon realise that there was no way out. She struggled and struggled but moan after moan she only got breathless and red from all her useless tries.

“have you struggled long enough to give up or you want to continue”

“give… give me a… minute and… I’ll get free”

Idra caught her breath a little and tried again but Scilla was just too heavy for an almost muscle less creature. After a bit she stopped and started mumbling something quietly. Scilla moved her head closer to hear and that's when Idra “attacked”. With a sudden movement Idra pushed up her head and licked Scillas left cheek. Scilla had never even imagined something like that so she jumped back. Her surprise was more than enough for Idra to squeeze out and break free. She was now sitting in front of Scilla all proud with a smug smile on her face.

“told you I was not weak. I broke free from you”

“you cheated! Otherwise you…”

“bla bla bla big giant girl sad cause she lost. hahaha”

this little uncontrollable cute demon. Let me think… embarrassment that will be my comeback

“ok, I may have lost the battle but I won the war”

“wait what? I’m free how could you have won the war?”

“I made the super pure and proud Idra lick my cheek, so it’s a win for me”

Now she was the one with a smug smile on her face, while Idra couldn't keep up hers. Realizing what she instinctively had done she blushed and turned around to grab one of the many blanket to then cover herself.

“ooh come on, I was teasing you… I don’t care about you being more ‘expressive’. Leans…”

“but I care!. I’m not a lean. I have standards to keep. I can’t just do as I please, letting my instinct run loose”

“Idra I don’t give a shit about your kind standards. Were you happy, are you happy when you can play around?”

Idra replied was quite, timid but most importantly cute.

“yes…”

“then it’s fine. I enjoyed it and a had fun teasing you even more”

The reassuring words from Scilla were enough to calm Idra that put her head out of the blanket. Her tone was still a bit sad.

“it’s ok if I’m weak?”

“yep, I will be our strength and you will be our brain. We stick together to achieve more that what we could get alone.”

“mmh where did you learn to speak like that?”

“Leader speaking for idiots chapter 5”

“stop joking. I suppose you are a commander for a series of good reasons”

“ooh so sweet thanks” while speaking Scilla pushed Idra down gently forcing her to lie in bed. Then she moved the rest of the blankets from under her, moved beside her and then moved the covers back.

“you are still sick, touching you I can still tell that you have a fever. So stay put for a bit longer ok? I will keep you company”

Idra chuckled and replied turning face to face.

“thanks doctor Lis.”

“don’t get cocky Idra”

“Iris. When… when it’s just us… you.. you can call me Iris. It’s my real name so… if you want obviously”

“of course I want, Iris”

“so maybe I should explain a bit so…”

“Iris, I’m curious by nature but you don’t have to tell me anything I’m fine the way we are”

“well I’m not fine, I want to tell you what I am, what I have done, ….what I had to do…”

“if you insist, but it won’t change my view of you. You are mine and mine only from now on”

Now that I think about it, I must keep her physical aspect a secret. Nobody will ever resist her beauty. I don’t want to fight for her when I can just keep shut and win easily.

“as you would say I’m quite young. I was built in 20/05/2415 as part of the remnant program Idra even if it was shutting down.”

“what? why?”

“well they are all shutting down, mostly because remnants are no longer needed. Our people are finally stable so there is no more need of new remnants. Additionally the Idra program was never really working. More than 450 idras before me yet none have gone beyond 25 years old.”

“but if the other remnants have such small numbers compare to yours that would mean that they can live longer right? Why not copying them?”

“because we couldn't. Nixie, Likho and Baubas are different. They only had one purpose. Nixie to speak, Likho to sneak and Baubas to fight.”

“then yours is to think right?”

“right but also wrong, Idras were meant to be protectors. But we lost such purpose long ago.”

“protectors of what?”

“I don’t really know. They removed most of the data about what we were suppose to guard before I was born. I only know that one of the many things I was suppose to guard was the HBE, but I don’t even know where it is.”

“wait wait wait…. HBE you mean the Founder weapon? The one that he used to conquer Terra? That HBE?”

“do you know of something else with that name?”

“well no… I just thought it was lost somehow. It was never used again right?”

“I don’t know. I told you, don’t even know where it is now. They removed all before I came into play”

“well maybe it’s better this way.”

Scilla was probably right. It’s better to know nothing about it. The HBE it’s known to be the most effective weapon ever built and used. Classified as a catastrophic weapon of planetary scale destruction almost nothing is known about it. It first appeared in 2044 on Terra and it was used by the Founder only once as a demonstration of force. While his army of robots started conquering the world an international coalition, born from absolute despair, tried to put an end to his work. On the first of November 2044 the HBE was activated on the north coast of Africa where the coalition was preparing for an invasion toward the newly conquered Europe. Of the 4 million soldiers and 231 million civilian located on the coast and desert of the continent none survived. It didn’t matter who they were, where they were, what they were doing, nor how young they were. All humans life just stopped in a massive area without any sign that could tell that something was coming, they just stopped living. Nothing else died, no radiations, no gases, no bullet, nothing, just dead humans everywhere. With the HBE, the Founder made it clear that he had no intention to stop, that he didn’t care about humans. You could only be with him or against him. At the time humanity could only surrender, there is no spices that would have done differently. It was life or extinction.

In the Founder’s greater plan, The HBE use was only the start of a long series of atrocities that scarred humanity probably for eternity. Even with all he had done not all humans saw or keep seeing him as a tyrant. Especially between scholars, old and new, his actions are becoming more and more understandable. At the time humanity was falling apart and science was loosing against stupidity and feelings. The world was collapsing, economy was in constant crisis, people were getting poorer, wars were a constant threat, food and energy were becoming rarer day after day. Force was the only way to save humanity. His method was far from perfect yet even if only scholar will admit it, the Founder saved humanity from dying in a nuclear global war. However to this day nobody can say for certain to understand the Founder. His action were always shrouded in mystery. He “saved” humanity yet he run away from them. He had the most powerful weapon known but never used it.

“maybe you are right Scilla, maybe it’s better this way. But what do you think the HBE is?”

“Iris I’m not a scientist, I’m a stupid soldier. How the fuck should I know?”

“soldiers aren’t stupid by definition, indoctrinated soldiers are but you are not one of them. So let your mind run loose and tell me what do you imagine when thinking about the HBE.”

Iris’ ways were devious but effective. She was not actively trying to hide herself changing subject but she couldn’t resist. Exactly as it happened in Scilla’s room the first time that Iris set her foot in, now they were speaking their mind. They were just speculating imagining things and what they would have done if they were the Founder or what they would do with such weapon. It was a long harmless conversation between 2 creature that had absolutely no idea of how terrifying the HBE truly is, but none could blame them. Nobody truly understand how deeply sick and twisted the roots of the HBE expands. Maybe that is why they removed all traces of it. Maybe the Idras before knew something that was better to be buried away than risk it to reach the wrong person.

Their long conversation was interrupted by a loud grumble. It was Iris’ belly calling for food.

“do you think I can play with your food machine and make something that isn’t a mush of... things?”

“well I suppose you could. Just wait for me to get down and I will…”

“you are not getting down. Sick people should rest”

“I’m not really sick. It’s just the artefact having a tantrum. I won’t get worse I can only get better”

“ahhh fine.”

Scilla get out of bed and moved down in the ship connector waiting for Iris to come.

“so… I’m gonna get down, but I don’t think I have the strength to climb down the ladder covered with a blanket so… you will grab my legs and help me. Ok?”

“sure I’m waiting”

Then Iris crawled backward putting her feet out while pressing herself on the ground. She didn’t have to wait much before the massive Scilla grabbed her legs and helped her down. Once arrived Iris grabbed Scillas hand and started walking slowly toward her storage.

“I can’t let you go around naked with a blanket on”

“I’m not naked, I’m wearing underwear.”

“naked for me”

Once inside the storage Iris started looking around for a specific box until she found it. Upon opening Scilla could saw that the crate was full of clothes. Then inside that mass of fabric Iris pulled out a lab coat or something similar to one. It was of a strange green colour with an easy way to open and close it. The fabric was soft yet rigid when hit with force like water.

“it’s a bit small for you but today is your lucky day. This is for a 200cm humanoid so it will fit you somehow.”

“is it a medical coat? Like one you put on patients?”

“no, it’s a fire, cut and pierce proof lab vest made with a regenerative adaptive polymer and micro repairing machines for labs operators. It’s one of the best vest for lab security that is not a full suit. Just in case, better be safe than sorry.”

mmh she is thinking of my safety and my looking at the same time. Didn’t thought she was caring type, thought she like solitude so I suppose she was more like a grumpy bear.

“thanks. I suppose you should well turn around because I’m going to get ‘naked’ to wear this”

Iris twitched a bit, blushed and left the room waiting her on the other side. Once in the kitchen Scilla was staring at the food machine. She was wondering how that thing could work but Iris came in her help.

“let me play with it a bit.”

She putted her hand on it and for the first time Scilla assisted to “real” magic. Iris’ blood vessels in her had pulsed of a strange grey, almost black light. That pulse wave moved toward the object and disappeared. Now the machine was entirely working in common language.

What the fuck? So that is how she hacks into things, she just touches them. I have to ask, is she really an occultist or maybe the artefact itself? But is this the best time to ask… maybe just a bit.

“how the fuck did you do that?”

“oh, emh… it’s how Idras work. We were all built with machines in our bodies. My sister could do the same…”

“can I ask you more about it but later?”

“sure but why not now?”

“well I may have to ask some really in depth questions and I think it would be better to do so in a more relaxing environment and without distractions.”

“makes sense”

Then Scilla focused on the now translated machine. That thing was a damn chef made at robot. It had a button called survival balanced ration but it was able to do way more than just that.

The hell this thing is amazing. Why does she eats only mush. She could roast things, boil them, smoke them and so on. She could have made everything she wanted as long as she tells the machine what to do. Don’t tell me that she just have no idea what to cook so she just eat for survive. The only thing missing are pre-made recipes, it even has a per species food warnings.

“Iris, sweetheart… do you know that this thing can cook more than just mush?”

she turned around to see Iris in the corner of the 6-seater table built in the wall. She was curled up on the continuous seating covering even her head with the blanket.

She must still feel cold, but at least she is not shivering.

“yep”

“then why did you not use it to cook something better?”

“cause I don’t know any recipes nor I know how to cook anything. I can use my probes to know what I can eat. At best I know how to boil things.”

“well wait for a bit and I will serve you something...good I think… maybe good”

Scilla was scrolling through all the ingredient she had at her disposal. She was definitely not aspecting so much diversity nor so little known elements. More precisely the machine had nothing that even vaguely resembled anything she had ever eaten. The cooking robot however was amazing. It provider her with all kind of knowledge, what could be eaten by who, type of cooking, time for cooking, nutritional values and beneficial effects base on cooking process. She definitely wanted one on the Sheridan as well.

In the end she settled for a ‘bistecca di crostaceo dragone di Goba (stake of dragon crustacean from Goba)’ with a ‘insalata di muschio Tarsk (Tarsk moss salad)’ and a ‘fittone arrostito di Memnora con formaggio di Arpac e un pizzico di spore Doos (roasted Memnora taproot with cheese of Arpac and a bit of Doos spores)’. Scilla had absolutely no idea of what taste any of that had but they were available options so why not requesting them from the machine. She also requested some herbal tea made with ‘Wersara Opiur’ that apparently was some kind of strange flower that swims around like a jellyfish. She still made it into a tea because according to the cooking robot that thing is suppose to heat up the drinker and reduce fever effects on the body.

Once the machine finished it opened up revealing 2 plates almost identical with added massive cup of tea.

Oh! this looks way better than what I aspected, no it looks great. A white fishy steak perfectly roasted, a strange looking reddish tube shaped salad and a big purple sliced root covered with melted cheese with yellow dots. Well the tea seems fine too, after all it’s just a bag inside boiled water that is turning green, well it won’t kill me so let’s hope it’s good.

With the 2 trays in hand she walked toward the table to place them down. She was going to sit on the opposite side of the table but Iris moved, patting the sit next to her.

“can… can you please get beside me?”

“if you ask so kindly how can I refuse”

and so she sat beside Iris, that while curled up started eating slowly. Scilla did the same starting with the steak.

Holy fuck this shit is amazing. It’s so sweat and fresh.. it’s amazing. Let’s try the rest. This moss… Iris is eating it happily so let’s give it a go… nope… definitely not. Maybe she is not that reliable with food. This moss is so damn bitter and when you bite it explodes releasing a viscous liquid that tasted like a bland radish mixed with a carrot. Definitely not my taste. So lets see this purple root… well this is not that bad. It’s like a hard but strangely juicy mushroom if that makes any-sense. The cheese is, well it taste like something you would put in some bread with some meat. Then this little yellow dots must be the spores.

As soon as Scillas tongue touched the mass of spores she split them out. They tasted like rusted metal. Definitely terrible. She immediately jugged down the tea to remove that nasty flavour and it worked.

Overall not so bad, but how the fuck can she eat those spores?

“Iris if you don’t like something you don’t have to eat it.”

But Iris didn’t flinch a single time while eating. Thou at some point she spoke.

“thanks Scilla”

“you don’t have to thank me, I’m eating as well and if you want I could prepare food for you again”

“thanks…”

Iris stopped eating leaving the place half full and leaned onto Scilla’s side with the tea cup warming her hands. She was sipping from time to time.

“… thanks for everything. The food, coming back to me, letting me see your family and being around them, having faith in me, trusting me…”

“stop it. You have helped me out as well and you are going to do so in the future. There is not need for…”

“there is. We should not take for guaranteed what we have. I never thought I would ever meet someone I could trust like I’m doing now. Not after all my sisters have died, not after reaching 26 years old. Not after losing all that was precious to me.”

Scilla extended her arm around Iris to pull her closer and while caressing her side a little she replied.

“ok, then I accept you gratitude. I will do my best”

“I...know…you...will...” saying so Iris fell asleep again in Scillas arms.