Unipsi, lovely entity

chapter 57: fear

With astonishing efficiency the Esterians interrogated all those they arrested and soon extended the list of people to be captured and brought to “justice”. Their tones were harsh and brutal. Even during their collaboration with Lean’s authorities they were hard to please and mostly aggressive. Nixie was among those that flipped like a coin. Her “understanding” and talkative nature was totally replaced by an accusatory one. In contrast to Idra her interrogations were mentally exhausting and psychologically traumatizing. She used any form of abuse possible: insults, yelling, digging up past on their families, making lies to put them one against the other, abusing their insecurities and their families. She was never physical but to a certain degree what she was doing to brake their minds was worst than Idras work. It also appeared clear that psychologically warfare and torture were her real elements. Diplomacy was just a by product of such teachings.

However what was blatant torture was amusing to Cscuicha. She had always been a pragmatical creature and never saw such efficient interrogations. After one of them many “discussion” session with a terrorist, Cscuicha and her guards approached Nixie at the police station.

“to what do I own the pleasure of your visit Liin Cscuicha? I thought you didn’t like to dirty your hands” started Nixie while Cscuicha was approaching.

“you guessed wrong. I used to fight in the front lines. I’m not a saint.”

“did you also discuss with Droxi?”

“not in your way, but I dealt with captives before. Truth to be told I’m impressed by your skills”

Nixie smiled at the compliment.

“Weapons are not the only way to inflict damage and pain.”

“going blind into a fight means certain death. Gathering information will make your people more efficient right?”

“exactly, bet you didn’t skip war strategies classes”

“actually I was not really interested in war before it happened. In fact I used to be a mechanical engineer. Went to university and all that stuff. Luck made me work on mining equipment and you can fill in the rest. I learned strategy during the war”

“impressive. But I bet you ain’t here to tell me your story”

“you won the bet. I would like to invite you to my home…”

“I’m doing my job, I’m not interested in whatever you have planned…”

“I planned to discuss in a more informal place about my citizens that lives inside your nation.”

“those citizens are long lost. They are now part of the ETU. We won’t give them to you”

“seeing you so vocal about it makes me think that a private discussion is needed. One without guards and all the bullshit about representation and appearance. We have to think about what is best for them and… and I personally hope we could find a way to assist them. I stand with you and your kind. Tearing apart families is not my style”

While speaking Nixie had focused her eyes and ears on Cscuicha. Her warm smile conveyed her approval before her words.

“very well. I accept your invite. Here, my phone. Let’s communicate afterward about the details”

Nixie pulled her phone out and soon exchanged her communication function with Cscuicha, then they parted ways.

Days passed while they kept exchanging messages. Some related to the interrogations and some related to the future private meeting. The plan soon develop into spending the late afternoon and evening at Cscuicha’s place. When the day came Nixie arrived along side the patrol ship at Cscuicha’s house. Of course she couldn’t move around freely but being in a more trusted place, she was left the ship without guards. When Cscuicha opened the door things didn’t go as expected. Nixie was not actually alone. Grabbing onto her arms there was both the chimeras.

“emh. Good afternoon Liin Cscuicha. It appears that we may have a small inconvenience”

“You promised you’ll be with us today”

“yes, yes can’t go back on your words” said the two chimeras.

Cscuicha stood at the door silent.

“would it be a problem if they join us for a brief period?”

Fuck my life. Why do all my plans go bad before they even start?

“yeah, sure. Not a problem, at all… just going to prepare more food for dinner”

“food?!?”---”food!!?!” said the duo before being brought back in line by Nixie.

“thanks for understanding”

They walked inside the house with the guards staring at them but not interfering as demanded by Cscuicha. After all if she wanted she was more than capable to overcome both Nixie and the chimeras.

Cscuicha walked them to the living room she had prepared. For the three girls everything was massive as it was all built around Leans heights. Once in the room the chimeras immediately scattered around observing everything until they choose they favourite corner to sit. They choose a carpeted zone with a low coffee table and furnitures all around. They sat side by side inside in the armchair. They were small enough to fit. Their behaviour was odd. It felt as if they were each other extensions. Like two almost identical creatures sharing two bodies. While taking their seat they also followed Nixie’s actions and took of their helmets. The Chimeras were oddly beautiful and too young to be soldiers. They had tanned skin like Idra. Light blue eyes and long azure hair. Their ears were more pointing backwards in contrast to Nixie’s ears that had just a 15° rotation backward. They looked absolutely nothing like Nixie. Their appearance was so different that Cscuicha commented about it.

“I guess they took all from their father”

“I wouldn’t say so. They don’t really look like neither”

Cscuicha was perplex but before her comeback the girls spoke.

“mum can we read the books?” asked the two looking at Nixie and Cscuicha that were not in the same corner of the immense room.

“Sorry if they are bothering. Can they read the books in the libraries around? And if it’s not too much to ask, do you per haps have some snacks to keep them busy while we talk?”

“sure, your daughters can do as they please as long as they don’t break anything”

the chimeras started laughing uncontrollably.

“mum’s kids. Hahaha mum’s! We ain’t hers. She had never even hold hands with a boy”

Their behaviour was childish. They were surely not adults. Nixie on the other hands blushed and looking away replied.

“Shish. Two rascals are indeed not my children. Unfortunately they are correct, I never had a relationship so it’s impossible for me to be their mother. Plus we don’t look alike at all”

YES! But then why did they call her mum?

“my bad, well I just thought…”

“How could we be hers?” asked one off the chimeras.

“well she could have been married or just had a one night mistake and kept you” Cscuicha’s reply however was welcomed with confused stares and tilted head.

“what do you mean? What kind of mistake” asked Nixie.

More confused them them Cscuicha replied.

“well you could just had a emh... spicy night... with some man. Got pregnant and decided to keep the baby”

“I don’t get it?”

“we neither”

“what do you mean you don’t get it? I guess I have to be blunt. I’m speaking about sex.”

“we understood that. But we don’t understood how” replied Nixie.

Cscuicha had no idea that Esterians worked completely differently to others mammals. They felt no need to reproduce and for them marriage was mostly a paper transposition of a natural agreement. Only once two Esterians felt that they were linked on a deeper level their natural urges would resurface. For them the concept of failed marriages and casual sex were as foreign and incomprehensible as a multidimensional being. Those concept were so distant from their society and biology that they couldn’t image them.

“what how?. It’s sex. You got to a bar or whatever and fuck a dude. What’s so hard to understand”

“but that’s not how it works. In order to reproduce you need to be married…”

“no you don’t…”

“yes you do. Without a relationship aimed to marriage others bodies feels repulsive and dirty. You feel no desire to interact at such level. Also supposing you could have such shameful act with someone you won’t get impregnated no matter what you do”

“how come?”

“cause all our females are sterile. Well selectively sterile. You need multiple interaction and our will to produce offspring to make us fertile again. Without both you won’t ever get a kid. For what I know such activation process usually requires a month or more…”

“a month of daily action!?!? shish girls you are thirsty!” joked Cscuicha. She had finally understood that their behaviour differences were not cultural but biological. Such differences made common concept in most animals totally unknown to Esterians that had forgotten them longe before. So she made a joke to try and move the conversation to lighter tones but it didn’t work as expected. Nixie blushed and literally turned toward a windows to look outside while the two Chimeras being young didn’t understood the implicit allusion.

“we didn’t get it. What was the joke?” asked. Nixie immediately interrupted them.

“there was no joke. Jinx, Lynx how about you focus on reading?”

“k mum”

“Jinx and Lynx? What unique names” Cscuicha was now desperately trying to change the subject.

“don’t ask me. They choose them themselves”

“yes, they are cool right?”---”right?”

“I guess. Why did you choose them?”

“cause they are us. We jinx our enemies and stalk them like a lynx.”---”so jinx and lynx”---”they also sound close”---”like we are”---”yes, always close”

“can I know why you call Nixie your mum?”

“cause she has mum vibes”---”and she took us is”

“oh. I see… sorry to bother I didn’t mean to…”

“don’t worry Liin Cscuicha. They don’t mind. They are not technically orphans cause they were never born nor they ever met their parents”

“we don’t care. Nixie, Baubas and Likho. They are good with us. If only we could meet Idra again”

“it seems like you three have a long story...”

“not really. They were produced by a couple who dreamed to follow the Founder’s path. They tried to play god and it resulted in several failures and them. They were the last Esterian machine hybrids produced and the only that survived. During their the production of a new series something went wrong and both parents died. They were meant to be like Idra or so they wanted. We saw the potential and took them in. they are not really suited for normal parents”

“that’s… a sad story. It’s a pity that their parents couldn’t be punished…”

“we don’t punish ambitions. Wanting to be great and leaving the universe knowing that you made it better is a vastly spread dream. They would have only received a sanction for miss disposal of the one that died and at worst prison time for child abuse but apparently they were model parents, just ambitious”

Cscuicha was rightfully taken aback. Not only they view relationships differently but also their ethics were non-existing. You could build your own kid and as long as you didn’t mistreat him or make him suffer you are totally fine.

Fortunately for her time had passed and it was soon dinner time. The chimeras didn’t join. They stayed in at the coffee table eating silently and whispering among themselves. They behaved strangely well leaving Nixie and Cscuicha all the space to discuss about communication among their nations. Idra didn’t lie to Cscuicha. At the end of the dinner when the dessert was brought in, Nixie eyes shines as if she had just saw a pile of gold. Her mood changed drastically and she became way more relaxed than before, she started treating Cscuicha like a friend.

“so… I always wonder why do you carry so many weapons?” asked Cscuicha.

“scared of them?”

“not really. It’s just strange seeing you so… prepared while I don’t carry weapons in my house”

“Well, we carry them cause our laws mandates them. But you don’t have to worry...”

Nixie, for the first time since an Esterian was seen except the intelligence squad with idra, Nixie pulled out all of her three guns and placed them on the table.

“I’ll be honest, I barely know how to shoot. I mean I’m a diplomat, I’m not the best soldier around”

“do all Esterians know how to shoot?”

“yes, after the war shooting classes became mandatory during high-school.”

“let me guess you skipped them so that’s why you don’t know how to shoot?”

“I would have, but I never attended school. I’m a remnant, my sisters trained and taught me everything I know”

“have you ever wandered how is it to go to school?”

“some times, but I think it’s better this way. My… methods are not suited for a civilian environment.”

They spoke some more and before parting Cscuicha gave her present to Nixie. She made it clear that the gift was only meant for her, as a token of appreciation to connect her Leans with theirs.

Once opened and realised that it was a plushy Nixie moved a bit forward before retracting. She was probably trying to hug Cscuicha before remembering that she couldn’t. She thanked Cscuicha and left with the rest of the crew. Even if it was not exactly as planned Cscuicha learned a lot more about Nixie personal life than what she predicted. Even with all the differences that she learned she was still set on knowing Nixie better. After all other Leans were able to build a new life in the ETU thanks to their love, so why couldn’t she dream for the same.

Light years away Scilla and Idra were starting to fall asleep in each other arms. Idra had gradually became more and more attached to Scilla, so in the few instances that they could share a bed she wanted to maximise her physical connection. However that was going to be one hell of a night. Scilla was sleeping peacefully until her dreams started to fade to leave space into Idra’s nightmares. She founder herself being Idra and locked into a cage like an animal.

Other Idras around discussing but it was a one sided battle. 484 was in front of the cage screaming her reasoning to keep 511 free but the others 30 or maybe 40 Idras had none of it. 484 seeing that her words were failing her became aggressive trying to push back her sisters. A fist fight soon started and 484 was putting on a tremendous resistance. She had an unnatural determination. Not what you would expect from a sister rather what you would see from a bear mother defending her cubs. In such chaos Iris didn’t stood still. She was young but seeing 484 being cornered and punched activated her. Scilla could feel the tears and soundless scream of Iris while she started punching the cage’s bars. She focused on a spot that soon failed to resist the strength. Scilla had no idea how she was there and feeling all of that, but somehow it was the same with Idra’s previous nightmare. She felt the moment the supercomputer built inside 511 activated. Time felt infinite. He small kid brain was computing at unreasonable speed but it was not enough. Iris was limited by the small body and her natural sensors. She fought bravely and ferociously between screams. She was stopped only once a well placed riot shot tossed her small body against a wall making her lose consciousness while staring at 484 pinned on the ground but still trying to fight for Iris.

However she didn’t woke up. It all faded to black as she felt Whispers. She woke up still stuck in the nightmare. Iris’s body was in pain and her mind drifted to the unknown place. It soon became clear that she was stuck in there. The place was massive, almost a city underground and some room above ground. But it was empty. Nobody was there. She was left alone and unable to scream, unable to call for help or write for help. She kept scratching the door until her armour left marks in the sturdy metal. But it was all futile. She was never going to be free. She was not even given food. She had the machine that she didn’t know how to use dispense mush all the time. At night she would have childish nightmare like monster pulling her legs from under the bed. Or she would roll off the bed and mistake the blanket under her feet for snakes. All those time she was left alone in the darkness. Unable to turn on the light, unable to think rationally and left to her fears. She gradually became paranoic and started suffering from insomnia and chronic nightmares. To avoid surprises she started dissembling things around until she built her small little hole to barely squeeze in. At least in that way even if she had nightmares nothing around her could have been mistaken for a monster.

While submerged in that psychological torture Scilla woke up. Iris was screaming and kicking all around her. Instinctively she hugged her as tighter as possible.

“it’s ok Iris. It’s ok. It was just a nightmare. I’m here. Don’t worry…”

Between a sob and an other Iris spoke. It was hard to understand but after what Scilla saw it was almost obvious.

“the monsters… they are real… coming… I have to hide… hide… till light… they a scared of lights”

Only then Scilla noticed that the NDU was in emergency mode and had disconnected Idra from itself as she was unstable. Scilla tried her best to console Iris and in order to make her comfortable she pulled our her phone and used the torch to light up the room. She stood up for hours pinning the crying, trembling and scared Iris again the wall. She was trying to make her feel as enclosed as possible. At some point they both fall asleep and she woke up the next day on top of Iris that had been pushed into a corner of the bed. Iris was awake and tried to get out hopefully without waking Scilla up, but her plan failed.

“sorry” was the first words Iris said.

Scilla moved away freeing her.

“it’s ok. Don’t be sorry. I… I understand now…”

“I’m sorry. I’m a mess”

“stop it. We are all afraid of something. You don’t have to be sorry for that. I won’t leave. I would be a disgrace to all my kind if I couldn’t support my love in her moments of need…”

Iris smiled awkwardly looking away.

“come with me, let’s eat something.”

I have to tell her. About our connection this night and about the alien that stalk us. She has no know.