Spacer Clans Adventure 3: Naero's Fury (8 page)

“
I’ll take care of it, sir. See you down in the mess hall. Very glad to have you back, even if it is only for a day.”

“
Sure.”

Surina left even as Naero decoded Baeven’s message.

It was self-erasing, so she made a quick copy just in case there was something she needed to listen to again.

Baeven’s voice spoke calmly.

Sorry I had to leave, Naero. Good to know they’re not going to execute you right away, at least. I’m sure Master Vane is disappointed. My cloaked sensor drones picked up traces on the
deep space borders of our long lost friends–those two alien vessels–the Dakkur hordeship and the G’lothc cruiser. They laid low for a while, hiding out since their attacks on the Mystic Homeworlds failed. But if they have returned to our quadrant, I’m guessing they’re planning some new trouble for us all. I’d better check it out, for the sake of everyone.

It seems as if you’ll be relatively safe for a while, as you continue your training. I’ve done what I can to study the
alien obelisk on Thanor-4 from a safe distance. Trust me, that is the best way to do so. It is indeed one of those damn things, so whatever you do, don’t go near it. Don’t even look at it. Try not to even think about it–even in your dreams or especially on the Astral Plane. You don’t want it to notice you, key on you, or focus on you and your mind as a target. It seems mostly dormant now, but such artifacts are completely unpredictable–and if it fully awakens–it will become dangerous and unstoppable. Stay away from it, at all costs.

We can have a long talk when I get back, and I’ll tell you about my fateful encounter with a similar device back on Janosha. It involved your mother, to
o. And the resulting disaster was a major reason for my becoming an outcast, and being sentenced to death by the Mystics.

Whatever you do, Naero. Do
n’t go near it. Take care of Jan and Gaviok. Don’t let them near it, either.

The relatively brief message ended, and the original dissolved completely. Naero did not need to hear it again, and erased the temp copy.

She sighed deeply and left to join her crew in the galley, for a good meal and to catch up with Jan and everyone else.

By the next night at midnight, she’d need to be back onworld to continue her intensive training with the Three Orders.

Yet being kept in the dark always bothered her. She would rather know exactly what she was up against. It was unfortunate that Baeven had to leave
.

Fear of the unknown was the worst.

9

Naero didn’t mean to sleep in the next day, but she had stayed up very late the night before, celebrating with Jan, her crew, and friends. After hearing all of their mostly good news about how their weeks went, it seemed–as if for once–something might work out in their favor and possibly go their way. At least now there was an overall chance of it.

She dozed peacefully in her oval nanobed in her serene, darkened quarters, and listened to the watch chime nine bells.

She almost never slept that late, despite the fact that she had been up to nearly four.

It was actually
Om who mildly startled her out of her sleep.

Naero. I love you.
I can’t help it. I have to tell you exactly how I feel about you.

She snapped awake, blinking and knitting her brows.
Huh? Om–what?

I’ve figured out what’s wrong with me. Why I’ve been dealing with all of these sweeping, crippling emotions.
I know now. Like so many others…I’m falling in love with you.

Seriously, Om. I know you’ve been goofing around with your emotions and developing your own sense of humor
and all–but this isn’t funny. I’ve got waaay too much on my plate right now for anything like that–especially from you.”

I…I’m sorry Naero. You’re right, of course. But I just ca
n’t help myself. You’re all I think about, and it’s driving me batty.

You’re inside my head. We ca
n’t do this. And any way, you’re an AI. What do you know about love?

I feel everything you feel, Naero. I know everything you know about such things.

Yeah. That’s helpful. I’m certainly an expert. She stretched under her zilken sheets and nanocoverlet.

Please. Just hear me out. I’ve given this a lot of thought. It’s actually perfect. What could be more natural? We’re always together.
We’re already as one mind, body, and soul. We’re part of each other. You go out of your way and always find excuses not to have relationships. You don’t have or make time for anyone else, and with our–condition–you worry about taking a lover and hurting him in his sleep. That could never happen with me. We can be happy together, if you just let me try to love you.”

Whoa and triple whoa, Om! You’re racing. Do you even hear yourself? This is completely crazy. We ca
n’t have a romance…the two of us…in my head?!

No, listen. I’ve thought of everything.
I know how frustrated–both physically and emotionally–you’ve been for a very long while. If you are worried about the sex–

Sex.

Sex? Holy Ka-rap, Om. Haisha! And double Haisha! What in the bloody hell are you talking about?

I’ve accessed all of your thoughts and memories on the subject
of passionate fulfillment, Naero.

Oh, please. Kill me now.
Om, snap out of it. Again–

Who could know what you want and like, better than me? I feel and understand your every desire, things you keep only to yourself. Things you do
n’t tell anyone else. Not even your closest family and friends. I know what you want…what you need.

Naero shook her head.

Please, please tell me this is just some terrible nightmare.

Our mind controls all of your pleasure centers, Naero
. The brain is in fact, the largest sex organ in the body. I can meet your every aching need–your every desire for pleasure, satisfaction, and fulfillment–forever, my darling.

“
Aauughh!” Naero groaned, clutching her temples. “Please stop talking, Om. You are killing me. I never thought I could feel so humiliated inside my own head. And I can’t look away or get away from you, like I could with someone else with their own mind and body. This is too close, too intimate, too fast. You’re scaring me. It’s too much.”

No. No! I would never hurt you, Naero. I only want to help you. Ca
n’t you see how perfect this could be, for both of us? I know how very much you need love. I know how much you ache to be loved. I do. And you deserve it. You’re a beautiful person–when you aren’t being a jerk.

Gee, thanks, Om. How romantic. Way to sweep me off my feet.

Remember, Naero. Part of my mind is patterned after yours. I have as much tact as you do.

Thanks for the reminder.

Maybe they were too much alike.

I’ve studied everything there is to know about sex, pleasure, and human relations.

Om, there’s more to it all than what you find in the databanks. There has to be attraction, some kind of spark.

I’ve accessed the KDM on such matters as well. I am
part Kexxian also. Did you know the Kexx were incredibly sensual and intimate as a race? They mated for life and would suffer greatly when a spouse died. And even though they were reptilian, they were capable of enjoying love-making for up to three days–in perpetual, mind-jarring ecstasy–until they passed out from dehydration and lack of food and sleep?

Good for them.
Kexxian lizard love. Fascinating. Be that as it may–I’m not having psyonic sex with you, Om.

We share the same mind and feelings. Here is just a taste of what I can do for us…together.

No, Om. No. I forbid–

Waves of
sudden, incredible pleasure rippled through her entire body.

Naero gasped, wide-eyed. Hey eyes rolled back up into her head until she thought she might black out. She could
n’t talk, couldn’t breathe, her entire body aflame with lust.

She shook violently and convulsed, her legs and arms
stiffened and extended, twitching, and thrumming on her bed until she thought her hands and feet might explode from her body, along with her head.

She either rolled or flung herself off her bed to land on the soft floor, trying to crawl away.
But she couldn’t move any longer.

For a few brief seconds, Naero did pass out.

Only to come to gasping for air as if she were being affixiated, mind reeling–her heart come to life on its own, using nanoexplosives to try to blast its way out of her thumping, heaving chest.

Om called to her eagerly.

See? We can give each other hours of such joy. Admit it, Naero. We love each other. Why should we not give in to our inner-most desires? We can make each other happy. Why should we not do so?

Naero finally caught her breath.

Damn it, Om. You nearly killed me! Any more of that and my heart will go nova and my head explode, like a blood filled melon. Don’t do anything like that to me–ever again. Is that clear? That is
not
what I want from you. Did it ever occur to you to take the time to ask me what I really want in a relationship? In a lover?

For once, Om was stricken and speechless.

She could sense how heartbroken he was, but at the moment, after what he had just put her through, Naero didn’t really care.

Rejection and broken hearts were all part of love, too. Not every attempt at finding a lover worked out
–Naero knew that. In fact, it seemed as if most did not, until a person found the right one for them, if they were lucky.

I’m…I’m sorry, Naero. I just thought we could be happy, together. I
was so excited. I thought I had the answers. I thought…I could make you happy.

Not like this, Om! This is
n’t what I want. You can’t make another person love you that way. We’re friends. We’re partners. I’ve never thought of you as a potential lover.

I guess not.

Look, I know how hard it is for you to learn to control all of your emotions. They’re still so new to you. I’ve been working at it my entire life, and I still can’t get mine right at times. Keep working on it. You’ll get the hang of it, eventually.

I’ll keep trying, Naero. Emotions are truly a complex maze to navigate. Something else I wanted to discuss with you.

What’s that, Om? I have kind of a busy day planned.

I
also came across some interesting biomancy and teknomancy techniques in the KDM. I wanted to share them and their basic theories, principles, and techniques with you. We might want to try some of these.

Great Om. That’s more like it. I’d be happy to work with you on something new. What do we have?

The Kexx mastered techniques far beyond what you and I could even conceive of at our current levels of understanding. They eliminated disease from all of the races they guided. In the end, they could tap into the Cosmic energies of stars directly–the Powers of the universe itself–and transform themselves into several different types of energy beings. They could bend and manipulate matter and energy at will. Their powers were truly miraculous. They could leap the impossible distances between galaxies and into and across other dimensions by force of will. They wished and dreamed things into being. Ideas and possibilities that they focused and bent their thought on–became real creations and the very substance of reality.

As he spoke, Naero closed her eyes and beheld several flashing visions from the KDM.

Visions so real, it was as if she and Om were witnessing them firsthand.

Near the end of their existence, the greatest among the Kexx were like…like gods. I can find no other description that comes anywhere close to depicting what they were and what they could accomplish with their
limitless minds. The mightiest of the Kexx could replicate themselves in multiple forms–entire, sentient armies–created out of raw thought, matter, and energy to serve their will. Fleets of invincible warships with weapons that make yours look like feeble tin cans, clattering around, spitting at each other in the dark.

The Kexx and Drians would need all of their might and skill, f
or they and their Allies–the nearly equally amazing, humanoid Drians–faced the most deadly and implacable foe the universe could ever conceive of: The destroying force of the G’lothc and their countless hordes and minions. Using the destructive power of the Darkforce, the great foe had emerged out of another dimension–an entire dimension where they and their kind had managed to destroy and lay waste to everything–even most of themselves.

Yet a remnant of that dark foe spilled into our universe, and began their own rise to power–a terrible power which demanded that all things be crushed before it.

The G’lothc destroyed all life across three entire galaxies before they came up against the Drians, who fought them to a valiant standstill. But it was only the Kexx who were able to truly turn the grim tide, and drive the G’lothc into total defeat and annihilation.

Anything less would never have stopped them.

That much became clear to all; it was kill or be killed.

Two other galaxies were nearly destroyed by the massive war–a
terrifying war waged more than the course of a million years, and with great loss of life. For the destructive might of the enemy was very great, and nearly unstoppable.

The Kexx and their allies were not destructive by nature
or bent upon any desire for power or conquest. They were wise and benevolent, and forced to defend themselves. Yet once driven to the task at hand, in the end they rose to the fierce challenge, and were undaunted. Out of their limitless imaginations, the allies created entire fleets of invincible warships at will. Forces with one driving purpose: to overwhelm the ruthless G’lothc, to wipe out their last homeworlds, and even obliterate their very stars during the course of those astounding, final battles.

And as they perished, the once undefeated G’lothc howled in vain, unable to believe that death came solely for them–and
they comprehended what fear truly was–for the first time in their dark existence–only at the very last.

Naero shuddered at such amazing visions, sweeping across the limitless vistas of her mind. She beheld so much in such a few amazing instants that it was completely overwhelming. It nearly stunned her.

She trembled.

It was
n’t until the end that Naero realized that Om had been speaking to her in the Kexxian language, and that she had hung upon every word and followed them and the visions they evoked and conjured completely. She did so so naturally that it was effortless.

She did so without thought.

Naero trembled, sensing more and more the limitless potential that the secrets of the Kexxian Data Matrix held within her.

The concepts for biomancy and teknomancy that Om raced throu
gh her mind were breathtaking–nearly beyond belief.

And these were only the most basic, childlike concepts of them all.

To the neargods of the Kexx, these lesser concepts would have undeniably seemed trite, perhaps even silly or infantile.

How could she–a mere human woman–even begin to apply or implement any of these techniques and abilities, let alone all of the limitless,
incomprehensible miracles that stretched out beyond them?

Such limitless power.
Did she have a right to use any part of such power and knowledge? Did anyone?