by A. K. DuBoff
Soldiers on the rescue ship, the Vortex, had detained the colonel on Major Sandren’s orders. They’d raised eyebrows when they saw the prisoner in question, but they said nothing and did as they were told just like they were trained to do.
Now back inside the base and heading toward an interview room, Kira could begin reflecting on the day’s experiences. Her own transformation. Kaen’s alien parasite. Violation of her home. She wished she could take the afternoon to unwind, but duty demanded she remain focused.
Guards escorted the colonel two paces ahead of her, with Major Sandren walking to her left.
The major also seemed shaken by the day’s events, though he gave little external indication. Kira had worked with him enough, though, to notice a slight flush to his cheeks and elevated pulse.
Oh, shite. I shouldn’t be able to hear his pulse, she realized.
Her own heart pounded in her ears. She still felt so much like herself that it was easy to forget the changes she was undergoing, yet it was too much for her to ignore.
“Sir,” she said tentatively, “I don’t know if I should stay out here. Maybe I should go back into quarantine. Knowing that Kaen was part of my change—that this was planned—it makes me even more dangerous.”
“I understand your concerns, and I share them,” Sandren replied. “But you’re the only person who’s been able to communicate with whatever it is inside Colonel Kaen.”
“Isn’t that all the more reason to be suspicious of me? Maybe me being able to communicate with it is a form of influence itself.”
“You overpowered it on the ship,” Sandren pointed out.
“Unless that’s what it wanted.”
Sandren frowned. “Maybe we can’t trust what’s happening to you, but we won’t get anywhere without more information.”
“What if it lies and I can’t tell the difference?”
“You did fine work today, Captain,” Sandren replied after a slight pause. “Trust your gifts and your instincts.”
Kira’s stomach twisted. “I’m a liability.”
“You’re also our best shot at getting through this, risks or not.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
As much as she wanted to protest further, Kira knew he was right. They needed a telepath to get through to the real Kaen within, and she was the only person on base with the skills and clearance to get the job done.
They reached the room that had been set aside for the interview. Filled with a combination of typical interrogation utilities and the necessary setup for a medical evaluation, the room reminded Kira of the places she’d encountered while undercover in the MTech lab on Valta—circumstances she’d rather forget.
Sandren leaned toward her when they entered the room. “Are you okay?” he asked.
She took a deep breath to clear her mind. “Yes, sir.”
He gave her one more appraising look. “All right.”
The guards stood Kaen with his back against a pole at the center of the room, cuffing his hands behind.
Doctor Elric stepped forward from a monitoring station along the back wall. “Colonel, we’re going to run some scans,” he stated.
Kaen—or, rather, Nox inside him—sneered at the doctor. “Your tests won’t tell you anything. You’ll never understand what I am.”
“Our science is more advanced than you seem to think,” Elric stated, unruffled. He began attaching sensors to the colonel’s head and neck.
“We need to find out how he got… possessed, or whatever it is,” Sandren said.
“We will, but first I need to see if we can detect whatever is inside him. If there are others, we need a way to identify those cases,” Elric replied.
“What will these sensors reveal?”
“Hopefully, some indication of a physical manifestation of the presence.” Elric finished adhering the sensors, and then he grabbed a long wand with a sensor array along one edge. He ran the wand from the colonel’s head to toes across his front and then repeated the motion along his back.
Kira crossed her arms as she watched from near the entry door. Kaen’s smug expression was so unlike his normal self, especially under the circumstances. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him to be trapped inside his own body while something masqueraded as him.
Elric returned to the monitoring station and activated the sensors. A representation of a colonel’s body appeared on the monitor behind him. “Hmm.”
Sandren examined the monitor from next to Elric. “Do you see anything?”
“His heartrate and neural activity are elevated, but there isn’t any obvious foreign growth in him,” the doctor replied.
“I can’t believe I was actually hoping there’d be a worm attached to his spinal column,” Sandren muttered.
“That would have suggested a more obvious course for treatment,” Elric agreed. “As it stands, though, we’ll need to run bloodwork to look for microscopic elements.”
The major frowned. “How long will that take?”
“At least half an hour to get preliminary results, but I have no idea how deeply we may need to dive. This is clearly something our standard tests don’t look for.”
Kaen barked a laugh. “Such simple creatures you are.”
“I’m certain you aren’t as advanced as you’d like us to believe. It’s all science,” Elric replied. He prepared a syringe. “Hold still,” he instructed, gripping the colonel’s arm. He drew a vial of blood then stepped back. “I’ll begin analyzing this.”
“Bring in Leon and his team,” Sandren suggested.
The doctor’s brow knitted. “Aren’t they busy working on a cure for Kira?”
“It might be connected,” Sandren said. “We need to explore this angle first.”
Kira’s heart dropped, but she understood. An unknown alien presence was a security risk for the entire base—and beyond. Her condition was less pressing.
Elric nodded his understanding and departed with the syringe.
Sandren turned to Kira. “Captain, while the analysis is underway, see if you can glean any information about how Nox infected the colonel.”
She inclined her head. “I’ll do my best, sir.”
Kaen eyed Kira with creepy calm as she approached.
“Colonel, I know you’re in there,” she stated. “We’re going to get you back.”
“I already told you, it’s a futile exercise,” Kaen-Nox said.
“See, I don’t think so.” Kira positioned herself so she could look directly into the colonel’s eyes. She could see the difference now, when Kaen was present versus Nox having control. Whenever she spoke with the alien, it was as though a light was missing from within—the ultimate uncanny valley effect with a living, sentient being. She held back a shudder. “You’ve been found out. You have nothing left to gain from remaining inside him.”
Kaen-Nox chuckled. “Oh, don’t I? Every time you react, you tell me more about you. Whatever harm you wish to cause him, it won’t hurt me.”
“But you have nowhere to go,” Kira stated. “If you cooperate, you may be able to go free.”
The colonel raised an eyebrow. “First, I know better than to think you’d ever let me go. I know all your secrets now. No matter what you may promise me in an attempt to save your friend, I’d never be allowed to leave.”
Kira glanced at Sandren, and he nodded.
“That may be so, but that doesn’t mean life has to be uncomfortable for you,” Kira continued.
Kaen-Nox scoffed. “If I were to vacate this body, you’d make every effort to kill me. I’m far too dangerous for you to keep around.”
“But—”
“Oh, Kira, you’re making all the wrong assumptions,” Kaen-Nox interrupted. “What makes you think I’m even in this body?”
“What?” The question caught Kira completely off-guard. “I’m talking to you now. I’ve felt your presence.”
“A presence, yes. But you understand so little of what I am.”
Is that even possible? She’d never considered there wasn’t an actual being within Kaen. The notion that its physical presence could exist elsewhere and what she was communicating with now was simply a telepathic projection was… terrifying.
“Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?” Kira asked Sandren.
He nodded his consent and stepped into the hallway with her. “What is it, Captain?”
“It’s possible he’s telling the truth and might not be physically inside Kaen, sir.”
Sandren’s scowl creased his brow. “How could that be?”
“I can’t even hazard a guess. But if there is some way that these beings can gain remote control of a host—”
“They could be in anyone,” Sandren surmised.
Kira nodded. “That’s my fear, sir.”
“But they’re not. I mean, we’d know, right?”
“I don’t think we can assume anything.”
“Shite.” Sandren wiped his hands down his face. “But Nox knows, right? You can see his thoughts, just like any other?”
“In theory, yes. But it’s not anyone else. There’s no way of knowing if its thoughts operate the same way. For all I know, it could be able to think a lie and I’d never know any difference.” Kira swallowed. “Like I said, maybe it’s only making me think I’m directing the conversation just so it can gain complete control over me.”
“I don’t think that’s the case.”
“Why, sir?” Kira questioned. “You’re acting like everything is normal with me, but something serious happened. I can’t be trusted.”
The major studied her face. “You were able to glean what it’d done with the ship earlier today.”
“That may have been a ruse. Maybe it wanted to get back here to base.”
“Then why try to leave?” Sandren questioned. “Why expose itself in the first place? It could have remained hidden and never tried to escape.”
Kira shrugged. “Sir, I’m just speculating here. I don’t have answers.”
“Neither do I,” Sandren admitted. “But I have my instincts. And right now, my gut tells me that this alien presence wants to possess you but it can’t. I’ll be keeping close watch while you see this through.”
“I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me,” Kira murmured.
“The very fact that you can express that concern assures me that you’re still yourself,” the major told her. He reached for the door handle. “The truth will reveal itself in time. For now, all we can do is gather as much information as we can. Find out what Nox knows and we’ll try to corroborate that information with verifiable facts.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sandren nodded and opened the door, gesturing Kira through.
“Have a nice little chat about me, did you?” Kaen-Nox asked.
“You’re our favorite topic of conversation, don’t you know?” Kira returned to her place facing the colonel. “Now, I believe you were about to tell me all about yourself.”
“I don’t think so,” Kaen-Nox replied.
“Like you have any way of stopping me.” Time to put that theory to the test. She stared into his eyes, preparing to bore into the shared mind to root out what was Kaen and what was the alien.
“It’s a valiant effort, Kira, but I’m in control here,” Nox said in her mind.
“You’re not stronger than me,” she replied. “I’ll find out the truth whether you volunteer it or not.”
“Only if I’m here to tell you. Good luck.” Nox’s presence disappeared.
“What the…?” Kira wondered aloud. She searched Kaen’s mind through his eyes, but there was no hint of Nox—or of Kaen within. It was as though everything had shut down and was inaccessible.
“What’s going on?” Sandren demanded.
“He’s… gone,” Kira stammered.
“The alien?”
“Yeah, but not just him. I don’t sense Kaen anymore, either.”
Sandren rushed forward and waved his hand in front of Kaen’s bank face. “Colonel?”
“That won’t do anything.” Kira shook her head. “He was telling the truth about not really being here.”
“That doesn’t explain what happened to Kaen.”
Kira wet her lips. “Whatever this race is, they clearly have a deep grasp of consciousness. If they can project themselves into someone, there’s no reason they can’t take someone and bring them elsewhere.”
Sandren paled. “But that’s—”
“It’s all science, sir. Electrical impulses, chemistry. We know some TSS Agents can perform a sort of astral projection. It’s not a stretch that these aliens could have similar skills.”
The major took a steadying breath. “Okay, the more important question is, how do we get Kaen’s consciousness back?”
“By figuring out whatever it is that tethers a consciousness to a specific individual. Nox is paired with Kaen in some way—it wasn’t jumping around to anyone it wanted. If it could do that, it never would have allowed itself to be captured.”
Sandren crossed his arms. “Assuming this is a two-way corridor, can we lure Kaen back and figure out how to sever the connection?”
“That’s what I’m thinking, sir.”
“How do you call to someone who can’t hear you?”
Kira cocked her head. “You activate the transmitter. If we can find a physical manifestation of that link, we might be able to activate it.”
“But Elric didn’t find any physical evidence, and you were just saying that Nox doesn’t have a corporeal form.”
“The scan may not have been looking for the right thing.”
Sandren eyed her. “What do you know?”
“I saw a bit of research on Valta that might be applicable here.”
“Then go offer what insights you can to the science team. I’ll stay with the colonel and alert you if his state changes,” Sandren said.
“Yes, sir. We’ll try to have you answers as soon as we can.” Kira stepped out of the interview room, her mind reeling from the last interaction with Nox. How do you defeat an enemy you can’t see?
She took a moment to lean against the wall, focusing on her breathing to regain her center.
“Kira! I just heard what’s going on.” Leon ran toward her from down the hall.
Her heart leaped when she saw him. “I was about to come to see you.”
His face darkened. “I have news, too.”
“Did Doctor Elric talk to you about Kaen?” she asked.
“Yes, he just stopped by and told me to pause my research into your new nanites so I can focus on analyzing Kaen. I’ll never get anything done if we keep shifting objectives!”
She waited for him to take a calming breath before responding. “I know there’s a lot going on. Was that your news?”
“No.” He groaned. “Promise not to freak out?”
That almost always means it’s freak-out-worthy. Kira frowned. “Why would I?”
“Ellen called. She’s going to Mysar, to get inside the government.”
“She… what?! Of all the impulsive—”
“Oh, I know. When I tried to tell her she was being an idiot, she hung up on me. Real mature, right?”
“She’s going to get herself killed!”
“As much as I want to be angry with her, I’m worried.” Leon took a shaky breath. “She concocted some insane plan to embed herself with her old contacts so she could help you get in. You grab the chancellor, then get out together.”
“That’s…” Kira shook her head. “The Mysarans may take it as an act of war. Ellen—a foreign government employee—infiltrating them on its own would be grounds, but if we were to capture the chancellor…”
He nodded. “She wouldn’t see reason. The Elusian president apparently didn’t have faith that the Guard would take action without some additional incentive.”
“Like they know anything about our capabilities.” Kira rubbed her eyes. “Shite, I really didn’t need anything else to worry about.”
“It’s not your job to get her out of this mess.”
“Except it kinda is.”
Leon looked her over with concern. “Kira, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” It was a lie, and he knew it.
Leon enveloped her in his arms, and she happily buried her face in his chest. “You’re who I’m worried about the most,” he murmured into her hair. “You should be relaxing, not out—”
Kira pulled out of the hug and held him at arm’s length. “This is what I do, remember? I know what I can take. I’m okay.”
Reluctantly, he nodded. “I’ll get used to it eventually, though I don’t have to like it.”
She gave him a quick kiss. “Thank you for your concern, but we have work to do.”
“Right, the alien.”
“The colonel is in far more immediate danger than me. That’s priority.”
“You’re my priority.”
Kira looked him in the eyes. “Leon, you’re working for the Guard now. This is about what’s best for the Empire, not us personally.”
After a moment, he nodded and released a slow breath. “I’ll get back to figuring out what’s going on with you as soon as I can.”
She took his hand and squeezed it. “I know you will. But don’t let me be a distraction. Whatever has taken control of Kaen is likely the same type of entity that’s controlling Hale. Figure out what’s going on with him, and maybe we’ll have a solution for how to help her, too.”
“Okay.”
“Now, I may have some information that didn’t seem relevant before,” Kira continued. “Let me tell Sandren about Ellen, and then why don’t you show me this lab of yours?”
CHAPTER 14
“I don’t get it,” Leon muttered half to himself. He pushed back from the workstation in his lab and crossed his arms.
Next to him, Kira had been watching him perform the analysis of Kaen’s scans. “So, you don’t see anything amiss?”
“No,” Leon replied. “There don’t appear to be sufficient neurological variations to account for Kaen’s present condition.”
“It would seem telepathy doesn’t take up much neural real estate,” Jack added.