Essence: Book 1 - Septima

by Nick Braker

  “Septima, would you see to his injury?” Alta asked, though it clearly sounded like an order.

  Septima applied some ointment to his head and gave him some pills to take. Troy swallowed them without question. His eyes started to droop and he started to feel sleepy.

  That was quick.

  Troy felt better and the ointment reduced the pain. Troy and Septima left the lab, returning to her quarters. The next several hours were a blur for him. Most of that time he spent sleeping in her bed. If anything else happened, he couldn’t remember it. It was later in the evening when his thoughts finally cleared. Troy felt like himself again. Septima had said the pills would probably make him groggy and they likely would have side effects for human physiology. She added that the medicine she had given him when he arrived had a half-life of weeks. He would feel their effect, both good and bad for some time.

  “Why did I react that way to Alta?” he asked. “I honestly felt like it was the right thing to do but now I’m not so sure. I’ve never experienced this kind of dichotomy before.”

  “Dichotomy?” she questioned.

  “It’s a term that--”

  “I know what it means but I never thought I’d hear you use a word like that,” she said.

  “You hardly know me.”

  Troy rolled over on the bed, away from her, lying closer to the wall as she sat on the other side. Several seconds of silence slipped past before he spoke again. His eyes went wide.

  “Wait a minute,” he said, an epiphany hitting him.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Your comment about the medicine. Uh, I have what I call a healthy sense of paranoia, but it occurred to me that I haven’t really thought about those things since arriving on Pira. The medicine you gave me... would it do that?”

  “Possibly, though I’m not sure. Alta prescribed your medicine and since your human physiology is different, it’s possible,” she said, looking down at the floor.

  She turned her head away, her eyes settling on the picture frame on the end table. It was still face down.

  “So, for what it’s worth, I’ve really enjoyed not worrying about, well, those things.”

  “Things?” she asked.

  “Fears. On Earth, I tended to focus on them more than most people do but, with some rare exceptions, I’ve not thought about my fears since arriving. I kind of like it. Maybe you can give me more of that medicine if I start to get worse?”

  “Sure,” she said, looking down again.

  That look was stunning. Her jumpsuit had a front zipper and it was already partially unzipped to the middle of her chest. The feelings from earlier returned. Troy felt hot but he controlled his breathing, keeping it slow. Strange though, his attraction to her wasn’t simply physical. He cared deeply for her. Why did he feel this way, or better asked, how was this possible? He’d known her for less than a week.

  He shook his head, trying to clear the surge of questions and random thoughts. What was wrong with him? Why didn’t he pursue his friends’ death more? Why didn’t he go after Cienna for killing them? Hell, why didn’t he run screaming into the night from all the crazy stuff going on around him?

  Troy rubbed his temples. Honestly, he didn’t care about the answers to those questions. Something else consumed him at the moment and he could not shake it. He didn’t want to try.

  “Troy, are you okay?” she asked.

  He held her gaze with his.

  “Septima, you are so beautiful,” he told her, the pain easing.

  “I am?” she asked, as if she really didn’t know.

  Her simple question made him want her more. She swallowed and her breathing quickened, no longer relaxed like earlier. She was thinking the same thing he was and he knew it instinctively. He could see a more pronounced and faster pulse from her neck. Troy rolled to his side, leaning on his elbow, facing her.

  “Do you remember holding my hand during the essence scan?” he asked quietly.

  “Yes.”

  “I knew what you were thinking,” he whispered.

  Her cheeks flushed. He knew she loved Tohmas. Why not give her what she wanted? He wanted her, too. It was a win for both of them.

  A win?

  “Come here,” he told her, not moving any closer.

  “I--” she started to say but Troy interrupted her.

  “Come here,” he told her, as if it were a gentle order.

  She leaned forward bringing her knees up to the bed. She crawled closer to him, her eyes never leaving his. He could see her breathing was ragged now. A gentle sheen shown on her cheeks and forehead.

  I have her in my control.

  She would do whatever he wanted right now. She stopped inches from Troy still on her hands and knees. He put his hand on the nape of her neck under her hair with firm but gentle pressure. She gasped. He had touched her exactly where she wanted. Septima closed her eyes as he pulled her gently to him, kissing her. Her lips were sweet and soft, electrifying. A subtle moan escaped from her and her breathing increased. She gazed at him, her eyes delirious with desire.

  What the hell is happening? How did I do that? This isn’t me...

  The medicine they gave him must be suppressing his fears, allowing him to be who he really wanted to be. Troy pushed her over onto her back, unzipping her jumpsuit and pulling it off. His desire possessed him and he slipped into a blissful loss of control. Troy had never lost control before, not like this. Septima didn’t resist and instead stripped him of his clothes.

  Her skin was perfect. The contours of her body were shapely, toned and muscled but she maintained her feminine physique. Troy wondered if alien genetics were responsible for her perfection. His wonder didn’t stop but it took a backseat to his desires. Troy caressed her breasts, massaging and exciting her nipples to erection. His lust for her body overwhelmed his thoughts. Septima became his universe and he would stop at nothing to vanquish her. Her eyes were wide and stayed locked on him.

  “Don’t stop,” she begged.

  Troy rested on his left elbow with his right leg between her thighs. He pulled her to him, holding her tightly next to his body. He kissed her deeply and their passion grew stronger. Her body was warmer than his and her skin smooth and soft. He caressed her back in long, slow strokes, bringing goosebumps to her flesh and a moan from her lips. Troy shifted, moving on top of her and opening her legs. He entered her, losing himself in their embrace.

  Troy knew there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him. He didn’t understand how he knew but neither did he care. She loved him and she loved his control over her. Septima yearned for it. She could deny him nothing and he would take it all.

  Chapter 7

  JOLIZA

  Pira - The next morning

  Troy rolled out of bed being careful not to wake Septima. He slipped into his jumpsuit, watching her sleep. She was uncovered and naked in the cold. The near freezing temperatures in the room didn’t bother her. He remembered her outfit from the first day he woke up in her bed. Were Pirans resistant to the cold? If that was him lying there, he’d be in a fetal position, shaking, trying to keep warm. He’d have to ask her later about that but for now he was going to play his part, though not the way Alta wanted. It was time to introduce himself to these people.

  He finished dressing, retrieving his ring from the end table. As he did, his hand accidentally touched the picture frame. He had left it alone for several days now, unwilling to look at it. A lack of curiosity at first, and recently something inside him kept warning him not to look. He put the ring on, quietly kneeling down close to the end table and the picture frame. He picked it up, still not turning it over. His hands hesitated holding the frame in them. Some part of him knew this would be a life changing moment and that part of him screamed not to turn it over. He didn’t listen and flipped the frame in his hands.

  It was Septima in a wedding dress. She looked like a goddess in that dress. Her smile lit the room and her beauty radiated through the faded picture. The wedding dr
ess’ style was different than Earth’s but he recognized it. The man standing next to her, her husband, was him. No, it was Tohmas but Troy remembered this moment. A moment of happiness overshadowed with conflicting memories, memories of womanizing and adultery, memories of killing, of combat, and of genocide.

  The Reptaurans had invaded their home world on his fucking wedding day. They butchered his people, destroying everything. They had released a green poisonous gas, covering most of the planet. He remembered his people screaming, choking, and clawing their eyes and throats in torment. He and his people lost everything, forcing him to take those he could and leave the rest behind. Lastly, he remembered his own death.

  The battle was their last stand, having been attacked in their only remaining stronghold, Paradon. It was Pira’s largest city and it was falling like the rest of their planet, but Tohmas had refused to stop. Alta had tried to warn him, telling him they should run and fight later on their own terms. The Reptauran leader had a huge tactical advantage but Tohmas knew killing the legendary Borit’un would demoralize the enemy’s forces, routing them and giving Tohmas the edge he needed.

  Tohmas and his forces pressed through their lines, slaughtering hundreds of the ugly lizard bastards as he worked his way closer to their leader. The carnage on the city streets of Paradon numbered in the millions though most of them were Pirans.

  Borit’un and his second in command, Kelit’an, stood on one of the rear assault transports. Kelit’an taunted Tohmas as he and his troops pressed forward. By the time they reached the lizard leaders, Tohmas had lost most of his men, numbering in the thousands. His gamble to reach Borit’un had paid off and now the lizard bastard was almost within his grasp.

  Borit’un had set a trap for him. His assault transport was unique. The Reptauran lizard sprung the trap, blasting an area the size of a city block with an energy beam. It stunned every living being around it, including Borit’un’s own troops in its radius. Tohmas dropped to the ground, unable to move, allowing Borit’un and his second in command, Kelit’an, to walk up. Kelit’an began beating him and gloating over him. Semi-conscious, Tohmas couldn’t lift a finger to stop Borit’un from extracting his essence while Kelit’an crushed his head in with the heel of his foot.

  The picture frame dropped from Troy’s hand, the glass encasing shattering on the cold floor as he collapsed.

  ____

  Pira - Later that day

  “He’s coming to,” a female voice said.

  Troy vaguely recognized it but the blackness wouldn’t let go of him. It made Troy sick. He wanted out, he wanted the light and the light wanted him. Septima wanted him, too. Was he still half asleep? Her face formed in front of him, a vision of beauty. He reached for her, trying to pull her close. Troy wanted to embrace her but she backed away, staying out of reach. She was showing him the light ahead. He nodded to her, understanding. A presence pushed him from behind and he opened his eyes.

  “Tohmas?” the voice asked. “This is Joliza. How are you feeling?”

  Troy sat up slowly, finding himself in Septima’s bed again. He still had a low grade headache. Hopefully, Sep had something for that.

  “Joliza, thank you for coming so quickly,” Septima said.

  “My pleasure,” Joliza said. “I would ask that Alta be kept ignorant of my assistance?”

  “Of course,” Septima said. “Don’t worry about that.”

  Troy’s head hurt but that was secondary to the flood of memories Joliza’s face and voice brought back to him. He saw her beneath him, naked and in the throes of passion. He was naked, too, reveling in the sweat that covered her body and her screams of pleasure, his name upon her lips.

  Wait, that’s not my name.

  She clawed his back like a wild animal, gripping him with both her arms and legs. She forced her body closer to his, pushing him deeper inside her. The memory of his encounter with Joliza faded quickly, completely forgotten.

  “Tohmas, are you okay? You drifted off,” Joliza said.

  Troy gently massaged his head.

  “Sorry, I’m fine. You’re the scientist I saw from the second floor in the research lab, right?” Troy asked.

  “Yes, I couldn’t believe it was you. My apologies for staring. I gather you can imagine my surprise seeing you again...,” she said, letting the question trail off.

  Strange, is she trying to tell me something?

  “Joliza, Tohmas has experienced some memory loss. Most of it involves older memories. How’s the cloning process coming?” Septima asked

  She had changed the subject. Alta didn’t want Troy interacting with the people and Septima was trying to steer the conversation away from Troy.

  “Oh,” Joliza said, “sorry to hear that. I’m sure they will eventually return. As far as the cloning process? Done, actually. Testing is over and it works flawlessly. I need to report my success to Alta and we can get started on building our army.”

  Cloning? Didn’t Alta say they were working on that? If she’s finished, then he can get his friends back. As crazy as the thought was, he knew he had to ask. Troy had to try.

  “Joliza,” Troy said. “Can I ask something of you?”

  “Tohmas, of course, anything for you,” she said.

  “I want you to clone three people of my choosing first,” he said.

  Septima and Joliza exchanged glances.

  “Your comrades, Tohmas?” Septima asked.

  Troy nodded.

  “We can use their expertise to help with the war,” he lied. “I met them during my time on Earth. They are humans. Who knows, the Reptaurans might find them harder to kill than us peace-loving Pirans.”

  Troy knew Septima didn’t approve but she wouldn’t say anything. Alta certainly wouldn’t approve. Red flags went up in the back of his mind. His lie felt wrong. Troy knew he had made a mistake. What that was, he didn’t know.

  “Sure, right now we can create eight clones a day but I’ll ramp that up quickly. I can replace three of those husks with your comrades but I won’t be able to do that for several days. Once I inform Alta of my breakthrough, she will monitor the process very closely and she’ll see any deviation from her expected progress. I’ll have to wait until she’s satisfied with the level of production. Only then will she leave it to me.”

  “I understand,” Troy told her. “Do what you feel is best. I’ll handle Alta.”

  “Do you have any DNA samples?” she asked.

  “Joliza,” Septima said. “We have their essences in storage. You can clone them from the superfluous DNA within the vials and then use their own essence to restore them.”

  “Correct, I’ll need to know which ones.”

  Septima nodded. Troy shifted in the bed. He felt uneasy. Why was Joliza’s presence bothering him so much?

  “Joliza, please keep this between us, okay?” he asked.

  “I always do,” she said.

  Septima walked Joliza out, telling her she would get the correct vials to her. Septima returned and sat with him at the edge of her bed.

  “What happened?” she asked softly.

  “I saw the picture of us. I mean, you and Tohmas. I’m sorry I broke the glass. I guess I passed out for some reason. I dropped it by accident,” he said, equally soft.

  “The glass is replaceable. Don’t worry about that,” she continued, her voice dropping to a near whisper.

  Troy felt the unspoken tension in the room. He had something to tell her and he felt she had something to tell him. They were both treading in an area no one else ever had. He looked like her former husband and for some reason, some of that person’s memories were now a part of him. None of it made sense. He was on a planet in another solar system, his friends were dead but not really, he looked like their former leader but he wasn’t, fears crippled him his whole life but now they didn’t... what else was going to happen?

  I’m not Tohmas but parts of me are very much like him. Septima isn’t my wife, yet, maybe...

  “You left the picture
for me to find, didn’t you?” Troy asked.

  Septima turned away but he saw the look of shame on her face before she did. She wiped several tears from her face. Troy leaned over, putting his arm around her.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I lost him not long after we married. Borit’un murdered him.”

  “Why leave the picture?”

  “Alta says that you might have some of Tohmas’ essence, something transferred to you. I hoped it would remind you of... us,” she sobbed. “Troy, I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to expect... wrong of me to use you like that.”

  His heart melted. Her tears tore him up inside, forcing out his own tears.

  “I do remember,” Troy said.

  “What? Remember what?” she asked, as if unsure she heard him right.

  “I remember killing hundreds of those lizard bastards. I remember watching our people die in front of my eyes. The tears on your face full of happiness on our wedding day, followed by tears of sorrow and grief. I remember Tohmas’ anger and rage. I remember it all.”

  Her cheeks were still wet from her tears.

  “You do have some of Tohmas’ memories then?” she asked.

  Troy nodded his head. He wiped his own tears dry. He felt angry on one hand and filled with loss and sorrow on the other. He knew his next words were going to hurt her. A fog fell over his thoughts, he struggled to understand something fundamental but then the feeling passed, forgotten.

  “Troy, are you okay?”

  “Sorry. Yes, I do have some of his memories but I’m Troy. Always will be. I’m sorry,” he said, rubbing the side of his head.

  What was I going to say? I forgot. It must be the medication they gave me.

  He could see the hurt in her but there was something else there, too. Something for him.

  “Oh,” she said, pausing. “May I tell you something I’ve realized too?”

  “Of course. You can tell me anything.”

  “I’m more than okay with that. You have a tender side that Tohmas didn’t have. You’re better in so many ways. Last night, with you, was the best night of my life. Maybe you and I, uh, could try... to give it a chance?”