Alien Genes 1: Daughter of Atuk

by Petra Theunissen

  For many centuries Krinis was ruled by the Antediluvians, an exploring race who travelled the various solar systems, searching for life forms and freely mingling with them. They were a tolerant race and shared their knowledge freely with other species.

  But because of their love for exploration, the Antediluvians lost sight of what was happening on Krinis, and were oblivious that the Algidans were gaining political power. Then war broke out with the Viridi, a neighbouring species, and the Algidans seized the opportunity to gain control over the Council.

  One of the Antediluvian ships was in the solar system of this planet, Earth, when the Viridi attacked them, and they were forced to make an emergency landing here. Their ship was badly damaged and with nowhere to go, they made a life on Earth, hoping that their own kind would find them and help them to return home. But they never came. The Antediluvians had been wiped out on Krinis—their power destroyed.

  Instead the Algidans came. They killed all of the survivors—one by one—and blamed it on the Viridi.

  Suddenly the full extent of the memories hit her and Cathy choked, trying to catch her breath. She saw the destruction, the people running and screaming. It was chaos. There were flames everywhere. There was a man—the man she called father in her dreams. His hands were stretched out towards her. There was an overwhelming sadness with a look of acceptance in his eyes.

  Go or they will find you!

  No, father, no!

  She knew he was right. She saw it in his eyes, but she couldn't leave him. Then he stumbled, disappearing in the flames.

  No!

  There was nothing she could do, except as he had asked her, and she ran as fast as her feet could carry her—away from the scene of destruction.

  Cathy closed her eyes to rid herself of the horrible memories.

  Is that what happened? Is that my past?

  Anya continued her explanation:

  Every surviving Antediluvian was killed, except one. The daughter of the Council Satraps. She continued living on Earth, until the Algidans realised their mistake and sent an assassin to destroy her.

  Suddenly Cathy felt the sensation of a knife touching the delicate skin on her neck and she jerked away from Anya, covering her neck with her hand. Her eyes were wide with shock. What's this? What did you do to me?

  Anya backed away slightly. Nothing—it is not me. It was your past.

  Cathy removed her hand from her neck and looked at it. How do you explain this then? It was bloodstained.

  Outside there was the sound of a muffled explosion and both women turned their heads in the direction of the front door. Anya was anxious for them to get away:

  They are inside. We need to go!

  No. I don't know what's going on but I'm not going anywhere with you.

  Suddenly the three intruders loomed in front of her. S'Tha's eyes flashed to Cathy's bloodstained hand but her expression remained unreadable.

  “You are coming with us."

  “No.” It was a simple refusal.

  “We are taking you back. You can come freely or we can force you."

  Cathy didn't answer. Her glance flashed from S'Tha to Anya and back. She felt trapped. It had suddenly become very dark and cold in the house.

  S'Tha motioned towards the assistants. “Take her."

  The two assistants lunged at Cathy, but were flung back violently by a wall of energy. S'Tha appeared surprised, then sneered. “Do you think that an energy wall will prevent us from taking you?"

  Cathy hesitated, wanting to tell her that it wasn't her doing, but the words didn't come. A cold draft swept through the house, and she shivered. The two assistants each took out a weapon from underneath their overalls, and she glanced in their direction. No, they shouldn't. Something was wrong. She held up her hand to stop them, but it was too late.

  As Verdan fired, the ray of his weapon penetrated the wall of energy around Cathy, missing her by several inches. Almost instantly, another blow of energy hit him and flung him across the room with such a force that she could hear his bones breaking as he hit the wall. He lay there stunned, unable to move.

  There was shock etched on S'Tha's face. “What the..."

  Then he started screaming and writhing on the floor, and Cathy smelt the distinct stench of burning flesh—the same smell burnt into her memory. She recoiled in horror. “No!"

  Before her eyes the flames engulfed him, consuming the flesh on his body. His tortured screams filled the house, echoing through the passage. Then the tissue on his body turned a burnt black and his screams stopped. But the flames didn't, and within seconds, there was nothing but a heap of grey and white ash left on the floor. A traumatised silence fell in the house. Then S'Tha turned towards Cathy. Her face was distorted with anger and shock. “You ... you did this..."

  “No, it wasn't...” Cathy protested. Her voice was shaky. She could feel the house whispering to her and she sensed its power. Backing away from the others, she urged, “You have to leave..."

  Without waiting for her to finish the sentence, S'Tha ordered, Agron, get her!

  Cathy turned tail, charging down the passage in the hope she could outrun them and force them to leave the house. A shot narrowly missed her. Caught off-guard, she lost her balance and tumbled to the floor. As her hand touched, she watched with alarm as the stone came alive, trying to absorb it. She pulled away and struggled up.

  This can't be happening! It's all in my imagination—there's no way the house can unite with me! Is there?

  S'Tha and Agron were still on her heels. Agron fired a shot at her, and then slammed into the wall as he cut the corner. She heard him scream and glanced over her shoulder. What she saw brought her to an instant halt. No! Not again. She couldn't let this happen, but she was too late.

  The wall ensnared his body, devouring it before her eyes. First his hands and arms and then his feet and legs. S'Tha desperately tried to free him from his unnatural prison, but she didn't succeed and pulled her hand away in terror as the wall tried to trap her too. Unable to help, they watched as the wall slowly devoured the torso, moving up to the head until there was nothing left of the assistant. The last thing Cathy saw was Agron's terror-struck gaze fixed on her, his mouth wide open as if screaming.

  “You will pay for this!” S'Tha yelled before lunging at her.

  As if in a dream, Cathy watched as the house intervened, trying to ensnare S'Tha's feet. She felt completely detached and unable to move. S'Tha looked down. Her eyes were wide with horror. Then someone hauled her out the front door—Anya.

  Get out now before it's too late!

  Trying to fight off Anya's leaner and more athletic body, S'Tha turned to Cathy. “I will get you for this!” Hate and fury thickened her words. She stumbled outside and fell to the ground, retching.

  Cathy stood motionless. Black smoke and the sickening odour of burned flesh filled the air. She heard the house calling out to her and closed her eyes. It wanted to protect her for eternity, and beckoned her to stay. She was tempted to give in. She was so tired of fighting...

  But someone took hold of her arm. Oh no, not just yet!

  Anya. The girl stared into her eyes, took her arm:

  We are going home first.

  Cathy didn't resist.

  There was a flash of energy and suddenly they were gone.

  The house was empty, returning to its timeless existence.

  Sensing that Cathy and Anya had gone, S'Tha lay gasping in the morning sun. Rolling over, she stared at the house. It seemed so harmless now.

  She felt a sharp pain in her hand and looked down. She gasped in disbelief. It was gone. There was a gaping wound at the end of her wrist, white bone, charred at the end. She paled at the sight and sat up, clutching the stump against her chest with the other hand.

  A cold wind blew her way and, suddenly overcome with intense fear, she struggled up and stumbled back to the entrance to the Facility.

  * * *

  Chapter 14

  Cathy woke sudde
nly and sat up automatically. She knew something was different, but it took her some time to realise what it was. Intuitively she knew she wasn't on Earth anymore. How she knew, she couldn't quite explain. Perhaps it was the differences in architecture in the room.

  She touched her legs, arms and body to ascertain whether she was still in one piece. They felt fine, but she still had no idea how she got to wherever she was. All she remembered was being in the house, and Anya grabbing her. Then there was a flash of light, and after that, she couldn't remember a single thing.

  Those damned energy flashes ... she wished they'd stop using them. It had caused her nothing but headaches and memory losses.

  She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet touching the floor—like she used to do many years ago when she was a child...

  Like a bolt from the blue, she realised her memories were back—or at least, most of them. She could remember many of the things of her past, although there were still huge chunks missing. Chunks, she knew, she might never regain.

  It was as if a weight were lifted from her shoulders. Suddenly everything seemed to fall into place.

  For the first time in almost two years, she didn't need to wonder who and what she was nor what had really happened to her. It filled her with a sense of belonging and of confidence that had been lacking for some time.

  She looked around. The room, like the one in the Facility, had no doors and no windows, and yet it was filled with light which seemed to come from everywhere. There was a scent of flowers in the room, as if she were surrounded by them.

  The room seemed similar to the Facility on Earth, but it was different. She could sense it had been built with some form of biotechnology, but different to that of the house on the island. The house ... she shuddered and got up from the bed. What had happened there? She could still smell the burning flesh. It would probably take a long time before she could get the horror out of her mind.

  She walked to the edge of the room, focusing her thoughts in the hope that a door would appear. Nothing happened, and she found herself mildly anxious. She hated being cooped up. Surely there had to be a way out?

  As if sensing her frustration a small opening that looked like a doorway appeared on the opposite side of the room, and she walked through it. The sight that met her was unbelievable. She'd often imagined what Krinis would be like, with her three moons and a sun similar to the Earth's, but it was nothing like she'd imagined.

  Squinting, she walked out into the bright, hot sunshine, which lit up the courtyard. The courtyard was a work of art, filled with a sense of harmony and peace. It was designed in the most unusual way with nooks and crannies where plants that she'd never seen before grew. She noticed the same scent she'd smelt earlier, and took a deep breath. How she loved the smell of flowers.

  An unusual-looking animal hopped up to her and she bent down to have a closer look. Its body was covered in a feathers but it had neither wings nor claws. It looked at her and then hopped away like a rabbit. Feeling like Alice in Wonderland, she smiled. This was a magical world.

  The stones felt smooth and cool under her bare feet as she walked into the courtyard. She was still dressed in her casual shorts and T-shirt, as she was when they left Earth, but she soon realised she was completely under-dressed. Dark figures of men and women hurried along the courtyard, their long grey capes covering their bodies and faces. Their almost dull appearance was in stark contrast with the ethereal magnificence of the surrounding courtyard. They spoke in hushed tones, and seemed to take little notice of her. The only sound breaking the tranquil silence was the pure tone of a bell ringing in the background, and for a moment, she stood still, taking in the apparent innocence of it all.

  How amazingly beautiful, she marvelled.

  Suddenly she became aware of a woman approaching her. She could sense her aura even before seeing her, and without turning around, she acknowledged the other woman's presence. “Anya."

  But the woman didn't return her greeting. “Please put this on."

  She looked at the dull grey cape Anya held out to her and frowned, glancing at Anya's blue hooded cape. The cape reached down to Anya's feet, slightly exposing the tips of her soft black leather boots. Her hands were hidden in the sleeves, folded over the front of her body; as Cathy had seen priests do back on Earth. Her head was bowed as if in reverence, and she avoided making direct eye contact.

  Wondering what was going on, Cathy took the cape and turned it around a few times, trying to figure out which side was up and which was down. It seemed formless with no beginning and no end. Anya watched her for a few moments, and then without a word took it from her to open it the right way.

  Feeling suddenly rather silly, Cathy put on the cape. If Anya had noticed her embarrassment, she didn't let on. “I'm here to take you to Atuk,” she said evenly.

  Cathy noticed that her tone was more aloof than it had been back on Earth, and she frowned. It was a very different Anya to the person Cathy had gotten to know back on Earth.

  “Atuk?"

  “Yes. She's the one whose memories you have,” Anya said, hardly looking at her.

  “I don't understand.” She was confused.

  Who is Atuk? And how can I have her memories?

  Anya didn't explain, but simply signalled to Cathy to follow her. Obediently she walked behind with her gaze fixed on the woman's feet. They seemed to hardly touch the stones.

  She glanced at the other people quietly rushing along, and noticed that, unlike Anya, they were wearing sandals. It struck her as peculiar. Anya seemed to be somewhat out of place. Where exactly were they anyway?

  Her own cape dwarfed her body, covering every inch of her legs and arms. She had neglected to put on the hood. It just didn't feel right to her. But judging by the numerous disapproving sideways glances she received, it wasn't acceptable and she grudgingly covered her head.

  The two women walked out of the courtyard into a long elaborately-decorated passage. All along the walls, there were ornaments and symbols that clearly had some meaning—one that escaped her. To her they all looked pretty much the same, although some appeared to be a more sophisticated form of Egyptian hieroglyphs. It was impressive.

  Suddenly she stopped and stared. She would have recognised it anywhere. The symbol. Her hand went to the necklace around her neck. It was an exact replica. It had to represent something.

  She felt Anya's gaze on her, and turned around. “What does this symbol mean?"

  Anya looked away. Her face was still hidden in the folds of her hood when she answered, “It contains the essence of the Antediluvians."

  Cathy frowned. “What do you mean?"

  “Many years ago, before the Algidans came to power, an alien race gave the Antediluvians this icon as a means to preserve their essence when they die.” She motioned towards the end of the hallway. “Come, hurry. Atuk is waiting for us."

  Reluctantly, Cathy followed Anya, not entirely satisfied with the answer—but as she'd been learning, giving answers wasn't one of the aliens’ strong suits.

  At the end of the passage, Anya stopped and with a wave of her hand, a doorway appeared. She motioned Cathy to follow her, and feeling suddenly nervous, Cathy did as she was asked.

  The structure wasn't what she'd expected. In contrast to the elaborately decorated passage and the architecturally designed courtyard, the structure was stripped of virtually all decorations and colour, leaving it feeling empty and spooky. The sheer size of the triangular cavern-like structure was overwhelming and there was a musky, old smell in the room.

  Almost as if I'm in tomb.

  A shiver ran down her spine.

  Anya stood aside to let her pass and pointed towards the middle of the area, indicating that she should go there by herself.

  Hesitantly she walked towards the centre, not sure what to expect. She turned around, scanning the room, but there was no-one there except she and Anya, who was still standing silently with her head bowed.

  She felt he
r tension rise.

  What ... who am I waiting for?

  She looked around again, and then up at the roof, which was painstakingly decorated with paintings and other artwork. It was in stark contrast with the bareness of the rest of the structure, and it was breathtaking.

  Beautiful, isn't it? The words appeared in her head at about the same time she became aware of another's presence.

  She turned and instantly recognised the woman from her visions. She felt a peculiar familiarity between them. Yes, it is.

  The woman's dark eyes seemed to look into her soul, and she uncomfortably shifted position, thinking, Who is she? What does she want from me?

  The woman seemed to read her mind. She looked at Cathy sharply:

  You have many questions, I see. Some I can answer. Some I cannot. I am Atuk. In a way you are my daughter.

  “Pardon?” Cathy was so surprised she spoke normally, causing the sound to resonate through the empty structure.

  Atuk covered her ears with her hands. Please, do not use sound. It is ... too loud. I am no longer used to it.

  Sorry.

  Atuk removed her hands from her ears, and continued, You are I. You have my DNA.

  She paused a few moments to let the words sink in.

  Before I was murdered, I had a son who survived and went undetected for centuries. Although he was partially human, he had our exceptional life span and gifts, but after he passed away, his genes were dispersed throughout the ancient world. But they were programmed to re-unite, and it was only a matter of time before they would start to force their owners to mate with others who had the same genetic code. You are the result of that. When you were born you had more than half of my genetic code, and you were destined to mate with someone with a similar genetic code so that you could produce the final offspring, the One for whom I had been waiting. Unfortunately, Hasan found you before you could follow your destiny.