Cutlass Sharpened

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

  “I said nothing, but you spoke oddly.” He admitted.

  Renee turned her head to profile, pulled her pointed ear forward some and pointed at a new unnoticeable bulge underneath the skin. “My com. It allows me to speak to anyone whether they are in the same room or not. I was just speaking with Stephanie for your information. She and her wife Jessica are coming down to talk with us.”

  “This com… could I talk to you and not be near?”

  “Are you asking for one too?” his quick nod made her smile. “Alright. I’ll have one made up.” She got a faraway look for a moment before turning her chair to the desk where a crystal no larger than a grain of rice dropped out of a tiny hole in the wall and into a clear sample dish. Renee grabbed her injector, fed the com into it and had him turn his head.

  But before she could shoot the implant something grabbed hold of the gun and she found it instantly unsettling as the vambrace ensnared it, covering every facet as soon as she dropped it and leapt away. Then the thick tendril dropped the injector, but her eyes were glued to the com somehow in its grasp. Her heightened hearing picked up a faint crack as it shattered the crystal, did some writhing before going thinner than her eye could see, punctured his neck and something was pushed along like a mass traveling down a snake’s length. It then inserted in the neck and instantly was normal. Not even a drop of blood happened from the insertion exactly where she would have done it.

  “Wha… what did you just do?”

  He didn’t look the least bit sorry, hadn’t learned to be conditioned for it yet. “I wanted a com and I think my multi-tool made it better.”

  “What do you mean better?” She came forward, lifted the gun to find it undamaged and put it away.

  “I cannot say… it just feels better.”

  “May I?” She grabbed a smaller scanner in her desk.

  “May you what?”

  “By the stars!” She said with less patience than she tried to keep together and not chew his head off like every other idiot. Sparky turned his long neck, saying nothing and not needing to. He was a creature of endless patience and she drew on it a little. “Sorry.”

  “I can assume you mean you are upset. I’m doing as best I can. Do not be sorry. I just need to learn and you do not need to smell angry.”

  “You can smell my anger?” She diverted.

  “He is a predator like me. He does not know how to lie. That is a learned trait. It is why hatchlings cannot hide truth and speak their mind. Though he is adult, he has the mind of one who has yet to leave the nest. I will guide him on how to properly interact, but you need to be a medic, not Renee the hellcat.” Sparky advised.

  “Yes. It is bitter over your other scents. You smell like me when the creature made you scream as it tried eating the other male called Stone.” He admitted.

  “We’ll discuss boundaries later, but I was going to ask if I can measure the com? This needs to touch your neck.”

  “You won’t hurt me unless to help.” And turned to exposed the area.

  Soft beeps measured quickly and her eyes widened. “Impossible. Sparky, tell me my eyes are reading this wrong.” Aiming the display in his direction.

  “Com output subspace range is over a thousand percent. Crystalline structure modified and is densely smaller by fifteen percent. Output above measurable readings this device is capable of detecting.” He was just as surprised. “Stephanie did say the multi-tool was an original. Reverse engineering to my knowledge never matched up to original creations. Yet again additional proof he is not more than a person afflicted with amnesia, having creations beyond price. Likely his com will cross solar systems rather than interplanetary to orbital range. Ask if he can do it for you.”

  “Not without knowing if it’s safe. He’s one thing. That is another… but Stephanie will want to know about this.”

  “About what?” the blonde in a sexy green dress came sliding in as the main door opened. In her hand was the black sword and brown cloth in a clear box. “Who is… By the stars! It can’t be! Oliver?”

  Following her was Jessica in casual jeans and a gray blouse. She was slender and marginally taller than Stephanie, but had auburn hair, hazel eyes and had high, but soft cheekbones. And like the two women she was youthful and one easy to excite. Jessica gently swatted her wife’s arm, knowing that tone. Jessica knew Stephanie’s mind was working double time trying to unwrap a mystery.

  Before another word was said Oliver felt a brush, an intangible presence and looked to Sparky as he thought in a moment so fast only the mind could keep up, leaving the mouth behind. “Oliver, I will begin teaching you proper interaction among civilized species capable of intellect. It is good you humans have a social structure comparable to my peoples.” The Drake blinked and in that span he said “When entering a room it is custom to say ‘Hello’ or ‘Greetings’ followed by the individuals first name if you are close or use their last as a sign of casual respect. For close relationships not among mates, it can vary, but in this instance it would be wise to say…”

  Oliver turned back to the two lovely looking women still standing and got to his feet very carefully, sensing moving as he wanted would send him into the ceiling rather painfully. He inclined his head saying as prompted “Hello Stephanie. It is a pleasure to see you again and you are looking very lovely in that dress. And greetings. You must be Stephanie’s mate, Jessica. It is a privilege to meet you.”

  “Sparky!” Renee gasped as the two women were shocked at his eloquence at introductions. It was absurd someone in a backless gown, having a hulking body with a deep voice could sound so soft and pleasant. Her friend lifted half the side of his reptilian lips, a Drake’s version of a wry grin.

  Jessica recovered first and stepped forward and raised her hand up in his direction. “The pleasure is all mine. I for one was not expecting how much you’ve changed physically as well as how you talk. It is my pleasure. I’m Jessica Merann. Stephanie’s wife and Renee’s biological aunt.”

  The woman watched a quick glance between the giant man in a ridiculous outfit and the Drake pass before a massive right hand attached to multiple tubes reached out and grasped her much more slender one. She winced saying “Oliver, loosen your grip. Ha.” She sighed when the strength reduced to little more than limp. “When shaking a woman’s hand it is better to be more gentle. We aren’t physically strong as men, especially those as large as yourself. Be especially gentle with space-born women like myself who are more fragile than heavy worlders.”

  He made another quick glance at the Drake to say “My apologies. I will show more consideration in the future.”

  “So polite.” Jessica admitted and rubbed her hand as she stepped back.

  “Sparky’s laying it on rather thick teaching him social etiquette.” Renee snorted.

  “No wonder he sounds like a gentleman.” Jessica looked him over and noticed as he took a rather deep sniff and look between herself and Stephanie. “Sparky always treats ladies with deference. It is rather refreshing.”

  “What do you mean?” Renee suddenly said with a hint of concern.

  “Sweetheart? What is the matter?” Jessica needed to ask and did.

  “Sparky just told me Oliver is mentally communicating as fast he can, but isn’t transmitting his thoughts. He’s holding lightning fast conversations with an ancient Drake.”

  Stephanie smirked. “Bullshit. No one other than another Drake can converse so fast.”

  “He is.” Sparky telepathically slid into the two women’s’ minds. “Somehow he can process and respond with his own thoughts to ask questions as fast as myself. Possibly faster. I need silence to concentrate. I request it.”

  Jessica, Renee and Stephanie obliged and moved away as the man and Drake stood facing each other eye to eye.

  In hushed whispers Stephanie asked “How is any of this possible?”

  “It shouldn’t be. Medically.” Renee said with a tightness in her brow. “Whatever the hell he is is far from normal. I’ve not found
any major discrepancy that would say definitively prove he isn’t human. Aside from bone density, tendons and ligaments he is human. His brain it more active, but within parameters of someone on caffeine. It takes a lot to impress Sparky and Oliver keeps proving our assumptions wrong again and again. It’s terrifying how fast he absorbs information. I think the vambrace isn’t what makes him absorb knowledge so fast. I think it’s just him.”

  “Could he be a super soldier or…”

  “No, Auntie.” Renee’s hair bounced as she shook her head side to side. “I’ve found no trace of any foreign chemical alterations. I’m nearly positive he was born this way… a genetic mutation I’ve yet to isolate. Right now he’s physically as one would expect in a man in late twenties to early thirties. You can tell by his squared jaw and smooth skin yet to wrinkle. It makes it impossible to determine his true age like the rest of us who all took the chromosome gene therapy.”

  “In the flash you said he has the added two above our natural twenty three, but was born with it. How can you tell?”

  “The chains are synthetic, but are smooth. Plus his seminal fluid carry the added pairs. If he ever impregnates someone, her child will inherit bio-immortality and stop growing once out of puberty and be locked in their physical prime. Their perfect adult age.”

  “But the serum can’t do it. How is it possible?” Stephanie sat down the box.

  “If there was someone I could ask, believe me I would. We need to keep a constant look out for him. If word got out of him, Galicom would not stop to poke and prod by any means necessary to learn how he does these thing. It’s too bad Oliver can’t explain.”

  “Is there any way to return his memories?” Stephanie asked.

  “Doubt it. Whatever was done made sure he’d never regain who he was. All that is keeping his identity hidden is your firewalls, Auntie.”

  Jessica smiled. “Don’t worry. Only three living people could break my babies and they don’t even know I exist. You can search the Terran network without anyone being the wiser. We’re just another drop of water in the Alestian Ocean. They won’t find us and I’ll be alerted long before they should ever get close.”

  “What else have we missed?” Stephanie probed while tugging on few strands of her waist length blonde locks.

  Renee shrugged and sounded as if unconcerned. “Oh, just as you were about to come in, Oliver was curious about coms when you called so I had the ship make one. Before I could inject it, that damn thing on his arm grabbed my gun, removed the crystal com, destroyed and remade it before implanting it. Oh and it is over a thousand times more powerful than what we got.”

  Speechless women stared stupidly back.

  “Have you tried it?” Jessica asked. “Is it keyed to his biometrics or can he do it for anyone?”

  “I was just about to test how functional it is when you two arrived actually…”

  “Pardon the interruption, Ladies.” They stood straighter and not so huddled to turn and crane their heads back to look up into clear amber eyes. “Renee, Sparky says this is rude, but I must use the facilities. My bladder is about to let loose and he says urinating on your plant over in the corner… that makes the room smell so nice is not acceptable to relieve the pressure in a public setting.”

  “He’s right. I won’t be happy if anyone pissed on my plants… and I for one don’t want you dependant on scrubbers when you wet the bed while you slept.” She looked at his arm and grimaced. “Though I’d rather you stay attached for a while longer, I think it would be safe enough to remove them. Follow me.”

  Oliver did so and at the desk she pulled a flat strip of beige healing tape. It’s underside coating with an adhesive that instantly clots surface blood and wounds and will speed healing. He winced as she peeled off tape to extract thick gauge needles. They fell one after another. As she began wrapping the adhesive tape over his badly bruised forearm she said “We need to see if your com works. Tap the tiny knot where the com-chip was implanted twice and say Renee Dorgen, code Hellcat.”

  Using his free right hand he felt the tiny knot under the skin pimple and touched it twice. In his head he heard a crisp, clean ‘Beep, Beep!’ “Renee Dorgen. Code: Hellcat.”

  “Good, I just got a confirmation chime. Now to complete the connection I need you to make a last name and a private code you need to create and imbue into your com.”

  “Will you give me a last name? I do not know which word to pick… and what kind of code should I make?”

  “Code’s are personal, but while you were out I toyed with a number of last names to pass the time I’ve had you in isolation. I’ve narrowed it down to three unique ones. My favorite is Void, but Dawn and Outset aren’t too bad.”

  “Girl, those names need serious help.” Jessica said dryly. “Those names are good descriptions of his condition. Even I know that. By the stars, you even named an ancient Drake, Sparky and his mate Rose for crying out loud!” Sparky couldn’t care less, but he seemed to be enjoying Renee’s scolded blush creeping in by how his scales began to faintly glow.

  “I like Void. Oliver Void. It is a good sound, but what of this code I must make?” Jessica didn’t say another word, but she looked like it took a mighty effort to stay quiet.

  “It’s up to you.” Renee said after wiping the blood that ran down his left arm before the bindings were applied.

  Oliver flexed his fingers as he looked at the beige wrap that felt rather good despite how tightly it was wound. In a few silent seconds he asked “Does Forgotten sound reasonable?”

  Renee felt a pang in her heart and tightness in her chest of the selection. Judging by the looks shared between Stephanie and Jessica behind his back, they felt similarly. “It’ll do for now. Since the com is yours, tap it three times, you’ll hear a chime rather than beep and say your name. Wait several seconds and tap four times to input your code.”

  “Now what?” He asked afterwards.

  “Oliver Void. Code: Forgotten.”

  “I heard a single sound.” He admitted.

  “Our coms are now linked both ways so we can respond. Keep your code safe and tell it only to those you want to speak with. If they aren’t all that close, don’t bother asking for their com code. As I said, it’s personal. To call me, tap it once and just say my name… without the code.”

  “Renee Dorgen.” There was a soft sound and Renee tapped her ear.

  “Oliver…” He stepped away as he heard double. She grinned. “Disconcerting isn’t it? You hear my natural voice and my com’s echo. It is why you shouldn’t use it when face to face.”

  “How do I stop it?” He pleaded, suddenly dizzy. She told and he touched it once more to end the connection. “Much better… now I must use the facilities soon.”

  “Sure. Go through that door on the one next to mine with the word bathroom written on it. I do hope you know how toilets function.”

  “Sparky just taught me.” Oliver said and turned around, giving Renee a full view of a rock hard ass and a sculpted back barely tied together by a thin string.

  He watched the door slide open sideways and entered the bathroom. It too was white like the rest of the medical area. He viewed himself in another mirror on the wall over a sink basin. Beside it was three chambers, bathroom stalls which he chose the first. Oliver lifted the hem of the cloth, grabbed his manhood and stopped holding the pressure in. ‘Ha…’ he moaned as the discomfort immediately vanished and felt blissfully wonderful. He stood voiding his bladder for over a minute till no more clear urine flowed, waved a hand over the toilet’s top and watched as it sucked it all away and was mesmerized to watch it refill.

  Having an acute sense of smell told Oliver he wasn’t clean. So he ripped the gown cloth off, breaking the twine that held it together and stepped into the shower, remembering how Renee first cleaned him. The setup was similar so he grabbed the bottle and it dispensed a handful of body soap good for hair and skin. He didn’t like the floral smell like the one that had almost no scent, but he bathed com
pletely. When he went to wash his right arm the vambrace writhed as it worked itself up onto his bicep so he could scrub his forearm and moved back as soon as it was clean.

  He hit the air blast and was dry in seconds to walk out.

  “Oh my!” Jessica suddenly turned back around after getting a full frontal view of a sculpted, well hung man. Her exclamation had the others turn and only Renee didn’t react at all startled.

  “Damn it, Oliver! Why are you naked? What happened to the gown?”

  All he managed to do was blink t her irritation. “You smell angry again. Why?”

  Instead she turned on her companion. “Of all the things to skip over. Why forget modesty?”

  Sparky suddenly found his talons very interesting at the moment. He pretended to ignore her, but failed to fully hide his mirth. His shaking wings folded along his bulky body gave it away.

  “Renee, have I caused offense?”

  “You mean am I upset? Fuck yeah I am. Listen up. It is not proper to let others see your dick flying free with other people present. It should only be shown to the one you want and no other…”

  “But I do want you. What you say makes no sense.”

  “Damn it! That is not what I meant…”

  “Let me handle it.” Stephanie stood up. “A penis doesn’t bother me so much. I’ve seen a fair share and it doesn’t unsettle me.”

  “By all means. Give it a shot.” Renee allowed, got up and went to her room to find him something more fitting.

  “Oliver, clothes do more than keep us warm.” She explained and he listened completely. “It is also security from prying eyes we do not want looking at us. Men wear pants or shorts, but can be naked from the waist up.” She touched rock hard abs. “But this” she gestured to his penis and scrotum. “must not be shown to anyone other than one you wish to have forever, or whom makes you feel belonged to. Women look like this.” Jessica went scarlet as her wife stripped down to nothing, letting her dress fall to the floor. “Your penis would fit in here, in my vagina if I loved you enough to let you do it. As you see, these are my breasts. Most women cover them with clothes for they are very sensitive. Usually they are clothed completely or contained in a bra… this.” She showed the c-cup bra and put it on. “What have you to say.”