Eventually they walked about a kilometer when White Blossom said “I keep my friends close to my chamber in event of attack.”
“Speaking of, I have a question.”
“By all means, ask. Melanie used to say I’m as open as a book.”
They walked into a wide open space where mounds of metal, stacked wood and dwellings stood to the left fork and on the right were two Lisks guarding a hollow where walls were covered in what looked like bulbous tumors. In the middle was a membrane looking an awful like a bed.
“When the Raptor Marquis entered your system and you brought them down to this planet, why did you welcome them so easily?”
“It had been too long that someone other than the Feral stopped by. I saw their flying craft looked somewhat… as you call them Solarian. So I was curious. It’s been my nature since I was hatched so long ago. I ordered my Goliath to carefully bring them down and felt their minds, learned their rather simple language and understood their reason for fear. So I took the gentle approach like Mantiv taught me… ah, I mean Oliver.”
“You can call him whatever you want. I named him Oliver as you no doubt saw how we found and raised him.” They stopped in the fork.
“As I was saying, I waited days and night till Melanie exited to talk to me. I couldn’t believe it. I first thought they were Solarians, but they are far weaker and I found they merely look like my old friends. But they thirst for knowledge and friendship like me. So I brought them and tried my best to fix their ship, but Human technology is beyond me. But they helped me. They make my brood stronger with metal.” She pointed to the mound of metal pellets. “They teach me how to mold metal. The Lisks love playing with fire and shaping metal in their mouths. I’ve been trying to evolve their claws to make hands like mine. It is slower than I wish. They need more danger to evolve, but we work hard. Most metal is used on my Goliaths. It has helped me so much. Humans teach much. I teach them how I live and how I make my brood. I feel it isn’t enough to… how they say pay back generosity?” Renee nodded. “So I make special brood smarter than the rest and my friends work closely. I like my friends to be happy. Happy as they make me not feel so very alone again. If not for them, I may have died when my distant children were found to be no more. I’m glad I have them.” White Blossom wiped an eye. “I need them.”
“Understandable. Well, you’ll certainly be having many friends now that we found you. Right now though I’m especially interested in how you store you memories so you don’t lose them.”
White Blossom gave a sharp nod and walked past the largest Lisks either guest had ever seen, who didn’t move a muscle as Renee and Sparky entered the interesting chamber. The Keptl overlord moved to the open center of the room and laid down on the membrane and as she did her silvery eyes closed for a moment, by the bed, a hole opened and interestingly enough an elliptical pink eye came out of it and blinked. Below the eye opened a facsimile of a mouth with no teeth. “You called, Mother?” the voice was high, like a child’s.
“Yes, do not react dangerously. This female is going to see my memories and I would prefer you not to harm her from the intrusion, little one.”
The pink eye blinked at Renee and said “I’ll try, Mother. It has been a very long time since you allow someone to attempt to see the past.”
“Yes, but she isn’t Human. Their minds cannot navigate mine without getting lost. Hers and the Drakes I believe can. Just behave.” White Blossom smiled gently and the blinking eye disappeared back inside the hole it came from.
“What… or should I ask who, was that?” Renee approached while glancing at the massive chamber that was comfortably warm, well ventilated and steep. Easily a kilometer high and filled with rather organized bumps going up the walls.
“It is Hard-shell. My Hive. What you see from the outside, it is all her. Her shell protects us and she is our home. My hive is as alive as any of my children. Come sit with me. There is plenty of room for all of us.” White Blossom patted the bed.
Soft would be too light a word when Renee ran a hand over the bed before climbing in. and it was more like a waterbed as it undiluted as she got comfortable. Sparky was careful and it made White Blossom daintily laugh as she told him his claws wouldn’t even scratch Hard-shell’s tough skin even as plush as the bed seemed. He though worked a long neck to find tendrils up at the top of the bumpy room. asked “What is this room exactly?”
“My chamber. My friends call it my library. It is where I can relive all my memories and why I believed I was dreaming when I thought I saw Reten alive again. It will be where I lay the egg for a new queen for all true queens do not let their children go without teaching and sharing all they are to their young. It will take Renee many centuries to see all my memories for I’ve lived longer than any known creature. Unlike the Feral who share their collective minds, true queens are more like individuals. It is why you find me unique and more open than what is expected of me being a blood-thirsty demon.” White Blossom held out her hands and from high above, the distant tendrils dropped freely and precisely laid two purple tendrils. “Renee, I will guide you through my memories so you do not get lost and I will put a distance block so you do not think you are actually me when we’re inside.”
“What about Sparky?” emerald eyes met the Drakes.
“It would be prudent he remain aware. Within my ancient memories, you leave your own body in a way and join my collection. Hard-shell must sometimes force me back when danger threatens. Being alone for thousands of years at a time means I spend most of my time in here… before my Human friends arrived that is. When I’m not in here I’m birthing my brood or feeding. It is how I keep from being lonely.
“Sparky will stay aware. I’m sure he will stay linked to your mind, but he will not lose his body and will protect you. He is cautious and it is wise. You do not know me and I am different. Different can be dangerous so leave him here to keep you safe. I swear I’m not a danger to anyone so long as I’m not in danger. I’m a queen. I love sharing and learning. My brood shares this drive. But it would be wise to be safe.”
“I take it Solarians tried taking advantage of you?”
“Until Mantiv came and slew those trying to exploit my ignorance. Solarians are a proud and predatory species, but have their faults like the Humans, but Mantiv, Reten and the royal peace-keepers showed me respect I’m due. Rather than the first Solarians who found me and tried stealing a way to use my heritage to further their technology, Mantiv and his mate worked with me.” White Blossom handed a tendril with a rather familiar sucker end to Renee. “Which memory would you like me to lead you through, My New Friend?”
“I’ve changed my mind. Show me the first time you met Mantiv and Reten.” For years she had wondered about the woman who was with Oliver’s former self and what he was like.
“It would be my pleasure.” White blossom attached the sucker end to the middle of her overlarge forehead and closed her eyes.
Renee followed the example and soon as the hot and dry end touched she was mentally ripped from her body. She remembered the sensation of darkness from Phantom training and stayed calm till the darkness changed.
Moments later the world changed colors slightly and she floated like some kind of ghost actors pretend to be in movies. The scene was hot and humid. A place with volcanoes spewing ash and magma constantly. Around some places grew alien trees adapted to the harsh environment. Down below she watched Keptl playing in the rolling lava and seemed to be having a hell of a blast. Watching from an outcrop was a strange black ship clearly not made by the Empire. A dozen Solarians in familiar armor that was in silver form to reflect the intense heat stood watching beside a dazed heap.
“That was me.” Said White Blossom Renee just realize floated beside her. “They fed me a strange leaf that made my body uncooperative, but my mind worked well.”
“They paralyzed you?” Renee’s question was answered by a nod. “Why?”
The guide shrugged. “Never understood, but they
always ran lights over me and took scrapings of my shell and drops of my blood each time they visited. At the time I thought it was a strange custom… But here is when I learned they were bad people.” She pointed and Renee looked up.
Out of a smoky sky dropped a huge ship that didn’t waste a second opening fire on the black ship’s engines. The new ship was solid brown of Terra and the people on the ground all began to fly in different directions, clearly to escape.
Just two figures left the landing ship and took off. One burly figure Renee would know anywhere even without a familiar cutlass being freed from the waist. In seconds the swordsman killed thirty trying to flee, but their power wasn’t near the man’s and thus neither was their speed.
The other carried a bladed rapier and Renee’s jaw dropped. The woman was an identical twin. Flaming crimson hair, but cut short and spiked much like Isabella often wore hers. She was full figured in the chest and hip area and her eyes seeped grey mist and glowed continuously. Yet unlike Renee, this woman like to kill up close and personal. And she was vicious in a frightening way. A woman who took shit from no one. Those she killed fought back, but the kinetic barrier surrounding her like an aura was impervious to their measly attack.
Resistance didn’t last even a minute before the two flying Solarians landed beside White Blossom. But by then Her brood all stopped playing in lava and were surrounding their queen. Mostly Trackers and Lisks with more thundering closer, fearing these two frightening warriors. The new brown ship landed as the pair did. Cutlass and rapier were wiped before being sheathed. The redhead pointed to the black ship and said “Garaklic flou garuccuv, Mantiv.”
Renee heard her own voice behind the mask and asked “What did she just say?”
“Oh, sorry. One moment. I forgot. Reten told me you can all read the odd circular language from birth, but speaking isn’t inherited.” The scene reversed several seconds as if someone hit rewind.
Reten said “Check the ship, Mantiv.” This time in clear English. Mantiv in full armor didn’t even spare a glance at the growling Keptl and walked inside the ship. Reten though walked right up and Renee could tell the woman wanted to slice these protective Keptl just for the fun of making something bleed. “And what do we have here? Keptl that won’t play with me? What a shame. I haven’t had my fill of death yet. Hmmm, what is the matter with you? Why don’t you play?”
She took another step and just before a Tracker was about to pounce Mantiv was suddenly standing beside Reten and pulled her back by the shoulder. “I told you before I sensed this queen is different. Her struggle and confusion called to me as we passed this system to then detect these outlaws. This queen is sane. Read her and these Keptl. They aren’t mindless animals. They’re truly sentient.”
The voluptuous redhead arched an eyebrow, but narrowed her eyes at the gathering force. In seconds her eyes were wide. “Mantiv! You were right! She’s a progenitor. We found one!”
“I explained five hundred and sixty three cycles if one existed we’d locate it.” Renee couldn’t help noticing the cool similarities between her Oliver and Mantiv. They had a way of calming things, but his tone with Reten was nothing like Oliver said when speaking with herself. It cleared up her confusion when his mask pulled back and revealed his eyes. Eyes that have seen civilizations rise and fall. Eyes that have seen too much and couldn’t be forgotten. A true ancient. Mantiv then sat down to not appear threatening in any way and spoke calmly while Reten huffed and crossed her arms over her breasts.
Renee mentally wiped her brown and thought ‘whew’. It was a difference. Renee crossed her arms under her breasts, not across. It was a difference and it proved her entire life wasn’t some dream.
“We will not harm any of you without cause. I am General Mantiv Garig Hay Jamibix Of the Solarian Peace keepers of the ground. Know I am the Elder brother of the Galactic King and supreme general under his leadership. Those we killed moments ago were black market thieves and murderers on a world called Havannir. Know I felt your discomfort and confusion. These people were not friends. On behalf of my people, do not judge us by these few.”
From then on Renee floated and watched as Reten gained permission to remove White Blossom’s paralysis and the following weeks Mantiv and Reten spent earning White Blossom’s trust. It was clear to Renee that though Reten and Mantiv were powerful, they were cautious and moved gradually. It was a give and take relationship. Reten was hot passion personified and had a wicked temper while Mantiv’s calculating mind tempered her aggression. Renee got mad when White Blossom showed the memory of when she watched Mantiv and Reten make love to show her how Solarians’ procreate. It took many breaths to try not to reach out and strangle the bitch on her cock. Needed to keep reminding it was just an old memory. Lifelike sure, but a distant memory nonetheless.
After more realistic visions Renee said “She me the last visit you had with them please.”
“You want to see how she was slain as well?” White Blossom still floating at her side asked.
“If you don’t mind. Oh and before that though, about those Invaders. I want to know more about them.”
“Hmm, that last meeting covers both I believe. If it doesn’t satisfy your desire I can search for more specific details.” At Renee’s nod the scene shifted.
This time on a different world made mostly of desert under binary stars. One red and the other a deep blue. White Blossom’s ghostly body said “I was brought here by Mantiv after some unforeseen issues with a dangerous energy from one of the big gas balls exploding and was in need of a new world to start a new hive and he brought me here for heat and lack of moisture. It was perfect to harden my brood to evolve a way to not be so reliant on water. As you can see I’ve only had twenty Lisks, two Behemoths and a dozen Trackers left. The rest died, but this would be a fresh start while my eggs incubated in the hatcheries. Hard-shell was put here on this same soft world as a temporary stay. By this point I knew Mantiv and Reten for over twenty million Human years. And before you ask, it was on the Galactic King’s order my identity and my childrens’ be kept from the Creelin. During those many years they were fanatical in killing Keptl on sight. They would have killed me if they knew. Never mind, this is what you wanted to see.”
Renee looked down just as Reten teleported from inside the same brown ship in the initial visions, but now it was fortified with innumerable weapon ports. It seemed the change was due to higher military needs. She said “White Blossom, this will be goodbye for a few thousand cycles. I know you’ll miss us, but it cannot be helped. The enemy cannot be able to detect our consciousness so we must sleep heavily for no more than five millennia if all stays according to plan.”
Past White Blossom started to cry. “I know you must go, but I hate being alone. The Invaders are bad, bad.”
“We know. It is why my Match designed contingencies if something unfortunate happens. But we need to only tell those we trust with our greatest secret. Those we trust can be counted in one hand.”
Mantiv, wearing a thick, yet handsomely trimmed brown beard now nodded. “There is a ninety six point six eight four percent chance my brother and our entire race will not be able to beat the Invaders. Being native hyperspace entities of the fourth dimension means they cannot die as we experience it in our central space. All we can do is scatter their collected forms with subatomic blasts to temporarily stun their physical forms. You’ve seen my memories at their destructive capabilities. Already we’ve lost fourteen galaxies in just the past eight millennia. Our only advantage is they mostly stay in a large group. Like a school of fish. And my people are their primary prey… for now.
“Reten and I are going to strip our cellular strands of essence so our Psionic emanations cannot be tracked and then put into a deep sleep. The invaders feed on our immense energies and it only makes them stronger collectively and we must lure them to an empty dimension, but just before we do, our people will lure them all with the largest use of Psionic energy this universe has ever seen. It will be
felt from one end to the other and be felt by all living creatures. The invaders will come for the feast and my calculations are never wrong. My people will make sure all current races and future races have a chance to grow before the invaders become completely unstoppable and suck all life from this dimension and move onto another as they did in their own.
“If our people do not overcome, Reten will wake in ten thousand years and restart our civilization through her own womb. I will do my part to restart my people, but she is implanted with over two billion eggs from our brightest minds and strongest warriors. The final failsafe. All are fertilized so all she must do is bare them when she is ready. Unlike her, I cannot awaken on my own. My mind must sleep with no way to open on my own. My sleep must be near as death as I’ve ever faced because the creatures are drawn to me like no other. If I do awake and my brother succeeds, only I can reassemble the obelisks and reopen the portal to rescue my beloved people. I’m the only technical failsafe for my people and if they fail to win, Reten is the only one able to restart our civilization should my worst-case prediction come to pass.”
“But what if you two are hurt while you sleep and hope the king overcomes the killers? What if you die in slumber? You will be alone correct or are the Creelin going to watch over you?”
Reten smiled up at the insectoid queen. “We’re going to an undisclosed world rich in iron sand. Where there is minimal chance to be woken prematurely. The Creelin may find us, but have been warned to stay away. Our stasis rooms are dangerous to silicone based life forms. One drop will kill a million Creelin.
“To your other worry about being killed during sleep… I sent mine and Mantiv’s genes to all the history cubes the king sent to every galaxy we settled and planted the seeds for life. With the blood of a carbon life form descended from us, it will reveal the truth so the invaders will never realize what we’re planning. Each and every cube is attached to our biorhythm already through a subspace catalyst. If either of us die in our sleep the cubes will rearrange itself to make the genetic pattern to create an identical clone of us… if the discoverers have any geniuses able to decipher the hidden text that is.” Reten smirked. “If I die, my clone will be instinctively drawn to Mantiv when she attains her peak strength and the same will happen if he dies. His clone will find me.
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