The party was in a way cancelled, no one new was allowed in the room but everyone else who was there stayed. They would be witnesses, witnesses Klein could use for better or worse.
The physician explained that five days ago I had agreed to take the companion test, called The Restriction. But during the test I had failed to connect and read the clone of Lao'k's mind, so our memories of each other were wiped.
When I failed The Restriction, their initial plan involved keeping him in pseudo sleep, then sending him back to their planet, Althesia. But when Dr. Jaeger reported my dreams to Mr. Klein - I'm not sure if I'm happy or upset by that revelation- he shared the information with Council Master Mal’k. The Council Master believed that I was Lao'k's companion, even though my human mind could not meet the requirements to break The Restriction.
Council Master Mal'k and Klein had come to an agreement, he would give up information on how their mind reading and communication worked, as well as information on how I was able to connect with Lao'k and the progress of my ability to communicate like them. In exchange, Klein agreed to arrange a setting where Lao'k and I could meet again naturally.
There we were, with both of our species staring at us. Lao'k had not let go of me since he came to his senses. I have always disliked public displays of affection, but I didn't want to leave his embrace. We stood holding onto each other. I was processing everything they had told us, but some things did not settle right with me.
"You doubted I was his companion, and we agreed to take your test. I understand that. But why were people on board acting like nothing had happened. Even my roommate would not tell me the truth. Not only that, I'm sure you also took my ENbook- I want it back- and messed with the data on my comm watch. Why go through such lengths if my memory was wiped."
Klein and Ruiz didn't answer, the two people I expected to have answers for what happened on our ship. I threw a questioning look around the room, my gaze landed on Kishna but he just averted his gaze and hug his head. Instead the physician answered.
"We believed if you were exposed to knowledge of him too soon it would trigger your memories. A memory wipe does not mean the memories are taken away. We put a block in place for those memories, isolating them like repressed memories. As such if there is a trigger, they can resurface. Though your memories seem to have lingered in your subconscious mind."
"Am I or am I not his companion?"
Lao'k’s hands tightened around me and my stomach somersaulted. He didn't want to consider that we weren't companions, neither did I to be honest, but I needed to hear it from them, the ones judging our bond. Councilor Gor'n spoke up then, he didn't accept things as they were. He thought we should have our memories wiped again and Lao'k sent back to Althesia immediately.
"The test has proven you are not his companion. There is nothing to discuss."
"The tests were designed for our minds, she is not of our people." The Council Master countered.
Lao'k turned to the physician.
"Physician what say you?"
"The Restriction was indeed designed for our minds and not theirs, but her mind has evolved. She should be as capable as we are. Considering that by our standards she is a child, she has accomplished much in the last few weeks."
"How can she read my mind as a companion should?"
"I do not have an answer for that. They have the potential to grow like us but... I do not know. Perhaps it is a difference between our species. Ms. Bronwen, can you read my mind or the mind of anyone else in this room?"
I looked at the physician, then at Lao'k, he smiled and nodded at me. They wanted me to try reading everyone else's mind. I didn't want to, that would make me a test pig while they tried to figure out whether they were wrong about us not being companions. I felt the warm brush of Lao'k as he spoke in my mind.
Do it for us.
What if I can read their minds just as yours?
Believe in us, in our bond.
How would I do that? Things feel so natural with you it's like breathing. How do I read their minds?
He taught me how and I tried it on the other Alythes, but I couldn't. Their minds felt like walls, I couldn't enter the same way I could with Lao'k. The physician also suggested I try to read Klein and the other humans in the room.
I could hear some thoughts, but it didn't feel like reading their minds. It felt more like overhearing conversations as you pass by. Lao'k said it was their unguarded thoughts on the common channel. The Physician was more confused now, it wasn't as he'd theorised, outside of The Restriction I fit the bill as his companion. Council Master Mal'k interrupted the Physician's ramblings.
"What about the legend of reincarnation?"
The other Alythes looked at him like he'd said something taboo. They have stories of reincarnation too. Am I a reincarnated Alythe? How does that even work? Will I grow wings? Lao'k chuckled and kissed my temple.
Th Council Master continued. "There was a legend that those who entered eternal rest unpartnered can reincarnate. What if-"
"But those accounts are few and far on Althesia, and have never been proven." Councilor Gor'n cut him off.
"Assuming that legend is true. If his companion was a much older woman she may have entered eternal sleep and died. Her wandering mind may have attached to Ms. Bronwen's mind. That would make her both his companion and not." The physician offered absent-mindedly.
Councilor Gor'n seemed determined to hold on to any evidence that proved we were not companions. "Then he is connected to the female that merged with the human and not the human herself."
They turned to me again. These people...Sort your shit out then come to me, I'm as much in the dark if not more than you. The physician started to probe me, asking if I had dreams of an Alythe woman or whether I had sensed people on the common channel before. I hadn’t.
"Ms. Bronwen, as a child did you ever experience telepathic encounters?"
"No."
Lao'k kissed my temple again and inhaled deeply.
The eggs accident.
I remembered. It was one of my worst memories, I looked up at Lao'k shaking my head, a tear wet my lashes and refused to fall, he wiped the tear and kissed me again.
Do I have to tell them?
Just answer their questions, you need not give more than they ask.
"...Actually yes. I do recall something like that happening when I was a child."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
Lao'k...
I am with you.
He held up his open hand for me. I laid my hand in his and he laced our fingers together.
"I was eight years old, it was a rainy day, mother and I had just finished harvesting eggs. We needed to move the transport rack to Processing, but there's a ramp between the barn and Processing. Mother said the rack would skid in the rain and we'd lose the eggs, she wanted to wait for father to move it." I squeezed Lao'k's hand.
"I had just started helping out around the farm and wanted to prove I'd seen them do it often enough to know what I was doing. When she turned away I tried to push the rack up the ramp, but my boots dirty with mud and hay skated. I pulled on the rack to steady myself and it toppled over me. I was on the ground with the rack over me and all the eggs broken around me."
I started crying uncontrollably. I hate that memory. Lao'k circled us with his wings again and I buried my face in his chest. He lifted my face and wiped my tears with his shirt.
Lao'k…
A little longer, they need to know you are mine.
"I wasn't injured, only covered in eggs, my parents were pissed about it, especially since mother had warned me twice not to move the rack. We lost our biggest contract at the time because of that and almost lost the farm."
Lao'k kissed my forehead. I squeezed my hands in his shirt and took a deep breath before continuing.
"My parents argued and shouted their frustrations at me. I was in the shower replaying how it went wrong, but I kept remembering how angry they were. While I was crying, I started wishing I wasn't alive even planning how to kill myself after, when I felt a woman whisper in my mind. Her whispers felt like hugs. She told me I couldn't die yet, that I was too young to wish for death."
My story piqued the physician's interest, it was a chance to prove whether their legend was true. The hope that there would be more people like me among humans seemed to excite the other Alythes.
"Did she keep talking to you?"
"As I got older she faded away."
"Do you have memories of strange places or even what she looks like?"
"No."
"So she is gone from your mind?"
"I don't think so. When I try to remember her, it feels like she's still there, her presence is really faint, like a fading echo."
The councilors and physician began discussing among themselves, what they knew of the legends on their planet, the similarities with what I'd told them and how it might connect to explain the bond between Lao'k and I.
"Is she his companion?" One of the councilors asked in the middle of their debate.
"From what she's told us, Lao'k's true companion may have merged with her." The physician answered hesitantly.
"Why doesn't she have the woman's memories?" Inquired another.
"Perhaps the woman did not wish to share them...Or perhaps she never merged with her." The physician was having a hard time coming up with explanations and every one he gave seemed to raise more questions.
You'd think some of this talk would be going over the heads of people who weren't intimately involved and knew exactly, what the hell was going on. But sure enough, in the crowd of humans there were people who seemed to be able to keep up without inside knowledge. One of them jumped in.
"You guys have a clone of her brain why not just check it? Also, if she is reincarnated there’s no guarantee she’d have her previous memories."
It was a guy, a labourer by the looks of him, a rather brave one too, but he wasn't one of mine so I had no idea who he was. But he did have a point, they had cloned my mind before, they should be able to check all this without standing around guessing like blind mice. The physician looked at the Council Master then at Lao'k and I.
"I will need to put you into pseudo sleep again. Clones are deleted from the system once the test fails."
"Return our memories first.”
I looked up at Lao'k, he had that angry look on his face again, but his eyes had something else when he looked at me. I touched his mind, he was trying to piece my dreams together with his fantasies.
Is that all you think of?
No, but I will have you before this day is over.
We returned to their vessel, Captain Ruiz, our doctor, Dr. Jaeger, Klein and another politician accompanied us. The Council Master, his wife, Councilor Gor'n and another councilor were there as well. They put us back in the glass coffins, the Council Master promised this time they were going to restore our memories of each other.
While in the coffin, memories came flooding back to me, so many memories. Memories of Lao'k and I, his memories, memories that weren't ours. Kishna and I hadn't reconciled. He pretended we were good, he must have been happy Lao'k was out of my life.
The memories of Gor'n the day I agreed to take the test. I remembered, seeing him the other times Lao'k and I were together around them, the way he spat insults about Lao’k, the disdain in his eyes.When I opened my eyes Lao'k had just stepped up to my bed. I was glad his face was the first I saw. My heart swelled, I was so happy, so in love, everything in the universe felt right and at peace. No. I didn't care about the rest of the universe, I was right and at peace. He leaned down and kissed me.
"Wife."
"Husband."
He helped me out of the bed. When I got my eyes fell on Gor'n, I was enraged, my only thought was of gutting him. My fingers twitched to activate the latch in my arm for the hidden blade. Before I could complete the unlock motion Lao'k grabbed my arm and pulled me back against him.
Your augment is illegal for your passport. Do not give Klein a reason to keep you from me.
But that... Cula!
He is not worth our time, right now I want you.
He steered my anger to passion with the images of us he poured into my mind as he kissed me. He turned me around and pressed my body against the hardening bulge in his trousers, as he rubbed the center of my lower back. He breathed my name against my temple and I wrapped my arms around his neck. We both turned to his brother.
Mal'k!
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