Log 743 (Revealing History)

Gared was dreaming about seducing a hot little number from Yalla 6 when the bang occurred. His eyes immediately snapped open and he stared at the ceiling with his breath held, waiting to hear the noise again. He didn’t have to wait long as another bang could be heard coming from Talisa’s room. Jumping out of bed, he grabbed his pistol from the side table and backed himself tightly against the wall. When he mustered enough courage, he slapped the door mechanism and angled himself to shoot whoever might be in the hallway. After checking to make sure it was empty, he cautiously stepped towards the door leading to her room.

He briefly wondered how someone managed to get onboard without being noticed. The thought was immediately replaced with a bit of smug satisfaction. Since joining Talisa over a solar cycle ago, one thing had been made abundantly clear: she could easily hold her own against anyone unfortunate enough to piss her off and by the sounds of it the latest idiot was being schooled hard with that fact.

Listening outside, he wondered how many things had broken when suddenly the door opened. With his gun aimed, he was ready for any foe that left the room. What he wasn’t ready for was that there was no foe.

Talisa glared at him with black and silver eyes and her staff extended. Uncertainty intermixed with a little bit of fear washed over him. He knew he was in trouble. There had been several occasions in the past when she was in her ‘kick-ass’ mode (as he liked to call it) that she couldn’t tell friend from foe and as a result, his injuries after those incidents ranged from bruises to a cracked rib and broken finger.

Of course, when she snapped out of it, she was quick to apologize and defense lessons were decided upon if he continued to stay with her. Not provoking her was one he soon memorized.

“Tali, calm down,” he said evenly. Slowly he lowered his weapon to the floor with his eyes locked on hers the whole time. “There’s no threat here. You’re aboard your ship. You need to relax.”

Talisa’s eyes narrowed as she watched him unarm himself and return to a defensive stance.

For what seemed like hours they simply stood there staring at each other. All of a sudden, she leapt at him ready for a fight. The speed threw him off and he was slammed against the corridor wall. With the wind knocked out of him, he struggled to comprehend what had just happened while at the same time think of some defensive maneuver that would help him out of this situation.

“You!” she said with a voice that sounded like a low growl.

“Tali, please snap out of it,” he pleaded. “I don’t know why you’re acting like this but I need you to regain control.

“Look at me. You know me. There is no threat.”

“You are the threat,” she replied, cool and precise. Pushing the button on her staff, the blade inside extended out. With quick fluid motion she swiped at his torso but only managed to nick him slightly as he dodged out of the way.

Regretting putting down the gun which was now by her feet, he struggled to remember all the combat information she gave him. His heart was pounding in his ears.

“It’s me Gared,” he exclaimed, still attempting to get through to her. “I’ve been on this ship for over one solar cycle. I’m not armed. I’m not a threat.”

She continued to stare at him for a few moments before a dangerous smile crept onto her face. He watched for signs as to her next movement but her dexterity got him again and she whipped around the staff, knocking him flat on his back.

Pouncing on him, she pinned his arms and moved her face to an inch away from his and stated, “I know your plans. She is mine and I won’t let you take her away from me.”

“Who are you talking about?” he pleaded, completely baffled by her statement.

Her eyes narrowed again. “Don’t play dumb. It makes you lose what little respect you can garner.”

“Talisa, please stop this.”

The tone in his voice caused her to falter and her grip loosened on his arms. It was the break he was looking for and he kicked her off him. He quickly got to his feet and bolted towards the front of the ship where a set of specialized cuffs were stored.

Just inside the doorway to the bridge he pushed the button that kept them magnetized in place. He stood ready as she reached the door.

Spying the restraints, she laughed evilly. “And what do you expect to do with those?”

“I’m asking for the last time that you stop this before it gets too far out of hand.”

“Or what?”

These last few moments had given Gared time to think through the situation. If he could somehow tackle her and get the cuffs on, he could regain control. With adrenaline pumping, he lunged at her in the hopes that it would throw her off. Her reaction faltered slightly but it was not enough and she side-stepped his attack.

He tried again this time pretending to go one direction and then switching. Bowling her over onto her back, he wrapped the cuffs around her wrists and pressed the button to magnetize them. With her upper half now incapacitated he made sure to anchor her lower half by sitting on her.

“Now that you’re under control, tell me what’s going on? Who do you think I’m trying to steal from you?”

“She is mine. We are forever bonded.”

Talisa tried hard to shake him off but his body weight was enough to diminish her movements. Knowing that he couldn’t stay like this forever, he tried to think of a better way to bring her back…and then it hit him.

Leaning down he kissed her. It was hard at first as she continued to struggle but he could feel her rage subsiding at her body began to relax. When he pulled away, her eyes were back to their normal blue-grey tones.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You tell me,” he replied. “I woke up to the sound of you trashing your room and then you went all crazy on me.”

Finally aware that he was on top of her and her wrists were stuck to the floor, she said, “You can get off of me now.”

He hesitated, reluctant to give up the advantage but after a few moments he reached up and shut off the bands before getting up. An awkward silence settled on the two as neither knew how to proceed.

“I think now would be a good time for an explanation and I’m talking about the whole story.”

She sighed. “You’re right. I should’ve told you a long time ago.”

Walking to the small kitchen area Gared sat down while she prepped the water for boiling.

“Have you ever heard of a planet called Nalea?” she asked.

He shook his head.

“I’m not surprised. It orbited around a sun quite a few light years from here. Anyways, I was born on that planet seventy-nine solar cycles ago,” she stated. A look of mild shock flitted across his face. “I know what you’re thinking and my people’s lifespan is significantly longer than yours. It is only one of the qualities about our race that you might find surprising.

“We also have the ability to house another’s essence within our body. The transferal process is usually one that occurs later in life as a means of keeping those we loved with us past their death. It is a heavy burden that only an experienced elder would consider. I’m telling you this to help you understand my situation.”

She poured the boiling water into a cup and added some herbs before sitting down next to him.

“When I was young, I had a best friend named Esel. He and I were inseparable. During the warm season our families would spend time out in the country far away from the bustling city where we lived.

“One summer during a study break, we were out in a field running around trying to catch each other. The day was perfect; bright sun, gentle breeze, birds chirping…everything a child could ask for. In one part of the field, there was a big hill that we would sometimes run up part way and then run back down with our arms spread.”

She paused for a moment as she re-lived the day in her mind.

“I’m not sure why Esel chose to run up to the top that day but he did. I remember looking up at him and telling him to come back down. That it was too high for me.”

“ ‘C’mon Tal, you gotta see this,’ he called out to me and pointed to something. I never found out what it was.

“At first I wouldn’t go but then he disappeared from the top and there was no response when I called out to him. I forced myself to walk up that hill to find him. It felt like the longest walk I’d ever taken. When I reached the top, I saw him lying near the base on the other side. I could tell the weather was less kind to that side as the vegetation grew in small patches and there were rocks jutting out all around.

“I called out to him again and slowly started to make my way down to him. The longer he stayed silent, the faster my steps went. I stumbled at one point but managed to catch myself in time or I might’ve shared the same fate.

“When I reached his body, his face was already starting to darken with bruising. I could see a few cuts here and there but nothing to indicate how bad it really was. I remember his breathing though. It was shallow and forced.

“I asked him where he was hurt but all he could seem to muster was ‘Don’t ever forget me, Tal’ and then the light went out of his eyes. I don’t remember how I managed to invoke the transfer process because immediately after it I blacked out. When I came to I was in the hospital.”

“Everything changed for me from that moment on. No one could remember a child ever going through the process and my condition brought whispers wherever I went. Even my parents weren’t sure how to handle me. I learned fast that it was easier not to get close to anyone especially because Esel has a volatile temper, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“For the most part, I can only feel him inside me but if he wants out badly enough, he takes control and I’m the one locked inside. It’s for that reason alone that no one at a young age should attempt the transfer. When I dream sometimes, he’ll come to me and we talk. We were having an argument when he took control.”

There was a long period of silence before Gared stated, “So, it was Esel that was threatening me earlier.”

She nodded.

“I think I might understand his words now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“He said ‘She’s mine.’ I think he was referring to you.”

The statement brought on another long period of silence. It was Talisa who finally broke the silence, “Why do you stay on this ship?”

If it had been any other person at any other time, he might’ve had some smart-ass remark like who would pass up staying aboard a ship with such a hot captain but this was a serious moment. Throwing in some comedic relief would diminish the bonds that were starting to grow between them.

“You might be surprised but I could sense…something about you,” he replied after long thought. “Like you were missing a piece in your life and I figured ‘why not?’ I could be responsible. I could handle that task.

“I know I might be a pain but this setup really isn’t that bad even if I have to take a few bruises. Unlike my previous partner, I know I can count on you.”

Not ready to admit anything further than that, he stopped for a few moments before returning to his casual charm.

“Besides, if Esel’s worried about me stealing you then I know I stand a chance,” he finished with a wink.

She sighed. The Gared she had come to know had returned and oddly enough she felt comforted by it.