Copyright 2024 – Daemon D. Hart
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The Human Bearer
Riordan observed Florent's serene face for any signs that the guy was not all there – which would have been perfectly aligned with what the powers that be thought of him anyway. There were no such signs, but on the other hand, Riordan couldn't get over the fact that his friend didn't seem as affected as he should have been while talking about traitors and imaginary crimes, such as the destruction of a pair of eggs that hadn't existed in the first place.
"I know it's a big shock to hear about such things. The fact that I'm this lax doesn't help, either, and you find it hard to trust me."
"Are you reading my thoughts?" Riordan asked, unnerved by having his exact reasoning returned to him in a small package with a bow.
"Not to the extent a Xeno would, but I'm well aware of your bewilderment at both my words and my overall behavior. I know it's going to sound very strange to you, but it's a bit like I'm high while still retaining my usual sharpness of mind."
"I'm afraid you will have to be clearer than this," Riordan mumbled, still just as dumbfounded by what Florent was saying and yes, the way he behaved, moving so languidly like all his limbs were made out of molasses.
"When my bond with Gamni was shattered, my mind suffered tremendously. I was in danger of dying, but it looks like I'm more resilient than even I think. Kanto has been taking care of me ever since that day you witnessed, when he took me so forcefully."
"He's sort of crazy," Riordan said with a short nod. "So, how has he been treating you?"
"At first, as usual, using seth to heal me, but it became clear soon that it wasn't enough." Florent let out a small chuckle. "He used force, trying to get me to respond, to bond with him, but as much pleasure as I experienced in his arms, it wasn't enough. His Royal Chancellor visited, interested in my wellbeing, and since my mind has never stopped working, I could tell that he was puzzled too." Florent stopped for a moment, as if he didn't quite know whether to offer all the details or hold back.
"What could be so kinky that you don't want to tell me?" Riordan joked, not only to rouse Florent from his silence but as a way to keep himself in check. Any moment now, he would start trembling at the thought of that traitor on the loose. Was it possible that Florent was mistaken on that particular topic? But, at the same time, Kyle, during his eavesdropping on Xenos' secret meetings, had said the same. There was a third traitor, and yet, Marn was dismissing such a thing as if he could afford to take risks.
"Well," Florent said and blushed a little, "His Royal Chancellor had to test me himself."
"Did he..." Riordan moved one index finger through the circle made by his thumb and index finger of his other hand, in and out.
Florent hid his face in his palms and talked from behind them. "It was even more than that. It was, how they said, an attempt to send me into such sensory overload that my mind would surely start fighting and search for a new bond."
"Wow. Marn, for real? I mean..."
"Yeah, he fucked me," Florent said quickly. "Together with Kanto. Both at the same time."
"I've been there," Riordan admitted and then began waving his hands. "Don't mind me. And it was before you. Kanto and Xana tag-teamed me. That's what happened. No bonding or anything."
Florent caught one of his hands and squeezed it. "You don't have to worry about me getting jealous. I am still in wonder that a Xeno wants me, seeing what sort of past I have."
"I think you're reading these guys all the wrong way, despite being this big shot empath that you are. They're all for pumping us with their eggs and whatnot. Plus, you're irresistible. Have you looked in the mirror lately?"
The lines of Florent's face relaxed even more. "Thank you for saying such a thing. Anyway, without getting into all the details, what I can tell you is that His Royal Chancellor found a way to heal my broken mind. It is a combination of using seth and, you know, a lot of physical contact. But I don't know exactly what makes it so efficient. There might be some secret ingredient I have no idea of. As a result, I feel extremely relaxed in body and I can't experience fear and other negative emotions except very mildly."
"It does sound like one strange trip," Riordan agreed. "But let's get back to the things you just told me, since, unlike you, I can already feel jitters at the idea of a traitor roaming the ship as we speak. And what's that, about Jasno's eggs? How can you even know such a thing?"
"As an empath, and because I have spent so much time on this ship already, consider me tuned to its, let's call it, spiritual existence. When Kanto works on healing my mind and creating the bond between us, it works both ways. He opens the gates wide open, and I am wired directly to what they share collectively as Xenos."
"Like a hive?"
"It's a good analogy, but it's not something as interdependent as that. That's why they can maintain their individual selves and don't get absorbed into the higher purpose of the species, not completely."
"But that's what makes them capable of communicating via their thoughts and all."
"Exactly," Florent confirmed. "So I felt the undercurrent of anger when the events you mentioned took place. It was like a flood."
"But doesn't that confirm that they experienced a difficult loss?" Riordan asked.
Florent shook his head. "Anger at the loss of a Xenolite is something primal. This, on the other hand," he added as he pondered on his words, "felt more... like a virus. It spread from its source, affecting the others, making them experience fear. Not only those directly concerned, but others, as well."
"Hence the pressure on Marn to get to the bottom of it. But wait, since they're part of this big thing they share, can't they feel that the eggs weren't real?"
"You are right to ask, and believe me when I tell you that I'm as puzzled as you are about their reaction to the matter. I heard of certain details by questioning Kanto. He didn't want to tell me too much about it, careful as he is that I don't experience negative emotions, but I have my methods of making him open up to me. Unless the two Xenos who presumably lost their eggs are freaks of nature and don't experience pain as the rest of their species, there must have been no eggs. That's what I think."
"Yet, their anger is real. Only that it seemed fishy to me, just as you say. Fake, but not quite."
Florent gave him a surprised look but then he smiled. "Of course, your natural abilities shine through."
"And lately, I'm getting coached to make them better," Riordan said with pride in his voice. Before, he had rarely had things to be proud about, and now they were adding up, from being a mommy to Junior to getting a hang of this empath thing, even if it was only so that he could call for Xana's help when needed.
"That's great, and I'm happy for you. And you say that you noticed something amiss in their anger at having suffered such a great loss."
"Yes, and you're confirming it, which feels pretty good, because that means that I'm not going nuts and imagine things that aren't there. I suppose that you ran this supposition of yours by your dear Kanto."
"Yes, but he got mad at me. I really have no idea what to make of his behavior. He believes I might sympathize with a bearer in trouble, as the similarities between our cases are so striking."
"As I thought!" Riordan exclaimed. "All this thing about having drunken something illegal, it is way too similar not to think about it. By the way, have they attempted to question you?"
"Why?" Florent gave him a puzzled look.
"Because they might think that Cario was the one to give you something strange to drink too, that time when they condemned you for something you didn't do."
"That is not how it happened. Nobody gave me anything strange to drink. To this day, I have no idea what happened," Florent admitted, and his eyes became blurry and unfocused. "No matter what Gamni might have thought of me, I did care about the egg, and I hurt when it happened."
"Did he hurt too? Or he was a faker just like Jasno's masters?"
"No, he wasn't," Florent said. "I can't imagine what could have made him... do that."
It hit Riordan how he didn't have a clear idea about what must have happened during those times in Gamni Gafilos's quarters, with a pregnant Florent waiting to give birth to a healthy Xenolite.
"What did he truly do, Florent? Ah, damn, sorry." Florent's face began contorting into an expression of pain. "Don't think of it if it hurts. The last thing I want is to undo what Kanto and Marn strived to do to heal you."
"It's alright. I can't avoid such thoughts forever. It's just not possible. I'm afraid Gamni did something worse than selling his soul. It wasn't an accident. I don't know what happened exactly but I didn't lose Gamni's egg because of some damn tea from Earth. And his pain and anger were real. Only that I'm afraid that he agreed with the whole deal only so that he could prove that human bearers weren't to be trusted with the noble purpose of carrying on the future of the species."
That was a lot to take on. Riordan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, while trying to get his thoughts together. What Florent was telling him was bonkers, yet, at the same time, it made perfect sense. After all, he had felt it in his gut too. Those Xenos weren't angry and sad because they had just lost their eggs. They were manipulative bastards, serving who knew what purpose. The right thing to do was to take all these findings to Marn, but he didn't feel like doing it. Not because he didn't trust the big kahuna, but because his mind was part of that big hive Florent was talking about. And that made the whole thing very difficult to control. Who could say if their interactions, and therefore, Marn's thoughts were spied on by that traitor still on the loose?
"About that other thing you said, Florent? About the traitor. How do you know? I mean, what exactly does your empath mind tell you about him being out there?"
"It's not such an easy thing to explain. I already told you how I feel a spiritual bond with the ship itself. And on this large painting that I see in my mind, there are spots of darkness that my mind can't access. That's why I can't even tell you if there's a traitor or more of them."
"I see." Riordan took his friend's hands again. "Now, listen here, can you tell me if there's a way I could communicate with Xana, but without fearing that others might be listening in? I do get schooled by that young doc Ferix, but since you're telling me about this hive thing, I don't want anyone to be listening in on our convos. Can you help me with that?"
"Cloaking conversations held in this manner is one of the hardest things to do, in my experience. Still," Florent said with a smile, "I do know how to help you. Since you're this close to me right now, all we have to do is touch our foreheads together. And then, you can send the message you want to Xana. Would that be alright with you?"
"Sure thing."
They sat on the bed, facing each other, and Florent placed his hands lightly on Riordan's shoulders. The signs of the recent struggles the bearer had gone through were still evident on his face, at the corners of his lips, in the faint shadows under his eyes, and the vague bewilderment still present in his gaze. If the huge amounts of seth being pumped into him did their job as supposed to, and Florent was still like that, it was no little thing to say that the guy must have been pulled from the verge of death. Riordan found himself overwhelmed by a sensation sibling with sadness but more closely related with nostalgia.
"You will feel better soon," Florent assured him, without offering any explanation. "Now close your eyes and think of what you want to transmit to Xana."
At the point where their foreheads touched, Riordan felt increasing warmth. Something of Florent was spreading inside him, like a cozy blanket, giving him a sense of security that he had seldom experienced in his life. It took him some to understand that it was a kind of love he was feeling, and it came from his friend. Caring love, he would call it.
Xana, I can't explain it without sounding like crazy, but Jasno didn't lose any eggs. It's all a hoax.
He waited, all his senses at the ready. How would he know if his message reached the right person? It wasn't like the Xenos on the ship were organized like a switchboard with Florent playing the operator, after all.
Riordan. Your lessons pay off, it seems. But it is dangerous to communicate like this.
We're protected. Don't ask me how because it would take too long to explain it properly. Mikar Perana and Trisna Heret are faking it too. And Jasno must be on it, as well.
I will see about that. For now, he appears in great pain over his loss. And I see no signs of playacting.
Xana, just be careful. These guys are plotting something. We can't be too thorough.
My point exactly. Let's stop here. A couple of beats of silence followed. I already miss you, my bearer.
I miss you too. We'll see each other soon.
Riordan felt an invisible force pulling him away from Florent, severing their connection, as well as the mental one with Xana.
The boys need their meal, Riordan. I hope you cooled your head. And we must talk about my son and your husband.
"Your father-in-law sounds like a hard-ass," Florent said with a chuckle. "Sorry, I only eavesdropped by accident because he interrupted your conversation with Xana. By the way, what does General Lei think of this whole thing? You two are obviously conspiring to work on your own investigation."
"He doesn't know about it," Riordan assured him as he got up. "I need to get back to take care of my son and Cario's boy. He's with me for now. I'd like to see Cario too, but I don't know where they keep him."
"Down there," Florent confirmed his fears with a vague nod.
"As if he's some criminal."
"It's safer for them to treat this as they do. While you may not think of it this way, where he is, Cario is protected. No one can get to him with intentions of harm."
"But I got to you when you were there."
"True. Yet, even if you wanted, you couldn't reach me inside my cell. Only Gamni was capable of that. Save for my jailers here on the ship, of course. And now, only His Royal Chancellor is in the position to get Cario out of there."
"Well, I guess that's reassuring. If there's a Xeno with a good head on his shoulders on this ship, that must be him."
Florent laughed softly. "It's refreshing to see and hear you, Riordan. You remind me that we're more on equal footing with this race than they might like us to believe. You're proof enough. When I got on Xeno first, the only way to spend my waking hours was to be in awe of everything Xenos and their planet represented to someone like me."
"I must leave now, but I'll try not to be a stranger. It's good to see that you're better, man. Just take care too. I have no idea what's going on, and the fact that you feel that's something wrong might put you at risk."
Florent embraced him shortly as Riordan leaned over. "Kanto won't allow anything to happen to me. He's protective with what's his."
Riordan nodded. "He's a capable guy, I'll give it to him. I know it might sound crazy, but if you ever need me, I guess you know how to contact me."
"Sure, I'll send someone with a message," Florent said with a sly smile. "Now go face General Lei. Maybe it was my imagination, but he sounded pretty pissed to me."
Florent wasn't the only one who believed that. Riordan took his hasty farewell and hurried back. It was good to have allies, but now he would have to appear pretty convincing in daddy-in-law's eyes or else the guy might suspect he and Xana were playing the big boys' game without permission.
Xeus waited patiently for him to finish taking care of the two boys and their needs so that they could have a serious conversation between adults. Riordan wasn't looking forward to it, but it had to be done. For a while, he pretended to smooth over a few inexistent wrinkles on his robe, without looking at his daddy-in-law.
"Do you have any idea what your husband is doing right now?"
"Husband," Riordan said slowly. "Has anyone told you how much you sound like an Earthian right now?"
Xeus frowned. "This isn't the type of situation you can make disappear with misplaced humor, Riordan. Xana is currently paying that bearer what you Earthians would describe as a social call."
"What bearer?" Riordan said, feigning innocence and also puzzlement mixed with displeasure.
"The one for whom he gave up on you before. The same that is now involved in the investigation in course. What is he thinking?"
"I'm afraid you will have to ask Xana about it. I'm not in the same league as you. I can't read minds."
"Why act so defensive?" Xeus towered over him, making his heart turn smaller. "Do you have something to hide? Indiscretions of your own?"
"For real? Are you accusing me of sleeping around? That's rich coming from the guy who put his big-ass tail inside me under the pretext of a medical inspection or some other shit."
The anger in the pale green eyes was palpable. Riordan wondered if Xeus would go as far as to slap him silly for being an idiot and sending his husband into another bearer's arms. He would feel it was half-earned, half-deserved, no way in between.
"No, that is not what I'm saying. But I can tell you're hiding something from me. Given Xana's extreme reaction to your siding with your other bearer friend, I feel inclined to believe that you both intend to annoy me greatly."
"If he chose to go see that asshole, that's Xana's choice," Riordan said, putting his chin up. "I won't be in his way."
Xeus threw him a disgusted look that hit home too well. Maybe daddy-in-law was really trying to make him feel bad, and he could very well be using some of the psychic abilities of his species. Not that Riordan could tell but he wouldn't put it past the guy to manipulate him only to get the desired results.
It wasn't working, and Xeus looked pretty frustrated over it.
"Feeble creatures," the older Xeno spat. "I will talk some sense into both of you, but first, let's see how you deal with being away from each other. As you pretend to be incapable of living without each other, I'm tempted to observe the way you react."
"Father," Riordan tried to make a stand, "this is between me and Xana, with all due respect."
"You two have children. What will Junior say when he sees that his father doesn't come home?"
Who the hell let Xeus read relationship advice from Earth? There was no way he was speaking like a Xeno right now.
"No, it is not the Xeno way," Xeus said, his annoyance growing. "If I were to overlook your Earthian sensibilities and my son's propensity to play into them, I would grab the two of you, lock you in the same cramped cell and fill your breathing air with pheromones. You'd emerge out of there pregnant with several eggs."
"Then I must be grateful you're not doing this the Xeno way, because I don't want to see Xana right now." Riordan cursed inwardly as he pictured the image put in his head by Xeus. His lower body ached if he just thought of it.
"For now. But you two deserve a punishment fitting of your behavior if you keep it up like this," Xeus let that threat sink in while Riordan pretended to be busy getting ready for bed.
Damn, it was going to be hard to keep it all away from daddy-in-law's inquisitive eyes. Hopefully, Xana would get to the bottom of that crazy setup. Because it had to be a setup with a traitor still hiding somewhere on the ship, and Xenos pretending to be mourning the loss of their unborn Xenolites. And Jasno was somehow, caught up in it too, and he was either one hell of an actor, or...
Or Florent was wrong. But Riordan doubted it, he so seriously doubted it.
tbc
Interested in reading ahead? You can do it here:
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Check out some naughty pics of Riordan on my blog:
https://daemondhart.blogspot.com/2024/06/a-naughty-set-of-rio-pics-superfan.html