"Who are you?" Max demanded.
"What, don't you recognize a member of your own family? Didn't they tell you about your siblings, back in Manticore? I'm hurt." He mocked, bitterness underlying his words.
"Why don't we start with you? I assume you are one of the rebel X-5s. Tsk, tsk. They had such high hopes for your group.."
Max remained in a fighting stance. He came closer, she allowed him to lift up her hair.
"332960073452.. Ahh, Maxie! The benevolent one. They never could beat it out of you, could they?"
She swatted his hand away. "How the hell do you know anything about me?" she said through gritted teeth.
"Dear girl, I am an X-4. I know something of the ways of Manticore life."
Max looked unconvinced.
"Impressive, aren't I? Intimidating in my perfection? Surely, I strike fear into your heart.. I am, after all, what you called a Nomlie.. Although, others call me Malachai now."
Max gulped, and resisted the urge to back away. He saw the apprehension that flickered across her face, and pain shimmered in his gray eyes.
"Yes, Max." His voice became severe. "Am I really so frightful? A child of misfortune, one of the legions they casually played God with. Splice a little here, tinker a little there.. Darn, the recipe isn't quite right. Destroy the whole batch!"
Max said "All we knew was terrible screaming, scary sounds coming from the lower levels. We weren't allowed down there.. One time, Lydecker made us walk through the containment ward. Something tried to grab us.." Max looked Malachai over again. "And they let you live?"
"There were many on the inside, who couldn't allow themselves to watch babies, children, being slaughtered. They thought they were being.. compassionate.." he spat out the last word.
Max didn't know if it was contemptuous emphasis, or a result of his malformations.
She wondered why he hadn't drained his veins of blood long ago.. He tiled his head slightly, as if listening..
"Oh, many times, I wanted to. More than anything. To leave this suffocating world, to find peace at last.. to just.. rest.. just feel nothing.. just cease.. stop breathing.. that was what I longed for. But I have found my reasons to stay. I'm already here, I may as well make the most of the time I have. it will end soon enough, on its own.." He turned and began walking down one of the passages.
Max realized that she had not spoken aloud. She wondered.. wondered, .. becoming conscious of her own thoughts, and tried to stop, but the unconscious stream continued in the back of her mind. Can he hear my thoughts? Ahead, he chuckled, the sound bouncing off the hard walls, echoing away into the darkness.. He looked back at her, his eyes bright, probing.. His breathing sounded labored, watery.. He continued on, his uneven and stuttering pace was faster than she expected. Oddly graceful, almost as if he were performing the steps to some unknown dance..
Max followed, trying to take it all in, trying not to think loudly, if that were possible.
Again Malachai laughed. "No use, Max. I can hear you clear as a bell."
"Well, can you just, .. stop? I'd like to think privately, if you don't mind."
He grinned back at her. It took Max a few seconds to realize he was grinning; the effect on his face was a bit unsettling.
"Very well."
The walked for a few minutes.
"How do I know you aren't eavesdropping?"
"You'll just have to trust me Max."
"Are there others here.. like you?" Max asked uneasily.
"There are some." There was a teasing tone in his voice. He was obviously enjoying her discomfort.
"Others escaped too?"
"They smuggled us out, but did little else. We had to make our own way.. Who, do you think, would want children like us? As the older ones survived, they came back to help the newly freed. Eventually, our little community took shape. Here is where you can stay, should you choose to."
He indicated a wooden door on their right. Max stepped inside and found a bed, dresser, mirror, and a strange light glowing on a table. She dropped her backpack on floor, and sat on the bed. It was surprisingly soft.
"What, don't you recognize a member of your own family? Didn't they tell you about your siblings, back in Manticore? I'm hurt." He mocked, bitterness underlying his words.
"Why don't we start with you? I assume you are one of the rebel X-5s. Tsk, tsk. They had such high hopes for your group.."
Max remained in a fighting stance. He came closer, she allowed him to lift up her hair.
"332960073452.. Ahh, Maxie! The benevolent one. They never could beat it out of you, could they?"
She swatted his hand away. "How the hell do you know anything about me?" she said through gritted teeth.
"Dear girl, I am an X-4. I know something of the ways of Manticore life."
Max looked unconvinced.
"Impressive, aren't I? Intimidating in my perfection? Surely, I strike fear into your heart.. I am, after all, what you called a Nomlie.. Although, others call me Malachai now."
Max gulped, and resisted the urge to back away. He saw the apprehension that flickered across her face, and pain shimmered in his gray eyes.
"Yes, Max." His voice became severe. "Am I really so frightful? A child of misfortune, one of the legions they casually played God with. Splice a little here, tinker a little there.. Darn, the recipe isn't quite right. Destroy the whole batch!"
Max said "All we knew was terrible screaming, scary sounds coming from the lower levels. We weren't allowed down there.. One time, Lydecker made us walk through the containment ward. Something tried to grab us.." Max looked Malachai over again. "And they let you live?"
"There were many on the inside, who couldn't allow themselves to watch babies, children, being slaughtered. They thought they were being.. compassionate.." he spat out the last word.
Max didn't know if it was contemptuous emphasis, or a result of his malformations.
She wondered why he hadn't drained his veins of blood long ago.. He tiled his head slightly, as if listening..
"Oh, many times, I wanted to. More than anything. To leave this suffocating world, to find peace at last.. to just.. rest.. just feel nothing.. just cease.. stop breathing.. that was what I longed for. But I have found my reasons to stay. I'm already here, I may as well make the most of the time I have. it will end soon enough, on its own.." He turned and began walking down one of the passages.
Max realized that she had not spoken aloud. She wondered.. wondered, .. becoming conscious of her own thoughts, and tried to stop, but the unconscious stream continued in the back of her mind. Can he hear my thoughts? Ahead, he chuckled, the sound bouncing off the hard walls, echoing away into the darkness.. He looked back at her, his eyes bright, probing.. His breathing sounded labored, watery.. He continued on, his uneven and stuttering pace was faster than she expected. Oddly graceful, almost as if he were performing the steps to some unknown dance..
Max followed, trying to take it all in, trying not to think loudly, if that were possible.
Again Malachai laughed. "No use, Max. I can hear you clear as a bell."
"Well, can you just, .. stop? I'd like to think privately, if you don't mind."
He grinned back at her. It took Max a few seconds to realize he was grinning; the effect on his face was a bit unsettling.
"Very well."
The walked for a few minutes.
"How do I know you aren't eavesdropping?"
"You'll just have to trust me Max."
"Are there others here.. like you?" Max asked uneasily.
"There are some." There was a teasing tone in his voice. He was obviously enjoying her discomfort.
"Others escaped too?"
"They smuggled us out, but did little else. We had to make our own way.. Who, do you think, would want children like us? As the older ones survived, they came back to help the newly freed. Eventually, our little community took shape. Here is where you can stay, should you choose to."
He indicated a wooden door on their right. Max stepped inside and found a bed, dresser, mirror, and a strange light glowing on a table. She dropped her backpack on floor, and sat on the bed. It was surprisingly soft.