(Note: Characters from Earth Final Conflict are not mine and this is meant
only for entertainment purposes only, so don't sue! This occours somewhere
in the fifth season and is a Renee/Howlyn pairing. R for adult
content/language.
Dance of the Atavus
Chapter Four
They all gathered in the hybrid chamber and Renee watched closely as Juda was led into one side. The other side was empty for the moment. The concept of changing an Atavus into a human was one that Renee did not understand at all, since the Atavus had so few in number - at least those not in stasis in the many pods that scattered the earth. Each Atavus would have been deemed valuable.
"I see the questions in your eyes Renee." Howlyn's tone of voice was an amused one. "But you see, you have been up here for much longer than you realize - hasn't she Sandoval?"
"Yes. Time enough for us to discover the location of the pods on Earth.." Sandoval smiled ever so slightly.
"No! That can't be!" Renee exclaimed.
"Because you threw the crystal to the floor, Miss Palmer?" Sandoval raised a brow. "You obliterated the device but the crystal shards - " He paused. "Waste not, want not, Miss Palmer."
"You - were able to duplicate the crystal.." Renee said flatly.
"Yes, with some - adaptations." Howlyn answered. "It was not perfect at first, but we were able to locate many of the hives and regenerate those inside."
Renee felt sick inside and then she realized something else.
"Our bargain.." Her eyes narrowed.
Howlyn drew her close as a smile crossed his lips. "Yes, our bargain..which I kept, dear Renee.."
"With the revival of the Atavus pods, they will need a food source.." Renee said. "And that would be pure humans."
"But the humans - which we have set aside per our mutual agreement - have been marked with Taleon signatures making them repellent to us, hence they will survive.." Howlyn's eyes searched her face to see if she had truly come to the realization of their bargain.
"They're for BREEDING aren't they?!" Renee's eyes blazed in anger. "They're not food because they'll be bred to where you'll always have a supply of humans for feeding upon!!"
Howlyn laughed. "Quite correct, Renee!" His eyes glowed in approval. "We have devised a system to where with each generation of human beings born throughout the world shall be of three distinct classes - breeders, food, and those who we desire to be as slaves until such time as they are of no use to us. The human/Atavus hybrids will comprise of the higher echelons of society, from lower class to higher class, with the Atavus as the overall masters of society itself. You, dear Renee shall sit at it's pinnacle with me."
Renee wanted nothing more than to kill Howlyn where he stood, and the Atavus knew it. His eyes kindled with desire for her even now. But first he had business to take care of.
Two Atavus brought in a human, who like all others who were joined to the Atavus unwillingly, held the same terrified expression. Except this human was very familar..
"Street!" Renee nearly bolted but Howlyn held her tightly in place and rested his chin upon her shaking shoulders.
"Renee?" Street's eyes were wide with recognition. "Oh god, when we found out you had gone, Boone - "
"Silence." Sandoval glared at the human.
"Boone what?" Renee ignored Sandoval. Oh god, if something happened to Boone! But seeing Street here on the mother ship.
"He - went looking for you. I hadn't heard from him and I could not find him on the Global network.." Street's eyes looked sad.
Renee pushed her frantic thoughts of Boone aside for the moment. "Street - how - ?"
Howlyn nodded to Sandoval, who said, "We've destroyed your little hiding place, Miss Palmer."
"No..." Renee whispered hoarsely.
"Enough of this." Howlyn said shortly. "Place her in the chamber."
"NO!" Renee struggled to get to Street. She would grab Sandoval's weapon - any weapon - and take herself and Street out if she had to.
Howlyn knew her desperation and had anticipated her actions. He relished the waves of despair and anger coming from his chosen one. Their child would be strong and posess great will - something that would be needed amongst the Atavus that would one day spread from beyond the Earth to the galaxy.
"Don't worry about me, Renee." Street said as she was forced into the chamber.
"Street! Oh god!" Tears flowed freely from Renee's cheeks.
The chamber shut and Renee felt like her soul was ripped out from her. Street - her friend and her comrade in arms! She had been caught by the Atavus before but had gotten away. Now this time -
"Do not despair, Renee. This is not a joining - at least in the sense that you know.." Howlyn purred softly. "You see, since our numbers upon the Earth have swelled, I now can afford to cull out those who do not follow my directives..."
Renee remained silent.
"You see, just as a human can become joined with an Atavus, so we can change an Atavus to a human - well, not exactly a human, but close enough to where they share a human's weaknesses. And you see, to a Atavus psyche, to be weak is worse than death. Of course the human involved will - " He chuckled softly. "Let us demonstrate." Howlyn paused to hear the scratching and howling inside the chamber. Juda was quite awake.
Sandoval nodded as an Atavus activated some controls upon the console. The chamber lit up and Renee could see the two figures inside just as they would be seen in a joining process. Except that this time, both of the figures writhed in pain and soundless screams came from both Juda and Street.
Howlyn's grip on Renee hurt but she did not care, Street was dying and it was her fault. All of it had been her fault.
A hissing sound from the chamber indicated that the process was done and the chamber opened, clouds of mist emanating from it. Renee saw a lone figure stumble out of the chamber. She looked to the half of the chamber where Street had been, and there was nothing but her clothing.
Renee shuddered, her eyes wide. She would not turn away. Street was gone.
~Wherever you are, Street, I'm sorry..~ Renee bit her lip as she felt the fluttering in her abdomen once more.
The figure that had stumbled out of the chamber was Juda but a changed Juda. She looked somehow smaller, less massive. Her eyes looked confused and dazed. Renee looked into them and realized that the eyes - they had a humanity in them!
"Street?" Renee whispered. Juda turned her head towards Renee and blinked.
****
~Weak...~ Juda thought as she came stumbling out of the chamber. ~Never have I felt so - weak.~
~Howlyn..~ Juda thought disjointedly as she recognized the Atavus leader. ~I don't - anger - I was angry ~
She took a step and heard, "Street?" She turned to the familiar -
~Name? That's my name.~ Juda blinked as she sought to clear her vision. ~Renee?~ She thought.
~I - I - she is my friend..~ Juda felt alien thoughts whirling about in her head and she tried to capture them, but they flited away as her own brain tried to capture who she had been.
~HATE her!~ Juda's eyes darkened ~Whore!~
Howlyn smiled as he let Renee go for the moment. Sandoval, as if he knew Howlyn's thoughts stepped over to where Renee still stood transfixed. She had had her hand reached out to Juda, for she knew that Street had been absorbed into the Atavus.
Juda snarled, but she still felt a horrible weakness within her as she gazed at the human woman she hated with all her being. She drew out her hand instinctively even as the presence within her fought her from doing so. Juda smiled, ignoring Howlyn, who stood slightly in front and beside the human. His eyes were watchful as if he expected something to happen.
Juda held up her hand, ignoring the weakness. It was an oddity, a passing thing. She would kill the human Renee Palmer. It was what she lived for now. Yes, she would deal the killing blow and -
She blinked and looked at her hand. She had summoned the cleaves from it, but they were not there! Horrified, she looked beyond her hand and stared at Howlyn, who stepped forward slowly.
"How do you like being a human, Juda?" Howlyn cocked his head.
"I am - not human!" Juda thrust out her hand but again nothing happened.
"Do you feel weak?" Howlyn started to circle her. "Tell me, dear Juda."
"You - no.." Realization had finally dawned on her.
"I - yes." Howlyn slipped a lock of Juda's hair through his fingers. "I now have more Atavus that roam the earth and more than enough females. You are not needed - not in your state anyway."
"NO!" Juda wailed.
With a sudden swiftness that even surpised those who had seen Howlyn in action before, he ruthlessly plunged his cleave into Juda's chest and she screeched, her head going back. He gritted his teeth as he fed on the human chi within her, and when she finally fell to the floor lifeless, Howlyn shook his head and walked away.
"Dispose of her." He said shortly.
Renee stood there stunned. Her mind had taken in too much - just too much. She felt the fluttering in her abdomen once more and felt guilt wash over her. No, she could not live like this - not even for the life within her.
It all seemed to go so fast - and yet so slow. Renee turned to Sandoval and grabbed his weapon before he could react. Pointing it to her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut -
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" She heard Howlyn's cry and smiled faintly.
~Boone, I will always love you..~
(Nope..this isn't the end!)
Dance of the Atavus
Chapter Four
They all gathered in the hybrid chamber and Renee watched closely as Juda was led into one side. The other side was empty for the moment. The concept of changing an Atavus into a human was one that Renee did not understand at all, since the Atavus had so few in number - at least those not in stasis in the many pods that scattered the earth. Each Atavus would have been deemed valuable.
"I see the questions in your eyes Renee." Howlyn's tone of voice was an amused one. "But you see, you have been up here for much longer than you realize - hasn't she Sandoval?"
"Yes. Time enough for us to discover the location of the pods on Earth.." Sandoval smiled ever so slightly.
"No! That can't be!" Renee exclaimed.
"Because you threw the crystal to the floor, Miss Palmer?" Sandoval raised a brow. "You obliterated the device but the crystal shards - " He paused. "Waste not, want not, Miss Palmer."
"You - were able to duplicate the crystal.." Renee said flatly.
"Yes, with some - adaptations." Howlyn answered. "It was not perfect at first, but we were able to locate many of the hives and regenerate those inside."
Renee felt sick inside and then she realized something else.
"Our bargain.." Her eyes narrowed.
Howlyn drew her close as a smile crossed his lips. "Yes, our bargain..which I kept, dear Renee.."
"With the revival of the Atavus pods, they will need a food source.." Renee said. "And that would be pure humans."
"But the humans - which we have set aside per our mutual agreement - have been marked with Taleon signatures making them repellent to us, hence they will survive.." Howlyn's eyes searched her face to see if she had truly come to the realization of their bargain.
"They're for BREEDING aren't they?!" Renee's eyes blazed in anger. "They're not food because they'll be bred to where you'll always have a supply of humans for feeding upon!!"
Howlyn laughed. "Quite correct, Renee!" His eyes glowed in approval. "We have devised a system to where with each generation of human beings born throughout the world shall be of three distinct classes - breeders, food, and those who we desire to be as slaves until such time as they are of no use to us. The human/Atavus hybrids will comprise of the higher echelons of society, from lower class to higher class, with the Atavus as the overall masters of society itself. You, dear Renee shall sit at it's pinnacle with me."
Renee wanted nothing more than to kill Howlyn where he stood, and the Atavus knew it. His eyes kindled with desire for her even now. But first he had business to take care of.
Two Atavus brought in a human, who like all others who were joined to the Atavus unwillingly, held the same terrified expression. Except this human was very familar..
"Street!" Renee nearly bolted but Howlyn held her tightly in place and rested his chin upon her shaking shoulders.
"Renee?" Street's eyes were wide with recognition. "Oh god, when we found out you had gone, Boone - "
"Silence." Sandoval glared at the human.
"Boone what?" Renee ignored Sandoval. Oh god, if something happened to Boone! But seeing Street here on the mother ship.
"He - went looking for you. I hadn't heard from him and I could not find him on the Global network.." Street's eyes looked sad.
Renee pushed her frantic thoughts of Boone aside for the moment. "Street - how - ?"
Howlyn nodded to Sandoval, who said, "We've destroyed your little hiding place, Miss Palmer."
"No..." Renee whispered hoarsely.
"Enough of this." Howlyn said shortly. "Place her in the chamber."
"NO!" Renee struggled to get to Street. She would grab Sandoval's weapon - any weapon - and take herself and Street out if she had to.
Howlyn knew her desperation and had anticipated her actions. He relished the waves of despair and anger coming from his chosen one. Their child would be strong and posess great will - something that would be needed amongst the Atavus that would one day spread from beyond the Earth to the galaxy.
"Don't worry about me, Renee." Street said as she was forced into the chamber.
"Street! Oh god!" Tears flowed freely from Renee's cheeks.
The chamber shut and Renee felt like her soul was ripped out from her. Street - her friend and her comrade in arms! She had been caught by the Atavus before but had gotten away. Now this time -
"Do not despair, Renee. This is not a joining - at least in the sense that you know.." Howlyn purred softly. "You see, since our numbers upon the Earth have swelled, I now can afford to cull out those who do not follow my directives..."
Renee remained silent.
"You see, just as a human can become joined with an Atavus, so we can change an Atavus to a human - well, not exactly a human, but close enough to where they share a human's weaknesses. And you see, to a Atavus psyche, to be weak is worse than death. Of course the human involved will - " He chuckled softly. "Let us demonstrate." Howlyn paused to hear the scratching and howling inside the chamber. Juda was quite awake.
Sandoval nodded as an Atavus activated some controls upon the console. The chamber lit up and Renee could see the two figures inside just as they would be seen in a joining process. Except that this time, both of the figures writhed in pain and soundless screams came from both Juda and Street.
Howlyn's grip on Renee hurt but she did not care, Street was dying and it was her fault. All of it had been her fault.
A hissing sound from the chamber indicated that the process was done and the chamber opened, clouds of mist emanating from it. Renee saw a lone figure stumble out of the chamber. She looked to the half of the chamber where Street had been, and there was nothing but her clothing.
Renee shuddered, her eyes wide. She would not turn away. Street was gone.
~Wherever you are, Street, I'm sorry..~ Renee bit her lip as she felt the fluttering in her abdomen once more.
The figure that had stumbled out of the chamber was Juda but a changed Juda. She looked somehow smaller, less massive. Her eyes looked confused and dazed. Renee looked into them and realized that the eyes - they had a humanity in them!
"Street?" Renee whispered. Juda turned her head towards Renee and blinked.
****
~Weak...~ Juda thought as she came stumbling out of the chamber. ~Never have I felt so - weak.~
~Howlyn..~ Juda thought disjointedly as she recognized the Atavus leader. ~I don't - anger - I was angry ~
She took a step and heard, "Street?" She turned to the familiar -
~Name? That's my name.~ Juda blinked as she sought to clear her vision. ~Renee?~ She thought.
~I - I - she is my friend..~ Juda felt alien thoughts whirling about in her head and she tried to capture them, but they flited away as her own brain tried to capture who she had been.
~HATE her!~ Juda's eyes darkened ~Whore!~
Howlyn smiled as he let Renee go for the moment. Sandoval, as if he knew Howlyn's thoughts stepped over to where Renee still stood transfixed. She had had her hand reached out to Juda, for she knew that Street had been absorbed into the Atavus.
Juda snarled, but she still felt a horrible weakness within her as she gazed at the human woman she hated with all her being. She drew out her hand instinctively even as the presence within her fought her from doing so. Juda smiled, ignoring Howlyn, who stood slightly in front and beside the human. His eyes were watchful as if he expected something to happen.
Juda held up her hand, ignoring the weakness. It was an oddity, a passing thing. She would kill the human Renee Palmer. It was what she lived for now. Yes, she would deal the killing blow and -
She blinked and looked at her hand. She had summoned the cleaves from it, but they were not there! Horrified, she looked beyond her hand and stared at Howlyn, who stepped forward slowly.
"How do you like being a human, Juda?" Howlyn cocked his head.
"I am - not human!" Juda thrust out her hand but again nothing happened.
"Do you feel weak?" Howlyn started to circle her. "Tell me, dear Juda."
"You - no.." Realization had finally dawned on her.
"I - yes." Howlyn slipped a lock of Juda's hair through his fingers. "I now have more Atavus that roam the earth and more than enough females. You are not needed - not in your state anyway."
"NO!" Juda wailed.
With a sudden swiftness that even surpised those who had seen Howlyn in action before, he ruthlessly plunged his cleave into Juda's chest and she screeched, her head going back. He gritted his teeth as he fed on the human chi within her, and when she finally fell to the floor lifeless, Howlyn shook his head and walked away.
"Dispose of her." He said shortly.
Renee stood there stunned. Her mind had taken in too much - just too much. She felt the fluttering in her abdomen once more and felt guilt wash over her. No, she could not live like this - not even for the life within her.
It all seemed to go so fast - and yet so slow. Renee turned to Sandoval and grabbed his weapon before he could react. Pointing it to her chest, she squeezed her eyes shut -
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" She heard Howlyn's cry and smiled faintly.
~Boone, I will always love you..~
(Nope..this isn't the end!)
