Eight
Torres
There are a few things I'd like to let you know.
In his personal control room wearing fine silk clothes fitted to perfection Torres walked away from the console he had used to override the security monitors and into an antechamber where the transport ring's circle was depicted on the floor.
It is my will that you survive.
As he passed he eyed his full length reflection in one of the gilded walls.
Even if both of us do…
He stared into his hosts eyes. Subconsciously the face took on shadows and bated breath of his hosts fear and anticipation at what he hadn't yet said.
I doubt we'll ever see each other again.
He took his place in the circle. The rings flew up in succession and he was transported down to a sublevel into a dim charcoal coloured stone passage. At the close end he opened the door to a dead-end chamber, its single entrance made it unique within the medical facility; he wanted a closed undertaking.
I have already seen too much pain on the faces of children.
A simple stone operating table stood in the centre of the room, beautifully made yet unsettling, shelves of imaging technology and medical equipment on the walls..
Maybe you will grow to be my enemy. That wouldn't matter much though. When you are a man if you dare to fight me, return here and we will see what you are capable of.
Torres wandered waiting and idly handling the intriguing experiment devices.
I never really believed this day would come. Now that I'm lord of this fort, you will have to go on with your life alone.
After a short while the general strode in, black boots beating a set rhythm on the chamber floor. He wore the blue uniform with details inset with silver on his soft leather belt, staff weapon and across his the back of his tunic. The expression on his face was impassive, but despite that Torres knew that General Ganev was forthright, sharp and unassuming.
Ganev kneeled before him for a moment then rose.
"Speak," said Torres.
"The prisoner is ready, Lord Torres."
"Bring him in."
Ganev left the room and returned with two lieutenants pulling along a weary, bewildered prisoner. When the prisoner saw it was Torres who general Ganev was looking to his expression became bewildered. The lieutenants knocked him down into kneeling and bowed his head by force.
"You dirty little thief. Soon you'll see the sum of your actions," Torres scolded (though he really had no interest in the crime), coming to stand in front of him. The man looked around dumbly, not registering who Torres actually was.
He's right to be confused, yet wisely holds his tongue, thought Torres.
Torres's pushed up the mans chin with his small hand so their eyes were exactly level. He turned the man's face this way and that looking him over carefully.
He was around 25 with short, black, curly hair, classical features and green eyes, wearing once very smart, middle class city clothes which now were filthy and barely holding together.
Torres glanced to Ganev and walked away from the man, "very well," he gestured Ganev, "have him prepared."
Ganev casually pointed to the door and the lieutenants boosted the man up and pushed him along through the doorway. Four old, robed women entered as General Ganev left the chamber. One of them walked ahead of the others and bowed her head briefly.
"You, could die, my lord," she said, "or become crippled, mentally disabled-"
"Two of you are to focus on healing this body immediately," he said running his hands over his host's skin. "Prepare."
She lifted him up to the table where he crawled onto it on all fours and turned over to lie on his back. The healers put on their hand devices and stood around where his head rested. He released his hold on the child gradually, letting the muscles slip from his control.
He felt the eyes widen in shock and a trembling began.
Be still or something very bad will happen, Torres warned him.
When Torres felt his power return in full he proceeded. Causing extreme suffering to himself but significantly less to the child, Torres released the hold of each fine strand connecting their brainstems and drawing them out he unwound from the spine slowly.
The body seized and tightened the muscles and nerves, bringing his fingers, arms and legs into a cramp against the torso. Torres's hissed shrieks of pain sliced though the stone walls, escaping the chamber like a cold draft under the doors and through the cracks. He pulled up his tail pointing it at the throat and speared it though, bursting the soft flesh, trying to stretch out as he wriggled through the break and downwards pulling his head through and slithering up into the mouth, blood covered him and hazed his eyes but ultimately made it easier to move.
The mouth of the stilled child opened and he left it, wrapping around a hand that gently took hold and pulled him out. The healer lowered him into a basin filtering pure water, then the glow of two healing devices lit up above him, warming his body as it released a chemical which made the fine strands fall away and his skin harden. His body was working hard and used all its energy to heal most of the trauma at once so he gradually became unconscious.
Much later he came out of the dreams that had formed during the last stages of the blending and began to communicate with his new host's consciousnesses as he too became aware.
Teo, he said now knowing his name.
My lord, the host scoffed.
Yes, you'll soon know who's in control here, he said sorting through Teo's memories at will.
General Ganev was the only other person remaining in the room and helped Torres up since he was extremely weak.
"Lord Torres, the child is healed," he said assisting as Torres limped from the room to the set of rings in the passage.
"Summon my messenger and I will give him directions."
They stepped out and walked back to the control room and from there made their way to his personal chamber, one of the gold rooms. Since they had returned to the fort the servants worked full time cleaning up. There was no longer any charred and broken furniture or blood and skin, no smell rising from the other levels.
"Is it to your liking?"
Torres stopped inspecting the new all white marble furniture from the vantage point of his host's height as he came across something he hadn't noticed before. A statue standing on the balcony outside looking out over the sea beyond the bay. He swung open the shutters and walked around to see the face carved into it.
Kaya, it almost drove him mad.
Still taller than you, Teo said.
He ordered it destroyed and had Ganev drag it out at once so Ganev pushed the statue inch by inch along the floor. When it got stuck on the balcony step Torres had to find a mirror to distract himself. He was very narked but managed to straighten out his lavish new clothes.
I was right not to recognise you. You don't belong here after all, Teo needled.
He didn't dignify it with an answer, so lets explore some of your embarrassing moments.
He closed his eyes as though it helped him search Teo's memories. More importantly it blocked out the sight of Kaya's satisfied face in the background.
Why do you hate your brother so much?
Ah what's this? Torres smiled detecting his hosts instant discomfort.
Its private.
Not any more!
Torres focussed on it intensely until all the images and sounds became clear.
That is not for you to experience! Teo protested.
As Torres came to understand what he had found buried in his host's mind it also became clear what a grave mistake he had made in choosing Teo.
"Ganev!" he barked stalking over and grabbed him by the collar, shaking him.
"Its difficult! It must weigh at least-"
"What have you done to me?"
Ganev seemed to be looking for the 'right' answer.
"You said he was merely a thief," he said trying to speed things up.
"That is why he was arrested."
Yes, that is why I was arrested.
"I'm damned. You fools!"
Torres pushed a particularly brutal memory from his mind and watched Sue enter the room. She had looked so perfect and powerful from the child's point of view but now he saw her from a man's, all the curves plain to see and her defiant demeanour. She wore a country dress made of a heavy red fabric with a very worn hem, a mass of long brown curls held back in some incomprehensibly messy manner. He doubted that a woman so unadorned had ever set foot this far inside the fort before.
"Thank you, Sue, for your assistance to the army," his words were made of whispers.
"Its Sutiana," she corrected while looking him over too and then glanced around the room.
She trying to be cute? Teo asked.
He smiled, no, most definitely not. Just difficult.
"Why was I summoned here?"
"I have something for you," he said circling her to feel the air charge between them.
"That's all good and well, but why was I summoned," she smirked.
He stopped by her side and facing the opposite direction looking at her quizzically as she stared uninterestedly ahead at the wall behind his throne.
You!" he yelled suddenly, close to her ear and on purpose. Both Sue and the servant jumped and he snickered in glee making it impossible for her not to look into his eyes, "Bring the lady a drink."
They watched the boy run out of the room in obedience and she turned to him.
"You are lord Kaya."
"No," he said in annoyance, "Kaya is no more."
Especially if he ever comes back.
"I led the army back to victory so I've take my place as Lord in the event of his death. I am Torres.
"Please, sit down."
The only chair there was his throne so she walked up the low steps to it and sat there.
"Women," he groaned dropping onto the highest step.