WITH IN THESE WALLS THERE IS NO LIGHT ONLY SHADOWS
Location somewhere in the galaxy, in the science labs on level twenty on board the Iron Year science vessel.
Why am I here again? I've been here before I hate this room these tables these chairs. Yet here we are once again playing guinea pigs to bunch of morons who only care about their careers. It's so depressing that it makes me want to cry. The only reason I don't is because I won't show weakness to a bunch of human's who don't really care. I can't believe I was forced back in to quarters, which they locked at night. What am I an animal? I am not an animal nether is Jeuki! So what if he broke that asshole generals ribs the man was asking for it. Plus If I get one more package or one more stupid message from that stupid talking computer I'm going to scream. I can't take this anymore I feel like a rabbit in a cage everyone's controlling what I do. There locking me up and I can't do anything about it. I feel helpless so horribly helpless. I am not there experiment, which they can poke and prod at leisure. This is so messed up I shouldn't have come here I shouldn't have put Jeuki through this. I'm such a bitch. There's no honour here only typical human's who don't care.
"So do you have any idea where your electronic note pad is?"
Emma looked up meeting Marcus's gaze. "No." Marcus twirled his finger. "So you lost it in the explosion on Callisto?" Emma turned away. "Yes." Julia pushed Marcus out of the way. "Not in a cheery mood are we today?" Emma felt her wrist blades snap out as she tensed her wrist which caused Julia to step back quickly. Leo raised an eyebrow. "Julia you idiot." He looked at the wrist blades, which had gone to there full length. "Emma got locked in her quarters last night with Jeuki didn't you hear?" Lucy slowly looked in Jeuki's open mouth. "Leo she doesn't take her messages. She's to busy playing that stupid plug in mind game which is costly." Julia turned sharply. "Hey I like the plug in pattern generator it's fun." Julia slowly looked at the folds of skin in Jeuki's mouth she eased the metal tool in to it. "Oh yes fun, there's so much fun in using your mind to blow up little dots on a crappy head piece she pushed the tool in further. "It's not even a realistic game."
Emma turned sharply. "Don't put that any further in to his mouth." Lucy grunted pushing the device further in. "Why?" Jeuki felt the tool hit his upper mouth he up a hand on his mid section. Lucy didn't get a chance to move as a wash of liquid hit her lab coat shoulder as it flew from the hunter's mouth. She pulled back watching Jeuki flare his mandibles in discontent. She pulled up looking at the mess on her lab coat. "Ah Christ! What is this it's nasty?" Emma rolled her eyes. "I said don't push that thing in to his mouth. The folds of skin are sensitive back there. If you push them it causes a choking reaction." Lucy looked at the mess. "Oh what he just threw up on me. Ah hell this was my only good lab coat!" Jeuki flared his mandibles again feeling the rotten taste dissipate. Stupid ooman female! He pulled up a clawed hand. He could see now why Emma hadn't liked her health check. His version of one was just as bad. He howled as a pointed needle suddenly went in to his arm. He watched glowing green blood move in to the vile.
Lucy looked at the glowing blood. "Okay here's a question for you Jeuki, how compatible do you think our two species are?" Marcus sighed aloud. "And here we go with the sick perversion that is Lucy's messed up head." Lucy tapped the syringe. "This isn't perversion it's cell science." Jeuki slowly met Emma's gaze. Emma turned sharply. "I would like to know." Lucy slowly pulled out a test tube from near by she looked at the red blood in it. "Really you would, well this is yours. Would you like me to see if you have a chance in hell of breeding? Not that you ever would but I want to know." Leo sighed aloud. "Here comes that theory again." Lucy looked at the two bloods. "It's not a theory, I'm betting Jeuki has the same DNA as we do but he's just developed differently due to where he lives in the galaxy." She grinned. "I bet he comes from an ape like creature but his evolution took a different turn to us and his race grew bigger stronger and got claws and heavy weight to cope with the environment."
She shook the glowing blood. "Evolution being that it's all about natural selection." Julia sighed aloud. "Oh god I hate Charles Darwin his theories are such bull, natural selection please Evolution is about chaos." Lucy grunted aloud she pulled off her messed up lab coat throwing it in a cleaning bin near by. She put her electronic note pad on the table. "Again you have a lack of vision." Julia turned sharply. "Well I'm sorry I just don't share your vision." She sighed aloud. "I mean your vision doesn't account for the fact that no ape would have a face like his." Lucy slowly poured the green blood on to the glass under the microscope. She picked up another one pouring on Emma's. "How would you know? The galaxy is vast you could have odd ape like creatures." Marcus sighed aloud. "Personally I think your likely hood of breeding is 10 percent to 0." Lucy slowly watched the stethoscope move towards her eye. "Look you do your job I'll do mine go back to ship technology it's what's your good at." She began to type in to the computer. "Give me five minutes and I'll tell you."
Emma slowly picked up a cup of water taking a long drink. It had been so quite stuck in the quarters nether her and Jeuki had spoken much. She felt bad about the whole thing both for the marines getting in the way and the moron trying to chat her up. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration being escorted around by Carlos was annoying. Why did they need to be escorted around anyway? Everyone knew that they landed it was no big secret. It was like the guy in charge was trying to hide something from her. She slowly finished the water; she was finding that the food here tasted just as bad. So processed and manufactured, the meat she'd had, had been so tasteless. Roasted No-Bo was much tastier. She looked up meeting Jeuki's gaze all her thoughts left her. She owed him an apology for having to put up with this stupid human bull. She slowly squeezed the plastic cup between her fingers watching the side's crunch. Apparently she had one more test when Jeuki's final ones where done. Something she wasn't looking forward to.
"Oh yes! I am the best of the best!"
Marcus turned slightly eyeing Lucy. "You haven't done that test already have you?" Lucy typed the screen. "Listen to this and weep none believers." The computer slowly brought up both DNA strands. The screen turned the strands. "Possibility of human female mothering alien off spring successfully is at 40 percent. Leo turned looking at the screen. "Well that's interesting." He turned back to the alien ship on his screen. "Shame those two aren't ever going to breed. I bet you'd be drooling to see what the offspring looks like." His grin widened. "All that wonderful information that will never have any use in the world of cell science it must annoy you." Lucy turned back sharply. "Shut up Leo! At least I was right about them, since when have your theories ever been right?" Leo laughed aloud. "I was right about the ship being a hunter vessel. I was right about the invisibility cloak and that hunting is cultural to them." He slowly met her gaze. "I've been right about more things than you have."
Carlos grunted aloud. "Be quite! Your arguing is breaking my chain of thought." He turned meeting Emma's gaze. "I need you to come with me to the next room alone it's part of your health check." Emma stood up slowly. Lucy walked slowly up to Jeuki. "You stay there okay she'll be back in a little while, her test wont take long." Jeuki turned angrily watching Emma leave the room. Why did they have to take her away? He tapped his upper left mandible in frustration. Emma hadn't been very talkative after what had happened in the training room. He pulled up a clawed hand looking at it she didn't seem happy here ether. He thought she'd be happy among her own race maybe he was missing something. Marcus leaned over slightly. "Would you like anything to read Jeuki? We have notes on culture, history. Even some cases of your race visiting earth." He slowly met the hunters yellow eyes. "I mean you can read our language can't you?" Jeuki nodded he put a hand on his chin before slowly turning to meet the male oomans gaze. "I want to understand ooman women better."
Julia half choked on her coffee. "Did he just say what I think he said!?" Leo laughed slightly. "Jeuki no man can understand women it's impossible." Marcus pulled up an electronic pad he slowly plugged its cable in to the computer watching it begin the download. He turned slightly "Any particular thing in general or did you just want everything?" Jeuki folded his arms. "Everything." Lucy leaned forward. "That's kinda sweet I bet you want this to understand Emma better." Jeuki turned slightly as the pad was passed to him he instantly began to type. Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Are you positive Emma doesn't have her note pad because you seem to understand how that one works, really well?" Jeuki turned his back on him as he carried on reading. Marcus sneered in annoyance. "Christ what is it with you two? Emma does that to me as well, you just turn your backs when you're not interested and ignore people it's rude." Jeuki tapped his upper right mandible ignoring the ooman male he wouldn't tell him anything. Emma's pad was none of his business.
Lucy grinned moving around the heavily enforced bed, which Jeuki was sitting on. "You know if you want to impress her you should give her flowers." Leo moved around the other side. "Or a weapon your race seems to like weapons." Julia rolled her eyes. "You two are so disgusting I mean please he's not in love with her, I doubt he even knows what the word love means." Jeuki's eyes snapped wide open he turned slowly flaring his mandibles in the ooman female's direction. "Love is to care and look after another being and to show the up most compassion towards them and to sacrifice anything for them as they would do for you. While being there by there side to protect them and guide them!" He flared his mandibles again in anger. "Don't tell me I don't know what that words means because I do!" Lucy burst in to a fit of laugher. She grinned at Julia whose face had gone white in shock. "Well that told you didn't it, you forgot that Jeuki is on our level of thinking and isn't an animal." She patted the big spotted arm. "You go Jeuki you show the none believers how smart you are." Jeuki turned back to his pad maybe he could find something useful. He slowly started to read through the archives. Lucy turned away letting him read, she turned back to her screen. Marcus turned away in annoyance. "I bet he memorized that line from an electronic pad." He turned back to his screen typing away slowly looking at the hunter vessel on screen.
8
Emma let her gaze wander around the small room she watched Carlos slowly take a seat. He waved his hand to the large couch near by. "Make your self comfortable." Emma looked at the skeleton hanging near by; it was a copy but was still very impressive. She slowly sat herself down looking around her. "If this is about Jeuki hitting the general I'm really sorry about what happened." Carlos slowly brought up information on screen. "Actuality this has nothing to do with that. Mr Oran saw the video you and Jeuki are not in any trouble." He eased up a hand. "We would just not like you wander around unescorted and cloaked again." Emma taped the sofa's arm with her fingers. "Are you people hiding something? I feel like my self and Jeuki are no more than animals to you, since you keep as locked up." Carlos brought up more information on screen. "Miss Wingates we are all animals, its just our natures are different." He eased around the screen. "I believe this is the credit Oran Corp. owes you." Emma raised her eyebrow. "Credit?" Carlos smiled. "Yes credit you are a forma employee of the Callisto base which Oran owned he believes you should be paid in full for all you've had to endure."
He tapped his lips. "It's a really nice round number since it's been doubled one year in space time making you quite well off now." Emma looked at the four-figure number before sitting back in the chair. "I don't want it." Carlos turned sharply. "Excuse me you don't want it how could you not want three years worth of pay?" Emma narrowed her gaze. "Because I have no use for it, credits mean nothing to me." Carlos laughed slightly. "I don't believe this, you don't want this money forgive my rudeness but I believe you've forgotten what it is to be human. Humanity revolves around money you need money to survive. Emma looked up slightly. "Oh really, well it would seem I did a year in space without it." She turned slightly. "Send it to my younger brother he needs it far more than I do. His names Ivan Wingates he works on the mining planet Eros." Carlos sighed aloud. "Very well I'll have it transferred to his credit." He turned slowly. "You come from quite a poor background don't you Miss Wingates? Your late father Ian Wingates was a miner on Eros."
Emma put a hand on her chin. "You could say that my father died from breathing in a lot a poisons on the rig." She sighed aloud. "All so the people on Earth could have iron ore since their reserves are depleted." Carlos smiled inwardly. "Your mother walked out on both you and your brother and you grew up in the mining city on Eros." He clicked his finger. "What was that like?" Emma laughed slightly. "I didn't see a full sun rise till I visited Earth, Eros's sun never fully rises and it's a desert planet which is humid but not boiling." Carlos looked at the screen. "You're not a miner though are you Miss Wingates?" Emma looked down slightly. "No I looked after the house and studied it's my brother loves to mine." Carlos raised an eyebrow. "You're studying earning you a place at the science institute on Pluto were you study electronics for four years. You did odd jobs for science factories for quite a few years then by gleaming chance you got picked to go Callisto every scientist dream colony." Emma turned slightly. "That place was no dream."
Carlos leaned forward. "Tell me Miss Wingates what makes you say that?" Emma leaned back. "Working under Utro wasn't pleasant he was an arrogant bastard who always felt he knew better." Carlos laughed slightly. "Coming from a level three scientist such as your self that's interesting Utro was a born genius at level five or six. What makes you think your any smarter Miss Wingates?" Emma leaned forward. "Because I don't play god with things I can't control." Carlos smirked. "Interesting view point." He turned back to the screen. "Tell me what is your relationship, with Jeuki?" Emma felt her wrist blades spring out as he hand grabbed the sofa. "We are hunters." Carlos waved his hand. "No let me rephrase that, what are feelings towards Jeuki?" Emma lowered her gaze. "He's my friend." Carlos leaned closer. "Friend define friend, friend who you admire, love or worship?" Emma put a hand on her chin. "Friend what else do you want to know." Carlos sighed aloud. "Repressing our feelings is very bad Miss Wingates it's referred to as denial." Emma grunted aloud. "Oh please I'm not in denial."
Carlos leaned closer. "You express very human feelings towards him yet he's not human. I won't try to deny the fact that your pupil dilate when you look at him." Emma felt her hand grab the sofa tighter. "Even if I did like him on that level I wouldn't tell you." Carlos sighed aloud. "He's not human thought is he? Which brings up the question, do you see yourself as one of the human race or as one of his?" Emma turned slightly. "He's more human though you'll ever realize. His appearance is only his skin and bones it's who he is that counts." Carlos laughed slightly. "Some would say he's only that way because you crafted him that way he's from a race of hunter but acts more human." Emma turned slightly. "How would you know how he's meant to act? There's only him here I don't see anymore of his kind." Carlos leaned back. "Tell me Miss Wingates do you have sexual feeling towards this alien?" Emma sat felt her wrist blades click back in. "Didn't I just say that if I did I wouldn't tell you." Carlos sighed aloud. "You are the difficult one Miss Wingates." Emma sat back. "This is amusing you just want me to say yes because then you can call me a messed up human being."
Carlos slowly met her gaze. "You are a messed up human being Miss Wingates. You seem to have forgotten your place in humanity and are reaching out toward another species to for fill some wanting need." Emma raised an eyebrow. "You know if I'm not mistaken you're trying to psychoanalyse me Carlos." Carlos turned sharply. "What makes you say that Miss Wingates?" Emma pulled out her hand. "The fact that, that wooden box disguised as a medical case it's actually recording what I say." She leaned back grinning widely. "You know I was shown how they were made in the science institute. Fascinating concept really a box that records and video's what's happening to the patient." Carlos slammed his hand down on the box stopping it recording. "Off the record Miss Wingates I believe your sexually attached to another species. You're also in denial and you've forgotten your place in life." Emma slowly stood up. "Is that thing off?" Carlos turned slightly. "Yes! I just said it was." Emma moved forward meeting his gaze.
She narrowed her gaze. "Well of the record I think you're an arrogant asshole like Utro. I think you people are hiding something which is why both my self and Jeuki are trapped in a room and always escorted around." She eased up her hand. "I think if I'm right you're doomed just like every fool before you who played god and lost." Carlos smirked. "Utro was right you are a rebel, a smart ass rebel with out a clue." Emma put her hands behind her back. "Better to be like that than be like you. Thousands of innocent people died because of Utro, I wasn't running from humanity I was running from people like him and people like you." Carlos grinned evil. "Tell me what's it like kissing your boyfriends ugly four mandible face?"
8
Lucy turned sharply hearing a yelp of pain from the room opposite, she watched as Emma slammed the door open walking out. She turned as Carlos walked out behind her clutching his nose. The head doctor turned sharply. "How dare you hit me!" Emma turned sharply. "Go screw yourself, you pretentious little asshole!" Carlos groaned in pain he watched as Marcus handed Julia the medial equipment. "I trust it didn't go well." Carlos sat on a chair near by. "Shut up! Check my nose I think she's broken it!" Julia sighed aloud. "I told you the box was a really bad idea didn't I sir, but you didn't listen. Was this a direct punch to the face? Or was it side on?" Carlos sneered looking at the blood on his hand. "Direct!" Julia sighed aloud bringing up a device so she could see the bones under the nose. She pulled it away quickly. "Well it's not broken she just gave you a nose bleed." Marcus sighed aloud. "I'd like to know what it was that you said that made her punch your face."
Lucy turned back to her screen. She watched as Emma stormed past her turning to face Jeuki who'd been watching the event unravel. "Lets go back to our quarters." Jeuki closed the pad nodding slightly. What had the ooman said to make her so mad that she'd hit one of her own race? Maybe he said something about her weight ooman females got angry about thing like that or so he'd just read. He closed down the pad fully slipping it in to his armour. Pulling him self slowly off the bed. Lucy sat up slowly. "Hey let me I'll take you back to your quarters." Emma eyed her. "That's not necessary I know the way." Leo eased up his hands. "Come on let as take you two, it's no trouble. I mean it's better than you both going alone." Emma turned slightly. "Okay." Lucy grinned. "As an act of good faith." Jeuki looked at the ooman female with blonde hair. This was strange why was she being so nice? It seemed odd after her disrespectful behaviour, which he'd seen earlier. He slowly followed Emma maybe a gift would cheer her up the pad said that ooman females liked gifts.
8
Carlos slowly sat himself in the chair in from of Oran. "I want her off this ship now!" He felt his plastered nose. "Bitch nearly broke my nose!" Oran looked at his screen. "Did she take the money?" Carlos shook his head. "No she asked it to be sent to her brother on Eros." He slammed his fist down. "She's not worth it! We should just kill her and take her and boyfriend's technology!" Oran looked up slightly. "Be quite! Quit whining about your nose it's not important to me!" Carlos sat back. "What I got hurt!" Oran looked up slowly. "Make one more whining comment and I'll make it so Oni Jui really hurts you." He watched Carlos go silent. "I believe I should take matters on from here since your incompetence is proving to be a burden."
Carlos sat back. "What are you going to do? I mean she won't take credits." Oran breathed in angrily. "Please every human wants credits you just didn't give the right amount. I'll give her and offer she can't refuse when she comes to dinner tomorrow." He smiled slightly. "Her ship is in need of repairs and I have the parts." Carlos leaned forward. "You're not going to give her the parts from the other ship!" Oran lit a cigar. "No I'll give her one of the prototypes which will work with her hyper drive." Carlos pulled up his hands. "My scientists worked on those for a year! You can't just take one away from me!" Oran leaned forward. "I can do what ever I want!" He leaned back slightly. "You can make more, so make more." He breathed our smoke. "I'll give her, her dreams and more and a working ship and she'll fall in my arms like a child hugging its father." Carlos leaned forward. "What if she doesn't want your offer she didn't want mine?" Oran blew smoke in his face. "No ones ever refused me, I doubt she will."
8
Jeuki sat down slowly on the broken bed his gaze turned to Emma who was gazing in to space. "Was that male ooman cruel to you?" Emma put a hand on her face. "Yes, he was so I hit him." Jeuki sat up pulling up his clawed hand, which he ran gently over the side of her face. "These ooman make you unhappy." Emma looked down slightly. "Yes." Jeuki slowly eased his arm around her shoulder. "What do they say that makes you unhappy?" Emma looked up at him. "They don't like me, they don't like who I am. Who I've become." She looked at her hands. "They just see me as an outsider." Jeuki tapped his upper left mandible. "Do you want to go back to them?" Emma slowly met his gaze. "No." Jeuki leaned over slightly. "Do you want to leave?" Emma sighed aloud. "Yes I do and as soon as I meet the person in charge we'll leave this place." Jeuki looked at her. "The ooman are being foolish treating you this way." He turned slightly. "They should respect you for your courage."
Emma slowly put her arm around his spotted waist. "We shouldn't have come here." Jeuki pulled the pad out of his armour. "I disagree I've learnt a lot about your race." Emma looked at the pad in his hand. "Where did you get that it's not mine?" Jeuki shook his head. "From the ooman scientist, it's about female oomans." Emma pulled back in utter confusion. "Why on earth do you have that?" Jeuki looked at the pad. "I wanted to understand you better. It's just you've been so sad recently I wanted to find a way to cheer you up." He cocked his head to one side. "I don't like seeing you unhappy that's all." Emma looked up slowly. "Look I'm sorry about what happened in the gym."
Jeuki leaned forward. "That wasn't your fault." Emma looked down. "You protected me for the second time and I haven't said thank you." She put a hand on her face. "That general would've hit me and you stopped him. I didn't mean to get annoyed with you." Jeuki looked at her. "Your welcome, it's okay I understand you where just mad." He put the pad down lying back feeling Emma do the same. "I get mad you get mad but where together that's all that matters." Emma held his waist tighter. "Your right that is all that matters." She watched him tap his mandibles. That bastard was wrong! She didn't care what anyone else said Jeuki was human in his own special way. She closed her eyes feeling sleep slowly take over her body. She didn't feel Jeuki's clawed hand move through her hair. Jeuki looked at Emma. She wanted to leave. Ether way it didn't matter to him, they'd leave tomorrow. Somehow it would make it easer for him to tell her how he really felt. Back abroad there ship away from all the oomans.
End of part 9
Silvermoonlight