Interchapter
"You are indeed a curious creature," said Doctor R'nari, peering at her from the other side of the glass, a tricorder whirring and flashing in his hands. "My scans show you to be quite normal. Completely human, not the slightest trace of an anomaly in your makeup; with the exception of your quite remarkable eyes. Unusual pigmentation: quite unheard of in your species."
"Let me out," the girl begged, or would have if she had been able to breathe or speak. The air was getting staler by the minute, and the Romulans no longer needed to drug her to keep her on the edge of unconsciousness; suffocation was doing the job just as nicely. She couldn't speak, could barely move the muscles of her jaw, but all the same R'nari seemed to hear her. "Now that wouldn't be very wise on my part, would it? Oh, you look helpless enough, and your pretence of agony is quite believable, but I know the truth. I have spent my life studying you: learning the legends, memorising the myths. I've visited hundreds of worlds, and on scores of those planets I've found evidence of your passing: a few bits of bone here and there for your genocides, a temple built to appease you – although I doubt such paltry offerings had much effect. No, I know quite well what you really are."
He stepped back and admired her again. "It's quite an excellent disguise; if it weren't for the eyes you'd look completely human. Quite sweet and innocent, as well. How do you manage that? How can a creature old as time itself, a killer with no equal, put up a believable pretence of pure innocence? Are you a great actor, as well as a great butcher?"
She wanted to tell him that he was wrong: that she was exactly as she appeared to be, that her innocence was no act, that he really was harming her, but it was impossible.
R'nari didn't need to be told, anyway. He was quite capable of thinking for himself. His mind was sick, but it was also brilliant. "Perhaps there is another explanation. Perhaps my tricorder tells me the truth. Perhaps you really are just a little human girl. But if that is the case, why do you bare such a striking resemblance to the beast? Hair colour, eye colour, the features of your face…all match the known characteristics of the Destroyer. Is there another explanation, though? Perhaps you aren't the Destroyer. Perhaps you are merely a host to that being. Is that the case? Just nod. Technician, increase the oxygen supply to the prisoner. You can breathe better now, my dear? Excellent. Now, are you a host, girl? Do you understand the question? Does the Destroyer live inside you?"
"Yes."
"Host!" Hissed the terrifying figment. "Why did you tell him that?"
"She lives in you, indeed? Fascinating. Now, my dear…just how do we let out your alter ego?"
"Another dream?"
"R'nari again," Alix replied, wiping the sweat from her brow. There was a bucket of it. "This can't go on, Kana."
The Destroyer sat on the edge of her bed, regarding her compassionately. "What happened in your dream, Alix?"
"R'nari shared his theories with me. He asked me if I was a host and…and I told him! Oh God, I told him. I told that bastard what he wanted to know!"
"I remember, Alix."
Fresh tears welled up in Alix's eyes and Kana looked away, allowing her host to weep in peace and privacy. Anyone else in the universe and she would have watched with glee, but Kana loved her host and didn't enjoy seeing her suffer.
"I should have kept my mouth shut! If I hadn't told him…"
"You were young, Alix, and you didn't know what people are capable of."
"If I'd said nothing, Kana…"
Kana soothed: "He would have found out anyway, Alix. R'nari had dedicated his life to learning whatever he could about me. As soon as he learnt of you he was never going to stop until he'd found out everything. He would have tortured you until he discovered what he wanted to know."
"I still didn't have to open my fat mouth and tell him. You tried to tell me that our secret was dangerous, but I didn't take you seriously. My own fault."
"Alix, please stop beating yourself up."
She looked at her other self through a film of tears. "Why?"
"Because I hate having to cheer you up, Alix. It goes against my character. Listen, it was long ago and far away. Yes, it was a terrible experience – for both of us – but we survived, time has moved on, and you learnt your lesson: you've certainly been more careful about keeping our secret since. Besides, in some small way the experience was good for us. Without R'nari, we might never have learned the how to perform the Change."
"It was a painful lesson to learn, Kana."
"But a necessary one," she insisted. "You aren't like others of your kind, but they mustn't know that. Humans are greedy, power-hungry, selfish and stupid by nature; the other humanoids aren't much better. Your kind are so easily corrupted by power, and people who get just a taste always yearn for more. You're a rare exception, and that's what makes you such a good host for me; you have no desire to bend me to your will or claim my power for yourself. If anything, you want to burden me with your morality. Few others could boast something like that. It's why you have to keep the secret. Alix, I think you have one more nightmare ahead of you. I think you know what about."
