Sixteen (ON HOLD)

2.3 The Walls Come Tumbling Down

Memories flashed across Kate's mind with a ferocious speed; gaining momentum as they compiled fragmented pieces from her past into one distinct image. It was a truth she would give anything to submerge again. The terrible things she had witnessed, caused by a crippling disease that deformed and tortured its many victims. A disease made all the more unbearable because her people had never known illness, never felt pain before then. With no natural immunity the disease spread swiftly, the virus mutating as needed to evade their natural healing capabilities. Fear lead to hysteria, another trait they knew little about. The terrible things she had done, abducting humans from a far away planet called 'Earth', the many failed experiments it took to combine their DNA, their memories, and become one with them. And the final plan, it clicked into view and everything became clear at once. It was something she would have never thought herself capable of, but the instinct to survive was stronger than her conscience.

"Are you crying?" Cole let his hand drop from her face as if touching her was suddenly less than desirable. He scrunched up his face showing his obvious distaste for the salty pools of water that were rolling down her cheeks. "These are human emotions Alleyon, just block them out."

Jealousy did not come easy to them, but he had always found a way to resent her status and was the only one on the team that resisted her leadership.

"Keep calling me Kate, and stop using abilities the humans don't have. Have you forgotten what we're here for? How important it is?" Kate straightened her back and looked right into Cole's eyes, human emotions or not she could not let him get the upper hand. She was in charge and it needed to stay that way.

"Well it's a bit too late for that, isn't it? I fixed their Chief's arm - which you broke by the way."

"That was an accident! As soon as you realized that you were undamaged and the rest of us needed help you should have come to me immediately, not gone on a solo mission to scope out potential allies."

"What's done is done," a sly smile spread across Cole's face, he knew he was antagonizing her and was enjoying it. "He's a smart choice; he has just enough authority to help us but probably not enough to hurt us." Cole relished in the fact that he had come around quicker than the others, feeling like it made him superior in some way physically. It had been right around the time they were leaving the station that the fog slowly lifted for him, but it was clear that the others were not going to be so lucky. True, he had let it go on longer than he should have. Alleyon was in charge of this mission, like it or not, he should have tried to reach her immediately. Alleyon, Kate, whatever her name was now.

"Wait, you told him we weren't here to hurt him . . ." Kate thought back to the scene she had witnessed, Cole clearly told the man he was trying to befriend not to be afraid.

"That, Kate, was a lie. Start practicing; it's a defense mechanism they use a lot here." He turned and started to walk away.