It was Kate and Gemma who made the discovery.
Heading for the galley, Kate had seen Gemma ahead of her, heading in the same direction.
“Hey, Gemma, wait up.”
Kate trotted forward and threw her arm around Gemma’s shoulders. Both women jumped apart as they felt a sudden tingle of static pass between them.
“Did you just feel what I just felt?” said Kate.
Gemma nodded. “Maybe it was just static?” she said.
“Only one way to find out,” said Kate and reaching out she took both Gemma’s hands in hers. Once again, there was the fleeting moment of electrical connection which just as quickly disappeared. But in its place was a sensation both women recognised: a heightened awareness of the other, a partial merging of identity, a crossing-point where both met on a deeper level.
“Hey girl,” said Kate, “You’re just as lovely inside as you are out.”
“Same goes for you,” said Gemma, as her mind’s eye perceived Kate’s inner self as multi-coloured flames that flickered and danced, constantly weaving themselves into an infinity of new colours.
“It’s not as intense as with them,” said Kate.
“But it’s amazing it’s happening at all,” said Gemma. “Do you think they’ve awakened something in us, something that - perhaps - we already had?”
“They told us our DNA is 90% the same,” said Kate, “so, yes, maybe they have.”
“They say they’re a few hundred years ahead of us,” said Gemma thoughtfully, “Perhaps given the same length of time, humankind might develop the same ability?”
“Who knows?” said Kate, “but something has sure as hell happened to us.”
They stopped speaking for a moment, growing more comfortable with the emotional current passing between them, communicating in feelings rather than words, their inner selves meeting for the first time. Gemma’s mind drifted to the last time she’d made this kind of connection with Irvn then - too late - realised what she’d done as sensuous echoes of their time together surged through her.
“Wow!” said Kate, “Now that’s what I call a lightshow! In fact, more like a fireworks display. So there was more to it than you let on?”
Reluctantly, Gemma slipped her hands out of Kate’s.
“I know I should have told you,” she said, “but I don’t find it so easy to…share.”
“It’s OK sweetie,” said Kate, “I think we pretty much guessed anyway. You’re a terrible liar.”
Gemma laughed.
“Do you think,” said Kate slowly, “that our ability to connect - you and me - has something to do with having had sex with them?”
“Could be,” said Gemma, “perhaps the intensity of our connection with them has woken the ability in us. Maybe it’s just the two of us?”
“Only one way to find out,” said Kate, “we need to talk to the others. Try it with the others.”
“Must we?” said Gemma anxiously.
“I think so,” said Kate, “we have to find out whether the same has happened to them. This is not something we should keep to ourselves.”
© Adriana Nicolas 2015