DUMUZI
Above my head, the synthetic weather system whirled, misting the green flora to my left and right. A sense of peacefulness, not found in another realm or world, permeated the air I breathed.
After my morning jog—for I was determined to stay at my peak physical fitness—the cool mist felt pleasant on my heated skin. As I breathed in the scent of moss, decaying leaves, and dirt, I was enthralled. Everything about Earth was so... raw.
I raised my eyes to the top of the dome of New Dilmun, which was swallowed by green leaves and thick branches. Earth's surviving life was preserved here; safe from fallout, radiation, and the barren world in which was deemed to die.
Today, I desired to bring Pearl here to teach. Yet something was amiss with her once more, and since I vowed to stay out of her thoughts, I was clueless. She requested to be left alone. I honored that request, even if it puzzled me considerably.
A sciurus carolinensis—a grey squirrel—eyed my snack from a few feet away. I fiddled with a small piece of fruit rather than consuming it. I was strict about my caloric intake and preferred less, not more, so I offered the timid creature my piece of fruit with two fingers.
Beady black eyes regarded me with trepidation, naturally. For my kind, life on Earth was far too basic and uninteresting to entertain. I found it peculiar; everything was so soft, so warm, so prey-like.
Even my Pearl.
Small paws quickly snatched my fruit. Before scurrying away, the squirrel's tail bushed out and flicked thrice. A group of parakeets chattered in the branches above, warning its flock that a predator was about.
The predator was me, and I battled the urge to smile. A being who did not belong in their world—an anomaly. I cast my long braid of hair over my shoulder, spooking a few creatures that toiled in the undergrowth.
The pond in front of me was enormous and rather deep, with several species of fish surfacing to leave disturbed circles. On the opposite side of the bank, a few cats—I was sure they had names, courtesy of François—basked in their scaled prey, leaving nothing but brittle needle-like bones behind.
There were only three cats on the property; any additional cats would likely decimate the bird population. Not only was Earth raw, but fragile.
My thoughts were peaceful. Without the bracelet around Pearl's wrist and without Osa taking advantage of our bond, it left me in the dark about what was bothering her.
Pearl taking off the bracelet last night only cooled the bond between us and obscured her innermost wonderings. Typically, there was no need to hide one's thoughts from a Sohme. Yet Pearl was human and... different.
Which was why I sought the counsel of Ogrik and came here alone.
Previously, my mood had been too dark to allow Osa to connect me with my brethren. Since meeting Pearl, no one wanted to be in my head. My mood had stabilized now, so they could link to my thoughts rather quickly.
This is how I recall it, Ogrik said mentally as he worked on a sliver of a virus from our world–more precisely, its glycoprotein and genetic code. While he worked, his thoughts were calm. Your mind has always been a wonderful place to visit. So astute and calculated. Kindly notify me when you work on mathematics; it's remarkable how effortlessly you do it.
It was like complimenting the prospect of me having skin. The meaning escaped me.
What brings you to New Dilmun? he pondered. You seem to enjoy the creatures there. Your mate is undoubtedly rubbing off on you. François is also influencing Shadrach, I'm afraid.
"Pearl wanted to see both of them today, alone," I remarked aloud rather than internally, as I watched the cats across the bank groom themselves leisurely. "Which begs me to question. I'm not sure why she wanted to see both of them, but I allowed her to do so. Perhaps she is lonely and yearns for companionship outside of me. This morning, she desired to have me again, but I declined. I'm not sure if that offended her."
While I was willing to have her at any time, her body was significantly more delicate than mine. Too often I had almost lost my tenuous self-control, leaving bruises and bite marks on her delicate skin in a desperate attempt to lose myself in her completely. It bothered me she did not take the matter seriously.
You cannot find out what is bothering her?
I said and thought nothing, sitting down on a sturdy log.
Even after harnessing the universe, this human confounds you. Do you wish for me to talk to her?
"No." The parakeets took flight in my natural voice—for it was alien, strange, and even feared by Pearl. "You have offended her by invading her privacy. Something, for which, I have not yet reprimanded you for."
Most likely, it was a lame threat. In my preoccupation with Pearl, I neglected my council position or my responsibility to maintain order among other constituents. When my grandfather died, and I took over, I would have to do more, and my threats would no longer be hollow.
To be fair, the heinous noises she made alarmed me. When I stepped in, I dreaded the worse. Forgive me for being overjoyed that you both survived.
"Humans, particularly women, are not averse to expressing their pain or pleasure. You are aware of this."
Yes, but to that extent?
"To that extent."
Never in all my years!
Enukis did not know what was in store for them if they paired with a human. A power like that is dangerous to our species; we would be defenseless against it. It was a good thing that the Sohme pair was rare, to begin with.
Is it Earth again? Ogrik wondered, listening to me ponder. There was a tinge of annoyance in his thoughts. I wasn't sure if it was from the prospect of Pearl's obsession with Earth, or the viruses he fiddled with.
"I am also not sure that her silence has anything to do with her planet."
Why don't you think so?
"Every time she looks at me, there is something in her eyes. Almost...remorse. It is strange. I have never seen something like this from her."
I might have limited knowledge of humans, but I am not mated to one, Dumuzi. She doesn't want Osa connected to her, nor does she want to be connected to you, so let her be. We made them in our image, yet their minds are not the same.
"She lies to me."
Of course, she lies. Imagine her position; she is on a strange planet, far away from home–a home that will be destroyed, mind you, and she lost everybody she knew. I can only guess at the amount of pain she is feeling. If she is indeed lonely, maybe your brother and François paying her a visit might lift her... spirits.
"Perhaps. Yet Shadrach is expected on Nibiru soon. He should be leaving within the hour."
He has already left.
I cocked my head to the side. "Without telling me?"
That was quite unusual. I summoned a tendril of energy containing Osa, using my digits to manipulate the threads. The moment I entered the information I needed with my psyche, I froze. "Where is his vessel?"
We saw him depart. He is not detectable?
I could not find him anywhere. I searched for François, knowing the two tended to be together, and she was also not detectable, either.
Something was wrong.
He disconnected from my mind, his own need to find Shadrach apparent before doing so. I was quick on my feet to tear open the fabric between reality. Birds, animals, and insects scattered away in fear. I stepped through my portal, my blood heating at the thought of something amiss. Unbridled rage pounded my system with each heartbeat.
I stepped into the living room—her living room. The dwelling was too cold, too still. Quiet. An insect crawled out of the portal and scurried under the coffee table. Adrenaline filled my veins at the emptiness of the house. Her scent was here, but it was faint, along with the scents of Shadrach and François.
They all left somewhere, together.
As I ripped doors off of their hinges, searching for my only reason for being, a violent and strong anger filled me, distorting my view.
She was nowhere to be found.
"Pearl Marie Blankenship." I tossed a chair through the air, where it smashed into pieces against the wall. "Did you not think there would be blood for this?"
Not hers. Never hers. But Shadrach's...
It was easy to put the pieces together. Shadrach had taken Pearl and François without permission, without authorization, which meant it was for something they didn't want us to know about.
"You have never seen rage until you have taken away an Enuki's mate, dear brother. I will find you."
And when I did, there would be no avoiding my wrath.