Oasis (3)

--Gatix--

“Excuse me?”

“I just happen to realize I've been doing all the talking since you came to our land. I know next to nothing about your country or what's inside that metallic shell which, as you said, is merely sitting on its ass. Tell me something interesting.”

“Uhm...” I tried to run my hand through my hair, but I only heard the sound of metal clinking. “Anything in particular that you'd like to know?”

“Well, your age would be a good start.”

“Says the lady who hides hers.”

“An advantage that comes with the sex.” She grinned.

“Ain't getting mine that easy.”

“Hardly seems fair when I don't even know what you look like.”

“An advantage that comes with the armor.”

“That makes you two for one.”

“Never said life was fair.”

She blew out a breath. “Fine, then I'm sure the description of your country does not warrant such secrecy?”

“Far from it.” I leaned back to adjust myself, my back hurting from sitting upright. “It's similar, yet different. Deserts, grasslands, forests, woods. Everything I've seen has an equivalent where I come from, except for the animals. Also, no void-born. My country is only populated by skin-walkers.”

“No void-born? But you're a mercenary. If there are no void-born, who do you fight against?”

“Other skin-walkers.”

“Seems wasteful.”

“There are over nine billion of us. My services are needed if disagreements get messy.”

“Nine billion.” Ms. Queen's eyes seemed to widen at that. “Are all of them similar to you?”

“Hell no. Most folks are limited to anonymous arguments over trivialities. Only a select few of us chose the mercenary lifestyle.”

“I see. But if your country is that big, why haven't I heard of it? Nine billion skin-walkers could wipe out the void-born, no matter their inadequacies.”

“Seeing what you did at the bazaar, I can't imagine you being overwhelmed.”

“Even my magic has limits, hence the reason for the oasis.”

“I thought that was just you wanting to take a swim.”

“Well...”

I could only laugh.

“Tell me something else. Tell me of your most interesting adventure thus far.”

“You're experiencing it with me.”

“My, is that an invitation to kick it up a notch?”

“I'm interested in seeing what you can do.” She grinned back and I continued. “To answer your question, this mission beats anything I've done thus far.”

“Then tell me of your second most interesting one.”

“Second best adventure.” I looked to the sky and blew out a breath. “Let's see, the assault on Luna might tickle your fancy.”

“Tickle, it does.”

Wait, can I refer to the moon? Does this world even have one? A quick scan of the heavens didn't provide an answer. “Yours is not the only foreign country mine has visited. One of the others we visited is called Luna. Due to the distance between the countries, my leaders saw fit to establish a colony there. We sent a few hundred colonists to work the land with several spirit guides to provide aid. It worked for several years until all communication with it was cut off.”

“You can communicate over long distances?”

“Yes, we perfected that magic some time ago.”

“Selling something like that would net you a fortune here. In any case, I'm guessing the leaders of your country sent you to investigate.”

“Four of us, not just me. We arrived at the colony and started our investigation. We found the villages were still alive, going about their daily happenings. We asked if anything strange occurred, which was denied, but our suspicions were not lifted. Despite appearing normal, their mannerisms were off. They were so surprised at our arrival that most referred to us as aliens. A team member asked to take a blood sample from a villager, except what he found wasn't blood, but something else. A jelly of some kind, lined with millions of tiny machines.”

“A disease?”

“We called them nanites. They are tiny machines fabricated by some of our mages, tiny enough to fit in almost any space and do all kinds of wonderful things. My suit has some as well, to give an idea.' I held up a hand when Ms. Queen raised an eyebrow. “Don't worry, they're inside the suit, not my blood.”

“I'll trust you on that one. What happened to your villages?”

“It turned out Luna itself was the problem. The soil contained a plague previously unreported, one that infected all the villagers within minutes of being released. The spirit guides merely followed their objective to preserve human life. As the plague infected its victim's blood, the spirit guides... replaced it. In their minds the objective was completed: the plague was removed, and the colonists could go on with their daily lives. It did not consider the consequences.”

“What did you do?”

“A question that has been asked a lot since then. The reason for the communication blackout was simple. Security measures prevented the spirit guides from talking without authorization from a skin-walker, and none of the husks knew how. Our mission was to investigate, and since none of the husks showed any hostility, we left without firing a shot.

“The debate at home was fierce. One side feared the plague and hostilities from the newly created species, and the other wanted to leave them be. Though they walked around in skin-walker skin, they weren't one of us. They deserved to go as much their merry way as anybody else.”

“What was the verdict?”

“To leave them be. A decision was made not to re-establish communication with the Luna colony and never return, lest the plague finds its way back to my country. Nobody knows what has happened since. We don't have a sample of the plague, so we can't create an antidote for it, and the Luna colony is built within large domes preventing us from studying the husks. Everybody could be dead, and we'd never know.”

“I would have killed them. Abominations like those would be an insult to nature.”

“Yet your kind created the dread knights.” Ms. Queen had no reply to that. “I'll leave the ethics for those in charge. I merely completed my mission.”

“Why did you tell me this one when I asked for an interesting story?”

“It stuck with me. It's the only mission where I never fired a single bullet.”

“I sense there is something else.”

“Hmm...”

“I won't judge, Gatix.”

“It... I dunno. I can't exactly put my finger on it. We have created a new species, and our first decision as creators was to cut them off? Everything has a right to exist, but as you said, they are an abomination of nature. Do they?” I shook my head as the familiar warbling of thoughts threatened to take over. “I think it's just me - none of the others who were on the mission spoke of it again, but the mission has bothered me ever since.” Looking up showed Ms. Queen patiently sitting in the water, her eyes following my every move. “Sorry, I didn't intend to get philosophical. Missions tend to be easier when you can pull the trigger and call it a day.”

“Do not apologize. I might have caught a glimpse of the true Gatix for the first time.”

“Terribly uninteresting, I'm sure.”

“Don't be so sure.” The water falling over her skin as she stood up made her diamond-patterned skin glisten in the reddish sunlight. I admit to being entranced by the sight as she walked over to sit beside me. “All actions have consequences. It is natural we dwell upon that. We're lucky if we ever find out whether the ones we make are right or wrong.”

“I'm sure you speak of experience.”

“Though I have never created a false species, I am in a position where my existence creates strife.”

“I see.”

“Sadly, I doubt you really can. I lost count how many times I've wondered whether it would be easier if the Knight took my life and be done with it?”

“I doubt a single death can erase the prejudices coming with years of conflict.”

“The exact thought that's kept me alive.”

“Tell me something, Ms. Queen.” She turned to look at me. “There are many things I don't understand about you, and I doubt I'll get answers that would make sense. Like what you've done to irritate the goddess or how a lady with so many similarities to a skin-walker came to lead the void-born. But I do have a question you can answer: you probably suspect I'm a skin-walker inside this suit, and everybody has reminded me what I resemble. Yet not only did you seem fit to talk to me, but here we are in one of your most secret places, in what is possibly your most vulnerable form, discussing philosophy. Why? Why did you talk to me and not slay me on sight?”

“Simple. You intrigued me, and I wished to understand.”

“Excuse me?”

“I knew from the start you were a skin-walker, or close to it, yet you shot the Knight through the head. Twice. Not only that, you offered to help me. My interest was piqued. It was refreshing to have a conversation that does not involve me giving orders, somebody grovelling or wishing me an untimely death. It may be somewhat selfish to admit, but I wanted more. Being a queen is a lot lonelier than you might think.”

I turned my attention back to the water. “I see.”

“Not to mention, you risked your life against Horot. That tends to leave an impression.”

I turned back to her, but she was investigating a tree on her other side. “You offered advice on my quest. It was the least I could do.”

“It almost cost you your life.”

“I'm here now, aren't I?”

“Yes.” She turned back to me with a smile. “I am truly glad for that.”

“Makes two of us, Ms. Queen.”

“You know you've earned the right to call me by name.”

“Nicknames are a sign of fondness.”

“I... I see.” She looked away again before hurriedly standing up, dusting herself off. “My... my magic isn't where I would like it to be, but I should be able to get us to our destination in about three jumps.”

“Guess that means our rest is over.” I stood up with a grunt, clipping Scythe to my back. “Take the lead, Ms. Queen.”

“That I'll do.” She didn't turn around as the circle started forming at our feet. But I did notice one thing before the scenery changed: the tip of her tail had curled just ever so slightly around my leg.