Amongst the Stars

Chapter 12

I'm lost, walking on the road in a heavy fog. I can't tell if the sun is setting or just coming out, not that it helped. I could barley see hands right in front of me.

"Angela..." a familiar voice called after me in the fog. "Angela, why did you leave?" It was my sister Jade. 

"You abandoned us. You left us behind." My brother, Joziah, sounded like he had been crying.

"That's not true. They took me away, I swear." I ran into the fog, following their voice.

"Liar! You left us." Mathew's voice came in the opposite direction. 

"Why don't you love us any more?" Jessie's voice echoed all around me. "Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"That is not true. I love you all. I love so much, I had to stay away to protect you!" Which way do I go now? How do I find them?

"Please. You couldn't wait to get away. We were a burden to you and you know it." Alfredo stepped out of the fog, right in front me. He looked like a ghost, pale and made of air. 

One by one, each of my brothers and sisters surrounded me. They were all tear stained ghost. 

'We miss you sister. Please come home.' Ruby signed.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I want to come home, but Ruby I can't" I said and signed to her. 

"Forgive me. I'm sorry. I love you, don't cry. Please don't leave." Tears ran down my face as they evaporated with the fog. "Don't leave, I love you..."

"Angela?" Someone gently shook me awake. "Angela are you ok? Where does it hurt?" A1 worried over me.

"I'm fine. It was a bad dream. Sorry, I get them a lot." I rub the sleep from my eyes. "What time is it?"

"You have an other 3 earth hours before your squeduled wake up time."

"It's fine, I'm already up, might as well get some extra study time in." I go to wash my face and start my daily routine. "I want to know more about the bryn species. Win was pretty upset with Anthony because he is one. I want to know why before my first training session with him."

"Understood."

As I got ready, I felt A1 watch me. 

"What is it?" It knows its uncomfortable for me. Something must be on his mind because another one of our rules is blinking. It's really creepy when it just stares. "If you have a question you can just ask."

"What was the bad dream about?" 

I stared back at him. What do I say? Its been a long time since someone asked me that. After so long people just get annoyed by my dreams.

 Now that I think about it, A1 has never mentioned me having nightmare's before. I know I've had them since I've been on the ship, so what changed? Why ask about it now?

"I apologize. It is none of my business." Don't just stare at him! Quick say something. He thinks he messed up for asking.

"No, its ok. It just took me off guard." I explain. "I've had bad dreams for a long time. I'm used to people getting upset at the fact I have them. No one really asks what they're about."

"I see... Do you want to talk about it?"

"Long story short, my siblings were ghost. They were sad and upset that I left." He waited for me to continue. "I didn't get the chance to say goodbye. I really miss them, that's all."

"Do you feel better? Now that we've talked about it?" How can a robot be so sincere? Its confusing.

"I guess?" Its been a while since I actually talked about my dreams. Its been so long its just a problem I've had to learn to handle by myself. 

"You are more emotional now. You have a lot of powerful feelings." He stated, like it was some part of a puzzle he's putting together.

"Is that a bad thing?" I ask cautiously. What if he's figuring it out? What if it knows I'm not Lillian?

"I am uncertain at this time. I will inform you when I have come to a conclusion."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 I had spent the last two hours researching what a Bryn is and what they do. I see why Win hates Anthony for being a bryn.

BRYN

Pronunciation: Ber-ien

Classification: Parasite

General Weakness: Fire, Electricity

Weakness without Host: Oxygen rich environments, Croen (crow-en), Bleach

Weakness with Host: Head shots.

Description: Unseen in the body of host. Otherwise, looks like living ink and will very in color.

Information: 

*A bryn's typical host is a fresh corps. They cannot live in a living species. The electrical current of the brains in a live species, no matter how small, can be fatal. They infuse themselves into the brain of the dead host and control the body. 

*They have extraordinary regeneration capabilities as long as they are well fed. 

*They have a purely protein or meat based diet, although not cannibalistic, they will eat the same species as their host. 

*They can change some aspects of their host to better hunt and eat, such as sharpen teeth and heal wounds.

* Powerful bryn can form organic weaponry at the edges of the extremities. Such as: hand, feet, even the nose if necessary. The weaponry can very from claws at the tip of the fingers to an axe hand. 

*Bryn are typically found in hives on asteroids or planets with life. It is a rare case for one to be alone. 

*When they are on a planet it is to feed. As apex predictors, they will eat all life on the planet that provides protein. This essentially kills the planet, earning them the nick name 'World Eaters'. 

*Although they have their own memories, they are as smart as the brain they inhabit. When fused with a host, the host weaknesses can be considered a bryns weakness as well. For example: allergies.

*If in the presence of a bryn be extremely cautious. They are to be considered dangerous and deadly. 

After I read the overall report, I went to journal entries of encounters with the bryn and found an interesting pattern. The most rabid of bryn that attack any type of meat, their host have a low intelligence. Things like rabbits, cats, and so on. Others that host species like humans, neon's, ect. are more civilized. They even blend into the civilizations of that world. Gain jobs and live their own lives.

That must be why Anthony has a job on the ship. He has the brain capacity to acknowledge what is happening and form thoughts. It's not just animal instinct. 

I am going to have a very interesting day.