2132:Phoenix

Chapter 18

"This is draining too much power."

"She's not worth all of this. We have plenty of working pairs."

"No." The new voice was one I'd never heard before. It was strong and modulated in a way that made it easy to listen to. "I'm curious now. How long did the last human last like this?"

"A few weeks." The voice sounded too much like the captains in this dark space.

"And how long has she been like this?"

"Four months."

"Push her. If she survives, we'll start the process immediately. Pull him out, I don't want to risk him."

Everything started to go hazy again as I woke up on the floor with Calepus comfortable beside me. I shook him awake to tell him about my dreams. The more vivid they became, the more the pain increased. I never wanted to tell him before, but it was such a clear conversation I had to know what was happening.

"You're going to have to fight," Calepus said as tears started welling in his eyes. "I'm going to vanish. They're going to send someone after you."

"Calepus what are you talking about?" He was going to leave me here? Had I done something wrong?

"This," he motioned to the room around us. "Is a figment of both of our brains. I'm assuming we're close, but that doesn't matter. They are controlling the landscape with technology I barely understand, but you need to stay strong. If you break in here... You won't wake up Lexi." He started to shake me violently "You need to wake up." The tears started rolling down his cheek "Please wake up." Suddenly he changed again. He looked dead as he stared at the wall behind us before standing and heading up to the bathroom. It was one of those moments where all I could do was breathe and think. He hadn't vanished, just started acting strange, or was that... Howling came from outside, a lot closer than it had during the week. It all felt so real; the grass the exhaustion was all simulated, and for what reason? It was just another sick game they played to pass the time. Had he been real, or was that some mind-generated fantasy. I needed to stop. Freaking out wasn't going to help my situation in the least. Something was coming for me. The pod.

I sprinted outside to the pod, but it was locked and nothing I tried would open it. I tried to get back into the house, but the doors had locked me out of there too. Lower, louder howls came closer than they had been before. It was all in my head, and yet it felt and looked so real. The howls sounded wolf-like, the closer they got. Relax. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to fend these things off. He said it was all in my head, does that mean I can control it too? The tech might limit my control. They climb so the trees won't protect me. Hadn't we chopped wood the other day?

"We don't need the wood, but its a good workout, and I like the smell of it when it burns."

I went around the house again to find the ax stuck in a log. God protect me, I'm about to swing an ax at an alien species.

LET HER OUT.

The indistinct ringing pounded against my skull, but it didn't sting like usual. The things started coming through the trees white furry beasts with chaos in their disturbingly blue eyes. They howled and beat their chests as they approached. Everything screamed at me to run, but my legs locked up as they circled me, their cowering prey. One lunged at me and just evaded losing its hand. The next tried something similar--- I cut off its head. They frenzied around their dead and screeched in rage before turning back to me. Something bigger lumbered through the trees, brushed them aside as it charged me. Pain roared in my head so much that I dropped to my knees as I was about to be killed. I waited as the pain increased, but they never came at me. The world started to shake and crumble around me, and the pain increased. People were screaming incoherently, metal clashed, and warm hands cradled my head before I could open my eyes.

My eyelids were ripped open and white light shone through as easily as water poured into a hole in a ship. It was a pain I couldn't escape with unresponsive limbs or restrained limbs, I couldn't tell.

"Lex, talk to me." It was Calepus's voice calling to me he was so close.

"Shut up, she needs to do this on her own." More clashing ensued, only white light would flood my eyes. I meant to scream but a small whimper broke my throat.

"Interesting." Someone grabbed my chin. They created a fuzzy shadow in the light. It took time but their shape became more defined and I could wiggle my fingers. I tried to pull my face from their grasp, but they held firm. Half of the man's face was raised, strawberry pink skin. The scar took over his black scales and ran under the collar of his shirt.

"Pleasure to finally make your acquaintance Alexia." It was that smooth voice I'd often hear in my dreams; It often wanted to carry on an experiment. Was that what I was? "I'd like to thank you personally for your participation in our survival." He looked away from me to something just out of sight, everything was still blurry and covered in white light. "They're yours, Vinnepus. I want results."

"I already have a room all set up," he cooed. Vinnepus stepped into my slowly growing sight range with a solemn look on his face as he looked at me. "You'll have what you need soon." He began to push the bed I laid on out of the room. I tried to sit up, but straps restrained my shoulders and thighs loosely like they were just to keep me from rolling off.

"Where are you taking me?" Vinnepus rolled his eyes at me like he used to and continued to ignore me. I moved to remove the straps but he kept jerking the bed when my hands got too close to them. "What are you doing with me now!" My voice was laced with something akin to rage, but I was terrified.

"I am finally having my way. I hope Calepus cares for you as much as he says he does."

"What do you mean."

"It means every day you two don't try for a baby is another day that you will be punished. I suppose we won't be able to starve you, but I'm sure your blood will look nicely on captain Zacheranic's blades. You'll also be stuck in this room until you conceive." He pushed me into a small room with a bed and a door that probably led to a small bathroom. Calepus stood from the bed quickly as Calepus tisked.

"Hurt me and her punishment starts early." I noticed a slight nod before Calepus hastily undid the restraints and lifted me from the bed. "Have fun you two."

I sat on the bed a few minutes, shaking slightly, as Calepus paced by the door. They had tried to kill me and failed, many times. Now they want me to have one of their stupid offspring, again. What happens if I can't conceive? Will they keep me as some sort of sick experiment? Would they end my miserable existence? Wouldn't that be a release?

"Don't think like that," Calepus growled, then pushed his head against the wall.

"Do you think they'll actually... you know?" He finally turned back to face me tears streaking down his face. He sunk against the wall and stared at me like he was looking at a monster.

"I know they will, so I'll give you a choice. You can accept their torture and I'll try to ease your pain; I don't know how effective that will be though. We can give them what they want, or I can kill you, right now without any pain." The last part strained him as he said it like he was about to choke on the words. "Leave me," he finally whispered. I didn't want to suffer, nor did I want him to suffer the thought of killing me.

"What happens if we give them what they want?"

"I couldn't tell you." It seemed like the only way out of this room, and the only chance to escape this forsaken ship, it would be simple. All I have to do is give my virginity to an alien on an alien ship under the threat of torture. It's Calepus though, had he ever been less than kind. Would it really be that awful to be with him? It's just one step further than we've already been. He was still staring at me, waiting for any answer. I guess he'd left my head by that point to give me space to breathe.

"I don't want to give them what they want, but what about if we do something we want?"

"Lexi..." He didn't know what to say, everything was kind of a shitty option. If I don't have sex with him I get brutally mauled. If I do I risk what? I may be uncomfortable, but I can get over that.

"I'm ready for you if you'll have me."