The Circle Of Ten

Changing

Sativia waited patiently for the slaughter to come to an end.  The humans mattered little to her, of more importance was the fate of the Spirit Priestesses. When they were all dead, present company excluded, she reached out and psychically connected with Fayala.   Sativia shielded her true self hoping Fayala would believe her to be Melete. She sensed Fayala's surprise, and bitterness, but it appeared her ruse had worked.

"She is coming." Sativia looked to see her two new charges step on to the shuttle ramp, Idiyanale had a hand on Ceraon's arm for support.

"This body is amazing, how can I ever thank you."Idiyanale  spoke in Miorpean having accessed Aphaea's memory core and had quickly developed a working knowledge of the language.   "it does take getting used too, being so high I mean."

Sativia stepped close to her and placed a hand under Idiyanale's chin, "so, how does it feel to be a Goddess?"

"Wonderful," Idiyanale replied.      

_____________________

A disheartened Aphaea sat next to Melete in the same container she used to transport the human family she had collected as specimens.  Aphaea recalled the fear and trepidation she sensed from them as they spent the last moments of their lives huddled together on a cold sterile table beneath a glaring analysis light. She remembered the confused look on their small faces as she systematically took the life of each and the lack of empathy she felt as the human child cried for her mother with her last breath.

Those same vessels, empty now, sat ominously on a shelf directly above her.  The bodies of the human family she had prepared now lay in a small box that had been discarded outside of the shuttle. How different it feels to be looking up at those vessels now. Aphaea also suffered the surreal experience of watching what was once her body, walk past her and out of the shuttle.  It even looked down at her, the occupant pausing at the recognition of the previous inhabitant. She hated this human form ... it was small, weak and had no memory core to access thus no way for her, or Melete, to learn how to communicate using this strange warm body.

Melete was despondent to the point of tears, there were so many attributes she had taken for granted in her old Miorpean body.  She had lost her psychic senses, memory core, the ability to think or rationalize systematically or even communicate. Vision was limited to just three dimensions, and what do you do with five fingers!  They just seemed to get in the way of each other. Even breathing with two lungs took some practice. Melete thought Aphaea was going to suffocate when she first woke up in the Priestesses body and panicked when she took her first unfamiliar breath.

     Worst of all was that they were completely powerless possessing no psychic or telepathic abilities at all. Even the pale white tone to their skin had begun to fade away. She had never felt this helpless in her life. They were so vulnerable in these strange small forms unable speak or even think coherently with these primitive brains.  

Melete's sat close to Aphaea, she felt the comforting warmth of her body and leaned close.   The anxiety and sorrow that racked her senses slowly ebbed away as if being absorbed into Aphaea. The calming sensation of her friend's body next to hers,   something she had never experienced,  something so purely physical,  that must be ... human.
____________________

Ceraon glanced down at the pair as he passed by the specimen container.   He had made the scheduled broadcast to the mother ship reporting that collections and research data were on going. No problems to report. Though Melete could not speak the human language she could still read hers. She had watched Ceraon type in the erroneous message and glared up at him as Aphaea wept into her shoulder. 

Ceraon did feel sympathy for his former colleagues however his desire to serve Sativia outweighed any allegiances he may have shared with them. He considered putting them out of their misery, but Sativa had plans for them.  He had never met anyone like Sativia. She promised pleasures and experiences beyond his wildest imagination.  Even in Melete's body she projected strength and confidence that both awed and inspired him

Idiyanale had also learned to appreciate Sativia's remarkable power. Sativia had reached out to her and communicated her when she was being punished in isolation. Sativia subsequently used her psychic energy to empower Idiyanale allowing her to inhabit this fantastic body that portended unlimited potential and life.

She thought little of the consequences the Miorpean female of whose body she now possessed might suffer.  She owed Sativia everything and vowed that she would follow her anywhere and do anything for her. Idiyanale trusted her implicitly, she was not sure what it was but Sativia embodied a higher purpose, one she would make her own.

___________________________

Fayala did not tell the remaining humans that the aliens, the ancient beings of myth and lore,  had returned and that she did not know what the Miorpeans had planned for them. She sensed the resignation and bewilderment of what they had been through still weighed heavily on them.  To tell them that even after the terrible sacrifice of thousands of human lives there may be more would have been devastating to what little spirit they had left.  She sensed in them a feeling of grief and hopelessness that was evolving into aimlessness and bleakness.

They were leaderless as the best and bravest had led from the front and were the first to die.   Fayala looked at the dead bodies scattered over the field, too numerous to count, lying side by side and in some cases one atop the other. There would be many orphaned children back in the villages that would need care and love.  She knew that Mira and Ohas would have to step in and provide the leadership and direction they would need.  

Fayala knelt down amongst the humans many of whom lay exhausted, beaten and battered.   She focused inwardly then slowly eased her psychic consciousness out into every human mind. At first they panicked and resisted fearing they were being attacked again but Fayala calmed and reassured them ...

"I know you are tired and hurt," she told them. "Your brothers and sisters from the temple complex are coming to help you.  They will care for you now ... you need to know that your bravery and sacrifice was not in vain.  You are free of the priestesses, and of me."