The Odyssey of Scylla

Chapter 7

Death's room was filled with a soft pink light instead of the usual yellow. The table was covered in delicate glasses, filled with deep red and gold liquids. Death stood behind the table with his hands behind his back.

I stayed firmly by the door. Death had called for me and said that it was important. I didn't know what this intimate setting had to do with me, but I wanted to bolt. I chuckled at myself, I had run toward an alien vessel unafraid, but this scared me.

"Is something funny, Scylla?" Death's tone was even.

I sighed. "No. I don't know what to make of this."

"I'm showing my affection for you. I saw this in your mind when I asked about affection. The drinks are from the Staiser people, a gift from the heart."

I twisted the tip of my finger. "Affection?"

"Yes, I am fond of you. The moment we met, you showed no fear in front of a vast and terrifying invader. I had not encountered a creature like that before. It stayed with me."

I walked closer, hands spread wide before me. "I'm not much. I'm pathetic compared to some of the others. I sing, but that's it."

"That's not IT, Scylla. I hear the words that you give life. Any crowd you speak in front of, conquered or conquerors, they listen. YOU hold the crowd, not my victory." He came around the table and stood in front of me.

Death ran his finger down my cheek. "I'm trying to find a way, Scylla."

"A way to what?" I stepped closer to him.

"Show you my affection."

---

Traverse held me down as my little body buckled and contorted under the pain.

Traverse kicked his comm system. "Hokuto! Hokuto, get down here immediately!"

The flesh covering my body tore, and I screamed. Each moment was agony, and I was trying to stay conscious.

"Stay with me Scylla! Don't give in to the darkness, fight it." Traverse moved his hands away from me.

Whoosh.

"Traverse, this better be good..."

"Hold her down. I have to get this injection ready; it's going to keep her from dying."

I felt hands press me down again, and I tried to focus through the pain. "Ho... ku...to."

The color drained from his face. "Traverse who, who is this?"

"Scylla."

"No."

I felt cold metal press against my skin; my veins burned.

"Yes, she was split. If this was done out of cruelty, her human body is gone."

"Sn...Snake." The word sounded like mud thrown into water.

"Snake did this?" I would have expected Hokuto to sound surprised, but he sounded angry.

"I do not know who did this to her, but we have to hurry. The soldier bodies have a limited time for genetic restructure. So I'm using her human genetic coding to reconfigure the Kukunda half-life. I need your help to save her Hokuto."

I looked up at Hokuto and tried to stroke one of his crests with a tentacle, but my body convulsed again.

"Tell me what to do."

"Good boy. I need you to keep her still. If she moves too much, then she'll regrow deformed. I need organic weight because it shifts."

"I will do my best. We cannot lose Scylla."

No, you wouldn't lose me. Not yet.