Post by lee on Dec 8, 2018 18:46:29 GMT
Deceit In Triplicate
(Legion of Tyranny)
Part One
Cargg's Orbit 2986--
“Reep?” Tinya asked via the shuttle's comm system. “Are you opening the bay doors or not?”
There was a moment of silence before the Durlan responded. “There has been an unexpected turn of events. Ayla wants the two of you to return to the bridge.”
The two women looked at each other, then began to power down the shuttle. As they completed the tasks necessary before disembarking and leaving the hangar bay, Tasmia spoke.
“Does it seem as though things are taking longer than they should?”
Tinya glanced at her companion. “Ayla has taken all possible setbacks into account and planned accordingly. You should know the value of patience after what you went through,”
Tasmia nodded. “You are right, of course. I guess that is why I want things to proceed at a faster pace. I lost a lot of time while incarcerated.”
Tinya laughed. “Trust me. If Ayla's timetable wasn't right on schedule, we would know it.”
“What about us not recruiting the princess?” Tasmia asked.
“Ayla didn't think she would at this time,” Tinya said, “but, she will...eventually.”
By the time they reached the bridge, a discussion was in full swing. Ayla looked at them as they entered; it didn't take an empath to realize she had encountered a setback she hadn't planned for.
“Reep mentioned there might be a problem,” Tinya said. “What's wrong?”
“She's been executed,” Ayla said.
“Executed?” Tasmia asked. “For what?”
“It appears she attempted to extort a large number of creds from a high ranking official,” Ayla said. “More than likely, it was an affair that was brought to light and she became the scapegoat...not that she hadn't extorted more than her fair share of creds.”
“And they executed her?” Tinya asked.
“Actually, it was only one-third of her which was executed,” Salu commented. “We are trying to decide whether it is worth the trouble recruiting her since she is no longer able to become three persons.”
“Couldn't her still being able to split in two be advantageous to us?” Tinya asked.
Tasmia spoke up. “I believe she could still be an asset.”
All eyes fell on her. “How so?” Ayla asked.
“I heard once that if a Carggite loses one of their bodies, they either become extremely hostile, or completely shut down,” Tasmia said. “We could make use of her either way.”
Ayla smiled. “If she is hostile, we can focus her anger to our own purposes,” she said.
“And if she has shut down,” Salu added, “we can mold her into what we need.”
“Alright, ladies,” Ayla said. “Go get her and bring her to me.”
Part Two
Planetside--
Luornu Durgo paced back and forth, passing herself in silence several times. Finally, she paused and looked at her duplicate. “I hate waiting,” she said.
“I've been enough holding cells and they are the worst,” her other self replied.
She began to pace again and, again, she stopped in front of herself. “I don't know whether to pound the walls and curse every Carggite security officer who passes by, or just sleep until it is all over.”
“You curse,” her duplicate said as she sat down on the cell's cot, “and I shall get some sleep.”
“Fine by me.”
Luornu's other self had just laid down when everything went black. Outside the cell, she heard a scuffle which proceeded the sound of a body hitting the floor. When the darkness faded, a dark-haired young woman was standing in the cell.
“Who are you?” Luornu asked as her duplicate rose from the cot and the two merged.
Tinya had, in her travels, encountered a Carggite or three, but this was the first time she had ever witnessed a merger. She had always supposed it would appear similar to a phantom passing through an object or another person, but it wasn't. It reminded her of two bubbles colliding and becoming one. There was a brief moment of distortion before the girl appeared normal. It might have been unsettling to some, but Tinya thought the whole thing was fascinating.
“I am a friend who is offering you freedom and power,” Tinya replied.
“What do I have to do?” Luornu asked.
Tinya smiled. “Join us,” she said.
“That's all I have to do? Join you?” Luornu thought for a moment before continuing. “They killed me,” she said, her eyes growing hard. “Someone needs to suffer as I have.”
As she spoke, a thread of dark energy bore a hole through the door and began to expand until there was a humanoid-sized opening. Tasmia stepped in as the darkness faded.
“Do you think we have time for a little revenge before we leave Cargg?” Tinya asked.
Tasmia's smile was vicious. “We always have time for revenge.”
* * * * *
Gero Perna, High Prefect of the Jasimal Science University, entered his apartment and gave the voice command for the lights to come on. When the computer refused to respond, he began to curse the incompetence of his building's maintenance staff. As he removed his cloak and entered his sleeping quarters, he, again, called for the lights...and, again, it remained dark.
“We've been waiting for you.”
The voices were soft, yet held the promise of many delights. Even more exciting, they weren't identical like those of a Carggite woman.
“How did you get in here?” he asked. “Did Humre send you over to make up for his daughter's treachery?”
Several candles flared to life and he saw two women laying across his bed. Both had hair the color midnight, although one of the women had hints of blue in her hair. Both were also pleasingly fit, but that is where their similarities ended. Where one appeared much as the women on a hundred other worlds, the other had skin the color of the sky. The sky-blue woman had long, slender legs while her companion was a bit shorter. Both women wore diaphanous gowns that left little to even the prefect's vivid imagination. The blue-skinned woman smiled as she spoke.
“Yes,” her voice was silk to his ears. “We are here because of Luornu.”
Tinya stretched out her hand. “Join us,” she suggested. “Let us fulfill your wildest dreams.”
Gero removed his tunic and, afterward, began to divide. Tasmia held up her hand.
“Oh, no,” she said. “We want to focus solely on just one of you.”
“Two on one?” Gero thought aloud. “What a novel idea.” He climbed into bed with the two women.
Tinya began to rub his chest while Tasmia moved around behind him.
“So?” he asked. “Do either of you have any special talents?”
“Oh, yes,” they said in unison.
“I can't wait to see what you have planned for me,” he replied.
“Why wait?”
The question was asked by a third voice, one he was familiar with. Luornu stepped from the shadows.
Gero tried to climb out of bed, but found himself unable to move. His arms and legs were bound by cold, biting bands of black energy. He looked at Tasmia. “Release me,” he demanded.
Her response dripped venom. “But, you wanted to see our talents.”
He attempted to split, but found himself unable to do so. His anger became fear.
Tinya's hand emerged from the side of his head. “Did you know that for the briefest of seconds, the atoms of whatever I am passing through cease to exist while I am phasing? That makes it hard for things like splitting and merging to take place.”
Luornu approached the bed, as she did so, she became two. “I promise to make this as painful as losing a third of one's self as I can.”
Gero screamed as the two Luornus produced daggers and plunged them into his shoulders and thighs.
“Funny thing about these daggers,” she said. “They were designed to prevent Carggites from dividing.” She nodded to the two women and they climbed out of bed.
Gero fell backwards.
“He will bleed to death long before anyone checks on him,” Luornu said.
Tasmia glanced down at her outfit, then at Gero. Stretching out her hand, she let loose a burst of black energy that formed a globe around the man's head. “That's for looking at me the way you did. Up until the moment you die, you will be in complete darkness.”
She and Luornu looked at Tinya. “Anything you want to do before we go?”
Standing up on Gero's bed, she raised her foot then brought it down hard a few inches below the Carggite's navel. The man's scream was nerve-shattering. “I'm good,” she said as she hopped off the bed. “Let's go.”
Part Three
Elsewhere on Cargg—
“How did it go?”
“As she said it would,” the shadowed figure replied.
“How many?”
There was a pause before the shadowed figure responded. “I count six, although there may be one or two more not with the main group.”
“More importantly; how are you feeling?”
“It feels odd...somewhat disorienting, but I think I will survive.” The shadowed figure paused for a moment. “How long before someone comes for me?”
“Her ship should be out of range before long. Once it's clear, we shall come.”
The figure paced back and forth across the dark room, each step filled with an anxious energy. Ever since the telepathic voice had made contact, this room had become little more than a prison. There was a sense of relief knowing it would soon be left behind.
“It's time.”
The darkness of the room was broken as a portal opened and light from somewhere else flooded through, revealing a young woman eager to leave. An insectoid emerged and greeted her.
“I am called Gates,” it said. “You are her?”
The girl nodded. “I am...”
“Luornu.”
The voice came from the portal: Luornu recognized it as the one she had been hearing telepathically.
“I am Imra Ardeen,” a young woman said as she stepped through the portal. Long, blonde hair fell in loose curls over the shoulders of her short black tunic. Black knee-high boots, white gloves, and a white belt bearing a stylized image of Saturn in pink completed her outfit. “Where are they heading next?” she asked, audibly. “Have they mentioned a destination?”
Luornu paused for a moment, obviously in communication with her other selves. “Not yet.”
“Then, we shall proceed with our plans,” Imra said. She took Luornu by the hand and led her back through the portal.
The Carggite took one final look around, happy to be leaving her world behind.
(Legion of Tyranny)
Part One
Cargg's Orbit 2986--
“Reep?” Tinya asked via the shuttle's comm system. “Are you opening the bay doors or not?”
There was a moment of silence before the Durlan responded. “There has been an unexpected turn of events. Ayla wants the two of you to return to the bridge.”
The two women looked at each other, then began to power down the shuttle. As they completed the tasks necessary before disembarking and leaving the hangar bay, Tasmia spoke.
“Does it seem as though things are taking longer than they should?”
Tinya glanced at her companion. “Ayla has taken all possible setbacks into account and planned accordingly. You should know the value of patience after what you went through,”
Tasmia nodded. “You are right, of course. I guess that is why I want things to proceed at a faster pace. I lost a lot of time while incarcerated.”
Tinya laughed. “Trust me. If Ayla's timetable wasn't right on schedule, we would know it.”
“What about us not recruiting the princess?” Tasmia asked.
“Ayla didn't think she would at this time,” Tinya said, “but, she will...eventually.”
By the time they reached the bridge, a discussion was in full swing. Ayla looked at them as they entered; it didn't take an empath to realize she had encountered a setback she hadn't planned for.
“Reep mentioned there might be a problem,” Tinya said. “What's wrong?”
“She's been executed,” Ayla said.
“Executed?” Tasmia asked. “For what?”
“It appears she attempted to extort a large number of creds from a high ranking official,” Ayla said. “More than likely, it was an affair that was brought to light and she became the scapegoat...not that she hadn't extorted more than her fair share of creds.”
“And they executed her?” Tinya asked.
“Actually, it was only one-third of her which was executed,” Salu commented. “We are trying to decide whether it is worth the trouble recruiting her since she is no longer able to become three persons.”
“Couldn't her still being able to split in two be advantageous to us?” Tinya asked.
Tasmia spoke up. “I believe she could still be an asset.”
All eyes fell on her. “How so?” Ayla asked.
“I heard once that if a Carggite loses one of their bodies, they either become extremely hostile, or completely shut down,” Tasmia said. “We could make use of her either way.”
Ayla smiled. “If she is hostile, we can focus her anger to our own purposes,” she said.
“And if she has shut down,” Salu added, “we can mold her into what we need.”
“Alright, ladies,” Ayla said. “Go get her and bring her to me.”
Part Two
Planetside--
Luornu Durgo paced back and forth, passing herself in silence several times. Finally, she paused and looked at her duplicate. “I hate waiting,” she said.
“I've been enough holding cells and they are the worst,” her other self replied.
She began to pace again and, again, she stopped in front of herself. “I don't know whether to pound the walls and curse every Carggite security officer who passes by, or just sleep until it is all over.”
“You curse,” her duplicate said as she sat down on the cell's cot, “and I shall get some sleep.”
“Fine by me.”
Luornu's other self had just laid down when everything went black. Outside the cell, she heard a scuffle which proceeded the sound of a body hitting the floor. When the darkness faded, a dark-haired young woman was standing in the cell.
“Who are you?” Luornu asked as her duplicate rose from the cot and the two merged.
Tinya had, in her travels, encountered a Carggite or three, but this was the first time she had ever witnessed a merger. She had always supposed it would appear similar to a phantom passing through an object or another person, but it wasn't. It reminded her of two bubbles colliding and becoming one. There was a brief moment of distortion before the girl appeared normal. It might have been unsettling to some, but Tinya thought the whole thing was fascinating.
“I am a friend who is offering you freedom and power,” Tinya replied.
“What do I have to do?” Luornu asked.
Tinya smiled. “Join us,” she said.
“That's all I have to do? Join you?” Luornu thought for a moment before continuing. “They killed me,” she said, her eyes growing hard. “Someone needs to suffer as I have.”
As she spoke, a thread of dark energy bore a hole through the door and began to expand until there was a humanoid-sized opening. Tasmia stepped in as the darkness faded.
“Do you think we have time for a little revenge before we leave Cargg?” Tinya asked.
Tasmia's smile was vicious. “We always have time for revenge.”
* * * * *
Gero Perna, High Prefect of the Jasimal Science University, entered his apartment and gave the voice command for the lights to come on. When the computer refused to respond, he began to curse the incompetence of his building's maintenance staff. As he removed his cloak and entered his sleeping quarters, he, again, called for the lights...and, again, it remained dark.
“We've been waiting for you.”
The voices were soft, yet held the promise of many delights. Even more exciting, they weren't identical like those of a Carggite woman.
“How did you get in here?” he asked. “Did Humre send you over to make up for his daughter's treachery?”
Several candles flared to life and he saw two women laying across his bed. Both had hair the color midnight, although one of the women had hints of blue in her hair. Both were also pleasingly fit, but that is where their similarities ended. Where one appeared much as the women on a hundred other worlds, the other had skin the color of the sky. The sky-blue woman had long, slender legs while her companion was a bit shorter. Both women wore diaphanous gowns that left little to even the prefect's vivid imagination. The blue-skinned woman smiled as she spoke.
“Yes,” her voice was silk to his ears. “We are here because of Luornu.”
Tinya stretched out her hand. “Join us,” she suggested. “Let us fulfill your wildest dreams.”
Gero removed his tunic and, afterward, began to divide. Tasmia held up her hand.
“Oh, no,” she said. “We want to focus solely on just one of you.”
“Two on one?” Gero thought aloud. “What a novel idea.” He climbed into bed with the two women.
Tinya began to rub his chest while Tasmia moved around behind him.
“So?” he asked. “Do either of you have any special talents?”
“Oh, yes,” they said in unison.
“I can't wait to see what you have planned for me,” he replied.
“Why wait?”
The question was asked by a third voice, one he was familiar with. Luornu stepped from the shadows.
Gero tried to climb out of bed, but found himself unable to move. His arms and legs were bound by cold, biting bands of black energy. He looked at Tasmia. “Release me,” he demanded.
Her response dripped venom. “But, you wanted to see our talents.”
He attempted to split, but found himself unable to do so. His anger became fear.
Tinya's hand emerged from the side of his head. “Did you know that for the briefest of seconds, the atoms of whatever I am passing through cease to exist while I am phasing? That makes it hard for things like splitting and merging to take place.”
Luornu approached the bed, as she did so, she became two. “I promise to make this as painful as losing a third of one's self as I can.”
Gero screamed as the two Luornus produced daggers and plunged them into his shoulders and thighs.
“Funny thing about these daggers,” she said. “They were designed to prevent Carggites from dividing.” She nodded to the two women and they climbed out of bed.
Gero fell backwards.
“He will bleed to death long before anyone checks on him,” Luornu said.
Tasmia glanced down at her outfit, then at Gero. Stretching out her hand, she let loose a burst of black energy that formed a globe around the man's head. “That's for looking at me the way you did. Up until the moment you die, you will be in complete darkness.”
She and Luornu looked at Tinya. “Anything you want to do before we go?”
Standing up on Gero's bed, she raised her foot then brought it down hard a few inches below the Carggite's navel. The man's scream was nerve-shattering. “I'm good,” she said as she hopped off the bed. “Let's go.”
Part Three
Elsewhere on Cargg—
“How did it go?”
“As she said it would,” the shadowed figure replied.
“How many?”
There was a pause before the shadowed figure responded. “I count six, although there may be one or two more not with the main group.”
“More importantly; how are you feeling?”
“It feels odd...somewhat disorienting, but I think I will survive.” The shadowed figure paused for a moment. “How long before someone comes for me?”
“Her ship should be out of range before long. Once it's clear, we shall come.”
The figure paced back and forth across the dark room, each step filled with an anxious energy. Ever since the telepathic voice had made contact, this room had become little more than a prison. There was a sense of relief knowing it would soon be left behind.
“It's time.”
The darkness of the room was broken as a portal opened and light from somewhere else flooded through, revealing a young woman eager to leave. An insectoid emerged and greeted her.
“I am called Gates,” it said. “You are her?”
The girl nodded. “I am...”
“Luornu.”
The voice came from the portal: Luornu recognized it as the one she had been hearing telepathically.
“I am Imra Ardeen,” a young woman said as she stepped through the portal. Long, blonde hair fell in loose curls over the shoulders of her short black tunic. Black knee-high boots, white gloves, and a white belt bearing a stylized image of Saturn in pink completed her outfit. “Where are they heading next?” she asked, audibly. “Have they mentioned a destination?”
Luornu paused for a moment, obviously in communication with her other selves. “Not yet.”
“Then, we shall proceed with our plans,” Imra said. She took Luornu by the hand and led her back through the portal.
The Carggite took one final look around, happy to be leaving her world behind.