Food For Thought Ch 012

Vara looked expectantly at the three Terrans, who exchanged glances with each other.

"You're Vara Tel'Vair?" Lilith asked curiously, running her eyes over the waiting Assath woman.

Nodding curtly, Vara continued to wait as Lilith, Emily, and Logan stood quietly, unsure what to do.

"Sorry, would you like to come in?" Logan offered, experiencing a small amount of panic.

Stepping forward through the airlock, Vara examined the ship's interior with a critical eye. Her neutral expression didn't give any of her thoughts away.

As the door closed behind her, the Assath woman repeated her first statement, "You have been looking for me."

"Yes, yes, we have. Sorry, I think we are just surprised at your arrival on our doorstep." Logan said, pulling himself together.

"Why don't we talk somewhere more comfortable instead of standing in the hallway?" Lilith motioned farther into the ship.

Without any further discussion, the group made their way to one of the observation lounges. Lilith noticed Vara examining the dress she was wearing and saw a faint smile on the Assath's lips. If Vara had something to say, she kept it to herself.

As the Terrans found a place to sit, Vara waited and seated herself last so she could see everyone. She didn't seem particularly bothered by the continued looks she was getting.

"I suppose I should speak first," Vara said pragmatically, "My arrival here is personal in nature, though I believe it ties deeply into something you are involved with."

Unsure of how to respond, Logan replied vaguely, "I'm not quite sure what you are referring to."

"I am aware of your meeting with one Commander Tol'Lethin. I have a rough idea of your involvement in data that was provided to the science division," Vara said plainly.

"What can we do for you? You said you had some personal business with us?" Lilith asked.

Vara nodded, "To be blunt, I believe you want my help with something. I would like you to help find my parents. In return, I will help you with the reason you sought me out, so long as it does not involve stealing or acquiring Assath technology."

Logan shared a glance with Lilith, 'What do you think she knows?' he asked the purple-haired woman in her head.

'Likely some of the details we shared with Ketlir, but I'm curious...' Lilith's message faded out, and she started speaking out loud instead of replying to Logan, "I'm curious what our dealings with Commander Tol'Lethin has to do with your parents. You said it was personal and then tied it to our questioning by Assath security."

"The image data you provided of the space below the city levels, with strange symbols drawn in blood. I have seen one of the symbols on the wall before. The charred remains there are tied to the remains of the individual from the elevated plaza incident to which you were present, I have seen the recording," Vara spoke clearly and with intent.

"You're not one to beat around the bush, are you?" Emily commented.

After giving the Marine a strange look, Vara responded, "I believe Terrans call it putting your cards on the table."

There was silence in the room. A faint rumble passed through the ship, and the sound of a large vessel departing the Spaceport filled the air. It took a moment longer before Logan spoke, "Alright then, if we are being honest, yes, we are loosely tied to the incident. I can't say exactly how if that was not something Ketlir shared."

The Commander had kept some things to himself, which Logan was thankful for.

"Regardless, I do believe we can help each other," Vara said, looking at each of the Terrans carefully.

"If I can ask, why come to us and not someone like Commander Tol'Lethin?" Emily inquired.

This question made Vara think for a moment; she didn't respond immediately and instead picked her words carefully, "I am hesitant to share this as I probably should not be. However, there has been some strange behavior amongst some individuals in the Assath government. While I don't trust you, I am certain to some degree you are likely not involved."

Lilith, Emily, and Logan shared a worried look, which Vara easily noticed, but she said nothing.

"Strange behavior like the Assath in the plaza walkway area?" Emily asked, her tone clearly reflecting a worry that Vara was not privy to.

"Nothing as zealous, no. We are not religious people, but if it is connected, which I do suspect to some degree, it is very worrying. Not the religious part, but the self-incineration and blood offerings," Vara said calmly.

"You are very astute in your observations," Lilith herself observed.

A small smile formed at the corner of Vara's mouth, "It is a requirement if you wish to lead a scientific department."

"Shifting back a little, you want our help finding your parents, who may somehow be involved in what's happened. Why do you think we can help?" Logan probed.

"As I said, I don't believe you are directly part of recent events. Your familiarity is helpful, and being a separate non-Assath entity helps as well. Additionally, I believe your... antiquated ship will also draw less attention."

"Antiquated?" Logan said defensively, despite his awareness of the accuracy of her statement. He was still a little hurt.

Vara nodded in a polite way, "Yes, certainly by Assath and Terran standards."

Looking a little dejected Logan replied, "While your description is accurate, it hurts a little to hear out loud. Besides, it was free for the most part."

"It was not my intention to cause harm; however, I do believe that if someone were looking for threats, it would be easier to go unnoticed with your ship," Vara said in a warmer tone.

Despite her more pleasant tone, Logan felt another nail hammer into his heart, "Would we have to travel somewhere?"

"As of now, no. I have done some research and quietly inquired into a few other leads. I wanted to seek your assistance before committing to any further plan," Vara smiled at Logan for the first time.

"Would it be alright if we talked amongst ourselves first?" Lilith asked.

Vara stood politely and nodded, "I can wait outside for you to deliberate."

The three of them watched Vara leave the room. Emily closed the heavy doors behind her and looked at Lilith and Logan excitedly. "She's pretty hot for an alien."

Lilith stifled a laugh, and Logan just sighed at her.

"So, what do we do?" Logan addressed the two women, "She's not infected. I haven't felt any reaction to her."

"Help her, obviously. In return, we get her willing cooperation to start figuring things out," Emily said quickly.

It was Lilith's turn to sigh, "While I do agree, we should still be careful. If what she says is true, there's more at stake here than a few isolated incidents. The destabilization of the Assath Government would be catastrophic. If I'm remembering correctly, her parents are on the council."

"I agree that helping is the right way to go, and I think helping her will also lead us closer to figuring out what is going on in general. It's certainly alarming that the disappearance of two council members hasn't been a bigger deal," Logan observed.

"If any of the Colonial government members disappeared, it would cause a massive stir," Emily's tone shifted to one of concern.

"Unless the ones responsible for their security were involved," Logan said quietly.

"Are we going to help her?" Emily asked."

"I say yes," Logan voted.

Lilith nodded, "I agree. Though we should keep the nanomachines to ourselves until later."

Tapping her fingers restlessly, Emily glanced out the big window, "She was the one we were going to ask for help from in the first place, right? Why not just be upfront?"

"With current events in mind, I believe we are better off waiting until we can get a better picture of Vara and the situation in front of us," Lilith said thoughtfully.

Logan looked at the heavy blast door to the observation lounge and then back at the two women, "I'm on board with that. Rushing to get answers won't help us. We have waited this long. A little longer will be fine. I'd like to trust her, but we really don't know her."

"Are you going to tell her the same thing you told Ketlir?" Emily inquired.

"That seems like a safe place to start if we agree." Looking at Lilith and Emily for agreement, Logan wanted to ensure everyone was on the same page about moving forward.

There was a silent nod of agreement among the three of them. Emily opened the door again and gestured for Vara to join them again. She had been quietly standing against a wall, looking lost in thought.

"We would like to take you up on your offer and help you in exchange for your expertise. We can discuss the details later, but I can assure you we are not looking to acquire Assath technology." Logan said reassuringly.

Vara nodded in thanks, "Very well. Where would you like to start?"

Logan repeated what he had said Ketlir days before, focusing only on the fact that the United Colonial Government had encountered a 'few' individuals who had melted upon death in an almost identical manner to the Assath on the walkway. Logan highlighted the behavioral differences, pointing out a more rabid nature than an individual who could think and speak about religious views.

Vara listened intently. From her quiet interest, Logan surmised further that much of his conversation with Ketlir had been kept from the science community. He finished by telling the Assath woman that what he had told her was known only by a handful of individuals.

Remaining silent for a while before slowly speaking, Vara was hard to read, but her voice carried a tone of worry, "What you shared is concerning. While I have not noticed acts of aggression, the altered behavior and charred remains do suggest a link between your experiences and the outcomes here."

"From our perspective, we can say they are linked, though we don't know how," Lilith lied.

Taking her time, Vara shared her experiences while leaving out names. Secretive behavior, paranoia, sudden trips, changes in personality and demeanor. She had noticed the change in a few scientists and notable figures higher up in the Assath government.

It wasn't alarming to her individually, but the more Vara noticed similar changes in others, the more it stood out. After seeing the footage of the walkway incident and hearing the things the man had said, Vara thought back and noticed similar trends in speech among those who were behaving differently.

Quiet mentions of burning and ash. Whispers of knowledge. The last few days had firmly formed links between things in Vara's mind. She grew increasingly worried the more she thought about previous events when coupled with new information.

Once she had finished sharing her experiences, Vara waited patiently as she watched them consider her words. There was visible concern between them, which she appreciated.

"It seems like there are a lot of significant implications for what you have told us. If your parents are caught up in it, I'm not sure how we can navigate Assath politics." Lilith looked worried.

"I believe the expression is: crossing that bridge when we reach it. I understand your hesitation, but for now I only ask for help locating them." Vara responded.

"If we are looking for your parents, the best place to start would be the places they were last seen," Logan said. An investigation like this was closer to what he was good at.

Vara looked thoughtfully at Logan, "I have tried that, but a new set of perspectives might be helpful. Unfortunately, information on my mother is currently limited. She was departing on an inspection of some kind and has not been seen since. It's not unusual for her to do such things, but I've always been able to contact her."

"She went missing while off the planet?" Emily asked.

"Indeed, that appears to be the case," Vara agreed before adding, "The last place I know my father was located was at their home."

"That is probably a good place for us to start, then," Logan suggested. He wasn't sure how hard this would be, but the lack of leads and the time that had passed since Vara noticed the disappearances would make things more difficult.

"Very well. I would suggest heading there today, but I have another matter to attend to pertaining to information about my mother." Looking a little hesitant, Vara struggled to keep her stoic front. There was a brief flash of uncertainty and worry that Logan caught despite the species barrier.

"I'm sorry you are going through this," Lilith tried to be comforting. Her words seemed to have some small effect on Vara.

Looking at Lilith, Vara gave her a small but uncertain smile, "My parent's home is located a fair distance from here, closer to the governing district. A shuttle would be your best mode of transport."

There was a slightly awkward pause before everyone got up. Vara handed Logan a small chip that contained directions to her parent's house and began to excuse herself.

"It was nice meeting you, Vara," Emily waved in a friendly manner, but the gesture seemed to confuse Vara. Emily turned and headed off down the corridor.

Logan and Lilith walked Vara to the airlock while Lilith tried to explain Terran hand gestures briefly.

"I have not interacted directly with many Terrans. While the language was easy to learn, there are undoubtedly social actions I do not know about. Assath don't use many hand motions in a social context," Vara explained.

"Do many Assath speak Terran standard?" Logan asked curiously.

Vara approached the airlock and turned to face Logan, "Some do, some choose other languages. Most Assath are bi-lingual in some form. I speak four other languages."

Lilith laughed gently, "I get the feeling you are a very intelligent woman."

With a polite nod, Vara didn't seem to have a response. To Logan, it appeared like she was humbly acknowledging a true statement.

As the airlock cycled open, Vara smiled warmly at Lilith, "Our fashion appears to suit you quite well despite the difference in proportions."

It was the first time he had seen her really smile, and it felt like a genuine compliment. Lilith blushed a little and smiled back, "Thank you."

"Is tomorrow mid-morning a suitable time for you?" Vara addressed Logan, her smile lingering at the corners of her mouth.

"Yes, it does. I hope we can help you," Logan said, trying to reassure her.

"I do as well," Taking one last look at Logan and Lilith, Vara passed through the airlock and walked into the spaceport.

Taking Lilith's hand, Logan pulled her closer and kissed her on the shoulder, "I think I'm going to spend some time working on a few nanomachine-related ideas I have. You should keep that dress on. When I'm done, I'm going to have my way with you."

Lilith's blush deepened, "You big brute, how could you?" She teased before adding, "I can't wait."

Leaving her with a gentle kiss, Logan made his way to the back of the ship. Deck five below main engineering housed the lower half of the main drive core and various components related to the main engines and power distribution. If Logan was going to start trying new things, he didn't want to damage anything accidentally.

The Apollo's power systems could handle surges in energy, especially this close to the powerplant. Or so Logan hoped.

A labyrinth of access tubes and maintenance areas surrounded the lower portion of the core. This section of the ship had not gotten any real attention during the overhaul at Port Signus. Logan took a few minutes to look around and refamiliarize himself with the deck. Heavy-looking blast doors blocked a narrow passage that looked like a pain to squeeze through.

ENGINE ACCESS was stenciled on the door.

Moving on, he found a place to get working. It looked like a tiny day room for maintenance crews. While cramped, it provided quick access to many of the systems they would have needed to monitor, including a power conduit running along the back wall.

The power conduit hummed gently, and as Logan put a hand on it, he could feel vibrations in the metal from the large amount of energy flowing through it. Closing his eyes, Logan tried to visualize the flow of power in his mind. The hum slowly filled his senses until it was all he could hear. 'I am a conduit,' Logan said quietly to himself.

His fingertips began to tingle from the constant vibration. Logan tried to focus on the feeling but found himself looking at his hand on a tree instead.

Logan was leaning against a tree in a foggy clearing. Early morning light pierced the fog in visible shafts. The lone tree stood taller than the forest surrounding it beyond the edge of the clearing.

He was back in the forest. Deep into the trees, Logan could see a gold and blue light flickering in the distance. Judging by how the light behaved, Emily must have been working on her abilities.

Returning his attention to himself, Logan looked at the large tree before him. The trunk was a rich brown with a crown of larger branches at the top. He thought it could be an oak tree. Most of the leaves were pristine, a lovely green colour that easily picked up the morning sun.

A small dark patch caught his attention. The leaves looked burned. Looking closer, Logan could see the burn extending into the branch, like veins. The main trunk of that branch looked healthy, and if Logan had to guess, it seemed like the tree was slowly healing.

The tree was him. A representation of him. Logan wasn't sure how he knew that, but standing here with his hand on the tree, he knew it to be true.

It had been months since he had killed... Logan struggled to remember the man's name, the piece of shit who had held Lilith captive and tried to kill her. If the nanomachines were trying to tell him something, it was probably that this was the damage he suffered as a result of releasing all that energy.

His body still hadn't healed fully. Whatever the damage he suffered was, it wasn't something he felt. This time, though, Logan was going to do better.

Looking down, some of the Tree's thick roots were visible as they sunk into the ground. If the tree was a metaphor, then Logan's body had pathways in it--natural ones like his nerves for the electrical impulses that controlled everything. Likely there were now other pathways built by the nanomachines.

Dwelling on that thought, Logan tried to understand what that meant for him. Was he becoming part machine? No. That didn't feel right. The tree was alive and healing, not being repaired.

Becoming more aware of the tree he had his hand on, Logan felt the bark. It felt like a tree. Strangely firm, like it was stronger than the other trees around it. The more Logan looked at it, the more he saw a pattern in the rough bark.

His eyes began to pick out small lights emerging from the ashen grey tree. The silver dots of light ordered themselves, and Logan could only describe what he saw as perfection--neat and aligned rows of cells? Or maybe atoms? He couldn't tell.

The overwhelming feeling Logan got was that the nanomachines were restructuring how his body was made. Somehow, keeping his building blocks together but changing them enough to fit together perfectly.

From Logan's limited understanding of chemistry, he knew that it should probably be impossible.

Shaking himself from that rabbit hole, Logan returned to why he had ended up here in the first place. If things worked out, Vara would hopefully start to answer some of these questions. If something like this wasn't beyond an Assath scientist, that is.

Logan started to have some doubts.

Closing his eyes again, Logan pushed the forest from his thoughts and focused on what he felt. The rough oak tree was still there. The vibrations from the power conduit were still there. A strange combination of the real world and his inner world layered on each other.