'This begs the question... would humans or Loroi be their intended prey?', Alex mused.
His thoughts were met with three wordless queries to explain.
'Just think of this - you yourself told us that you were searching for another telepathic race since long, and given the size of the Union and the space you know, it means that telepathy is a very rare trait amongst the different species. And that we can talk this way is by your own belief that you Loroi were patterned after us humans.'
Fireblade interjected with a rather undignified thought, something Alex picked up on.
'Rather than feeling shame over it, how about looking at it that you're the stronger, more durable, improved version of us? Your biochemistry operates much more efficiently, you need less sleep, less sustenance, and every single one of you ladies could give a seasoned marine a run for the money.'
'...True.', Fireblade admitted, somewhat mollified.
'Anyway, here's the rub: We already suspected that the Soia had an influence on Earth in prehistoric times, and that maybe our species, or rather the ancestors of our species, had enough contact for you to earn your place in human mythology', Alex continued.
'Right. Your
elves, as you said.', Beryl cut in.
'And, second, our pictures of dragons made you think of these
Nissek, as I remember?'
'Right on two. What are you getting at?', Tempo asked.
'The Nissek may just have been coincidence, but now I'm thinking less so. Once, it's a fluke, Twice, it's an oddity, but three times, it's a pattern. There is something out there that my subconscious recognizes and reacts to with a primal fear, the fear of a prey animal facing an apex predator. But if we assume that you Loroi and we humans
have a shared history, it could be that they were designed to prey on
you, and we humans would just be by-catch.'
'And why wouldn't we react the same as you?', Beryl challenged.
'Perhaps for you the evolutionary pressure wasn't strong or persistent enough to make an imprint on your genetic makeup. And I think the Soia might have equipped you with a more stable genome to have it affected less by mutations. After all, they wouldn't want anything to mess with perfection?'
'Charmer', Tempo ribbed Alex.
'...be it as it may....', Beryl started slowly, and Alex could actually
feel her embarrassment, '...that doesn't bring us any closer to
identifying this mysterious species.'
'Let's assume that this is a common enemy. One that preys on humans and Loroi equally. Likely sapient, because a base animal wouldn't be much of a threat to anything above a single Loroi or human.', Alex started.
'It must be a species which we had little to no contact to in historic times, something which is part of our myths and legends, if at all', Tempo mused.
'And it needs to be a species the Shells had subjugated on a large scale. We're not talking about single invividuals, but enough to supply a whole Umiak strike force. This would require quite a population base', Fireblade added.
'Let's start with the first and second one... a sapient species in Loroi lore which is most likely feared or at least respected by the Loroi at a whole', Alex interjected.
That got the three Loroi thinking.
After a moment, the picture of
Tempest's mural popped up in the mindscape, courtesy of Beryl, accompanied with the word 'Bedein', supplied by the three Loroi.
'?', Alex queried.
'Bedein... that's we call a sort of avenging water spirit. As the lore goes, Tempest managed to secure their service to exact her bloody vengeance on those who betrayed her.', Beryl supplied.
'We have something similar. Furies. Or Erinyes, if you use the Old Greek name. These were described as vengeful spirits, living under earth to take vengeance on men who have sworn a false oath or committed an act of betrayal', Alex provided.
Tempo's eyes went wide. 'Not an exact match, but close. Very close.'
'Wait, that mural showed only parts of these 'Bedein'. Do you have depictions how they'd look like in full?', Alex asked.
'Sure do.', Beryl chipped in, showing them
another picture of slender creatures with features looking even more elfin-like than the Loroi themselves do, with long, thin arms ending in webbed, clawed hands and, more importantly, their torsos widening into hips, but then tapering off in a single, slender tail adorned with a single fin on its back and two more fins near the end. Everything in the picture conveyed the feeling of the weightlessness felt in the water, and while the creatures looked peaceful, Alex felt some trepidation while looking at them.
'What is it?', Fireblade asked, somewhat concerned.
'Mermaids.', Alex simply sent. 'Creatures of another of our legends. Mermaids, or sirens. Head, arms and torso of a woman, but below the waistline the body of a fish, with a single, strong tail. Aquatic, but some legends have them be able to transform and walk on land for short times, but more importantly, their voices mesmerizing the seafarers of old so that they steer their ships into dangerous waters, or have the sailors simply jump overboard, crazed with lust, only to be drowned and preyed on by these creatures.'
Beryl paled visibly. 'You humans can surely conjure up a lot of horrors...'
'Especially when it comes to the sea. Even today, much of the sea is still unknown to us, and not knowing leaves enough room for lots of stories. If you really wish for nightmares, there's the Chtulhu mythos, conjured up by one author named H. P. Lovecraft. It talks about ancient beings, slumbering throughout the world - and, mind you, seventy percent of the planet is covered with water - beings so old and powerful and
uncaring of humans, that we would simply describe them as 'evil', and just a single glance at them would rend a human's mind asunder.'
Beryl's eyes went wide. 'I ... think I'll pass.'
'But how would the Umiak fit into this?', Fireblade asked.
'We know of an aquatic sapient race in Historian space, something the Historians really hush up,
to protect them, they say. And, we know the Historians only fully committed themselves to our side because the Shells invaded their space several tozons ago. Perhaps... that invasion served a purpose to abduct a breeding population of this race, the 'Pol'?', Beryl put up.
'Beryl.... you're talking about events
thirty tozons ago! This would mean that the Shells had planned for this since almost the beginning of the war!', Fireblade sent, visibly shocked.
'This may be a lot of 'if's, and while the conclusions may seem plausable, something we might have had overlooked could easily topple everything we've built. Perhaps we won't have any definite conclusion until we manage to board one of the ships of an invisible division and we find a tank with one of these beings in there.', Tempo tried to soothe the riled up minds.
'And for that, I need to overcome my phobia', Alex concluded, 'Human psychology has about two tried and true methods of dealing with phobias.'
'Oh. And they are...?', Tempo asked, and Alex was sure he picked up a dejected tone in her sending.
Smooth move, Alex. You just told her that you don't need her overcoming your fears, he chided himself.
'First way of doing this would be to directly confront oneself with the object of the fear. For example, if someone fears heights, it would be transporting him to the top of the tower and have him looking down. The idea behind this is that a human has only a limited capacity for fear, and once it's exhausted, acceptance of the inevitable sets in.'
This was met three-voiced outcry in sanzai and a vice-like grip by Tempo's hands.
'What? NO WAY! The shock could KILL you!', she sent sharply, while looking deep into his eyes. 'Promise me. PROMISE ME that you won't go that route! I couldn't.....'
She didn't finish that thought. Instead, she pulled him close to herself and gave him a rough kiss on the lips, a kiss fueled by her
desperation to convey her feelings to him.
'....', Alex was completely taken by surprise by Tempo's reaction, more so than Beryl and Fireblade, it seemed. It took quite some time for his brain to kick back into gear after she broke the kiss.
'...I'm sorry.', she sent guiltily.
'Don't be.', Alex tried to soothe her. 'And, you could help me with the second method.'
'Anything', she stressed. 'EVERYTHING!'
'It takes longer, and is a step by step thing. When I first sensed them, the panic gripped me as well, but not as strongly. How I would go is to ... desensibilize myself to them. As in, if I have a fear of fire, it would be like looking at a candle flame first, and when I can do so without getting a panic attack, it would be a lantern, then a campfire, and so on.'
'I see. And what do you need me for?'
'To watch me. Keep a lookout that I don't overreach myself. And edge me onwards to the next step. I will be stubborn, I will resist, but I need you to give me the needed push. And it has to be you, with your insight into Loroi - and human - psyche. And, maybe we need to repeat that when we're together with Pure Sand - because that thing looking at hear triggered
my protective instincts.'
'I see. This is ... somewhat different.', Tempo acknowledged.
Beryl turned to Alex with a somewhat serious expression.
'You like her, don't you?', she asked.
Alex sighed. 'I'd lie if I would say no. And I felt that she's attracted to me as well, even after she discerned the depth of the bonds we share. It is ... improper. I shouldn't feel that way for her.'
'Why? Because she's the Farseer?', Tempo queried, and Alex nodded, 'Nonsense. Let me tell you, as a Farseer only few crewmembers ever get to see her. Her life is a lonely one, almost completely seeing other Loroi minds from afar.'
'And', Fireblade added, 'they face about the same difficulties ... as I do.'
Fireblade didn't need to elaborate what she meant. Farseers, as exceptionally powerful telepaths may be barred from male encounters as well, just because they could possibly hurt the males, too. Or maybe the males hurting
them, since they're that sensitive.
'If it happens... and it's a big
if, mind you! ... it's up to you to tell Stillstorm about it before she decides to take it out of my hide.', Alex groused.
'I wouldn't be too surprised if Stillstorm already entertained the possibility of that happening', Fireblade sent matter-of-factly.