Chapter CHAPTER XV—THE WHOLE TRUTH

“The Zux disturbed the delicate fabric of space-time that had once suspended our home planet with dark matter and forced us to engage with a developing black hole. Until that moment, it had gone unnoticed. It had been infinitesimal in size, but it grew with the added instability of the adjacent dark matter.

“Both our vessel and the Zux vessel were sucked into the void.

“When we emerged, we were here, in your dimension, universe, and galaxy. Shaken and stranded.

“We have no way to return. Even if there was a way, we have no home to return to and no leaders to provide direction.”

And so went his tale.

“Wow,” was all I could muster.

Iris walked gracefully into the meeting hall with a dissatisfied look on her face. She seemed to disagree with Jules’ assessment of the situation.

I wondered how long she had been standing right on the other side of the door. I realized that she must have come during his retelling of the history between the Veex and the Zux.

“Sir,” Iris said in a sharp, but respectful tone, “I’m must respectfully disagree with your defeated spirit.”

“General Iris Okin, welcome.” Jules smiled at her thankfully. “You always seem to be here when I need you the most.”

“Perhaps we should give this Earth-Human some hope, Sir,” she stated more calmly.

“What would you suggest?”

“That we find a way to defeat the Zux once and for all!

“We may have failed the Amabalians, but I refuse to fail these Earth-Humans!”

“I agree, General. These Earth-Humans are more like us than any species we’ve ever encountered.”

“Commander, her assumptions are completely unfounded!” spat an angry Rahim who had suddenly appeared behind me.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I heard myself utter a high-pitched squeal.

“Good evening, Rahim,” greeted Jules coolly.

“Is that so?” cheeped Iris bitterly, turning on him. “Then explain to me how you have fallen for one of them.” She pointed her index finger at me. I could feel my eyes widen and my face burn with blush.

“That is completely false,” he said dismissively.

“I disagree. Furthermore,” she paused, letting the mystery of what she was about to say sink in, “I have evidence.”

“Of what?” Jules questioned, eying me and Rahim suspiciously.

“Commander, I’ve spent quite a bit of time with Alec Xuqo this evening.”

Iris placed her right palm on the table. The moving figures disappeared and were replaced by a set of individually sectioned charts, tables, and text, none of which I could decipher. The data seemed to float in midair above the table.

Each separate piece of data displayed itself as a three-dimensional cube, solid with identical sides. I imagined this was done in order to ensure that everyone, despite their vantage point, could at least see what the documents held, almost like a thumbnail image. The size of each cube compared to that of a cereal box.

Rahim reached out and grabbed one of the cubes with charts displayed on each side and plucked it right out of thin air. Jules reached for a cube covered in graphs.

I uttered a small gasp, but no one seemed to notice.

Both men proceeded to flatten out their cubes and resize them by pulling at two opposite corners of the now two-dimensional square chart. The displays grew in size and the scale of the objects within them adjusted themselves accordingly.

I sat in silence as Rahim’s and Jules’ eyes scanned the material side to side and top to bottom. When they finished with the first document, they promptly exchanged them with one another. When the first two documents had been returned to their place of origin, they floated serenely into position, reformed into their original size and cubic shape before becoming immobile once more.

The same routine was repeated for the second round of information, and the third, until all the documents had been reviewed. The last two cubes had been covered in text.

Each of the text documents seemed to be multiple ‘pages’ long, only the text appeared seamless, continuously scrolling at each reader’s leisure. I never saw them lift a finger. At first I thought the program scrolled automatically like a TelePrompter, but at times the ‘pages’ scrolled swiftly and other times they passed more slowly. All the while, both men sat and read, completely absorbed in the data.

Over the next few minutes, Iris’s expression grew more and more satisfied as Rahim’s turned jolted. I could tell she had fully expected him to be utterly speechless and felt pleased at that being the case. Jules’ expression had not changed much and I could not tell how he received what he read.

Whatever the topic of this information, it seemed critical. Iris appeared to be in favor of the results. Rahim, looking as if he would faint, stood in opposition. Beads of sweat began to percolate on his brow.

I sat and watch the three of them nervously, glancing at one of the small suspended cubes nearest to me. I thought I saw an animated, double helix DNA structure above lines of genetic code. This information, surrounded by foreign text, looked integral to their studies. Rahim had read it twice.

I reached for the object and handled it the same way I had seen it handled before. It felt slick in my hands and light as paper. Though I could not read the script surrounding the document, I did notice my name, written in English, at the top of the document.

I looked up and saw Jules, Rahim, and Iris focused on me, full of disbelief, apprehension, and glee respectively.

My eyes exuded the bewilderment and angst I felt within me. I had no idea what had happened or what the information said about me.

I placed the DNA document carefully back above the table and spoke, “Did I do something wrong?” I asked the room at large.

Rahim did not speak, only stared.

“No, Kaya,” answered Jules.

“You have done nothing wrong,” added Iris.

“Then why does Rahim look like he’s swallowed a Palmetto Bug?” I asked, looking away from the muted Rahim. “What does all of this data say?” I waved my hand towards the floating cubes.

“The truth—.” concluded Jules.

“—and Unhenie can’t handle it,” added Iris sharply, using her brother’s birth name.

“What’s the truth?” I asked despite myself.

“Kaya,” she began, “You’re a—”

“No!” shouted Rahim, coming to his senses just in time to interrupt her. “I will not allow you to poison her mind with your outlandish theories.”

“Is that so, Brother,” she said to him, her voice like acid. “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way, but we need her help. And I, for one, am not too proud to ask for it.”

“Look,” I said pleadingly, “I’ll do whatever you need me to do. You’ve done so much for me already. I would be honored to return the favor.”

“Great,” said Iris, casting me a satisfied smile.

“That is very noble of you,” approved Jules.

“No!” exclaimed Rahim in protest, hoping to his feet. “I will not allow this!”

“Must I again recap the events that took place on Amabala?” asked Iris doubtfully, “The negotiations did not work then. What makes you think they will work now? It’s time to fight blue flames with white one.”

I took this to mean that Iris intended on turning up the heat against the Zux.

“Violence will solve nothing,” said Rahim arrogantly. “I will not stand for it—not from us.”

“That is not your decision to make, Rahim,” Jules announced with authority. “We will convene with the full console and decide our fate as an egalitarian group.”

“I am confident that we will have no trouble gaining the majority support from the remainder of the group. We are prepared to hold the meeting next sundown. We will present our arguments and then vote.”

“You are impossibly naïve and selfish, Sister. You are willing to risk the lives of these innocent people in order to do what—redeem yourself, get revenge? I am ashamed of you.”

“And I’m ashamed of you! If we risk nothing, we gain nothing. If we do not find a way to fight back, the Zux will destroy this planet and its inhabitants like so many before them.”

“You do not know that for certain.”

“What I do know is if we do things the old way again, these Earth-Humans will surely perish. If we employ the new strategy, they will at least have a fighting chance.”

Jules sat back and observed them both in turn.

I did not want to interrupt, but if I was going to be risking my life, I wanted to know why and how. I slowly raised my right hand into the air. It was the only thing I could think to do at the moment.

“Is there a reason why you’re showing us your palm, Kaya?” asked Iris.

“Aaahhh, yes,” I said bashfully lowering my hand. I felt like a fool. “I have a question.”

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. Ask away.”

“What is it that you would have me do exactly?”

“We need you to fight.”

I laughed wholeheartedly. Surely, she must have been joking this time. When I finished laughing, I looked up at her. She had not cracked a smile.

“Did I say something humorous?” she asked, puzzled and slightly annoyed.

“Apparently not,” I replied, feeling downright sick to my stomach. “Look, Iris, I don’t know what you think about me, but I’m no fighter. I’m a doctor.”

“You see, Sister! Even she does not believe you!”

She ignored him and addressed my concern. “You only believe that you can’t fight because you haven’t been trained.”

“

amount of training is going to transform into some kind of Amazon warrior.”

“I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with that species. What planet are they from?” she asked sincerely.

“Never mind them,” I said shaking my head. I shoved my right index finger forcibly into my chest thrice as I spoke the following words, “

can’t fight!”

“I will show you how to use your abilities. Then you can inflict pain on others rather than yourself.”

“What makes you so certain that I have any abilities?”

“It’s all in your DNA,” she said, grinning fully.

“Iris, I insist that you rethink your strategy,” interjected Rahim in a warning tone.

“And I respectfully decline your suggestion. This is the only way,” she said looking at the still floating data.

And you said Alec did the analysis?” Rahim asked, diverting the conversation once again.

“Yes,” answered Iris.

“You got him to speak to your?” asked Jules puzzled.

“Yes sir,” answered Iris proudly.

Rahim seemed to stew with this information.

“Who’s Alec again?” I asked Jules.

“He’s Qego Mouyo’s lead scientist and engineer,” he answered.

“Right, thanks.”

“While you were sleeping,” Iris addressed me. “I gave Alec some DNA samples I’d collected from you. He’s been processing and reprocessing different samples of your DNA for the past four nights and they’ve all reached the same conclusion.”

“I’m sorry. Did you say you stole samples of my DNA while I was asleep?” I asked thunderstruck.

“Yes. I’m sorry I didn’t really explain that to you earlier, but there were more important matters overshadowing those. I took hair and saliva samples from you each night I went in to check your vitals.”

She did not need what I presumed to be her ability to read and control emotions to know that I was shocked beyond belief. My jaw was practically on the floor.

“I slept for four nights straight?” I remembered what my mother had said about five days passing.

“Yes. This would have been your fifth.”

“And the cause was severe shock?”

“Yes.”

“And you left me alone?”

“No, not exactly.”

Jules spoke expounded on Iris’s behalf, “I had Alec place one of his medical robots in your room to watch over you constantly. It stored itself in your closet when you awoke so as not to alarm you.

I thought sarcastically.

“I know it’s unbelievable,” continued Iris, “But it’s all true. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Not many humans could face a Zux general and live to tell about it.”

“That murderer is a general?” I asked astounded. Rahim had not told me that part.

“Yes,” answered Jules. “General Hayami Xukyio.

Iris explained further by saying, “You could think of her as my more sinister colleague.”

Reality hit me then as I realized that I could have died that night. Of course, I would not have cared given the circumstances. General or not, she had taken my son. She could have been a twelve foot giant and I still would have tried to save him. A loving mother’s logic is thrown out of the equation completely when their child’s life is in danger.

“Well, if I’ve truly been asleep for five days and four nights that explains the thirst,” I concluded. “I’m probably extremely dehydrated.”

“Your throat has been feeling parched this entire time?” asked Rahim, partially recovering from his stupor. He seemed concerned by this news.

“Yes, immensely,” I answered. “But it’s okay, I just need some more water.”

“No,” said Jules sharply.

“Excuse me?” I asked confused.

“It won’t do you any good,” explained Iris.

“You’ve been hexed,” Jules remarked.

“What? No. It’s just a little dehydration.”

They all shook her head slowly. Jules had a stern look on his face. I could not believe they took this so seriously.

“If I had been there—” Jules began, but did not finish.

“Sir, you know why you had to stay. We did not want to provoke their commander.”

“Of course,” he muttered, dissatisfied.

“Kaya, when you saw General Hayami, did you make eye contact with her?”

“Of course,” I said firmly. “She had my son!”

“And then she attacked you, right?”

“Yes, she did. But I don’t see what this has to do with—”

“In this case, you don’t need to understand everything,” she interrupted. “The fact is you’ve been hexed.”

She started to pace back and forth in front of the table. As she walked, a grin surfaced on with each contemplative step. “As far as we know, no non-Tepon has ever survived a Zux hex.”

I did not understand what pleased her about that fact. Surely, I felt happy to be alive.

“Well, Rahim did break my fall,” I said, not even attempting to understand her glee.

“Some good that did,” growled Jules.

Iris stopped walking and stared at me unblinkingly.

I leaned back and away from her and thought, ?

“The hex was the stare, not the thrust,” correct Jules.

Iris reminded me so much of my mother. Speaking of Mamí, I could image her having herself a good laugh, wherever she resided inside of my head listening to all of this.

“Just like Veex,” Iris continued, “Each Zux has a genetic ability. General Hayami’s ability involves creating solid objects from pure, ambient energy which she then uses to attack her victims. As in any physical attack, the body will heal itself if given the opportunity. Though, honestly, few have had such a prospect.

“The optical hex that she inflicted on you is a generic capability that all Tepons possess, although the Zux’ hex has a certain special spice to it. Though it’s a common affliction on Tepo, like a cold on Earth, the effects of the hex can be long lasting to non-Tepons.”

“Which is why it’s illegal to intentionally use the hex,” Jules expounded.

“Veex have unintentionally hexed Non-Tepons that have survived the experience, mostly foreign politicians hexed during heated debates. This is how we know about the symptoms.”

“So you can kill people simply by staring at them?”

“Only once per lunar cycle,” clarified Jules.

“But you don’t have to worry about any Veex doing that to you,” offered Iris, “We hardly have enough hatred to power the hex.”

“Have you ever hexed anyone?” I asked her.

“Once or twice,” she admitted. “But they lived.”

I swallowed. “And how exactly do you expect me to fight against someone like that?” I asked, my thoughts returning to her previous request.

“The hex you can fight with an amulet. The rest will require your ability, of course.”

To this claim, Rahim let out a great sigh of exasperation.

“I think you’re mistaken, Iris,” I said carefully, so as not to insult her. “I don’t have ‘an ability’, not in the way you reference the term.”

“Sure you do. We just don’t know what it is yet.” She spoke with optimism and assurance, neither of which I possessed at the time.

“Iris, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but I’m human—a Earth-Human.” I used their terminology to make my argument more plain.

“I agree with her,” said Rahim, speaking at last. “She’s only an Earth-Human.”

“You are both in denial,” countered Jules.

Iris laughed. “That’s cute. You think you’re a mere Earth-Human.”

I sighed. I was starting to empathize with Rahim. “Well, I’m not Tepon.”

“Of course not you’re not,” she replied.

“Then what is it that you think I am?” I sighed at my wit’s end and tired of hemming and hawing around the issue.

“I don’t think, I know,” she said authoritatively. Then with a smile, she spoke the words I would not soon forget. “Kaya, you’re a Huzeen.”