InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cold ❯ Chapter Seventeen ( Chapter 17 )

 

 

Kagome trekked behind her guide, following the unisex alien through hidden passages and twisting halls. The silent duo passed several skti wearing males and females along the way, the often armed individuals watching her with curious eyes. Kagome returned their stares with equal interest and an undercurrent of suspicion. They carried themselves with a militia style discipline, their movements deliberate, not a single movement wasted as they navigated obscured portals and complex halls. She wasn't sure if the ship wide orderly function was the norm or if the overly disciplined mood was a consequence of the boss being aboard the ship.

She glanced at the broad shouldered, feminine alien in front of her.

“Excuse me,” she called out, “I don't think I got your name yesterday.”

The willowy creature stopped, turning to face her in the quiet hall. Pasty gray with jet black eyes, the unisex individual had the gentle curves of a woman, including very small breast outlining the skti suit, but its face was made of hard planes and masculine features, its bald cranium reflective in the well lit hall.

“Excuse my rudeness,” it said with an incline of its shiny head, “Introductions slipped my mind yesterday. My name is…”

Kagome's brows wrinkled in confusion, the sounds coming from its mouth scrambling her brain. Her lips couldn't even begin to form the complex, alien sounds that grated her ears like sandpaper. She had no idea what the heck she just heard.

“Uhhh.”

The alien gave a low cough along with a shoulder shake that Kagome assumed was a display of amusement when its thin lips stretched into a smile.

“Forgive me,” it said, “Introducing myself has always been a source of amusement as my native name is not one easily repeated.”

The teasing in a place of staunch organization took her aback for a moment, so out of place with the rank and file feel of their surroundings.

A beat later, she smiled in return.

“Ah, yeah,” she agreed with a giggle, “I can see how that'd drum up some pretty hilarious situations.”

The bald head bobbed.

“Many,” it assured her with another hacking laugh, “You may call me Yglen.”

“Yglen,” Kagome repeated, “nice to meet you.”

“Like wise.”

“Say Yglen, I hope it doesn't offend you, but I have question.”

The gray head bobbed.

“Female,” she said, anticipating the question, “I absorbed my sisters and am now more female than male. We wish to be addressed as female.”

Kagome wasn't sure if that was a confession of murder or a normal occurrence of Yglen's species.

Deciding not to ask, Kagome nodded.

“Thanks,” she smiled, “Just wanted to be sure I got it right.”

Yglen returned the smile, black orbs gleaming.

“It is appreciated, Kagome.”

Yglen gestured to the hall.

“I would love to continue conversing but we must not keep the Xaltan waiting.”

“Of course.”

The pair resumed their trek and arrived at a dead end several minutes later. A small, metallic circle formed high on the wall. The tiny device beeped, then beamed a bright green light onto the slender form of Yglen. Scan complete, it disappeared and long line from ceiling to floor formed.

The wall split open.

Yglen entered first, Kagome following a second later.

She stepped through the open portal and into a wide, high roofed work office. Sesshomaru sat behind a translucent desk, a 3D graph displayed above the flat surface. The towering, cyan haired male Delr'ik stood gesturing to the measured data, his deep voice a low hum in the silence of the room.

“Kagome, as you requested, Xaltan.”

The lanky female executed a quick bow and retreated from the room. The graph faded, as Delr'ik also excused himself from the room, bending gracefully at the waist before quitting the study.

The portal melt closed, leaving the two lovers alone in the room.

“Xaltan?” Kagome mused aloud, moving leisurely to the desk, “I'm not familiar with the term.”

“Nor should you be,” he replied, “It is a title associated with my position. I am the head of an enterprise made up of various business ventures and establishments. A leader to many and as such, I have been given the honorific.”

It was a reasonable explanation given in a arrogant tone.

She declined to comment on it though.

“Fair enough,” she said instead as she reached his desk, “So what did you want to talk about?”

Even as she asked, she had a fairly good idea of what he was going to ask.

He leaned back in his transparent chair, fixing her with an arctic, pragmatic stare.

“Yesterday's events have yet to be explained.”

Her memory wandered back to the confrontation in the parking lot, the blaster wound in her arm, the gun barrel he'd pointed at her face. Taking a seat on the silvery slab that formed beneath her bottom, Kagome met his gaze.

“Yesterday, an android named 5 found me in the parking lot and attacked me and my co-worker,” she explained, “He shot me and I used cuei to get away.”

“Cuei?”

“That's what my mother called it. Its the energy your computer has been analyzing.”

The last sentence was delivered with a bite of accusation, a slight inflection he either didn't notice or didn't care about.

“And you used cuei to teleport to me?”

Kagome shrugged her shoulders, wincing when the motion pulled at the healing wound. She placed a hand over the echoing throb.

“Maybe, I'm not really sure,” she admitted, “I've never done it before and I can't really remember much of how I did or what happened during.”

It was all very fuzzy in her head. She vaguely remembered bright lights, unending darkness and insistent voices. Other than that, she was at a loss about a lot of her transportation to her living room floor.

“Convenient.” he commented, golden orbs gleaming with suspicion.

“The truth.” she countered.

“Refresh your memory,” he murmured, “try to teleport now.”

Kagome shook her head.

“I'm tapped out of cuei even if I wanted to try.”

“How long does it take to regenerate?”

Kagome just stifled the urge to shrug again.

“I've never been tapped out before so I couldn't tell you.”

He observed her silently, mulling over the sincerity of another seemingly convenient explanation. Instead of commenting further, a mini, full body three dimensional replica of 5 winked on, floating above the desk between them.

“That's 5.” she confirmed.

“The fifth, functional prototype developed by the TinO organization. A sixth is currently in the works. The bounty's on you and your sibling originated from TinO. Fifty million pernix for your capture, two for Sota.”

The amount was staggering, but telling. She'd long suspected her brother wasn't their main target, the difference in value highlighted that fact.

Kagome glanced over the small text next to the holo figure, reading silently.

“So what does this group want with me?” she asked when finished.

“I have someone working to shed light on their motives.”

She met his eyes through the faded lines between them. Their dispassionate gleam leaving her with the feeling he knew more than he was saying at the moment.

“Are we going to play this cat and mouse game the entire time?” she asked.

“That is up to you.”

She eased back in her chair, not denying she intended to participate in the tit for tat theatrics as it suited her.

“You expect to be privy to every single detail of my life without sharing much of yours?” she questioned, “You still haven't told me how you intend to use the information you have now and what you gather later. I'm not going to be your lab rat if that's your goal.”

His eyes narrowed.

“You're already someone's lab rat.”

“If that's what you really think then you're in for a rude awakening. You and this TinO group.”

Kagome returned the calculating look her gave her, defiance blazing in her cerulean eyes.

He was unperturbed.

“I have no intention of turning you into a `lab rat',” he said, “however, I am not willing to ignore the implications of your cuei.”

“And what exactly does that mean?”

“As I stated the day before,” he murmured with a dangerous gleam in his honey eyes, “you're a smart woman.”

She knew what it meant. He wanted to know what this mysterious power was.

How it was used.

How he could replicate the results.

She wasn't shocked, surprised or dismayed. More relived than anything else. He'd shown his hand, made clear what was in it for him. It was leverage she could use later, and a bargaining chip if necessary.

Sota peered through the lazily drifting clouds above head, his brown orbs aglow. The crackling flow of cuei stung his skin, coiling around his insides like an electric eel. It was different this time, less stable, more painful.

It tightened his chest and left him feeling weak.

Anger coiled low in his gut.

The impotent ire dissipating just as fast as it appeared.

There was nothing he could do to change it, not yet anyway.

 

 

Antiseptic Tonic: Cleans wounds and kills majority of germs.

Azerai: A bright red planet currently being evacuated due to its dying sun.

Azeraic: An individual who was a citizen of Azerai.

Betr: A two headed reptilian creature from the planet Tarthrix.

Blitfers: Six winged insect that strongly resembles a butterfly.

Brakon: The equivalent of bacon.  

Caspte: Fuzzy, peaceful nine foot caterpillar like creatures.

Cuei: A type of energy to be explained later in the story.

Curerator: A container with a strong concentration of healing nano that promote the body's natural healing capabilities and fight infection. Can be applied to most species without adverse reaction.

Cyis: Is a highly illegal drug with an effect synonymous with cocaine.

Daxtan: Word synonymous with husband.

Fliier: Eggplant shaped vegetable that is very bitter when eaten raw but produces a sweat, savory juice when squeezed.

Foxlings Cartel: A small cartel with a strong influence in a number of key parts of the Teriaus galaxy.

Gartuan: A grasshopper looking creature with several limbs and soft bones. It changes colors when distressed or in pain.

Gilrex Cartel: A major cartel that dabbles mostly in drug sales, prostitution and weapon deals. The cartel is a major rival of the Xaltaric Cartel.

Glurtak: Xerian insult.

Heedrix: Winged, moth like alien from the planet Qtax.

Helping Hands: A pediatric hospital.

Kieyoshi: Xer word meaning wife.

Kran: A leaf, similar to cannabis in effect but is not an illegal substance in most of the known universe.

Kreeri: A solar system that includes Saratuo, Rektan 7 and other planets.

Knast Tree: A tree that produced nuts that are highly sought after on many plants and used to enhance the flavor of many dishes, mostly desert dishes.

Knutss: Pea shaped nuts from a Knast tree.

Krists: A snack almost like caramel popcorn.

Kryl: A creature found in the sea. It's body consists of mostly tentacles, sort of like the spaghetti monster.

Laengs: Red eggs

Liari: Kagome and Sota's mother.

Lithro Technologies: A corporation the specialized in advanced android construction and programming.

Lyrial: Winter celebration on Rektan 7, pretty much like Christmas but has no religious context.

Omakran: A planet home to Voltrin and several other species.

Pain Inhibitors: A tonic that reduces the body's ability to feel pain due to injury or illness.

Partanian Zoo: A chain of popular zoos scattered throughout the universe housing and showcasing several exotic and rare animals.

Pernix and Xin: Currency accepted in most of the known universe with Pernix equivalent to dollars and Xin the same as coins.

Phantox: Turkey type meat

Pheran: A highly addictive illegal drug that induces a strong high, stimulating adrenaline and heightening senses. It leaves behind a relaxing euphoria when leaving the blood stream.

Rayn: Blue salad dressing with the texture of ranch.

Red Rooms: An illegal service that provides the customer with live murder/torture, allowing the viewer to dictate the actions taking place.

Rektan 7: A highly popular, wealthy and advanced planet home to thousand upon thousands of species.

Rhit: Akin to spaghetti noodles.

Rizek: A popular bar/restaurant near one of the major check in stations on Rektan 7.

Saratuo: A blue/green planet with a series of pink rings of average wealth and technological advances.

Sark lettuce: Orange, crisp vegetation with the consistency of lettuce.

Sarn: An old but medium sized cartel that relies heavily in sex trade.

Severance: Dissolving of a sanctioned mating on Xer, works in the same way as a divorce of a marriage would.

Sh'vek: Tall and spindly with elongated heads, these creatures have six eyes and round teeth. They are native to Rektan 7.

Slaxton: A androgynous, often times short creature with a big head, black eyes and gray skin.

Skti: A form suit that is commonly worn by enforcers or military personal. It comes in both long sleeves and no sleeves and contains pockets that are visible only when in use. They are also equipped with heat regulators, emergency curerators and have the ability to be outfitted with special software, if necessary, for specialized situations.

Skyway: Equivalent of a freeway or highway. It is a transparent road high in the sky with a gravity system that keeps vehicles in place and make crashing less likely.

Syntari: Very lucrative raw minerals used in various weaponry across the universe.

Thermal/Heat Regulating Band Aid: Band aid that comes in multiple sizes. It senses the best temperature for each step of the healing process, changing its temperature from cold, to reduce swelling, bleeding and inflammation, to hot, to reduce aches and pains and any temperature in between.

TinO: A research facility on New Saturn that specializes in space sciences.

Torpal: Blue, genetically altered vegetable that is crisp on the outside, but gooey on the inside and has an earthy taste. Shaped like a bell pepper.

Underboss: Male/Females that control large, illicit corporations trading illegal goods and services for profit.

Vaprifle: A powerful rifle capable of vaporizing an individual into dust.

Visirik: Sunglasses without the arms that cover the eyes. Most are installed with software that enhances vision, is equipped with a zoom in mechanism and records as well as transmits data. Can be customized for specific purposes if necessary.

Voltrin: A dog-like race of people that live mostly on planet Omakran.

Wurmulix: An alien with a vertical mouth full of mini tentacles called feelers.

Xaltan: A term applied to the leader of the Xaltaric Cartel.

Xaltaric Cartel/Xaltar: A major cartel specializing in drug sells, weapon deals, and prostitution.

Xer: A wealthy planet of significant technological advancement.

Xerian: An individual who is a citizen of the planet Xer.

Zalvan: A family that share a tight bond. The word is synonymous with pack as in a wolf pack.

Zkyek: An exotic tiger type of animal with an extremely soft pelt. It comes in a multitude of colors and is found in the jungles of Rektan 7.

5: Android sent to retrieve Kagome and Sota for purposes currently unknown.