to stop the playback. In response, the image froze of his wife and daughter as Aaron broke down completely.
A hand brushed his shoulders to comfort him before wrapping itself around in a consoling embrace. “Two strong and beautiful women,” her voice chimed softly. “Your mate and offspring?”
“My wife Krista and my daughter Sara.” he replied, in between sobs.
“You are lucky to have spent time with such strong people. My people can go lifetimes without finding a mate like you have. The Gods graced you with knowing them, and you must find comfort in that.”
His anger started to replace his heartbreak, causing him to lash out verbally at his companion. “I’m supposed to find comfort in this?” he leapt to his feet and shook himself free of her embrace. “I want my life back! I didn’t ask for any of this! How am I supposed to be this…this…thing?”
“Destiny never calls on us when we want it to.” She replied with a continued look of calmness. “And in your case, it has indeed come calling. It will take time for you to appreciate the gifts bestowed upon you, for now the pain is too fresh to wash away. Time will be your ally, for you have an eternity to heal your broken soul.”
Her words rocked him like a slap to his face; Aaron stumbled backwards slightly. “Eternity? You mean they made me…..”
“Immortal?” she interrupted his scattered thought. “Yes, but they didn’t do it by intent. Right now your body is dying; eventually your heart will stop, due to the changes from our joining. Those idiots will think you dead and place you in storage to better study you. But it is only your mortal coil that will be shed, for inside of you will erupt a power unlike any seen before in the universe. It is this which shall make you a god among the people; and it is this that shall allow you to see wonders you never imagined!”
Aaron was speechless; after all, immortality was something he had only read in books or seen in the movies! Looking down at his reflection in the water he saw the strange face once again. This would be the face of his eternal life, this strange mask which was now his face.
“I will leave you now to return to your memories and thoughts, but you may call upon me when you need me.” Ameia said, as she and the landscape began to dissipate. “And when the time comes, I will lead you away from this place so you can be free once more.”
Her words echoed in the darkness as Aaron stood alone. His mind raced with a million different questions, but he could put no words to any of them. He felt as if he was at the bottom of a well; looking up at the light above and listening to those up there continue with their lives as his was stuck in neutral as he pondered what had been told to him. It was hard to trust a stranger, never mind one who wasn’t even human! It was now that he felt a disconnect with his body; only an awareness that he could hear his muffled heartbeat like a drum in the distance. The sound was a constant, but he soon noticed that it was slowing. Death was creeping closer and Aaron was scared, all he wanted was to be with his family for one more day, but fate had other intentions. In the darkness he stood alone with his thoughts and waited for the end—or if the alien was right, maybe he waited for a new beginning.
—
General Taylor sat in his room alone, reviewing the team’s status. Of the ten new soldiers, nine were finished augmentation and three were done with neural implants. Those three were now receiving downloads on tactical skills and combat training. The last subject had died from complications from the augmentation process; Taylor had to admit that nine out of ten was a positive result ratio for success.
It had been nine months since the hybrid had been created and it had been comatose ever since. They had mined its DNA for usage in the soldier platform of the project, giving Taylor the super-soldiers he’d been after the whole time. The three that
A hand brushed his shoulders to comfort him before wrapping itself around in a consoling embrace. “Two strong and beautiful women,” her voice chimed softly. “Your mate and offspring?”
“My wife Krista and my daughter Sara.” he replied, in between sobs.
“You are lucky to have spent time with such strong people. My people can go lifetimes without finding a mate like you have. The Gods graced you with knowing them, and you must find comfort in that.”
His anger started to replace his heartbreak, causing him to lash out verbally at his companion. “I’m supposed to find comfort in this?” he leapt to his feet and shook himself free of her embrace. “I want my life back! I didn’t ask for any of this! How am I supposed to be this…this…thing?”
“Destiny never calls on us when we want it to.” She replied with a continued look of calmness. “And in your case, it has indeed come calling. It will take time for you to appreciate the gifts bestowed upon you, for now the pain is too fresh to wash away. Time will be your ally, for you have an eternity to heal your broken soul.”
Her words rocked him like a slap to his face; Aaron stumbled backwards slightly. “Eternity? You mean they made me…..”
“Immortal?” she interrupted his scattered thought. “Yes, but they didn’t do it by intent. Right now your body is dying; eventually your heart will stop, due to the changes from our joining. Those idiots will think you dead and place you in storage to better study you. But it is only your mortal coil that will be shed, for inside of you will erupt a power unlike any seen before in the universe. It is this which shall make you a god among the people; and it is this that shall allow you to see wonders you never imagined!”
Aaron was speechless; after all, immortality was something he had only read in books or seen in the movies! Looking down at his reflection in the water he saw the strange face once again. This would be the face of his eternal life, this strange mask which was now his face.
“I will leave you now to return to your memories and thoughts, but you may call upon me when you need me.” Ameia said, as she and the landscape began to dissipate. “And when the time comes, I will lead you away from this place so you can be free once more.”
Her words echoed in the darkness as Aaron stood alone. His mind raced with a million different questions, but he could put no words to any of them. He felt as if he was at the bottom of a well; looking up at the light above and listening to those up there continue with their lives as his was stuck in neutral as he pondered what had been told to him. It was hard to trust a stranger, never mind one who wasn’t even human! It was now that he felt a disconnect with his body; only an awareness that he could hear his muffled heartbeat like a drum in the distance. The sound was a constant, but he soon noticed that it was slowing. Death was creeping closer and Aaron was scared, all he wanted was to be with his family for one more day, but fate had other intentions. In the darkness he stood alone with his thoughts and waited for the end—or if the alien was right, maybe he waited for a new beginning.
—
General Taylor sat in his room alone, reviewing the team’s status. Of the ten new soldiers, nine were finished augmentation and three were done with neural implants. Those three were now receiving downloads on tactical skills and combat training. The last subject had died from complications from the augmentation process; Taylor had to admit that nine out of ten was a positive result ratio for success.
It had been nine months since the hybrid had been created and it had been comatose ever since. They had mined its DNA for usage in the soldier platform of the project, giving Taylor the super-soldiers he’d been after the whole time. The three that
Similar Books
