Page 27 of The Space Traveller's Lover
THE TRANSITION
I haven’t seen that look on your face for thousands of years!
In the laboratory room’s cold atmosphere, Shaillah’s body lies carefully wrapped in crisscrossed wide silver bands, resting on a free-floating thin bed, while Rothwen, Athguer, and Zula-Or wait for her to make the first move.
Shaillah listens out for her heartbeat, and she can feel it pounding under her tightened chest. At least I must still be breathing , she reassures herself.
But no matter how hard she tries, she still cannot open her eyes or move her limbs.
To her dismay, it seems that the harder she tries, the weaker she gets.
A rush of anxiety surges through her body as she starts hearing hushed distant voices, progressively getting clearer and louder. I can hear! She cheers herself up. Soon I will be free of these shackles .
“She has been like that for too long.” She hears Rothwen’s impatient voice.
“She’ll soon wake up,” Athguer assures him. “The process will take longer for a replica.”
“Athguer is right.” Shaillah immediately recognises the voice of Zula-Or.
She tries even harder to open her eyes and speak, but not one part of her body reacts to her command .
“We must remember, the cells go into shutdown mode during molecular transfer. If they start resetting themselves too quickly, we risk losing the subject,” Athguer explains in his deep self-confident voice. “Or we could end up with an incomplete transfer, and she’ll never be a true space traveller.”
“You know I trust you, Athguer. But check it out,” Rothwen demands. “I must leave now. Kuzhma-Or is calling me from the central processor.”
“Immediately!” Athguer obliges as Rothwen walks away, not even acknowledging him.
As the voices around her recede into vanishing echoes, Shaillah nervously waits for her fate. I hope Rothwen comes back soon. I feel like I am disappearing into a dark infinite void. Her last thoughts dwindle into a spiralling nothingness as she feels all her senses ebbing away.
Athguer inspects the molecular-mapping images on the holograms behind Shaillah’s bed as Zula-Or attentively watches by his side.
“Only a few areas have not fully transitioned,” Athguer explains, pointing at the black circles, “especially the most delicate neurons in her brain, which we know take the longest time.”
“Yes, I know Athguer. Even after they’re all converted, the conscious mind is the last to adapt as the new brain cells slowly assemble themselves into new pathways,” Zula-Or poignantly adds in a reminiscent tone.
“A few more steps and the double transfer process will be complete,” Athguer asserts, fully absorbed in his analysis.
“Shaillah did go successfully through the first stage, from human to Rom-Ghenshar. There shouldn’t be any problems for every cell in her body to convert to advanced Rom-Ghenshar supercells in this second and final stage. ”
“Yes, yes, Athguer, we all admire and appreciate your abilities. No need to remind us,” Zula-Or grumbles as she walks towards Shaillah’s motionless body.
“Rest for now, my dear child. You’ll be returning to us soon, Shaillah!” Zula-Or exclaims in anticipation as she leans forwards and wishfully tries to discern any slight move coming from Shaillah’s inert body.
“She may be half-awake from time to time during these last stages. She may be able to hear us now, but that does not mean that she can move freely,” Athguer adds, standing on the other side of the bed and facing Zula-Or .
The wise lady lifts her head and proudly stares at Athguer, arching her eyebrows and spreading her red lips into a satisfied grin.
“It must be a moment of glory for you, Athguer. When she wakes up, we’ll have irrefutable proof that this naenshi, this double transition process, is successful.
Think about what we can do to other civilisations—other worlds. ”
“I don’t need the proof, Zula. I know it works,” Athguer replies starkly, crossing his arms over his chest, his deep black pupils gloating in her admiring gaze.
“Very well. I am pleased you are so confident,” Zula-Or says while in deep thought. She turns her attention to the symbol-packed images where the black markers keep disappearing, one by one.
“By the way,” Athguer impassively announces, “I haven’t erased her human memories or feelings. Her brain can form new neural pathways that we cannot predict. What the final Shaillah will be, only time will tell.”
“That is typical you, Athguer, halfway experiments, halfway results,” Zula-Or protests, sneering at Athguer in glaring displeasure. “That will make her more confused, more unsure of herself. She must be relieved of her human spirit.”
“One step at a time, Zula, one step at a time.” Athguer tilts back his head, looking down on Zula-Or while stressing his words as he starts walking away. “Besides, Rothwen explicitly asked me. And I agreed.”
“What are Rothwen’s plans? He keeps playing with her mind for his own selfish game. He is playing with her life, her destiny.”
Athguer stops and turns around to gaze undauntedly at Zula-Or. “You know Rothwen. He is unpredictable. You know he never tells us what he’ll do. All we can do is guess.”
“I’ve never seen him like this. I’ll guess that he’ll do anything to keep Shaillah by his side, even if it means not finishing our plans.”
“Then, my dear Zula, we must start thinking about that possibility … seriously,” Athguer warns as he swiftly walks towards the exit.
Zula-Or grudgingly swallows her frustration as she glowers at the back of Athguer until his figure disappears through the arched doorway. But soon, she has to forget her misgivings, as the ruffle coming from Shaillah’s tightly wrapped body suddenly attracts her attention .
The tight mesh loosens up and falls away while Shaillah sits up, instinctively opening her eyes and mouth as if emerging from under a deep ocean dive. As she draws in a deep gulp of air, she rapidly blinks to clear her clouded eyes and inspects her surroundings.
She slides out of bed and cautiously stands on the cold polished floor. She is entirely focused on finding the exit from the blueish dimly illuminated room, never noticing that Zula-Or is standing behind her, fully attentive to her actions.
“At last, my dear child, you are returning to us, Shaillah.”
Shaillah rejoices at the vaguely familiar honeyed voice welcoming her, even though, as she turns around to face Zula-Or, she struggles to recognise her.
But Shaillah’s lost distant expression does not perturb the wise lady in the least. “It has been a long journey, my child. But finally, you’ve made it.”
As Zula-Or congratulates her, Shaillah’s memories come rushing through her mind as a sudden unstoppable avalanche. She holds her hands firmly on her temples as her hurting head feels as if spinning out of control.
Zula-Or patiently waits as Shaillah goes through her trance, whispering and reassuring her that the writhing turmoil will soon be over.
Shaillah slowly slides her hands down from her tightly closed eyelids, over her cheeks, and through her neck as she feels her turbulent thoughts gradually settling into a peaceful, soothing stillness.
“That’s right, my girl, all your memories are back.” Zula-Or cheers.
As Shaillah slowly opens her eyes, Zula-Or’s radiant smile calms her even further. She smiles back at Zula-Or, but soon her gaze wanders around the room, looking for Rothwen.
“Oh, I see. Your very first thought is for him.”
“Zula, thanks so much for coming to see me,” Shaillah mumbles with a nervous smile.
“And how could I not?” Zula-Or opens her arms wide and beckons Shaillah towards her.
“My dear child, you are back. The naenshi has finished successfully.” The wise lady holds Shaillah’s arms while looking at her proudly. “Some minor adjustments to your cells were necessary to transfer you to our race fully. It was, as I call it, an upgrade. ”
Shaillah inspects herself, twisting her body around, thinking that, for some reason, she feels lighter than ever before. Thick elastic white-and-blue straps tightly wrap around her skin, and as she inspects her fingers and toes, she notices they sparkle if she rubs them against each other.
“You have advanced immortal supercells now, Shaillah. They can fully regenerate themselves even faster. They can absorb higher energies and withstand any sudden space distortions. A fully fledged space-time traveller, as our great Rom-Ghenshar race.”
As Shaillah excitedly smiles back at Zula, the thoughts of how she will use her newly acquired abilities overwhelm her.
“And you can harness your mind beyond your own body. That means you can transmit your mind into a copy of yourself and traverse entangled space-time frames,” Zula-Or exultantly adds.
Shaillah admires Zula-Or’s radiant, self-confident presence, her gem-studded headpiece and elegant pearl-embroidered tunic. It all gives the lady such an air of distinction.
Zula looks so majestic. One day, I will be like her , she thinks, as she keeps looking at Zula-Or in expectant silence.
“Here, put on your favourite gown,” Zula-Or says, holding the gold-trimmed silver silk tunic and sliding it through Shaillah’s arms.
Then, Zula-Or brings her a tall goblet. As Shaillah thirstily drinks the energising liquid, Zula-Or arranges her hair over her shoulders.
“You look beautiful,” Zula-Or praises her while taking the goblet from her hands and looking straight into her gleaming purple pupils.
“I can see it in your eyes. I know what you are going to ask me next, dear Shaillah. Rothwen is coming to see you soon.”
Shaillah can’t hide her eagerness; an anxious sigh breaks through her lips while she half-closes her eyelids, her cheeks blushing as she looks away from Zula-Or’s prying gaze.
“I haven’t seen that look on your face for thousands of years!” Zula-Or marvels.
“How come?”
“Dear child, I was also in love … once,” Zula-Or confesses half-heartedly.
“Oh, Zula! How was it? Please tell me,” Shaillah enthuses.
“I’m afraid it did not end well,” Zula-Or replies sullenly, briefly looking down.
“He never loved me—choosing to be with his army in endless space adventures. And I never saw him again. For a while, I cried and desperately longed for his return. For a while, I fooled myself, thinking he’d still be remembering me.
But he never returned. That’s why I was so relieved when I could rip that feeling out of my ravaged heart, never to suffer again. ”
Shaillah’s vision blurs behind her sudden tears as she hears Zula-Or’s recount her story, but the wise lady’s stern expression hardly shifts. Her poignant words are more of despite rather than anguish.
“You’re treading a fine line, Shaillah—between despair and passion. And he, Rothwen, can be the breeze that dries all your tears or the mighty storm that drowns you in a sweeping flood,” Zula-Or cautions.
Shaillah nods as she keeps mulling over Zula-Or’s warning.
“But at least, you have the choice now, my dear Shaillah. If you ever want to cut him out of your mind”—Zula-Or glides the edge of her hand over her forehead—“just ask Athguer.”
Suddenly, a shaft of white light rushes in through the massive arched door opening up at the back of the room. Shaillah’s heart misses a beat when she sees Rothwen leaning on one of his arms against the towering side column while intensely staring at her.
Every sign from Rothwen’s body is telling her that he is waiting for her. She runs towards him so quickly that, before she even realises it, she has fallen right into his arms, her nervous tears briefly tainting his black glossy uniform.
“Seya, Shaillah, yei shen Rom-Ghenshar” (Welcome, Shaillah, my Rom-Ghenshar soldier), Rothwen holds her chin, drawing her face close to his, his intense gaze bursting with admiration.
Zula-Or observes them as she slowly steps back.
Rothwen and Shaillah have entirely forgotten she is here while they embrace and kiss.
There is no doubt in her mind now. Something stronger than any reasoning and stranger than any miracle is happening.
But she knows she is powerless to interfere.
Before her body copy disappears in a puff of particles, she sends a goodbye message to Shaillah, but she gets no reply.
The lovers bask in their magical moment; all they can think about now is themselves.
“I missed you.” She fakes a giddy glare. “I feel dizzy. Please take me back to my smartroom.” Then she laughs and starts running away from him through the long corridors .
Rothwen smiles in amusement as he follows her, purposely letting her take the advantage. When she gets to her smartroom door, she waits for him, her back against the door, breathing heavily.
Rothwen’s hungry eyes pierce through Shaillah’s vulnerable soul as he slams the door with both hands, trapping her between his arms.
“Will you open the door?” he asks her in an inviting tone.
They slump on the floor as the door slowly opens, their lips locked in a desperate breathless kiss. As they rub against each other, the searing heat burns the skin under their garments.
“You’re sweating,” Rothwen whispers in her ear as he pulls off her tunic and the straps wrapped around her body.
He caresses her wet naked skin with his bare hands, his fingertips drawing glowing lines as they slide up and down in swirls while his eyes follow her soft curves in an ecstatic gaze. Then he pushes her into the deep pool.
She plunges through the swathes of bursting bubbles, relishing in their airy fizzle refreshing her skin, but she can’t wait to reach out for the surface.
As she swims up, a fast-moving jet of whirling foam thunders past her and then lifts her out of the water.
Rothwen is holding her tightly against his muscled chest while smiling at her mischievously. She reprimands him with a sultry look.
“Do you feel dizzy now?” he asks teasingly.
“More than dizzy. I feel … lost …” She sighs, melting her lips into his while opening up his vest and sliding it down his broad shoulders.
They disconnect entirely from the brain network to be with each other, alone, together.
As they succumb to their enthralling passion, feeling every cell in their bodies intertwine, their thoughts about future obstacles fade into nothing.
Now they know, this final transition was the inevitable step to bring them closer than ever before.