Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2024 17:48:39 +0300
From: Daemon D. Hart <daemondhart2@gmail.com>
Subject: The Human Bearer - 51

Copyright 2024 – Daemon D. Hart

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The Human Bearer

51.

Impatience and dread grew inside him as he waited for Ferix to open the
first door and allow him to step inside his inner sanctum. In the end, he
had opted for knocking and the sensor that scanned his eye let him pass, a
sign that the good doc was aware of the person who was trying to bring down
his door. The chances were not many dared to do such a thing, but Riordan
didn't care about particulars at this point. Everything seemed to happen so
slowly, he thought, as he lifted his arms and waited for the sterilization
process to finish.

Ferix didn't appear happy to see him. His pursed lips only gave his young
face an endearing quality. It was as if a kid was trying to play the role
of an adult. Riordan knew the guy was good, but unfortunately for both of
them, shit was about to get real.

"To what circumstances do I owe this insufferable visit?"

"You suck at politeness, doc," Riordan said quickly. "Listen, don't ask me
how I know, don't probe my mind for a second. Xana is in danger." He looked
at his husband, suspended in his special tank, his eyes still closed,
oblivious to the danger lurking not so far from him. "Some Xenos on the
ship want the poison inside him."

"That is absolute nonsense," Ferix said and his frown grew deeper. "I would
know--"

Riordan forgot all he had learned lately about manners and grabbed the
young Xeno's arm. "Listen to me, doc, and listen closely. I'm not a nice
bearer, taught at some fancy academy. I don't want to twist your hand, but
do you happen to store this horrible stuff you're pulling out of my
husband?"

"I do, and how do you know?"

"Call it a hunch. We Earthians have them at random. Now, how about you
check if anyone fiddled with your locks or something? Assuming you have
everything under lock and key."

"Of course," Ferix said, obviously taking affront at any allusion that he
might not be doing his job correctly.

"So check, man, check. If they want what's inside Xana, they must have
tried to pick your locks."

Ferix turned on his heel so abruptly his hair hit Riordan over the
face. That didn't stop him from following closely.

"Do you mind?" Ferix hissed at him. "I am the only one who's supposed to
handle such things."

Riordan ignored him. "Is this poison also affecting humans?"

Ferix threw him a withering look over his shoulder. "How about we put that
to the test?"

"Yeah, not funny," Riordan said in a low voice as he tried to keep his
teeth from clattering. His Xeno host was pissed so, of course, he had to
dial down the AC.

"It was created with specifics in mind that I will not indulge in
explaining to you," Ferix said, using his words like little whips. "Xenos
are the only ones affected."

They were inside an adjoining room that served, as it seemed, as a
pharmacy-slash-storage space for highly valuable medicine. Not like
anything Riordan had ever seen on Earth. Ceiling tall white cylinders lined
the walls, some appointed with small windows through which stored vials
could be seen, some without.

Ferix went directly to the one at the end of the line and then turned
suddenly towards Riordan. "How do I know you're not lying to gain access to
these samples?"

"I'm not," Riordan said simply and shrugged. "Come on. I'm just a human,
and you're a strong Xeno. Do you really believe I could overcome you and
take those things from you?"

Ferix didn't look entirely convinced. "You should at least offer the
courtesy of letting me understand what you are thinking."

"My source is invaluable." Riordan noticed how the doctor gave him an
annoyed look. "And above all suspicions."

Ferix hunched his shoulders for a moment, seemingly caught up in a debate
with himself. Then, he appeared to have taken a decision and opened the
vault in front of him.

It wasn't lost on Riordan how the young Xeno did a double take. His
astonishingly white hands moved quickly, touching everything and then, he
was bent from the waist, leaning closer to the door to the vault. It took
Riordan some time to realize that the doctor was sniffing around like a
hound dog.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

Ferix held one hand on the open door and turned towards him with a troubled
expression on his face. "Someone tried," he said in a clipped manner.

Riordan felt cold sweat pooling at the small of his back. "And? Did they
succeed?"

Ferix shook his head shortly and his lips pursed again only to set into a
grim line. "No. His Royal Chancellor must hear about this. You should not
be here. I will take it upon myself to let His Excellency know that there
was an attempt to break into my storage room. He will know what to do."

"And who's going to take care of Xana while you're wandering about?"
Riordan asked aggressively. "I'll stay here. I just can't leave him alone."

An odd stare fixed on him. "You have a Xenolite in your care. How do you
expect to do both? Let me be clear. My med bay is not a crèche."

That was a good question, and Riordan didn't exactly have an answer, but he
couldn't, not in good conscience, abandon Xana now, when Junior was safe in
the arms of his grandmother's loyal servants. He hoped to dear heavens if
they existed that he wasn't wrong. He would never forgive himself if
anything happened to Junior.

Ferix suddenly lifted his head.

"What is it?" Riordan asked as he watched the way Ferix's nostrils flared
and his eyes opened wide.

His ears couldn't pick anything, nor his nose. So, he did the only thing he
could. He turned slowly and then he noticed something through the half-open
door they left behind them.

A shadow. Slowly growing. A Xeno.

"How the fuck--" he whispered.

Ferix pushed him out of the way and slithered out of the storage
room. Riordan froze in place as hissing sounds emerged soon after. He took
a step back, as the shadow now became more convoluted with two snakemen
involved in some sort of silent fight.

Something poked him in the back and it took him a moment to understand that
he had walked backwards into the open door to the vault containing those
dangerous specimens collected from Xana's poisoned body.

He didn't think. He grabbed the vials, yanking them from their sockets and
hurried towards the open door.

Only to witness the thing he dreaded. Ferix's body was entangled with that
of another snakeman, one superior in size and strength. The young doctor's
face, being so white on its own already, showed no change in color, but his
pretty features were twisted, his mouth open in a silent cry.

"Release him!" he shouted.

The attacker turned his head to stare at him. Riordan felt his insides
turning. There was something dead in the alien eyes; they reminded him of
the strange Xenos on Gamni Gafilos's ship. He didn't know this Xeno, he was
a total stranger to him. Had he infiltrated Tu'lek? Had he been a dormant
agent up until now?

"I have something you want," Riordan said and held one vial up.

The Xeno moved fast. Riordan liked to think that he had learned a thing or
two about dealing with these creatures. His goal was to have Ferix released
from that deadlock so that the good doc could sound the alarm, whatever
that meant.

Yet, he still wasn't ready to get pushed to the floor with such force. His
wrist was now caught in a vise-like grip and it hurt like crazy. His brain
picked on the animalistic sounds his throat was making with milliseconds
latency.

He really hoped Ferix was right about the poison being ineffective against
humans as he pushed his free hand in his pocket. The pain in his other
wrist was killing him; it looked like the Xeno attacking him didn't mind
breaking his arm only to get his hands on that vial.

"Take this, motherfucker!" Riordan smashed the vial removed from his pocket
against his assailant's ear.

The bloodcurdling grin that stretched the Xeno's face poured ice in his
veins. That shit wasn't working, probably not like that. But shards of
glass cut into the side of the snakeman's face, blood trickling slowly. And
then, the Xeno jolted, releasing Riordan's wrist. His entire body heaved
and turned like an insect tortured by the fire created through means of a
magnifying glass and a malevolent child.

Riordan rolled to one side and nursed his wrist. The vial dropped from his
hand but he caught it quickly. He hoped that poison didn't work by
infecting the air, too. He freaking hoped he wasn't killing Ferix while
trying to save him.

"The human bearer," a voice hissed and he turned to see that there was
another attacker in the room with them.

He was taller than the one writhing on the floor. And he was holding Ferix,
his long tail wrapped around the doctor's slender frame, short of crushing
him like a python prepping its meal before swallowing it whole.

The young Xeno seemed far gone. His body was limp and his head lolled to
one side. The whole attack had happened while Riordan had struggled with
the other snakeman on the floor. He blinked away the tears threatening to
spill.

"Let go of him," he said, his voice hoarse. Pain was pulsing from his wrist
through his brain, making him heave and walk with difficulty. "Is this what
you came for?" He held two vials in his uninjured hand, still holding on to
the hope that there was something he could do.

"No. I came for your lives," the Xeno said.

His head was abnormally big, Riordan thought. His eyes were sunken in his
head, and the skin stretched over his skull as if it wasn't enough to do
the job of hiding the sinews and bone and blood underneath.

And his hair hung in loose strands around his face, but it looked like the
sort of useless thing on a dead person, still alive and growing from a body
that was no longer there.

Riordan watched in horror as the strange Xeno opened his mouth wide,
showing long fangs, only so he could sank them into the soft tissue of
Ferix's neck. Something caught his hand and he realized that he had been
had. While he wasn't watching, the snakeman must have uncoiled part of his
tail from Ferix's body and was now yanking Riordan's arm, making the vials
drop to the floor and break apart.

And then, he was pulled forward, his body smashing against Ferix's limp
form. The strong tail coiled around him, slowly but with purpose, and he
gasped in newfound pain.

"I will enjoy your death, human bearer," the snakeman said with unhidden
glee. "I will slowly break every bone in your frail body, make your insides
squash like the soft-tissue creature that you are."

Riordan understood the part where his attacker said that he intended to do
it slowly. He almost couldn't breathe anymore, and a short unusual thought
crossed his mind. He held his breath. He could take that from the asshole,
not let him kill him on his own terms. At the same time, he tensed his
entire body. Maybe the Xeno didn't expect the soft-tissue creature to show
any opposition, and Riordan intended to fight.

His muscles were no match for the constricting power of the snakeman's
muscular tail. He was losing, and he was losing fast. His head fell
backwards as the pain grew too strong.

"Xana," he whispered, "I'm sorry."

Weird sounds happened, somewhere at the edge of what he could still call
his consciousness. Was that... water splashing? He opened his eyes and saw
something magnificent taking place right there, that very moment. Was it
his wishful thinking making it up? Above the Xeno's disgusting head rose
Xana's beautiful face, and then his hands brought together.

The intruder turned his head but it was too late for him. Xana's fists came
down in the blink of an eye, and Riordan jerked as the hold on his body
became lax. The horrendous skull of the Xeno cracked along, and blood, red
as any other's, trickled out.

Riordan fell to the ground, his body suddenly regaining its own
weight. Ferix fell by his side and then, the Xeno attacker slid along, his
body enormous, its fall like that of a tall building with dynamite at its
foundations meant to bring it down.

It was like a dream. Xana was coming out of his tank, yanking out the tubes
still stuck in him, and he was over the other Xeno. His fists came up and
down, to the rhythm of a hammer. Blood splashed everywhere, and the white
hands, such elegant hands Riordan had thought before, turned redder and
redder with each lift and descent.

It was alright. Xana was there, saving him, which was a bit ironic since
Riordan had thought himself – who the hell could tell why? – capable
of being the one to keep his Xeno husband safe.

They were powerful, their whole lot. Xana was a survivor, and he'd take
care of Junior. Junior would meet his daddy. What a beautiful
thought. Riordan smiled as the last drop of energy slid away from him.

***

"Riordan," he heard a voice and woke up with a start.

Xana was holding him close and kissing his face.

"Am I still in one piece?" he asked in a slurred voice.

"You are," Xana said tenderly. "Help is on the way. I need to tell you
something, Riordan."

"Are you okay? You're not poisoned anymore?"

Xana's face was unreadable. Riordan looked around, confused. They were
still inside the med bay, and Ferix was still lying on the floor,
unmoved. The fucker who had tried to kill them all was a bit farther away,
his head smashed in, a full circle of red around it.

"Riordan, listen to me," Xana said. "I might not have much time, so I have
to say it. Look at me. Look into my eyes."

He did as told. He couldn't do differently. "I'm listening," he wheezed.

"I understand now," Xana said, his voice so tender, music to Riordan's
ears. "I love you. I know what it is, your Earthian concept of love."

Riordan felt something like a cackle of laughter bubbling inside his chest,
his throat. "You do? Are you sure?" He wanted to caress Xana's fair, wrap
his fingers around the spun silk hair, but his arm didn't listen to him.

"I am. I'm sorry I can't give you seth to ease your pain. I am still--"

He didn't finish his thought because there was a blast behind them, and the
room filled with guards and Xenos. He understood only that Xana was being
pulled from him and taken back to his tank. He struggled to follow, but his
body was that of a rag doll, and he had absolutely no control over it.

Xana smiled at him from behind the glass and pressed a hand against
it. Riordan imagined he could touch it from the other side.

***

What had to be hours later, he woke up again, this time inside the same med
bay where he had been before, or at least something that looked very much
alike. It took him a while to fight his heavy eyelids, but eventually, he
managed.

And he was happy to do that. Because right there, in the room, were Xeus
and Junior.

"What were you thinking, Riordan?" daddy-in-law boomed as soon as he
noticed he was awake.

"Ah, you know," he slurred – his voice was a bit better than before –
"the usual. Xana was in danger. I had to save him. Yeah, by myself, because
there was no time. Did I succeed?"

Xeus moved to bring a very sleepy Junior to him. "As much as you're still
in a bad shape, your chest is good enough. My grandson refuses any
nourishment, including from a human tit."

Riordan was thankful when he realized he could move his arms now. That seth
was a powerful thing. Junior was soon all over him and he didn't need any
coaxing to get a nipple in his mouth and start sucking.

"Wait," he whispered, gripped by panic, "I was in touch with that thing--"

"You were properly examined and you even had an entire layer of skin
stripped from your body. You might still feel sore."

He did feel a bit sore. It was as if his skin was so new, his body was too
old for it and didn't quite fit. Those were little things. "Xana," he said
impatiently. "How is he? And Ferix?"

"Xana is back to the treatment he requires. This whole thing set him
back. As for the doctor, his folly cost him."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Riordan asked, his throat tight. If he
could survive an attack like that, so could the young doctor.

"He obstinately refused to train in any sort of combat, always bent on his
books and knowledge of medicine, according to His Excellency," Xeus spat
with disdain.

"Is he alive?" Riordan raised his voice. When Junior stirred and growled,
he took a hold of himself. "Just tell me he's not dead."

"He's not dead," Xeus said simply. "But I will recommend His Excellency
that Ferix Baserat takes mandatory lessons on how to properly defend
himself should such situations arise again."

"Yeah, about that," Riordan said, his jaw so tight it still hurt. "I had to
rush to see Xana as soon as I found out."

"How did you find out?" Xeus asked.

"Never mind that," Riordan said quickly. "You need to teach me how to reach
you when you're not around."

That seemed to stop Xeus dead in his tracks. "A reasonable
demand. Finally. Or else, I would think you either went mad or a traitor."

"Really? I... okay, Xana saved me," Riordan said in a soft voice.

A noncommittal grunt came from daddy-in-law. "You will have to spill all
your secrets, Riordan. All this running around of yours is getting
annoying."

"You know, you're a bit too cool for someone who was about to lose his son
again," Riordan replied, feeling pissed at these cold-blooded creatures,
especially since their blood ran red and hot, the same as a human's.

"Xana proved himself," Xeus said shortly. "And I will ferret out all the
traitors on this ship, I will align them and execute them one by one,
making sure each of them lasts as much as possible until succumbing to
their death."

"Wow, okay, remind me not to get on your bad side," Riordan murmured. "I
don't know more, but there's possibly a third traitor on this ship. And
those two... I've never seen them around."

"They infiltrated the ship, probably when Gamni Gafilos hijacked Tu'lek to
extract my grandson from your womb."

"That wasn't actually his first goal," Riordan protested. "That whole deal
sort of happened."

Xeus waved, showing his growing irritation. "Get well. That's all you have
to do."

"Xeus," Riordan called out, "who's watching over Xana now?"

"His Excellency. And since my grandson is now in your arms, where he
belongs," Xeus said pointedly, "I will now go to relieve him from his duty.
I won't be in my quarters until the remaining traitors will surface. And
the one other allowed to watch over my son is the only Xeno on this ship
above all suspicions."

"Marn," Riordan said, mostly like an afterthought.

"Yes."

"Xeus," Riordan said softly and then, as daddy-in-law leaned over him to
listen, "thank you."

The majestic Xeno said nothing for a while. "No, thank you, Riordan. You
proved, once more, you're not an average human bearer."

tbc



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