BioRisk

BioRisk

Chapter warning(s): Language

 

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CH03: His Name is Dhrele

“We are waiting, Mr. Lux. Time is of the essence. Now, if you would,” speaks a very cold and calculating voice that forces a violent shiver to shoot throughout my body.

That snaps me out of my reverie. I blink once or twice before I study the man in front of me.

Whoever he is, it’s obvious he’s a few decades older than I am. He’s a few inches taller than me and he’s very thin. Skeletal thin. His face is long and thin and for a moment an image of an old, somewhat starved vampire comes to mind. His black hair betrays his age by all the grey streaks that seem to highlight his age as much as his wrinkles do. The most striking thing about his physical features is his eyes, which are an intense pale blue that matches perfectly with the cold concentration of his harsh voice.

Yeah, I already don’t like this guy. Something about him feels empty and void like he’s a living vessel without a soul or spirit.

Like the handful of men and women around him, he’s wearing something that looks like a white lab coat/jumpsuit combination. I remember seeing these people, well, not them specifically, but I remember them by their little outfits.

“What do you want?” I ask as soon as I memorize all their faces. I don’t care who these people are. I’m not going anywhere without an explanation. My stubborn side is starting to show, which usually happens whenever I’m deprived of sleep. The less rest I get, the grouchier I become.

The main man, who I’ve already labeled blood-sucking mad scientist, smiles at me with his severely thin lips. There is no sentiment in his smile at all. I can tell he’s smiling out of frustration. A smile doesn’t always constitute happiness or friendliness.

“I’m afraid I cannot specify at this time. If you would be so kind as to accompany me, I can and will…fill you in on the details,” speaks the main scientist with a fake smile.

“You got a name?” I ask boldly, which might seem stupid but for all I know I could be walking to my death or something else that’s truly atrocious. I want to know who to damn when the time comes.

He smiles again and I can tell he’s losing his patience quickly, yet he still chooses to humor me. “Dr. Vorago.”

I nod as he quickly gestures to and names each of the scientists. I memorize their names and faces just in case. I’ve always had this ability to memorize names and faces. Even if someone hastily introduces him/herself and leaves, I will remember his or her name and appearance for years.

Of course, I may be doing all of this in vain since I don’t know what their true intentions are. For all I know they could be planning on feeding me to their monster goldfish.

 

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I don’t say anything as we walk down countless corridors. They don’t bother to speak, either and I’m glad for that. It feels awkward enough to be in their presence as it is.

As I reluctantly follow them, my eyes scan my surroundings as I walk. I map out the place as well as I can. I’m not sure where they’re escorting me, but the route they’re using is unfamiliar to me.

It isn’t until we walk onto Cell block E-0023 that I finally realize exactly where we are. Ah.

Shit. I guess they found out…?

The dreary band of scientists leads me directly to that room. The room I had unwittingly entered hours ago against my better judgment.

Dr. Vorago slowly turns around and scrutinizes me like I’m a piece of meat for sale.

I don’t say anything, but I do shoot him a dirty look. I may have to cooperate with this dick, but I’m not going to adjust my attitude for him.

Vorago doesn’t seem to notice or particularly care, though. Without looking away from me, he opens the door and then quickly steps aside. He gestures for me to come over, but I don’t move a muscle.

“Come now, we won’t hurt you,” claims the creepy, thin-lipped man with the empty soul.

I don’t believe him, but I know if I don’t go willingly, he’ll probably have me forcibly thrown into the room. I’m in no mood to be manhandled by those thick-necked soldiers.

Rolling my eyes, I slowly stride past him and then into the room. I’m not surprised to see the alien hybrid in the room in his usual place. The moment I see him, I start to wonder if he ever gets to move…

My thoughts are interrupted by Vorago as he slips into the room and rudely slams the door as if to remind us that we weren’t alone.

Vorago does not budge from his spot. He just stands there and watches us closely like an enraptured zoologist watching new animals interact in a zoo.

[Welcome back, Ergo de Lux…]

I shiver involuntarily as I hear his words inside my mind as if they were my very own. It’s still new and strange to me to have someone directly communicating with me by thought. It’s hard to describe it exactly, but if I had to, I would say it’s like his words are being said inside and outside my head. It’s as if he’s everywhere.

Several long minutes pass in silence. No one says anything until the itch grows so bad that I have to break the silence.

“What do you want me to do?” I ask the scientist without taking my eyes away from the eerily beautiful, pale being.

“Talk to it,” orders the bone-chilling man as he scribbles away at his clipboard as if me merely standing there staring at the alien was scientifically relevant.

I feel nervous enough to see him again, but it doesn’t help that the scientist is standing there watching us like a hawk. I’m too nervous to speak, let alone move. So I don’t.

[Don’t worry, I don’t like him, either. He makes me nervous, too.]

His mind speech relaxes me some, but it is still not enough.

“Well? Speak to it. Interact,” Vorago snaps at me after a good twenty minutes or so had passed.

[Tell him to leave. I won’t speak at all unless he’s gone.]

Irritated at the thin man, I have no problem retorting, “He is not an it and he doesn’t like you. I could ‘interact’ better with him if you’re not present. He told me he wants you to leave.”

The cold scientist doesn’t say anything at first as if he’s weighing all the options in his brain. For a moment, I see something flash in his eyes that disturbs me, but it passes to quickly for me to identify it. Regardless of that, he nods curtly and says, “Very well,” right before he leaves the cell.

[Thank you.]

Curious as to why he had me convey his thoughts, I then ask, “How come you didn’t tell him that yourself?”

[Come closer…]

I’m fine where I’m at, but I do as I’m told. He keeps on gesturing for me to move closer until he is satisfied with my proximity. I’m about a couple of feet away from him. I still feel some fear, but it’s mostly mixed with something else that makes my chest feel tight and my stomach all in twisted little knots.

“Thank you. Forgive me, but I don’t like that human. I have never spoken to him and I never intend to,” the hybrid finally speaks and I can tell that his speech already seems to have improved greatly since the last time we had spoken. It’s obvious he’s a fast learner.

He then continues with his explanation, “You’re the only one I’ve ever spoken to, let alone acknowledged.”

It then finally dawns on me. “So that’s why they want me here…”

“Yes…they’re desperate to study me. They can’t get me to communicate with them. They also can’t get physically close to me.”

“What do you mean? You’re all tied up…”

“I can still kill them. I have before. They have tried to get the bigger humans close to me, but I killed them, too,” he says in such a way that is said without feeling. It sounds like it’s more fact than anything else. His voice holds no contempt, no pride, and no sympathy.

I’m not too thrilled to hear this. Mostly because it makes me wonder if he’s going to kill me. And if he’s not going to, then why isn’t he? If killing humans doesn’t make him feel bad at all then that means he will have no qualms about ending my life. Maybe he’s just waiting for the right moment. After all, he hasn’t told me exactly how he kills people.

Shaking off those thoughts for a moment, I instead ask, “Bigger humans?”

He sighs and appears to be thinking about how to answer that. After a minute or so, he elucidates, “The ones with…those things they use to harm others. Weapons?”

Oh. Now I know what he’s talking about. “Oh, you mean the soldiers.”

“Yes, them.”

I can tell by the sound of his voice and body language that he doesn’t particularly care for the soldiers. Neither do I. Guess we have some things in common then.

“How do they take care of you if you don’t let anyone touch you?” I inquire slowly and try not to think about the questions I really want to ask him.

“I don’t let the males near me. I will allow the females close enough to do what they must do…but if they make a wrong move, I kill them, too. It’s as simple as that.”

Swallowing a few times, I notice that my mouth feels incredibly dry and my parched throat feels taut. I want to kick myself for asking the next question, but I ask anyway in spite of myself. “I’m a man. Why are you talking to me and letting me this close to you?”

At that he smiles. “I like you.”

I’m not entirely sure I had heard him right so I cock my head to the side and ask, “What did you say?”

Most would have been annoyed at having to repeat themselves, but he isn’t. He just repeats calmly, “I said, I like you.”

The weird sensation in my stomach intensifies at hearing that. I feel a little too hot to the point that I feel like throwing up. I don’t know what to say or do. This isn’t exactly something I’m used to hearing from anyone. It doesn’t bother me. It’s just…strange.

“They will try to use that to their…benefit, I think the word is for it. I do not mind. Let them try. It will only backfire on them,” he then speaks as if it’s a mere afterthought of his.

I hear what he says, but my tired brain is stuck on something else. Before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Why? Why do you like me?”

He blinks as if the answer should be obvious to me. Sighing almost inaudibly, he leans forward as far as he can go. “Why does anyone like what they like, Ergo? Why do I like you? I just do. “

It makes sense to me and I know my race, the human race, tends to question everything. There always has to be a reason, a motive. It has to be explained. It has to be known. It can never just be.

“You wish to identify me.”

Even though he can read minds, I’m still shocked that he knows what I want to do. I look away while scratching the back of my head. “Uh…yeah. Something like that.”

He then nods his head and voices his permission, “Give me a name, then. It will be just for you.”

Normally naming something would have taken me ages to do, but something instantly pops into my mind. Something I haven’t thought about in years. I know what I want to call him. It’s kind of silly, but somehow, it fits him.

Barely a moment passes before I pronounce, “Dhrele.”

“Dhrele,” he repeats it as if to find out what it sounds like coming from his tongue. He seems satisfied by the name I have chosen, yet his thirst for knowledge is greater. He then inquires thoughtfully, “What does it mean?”

“Mean?”

“Yes…your kind has to label everything. Everything has to have a name. And with a name, everything has to mean something.”

The more I talk to this…half human, half alien being, the more I realize about myself and my race. For someone who’s locked up in this tiny cell, he seems to know a lot. He does have a valid point. The more I think about it, the more I realize how humanity can’t have anything unlabeled. Everything has to be categorized.

“You’re right,” I admit as I stand there and think about what Dhrele means. I don’t recall what it means, yet, but in my mind I do see the image of a white dog running, cocking its head, jumping on me, licking me, and all the other things that dog used to do.

The hybrid male cocks his head to the side and inquires curiously, “Dhrele means little white thing?”

“No, that white thing was a dog. My pet when I was a kid. His name was Dhrele,”

 I clarify while I feel my face burn because that just means he had seen into my mind. Well, damn.

“What is a pet?”

It’s at that moment when he asks me that question that I feel a deep pang in my chest because it forces me to think about my dog.  I try to shake it off because I don’t want to be reminded of the other things. The things that I still dream about almost every night. The things I try so desperately to forget.

“A pet,” I start to say, but stop while I search for the right words to describe it. Sometimes it’s difficult to find the right words to explain the most simple of things. It’s kinda funny that way, actually.

A few minutes pass and unfortunately I don’t find the right words to explain to him. The only thing I found in my head sounds lame to me, but I decide to just go with it. “A pet is a domesticated animal that’s taken care of by a human owner. A pet is a friend.”

“What is a friend?”

“Someone you like. Someone you like to talk to and do things with.”

He looks as if he’s had some sort of revelation. “I am your pet…?”

“No!” I exclaim a bit louder than I mean to and my face flushes a darker shade of crimson. This is just what I need; him thinking I’m some pervert with a pet fetish kink. Ugh, I’m an idiot and I’m screwing everything up.

He frowns at that and doesn’t seem too thrilled by my answer.

I then decide to rectify what I had said by stating, “You’re not my pet…but you can be my friend…if that is what you want.”

Dhrele smiles and I find it…well, no words can describe it. It makes my chest feel tighter and my head feel lighter.

“Yes, that is what I want.”

I nod and feel relieved for some reason. I guess I am lonely, after all. Sometimes when you’re alone for so long you don’t really realize just how lonely you are. It’s like you become numb to it.

“What does Dhrele mean? Dog? Friend?”

I don’t really need to stand there and think about the meaning of the word Dhrele. I know the meaning from just looking at him. He embodies it. “Dhrele means mystery, bizarre, eccentric, and unbelievable.”

He doesn’t move save for the gentle movement of his chest which indicates that he’s breathing at least. I’m not sure if he’s even awake at this point since he’s bent over as far as he can go.

Many long, heavy minutes pass in silence. I shift from one foot to another. Should I leave or should I stay? I don’t know what I should do at this point.

My decision on what to do is then made for me by the being in front of me.

“Your kind has many words with many different meanings. I do not know them all, yet,” Dhrele finally speaks and at that moment I’m guessing that he had been reviewing everything I had told him up to this point.

I’m not sure if he knows what all those words mean, so I explain, “Bizarre, eccentric, mystery, and unbelievable aren’t necessarily bad things, Dhrele. I think…well, when I think of you, those words and more come to my mind. But not as bad things.”

“I know,” Dhrele says with a little smile.

“Huh?”

“I can feel you. I understand your words because I can feel what they mean to you. Everything has a feeling just like everything has a scent and taste no matter how faint.”

I’m baffled at this knowledge and I still don’t quite understand.

“You are confused now. I can feel this. How do you think I can read your mind? It is not about invading the mind, Ergo. It is not forcing words into your ear canal or into your mind. It does not work that way. The way my kind communicates is by reading, or should I say, feeling what the other is feeling. We can feel what you call…ah, emotions. It is difficult to explain, but I do not expect you to understand just yet.”

I don’t say anything. I don’t know what to say. It’s such a strange thing to hear from someone else, but he is a strange person, after all. I still don’t quite comprehend what he means, but in some ways, I feel that I understand enough for now.

Before I could think of anything else to say, the door opens and Vorago enters the room once more. He looks hungry in so many ways that I’m tempted to tell his skinny ass to go away and eat something. Or die. Yeah, I could live with Vorago dying.

“Time’s up. It needs to rest now and we don’t have all day to wait around,” Vorago speaks thinly as if I’m the one who is wasting his precious time.

I spare Dhrele one last long, lingering look before I reluctantly follow the tall scientist out of the cell.

It’s odd how so much can change in a short period of time and how in such a long period of time nothing can change. For as long as I’ve been on the Tristis II, nothing really ever changed. Everything was the same. I walked the same levels and did the same things for years. Nothing on that ship changed until I went into that room, that little cell. That cell that inspired such fear, yet took it away within moments. For example, at first I didn’t want to go into that cell, yet later on I didn’t want to leave that cell.

[Do not dream long, Ergo.]

I don’t dream at all while I sleep.

 

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The next morning, day, afternoon, whatever they call it, arrived. Since we’re in space there is no actual day or night, but we do keep to a schedule and to a regulated time.

I’ve already eaten, bathed, and dressed myself as I head out to find out what Audia wants me to do today. I bet she’s going to bitch at me about this and that like she always does. And I’m going to ignore it like I always do.

When I get to her office, which is located on Cell block E-0179, I find her at her desk typing away. She’s cursing under her breath and she looks agitated. Her graying hair is pulled back in a tight bun which always means she’s going to be extra bitchy.

I am tempted to turn away and walk back the way I came, but she spots me. She motions her hand at me like a teacher would her pesky student.

Abashedly, I stride over to her and sit down in the chair that’s located in front of her desk. She always forces me to sit every time I enter her office. I guess people standing or walking around when she’s sitting bothers her.

“So what am I doing today, boss lady?” I ask her even though I already know the answer.

Aud stops typing and peers at me as if trying to figure out my angle. She shakes her head and mumbles something incoherent. I strain to hear, but all I catch is my name. She then focuses her attention back on me and responds, “You are not to report here anymore, Lux. From here on out you are to report to Dr. Vorago. Why, I do not know. All I know is that you work for him now.”

Well, damn. I’m not happy to hear that, to be honest. As much of a bitch as she is, she doesn’t creep me out like that man does. She never has an ulterior motive and always tells me like it is. Unlike Vorago.

“Where do I go to…report to him?” I reluctantly ask.

“Cell block E-0021.”

“Ah, well bye then,” I mutter as I stand up and walk out. I glance at her before I leave and I see an odd look on her face, but I can’t place it. It was gone the moment I had blinked.

Dismissing that from my mind, I make my way to Cell block E-0021. After about ten minutes or so of walking, I enter my destination. It’s a lab.

There are scientists everywhere. Some are typing on computers while others are looking into microscopes. Most of them are hunched over looking at something.

As I walk hesitantly into the laboratory, I see many strange things in tiny tubes and large tubes. Some of the things look like the organic matter of some animal or life form. Nothing looks human, thankfully. Yet.

None of them so much as glance in my direction. They’re all too fixated on their work to notice my arrival.

Except for one.

“Ah, there you are. You’re late, Mr. Lux.”

I turn and see Vorago standing behind me with his hands clasped behind his back. He’s smiling in that weird, predatory thin way of his. I don’t like it.

“My bad,” I say and I don’t mean it. I don’t bother to explain myself and nor do I care do.

“You are probably wondering why you are here,” Vorago starts, but pauses to grab my arm and drag me away somewhere. We’re walking outside the lab now and there’s no horde of scientists flocking him. I’m pretty sure I know where we’re going, but I don’t like being alone with the guy.

I rip my arm away and reply, “Yeah, I’m wondering many things, Doctor.”

“Follow me, we don’t have all day, Mr. Lux,” Vorago says stiffly as he walks even more stiffly as if he had been sodomized.

I follow him reluctantly with every intention of hitting him the next time he touches me without my permission. His hands are just as bony and thin like the rest of him.

“Forgive me for my rudeness, Mr. Lux. I promised you an explanation yesterday, but you never received one,” Vorago starts to say while he walks at an insane pace that I struggle to keep up with. Once I catch up to him, he continues with his sketchy explanation, “You see, up until now, no one except for you could communicate with that experiment. It has posed a problem for years now and we were very close to just shutting down the project. Thanks to you…we don’t have to.”

“Experiment, huh. What is he?” I inquire coolly. I’m not happy that he keeps referring to Dhrele as an it or an experiment. I find it disrespectful and it pisses me off, but no matter what I say I know Vorago is going to look down his nose at Dhrele.

Vorago doesn’t seem pleased by my attitude, but he tolerates it for the time being. It’s obvious he wants something from me otherwise I wouldn’t be here and he wouldn’t bother explaining anything to me. He then replies hesitantly, “Ah, yes, the experiment is a Xevdren/human hybrid. But before you ask, you should know that the Xevdren are an alien species that we discovered some time ago. We are studying them and conducting experiments to learn more about them. It is vital that we find out all the facts in order to help the Xevdren. You see, their planet was dying and they all would have died on it, but we rescued them. We want to help them, but they won’t communicate with us. That is why we have created hybrids so that we can reach some sort of understanding.”

I feel that there is some truth to his words, but I know he’s lying about something. There are gaps everywhere and some of it doesn’t make sense to me. But I don’t question him. I just listen and nod my comprehension of it. It’s better to play along at this point.

”That is why we need you, Mr. Lux. It is your job now to communicate with it and to take care of it. Do you understand?”

I nod, but I don’t bother to say anything.

Within the next few moments, we reach Cell block E-0023. Vorago opens the door and watches me with his cold, calculating eyes as I walk inside. He doesn’t bother to follow me. He just shuts and locks the door behind me.

“Welcome back, Ergo de Lux.”

I stand there in perfect darkness and wait for my eyes to adjust to it. As usual, Dhrele stands out in the dark because of his glowing skin and hair. “You don’t sound surprised, Dhrele.”

Dhrele shifts around and seems very restless. Something is bothering him, so I cautiously step close enough until I’m a few feet away.

“Come closer.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to touch you.”

I’m stunned to hear that and I don’t know what to say. Talking to him is one thing, having him feel me, or speak into my mind, whatever that’s called, is something, too. But getting close enough to be touched, to risk it, is another thing altogether.

Dhrele seems to know what I’m thinking, so he explains further, “Ergo, I cannot see you. I want to touch you and I know…I know you do, too.”

Even though we seem to have some sort of connection, I am still hesitant. My fear of him is mostly gone, but it still lingers somewhere inside my mind. He is still strange and new to me. His race is unknown to me and this could just be a cruel trap of some sort. How am I to know? After all, my kind fears the unknown more than anything else.

In spite of all that, I take a tentative step forward towards Dhrele.

 

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