Nascent Decay (The Goddess of Decay Book 1) (36 page)

“I needed my parents, you cunt. I needed Isaar and my homeworld, and all the others you’ve killed,” Rhylie hissed as she squeezed Vorcia’s throat tighter. The door to the room swirled open and Konii stepped in.

“Enough, Rhylie,” she said gently. Rhylie didn’t even look at Konii.

“She’s mine, Konii,” Rhylie said venomously.

“We need her, Rhylie,” she implored. “We need her alive, to show that we control her. To control the Emperess or Emperor is to control the Siirocian Empire. They must do everything we say, as long as we hold her captive.” Rhylie loosened her grip on Vorcia’s throat slightly.

“Go on,” she said.

“This is the gateway to everything Isaar wanted,” Konii continued, her voice growing desperate. “We could order them to stand down. We could order them to disarm and allow humans to repopulate their sector of the Galaxy. We need her Rhylie, more than you know. Without her, another Siirocian will just take her place. We won’t have fixed anything, we’ll just have shuffled in new problems and conflict. Maybe someone worse. With her we could control the entire Siirocian Empire. We could force peace and equality with Kraeke on our side.” Rhylie didn’t want that kind of power, or authority. She had never wanted any of this.

The spoiled, flirty child she had once been was now dead, and buried somewhere deep inside of her. All of her dreams and hopes had been torn from her and shattered, and all that remained were charred, unrecognizable fragments. No matter what, she would never be able to put them back together again. All of the power and authority in the universe couldn’t do that for her.

“What do you think, Chamber?” Rhylie asked quietly. Konii’s eyes grew wide.

“You’re mad,” she said. “You’ve truly gone mad.” She sounded concerned, and frightened.

Kill her
, the Chamber responded viciously.
You must protect yourself and your son
.
The things she has done require no lesser action than execution for her crimes.

Rhylie stood at a crossroads, with Vorcia’s life in her hands. She knew the right thing to do would be to hand her over to Konii, and take her child and leave. But she knew that sometimes two different paths often lead to the same conclusion.

“The girl that would have shown you mercy, the one that would have spared your life,” she said as she cocked her head to the side, staring intently into Vorcia’s eyes. “You killed her. You destroyed her you stupid fucking cunt. The one person that could have saved you now is dead and buried.” She wanted to hear Vorcia beg. She wanted to see her broken as she had been. “Do you have anything to say for yourself before I kill you right here and now?”

“Chamber-restrain- them-both-,” Vorcia managed to choke out. Suddenly tendrils sprang from the floor, enveloping and wrapping Rhylie and Konii. Reflexively, she released Vorcia. The Siirocian Empress fell to the floor unceremoniously, gasping for breath, her forked tongue flickering desperately between her needled teeth. Her eyes were filled with panic and desperation.

As Vorcia’s Chamber tried to consume Rhylie, she fought back, struggling against it. This time she was able to tear herself loose from its grip, but the tendrils kept coming. There were more and more of them, a thick and aggressive swarm that came from every angle. She didn’t want this Chamber inside of her head as well.

Three is a crowd
, she thought with a detached madness, and the Chamber within her laughed in response. It was strange, she had never known it to do that before. Maybe she was going crazy. Konii could have this Chamber for herself if she could seize control of it.

Or better yet, I could just shut it down for you
, the Chamber offered from within her head.
Before it takes control of her.

The damn thing can read my mind
, Rhylie thought.

Of course I can
, came the reply.

Of course you can
, she thought sarcastically. The Chamber within her laughed again.

She allowed Vorcia’s Chamber to flow up her legs, until it connected with her cyberbionic spine. Her internalized Chamber simply synced up with it before powering it down.

Maybe I don’t need a conduit with Mersi to do all of those cool things now,
she thought.

You don’t
, came the disembodied reply from the Chamber. It actually sounded smug.

Maybe she could get used to this. At least she would never be alone again. She didn’t know if she really had a choice, the process could be irreversible. She certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone. They would really treat her like a freak then.

The entire room went dark as Vorcia’s Chamber shut down. Only a vague, dim light illuminated the small, square room. Konii began picking herself up from the floor slowly, as though she were dazed. Rhylie wondered how close she had come to being consumed. She didn’t look well.

Vorcia was crawling across the floor towards the toddler, who was now squalling with all his might. Rhylie took a step over to Vorcia and grabbed her by the ankle, dragging her away from the child. She lifted her up by the arms, and spun her around, pinning her against the wall of the deadened Chamber. Her atomorphic skin flowed around Vorcia’s throat and locked down in a vice-like death grip.

“Now where were we?” Rhylie asked as she brought her face close to Vorcia’s. It was there, in her eyes that Rhylie saw what she was looking for. The terror. That would have to be good enough.

Just as Konii was reaching out for her, Rhylie crushed Vorcia’s neck with a thick, resounding crunch. It was too easy. She held her there until the life faded from her eyes, and her body stopped its violent spasms. Rhylie let Vorcia’s corpse slump to the floor as it continued to twitch. Her arm reformed and she just stood there, staring at Vorcia as Konii backed away from them with shock and horror. Rhylie stared into Vorcia’s eyes for a long moment.
Empty,
she thought.
Just like me.

“You’ve ruined everything,” was all Konii could manage to say. It snapped Rhylie out of her daze.

“Not yet I haven’t,” she said without emotion.

Rhylie sent out a singular slender blade from her fingertip that pierced Vorcia’s forehead. She spread the blade out once it was inside of her cranial cavity, and spun it, blending and utterly destroying her brain. She would take no chances. She withdrew her hand and looked over at Konii.

“I’m not crazy,” she said. The Chamber laughed once again from within her head.

You are crazy,
it said.
Even I know that. And I was just born today
. Rhylie frowned. She walked over to her child and picked him up from the floor, holding him as he squalled in her arms. She was unsure of what to do with him. Konii just watched her in silence.

“Let’s go,” she said, shielding the child in an atomorphic cocoon. She vanished from sight using Isaar’s bracelet.

“There is no doubt. The child is definitely yours,” said Reskle. Rhylie sighed heavily. They were alone in Reskle’s quarters aboard the ship. Once it was confirmed, the blessing seemed to be that much more of a burden.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do about him,” she said sadly, finally admitting it to herself. “I don’t know if I have it within me to be a mother anymore.” The realization had made her somber, but the admission made her feel better, at least a little.

“I don’t see why not,” said Reskle. Rhylie looked over at the child as he played on her bunk with a pair of brightly colored balls.

“I’m too dangerous,” said Rhylie. “And I’m not the same person I once was.” She wiped away a tear before it could roll down her face. “At one time, he was all I ever wanted.” Another tear followed. Reskle sighed.

“I don’t think I should offer any counsel on this, unfortunately,” he said. “But whether you raise him or not, I’ll understand either way.” He reached up and put a hand on Rhylie’s shoulder, gazing at her blindly. She couldn’t believe that she had once found him threatening and intimidating. “And we’ll always be here for you and him. I will anyway. I can’t speak for the others, but I suspect you’re stuck with us, more or less.” Rhylie laughed sadly.

He can see everything around him without turning his head,
the Chamber whispered sinisterly.
The Namih interpret their surroundings by echolocation through their ears, as well as by feeling changes in atmospheric pressure through the hairs covering their body. Do not trust him.

Not now,
Rhlylie thought.
Not now.

“I just need some time for myself,” she said. “I have a lot to think about. Am I being selfish?” He pulled his hand back, a concerned look on his face.

“Nothing too crazy, I hope,” he said. Rhylie shrugged. “I don’t know if you’re being selfish or not,” he continued. “It isn’t my place to say, really. You’ve been through a lot. But he hasn’t. He is still innocent and vulnerable.” Reskle motioned towards Rhylie’s son. “Just being around you could make him a target.” She hadn’t thought about that.

He is right
, the Chamber said. She ignored it.

“I don’t know. After everything I’ve gone through I just need a break,” she said. “Away from everyone and everything.” Reskle pursed his lips.

“You could leave the child here with us while you take time to consider it,” he said. “It’s not like Mersi and I ever leave the ship.”

“I appreciate the offer. The only other option is to hand him over to my people,” she said. “And to be honest I have no idea where they are or how they would even respond.”

“Mersi could find out,” Reskle offered.

“I’m not sure I’m ready to contact them yet. Who knows what they think of me now, or what they would do with him,” she said.

“You’re a very polarizing figure, Rhylie.” She rolled her eyes.

“You mean the entire galaxy hates me, right?”

“No, not the entire galaxy, more like half and half.”

“I guess that’s better than nothing,” Rhylie said. “Thanks, doc.”

“I’m always available if you need to talk,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” She lifted her child from the bunk and carried him on her hip to Mersi’s room. Mersi smiled at the child and wrinkled her nose.

“I came to ask you some things,” Rhylie said. Mersi shrugged.

“Sure. Whatever you need,” she replied.

“I was thinking. The planet we…buried Isaar on…could you get Quasar to redirect some human refugees there? Maybe some homesteaders?” she asked. Mersi smiled sadly.

“I can. I think he would like that. He and Drasce used to talk about it all the time,” she said. “You know, he left Drasce behind on the outpost, thinking he would be safer there.” A pang of sorrow washed across her face.

“Sometimes our best intentions are not enough,” Rhylie said. “There is no guarantee that any of us will see tomorrow.” Mersi nodded once in response, with a solemn look on her face. The toddler in Rhylie’s arms burped loudly. Rhylie and Mersi both began laughing in spite of themselves for a moment, but it quickly died.

“The other thing I wanted to ask you…” Rhylie said, trailing off.

“What about it?” Mersi asked.

“Do you…you know…mind looking after him for a little while?” Rhylie asked plaintively. She figured the direct route was the best. Merci recoiled slightly, an odd look on her face.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“I can’t raise him. I’m too dangerous,” Rhylie said. Mersi cocked her head to the side. “I need someone I can trust to keep him safe until I figure out what I’m going to do. And I need some time to myself for that.”

“So….” she said uncertainly. “Are you serious, or are you messing with me?”

“Reskle told me I could leave him on the ship while I made up my mind what to do with him,” Rhylie said. “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind looking after him.” Mersi’s eyes widened.

“You mean you would trust ME like that?” she asked incredulously. Rhylie smiled at her, struggling to hide the emotional torrents running through her.

“You’re the only person I would trust with him,” she said. “There are a lot of people out there now that will try to use him to manipulate me, or worse. I know you won’t.”

“Of course I’ll babysit for you!” squealed Mersi. The toddler swung his head around to look at her. He gave a huge grin and a bubble of snot burst from his nose and began to drip down his upper lip. The look of jubilation quickly vanished from Mersi’s face. Rhylie laughed and set the child down on Mersi’s bunk. She wiped the child’s snot away with her hand.

“This is the last thing I wanted or needed at this point in my life,” she said. “But…it’s not his fault, and that makes it even more difficult to walk away from him.” Her lower lip trembled slightly. “I have to keep reminding myself that it’s for the best.” She wiped a tear away. Mersi nodded her head solemnly.

“I don’t know what to say, Rhylie,” Mersi replied. “I’ll take good care of him for as long as you need me to.” Mersi smiled sadly. “I can’t have any of my own.”

“Why is that?” Rhylie asked.

“They sterilized everyone at the brothel before we could even start working,” she said numbly. Rhylie put her hand on Mersi’s shoulder. “Couldn’t have the whores having babies, you know.”

“I’m so sorry,” she said softly. It was getting harder and harder to not cry. “I didn’t know.” Mersi shrugged.

“It’s just something I have to live with,” she said. She reached out to brush the child’s hair out of his eyes. “When will you be back?”

“I don’t know. I’ll check in from time to time though with the com,” she said. Mersi smiled happily. “If you don’t hear from me soon, something bad has happened.”

“We’ll be here,” she said, looking back up at Rhylie. “You’ve started something big, you know.” Rhylie sighed deeply, frustrated.

“I didn’t mean to,” she said.

“I know you didn’t,” said Mersi. “We all just kind of got caught up in this.”

“I suppose so,” she said sadly. “I had better go while I still can.”

“Rhylie…please come back, okay?” Mersi asked. “We kinda sorta need you.” Rhylie nodded her head sadly. If she said anything else she was likely to break down in tears.