abilities is dangerous for you. Is there any way you can, I don’t know, damper your telepathy?”
“I can try masking, but it will take a lot of concentration.”
“Well, for your sake, I suggest you figure it out.” There was a noise in the corridor which startled them both. “Do what you can. My peers are coming. Remember what I told you; don’t let them know you can talk.”
Soon the room was filled. Three more scientists in tan jumpsuits bustled in. Each individual had a silver hand pad and kept checking it, then looking at him. They were followed by a gruff man in his middle 40, who wore dark blue clothes and had a perpetually furrowed brow. Kai had seen him when he had first woken up, although he had not been able to understand him at the time.
When the man had first spoken, it had sounded more like an animal barking. The man’s demeanor reminded Kai of Vol in many ways.
“Report, Dr. Hines,” he snapped to Jenna.
She flinched noticeably.
Jenna was nervous, something she didn’t hide well. “Yes, well, the subject H24 has received a communication from the outside, but it was short, I think.”
“What kind of communication? Has that been made clear?” asked an older scientist in his mid-to-late 60’s. He seemed to be in charge of those in the tan clothes, but not of the gruff man in blue.
One of the scientists, a blond man, looked at his hand-held interface. “Yes, Professor Hess. It’s the species locator signal, same as with the other subjects. Nothing complex.”
“Has it sent a reply back?” asked the terse man in blue. The rest of the people in the room kept futzing with buttons and pads while still staring at Kai, who was not enjoying being referred to as an ‘it.’ He instinctively did not like the man in blue who stared at him with distain.
“Nothing,” said the blond man.
“Maybe we should take this subject to examination earlier than scheduled,” Professor Hess mused to the man in blue. “It is younger than our previous captures, perhaps upon dissection…“
“I’d rather keep him here for further study,” said Jenna, interrupting. Activity in the room stopped. All eyes were on her, which she didn’t like. Her palms were sweating so she clasped her hands behind her back and tried to sound official.
“Genetic testing has shown that these two subjects H12 and H24 are related…”
“Only distantly,” said the blond scientist dismissively.
“Still, all the other species on this planet that we’ve examined have strong telepathic ties among family groups. Especially the mammals. These are our first humanoid subjects to be related in any way. I’d like to wait a little while longer and see if they attempt communication before anything more invasive is done.” She was improvising hard.
“It would be pointless,” said the third scientist, a man with red patches that speckled his skin.
The man in the blue uniform and Professor Hess seemed to mull the request over.
“Time is of the essence,” Jenna added hastily. She then indicated the other cell where the weaker tribesman was laying. “We’re going to lose subject H12 soon and then we might never know.”
The man in blue turned his attention to the professor, who had his hand over his mouth, deep in the thought. After a moment the professor nodded and walked out of the room.
“Permission granted. You have 24 hours,” said the man in blue curtly. He then stepped in towards the young doctor, leaning his body into her personal space, which made her visibly cower a bit. He liked to intimidate her. “Don’t do anything foolish,” he added, then winked at her with a malicious grin. For Jenna it was the most terrifying thing he could have possibly done and made her blood run cold. He turned on his heels and walked away. The other scientists trickled out slowly, not seeing the subtleness of what had transpired between the two of them. Kai was the only other being there to witness it, and
“I can try masking, but it will take a lot of concentration.”
“Well, for your sake, I suggest you figure it out.” There was a noise in the corridor which startled them both. “Do what you can. My peers are coming. Remember what I told you; don’t let them know you can talk.”
Soon the room was filled. Three more scientists in tan jumpsuits bustled in. Each individual had a silver hand pad and kept checking it, then looking at him. They were followed by a gruff man in his middle 40, who wore dark blue clothes and had a perpetually furrowed brow. Kai had seen him when he had first woken up, although he had not been able to understand him at the time.
When the man had first spoken, it had sounded more like an animal barking. The man’s demeanor reminded Kai of Vol in many ways.
“Report, Dr. Hines,” he snapped to Jenna.
She flinched noticeably.
Jenna was nervous, something she didn’t hide well. “Yes, well, the subject H24 has received a communication from the outside, but it was short, I think.”
“What kind of communication? Has that been made clear?” asked an older scientist in his mid-to-late 60’s. He seemed to be in charge of those in the tan clothes, but not of the gruff man in blue.
One of the scientists, a blond man, looked at his hand-held interface. “Yes, Professor Hess. It’s the species locator signal, same as with the other subjects. Nothing complex.”
“Has it sent a reply back?” asked the terse man in blue. The rest of the people in the room kept futzing with buttons and pads while still staring at Kai, who was not enjoying being referred to as an ‘it.’ He instinctively did not like the man in blue who stared at him with distain.
“Nothing,” said the blond man.
“Maybe we should take this subject to examination earlier than scheduled,” Professor Hess mused to the man in blue. “It is younger than our previous captures, perhaps upon dissection…“
“I’d rather keep him here for further study,” said Jenna, interrupting. Activity in the room stopped. All eyes were on her, which she didn’t like. Her palms were sweating so she clasped her hands behind her back and tried to sound official.
“Genetic testing has shown that these two subjects H12 and H24 are related…”
“Only distantly,” said the blond scientist dismissively.
“Still, all the other species on this planet that we’ve examined have strong telepathic ties among family groups. Especially the mammals. These are our first humanoid subjects to be related in any way. I’d like to wait a little while longer and see if they attempt communication before anything more invasive is done.” She was improvising hard.
“It would be pointless,” said the third scientist, a man with red patches that speckled his skin.
The man in the blue uniform and Professor Hess seemed to mull the request over.
“Time is of the essence,” Jenna added hastily. She then indicated the other cell where the weaker tribesman was laying. “We’re going to lose subject H12 soon and then we might never know.”
The man in blue turned his attention to the professor, who had his hand over his mouth, deep in the thought. After a moment the professor nodded and walked out of the room.
“Permission granted. You have 24 hours,” said the man in blue curtly. He then stepped in towards the young doctor, leaning his body into her personal space, which made her visibly cower a bit. He liked to intimidate her. “Don’t do anything foolish,” he added, then winked at her with a malicious grin. For Jenna it was the most terrifying thing he could have possibly done and made her blood run cold. He turned on his heels and walked away. The other scientists trickled out slowly, not seeing the subtleness of what had transpired between the two of them. Kai was the only other being there to witness it, and
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