Taylor shuddered as he stepped onto the space station. Suddenly, he was seeing things in a whole new light.
He glanced at Isaac warily, before looking around again. It seemed like forever since he'd been there.
Isaac and Zac
"Thanks for the lift," Zac said to the teleporter.
"No problem," she smiled.
"Argh," Zac went on, turning to Isaac. "I think I'm going to hate coming here. Turning Adigian itches so."
Isaac grinned.
"Well, maybe you can catch up with your wife. Y'know, Sari-Lyka?"
"Not my fault she's never bother to learn how to use the internet. I know Oli's tried to persuade her."
Isaac chuckled.
"C'mon, let us catch up with Tanya."
And they headed to the elevator to the level where Tanya's office was, on the community level where she held her Ga'Revali classes.
Taylor
"You what?" Taylor raised his eyebrows at Zac.
Zac and Isaac
Zac looked at Tay.
"Oh, I got conned into marrying one of the Adigian women," he replied. "They're polygomist and they have this things about the more spouses and children you have, the higher up in society you are. Apparently I'm considered quite a catch, the cream of the Dathrian crop in fact, given that their word for 'marriage' is the same as 'sex'."
"Oliver said he was starting to feel like some kind of pimp, because he had to play intermediatry between Zac and all the Adigian girls - or their parents - wanting to start a union."
"Yeah, well, fortunately, that's quieted off a bit. I guess because they're waiting to see if Sari-Lyka has a kid or not," Zac shook his head. "Impotent is a dirty word in this society."
"I don't think you have to worry about that. Incompatibility is what you have to look out for. There haven't been any Dath/Adigian kids yet."
"True. Argh!" and here Zac scrowled at his arm turning blue. "Dang nabit, why do I have to be one of the Daths that changes fast on this dang station? Oli's never changed into an Adigian!"
"Oli has the advantage of being half human," Isaac pointed out, as they headed down the hall to Tanya's door.
Taylor
Taylor shivered at the sudden change in the atmosphere when Zac's skin changed.
"Weird," he said finally, shrugging it off awkwardly, "I guess I'll be avoiding this place as often as possible for now."
When they reached Tanya's door, he knocked.
Tanya, Isaac and Zac
"Come in," Tanya called.
Isaac opened up the door and let his brothers go through first.
"Taylor!" Tanya exclaimed, seeing him. "You're back!"
"Yes and we're keeping him this time," Zac said solomnly. "This custody battle has been going on way too long and Blaksley's not even a blood relative. So obviously, he has no claim, and thus the whole matter whould be thrown out of court. And then we can start another lawsuit where we press charges against him."
Isaac glanced at Zac.
"Zac?"
"Yes?"
"You're weird."
"This has been well established."
Taylor
Taylor smirked a little before smiling at Tanya.
"Glad to be back... I guess... How's the baby?"
He took a seat where he usually did.
Tanya, Isaac and Zac
"Kit is good," Tanya replied. "He's at the creche at the moment. Currently it's a bit of a toss up if he's a telekinetic or a metalkinetic, but I'm sure we'll figure it out sooner or later."
"Oh, by the way, we bumped into Christian," Isaac said. "Lemme see... he wanted us to tell you that some sort of behavioural chip has been put in his head."
"Y'know, the kind with tracking technology and zaps you when you do something the instigator doesn't link," Zac commented cynically.
"Ahh, I see," Tanya nodded.
Sensing she had permission, she looked at Zac's public mind for further details, so as not to upset Taylor by having them spoken aloud. Just in case there was think Taylor didn't know - and didn't need to know - just yet.
So, Blakesley was having Christian hunt down aliens for him, huh?
"And how was your trip?" Tanya asked, within only a few seconds of her previous statement.
Taylor
"He had what?" Taylor raised his eyebrows at Isaac.
Then he quickly remembered back to one time when he'd met Blakesley in the park, and realised he'd pretty much been warned about that happening.
"I ah..." he scratched the back of his head nervously, "I didn't know that. I just knew he was in trouble for sticking up for me."
Tanya, Isaac and Zac
"He stuck up for you?" Zac inquired.
Tanya had almost a smug smile on her face.
"Christian does have the capacity to surprise people," she said.
"in a good way or a bad way?" Zac asked jokingly.
Tanya chuckled.
"Well, suffice to say the whole chip thing was the reason why we didn't break him out too," Isaac said.
Taylor
Taylor started tapping his fingers on his lap.
"Tanya?" he began suddenly.
"I have a favour to ask."
Tanya
Tanya leant back in her chair.
"Certainly, Taylor. By all means, what is it?" she asked.
Taylor
Taylor glanced at his brothers, before leaning forward and clasping his hands together.
"I want my memories back," he insisted wholeheartedly.
"From last year. When I first went in with him. I need to know what happened."
Isaac, Zac and Tanya
Isaac and Zac looked at each other and Tanya nodded thoughtfully.
"I think I can do that. The block has been in there for a while, but I don't think your mind is too deteriorated in that area for me to remove it," she gave Taylor a considering look. "Which I hope is another reason for your coming here - letting me perform your next treatment."
Taylor
"It is," Taylor insisted.
"It's been too long since the last one."
Noticing his hands shaking slightly, he folded his arms.
Isaac, Zac and Tanya
Tanya nodded.
"Okay, well, if that's everything, why don't you two wander around the station for a bit, while I look after Taylor?"
Isaac and Zac shared another glance, then Isaac stood.
"Okay," he said.
He touched Taylor's shoulder as Zac, too, stood.
"We'll be back soon," he said.
Zac nodded his agreement, and the boys departed.
Taylor
Taylor watched after them, then clenched his teeth.
"I have to tell you too, in case I don't get another chance. You might pick it up, but it's easier…" he shook his head, keeping it down.
"Master Blakesley wants me dead," he gulped slightly, "I found out something about my power that… I didn't, I don't think anyone realised I was capable of, and I think he's out to get anyone with my power to use them for it."
Tanya
Tanya pressed her lips together.
"I see," she nodded. "And what is it exactly that you found out?"
Taylor
"I can read code," Taylor blurted straight out.
"The most top secret military codes that there is. He gave me a page of computer feed out and I could read what it said, just straight away."
He covered his mouth with his hand, before rubbing his chin.
Tanya
Tanya gave a low whistle.
"It just keeps getting worse. More and more of us are born, and they just find more and more ways to use us. We spend our lives hunting each other down..." Tanya shook her head. "And it's not just the Americans, but more of our population is in this continent."
She sighed and rubbed her temples. Will the madness never end?
"Thanks for the notice. I'll make sure the right people know so we, well, YIRAAS Security, anyway, can take steps to protect you and others with Tongue."
Taylor
"Thanks," Taylor said softly.
"Well… ah… can we get this done?"
Tanya
Tanya nodded, and leant back further into her seat. She closed her eyes and concentrated on repairing the damage. Also, as previously requested, she took down the block that she had put in last year. It was easier than she had excepted to do this as there wasn't as much deterioration in that area as she had expected.
Taylor
Taylor closed his eyes as the block came down, ignoring the headache brought on by the treatment. It wasn't as bad as he remembered.
Then the memories just suddenly seemed to come back in a flood. He frowned as he concentrated, trying to piece it all together.
Well, no wonder Blakesley was pissed off with him.
But suddenly he saw reason…
Tanya
Tanya opened her eyes and wiped a hand over her forehead, damp with sweat.
"You okay?" she asked in concerned. "Would you like a drink?"
Taylor
Taylor opened his eyes, something showing in them that hadn't for a long time.
"Yes and yes, thanks," he managed a short smile, before taking a deep breath.
He frowned again as he contemplated what he'd just learnt.
Tanya
Tanya stood and got both of them glasses of water. Water, definitely the best option right now.
"Remember anything interesting?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't feel like she was intruding.
Taylor
"Well it's... helping me see things in a different light," Taylor shrugged awkwardly.
He took the glass she offered and had a drink.
"At least now I know how... well what initially happened in a sense. Now I know why certain things happened, and..."
He shook his head.
"If I hadn't have had those memories erased things probably wouldn't have turned out the way they had. With the way I was acting I don't think he would have kept me around as long."
Tanya
Tanya nodded thoughtfully.
"They do say our lives are the sum of our experiences."
She drank some of her water, grateful for the moisture after conducting Taylor's treatment.
Taylor
"Or what someone else decides your life should be," Taylor murmured, as he reached to pull out his cell phone.
He paged Isaac.
"Thanks again."
Tanya and Isaac
"No problem," Tanya replied.
Soon thereafter Isaac arrived.
"Zac's a little... busy..." he said slowly. "He'll meet us in the transporter room in a bit."
"Catching up with Sari-Lyka, huh?" Tanya mused.
"Something like that."
Taylor
"Now that's something I didn't need to hear," Taylor raised his eyebrows as he stood up.
"I'm done. Back in a month. Same time same station and all that jazz."
Isaac and Tanya
"Yeah, well, I didn't need to hear it either," Isaac replied. "Any of it. All I'm going to say is that I wished I'd texted Zac instead of calling, and leave it at that."
Tanya nodded.
"See you then," she agreed, standing up as well to walk them to the door.
Taylor
"Dude, too much information. Really. I had enough of it from…"He cut himself off as he thought of Mouse, before quickly shrugging it off.
"Is he going to be much longer or what?" he asked as he stepped through the door, "thanks again Tanya."
Isaac and Zac
"Told you," Isaac said. "He's meeting us in the transporter room."
A few minutes later, that's exactly where they found Zac, looking very Adigian like.
"About time you got here," he said grumpily. "Tentacles don't do all that much for me."
"Aww, but you look so cute," Isaac teased.
"I look like a freak."
"Now now, don't insult our friends."
"C'mon, lets go back down so that I can look like a human again."
Taylor
Taylor shuddered as he got closer to Zac, before making sure that Isaac stood between them so he wouldn't be hit with Zac's pheromones.
"Let's go," he insisted, but with a soft voice, eyeing off the teleporter on duty.
Isaac and Zac
They teleported back down to Earth, and as they made their way to where their car was parked, Zac happily resumed his human shape. He hugged himself.
"Ahh, my body. My real body."
"You sure it's your real body?" Isaac teased. "Who knows what a Dathrian really looks like."
"'Twas the form I was born with," Zac replied. "Therefore is my real body. And I'm so glad to be in it. I mean, sure, Adigians are strong, and it's kinda cool being telepathic - although I suspect it's not quite the same kind of telepathy that some of us have, but that's not the point. The point is, I'l starting to hate going to the station. I mean, how hard is it going to be for us to do concerts there? I can't play the drums or sing properly in that body."
"Eh, Oli reckons there are a few different people trying to work out ways for us to get more control. If it makes you feel any better, there is a running theory that in a few generations Daths - and Sems - will have two mutal powers, the second being shapeshifting."
"I heard that. Think its got any merit?"
Isaac shrugged, and they got into the car.
Taylor
"I'm with Zac on this," Taylor shook his head.
"I'll be avoiding the station as much as possible. Except for treatments. Being there completely freaks out my power."
Isaac and Zac
They started on their way home.
"Well," Isaac said. "I'd like to sympathise, but they don't worry my powers, nor my adaptivity at all. So I can't."
"Lucky for you," Zac muttered.
"You don't seem to be complaining when it comes so Sari-Lyka."
"Shush you."