Chapter 3: Roma's Favoured Son

Only a single globe illuminated the small ten-by-ten-foot cell he was in. Human food was disgusting by his standards, but then again what prison had good food anyway? He stood up, flexed his bulging muscles that draped his enormous frame and stretched them out before proceeding to exercise. It was his only form of entertainment and it staved off the loss of strength and kept his mind focused.

The wound he received was superficial and healed within hours. He would catch the guards making bets on how many of what they call ‘push-ups’ he could do. Sometimes he would mess with them and fall short or go over them just to make some of his most hated captors lose. He could not keep track of time however as he did not understand the cycle of this planet yet. Even on the run, he was more concerned with staying alive than keeping time.

Sometimes he would catch himself thinking of the human woman he met on Mars. A smile would creep across his face. Not all things on this planet were all that bad. She would visit him sometimes, under guard, of course, to study him seems like. The memory came to mind as he thought of the day she came to do a physical examination. He stripped down, completely naked. It seemed logical to him at the time, but obviously, this branch of humanity has certain taboos on displaying the naked form. She yelled at him to get dressed and he did so laughing all the while. Some of the female soldiers protested at her modesty, much to his delight. He got up, his gym session done for the day and moved to the tiny shower. As he washed the sweat off his marble-like skin the door of his cell opened and he smiled.

“Are you done in there?” A guard called out to him.

“Nearly.” He laconically replied. He purposefully took his time to irritate them. He knew soldiers all across the universe were the same. Just obeying commands from their superiors, so he did not begrudge them their duty, just the manner in which they treated anyone outside their own species. From what he could learn so far is that this race has not gone through the Grand Unification yet. He wrapped a towel around his waist and stepped out of the cubicle. And there she stood, accompanied by three soldiers. He could not help but notice Diane’s perusal of him and he smiled. She was not adept at hiding her feelings. He towelled his platinum white hair, and let her gaze linger a while before he spoke.

“Have you had your fill yet Little One?” His deep baritone rumbled across the room, he used his nickname for her. Diane seemed to snap out of her reverie and met his crimson gaze with a hint of defiance. He was her enemy after all.

“I am here to ask you more questions about your people." She replied flatly. His only response was to fling the towel he used to dry his hair onto the bed.

“For the love of God put on a shirt!” She snapped at him. The raw, physical magnetism of this man frightened her beyond belief. She could not stop staring at his perfectly sculpted form, like a marble statue made flesh. And the eyes made of fire that seemed to burn away any thoughts of David or Remus when he looked at her like that.

But the sheer arrogance of the man seemed to know no bounds, which mitigated the sheer sexuality he exuded from every pore. She was attracted to him; there was no doubt about that. And that alone made these visits so dangerous. He complied by slipping on a shirt almost two sizes too small for him, which did little to hide his form, and sat down in a chair made to barely hold his weight.

“What do you wish to know?” He asked her, still smiling. She sat down on a chair a soldier brought with him, took out a clipboard and pen, and proceeded to take notes. He patiently waited for her to start.

“Where do you come from?” His faint smile became a grin and just pointed upwards.

“Do you think this is a game? If you don’t give me the answers I need, these people have ways to take it from you.” She said, hoping her sincerity would sway him. And hoping it would not come to that. Pericles looked over to the Athenai observer standing in the corner.

“Oh of that I have no doubt. It’s just that when you have lived as long as I have, your mind is conditioned against certain things. Torture would not serve you well Little One.” He replied the playfulness in his voice drained away.

“How old are you?” She asked the white giant.

“No, no, no this is not how the game works.” Pericles replied, leaning slightly forward. Exasperated she put the pen down.

“So you are just toying with me is that it?” He held his hand across his chest.

“You wound me! I would never do such a thing.” He replied, laughing again.

“Come D’Nak, he is not going to give us anything today.” She said getting up. He got out of his chair quickly.

“I will speak to you, but only if he leaves.” Pericles said, pointing at D’Nak. She looked over to him and just nodded.

“I do not think that is a good idea Diane. The danger to your person is…”

“Acceptable.” She finished the sentence for him. This is their chance of getting something tangible out of him. For weeks now all he did was play with them, giving them nothing but fluff. Now is her chance. D’Nak looked at Pericles, took out a vial from a pocket that contained a green liquid. He popped the top and drained it.

“I will be outside if you need me.” That was all he said before he left the room. They both sat down again, but now all mirth left the room. He looked serious now, hopefully serious enough to give them something to work with.

“You get to ask me a question for every one of mine you answer.” Pericles told her. There was no wiggle room in that statement.

“As long as what you ask does not endanger my people.” She replied. He nodded in acceptance.

“Do we flip a coin to decide who goes first?” Diane asked him, sarcasm lacing her question. He quizzically looked at her.

“Never mind, I will start. We only know you as the Creators. What are you?” She began. He paused for a second before answering her.

“We are known by many names. To you we are the creators, because we created you from our flesh. To others we are known as the Tor’Phaleem, or put in your tongue, The Undying.” She wrote it all down.

“Why are you called The Undying?” She asked. All he did was smile and wiggled a finger at her.

“You are breaking the rules of the game Little One.” He said, smiling at her wickedly.

“Fine, ask away.” She said, clearly annoyed.

“What is your favorite fruit?” She looked at him as if he’d gone mad.

“Of all the things you could ask, that’s your question?”

“Yes.” He replied smugly.

“Strawberries.” She replied quickly rolling her eyes at him. Seemingly satisfied he motioned for her to continue.

“The same question stands.” She said, looking down at her clipboard. He sighed. Their minds are so slow. Obviously, the name spoke for itself? Or maybe immortality is an idea that can only be translated to mortals in a spiritual sense?

“My people do not know disease or the aging of the flesh. Unless killed in battle, we cannot die. We are immortal.” The corners of his mouth lifted a little as he continued his explanation.

“We have a story amongst my people. The day we received eternal life was the day we gave up our souls. It raises some interesting philosophical questions amongst my kind. Without a soul can you feel love or hate? Remorse? Do we experience any sort of meaningful connection to others, even to our own kind?”

“Can you?” She asked, clearly down the rabbit hole here, and just to keep him talking. He smiled again, but it was without mirth.

“Eternity would be easier to bear if we could not feel.” He said morosely.

Diane was dumbfounded. Of all the stories she heard about him and their kind, here sat a man, arrogant to be sure, but also haunted. He seems to possess the ability to fear, love or hate. Apparently not afraid to show what he feels. She decided he had enough. And quite frankly, so did she.

“That’s enough for today Pericles. I will come visit you again tomorrow. I was authorized to give you better rations if you co-operated. Is there anything specific I can tell the kitchens to give you?” He seemed to seriously ponder her question for a second. His eyes lit up.

“Strawberries.” He replied.

---

It was after midnight when she arrived at the tower, Remus’s skull safely tucked away in the satchel David gave her. She looked around nervously. She had no real reason to be there at this time of night. Especially since the work she did does not involve anything that lay beyond those doors. She peered around the corner of the waste container she hid behind.

Two human soldiers guarded the entrance. She could just walk up to them and invent a reason to go in. She looked at the skull inside the satchel. That’s it! She bit her lower lip and left her hiding place. The soldiers saw her and directed their weapons toward her.

“Calm down gentlemen it’s me, Doctor Summers.” She said waving at them, hoping they would have heard the name somewhere. The one soldier slapped the other on the helmet, making him lower his weapon.

“And what can we do for the boss lady tonight?” One of them asked jovially. The other guard eyed her with some degree of suspicion, but still managed a weak smile.

“A bit late for a midnight stroll to the restricted section don’t you think ma’am? The second one asked her.

“Not so strange if D’Nak told me to come here to put back an item that was missing from the Mars vault. You gentlemen know how this got out?” She pointedly asked them lifting Remus’s skull from the satchel. The first soldier’s face went white. He obviously did know, but she was not going to force the issue. She just needed to get inside.

“That went missing a while ago ma’am. We don’t know how that got out. Please go inside.” The first soldier instructed her, almost dropping his rifle to open the door for her. She smiled.

“Thank you kindly sir.” She quipped, passing him a wink. He and David must have had an arrangement or he had something on the guy. The thought of David blackmailing someone almost made her laugh. He didn’t have the guts to do anything as underhanded as that. She got into an elevator and one of the floors were marked The Seven.

It had no security locks on, which was odd since all the artefacts inside were probably dangerous. She opened the door and in the centre of the room there was a single object…a cloning vat. Before the new coalition took over she was given a chance to study this machine, so she knew how it worked. She lightly ran her fingers on the control panel and flipped a switch. The vat lit up like a Christmas tree, the liquid in the vat took on a green luminescence and tiny little bubbles rose to the surface. She checked the heat. It was optimal. She took the skull out of the satchel and before plopping it into the tank; took one last look at it. By the size of the sample supplied, it could take a few hours to resurrect Remus. Satisfied, she went back down to the soldiers.

“I will be cataloging all that is in this tower for the next two days. Not a thing is to go missing again, understood boys?”

“Yes ma’am!” They both replied, grinning like little boys.

---

Every morning at seven, they all meet for breakfast in the quad that overlooks the old Sydney Opera house. Diane actually got them an unregistered bio-transfer pad. Their little slice of rebellion Hanson said. They needed a little bit more privacy than was allowed their “particular station” he called it. Every morning every other person took a turn to provide the food. Jason was busy frying some bacon and eggs while desperately trying to operate an antiquated toaster. So he gave up on the toast, cursing the infernal machine as he dished up.

“Where on God’s green earth did you find bacon?” Hanson asked between mouthfuls. He actually didn’t care as he savoured the fried, smoked slice of pork.

“Some little corner shop in the old town. He breeds swine for just that purpose. Strange to think that this little sliver of meat has now become contraband.” Jason said, holding up a piece of bacon, before popping it into his mouth.

“That along with cigarettes, alcohol and everything else greasy and deep fried.” Death put in his two cents.

“Have any of you seen any of them eat anything besides that green sludge they drink?” Jason asked as he helped himself to more eggs. At this point Diane stepped through the portal.

“All hail the queen!” Death stood up and made a mock curtsy. Diane replied back with a grin and curtsied back.

“Did Bracus leave me some? She asked walking over to the gas fryer. Hanson and Death both sniggered as Bracus looked up at her guiltily with a mouthful of bacon and a spoonful of scrambled eggs.

“So what you guys talking about?” She asked sitting down with her plate.

“Our new partner’s dietary needs and why everything fast food is banned.” Bracus grumbled shovelling more scrambled eggs into his mouth.

“Yeah. I got a fine the other day for lighting up a stogie!” Death moaned.

“To enjoy this new partnership and all they have brought with them a few sacrifices had to me made.” Diane said.

“Where is David, Diane?” Jason pointedly asked her. She just glared at him.

“Yeah. We haven’t seen him at breakfast for more than a month now? What gives?” Hanson asked, putting down his plate.

“We sort of broke up.” She said, letting the statement hang in the air.

“Remus?” Jason asked softly. She bit her lip and just nodded.

“He hasn’t been here for over a month. When did you guys break up?”

“Two nights ago.” She replied.

“Then where the hell has he been before that?” It’s not like you guys have been broken up for…”

“Smoke! Coming from the east tower!” Jason yelled. Diane whipped around, her face ashen and her blood in her veins turned to ice.

Remus!