Aly in Space Ch. 01

"I really want a cuddle right now. Your arms holding me, my hands caressing you... You're so warm and kind and safe. I just don't know that I could trust myself to not try to push things further tonight. You know how I can be sometimes...."

***

"You see, Valitor, these specimens have all the necessary components for our research. Subjects A, B, and C all possess Empathic Capacity of Level 7, as does the Successor.. Subject C is a 99.982% match for the Successor's physiological, behavioral, and neurosocial patterns. The biomechanical profiles of Subjects A and B are compatible with the Yevn 33.6.21, our facilities are adaptable to their sustenance requirements--"

"--Please, Zentylk, spare me the preliminaries. We have already measured the species for compatibility, yet our experiments have not yielded results, and The Eminence grows weary. What will be different this time? And why have you selected 3 specimens?"

"Sir, I believe the triangulation of these three should provide the insight as to what has failed with all our other experiments. Observe:

"All three subjects have an established compatibility of over 97% as observed for over half of their fertile stage. All three subjects have maintained steady Empathic Bonds for the entirety of that time, measuring bi-directionally at level 7 between Subjects C and B and bi-directionally between Subjects A and B, also at level 7. However, Subject A reads consistently at level 7 toward Subject C, but Subject C has only ever read an EM Bond of 6 with Subject A."

"Much like the Successor with Yevn 33.4 and 33.5...."

"Subject A's Physiological Arousal scores frequently read above 9.4 to both Subjects B and C, Subject B's scores have rarely measured above 7.6 throughout their lifespan, and while Subject C frequently returns to PH-A 9.1 with Subject B, Subject C has never read PH-A above 2.1 toward Subject A, despite Subject A's obvious predisposition toward copulation. Nor has the EM Bond between Subjects A and B weakened, despite a high self-awareness among the specimens of these dynamics."

"Relevance?"

"If we can isolate the factors necessary to raise Subject C's PH-A score and establish EM Bond 7 toward Subject A, without diminishing EM Bonds between Subject B...."

"... We could then sequence the Yevn to emulate those factors toward The Successor, without rupturing the EM Bond between our Successor and the Ilyvians' --Zentylk, you've done it! Both Successions could not only continue, but so would the Treaty. The Eminence would no longer have to choose between them!"

"Precisely, Valitor."

"Initate retrieval of the specimens immediately, Zentylk. And may the stars reveal their secrets...."

***

I nodded along as the strange woman continued talking. Having managed to get us to a bench nearby, I was trying to gently steer Yevn (she had called herself) to somewhere safe. For now, we were away from a busy street and pedestrians, but this woman was clearly not mentally well and probably in need of help.

"It's an important mission, Aly, I need to save an entire species from extinction! Please, won't you help?" Yevn reiterated for the third time.

"Yevn, I'll try to get you help, but I'm really out of my league here. I think there would be some people much better suited to help down at the clinic."

"Oh, try to understand, won't you? I can't just go to a random person at the clinic, I need YOU, specifically you, or the entire mission falls apart!" Her eyes pleaded earnestly once again.

I gently took the woman's hand with a squeeze. "It's gonna be okay, Yevn. I'm here with you. I know you don't want someone at the clinic, but can I at least reach out to my friends? They live just up the road, and they might have some other ideas for us. Can I give them a call real quick?"

"They're your friends? Oh that would be perfect! Yes, please call them. I need their help for the mission, too!"

Yevn continued to talk like that while I pulled out my phone and gave Mark a call.

"Hey. Are you and Kat busy at the moment? ... Yeah, I'm just down the street behind O'Malley's. There's a woman here who could use some help?" I glanced at Yevn. "And I'm not sure what the best thing to do is. No no, I'm safe, she seems safe at the moment. Would you two mind coming over here and giving me a hand? ... Yeah, thanks. See you soon."

I turned back to Yevn as she continued to rattle about this "important mission," trying to be a safe presence and listen and take her seriously, despite how much the words didn't make sense. It must be some kind of psychosis or dissociation.

After a minute, I squeezed Yevn's hand again to interrupt her spiel. "My friends are here. Is it okay if they join us?" We both looked to the side to see Kat and Mark pausing within talking distance before joining the conversation.

"Oh yes. Thank you so much! This will be much more efficient." Turning to welcome them, Yevn held out her hand to shake theirs with a slight bow. "Hello and welcome. I'm so glad Aly contacted you. You see, all three of you are urgently needed for a mission for the Rukien Empire. I've been trying to explain to Aly, but I know this is hard to grasp so abruptly. You three are absolutely vital for research pertaining to the Successor and the Eminence's Treaty with the Ilyvians."

Kat glanced at me with raised eyebrows and poorly muffled skepticism. She clearly recognized the woman's altered state immediately. Mark almost certainly did as well, but he did better at engaging quietly and listening to assure Yevn we were taking her distress seriously.

" ... both our species exist similar to your concept of queen bees. We only have one genetic propagation line that is responsible for the continuity of the entire species. From there our biology--you might think of it like technology, but to us it is inherent--generates the genetic sequences necessary for the entire next generation--in phases of course..."

Kat slowly made her way over to me to consult on a strategy. "You say she just came up to you on your way home?"

I leaned in. "Yeah, came up to me directly on the sidewalk and started talking like this. She doesn't seem dangerous at all, but she didn't seem to notice that she was almost blocking traffic where she stopped, and she's clearly not with it."

"Could we take her to the clinic on 7th?" Kat offered.

"I tried, but she really doesn't want to, and I didn't want to push it any further. She was adamant that 'only I could help', but she perked up instantly when I asked if I could call you guys, so I'm not quite sure what it is. I know a lot of people feel threatened by doctors, and I didn't want her to think we didn't care by mentioning possible psychiatric issues."

Next to us, Yevn was still going full throttle. " ... and the Treaty maintains a balance between the planets--carefully constructed by the current Eminences after years of tension and violence between our species--which we thought we were encouraging by initiating Empathic Bonds between our two Successors, but we failed to foresee just how high this Empathic Bond would be realized, and the resulting desire for reproductive exclusivity would destabilize both species' genetic code far too much..."

"Has she just been going steady like this since she came up to you?" Kat asked.

"Nonstop. Maybe if we get her somewhere different, maybe sit down and take a breather, the edge might wear off and we could talk options with her? Maybe see if there's someone we could call for her?"

"Want to try to interrupt?" Kat suggested, pulling back a bit to give me space to approach.

"Hey, Yevn?" I stepped directly beside her and Mark to halt the rapid monologue. Somehow Yevn still wasn't winded from the incessant explanation.

"Yes? Do you need me to explain a part again?" Yevn asked.

"No no!" I smiled, careful to halt that before it started once again. "I was just wondering if I could have a moment with Mark real quick? I just need to ask him something."

Yevn finally paused her speech enough that I could pull Mark aside, giving Yevn a reassuring smile that we wouldn't be long or plotting anything nefarious.

Turning to Mark, "I think if we can just get her somewhere calm for a bit, we might be able to pull her from the urgency of whatever's she's thinking right now and lessen its grip. She doesn't seem dangerous...."

Mark shook his head. "No, not at all, more like... obsessively ruminating? On whatever this mission is she thinks she's on."

Then Kat said, "Can we bring her back to the apartment for a little and see if the change of scene, maybe something to drink, can settle her a bit? I don't want to force her into anything, but I do think she needs help."

"That's fine with me," Mark said quietly, glancing to see me nod as well. "You want to offer, Aly?"

I turned back to Yevn with a soft smile. "Hey there, would you be interested in coming back to our apartment with us? We've been talking out here for quite a while, and I at least could use a drink. And maybe we can talk more there once we've settled a bit?"

"Oh that would be delightful. You know, when they told me you three had over 97% compatibility, I could scarcely believe it, but it's thrilling to see it in action. Your mirror neurons must be exquisitely tuned-in to each other...."