Growth and Lust Ch. 05 - Hurt

"You killed my love!" Teloo screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping onto the banished woman's face. Lowering her voice to growl through clenched teeth, "Everyday since, I've been a husk of what I once was." Her hands squeezed as she looked down at the woman in the dirt that had destroyed her world. Everything around them was silent, Teloo felt the woman's heartbeat against her palm. Squeezing tighter, joints popping and muscles surrendering, the feeling of retribution was so close.

"How was I supposed to go on, everything was taken from me in one night...yet her I am. Breathing, I wish I had passed that night-"

She felt Ginrars hand touch the back of hers as the still squeezed her throat, Teloo held her breath as she morphed from a monster in her clutches into a little girl. Turning into her daughter that was crying and looking up to her, begging for forgiveness.

'I'm sorry mother, I'm so sorry...' Ginrar thought.

Teloo shuddered as she yanked her hands away, taking a deep breath and gulping in air, feeling the cold bite of the frosty mountain sear her lungs. "B-Baba." She murmured, her body beginning to shake as she realized what she had done.

Ginrar grabbed her mothers forearms, pleading with tears, "I'm sorry, I've felt it, the loss was shown to me on the other plane."

Teloo wrapped her arms around Ginrar pulling her to her chest and beginning to sob, "Ginrar, my daughter."

Ginrar held Teloo tight, sobbing as she tried to speak, "How can you hold me after what I've done, after what I took from you?"

"You are my daughter, he is gone, but part of him lives in you as something so much more. I could never hate you."

They both let tears fall as they held each other tightly, trying to convey their love for one another as the mountain watched in silence. Teloo could see Ginrars memory of the dream, seeing she felt it, what it meant to have the one you were tied to cut from this plane. To feel their song ended as you were left behind, her heart ached over fear of Ginrar going through it for the rest of her life.

Teloo gasped, looking down at Ginrar and seeing her lips purse as she tried to speak, but Teloo spoke first. "Is it true, daughter, my Baba is really..."

Ginrar looked up to her, tears of joy now taking over as a small smile broke free, "Twins...I think..."

Teloo gasped and embraced Ginrar tighter, burying her face in the crook of her neck as she cried with her, both laughing as they felt love overflowing.

Back on the shuttle Reedus looked at the small black device that the human had handed her, "So this is all you have?"

Perta nodded, "When we left we didn't take much, we had to hurry."

Bakaree looked at him and asked, "What do you mean?"

"We left in the night, Roke was able to get a badge by- means I'm not completely sure about."

Saffee and Reedus both looked at each other as they saw the mental picture the human tried to hide. A white badge with smears of red across it, the picture of a woman's smiling face and text just clear enough to read it.

Personnel: Savanna

Employee number: 779

"Who are they den?" Saffee asked.

"Old money." Perta said with a perplexed look, "The kind of family that has just always been in power."

"How does money give power?" Reedus asked.

Perta thought it was an odd question, but he had just witnessed a four armed Mohreb fight an omnipotent mountain spirit the night before. Along with five red beings and a lingering follower asking him to travel across the stars back to his past nightmare employment. He bounced his eyebrows and nodded in acceptance that her question wasn't actually too odd.

"People, humans, can reach a certain level of wealth that they can make decisions that change the world they live on. The Blackstars are on that level, they can just choose for things to happen based on how they feel that day."

"So you didn't leave on the best terms, wasn't there a chance then that they could've came and found you both after fleeing?" Reedus asked.

"Roke had promised me he got our names out of the system, he was careful and thorough, the paperwork they had us sign. It gave up certain...body autonomy rights." Perta gulped, "So we made a deal, I would help him get out, he would make sure we were wiped from the system. The credentials he got, it gave him access to the entire estate, he wiped a huge chunk of personnel records from their database. The only other person that really knew about me specifically," he paused while trying to delicately step around that subject.

Perta remembered how he found Peter, the pale look on his face with his shaking hands gripping the security badge. Perta had glanced at the bed and instantly regretted it, not wanting to remember Savanna like that.

"I wasn't there very long and very few knew my name let alone where I was from, by the time we were leaving I was positive I could fade away. Forgotten and not having to worry about them coming for me, I was nothing to them."

"We took a Blackstar shuttle to a station I had friends at, my time as a guide on Toray-su gave me connections with traders. Roke was adamant about covering our tracks, he kept saying it wasn't enough. I had us both smuggled out of that station and left the Blackstar shuttle behind, we did that five more times before he finally agreed that we should be fine. We eventually ended up on my home planet, I set him up with some simple belongings and let him get on his feet. Loaned him a bike and gave him space, then one day I woke up and he was gone."

"He left this." Perta said as he handed a folded piece of paper to Reedus.

Reedus took it, unfolding it and reading:

'Perta, thank you, but I have to go. I will never forget your kindness.'

Bakaree thought about the information, "Wait, why did you tell me you worked for the Blackstars, why weren't you worried about me being after you?"

Perta looked at the floor, "You seemed trustworthy, but had I been a bad judge of character, the mountain would have taken you. I had nothing to fear, if you were here for him or me, you'd have never left."

Saffee looked at Bakaree, hearing thoughts that weren't being spoken, "It's not cold Bakaree, it was a safe move."

Reedus elbowed Saffee as Bakaree whipped her head to glare at her, 'Stay out.' Reedus thought to Saffee.

"I told Ginrar he was dead, because I truly thought he was." Perta looked at Bakaree, "But, if Veronica has him again-" He didn't want to sound cliché as he thought about saying death would be better. Instead deciding to push the thought of what he might be going through out and concentrate on what he could do to help.

"That's one of the communicators from my time there, it should have encryption keys and location data." Perta said while pointing to the black box Reedus held with the note he had given her.

"Why'd you keep it?" Bakaree asked as she leaned closer to Perta.

Perta looked down at it, "Honestly, I just forgot, there was so much going on, I turned it off before we left. Then the battery died during our trip and I just never did anything with it. It's been off since I left and took Roke out of there."

"You did a great deed, and we will not forget your kindness." Saffee said to Perta.

Bakaree wrapped a lower arm around Perta and pulled him closer to her, not wanting to leave him too exposed to the Tallhee.

Reedus looked at the Mohreb and saw her glaring back at her, "Teloo gave you her word." Then turning in the pilots chair and taking the small black comms device she plugged it into a device port on the dashboard of her shuttle.

"Hey, hacker, this is for you den!" Saffee said in a raised voice.

Reedus looked at her and tilted her head, "Why would you think he would respond to that?"

>

>

>

>>>Why would I not respond to it?<<<

Reedus heard the message ding on her dashboard, turning to see the scrolling text box with the message appearing. She sighed and tried to not get too angry at the fact that some random person in the void of space was inside her ships operating system and listening to them. "Ugh, just see what you can do with it." Reedus said, then lifting her head and glaring at the roof since she didn't know if the person was watching them. "And for fuck sake, don't mess with my ship and don't listen to our private conversations. Is there a Camera in here?"

>>>No camera, but I am using the microphones from the ships harmonic sensors that are usually used to determine structural discrepancies in the hull of the ship. Through a simple algorithm I can synthesize it and hear what you're saying<<<

"Fucking prick." Reedus muttered under her breath.

>>>Gushing slicks?<<<

"Just get to work on the box please, he said it-"

>>>I heard his explanation and I've already instated a retention protocol to keep the Blackstars from receiving a signal that the device is active again. I'm decrypting it and pinging the receiver tower with a maintenance test to discover where its originating location is, it will take some time but I recommend you head in the direction of station Curserours 7. That's the first reception tower it hit on its way to the Blackstars, by the time you get there I should have a better direction of where to send you<<<

"Yeah, we'll get loaded up and head out." Reedus responded.

>>>Fucking prick.<<<

<

<

<

Reedus read the last message from the informant, "I don't like this person." She said harshly.

"They're helping us, and they're showing the respect they're given. Maybe be slightly nicer to them den?" Saffee responded, putting her forearm on Reeduses shoulder and leaning closer to her.

Reedus glared at Saffee, "You know what, why don't you go out there and get the mother daughter combo back on the ship."

Saffee shook her head, "Not getting in between that." Then standing up straight she looked out the front window before turning back to the two new travelers. "We have a private space for you two, may I show you the way?"

Perta nodded, "Please." He responded with a smile.

"So polite." Saffee said with a toothy smile as she stepped around them, seeing the Mohreb watching her wearily.

Reedus spun around and called out, "Wait."

Saffee returned a questioning look as she reached out to Reedus, hearing her thought and her face dropping to match her reluctance. 'No Reedus, we don't know how she would respond.'

'It's not your decision, she needs to know.' Reedus thought back.

'We don't know how she would-'

"Perta." Reedus said, shutting Saffee down as the woman scowled at her. "When Ginrar returns, you will tell her about Savanna."

Pertas eyes widened, he pushed himself into Bakaree and felt his stomach lurch in fear. Shaking his head slightly, "How do you know about her?"

Reedus didn't answer his question, "I promise it won't be detrimental to Roke, but Ginrar needs to know."

Saffee took a deep breath, not liking the idea of throwing more fuel on Ginrars already raging inferno. She began to head towards the bunks, "Please, let me show you your room."

Bakaree kept her guard up, she thought they all seemed genuine, but she still couldn't stop herself from feeling fear over the old stories. These were Tallhee, beings said to be able to end nations of people in a single fight, legends of unyielding strength and brutality that made star systems quake in their boots. Yet here they were, talking about finding a human that had seemingly no special qualities other than the fact that he was a generally nice person. Although she had only met him for a short time. The one she had met as Roke that used to be Peter when Perta knew him, she had found him pleasant to be around.

But to have all of these paths cross over just one man and one woman, a human and a Tallhee, it seemed too coincidental to not raise an eyebrow over. She watched as Saffee led them through the cabin area with a small kitchenette and seats with restraints for emergencies. Entering a corridor and then seeing four doors, two on either side, she gestured to the one to her left.

"This'll be yours den, bathrooms in the cargo hold and to the right." Saffee said as she pointed down the corridor, "Back area is cargo hold, we have water and food rations back there, but I've also left a great portion of them in the room. Please help yourself when you run out as we have more than enough."

"Thank you, I'm not hungry right now, you?" Perta asked as he looked to Bakaree.

Bakaree shook her head, "Thank you, we'll rest for the time being and talk later."

Saffee tilted her head and responded, "Oh don't worry, they'll be back aboard soon, and we'll depart, and yes the door does lock from the inside." She smiled and went to the cargo hold, wanting to check that nothing was jostled in the sudden lift of the craft.

Bakaree pursed her lip and scowled, opening the door and pushing Perta inside, then stepping in and hitting the close button. She didn't move away until the door was fully closed, she heard a lock actuator engaging the door and sealing it shut. She breathed a little easier, but knew that if they really wanted to, they could enter and the two of them wouldn't stand a chance. Bakaree twisted her midsection slightly, taking comfort in feeling the handles of her blades against her back, and the pistol in her waistband holster.

"What's up with you?" Perta asked.

Bakaree looked at him and said, "Me? How are you not on edge?"

Perta shrugged, dropping his bag on the cold floor and then sitting on the lower bunk, he exhaled and ran through his thoughts. Looking around and seeing there were two large bunk beds, one on either side of the room and making four beds in total. He thought it was nice that they gave the two of them the entire room to themselves, then he wondered if they all slept in the same room together? He didn't pursue the thought but looked back at Bakaree, "Pe- or I mean Roke..." he tried to think of what to say. "He...I'm just happy that he has people that seem to care about him, I can tell you're on edge. I can't say why but I do trust that these people have good intentions. The way she looked at me, when asking for help...If she really is his wife, like she says..."

Bakaree hung on his sentence as she tried to calmly accept what was happening, fully expecting to be on a Growth shuttle by now. Sailing across the stars on their way back to HQ to deliver her results. If her plan had come to fruition she was positive Perta would be in between her legs using his sweet mouth on her by now. Those piercing eyes asking if he was performing well, a question that would never come from his lips due to his bashful nature. Then getting to Growth and getting him a job, working with her and traveling. Pushing the thought down though she addressed the problem at hand. "Have you ever heard of these things before, Tallhee, do you know what they are?"

"No, but I didn't know what you were." He responded.

"But that's different."

"How?" Perta asked.

Bakaree heard his tone as innocent but felt the cut it gave her, she had heard the stories and rumors, but what if that's all they were. Although the legend of their mind reading wasn't a lie, she had thought of a few questions and statements so far and they had spoken their answers. She glared at the floor, then saying, "You stay with me, at all times, and don't think of anything too graphic or rude around them."

Perta looked at her, "Think, you mean talk about, right?"

"They can read your thoughts." She said as she dropped her bag on the floor and started to take off her coat.

"Pfft-" Perta let out a chuckle, "C'mon Bakaree, you're being a little paranoid."

Bakaree didn't feel like trying to convince him with her words, she walked to the door and clicked the unlock button. Letting it open with a hiss of hydraulics as she was sure this would be a quicker way for him to understand.

Perta watched as she opened the room door and leaned out of it, thinking she was still being paranoid and about to say something. Then seeing the Tallhee man enter his view in the doorway, he figured he had seen her and came to see if she needed something. But then when neither spoke and he walked into the room he stepped towards Perta. Coming to a stop in the center and lowering his head. Perta stood and looked at him, he saw Bakaree still standing by the door and glaring at the back of the mans head.

"I won't." Gresh said as he looked over his shoulder.

'What.' Perta thought as he leaned to look around him at Bakaree.

"She thinks I might put your life in danger, I assure you that won't happen."

'When did she say that?' Perta thought, opening his mouth to speak before he was cut off.

"You don't need to speak for us to know."

Pertas eyes went wide, looking up at the horned man that now seemed slightly more daunting than before.

"No we don't do it all the time, you can call out and we may hear, if you are unguarded we may see, with slight convincing we can make you remember. But we can't go in and find whatever we want, you must consciously think of it, your mental dialogue or images you think of we can see in our own minds."

Perta frantically tried to think if he thought of anything vulgar or rude during all the conversations, remembering how emotional and angry Ginrar had gotten.

"Don't fret, if you did think of something offensive, we would brush it off, most beings have two reactions. The first being a reflex due to the way they were raised or what they may do behind closed doors. The second is usually how they consciously try to carry themselves so they can treat others in a way that aligns with their beliefs." Gresh raised his eyebrows, pointing a thumb over his shoulder, "Her initial reaction is to take a defensive stance while guarding you. But then she calms down and tries to steel her resolve, reminding herself that you probably made this decision to help for a good reason."

"Alright, stay out of it." Bakaree said with a scowl.

Gresh nodded, "Please, do not think we mean to pry." He said to Perta, "We are massively grateful that you are helping us, judging by your reaction, you fear these people."

Perta looked down, "Yes, they can be pretty brutal." He sat down on the bunk and intertwined his fingers together.

"Don't feel embarrassed, fear is a valuable asset, it can shift war in ways no other weapon can." Gresh said. He hesitated to speak; but wanting to form a bridge of trust between them. "There was a time when I myself was paralyzed with fear." He pursed his lips, "I heard screams that still wake me to this day, and even now I live in terror that it may return."

"Fear of what?" Perta asked.

Gresh looked at him, "A promise." He bowed slightly and then turned, nodding to Bakaree as he passed her and went back out of the door.

Bakaree slid it closed, then reengaged the lock, turning to cross the room as she looked at Perta with her brow raised. "Told you."

Perta shook his head, unable to believe that there where people like them with that kind of ability, he looked up to find Bakaree leaning into his personal space. He rocked backwards and put his hands out to prop himself up, wondering why she was so close to him all of the sudden. "Bakaree-"

"They could read your thoughts." She put her four hands on the bed.

Perta wore a look of concern.

"Were you thinking anything bad?" she creeped forward, placing her knee on the mattress and watching his eyes study her.

He heard her voice carry a teasing and husky tone, wondering what she was getting at.

"Were you looking at them?"

"Who?" Perta asked, feeling Bakarees breath bathing him as she inched closer, her strong arms corralling him as she began to straddle him.

Bakaree was on her way to make a snide comment about the pilots bust size when she noticed a tremor run through the man. She knew how Perta reacted when she would give him devious taunts related to a more carnal nature. But this didn't match that, instead it reminded her of the previous night. His march to the ceremony, when he was so ready to surrender himself to The End. "Perta, believe in me."