Page 34 of Pandora: Alien Games

I gulped the content of the vial in one gulp. It tasted weird, salty and sticky, leaving an aftertaste. May pushed me on the weird looking chair.

“You want to stay still. This is going to hurt.”

There was no time for questions because I felt as if I swallowed all three suns. My belly burned so badly I wanted to claw it open.

“You have to be still,” May warned. “And be quiet. No one can hear us.”

The chair grew tentacles that wrapped around me. One gagged my mouth. I felt the pain.

Every one of my bones broke and reformed. My face hurt as my elongated maw changed into something else. My toes hurt the worse, which was slightly amusing. I barely could open my eyes. When I did, I saw the way my arms and legs contorted with broken bones. My dark onyx skin changed into the spotted white caramel shade of the Bastet. Oh, Gods, I thought, trying to say something but couldn’t.

“Hassym. Hassym, wake up!”

May shook me. I felt as if I had indulged in too much spice bear.

“What?” My voice sounded strange, as if it were a mewling sound and not my usual voice, the voice of a warrior.

The tentacles from the chair fell away. I was able to move freely again. As I lifted my hand, I almost screamed. A cute paw replaced my long fingers that ended in claws.

“How can I fight with that?”

“Press your thumb into the middle of your palm.”

I did and long, wicked-looking claws jumped from my fingers.

“You’re Bastet now. I’ll call you Niko.”

“Wait, May. I don’t want Pandora to know it’s me. Can you say I’m your friend or something?”

She nodded.

This Bastet body was not as strong as mine, but I could feel speed. I was fast. I wanted to play with my new body on an obstacle course.

15

Pandora

The morning light woke me. I laid in the middle of the huge bed of my imperial suit.

I marveled at the large windows, the way the curtains swayed and allowed the scented air to slip inside. It blew my mind. Nothing was more beautiful that not breathing recycled air. As bad as my current situation is, I’m excited. This world is filled with wonders that I planned to enjoy and discover one by one.

A silent servant left a full tray next to my bed. I knew the coffee-type drink. I took the small delicate cup and sipped from it. I was familiar with some of the fruit but others on the tray were foreign, such a small round ball covered in white spikes. I put it on my tongue. As soon as I did, an explosion of taste filled my mouth and made me moan. Was everything so good on this planet? I nibbled from everything, eager to enjoy the taste and texture of all the flavors this place willingly offered.

Another servant entered, her head bowed deeply. She carried a weird looking pile of textiles in her arms. She bowed again and laid them on the bed. I took a few steps in the direction of the pile and looked. The servant had given me clothes. They felt silky and slippery against my fingers. She made a “get dressed” gesture.

I picked the pants first. They seemed wide and way too large for me, but then I recalled the way the golden dress clung to my body. I pulled them up and they melted onto my skin, hugging my curves and showing off my legs.

“Where’s May?” I asked.

The servant bowed again. She was another Bastet. I was now able to tell them apart. May promised she’d help. I swallowed hard, hoping I didn’t create any trouble for her. This world was strange and different, but I know fear when I see it and there was a lot of that going on.

My mind took me back to the happy days at the oasis.

I understood now that the guys wanted me to get a translation chip in the hope of communicating with me. I wanted to search for Van, find out if there was a trace of my best friend in this strange new world. My mind shifted back to that night around the fire. Eray cooked some delicious meat accompanied by a sweet sauce. I ate it and licked my fingers clean. Eray was the best cook of the group and I looked forward to the days he was on cooking duty. Ramy shared with blue liquor. Edoo had an instrument. I couldn’t identify it. It looked like something with strings but he used two long, metallic sticks to play it. The sound was wonderfully eerie, floating back to us from the walls of the oasis. Even Hassym smiled now and then. This place was beautiful and full of light and joy. Small, colorful insects filled the night sky, glowing in golden shades of pink, blue, and green.

I stood. My feet moved with the beat that was strange yet also familiar. It had a certain sadness to it. Ashok took my hands and danced with me. Ramy, the alpha, joined us. Eray could not stay away. It was not a nice, pretty dance. It was release, both beautiful and strange. Primal, wild, and reckless.

We shook our bodies to a rhythm that became our own. Ramy’s arms shot up high as if he tried to touch the moons with the tips of his fingers. I watched them, their bodies, the way each of them moved, their strong muscles undulating under the thick, shining skin. I wish I could have asked questions. Why was Ashok pure white and they were black like onyx? Why did their eyes look purple? What was with those tattoos that glowed now that they danced in the light of the twin moons?

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