Page 1 of Malliko
CHAPTER 1
Speciology
It’s a valuable skill to know who's coming based on the sound of their footsteps.
Growing up on a spaceship, with my mom as the captain, taught me there were two types of adults. Those who understood the healthy curiosity of a young boy who would much rather explore the ship than study in his cabin for hours each day, and those who were quick to report me to my mom.
Walking down the corridor of the east wing on the fifth floor, the biggest difference from the time I ran these hallways as a child was the sound of my own footsteps.
My mother was no longer the captain on the ship, and I was no longer a young boy sneaking around. I had matured into a grown man rich in life experience with one third of my projected lifespan behind me.
The reunion withCammin-214was nostalgic, and this time, I was returning to the research ship to work here.
When I had told my mother, she’d been delighted for her only son to leave his job in the military and work as a scientist. She had always worried about my safety and insisted that it was a waste of my intelligence if I didn’t use it for good.
I smiled a little when I remembered how she had claimed that I got my intelligence from her. It was typical of my mother to boast about things like that, but then I had no way of knowing since I’d never met my father.
All I knew was that he had been a scientist like her.
But my days as a warrior were over and my new field of work was the science of speciology, or in other words the study of species across the Universe.
In my youth I had been obsessed with the role of the protector, which ultimately led me to volunteer to become a federal soldier. Participating in missions around the Universe had been both thrilling and nerve-wracking. But most of all it had been monotonous and boring. For every day spent in battle, there had been fifty with routine assignments and daily training.
The part that I would miss about the military was the camaraderie that I had built with the people I served with – especially the nine soldiers under my command in our small unit of the cultural defense team. They were loyal, funny, and skilled. I would miss every one of them, except for Nerix, who had driven me insane with his need to challenge everyone in authority. Nerix might be an incredible warrior, but it was as if he never learned from his mistakes. No matter what consequences he had to endure because of his obstinate attitude, he still challenged my authority.
Walking down the corridor, I stopped in front of a mirror and looked at my reflection for a moment. On board this ship, I didn't need a uniform. My outfit was casual; touching my beard, I could hear my mother's voice in my head telling me that I should have at least shaved before meeting the captain.
A door slid open further down the corridor and a slender man came out. “Oh, there you are. I was just about to come and get you. It's a big place and visitors get lost easily.”
His concern was misplaced. My childhood adventures had led me to explore every floor and I knew the difference between them. Unlike this level with soft colors and large windows that showed the beauty of outer space, some of the other levels were rough. The second-floor walls were lined with metal, and there were pipes and wires running along them. When I had last beendown there many years ago, the air had been stale, and lights had flickered on the ceiling. The floor had felt cold and smooth against my feet and my footsteps had echoed as I walked. But one thing was the same on all levels. You could feel the vibrations of the ship as it slipped through space.
I smiled at the man and assured him, “I don't think I could get lost even if I was high and wanted to. I know every corner and secret passage on this ship.”
The man, who had to be at least twice my age, gave a half grin and waved me closer. “That's hard to imagine when you've only been on board for a few hours.”
Stepping aside, he let me enter the empty room with large panorama windows. Just then a comet streaked across the sky, its luminous tail painting a bright line across the stars. I followed its path until it disappeared, and then I turned my gaze to a nearby nebula, its colorful clouds of gas and dust glowing in the darkness. I would never get tired of the beauty and complexity of the Universe and felt a profound sense of gratitude for being able to witness such a majestic sight.
“I’m Alaan. The captain will join us any second. Oh, there she is,” the older man exclaimed, and it made me turn to see a woman enter.
Placing a hand on her third eye, she greeted me. I returned the formal greeting and took a seat when she gestured to the table. Sitting down across from me, she folded her hands and placed them on the table in front of her. Her short nails and haircut made her appear practical, as if styling her hair was not a priority.
With a tilt of her head, she said, “I understand you grew up here. Your mother used to be the captain once. I’ve always been a great admirer of Sallisha and it’s an honor to be working with her son.”
I smiled. “I hope you didn’t give me the job because of my mother.”
The captain raised a brow and replied in a serious tone, “Of course not. You don’t have the typical background for a speciologist, but your mentors speak highly of you, and I have to admit that the work I’ve seen is impressive. We’re excited to see what you uncover on Earth.”
“Thank you. As I wrote in my application, my special interest is the effects of war and what it does to the collective psyche of a species. I’m sure you can appreciate that my time as a soldier makes this a fascinating study to me.”
A crease appeared between the eyebrows of the captain as she looked at a spot on the table in front of me. “I can see why that subject would be interesting to you, but I’m afraid we already have enough data in that particular area. Humans have always been at war in one place or another. We’ve helped them form alliances to avoid war and educated them on the effects of PTSD. And yet, war is still happening as we speak.”
Confused by her statement, I moved in my seat, listening attentively as she continued talking.
“Our area of interest has to do with the shift that’s happening on Earth at the moment. We want to know how their increased level of awareness affects them.”
Pressing back in the chair, I tried to digest my initial disappointment and keep an open mind. “You want me to study their spiritual awakening?”
The captain and Alaan exchanged a glance before she continued talking. “Yes and no. For now, we’re interested in how it affects their sexuality.”
