Never before had Da�an felt such utter shock. A frantic thudding in his � her � chest became a vivid reminder of the violation that had been done to her.
Somehow, she had been made into a human.
Vaguely, she remembered the time when Zo�or had transferred his consciousness to a human body. Could the same have now been done to her? Yet she couldn�t understand why such a thing would be done without her consent.
She stared at her own face, into those eyes, now a deep brown, completely unfamiliar� clearly human now, but so alien to her. And female, she saw, noticing the traits on her face and body that distinguished her from the other human gender.
She touched the hair, long and dark, which fell past her shoulders, able to feel its softness through her human fingers. They were, she thought, sensitive in a very different way from her Taelon hands.
She gently pressed a finger to the small gash on her forehead, which she could now see in the reflection, sparing a fleeting thought as to how she had acquired such an injury. Da�an was not unaccustomed to pain, but this was so different, beyond the controls of her mind and completely at the mercy of her body. This was all very real, then.
Da�an shivered, as though finally realizing the depth of what had been done to her. That uneasy sensation was still assaulting her stomach and for a moment she felt as though she needed to sit down. She wrapped her arms around her slender body, leaning against the wall, noticing again the tight black jumpsuit someone had clothed her with.
Obviously, someone had been responsible for her state, yet she was still alone in the small room. There was nothing aside from the bed, the lantern and the mirror� and the deafening silence.
The Commonality� never had Da�an so longed to hear it. To hear any voice, human or Taelon, for that matter. Liam, Zo�or, Sandoval even� she briefly wondered if perhaps one of them could be responsible, but no. It would make no sense.
She did, however, wonder where Liam was. She feared that maybe he had also been taken by the same forces, and subjected to some form of torture. Irrational human fear had her imagining various scenarios, when a noise echoed through the room and startled Da�an out of her thoughts.
The door on the other wall creaked as it was pushed open. Da�an turned to see a figure clad in a green cloak striding in, pushing the door closed, and then standing in place with quiet authority.
�I thought you would be awake by now,� said a voice, passive and clearly female. Her face, however, was indistinguishable under the folds of the cloak, wrapping around her head to reveal only her eyes, large and faintly luminous in the low light.
The figure was thoroughly unfamiliar, though somehow Da�an doubted she was Taelon. A human perhaps? Or maybe even a Jaridian�
Whoever she was, she was obviously Da�an�s captor, and had the answers she needed. She tried to speak, though it was a while before she found her voice. �What��
Da�an winced as the word came out parched, issued forth from a voice that was not her own. The figure merely stood, watching her impassively.
�I imagine it must be quite disorienting,� the woman said, her voice calm and steady, and yet strangely unsettling at the same time. She studied Da�an for a second, and extended her hand slowly towards her head. �Please forgive the wound to your head. You re-awaken briefly after the procedure and had to be restrained.�
�Procedure?� Da�an whispered hoarsely. What had happened? She remembered nothing. �Why��
Crossing her arms over the front of her cloak, the woman casually strode to the small viewport, gazing out. Da�an could glimpse open space through the round little window, though she could not even begin to guess where she was. Her head still throbbed and it was difficult to concentrate.
As though reading her thoughts, the woman spoke, �You are on a vessel. You need not worry, we are still near Earth. We are currently in orbit around Mars, undetectable by both human and Taelon surveillance devices.�
Da�an squeezed her own arms through the black suit, feeling a growing sense of unease as the woman spoke. Whoever she was, she obviously knew enough about both Earth and the Taelons.
�You need not fear for your life,� the woman was saying. �To kill you would defeat our purpose.�
�Liam��
�Your protector, and those on the Mothership, have most likely become aware of your disappearance by now. They will, however, be unable to locate you.�
A moment of relief that no one else had been harmed, though Da�an was still keenly worried about her own situation. �Who� are you?� she asked, finally succeeding in making her voice work.
The woman turned from her vigil of the stars, and gave Da�an a strange look that only served to increase her apprehension.
�Perhaps it is time your kind faced the ghosts hidden in your past.�
And with that, she slipped the cloak from her face, revealing a female-looking face, which could have passed for a human face if it were not for the distinct bluish complexion, and eyes that glowed a bright lavender. Jet-black hair was piled intricately atop her head, and tiny cerulean ridges spread from her temples to her cheeks.
Da�an closed her eyes tightly at the recognition. She did not know the woman herself, but the face was frighteningly familiar. It was a sight she wished she never would have to behold again.
�You are� you are of the Tru�del?� she asked, shakily. A wave of dizziness came over her and she pressed a hand to the wall to steady herself.
The woman seemed amused by the reaction, as blue-tinged lips spread slightly into a smile. And not a particularly pleasant one. �My name is Maedra. And I am Tru�del, yes. I see you still remember us.�
�How could we forget?� Da�an said softly. She forced her eyes upward, to look upon the woman.
Maedra laughed, a bitter sound that echoed in the small room. �If I did not know your kind better, I would think that was pity.�
�Our kind�� Da�an said, a quiet insistence to her words despite her fear. �You are Taelon as well.�
�Taelon?� Maedra spoke the word as though it were pure venom. In her anger she tore the cloak from her own back, revealing a nondescript blue uniform, and the belt around her waist from which hung a lengthy dagger. �No. We stopped being Taelon centuries ago!�
Da�an winced. For a mad instant she found herself wishing she had been taken by the Jaridians instead.
Maedra had stopped talking and was now glaring at her, anger causing her eyes to burn bright. Da�an wished she knew what words would appease the woman, but she was also aware that no amount of diplomacy would work with a Tru�del; this, she had learned from experience.
�Why have you done this to me?� Da�an asked. She willed herself to remain calm, though it was a most difficult challenge as her human form was responding with a growing sense of fear. The massive change to her body had also greatly affected her mind, it would appear.
Maedra abruptly stepped forward, grabbing hold of Da�an�s hair and forcing her down to her knees. Da�an gasped at the unexpected pain, and did not resist the rough handling as Maedra forced her head still, bringing it close to hers.
�Look at me,� she hissed. �What do you see?�
Da�an swallowed reflexively. She answered, �I see� I see a Tru�del. A fallen member of our race.�
A low growl of rage escaped from Maedra�s throat. �Fallen. Fallen because you made us so!� The grip on her hair tightened.
Despite the pain, Da�an straightened her head, staring into the woman�s eyes. �You are mistaken. We � all of us were trying to save our species. The Taelons.� Maedra�s eyes narrowed at the last word, and Da�an stopped.
And then, as though a mask had been placed over her face, Maedra�s features softened and she released Da�an. �Our species�� she whispered.
Falling back to her knees, Da�an pressed a hand to the back of her head as she watched Maedra step away, the anger seemingly replaced by a strange agitation. Her shoulders were trembling as she paced nervously; when she turned around, her large violet eyes were bright with tears.
�Do you not feel shame when you look upon me? Regret? Remorse at the horrid fate your kind bestowed upon us?�
�I feel regret, yes,� Da�an said, slowly rising to her feet. The dizziness was gone and she found it easier to move now. �Regret for what happened. It was never our wish to bestow this fate of which you speak upon you.�
Maedra whirled around again and, catching her reflection in the mirror hanging from the nearby wall, lifted a hand to touch her own face. �You all were responsible for� this. You made us what we are. You transformed us, experimented on us, and abandoned us.�
�You are mistaken!� Da�an insisted.
A sudden fire seemed to spread through Maedra�s eyes and she lunged forward, striking Da�an�s cheek with the back of her hand.
Da�an fell to one knee and gasped in shock and pain, pressing a hand to her stinging flesh. She looked at Maedra and was stunned when the woman�s face returned to the unreadable, blank expression she had when she first entered the room.
�It hurts, doesn�t it? It is unlike anything you knew as a Taelon. I know, I remember. Is it not as intense as the pain and realization that the Commonality is no longer within you? I remember that as well��
Da�an remained silent, and fought the urge to flinch away as Maedra knelt down next to her, gently stroking her forehead as she continued speaking. �You feel this? There is much you can now feel, that you could not before. Pain, pleasure� you will learn all of it through the eyes of a human.�
Da�an closed her eyes, feeling a chill again as Maedra�s fingers stroked against her brow, stopping to briefly examine her cut before moving down to rest against her neck. Fearing Maedra�s obvious instability, she thought for a moment that Maedra would try to choke her, but she did nothing of the sort.
If only to distract her, Da�an asked, �May I ask why you have done this? Altered me in such a way?�
Maedra then became still, her hand falling from Da�an�s neck and raising as though to plead. For the first time in their conversation, she had a look of pure vulnerability, and it was difficult to believe this was the same woman who had struck her mere minutes ago.
�To make you understand�� she said softly. �To make you see what you did to us. To make you feel the vulnerabilities of mortal flesh, feel the pain, and the blood� and the loneliness of your mind� �
�Why me?� Da�an asked, shocked despite herself at the open honesty of the answer.
�Not just you,� Maedra said, her voice flat. �You are only the first. We reserve this fate for your entire race.�
Da�an gasped, unadulterated terror sweeping over her face. This was madness! Until that moment, she had found herself sympathetic for the Tru�del�s situation� as was Maedra�s intentions, she realized. But this was not right, not the way to seek retribution for what had happened in the past.
�You cannot do such a thing!� Da�an cried. �Surely you do not possess such power!�
Pointedly ignoring her, Maedra swiftly rose to her feet, clearly terminating the conversation. She stooped to pick up her discarded cloak as her hand curled around the latch on the door, stopping only when she felt Da�an approach her retreating form.
�You see this as revenge?� Da�an asked breathlessly. �Trapping us all within the flesh of human bodies?�
Maedra paused, clutching the metal latch. She turned her head, glowing eyes raising to meet Da�an�s. �Not revenge,� she whispered. �Justice.�
�With eyes clouded by rage, there is no distinction,� Da�an said softly.
Maedra appeared for a moment as though she would answer, but only smiled sadly. Her gaze lingered on Da�an and finally her eyes fell away, and she said, �You should rest. Your body will demand it.�
Before Da�an could say or ask anything further, she closed the door with a soft creak, leaving her to the secluded darkness of the room.
�You cannot do such a thing,� Da�an whispered, to herself as Maedra had long since left the small chamber.
Alone and helpless, Da�an returned to the small pallet and lay down upon it, curling her knees up to her chest. The aching in her body was now gone, though her fear at Maedra�s words still lingered heavily. For the moment, there was nothing she could do but wait.