Far Pangaea 62: Many Me

"How can that be Grampa?" She fret, wishing her Mom was there with her. It was nice wearing clothing again. Even though she enjoyed her nudity. Under these circumstances clothing seemed more appropriate. Harpea had offered her a white dress she knew was life fiber fabric but it remained a dress even though she attempted to will it into something else. She was bored and testing things out of curiosity.

Returning with a platter of steaming food Harpea enters through a hissing sliding door. The smell was remarkable.

"Eat." Harpea sits the platter on a table next to Sophia's seat.

"What is it? Smells like lasagna. Looks like potatoes and broccoli."

"It is called "Rox'al'toma". A concoction closely resembling your mentioned vegetables. Ganthorians are Vegetarian. Forgive me that I cannot condone meats even in your honor."

"All good. I like veggies. Harpea? How can that man be my Great Grandfather?"

"One of many. He has been cloned multiple times."

"Cloned? Seriously?"

"Yes. When he associated with the Ganthorian Council he convinced them to keep him young."

"He looks 80."

"A youthful 94 by Earth years. On my world his clone resides with your Great Grandmother and your Grandfather. Both young and full of renewed life."

"Grandma died of Cancer."

"She did. We resurrected her without the disease. For Orin."

"That's kind of cool actually. I wish I could have known her. I knew Grampa Oscar though. Mom and I used to make fun of the fact their entire ancestry all had names starting with O. Makes me wonder now why."

"Reason's I am certain." Harpea hesitates. A good question she logs to memory. "So am I like a prisoner? Or will Grampa Orin take me back up and meet Mom?"

"I am quite certain a reunion will come. You must remain here for the moment. The time draws near. The Anomaly will surface in less than a week."

"What is this anomaly you guys keep mentioning."

"I am not allowed to offer that information."

"Why not? What can I do that can create problems? Not like I have my little friends to help me now. Even if I understood all of this and wanted to. I'm just a teenager."

"I comprehend your words Sophia Ridge. Once the anomaly rises and is obtained I am certain Orin will be more than happy to answer all of your questions."

"Okay. I like this ship more than ours. It has power. Ours only sucks up sunlight and offers small amounts of energy."

"It can do better than that if the right person was there to administer the X'Hal."

"James is pretty smart. He will figure it out."

"Indeed. Although smart it will take a true Ganthorian to administer the X'Hal properly."

"Like you. You could do it right?"

She hesitates shying her gaze away from Sophia, "It would take someone with a greater stature than myself."

"The girl?"

"Yes."

"Who is she?"

Hesitation forces a growl from Harpea's lips, "My cousin. She is no where to be found."

"That Dorsey guy killed the crew. He tried to find her but she escaped by shuttle James said. That's why Ruby and James sent out that distress call. To see if she was still alive."

"Unlikely." Harpea hisses.

"Wouldn't it be great if you and your cousin could be reunited too?"

"IT WOULD NOT!" Harpea erupts loudly, "EAT!" She then bolts out the door leaving Sophia to shiver at her abrupt departure.

"Wow! Family feud?" Sophia settles down and samples her foot. After a brief savoring she puckers and devours the rest. It was nice to enjoy what she was eating. In her parasitic union she ate things anyone normal would vomit at. Luckily in their shared body the microbes kept the true tastes away from her senses. She was thankful.

Reconciling to her confinement Sophia lays down and closes her eyes. Not used to feeling sleepy she tries hard to reject slumber. Soon a twilight sleep overtook her. In her fluttering eyelids she succumbs to what appeared to be a dream. A distant voice called out to her.

"Sophia?"

Her dream state mumbles through unfocused yet acknowledging her caller, "I know this voice."

"Sophia? Can you hear me?"

"I'm trying to sleep here."

"You can't sleep. There's no time for that."

"Why not?"

"Do not trust Orin."

"Who? Oh, Grampa. Gonna sleep now." She drifts deeper.

"SOPHIA! WAKE UP YOU STUPID BITCH."

Her eyes bolt wide at the sudden loudness, "What the hell?"

Nothing. No more words. Presumption of her body adjusting to living without her tiny friends she recalls sleeping when she was living in Xander for a short while. It was nice. She wanted to try it again. Rolling on to her side she attempts sleep once more. The second she goes under the voice returns.

"SOPHIA! COME ON ALREADY. I NEED YOUR HELP."

In her deeper slumber she doesn't mumble. Now her words are open to her thoughts. She creases her brow amid sorting it all out.

"I know the voice. It seems different though."

"My voice went through puberty. Sophia it's me."

"Me? Wait!" She consoles her memories. The sudden realization breaks her from her rem sleep with bulging eyes. Sitting up swiftly she whines, "JAMES?"

Sadly, the revelation wouldn't let her go back to sleep.

Feeling a strange tingle in her palm she rubs the itch. In doing so the spot grows golden. Glistening. Her heart skips a beat. A shrill single voice sings inside her entire body.

"One lived." She speaks in thought.

Two revelations made her giddy. Then it struck her that she might be being watched. She clammed up and faked going back to sleep. The singing assisted her along the way. Happy she closed in on the single most important thing.

"James? I'm back."

Her heroes.