The Kineticist Ch. 02

"Once all of that is finished, you'll be free to go wherever you want. The Coalition accepts Kineticists for who they are. People. The restrictions are only set in place to keep things from getting out of control."

Kara answered Kyle's unspoken question, "There was an incident before the regulations were passed where a powerful Kineticist broke into a military base through sheer force and stole a bomber. It was armed with neutrino warheads and wiped out an entire city before being shot down. Ten million people lost their lives because of one unstable man who was born with a powerful ability. Motive aside, the irrefutable truth is that power like that corrupts people. It doesn't matter how good or righteous you are."

Kyle listened carefully, studying the concern on her face, "You think I could become like that, a deranged mass murderer?"

Kara shook her head, "Kyle, you were strong enough to threaten our warp stabilization midflight while you were dreaming. You aren't stupid, think about it. I know you are all about your freedom and all that after your wrongful imprisonment, but now you are safe in a whole different part of the galaxy. You are completely free to be whoever you want; you just have to willingly suppress that which quite possibly makes you truly unique."

He visibly struggled with the idea. Why should he have to submit to comfort other people? They had no right to harness him like an animal because of how he was born. That was fundamentally wrong on so many levels.

On the other hand, Kara had an extremely valid point. According to them, he had almost ripped this ship from a secure folded packet of subspace with nothing more than the power of his mind. He never considered his power to be anything special, potent as it was. But then again, everyone in the Imperium he had known while he was on the run was either too scared to help him or too eager to turn him in for a bounty.

It all came down to trust. Who can he trust? It's an easy fact to state 'never trust an Imperial', and this whole place was completely new from the hell he had escaped from. Or rescued depending on how one would look at the situation. He had to admit that he found Kara extremely attractive, despite her rampant vortex of emotions and moods. There was an intense chemistry there, volatile and explosive. It was an odd feeling to be both excited and terrified in equal measures.

He couldn't sense any dishonesty from her, and despite her heavy handed temper she had still decided to help him out. Maybe he could find it in himself to trust her and allow himself to let his guard down even a small amount. There wasn't much of a choice in his current predicament. He was too weak to fight and he was in uncharted waters.

"I'll do it," Kyle muttered, unwilling to meet her piercing gaze.

"Good boy," Kara chirped, smoothly dismounting him. She looked down at her state of undress before shrugging as she sauntered off.

A massive wave of fatigue crashed over him. He struggled to push himself up into a sitting position. A strong, yet delicate hand steadied him. Kyle looked down at his ruined body, a mingling sense of disgust and fascination adding to his already confusion jumble of thoughts. He was appalled at how physically weak he was. He also wondered how he had looked in Kara's eyes. She had said he was 'kinda' cute. She had also shoved a modified revolver in his mouth and threatened to blow his brains out, or knocking that, space him. Why was he even having these thoughts?

"Doc, can I ask you a question?" Kyle asked hesitantly.

Nico studied him for a moment before nodding, "I'll answer whatever questions I can, but within reason as I'm sure you can accept."

Kyle looked back towards the door, "Is she always like that?

"Like what?" She helped him limp over to the small wash facilities at the rear of the suite.

The steaming water elicited an uncharacteristically sensual moan from Kyle as hot water washed over his withered flesh for the first time in over four years. He collected himself while he washed his skeletal frame thoroughly, "Bipolar. I don't know how to describe it. That girl is everywhere. It's difficult to believe she commands this ship."

He herd Nico laugh lightly, "Make no mistake Kyle, Kara is one of the most renowned private sector Captains in this half of Coalition space. She is very unique and it takes an adjustment period to get used to her, but no, she isn't Bipolar."

"How would you classify her then doc?" He leaned back against the shower stall, enjoying the rhythmic beating of the pressurized water massaging his skin.

"As a doctor, she is an outstanding example for a woman in her early to mid-twenties. She is extremely athletic without being disproportionate, mentally fit to serve her station, sexually active, and I believe she hasn't had so much as a cold in the entire time I've been the resident aboard," Nico tossed him a towel and a fresh gown.

"What about as a friend?" Kyle pressed.

Nico raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Let's just say you should be glad you only got as far as you did. She would have taken you for all you were worth, which might have been fatal in your condition, I might add. But you should also be kicking yourself because that girl is a hurricane wrapped in a summer breeze. She is very much like the weather, you can always try to predict her moods, but she somehow always ends up surprising you when you least expect it."

Kyle laid back down and patiently waited for the serene void to envelope him once more. As sleep rushed in to claim him, he smiled softly to himself, "A Hurricane wrapped in a summer breeze, huh?"

Nico didn't know how right she was. Through his decent back into nothingness, the crackling purr of his flames welcomed him into mindless sleep. Before the last of his awareness faded away, he felt the rumble of thunder across the empty expanse.