Another Excerpt from A New Face Chapter 31

 

(An excerpt from A New Face: A Time Traveler's Companion Chapter 31)

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, while he moved the crystals on the matrix table, switching their positions. A holographic projection hovered above the matrix table, displaying a map of the galaxy. He turned to me, noting my deep contemplation and pressed, “You seem lost in thought,” he remarked, eyeing the hologram with interest, “What’s on your mind?”

 “You,” I replied, casting him a loving gaze.

“I trust those thoughts are pleasant,” he said with a playful wink, tilting his head toward the corridor leading to his bedroom. I chuckled softly, feeling a mix of amusement and longing.

“Um, I was thinking about what would happen if,” I paused, leaning my back against the pillar with my arms crossed, I continued, “What if you got hurt to a point that you will have to discard your body?” He sighed, “Don’t think about it, I am fine. We have been careful, and I don’t want you to worry,” he said with a wistful smile. I nodded but little did I know that venturing to Vygel was going to change everything. 

We stumbled upon a local creature that caught our attention. It had vibrant green and yellow scales, a snake-like head, yellow eyes, sharp teeth, claws, and a long tail. The creature could move on all fours and can stand upright as well to a height of about 7 feet if it wanted to. As we gathered the crystals, it had been quietly tracking us. While scanning the surroundings, I caught sight of something creeping closer, almost hidden from view. Its camouflage made it hard to detect, revealing only a glimmer when sunlight struck its scales. In a panic, I abandoned the scanner and sprinted toward Mr. Smith. 

“Mr. Smith, something unknown is coming!” I yelled, but my warning came too late. The creature ran in full throttle on all fours toward us, and Mr. Smith stood between me and the creature. It knocked him down, tearing away at his protective suit. The armor he was wearing wasn’t enough to shield him from the long, five-inch-thick claws the creature had; it ripped through the armor like butter.  

I screamed and I got its attention, long enough for Mr. Smith to take out his weapon and fire. He stunned it long enough for him to summon the monolith. He fell to his knees because the reptile humanoid creature bit him several times and no doubt the poison was running fast into his blood stream. I ran to him and helped him inside the monolith. The monolith created a shield around itself so that nothing can penetrate it while Mr. Smith was incapacitated. I waited outside of the infirmary, much like before when he was shot in the 1930s. I paced back and forth, anxiously awaiting the results of his condition. “Is he doing, okay?” I asked the AI. “Yes. He will be fine. But he should take another body soon.”

“No, he doesn’t want to,” I said, in protest. I pondered, “He will eventually take a new body, it’s inevitable.” I gulped and sighed. I thought about my birthday and the times we shared together. I wiped tears from my eyes and exhaled. He told me that he is prepared for every contingency that might arise but just like the attack by that creature, I’m wary and ambivalent of his decisions. He is careless and yet he shows no fear of the unknown.

“Can I see him?”

“No,” the AI responded. I wandered around the corridors and rooms. Some were furnished and others weren’t. I went to the pool room. I smiled, remembering when we first dipped our naked bodies into the warm water. 

I chose to step inside, hoping it might ease my angst. I removed the black bodysuit, boots, and pendant, laying my clothes on a nearby pool chair and delicately placing the pendant on top. The poolroom features black walls decorated with geometric patterns, similar to those throughout the monolith, complemented by a few black lounge chairs. The ceiling light casts shimmering reflections on the water's surface. I dived in, feeling the warm water against my skin, soothing my nerves, and relaxing my senses. I closed my eyes, and imagined him with me, touching my body: kissing me.

(images are for the readers entertainment.)

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 Part 3-Chapter 16

A New Excerpt!