A Beginning....

They simply refered to it as biological sample. There had been others but there had been complications. Data was analysed, information processed, results obtained. The sample lived. The sample was studied, data obtained. Confirmation was given, the sample was disposed of. They had a biological baseline. They obtained more biological samples, more data was obtained. Analysed. Processed. It was a beginning... Time passed.


Shalira Matrise opened her eyes slowly to pure darkness. Dull pain filled her body, there was an acrid taste in her mouth. There were strange scents in the room, old death, decay, metal and oil. Strange, she thought. No lights.
Light. Describe. Necessity.

The words seemed to flow into her mind, washing over her like violet static. An image flashed into her memory of the sun, the warm glow of the Seshala morning. A smile crept onto her face.....

Time passed.
She opened her eyes, light filled the room. Like morning sunshine she thought. The lighting was bright but seemed to come from no one source in particular. She breathed deeply and coughed, pain lancing through her chest and she became aware, she was held down. Testing she found her head was immobile, her arms and legs strapped down somehow. Looking around from what limited vision she had a room came into view, but slowly as if her eyes were not working properly. The walls and ceiling were pure white, glossy, reflective. Machines against one wall, strange and alien, all angular and lights blinking. At the edge of her hearing, a strange clicking sound, constantly changing, several. Where am I, she thought.
Home. Rest.

Home, she thought. An image flashed into her mind, her home at the Geisha House. A flood of memories and sensations poured into her, the clicking became louder. Rest, she thought, even more memories, strong and powerful. A stretch of beach under the light from three moons, a name, a face... a smile... She slept.

They looked on the biological subject. Data was analysed and processed. Questions were raised, most answered. More questions, more answers demanded. A request for more biological subjects for comparrison. Subject approved for further study. Mark and move to permanant laboratory.
In her induced sleep Shalira dreamt. It raised more questions they could not answer.

Time passed.

Shalira awoke slowly to the morning glow of the Seshala sun, laying on the beach. She smiled as she heard the roar of the waves crashing and looked out over the calm ocean. Standing up, she brushed the sand from her kimono and looked at the pattern. The white imperial silk was covered with grey patterns, looking quite like....
Listen

A voice called out and she looked up. There, sitting on a stool in the middle of the beach was Carmilla. Her heart soared and walked over, standing before her. She was wearing a blood red kimono, patterend like hers. At the edge of her hearing, she heard the clicking again and looked around behind her. They were alone.
"Shalira. Nice to see you, well I hope, yes?"
"Yes, all is fine."
"Good, then let continue....."

Something wrong. End it now. No. We must understand. Vital. Danger. Subject unstable. We must understand. Vital!

Shalira thought for a moment then turned around, there a few feet away was a stool and she sat on it, looking at Carmilla. Her mind filled with ritual and duty, the Geisha House, the island. She talked with Carmilla, subjects varying from nutrition to weaponry, from clothing to starship design, from politics to emotions. All the time, the clicking in the distance, as if on the wind. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

Readings indicate subject more unstable. We must terminate.
No. We must understand.
Danger. Outside interferance. Danger

"Come Carmilla, let us walk as we used to do along the beach towards the wreck."
"No. Stay, more comfortable."
"But you love the wreck."
She thought about Carmilla laughing and thought about the wreck, filled her mind with happiness and excitement. The clicking, louder.
"Then go let us to the wreck."
She walked down the beach and as they turned the corner, the wreck was there, mostly underwater but a good portion on the beach. It was a rokh, the signs of damage visible all over its structure. It looked like it had been there for a long time. Carmilla looked uneasy.
"I do not remember wreck."
Clicking, insistant. Shalira smiled and pointed at the rear as it entered the water and thought vividly. Of Carmilla diving into the water and laughing, swimming in her kimono.
"Yes, remember I do. Much... fun."
The ground seemed to shudder slightly below them. She paid it no mind and looked to the horizon, great dark clouds were forming, all around. dark and ominous.

Readings indicate subject unstable and erratic. Begin termination.
No. We must understand. We need to understand.

"Carmilla?"
"Yes, Shalira."
"There is no wreck. There never was. This is all a lie. You are a lie. Where am I?"
She looked down at the pattern on her Kimono, then looked up. Before her, where Carmilla was sitting was an angular drone, a rogue drone. The beach faded and was replaced by a laboratory, strange machines against the walls. Something clicked, the high pitched clicking she always seemed to hear. Looking around she noticed she was strapped into a chair, could feel the wires attached to her, the tubing that invaded her body. The room was constantly shuddering now, sound far away similar to explosions, but what of her senses could she believe.
It knows. Terminate biological subject. Yes. We have learnt all we can. We must relay our findings. Danger. Attack underway.

Shalira watched in horror as one of the arms on the drone opened revealing a high speed rotating saw. The high pitched whine of the saw was soon covered by the scream of Shalira.