The Human Bearer
38.
Riordan stopped abruptly. He fought the need to run away. After all, he had invited this type of thing into his life the moment he had decided to embark on that suicidal mission to save his son. Xana's son. Anyone would tell him that he had been nothing but a vessel for the alien life form and should have stuck with it. But he couldn't agree with any of that. He loved Xana, and therefore loved his son. And the little one had dark hair and eyes, just like him, which only went to show that some of him was living and breathing in that Xenolite. There was no greater love he could think of.
Xana noticed him, but the only sign he showed that he acknowledged his presence was a brief moment of hesitation before continuing. The doll-like face sneered at him, happy as he seemed to show off in his new position of being Xana Lei's bearer. Riordan didn't know him. He looked too similar to the sort of bearers he had seen on Xeno. He had to belong to other snakemen, too, although the way he was presented left nothing to the imagination. Xana no longer needed Riordan. He had taken another bearer to make another Xenolite.
The size of the wound opening inside his heart was unbearable. He didn't know how to stop it. After all, it seemed that he had been replaceable all along.
He didn't dwell on it. Nothing changed, he thought, as the bearer walked past him and Riordan heard him chuckle in disdain. He only looked up to check on Kyle, but the bot seemed unperturbed. Was that bot even Kyle? Riordan didn't want to believe that Xana would get rid of him, although maybe he didn't want any reminder of his former bearer around.
He would have to ask Marn or learn some other way about what had happened to Kyle. Hopefully, his faithful friend had just been sent to do the dirty work involving cleaning and the like. They didn't have a recycling unit for bots here, as far as he knew, and they couldn't waste workforce. That was his hope.
Just as he moved, he felt something brushing by his hand and something being pushed into his palm. He didn't look at it right away and waited until Xana and his new bearer were out of sight. Making sure that no one else could see what he was doing, he took a sharp turn, down a corridor usually used only by guards and other personnel servicing the ship.
Little was his surprise when he looked at the piece of paper seemingly written by hand.
I learned that for making a message appear as personable was possible, one has to write it by hand, so I taught myself that. Master Rio, my directive has remained the same. My number one purpose is to protect you.
Nothing followed after. Riordan turned the piece of paper to examine the other side, but there were no other words, written by hand or not. Kyle was probably in the process of being reprogrammed since his directive, as he called it, was to protect Xana's bearer, not him. The poor bot was, without a doubt, confused, but he had definitely been sly enough to give him that message without being noticed by Xana.
Riordan folded the piece of paper and slid it inside his combat suit. At least, Kyle was alright, and that just one thing he didn't have to worry about. He took a moment to push back the hurt he still felt over seeing Xana move on so quickly. They were aliens, what could he really expect? Had he ever really thought he could understand them? The proof was right in front of his eyes.
He returned to the main artery, ignoring the curious looks thrown his way. They were all worlds apart from him right now, and he had just one goal in mind.
***
Riordan was in the middle of a navigation lesson from Lakni when the doors opened and a bot wheeled in.
"His Royal Chancellor wishes to see Riordan Lei," the bot informed them in a metallic voice.
That was one peculiar aspect in itself. Not so many bots were programmed to speak, and for a while, Riordan had thought that only Kyle enjoyed that privilege. It looked like things had changed lately.
The other peculiarity was the bot calling him Riordan Lei. He had a mind to correct the messenger and remind him of his falling out with his master, but bots had their programming to care about and nothing else.
"Alright," he said. He was curious what Marn had to tell him. Hopefully, not prod him again about how Florent Kasido had survived. Riordan had watched Florent floating inside a seth container, his eyes closed, his chest barely moving. The Xeno in charge hadn't seemed surprised to see him and had even dutifully informed him about the patient's evolution. Riordan didn't comment on how the snakeman treated him almost like an equal, but he supposed that Marn must have put in a good word.
He followed the bot out of the quarters he now shared with the three Xenos and down a long corridor that seemed to go nowhere.
"Hey, I don't think this is the correct way to His Royal Chancellor's quarters," he said.
"I apologize for the ruse, Master Rio."
"Kyle? Damn it, man, you're one sneaky mofo. It's you, right? Too bad you bots look all the same. I should have given you an identification sign, a little red ribbon or something."
"I appreciate the thought, but I'd rather not be so easily identified. Being anonymous has definite advantages."
"So, first you give me a note written by hand, and now you're dragging me to an unknown destination. What's the deal?"
"Master Xana doesn't mean it," Kyle said, ignoring his question. "He only took a new bearer because it is expected of him."
"Is it expected of him to fuck that doll-face, too? Ah, damn it, it's not really my business. He's free to do what you want. By the way, you don't have to call me Riordan Lei anymore."
"The contract between you and Master Xana is still in effect."
"Just as your directive. It's going to change soon."
"No, that cannot happen," Kyle replied serenely, in his usual voice. "My directive cannot be modified without destroying me."
"I'm sure it only says something like the fact that you should take care of Xana's bearer, not particularly of me."
"That is where you are wrong, Master Rio. My loyalty is towards you and only you. And yes, Master Xana made it so when he programmed me to belong to you alone."
"There must be a way out of it."
"Yes. My complete destruction." The boy's tone was even, unaffected.
