Chapter 124: Meeting Halfway? Hardly
"I see," I answered with a nod. "All important things for a human female to take into consideration when consuming something."
I might have been born at night, but I can tell you, it wasn’t last night. There was no way I would be taking anything given to me by the Alliance. However, it does make me wonder what the drink actually contains. Maybe it would be a clue about what their plans were for us humans.
"Fine," I said, making a quick decision. "I find time to swing around and grab some. Too bad you can’t just put it in the mail and have it delivered," I continued with a smile.
"You’ll start taking your supplements? That is fantastic. I can tell you that I have never felt better than when I started to take mine. Now, I can even tell when I am a few hours late for my drink. It’s like coffee and just as addictive."
"Do you know, I once heard of a store putting nicotine in their coffee to make it addictive," I said, almost as an afterthought. "You can imagine how happy consumers were to learn that."
"Ew, that is just gross," said Pippa, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "But don’t worry. The Alliance is not putting anything disgusting into our drink. They are really only concerned about our well-being."
I thought about what she had said, and I couldn’t say that she was wrong. We were a very important resource for The Alliance. They would want us to be happy and healthy, especially when they sold us off to the highest bidders.
And Pippa Flynn was smart enough to even help them count the money.
"It is nice to have something like The Alliance looking out for the best interests of the minority," I said with a smile on my face.
"Isn’t it? It is just a relief," sighed Pippa, and I could practically see the stars in her eyes. "I will talk to The Alliance and see where you can pick up the drinks! Talk to you soon!" she continued before cutting off the communications between the two ships.
"Are you really going to be meeting them halfway and taking the drink?" asked Jun Li, the concern in his voice extremely apparent.
"Meeting them halfway? Hardly," I snorted, tapping my finger on the armrest of my chair. "I want to know what is in the drink."
"What is going through your mind?" laughed Jun Li. "Because if there is one thing that I have learned, it’s that your mind processes information almost as fast as I do."
"I once heard a female politician say at a conference that no powerful elite has ever done anything for the good and wellbeing of its people," I said, wildly paraphrasing her exact words. But I thought, at the time, it was true. Tyrants sell the idea that only they can take the people out of the oppression that they have found themselves in, but it is not for the good of the people.
Even kind, benevolent politicians care more about getting into office and staying there than they do about the population they are supposed to be representing.
That was not to say that that it was right or wrong, simply pointing out the facts of life. On the other side, though, humans crave being ruled. They wanted someone to come and tell them that they had all the answers and that once they were in charge, the average citizen’s life would be better.
Pippa was a prime example of that mentality. She didn’t want to have to think things through. She just wanted things to maintain the status quo and be happy, and that is exactly what The Alliance promised her.
However, that didn’t mean that everyone thought that way.
Me? I was alone inside of a spaceship that could fly anywhere in the known universe. I would be stupid to tie myself to anything, especially an entity that thought they knew what was best for me. No, I was not one of those that wanted to be ruled.
I would wear the crown, thank you very much.
"Then, if we apply that human theory to The Alliance, where does that leave us?" asked Jun Li, cutting through my thoughts.
"It leaves us wondering just how much information they got from the Sisalik about awakening long-dormant genes inside of me," I said. "And if they are trying to replicate those conditions on other humans. Or if they are just trying to fatten us up for the market. Either way, it would be beneficial to know what is in that drink."
"So, you aren’t planning on taking the supplement?" asked Jun Li, looking for some sort of reassurance.
"Fuck no, are you crazy? I have a five-plus-year supply of energy drinks. What more do I need?"
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"Is it written somewhere that all hermits need to have a home on a fucking swamp planet?" growled Midnight, not at all impressed as he trudged knee-deep in dark, slimy water. There had been a few giant splashes as large creatures swam away from him.
He let out a bark of laughter as a 50-foot ng’ombe turned tail and ran as soon as it scented him.
"Maybe he assumed that the Alpha wouldn’t go through this to find him," suggested Silver as he waded behind the much larger male.
"He would be right to guess that. I don’t know anyone that would be willing to try and wash this crap out of their fur," answered Midnight as he looked down at the handheld location device. "Shouldn’t be that much further now," he continued, ignoring Silver’s complaining.
"You can stop right there," came an ancient voice from off to the right. Turning to look in the direction it came from, Midnight couldn’t see anything that even remotely resembled a Njeriuujk. "What is your purpose for being here?"
Midnight snorted in disdain. "Your eyes have clearly gone if you can figure that out yourself, old geezer," he sneered. There had been an itch under his skin ever since he had left Merciless and the space station, and it only got worse as time passed. He was ready to either scratch himself bloody or lay waste to a planet. And he was not into self-mutilation.
"Seeing as your father took my eyes for his shelf, is it any wonder why they don’t work?" said the deep voice off in the distance with a very clear, disdainful sneer.
