Okay don't know how fast I'll be updating again after this - but I have to say thanks to Shayne for being a sounding board to helping smooth some stuff out.
Previously:
“What would you say if I were to tell you that I could cure you, no scars left even to show that you had ever come so close to death? All you would have to do is consent to be the host for another life form.” Aleksandr snorted his incredulity, and affronted, the other man said, “You don’t believe me? Consent and I’ll prove it to you without a shadow of a doubt.”
Feeling cold and very tired suddenly, Aleksandr just nodded and then let the encroaching blackness spirit him away. He never felt it when the other man tended to the majority of his wounds, cleaning and binding them. One large cut high on the back was only cleaned of any debris which might impede healing, it was otherwise left alone gaping open. x-X-x
After finishing the quick first aid job on his new prospective host, Xiao sagged backwards. He braced the body of the old, dying host close to the ailing form of the new and with a last burst of effort - and gore – tore free and flung himself the short distance into the convenient opening he had left open for easy entry. He wasted no time in wrapping around the upper spinal column and tapping into the brain of his new host. Then Xiao began to heal the body while at the same time scanning the mind, he was in need of a quick tutorial of the alternate reality he was now in.
Tiredly he chuckled at what he found, ((My life on this world might have much more potential than I originally considered…))
x-X-x
When he woke Aleksandr was amazed. He felt like he had never been injured at all, like the whole horrid experience had been a very nasty dream.
((You’re Welcome)) a smug voice in his head said and Aleksandr jumped. He looked around wildly, and not seeing anything but a rather messy corpse asked, “Who’s there? Who said that?”
((I did))
Flashes began to play out in Aleksandr’s brain. Things he could barely credit as being real.
||impression of ages passing – unimaginable history going back eons || visions of alien worlds – unlikely landscapes and impossible skies scrolling like a pageant through his mind’s eye ||
Aleksandr was awed. Incredulous too, he knew his mind never would have come up with anything so fantastical so that meant…
((No it wasn’t blood loss causing you to hallucinate, you really did see a man step from a door made of light. He was my previous host, what you are now))
The young officer was confused. He didn’t understand, why would a new host be needed? But before he could actually ask, another deluge of memories played out in his mind’s eye.
|| a fantastic battle using weapons that made light deadly || indignation and rage as he was captured and carted off to another place not of his choosing || immense pain rippling through every atom and cell as he looked up and saw the gloating countenance inset with glowing eyes that was inflicting the pain on him || the anger and humiliation as the realization he was probably going to be permanently injured crystallized – knowing that his host was dying and there wasn’t anything he could do about it || fleeing, barely making it out in the condition he was in ||
“But I was dying too…” Aleksandr said.
((Yes, you were dying. I gave you an alternative))
“How? You were dying too – or didn’t I understand that right?”
There was the impression of a mental sigh. ((Yes, but your injuries were such that I was able to heal them fairly easily. But after seeing to you I found, unfortunately for me and fortunately for you, that I am permanently disabled in such a way that I will never be able to jump to another host))
Aleksandr still wasn’t understanding what the other was talking about but found some images and feelings the other probably hadn’t wanted to share trickling through their connection.
|| encountering the dying Tau’ri on the Mirror world || feeling distaste as he was forced to reduce himself so disgracefully to offer what amounted to a Tok’ra style bonding || the ill-will for his weakness fading as amusement took its place as the symbiote ‘read’ his new host and found that they seemed to share many views and attitudes in common, so much so that a true symbiosis between them should be effortless. ||
A few things were explained by the unwitting sharing, but not enough. The images and feelings had Aleksandr feeling an odd mixture of affront and pride, but he still wanted to know, “Why? Why is it fortunate for me and unfortunate for you that you aren’t able to find another to use as a host?”
((Fortunate for you because when I leave a host it invariably kills them, and there are other benefits to being bonded to such as I, like a much longer lifespan for one and as you have already experienced, an amazing healing rate))
“That all sounds good to me, where does the unfortunate part come in for you? If you don’t mind my asking that is?”
((The fact that I am the next thing to immortal when I have a series of hosts to transfer into – being locked in with you means I am ultimately mortal now. Even with all my tricks and abilities for extending your life span and keeping you healthy, you are not going to last forever))
“I see.” Aleksandr said softly. Then he said, “I hope you don’t mind but I am not all that bothered by the notion.” There was a sensation of someone laughing in the back of his mind and then his ‘guest’ replied, ((Not at all, I am afraid we are rather like minded and I would have hardly expected anything else. By the way, my name is Xiao, in case you were wondering and I think we are going to get along just fine))
“As you are living basically in my head, I am sure you already know my name is Aleksandr Lotehr, and I assure you so far the pleasure has been all mine.”
Aleksandr again felt the strange sensation of someone laughing inside his head as Xiao said, ((Yes, I think we are well matched and having to manage in the ‘Tok’ra’ style of doing things isn’t going to be a hindrance at all. Tell me Aleksandr, what do you think of the notion of World Domination?))
x-X-x
Nazi Germany
Mid-Autumn, 1942
Bespeaking his host as they walked out of the Nazi’s experimental medical and science labs, Xiao said, ((You know, that Mengele fellow has some really forward thinking ideas for a Tau’ri in this time frame))
Aleksandr snorted and mentally riposted, ‘What has his being a Tau’ri or the time frame have to do with his ideas being advanced? Personally, I just think the man is a visionary and a genius. I thought some of his ideas just plain fascinating from a purely academic standpoint – like a few that he had with identical multiples as the focus. Then there are the more practical ones he had dealing with overcoming human weaknesses. He is going to propel humanity into a new height of evolution – make us into a race of supermen.’
Xiao chuckled. ((‘A race of supermen’. It’s a worthy ambition for any race to aspire towards, but do you really think it’s possible?))
‘For what he wants ultimately? No. And certainly not in his lifetime. But - with your help and knowledge from before - what we keep talking about could possibly be done. Especially if we take the time while we’re here to work out any problems that might arise in the future. Think about it - free run of the ‘Labs’, unquestioning use of any equipment or materials and unlimited human subjects for our experimentation, where would we ever get a better set up on our own?’
((We wouldn’t, you’re quite right, and I think doing all our preliminary testing here to work out the worst possible snags is also an excellent notion)) As he replied Xiao couldn’t help thinking how remarkably gou’ld-like his host was for a Tau’ri. It was almost like he had already been part gou’ld before Xiao had melded with him. ‘Hmmm, was that even possible? Could Tau’ri and Gou’ld DNA be blended viably?’ It was something to think about - After all, when at some point in the future they succeeded in subjecting the Earth, they were going to need an heir…
x-X-x
Privately Funded Genetic Research Facility, Hong Kong
Early Summer, 1956
Xander Lother\Xiao looked down into the bassinet holding the first surviving child conceived out of Tau’ri\Gou’ld genetic blending, and sighed. It was a monster. Deformed. One half of the babe’ face looked like wax that had been held next to a high heat source and melted. Hideous.
((This won’t do)) Xiao said with distaste. ((Our heir must resemble the supreme being he will be – glorious, with all the gifts of the Gou’ld in the body of a Tau’ri – he’ll be nothing like this pitiful creature.))
Aleksandr, or Xander as he was now known as, agreed with his ‘guest’, but cautioned all the same, ‘He may be hideous, but he has one thing up on any of the others we attempted. He survived. Something worked after eight years, and so I think we should keep him alive, at the very least. If only to be used for comparison purposes.’
Even though he knew Xander was right, Xiao acted like he was considering his host’s argument for a moment and then grudgingly said, ((You have a point there, I suppose we shouldn’t be too hasty in disposal. The female carrier died during the birthing procedure, so it’s not like he has a lot of baggage)) He sent the mental version of a chuckle with his last words to his host.
Xander palmed his face and then shifted to pinching the bridge of his nose with the same hand. There were times Xiao’s alien nature became really apparent, ‘that was just not funny.’
((Where did you say you wanted to set up for our next venture again? Australia was it? We should be able to find adequate caretakers there for him while we continue our experiments and conduct our business, hmm? Then when we are ready to move on we can just leave him there, buried, ‘down under’. Very apropos no?))
Xander Lother dropped his dignity and snickered, ‘Ok that was funny.’
x-X-x
City on the Western Seaboard of the United States,
Mid-Summer, 1973.
((Would you look at this kid, he’s awful! I think I prefer Lex junior, he at least has the distinction of tragedy to set him apart. This one reminds me of a chimp)) Xiao made some quick mental comparisons. ((Make that a pygmy chimp))
Lex bit his tongue. He wasn’t going to give Xiao any encouragement, and besides – he agreed with his guest’s assessment of the boy child. Xiao wasn’t paying his host much attention anyway; he was still too busy ranting.
((Did we miss something, he didn’t show any signs of this when he was a baby did he? Tell me we weren’t so preoccupied with the fact that he wasn’t deformed like Lex jr. we missed simple homliness?)) Now the symboite paused looking for an answer.
‘Noo,’ Lex replied slowly, ‘I don’t think we could have predicted he would grow into this from what kind of baby he was. At the very least he, like Lex jr., is very intelligent. That part of the geno-coding seems to be working properly if that is any consolation.’
Xiao harrumphed mentally, ((Well, with the data from this ones creation and what we have from Lex jr. we can accurately pinpoint two areas of success, we don’t really have to hold onto this kid or his female carrier))
Lex shrugged dismissively, ‘I would rather not have either of them hanging around to be linked to us in the future either, but how can we get rid of them?’
((I think that we could arrange a suitably nasty car accident by means of one of our less than stellar associates. No one knows of our connections to them so we would never come up under suspicion))
Lex brightened, ‘This is turning into quite the win/win situation my old friend. Remember we got those rather sizeable life insurance polices on both, baby and mother when the little chimp was born. We do this right and we could turn quite the profit.’ Xiao didn’t reply, just sent a warm sensation of pride through the link they shared.
x-X-x
Arrival in Metropolis
Early Autumn, 1981
((What on Earth were you thinking taking up with that woman? Thanks be you came to your senses and managed to get rid of her in record time with a decent severance settlement!)) The symboite was irritated at having to relocate so hurriedly, and was taking full advantage of laying the blame at the feet of their former wife.
Lex scowled, he hadn’t wanted to move quite yet either. But he was at least realistic about things and internally reminded Xiao, ‘You know very well what I was thinking taking up with that woman – she was rich as Croesus, attractive and coldly imperious enough that we thought she might make an admirable Queen consort. How the hell was I supposed to know that she was a clinging vine to whomever she thought she ‘loved’? We were just lucky that for the most part we were able to make away with the majority of her personal fortune to add to ours – and that she still thinks the sun sets and rises in our, well you know.’
Xiao grumbled unintelligibly for a bit but then finally allowed, ((Fine, you are right. And we *were* intending to set up here sooner rather than later anyway. I guess everything has worked out for the best in the long run))
‘Yes,’ Lex Luthor, the newest incarnation of Aleksandr thought, ‘indeed it has.’
x-X-x (tbc...)
