Xionus-Transit

        As soon as the ship breaks orbit a voice calls out over the intercom, first in a chittering series of clicks, followed by English for the two humans who are along for the ride. "Prepare for transit drive activation."  
        The craft lurches forward and the lighting goes dark, all power diverting to the Underspace transit drives. I always hated these trips, and this is only my third time. Seconds later the power returns to lighting, and on the view screen in the rounded seat in front of mine displays a different star system.
        If the Crenzaat perfected Underspace drives, why didn't they simply bring the fight to Earth? Human drives are extremely inefficient and make an incredibly loud blast along the hull as the vessel tears through the nil zone that is Underspace.
        After the smooth and silent transition  the crew is permitted to wander about, and  our arrival time is estimated at roughly two terran hours. I wait for a few moments and take in the ship personnel. Most of which have donned human guise around the other human and I on board, while a handful stay in their natural, alien state. It just serves as a reminder that I am far away from human civilization.
        After listening to the Skinner speech clicking and hissing through the comm system I decide to stand up and stretch. Noticing the the same blue jumpsuit I am used to wearing I ask Dr.Thentas if I can change into something a bit more suited to my role in this expedition.
        "Hey, Brokha? Where do I go to swap this outfit for something more,uh... combat ready?"  
        "I was about to mention that. One of the members of the science team is a handler. His ward is headed to the armory. Go with her and get suited up. And make sure to get the suit with my name printed on it." The Doctor responds, anxious to reach her destination.
        The human walks up to me. Short cut black hair, dark skin, and hazel eyes. I just stared like a moronic oaf. I haven't seen another human in a long time.  
        "What are you doing? Is he drugged?" She asks the Doc in a smooth voice with a faint Hispanic quality.
        "No, he is just surprised to see another human. It's his second time outside of the facility we were studying him at. The Eincroft center, do you know it?"
        "You bet. It's where I volunteered to go through the bonding process."
        I jump in "You volunteered to this? Why?"
        She answers with an edged seriousness "To explore the galaxy! Can't leave Xionus airspace without being bonded. Yet another of the penalties imposed. But I get treated fairly, and this planet is supposed to be a sight to behold."
        "But-"
        "Enough idle chatter. Follow me and let's get suited up."


        After telling me to refer to her by her call sign Siren, she guides me past several security stations and we arrive in a locker room of sorts.There is a locker with my name on it in English, and again in Crenzaati. The letters faintly resemble Japanese Kanji, although instead of different patterns the symbols are made entirely of curved lines.  
        I can't even come close to wrapping my head around what the others say. I scan my palm on the claw shaped lock and the panel slides open. Two suits, with different words on the back. Uh-oh.
        I turn around to ask her a question only to see her changing into her armor. Trying to be the gentleman I was raised to be I quickly jerked my head back towards my locker.
        "Quite the charmer, aren't you? Very few of the guys I know will look the other way without a boot to the face. Chill man, your shaking. "
        I hear her finish suiting up and I turn around and observe the black armored plates laid over the gray nano fiber combat suit. "That's not why I am shaking. I think I am too far away from Brokha... I feel sick to my stomach."
        "Once you become accustomed to being away from her for extended periods the anxiety will become non-existent. For awhile at least. If I don't check in on my handler every few hours I get the same feeling. How long have you been bound?"
        "Three hours,I think..."
        "Damn, they didn't even instruct you on some of the techniques to employ when starting out. Little tip, stick close to your handler until you feel comfortable spending time away."
        "Thanks... by the way, do you know which one of these has the Doc's name on it? I can't read this stuff."  
        She points out the suit and I begin to change, only to see her staring at me.
        "Would you mind turning around for a moment?"
        "Why be embarrassed. Besides, you got to see me. And might I say, you are very pale!"
        "What are you, ten? Ya know what, never mind. And in case you didn't know, I don't get out much."
        As I finish suiting up I can't help but laugh. It is so good to talk to another human. Even if it is an awkward conversation.  "So why do you go by Siren?"

        She smiles and shares her reasoning. "As you may know, some humans wield psionic abilities. I know you can. In fact, I know more about you than even Doctor Thentas. Sifting through the minds of others is a rather useful skill, but that is only one reason why I was brought on this trip."
        "What is the other? Are you like me? The only thing I can do is move things around."
        "I am what you could call, gifted. Reading the minds of others is actually a secondary trait, I can only detect some surface thought. I chose to be the bodyguard of my handler, and having somatic abilities is what allows me to do that. My handler, Professor Dartlus, called me Siren after learning my preferred method of attack. If you ask me, it's a little cliche"
        "Lemme guess, singing,screaming?" I laugh at the thought.
        I stop when she starts humming. It is a deep, resonant sound. Almost like the sound of a stampede working towards you, and the lockers begin to rattle. The sound fills my head and she stops. "Still funny? That is a party trick compared to what I can do. Did you know that the word orange, when spoken with the correct resonance, has the capacity to splinter bones?" It's her turn to laugh.
        "That is actually quite impressive, but I'm not buying the whole word thing. Depending on how you project your voice, I believe someone with your talent could make word do multiple things. You would only be limited by your skill and imagination. It need not even be a word."
        "Well, you aresmarter than you look. How would you know this?"
        "My father was a somatic psion.  Rather than manipulating sonic waves, he focused on muscle and bone manipulation. He was faster than any other person I knew..."
        "You okay?"
        "Yeah... I need to get back to Brokha, that's all."


        We split away from each other and I find Brokha and settle in next to her at the conference table. I close my eyes and listen to the crew speaking their own language. If it were for me to know, they would have repeated it in English.
        After an hour Brokha grabs my arm and pulls me over to a holoscreen. There is no video, but a deep male voice crackles thought the speakers, it seems to have a faint hiss to it...
        "Cheltz nah frobous. Kindratalsincas exarcloh na vitanus.Testritinda forouque na talz."
        "What is it saying Brokha?" I ask her with an unease in the pit of my stomach.
        "I don't know, the translator is still collecting data and cross referencing it with previous encounters. We are only the third crew to travel here, we didn't want to startle the locals. We are however, going to be the first to land. All I can gather is that they know we are here."
        The voice continues for awhile before switching off.

        Moments later the hull explodes.