Chapter 6

At university, Jake Hedron had studied the history, the information available on those wondrous flying females who called themselves goddesses, with avid interest ever since his arrival here inside this hollow metal shell called 'New Eden'. Although these special beings called themselves 'goddesses', he determined that they were more akin to an artificial life form, their DNA having been taken from other species and redesigned in a lab rather than something that had evolved in nature.

Further studies of the technology that had created the 'goddesses' found him cross-referencing recently added history of the Viragoans as a species. The Viragoan's fascination with altering and improving the DNA of any species found in nature probably made them the least xenophobic race in the entire universe.

The Viragoans of Elyria (their home world) expanded into the universe, exploring and creating new species and life forms limited only by their imaginations. It was easy for the Viragoans to do, as their own DNA had been artificially enhanced to mesh with almost any alien life form by using the 'host' life form in symbioses, creating (ideally) a living cell that could replicate itself indefinitely. The new life form looked exactly like the original, but was gifted with enhanced healing and extreme longevity. On occasion, ways were found to allow for shape changing, as with the human-appearing 'goddess' hybrids, who could reform their bodies so they were actually capable of muscle-powered flight.

A few thousand years before Virago ever encountered Earth, however, they encountered a colony of Arcadians, whom they discovered to be rather aggressive when the initial contact party was wiped out to a man. Concerned about the possible threat of this new warlike species, a secret landing party collected several locals of the colony and designed a virus to modify Arcadian DNA so that they behaved in a more peaceable manner, then returned the virally-infected creatures back in their previous environment.

Within a year, new contact was made and the Viragoans rewarded the 'enlightened' (virally infected) Arcadians of the colony with Viragoan super-healing abilities and extended life.

Unfortunately, Arcadians were even more xenophobic than most species and, upon discovering an entire colony of Arcadian/Viragoan hybrids, quarantined, then wiped out the entire enhanced colony, along with anyone of their species who had been in contact with them and any who had been in contact with them!

Once the unholy alien viral contamination, the attempt to 'pacify' their species, was eradicated, a holy war was declared against Elyria. Eventually, the widespread but peaceful Viragoans were beaten back to their home world, which the Arcadians bombed until the planet itself was shattered and no life of any kind could be detected.

The demise of the entire Viragoan civilization had only recently become known here in New Eden. That information was contained in the Praetor that Elaine and Annalisa had recovered from deep space just a week earlier. Elaine was still in seclusion and wasn't holding court or even attending the evening meals in the goddess' manor.

And now, Jake Hedron had just witnessed, he believed, an extraordinary evolutionary step by two humans who had been 'enhanced' with Viragoan blood.

'Vampire blood, ' Jake thought, his numbed mind trying to put together the event he just witnessed. 'Creatures of the night who can fly like a bat and turn into smoke at will... Except the twins hadn't been able to fly. Only the vampire-like goddesses had the genetic capability to modify their forms at will.

"What the hell's happening up there?" Jake heard Frank yell from the pit behind him.

After a few moments, Frank finally got Jake's attention and saw him approach the rim of the trap the twins had created. Jake almost teetered down into the hole before catching his balance at the last instant, his senses finally coming back into focus.

"What's going on?" Frank yelled again. "What was all that fire?"

'We're sorry, ' Frank suddenly heard the twin's voices in his head. 'We forgot about you. Let us free you – It's our fault you were trapped, after all... '

"Whooaaoo!" Frank yelled as he felt his body rising up. Then he was standing next to Jake Hedron, who still looked like he could apply for and get the job of village idiot. Jake was naked and covered with blood. There were scorch marks on his legs and he stank of blood and sex.

"You look like you've been through hell!" Frank exclaimed, his eyes traveling up and down, taking in Jake's condition. "Where are the girls?"

Jake mumbled something, but Frank couldn't hear. "What? Talk louder!"

"I ... They're dead ... No, they went away..." Jake murmured, still barely able to focus his eyes on Frank. "They're ... gone."

"Gone?" Frank yelled. "Don't be stupid! I just heard them talking. Where are they, dammit?"

'Stop picking on him!' Frank heard, recognizing Tia in his mind. 'We're not corporeal beings anymore. We've evolved beyond needing bodies.'

"What do you mean?" Frank asked, looking around in the air. "You don't need bodies? Why does Lisa need a body, then?"

'She doesn't, ' Tara replied. 'It's just never occurred to her. That's why she's been so unhappy.'

'But she isn't unhappy, now, ' Tia laughed into his mind. 'She was alone – a being of pure energy trying to interact with meat and mud. She has us, now, and soon there will be more of us now that we know how to do this. She won't be alone any more.'

"Meat and mud? I think I've been insulted," Frank muttered to Jake. "Come on, let's go find the others. Hopefully, they were more successful than we were."