Chapter 17: Another Voice in My Head

That night, I was awoken from a restless sleep.

"Wake up, Mike."

"Yeah?" I muttered, still half asleep.

"We have not met, so I thought I should introduce myself. I am the member of the Consortium who runs this project."

I was shocked and a bit afraid and I sensed my mental companion could read this as easily as Malok could (if not easier). Still, I needed to address this likely powerful being as if I were not a sniveling child about to pee his pants. "I am pleased to meet you. What can I do for you ... and what would you like me to call you?"

The voice laughed in my brain. "You probably would be unable to pronounce my name ... why don't you call me 'Gabriel'."

I thought about why he had chosen the name and 'Gabriel' responded.

"If you think I picked this name based upon the Biblical connotation, you are correct. And no, I'm not God. Like you, I believe in a higher power that created the universe, though I am not sure if this being cares about it in one way or the other, as you believe."

"To be honest my own faith was shaken by my illness..."

"But was reinforced by the events that led you here and by everything that has happened to you since you arrived," he said anticipating my thoughts.

"True, I guess."

The voice laughed again. "Yes, Malok was right about you. 'Humanity at its best', he told me."

"I'm just trying to survive and make my little corner of this world a better place," I thought back.

"Ah ... that human pride hidden under false modesty," he laughed, ruffling my feathers a little. He must have felt this and immediately responded. "Relax, human. I do not come to judge you. You like all races have their little foibles that we poke fun at. Your need to appear modest, while still feeling underlying pride is one of the things that tickle us."

I softened my righteous indignation in a combination of sheepish agreement and self-preservation. "I guess it is just our nature to be prideful, but my society has taught us that it is wrong to appear so."

"Yes, Malok has explained this to me. You do not need to feel shame."

"I don't. We humans need our pride. It helps to push us to be our best. It drives innovation, invention and industry..."

"And selfishness."

"It can," I admitted. "It can also drive community and harmony. There is a difference between 'pride' and unchecked egotism. 'Real pride' can help us strive towards creating a better world."

"And you," I gulped.

"I generally do not believe so, but I must admit to being on the fence about your race."

"Then you must see us as microbes," I said, expecting hopefully a haughty laugh or at worst a nasty rebuke. Instead, I received a moment of silence followed by a thoughtful and quiet reply.

"Malok seems to have told you that many see your race as completely insignificant. While I'm not your race's biggest fan, I have respect for all life. I voted against any action against your people, but was soundly outvoted."

"I thought you ran things..." I started thinking stupidly, before immediately realizing the error of my assumption.

"Because, you and the other experiments to your north have made me begin to look at my negative view of humanity. From your point, I'm sure that Malok's influence has made you a bit more likeable than I would normally find you." laughed Gabriel. "That brings me to my next point. I've decided to send an observer. She will become your mate."

"With all due respect I have thirteen mates already," I complained.

"Then one more should not be a problem. This observer will be a Neanderthal woman, but she will look more like a woman from modern Earth, kind of like your wife, Sonya. Like Sonya, my observer will share the consciousness of the female. Unlike Sonya, my observer is someone of my race. This being will have no real concept of what it will be like to live as a human. You will help my observer to experience what it takes to be a human female."

"I'm not sure I am comfortable with this," I said.

"Why? I will guarantee that this female will possess all of the traits you will desire. In fact I can guarantee that she will be feminine perfection."

"That's not the point. Believe it or not, I have bonded with all of the women I have mated with. I see them as my life partners and I honestly love and care for each woman deeply. I cannot guarantee that I would feel that way about your observer; no matter how physically attractive I find her."

There was an awkward silence before Gabriel spoke again. "You've bonded with every female you've mated with so far, right?"

"Yes," I grudgingly admitted.

"Then I'm requesting that you at least try and to bond with my observer. Mike, it is essential that I have a better understanding of humanity. I have chosen your experiment because I think that you, not Jeremy or even the others are better suited."

I was over a barrel and Gabriel knew he had me. "What about the soul of the Neanderthal woman your observer will be inhabiting?"

"Who says it is a woman's soul?" asked Gabriel, I sensed to shock me. "The copy of the soul that had previously existed within the raw material might have been female or male. You'll never know for sure and neither will your newest mate. Don't worry, though. The body that it and my observer will inhabit will be completely female in every way."

"Why? Mating is one of the most important aspects of our existence," I stated.

"Perhaps, but you must understand that our race are creatures of intellect. Our mating process is far less primitive and primal. For that reason, fully participating in your mating process could prove somewhat damaging to our minds."

"Are you claiming that we are animals?"

Gabriel laughed. "Of course not. We share many traits with humans in regard to our feelings. While we are not slaves to our passions, we have emotions. We are not completely stoic beings. We laugh and we cry. In that way, we are completely compatible with humans. In fact, I know this is not particularly professional of me, but I am already growing quite fond of you."

"Thank you. Well, you certainly seem quite affable," I admitted.

"Thank you, yourself," replied the alien. "That being said, we are just not used to feeling strong emotions. There may be a question of the loss of sanity from prolonged or extremely intense exposure to these emotions."

"I see your point. What can I do to help?"

"You need not concern yourself with the details. My observer will be monitored to ensure that she is not put in any danger."

"Well, if this woman is to be under my care, both the host and the passenger are quite important to me and would not want any harm to come to either," I stated tersely.

Again, I heard Gabriel laugh. "Mike, I think I'm going to enjoy this process a lot."

"Why?"

"Because I see why Malok likes you so much. You have an earnestness that borders on passion and a sense of honor and duty that many of us did not believe that humans were capable of possessing. This only makes me want to fight harder for your race."

While I was initially wary of this powerful being, I could not believe how fond I had become of him. "Thank you Gabriel. I did not know what to make of you when you first awoke me, but I would like to think of you as my friend and hope you feel the same way about me."

"It would be very unprofessional to say so, but I can't help telling you, I feel the same way, my friend."

"Thank you. By the way, when should I expect my new mate?"

"Soon, my friend. Soon," came his happy reply.

When I disconnected with my new friend, I soon heard from my old one. "So two-timing me with some other alien?" laughed Malok's voice in my brain

"Well when the boss says jump..."

"You say, how high," he said while continuing to laugh.

I got serious. "Is there any reason I have to worry?"

"No. If anything, you should be honored. The being who you call 'Gabriel', selected you out of a dozen other qualifying experiments in the world."

"Qualifying?"

"Usually that means an experiment in 'good standing' ... in other words one where the subject of the experiment is still living or the experiment is not under suspension or probation. Despite being under suspension, Jeremy's early success made him a popular choice with a few governors. Still, your recent success and the fact that your experiment is considered to be in 'good standing' makes you an attractive candidate as well. I've often told them, you were the best face for humanity. It appears from your interview that the Director now agrees with me."

"Well, I guess it's OK, but this means I'm going to get another mate..." I pouted.

Malok laughed about as loud as I've ever heard him laugh. "Remember that guessing game about my movie star wife?"

"Yeah. Are you finally going to let me start guessing?"

"Nope, but tomorrow you'll find out for sure."

Like with Gabriel, Malok left me with a cryptic message.

After my shorter than usual chat with Malok, I walked into the kitchen/dining room and saw Hogat and Nomat already waiting for me. They waited as I finished my coffee and then we went down the hill.

As we were milking the cows, I saw a lovely woman who resembled a homo-sapien walking towards us. She stood about five feet, seven inches. She had long, lush honey blond hair. Her figured was covered by her furs. As she got closer, I noticed that she had vibrant blue eyes.

"Mike, my name is Regliba. Malok, your old leader, told me that you had bartered for me before you left. Since my husband finally died from his wounds, I am now yours."

My jaw dropped. This female's loveliness rivaled Lyna. Gabriel had certainly been right about her appearance.

"Another mate?" smirked Hogat with his eyebrows raised sardonically.

"Yes, I had forgotten about Reg. My old leader had negotiated a new mate for me after Soya had gone missing. The problem was that he had no unmated women available in are camp. Reg's husband had been badly hurt during a hunt. Since he had not died, Reg could not leave him until he did so. If he had recovered then I would have gotten the next available mate that I fancied." I turned to the vision of loveliness before me, "I'm sorry for your loss, Reg."

"It's OK, Mike. It has seemed like so long, I can barely even remember being with Botosk. I am eager to prove myself a worthy mate to you," she smiled.

I looked at my friends still milking their cows. "Could you two finish milking Bossie for me while I get Reg settled?"

"Sure, Mike," grinned Nomat. I felt like giving him "the finger" but knew he would not know what that meant.