Galaxy On Fire Chapter 10: 10. The green veil

The small outpost was quiet, a haven carved into the rocky wasteland, far from the prying eyes of the Council. It had been years since Kai had last set foot here, but the old tech still hummed faintly, waiting for its master. He laid Maya down on a cot against the wall, the dim blue light from the console casting eerie shadows across her pale face.

He sat beside her, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped tightly. His mind churned with guilt, anger, and a sense of helplessness he despised. Whatever the Council had done to Maya, it was his fault. He had brought her into this world, into this chaos.

Maya stirred, her breathing heavier than before.

“Hey,” Kai said softly, leaning forward. “You’re awake.”

Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first but gradually finding his face. “Where… are we?” she murmured.

“An old outpost,” he said. “It’s safe here. For now.”

Maya tried to sit up, but Kai quickly reached out, steadying her. “Easy,” he said. “You need to rest.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head weakly. “Something’s wrong. I feel… different.”

Kai frowned. “Different how?”

She looked down at her hands, which trembled slightly. “I don’t know. My skin feels… weird. Tighter? Like it’s not mine.”

Kai’s stomach sank. “Let me check,” he said, his voice calm despite the unease tightening his chest.

Maya hesitated but nodded. Kai carefully rolled up the sleeve of her shirt, revealing her forearm. What he saw made his blood run cold.

The veins beneath her skin glowed faintly blue, a telltale sign of alien energy coursing through her. But worse, the tone of her skin was no longer the warm, human hue he knew. Instead, a faint greenish tint had begun to spread, shimmering like polished metal under the dim light.

Maya noticed his expression and followed his gaze. “What?” she asked, panic creeping into her voice. “What is it?”

Kai hesitated, unsure how to break the news. “Your skin,” he said finally. “It’s… changing.”

“What do you mean, changing?” Maya demanded, her voice rising. She yanked her arm from his grip and looked at it herself. Her eyes widened in horror. “Oh my god.”

“Maya, calm down,” Kai said, reaching for her again.

“Calm down?” she said, her voice trembling. “Kai, I’m turning into one of you! What did they do to me?”

Kai stood, running a hand through his hair. “The transformation process,” he muttered, pacing. “They must have started it before I got to you. I thought I stopped it in time, but…”

“But you didn’t,” Maya snapped, her fear turning to anger. She swung her legs over the side of the cot, trying to stand. “You should’ve—”

Her legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor.

“Maya!” Kai dropped to his knees, catching her before she hit the ground.

She pushed him away weakly, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. “Don’t… touch me.”

“Maya, stop,” he said firmly, his hands steady on her shoulders. “This isn’t your fault. It isn’t my fault. It’s the Council’s. They’re the ones who did this to you.”

She glared at him, tears brimming in her eyes. “But I’m the one who has to live with it,” she whispered.

Kai’s heart twisted at her words. “I know,” he said quietly. “But you’re not alone. We’ll figure this out. Together.”

She didn’t respond, her gaze dropping to her hands. The greenish tint had spread further, creeping toward her fingers like a slow-moving shadow.

“What’s going to happen to me?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

Kai sighed, sitting back on his heels. “If the transformation continues… you’ll become like us. Physically, at least. But your mind, your soul—that’s still human. That won’t change.”

Maya shook her head, her hands curling into fists. “I didn’t ask for this,” she said bitterly.

“I know,” Kai said. “But if you fight it, if you try to resist the changes…” He hesitated.

“What?” she pressed, her eyes snapping up to meet his. “What happens if I resist?”

Kai’s jaw tightened. “You could die.”

The words hung between them like a storm cloud, heavy and foreboding.

Maya stared at him, her face pale despite the greenish hue. “So I don’t have a choice,” she said flatly.

Kai reached for her hands, gripping them tightly. “You do have a choice,” he said. “You can choose to fight with me, to survive. I promise you, Maya, I will do everything in my power to fix this. To help you.”

Her expression softened slightly, though the fear in her eyes remained. “How?” she asked. “How do you ‘fix’ something like this?”

Kai’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “But I’ll find a way. I swear.”

Maya searched his face, looking for any sign of doubt. She found none.

“Okay,” she said finally, her voice steady. “I’ll trust you. For now.”

Kai smiled faintly, relief washing over him. “Thank you,” he said.

They sat in silence for a moment, the distant hum of the outpost’s systems filling the void.

“So,” Maya said, her tone lighter, though her voice still shook slightly. “Does this mean I get superpowers or something?”

Kai blinked, caught off guard by her question. Then he chuckled, the sound surprising even himself. “Maybe,” he said with a grin. “But don’t expect to fly just yet.”

Maya managed a small smile, the first since she’d woken up. “Great. All the alien drawbacks, and none of the perks.”

Kai laughed again, shaking his head. “You’re unbelievable,” he said.

“Yeah, well,” she said, leaning back against the cot, “if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry. And I hate crying.”

Kai’s expression softened. “You’re stronger than you think, Maya.”

“Maybe,” she said, her eyes drifting closed. “But I don’t feel strong right now.”

He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “You will,” he said softly. “I’ll make sure of it.”

As Maya drifted back into an uneasy sleep, Kai sat beside her, his mind racing. He had to find a way to reverse the transformation—or at least stop it from progressing further.

But first, he needed to figure out where they could go next. The outpost was safe for now, but it wouldn’t be long before the Council found them. And when they did, they wouldn’t stop until they had both Kai and Maya in their grasp.

Kai clenched his fists, determination hardening his resolve.

“No one’s taking her from me,” he muttered. “Not again.”