Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:13:03 -0700 (PDT)
From: Gay Writer <gaywriter72@yahoo.com>
Subject: Earth Reborn: Chapter 8 - The Fold

The following is a complete work of fiction.

Any resemblance between the characters and any real life person is
completely coincidental.  Please do not copy or distribute the story
without the author's permission.

Disclaimer:

The following story contains erotic homosexual situations.  If it is
illegal for you to read this please leave now.

***  This is a completely revised version of the original story...  If
you are lost or confused please read it from the beginning in its
entirety.



Chapter 8					The Fold



	"You know this is a trap." I finally said aloud what we'd all been
thinking as the ten of us gathered in the hallway.

	Bransen nodded at me with unsure eyes.

	"So we're going to walk out there with only the MFM's to cover our ass and
hope for the best?" I asked him.

	"No." Bransen said somewhat agitated.  I suppose he wasn't used to anyone
asking questions before he spoke his plan.

	"Team One will be Twist, Rift, Doc, Raven and myself.  Team two will be
Khore, Neek, Dusty, Sweed, Raven and Chris." He paused.  "Our mission here is
two fold.  First to see if the human out there is a lure, and two, to gather
medical equipment from any Thorens that come to kill us." He said in a very
stern stressed voice I hadn't heard him use before.

	I didn't have to vocalize my disapproval of being away from Bransen.  He
saw it in my eyes as I looked at him with worry.  It was going to be a difficult
argument we would have in the near future, but now wasn't exactly timely.

	"Khore, your team will take access tunnel 34 that leads out behind the
target and advance to his coordinates from behind.  We will move from the main
entrance here.  We should converge on the target.  Khore I want you to keep your
team back a bit incase it should get hairy." He explained.

	"When we find the target, we'll place a MFM on him and then try to get him
back safely to the complex." He continued.

	"Doc." I said as I interrupted.  "Do not let him become conscious." I
continued looking at him with worry in my eyes.  He knew what Thorens could do
to a mind and body.

	"Chances are when the target becomes cloaked we will be surrounded, so we
are going to have to be fast.  They will most likely be monitoring his position
and when he suddenly disappears they will descend to our location almost
immediately." Bransen continued.

	It reassured me to know he had a good grasp on the situation and
circumstances, but I still worried that he would be left in the open and
captured.  They'd rape his mind and subject him to horrible tests.  I couldn't
bear the thought of it.  The fear rose in me like never before as a clear sweat
erupted from my body.

	"You are taking a terrible risk." I thought to Bransen.  "They will come
from the sky faster than you can escape at the first movement of the human."

	"It's what I'm counting on." He thought back to me as he turned to me with
a smile.

	"Communication from this point forward will be telepathic only.  We cannot
risk them triangulating the signal.  Radio before you exit the access shaft
behind the target." He said to us.

	I nodded my understanding to Bransen and we went off through the darkened
hallways that led further down the mountain.  Finally in position, Raven raised
his wrist COM.

	"Team 2 is a go", Raven spoke.

	"All communication from this point is telepathic." I heard his voice come
across our wrist COM's as we exited into the jungle.

	As we made our way to our position through the thick underbrush, I reached
out with my mind seeing Bransen setting explosives in the perceived landing zone
of the Sphere Minor.  He planned to blow them up and use the chaos to escape
with target in tow.

	Something was rolling around in my mind but I couldn't remember.  A reason
why this wouldn't work and the fear of it made me sweat all the more but not
giving me the wits to explain my fears.

	"Please be careful hun." I thought to him.  "We are in position." I
finally sent as we hid in the brush arching the position of the unconscious
human.

	I felt as much as watched Neek move through the foliage as he made his way
to the unconscious body.  Finally arriving undetected I watched in horror as he
clipped the MFM to the body and activated it.

	"WAIT!" I sent out in thought but it was too late.

       Almost instantly, eight Sphere Minor blurred into view and surrounded
their position and Bransen's team.  The explosives were activated destroying six
of the spheres as one of the remaining spheres directed a beam of light that
pierced Neek's chest through his heart.  In a flash that released him, his body
slumped across the unconscious human.

       We were in deep shit and my body exploded into blue white flames.  More
spheres appeared taking the positions where the others had been destroyed
surrounding Bransen's team.  Bransen's group had found themselves cover in a
ravine behind a giant tree trying to avoid the onslaught.

       An exhilarating light burst from me as it lit the dawn in more of a blue
light that overcast the sun's rays behind me as it rose bringing the day.  I
walked slowly from the trees behind our target almost in a trance.  The chaos
was paused only momentarily as more sphere minor appeared surrounding the team
and me broadening their circle as I made my way toward Neek's body and the human
he had tried to save.

       "Go back and prepare" I thought to Chris and the team.  They scuttled back
looking at each other unsure of the command.

       I walked into the clearing as I could feel the triumph of the Thorens
thoughts as they began to buffet me with so many mental attacks.  It was a
constant onslaught that was starting to wear at me as I felt the mental waves
impact into me.  I reached out with my mind.

       "STOP!" I commanded as every particle and body, Thoren and Human alike,
froze around me into stillness.  Bringing the earth from beneath me I surrounded
myself as I rose into the air as a maddening tempest of debris circled around
me.  Building the energy around me I noticed a few of the Thorens were breaking
free of my hold.

       Glancing upward I sent a beam from my soul to the Sphere Major above us
causing it to explode in a magnificent shower of light that blazed across the
sky.

       Turning my attention to the Sphere Minor I sent barrage after barrage of
compressed soil blades that tore into them making them burst into flashes of
white fire.

       I folded space in its conception landing the much needed equipment to the
infirmary from the last sphere minor before finally destroying it.  Using the
same technique I bent space around each of our party members moving them to safe
points within the complex only leaving Bransen behind by the sheer force of his
will.  He wanted to stay and I didn't have the energy to fight him.  Glancing
outward a tear sped down my cheek as I proceeded to killed them all.  I gathered
up the earth beneath me into a greater tempest.  I sent it outward with blinding
speed as the energy built into a super nova reaching out as it burst from me.
They were incinerated where they stood.   Slumping forward... I drifted back to
the ground where Neek's body lay across the human that had been used as bait.
The other Sphere Major would be sending forces in brief moments and we had to
go.

       Folding space I moved the human, Bransen, Neek and myself to the infirmary
where I had sent the rest of the team.  Appearing in odd flashes of bending
white light we arrived.  I had already used so much energy my body was quickly
becoming more transparent.  I was more a lightly colored silhouette of light
than anything else.  Once there, looking into Bransen's eyes I felt another tear
fall as I placed both hands onto Neek's chest.  I filled him with my remaining
but quickly drained energy as his body glowed a deep white blue on the floor
before us.  I could feel my energy waning and noticed that my arms and body had
had all but disappeared albeit for a faint outline.  I was on the verge of
oblivion.

       Fixing the damage created by the disrupter that had pierced Neek I poured
my life into him.  I had given too much... and I faded almost completely and fell
into blackness.

       I woke some time later feeling Bransen's head against my chest.  Looking
down I watched it rise and fall with my breath.  I was alive and I was complete.
I pushed out the words in a whisper, "I love you" before falling quickly back
into the darkness feeling my hand catch in his soft golden hair.

       Some time later I woke to the feeling of Bransen's head on my chest as his
arm reached across pulling me closer to him for comfort.  I lay there for a
while running my fingers through his hair.  He looked so innocent in his sleep.
He resembled a god like cherub.  The lines of stress and worry were gone from
his face.  He looked so contented I didn't have the heart to wake him.

       I was enjoying the sight of him as he woke some time later looking up into
my eyes.  I smiled back and he seemed to wake all the quicker.

       He jumped up and kissed me reaching his arms around me between the press
of my body and the mattress pulling me into a hug.  His breath betrayed his
happy sobs and I reached around him pulling him tighter into our embrace.

       Releasing me he finally shifted so I could see the beautiful powder blue
of his eyes looking down at me.

       "You know... I end up in this bed far too often." I stated quietly causing
us both to chuckle.

        "I thought I lost you." Bransen said with glassy eyes gazing into my own.
The memories of what I had done chastened through my mind.  I peered back at him
and ran my fingertips along the line of his face.

       'I knew I would pick you given half the chance." I said as a quiet sob
shook my chest, "But I didn't know I would be so ruthless." As I pulled him
close to me trying to chase my memories away.

       Pulling him into the bed with me I wrapped my legs around him trying to
get him as close to me as I could.  He felt so good within my arms as the weight
of his body pressed against mine.

       Folding space, a white light opened and then seemed to swallow us with a
small pop as we now lay on the bed in my quarters.

       Stretching out my mind I saw Doc as he was pummeling Chris's ass in a fury
and I sent the message... "We are okay.", and left him to his work.

       After we had finished our grinding, short of breath from our exertions,
Bransen folded me into his arms.  Feeling him soften against me, I pulled him in
closer for comfort as I drifted back to sleep.

       The morning came with a start as my eyes slammed open searching the
darkness.  Nothing moved and the only sound I could hear was Bransen's heavy
breath.  My eyes focused on different objects in the room as my mind tried to
grasp and recall what each was and if something extra was here that shouldn't
be.  I don't know what woke me up, but it felt like I had been woken by a loud
noise, but didn't really remember hearing it.  Reaching out with my mind I
sensed the area around me and in the hallway outside my door.  Nothing.  It must
have been a dream.

       I turned my head to see the display on the digital clock that sat on the
work table across from my side of the bed.  It was 5:30am.  I woke up a half
hour early.  I was tempted to close my eyes but knew now that there was no hope
of getting another 30 minutes of sleep.  By the time I would be drifting off,
the alarm would sound and I'd feel twice as tired as I did right now.

       I slowly lifted Bransen's arm from around me as he responded with a grunt
and draped it behind me so that I might be able to work my way out of he bed
without disturbing his sleep too much.  I sat up moving my legs out in front of
me to the floor and made my way out of the bed.  I was still nude from last
nights love making and walked into the bathroom closing the door quietly behind
me.

       Flipping on the light I was blinded as I felt the light burn to the back
of my skull.  Damn why don't they make bathroom lights with lower wattage!?  I
blindly fumbled with the shower door, reached in and turned on the water and
listened to the sound of it as it splashed against the wall.

       My eyes had finally adjusted to the light as I caught something out of the
corner of my eye as I started into the shower.  Backing up a little pulling my
leg back from the entrance I looked into the mirror.  A white stripe of hair
slightly left of center about an inch wide, stood out against the deep brown
working its way through my bangs to their end at my waist as though it had been
painted on.  I stood there staring at my reflection for some time.  I had been
closer to death than I had realized.  I could only hope that it was worth it.
The Thorens would now come at us full force searching, or they might use a bit
more caution and a slower pace at seeing their own kind killed.  I was hoping
for the latter.

       Taking a deep breath I stepped into the shower and leaned against the wall
facing into the jet letting the water cascade over the back of my head and down
my body.  I let my mind go blank as I rest there thinking about nothing at all.
I felt moments disappear not really knowing or caring how much time passed.

       Hearing the bathroom door open I didn't turn my head.  I could feel it was
Bransen.  Opening the door he stepped in with me wrapping his arms around my abs
and chest.

       "Good morning beautiful." He said quietly into my ear.

       "Good morning beautiful." I said as I leaned my head back to rest against
his shoulder.  Finally opening my eyes I gazed down at my hair as it clung to my
skin.

       "I was kind of hoping that that was going to wash out." I said as I lifted
a long strand of the white hair.

       "I think it looks sexy!" rasped Bransen as he gave my neck a nibble.

       "Yeah... well... If I manage to get another one, it'll probably kill me." I
said a little quieter than I had intended.

       "How is Neek doing?  Did he make it" I was almost afraid to ask.

       "He got out of the infirmary a couple of days ago.  It's as though he was
never dead." Bransen replied with a little too much enthusiasm.  "He'll probably
be a little put out when he goes to see you this morning and you're not there."

       "He's been coming to visit?" I said awe struck.

       "Yes.  Actually he was coming twice a day.  Once in the morning, and once
at night before and after his training." He said with a smile in his voice.

       "Hmmm well... either he's pissed because I didn't let him die, or he's
glad." I said with a slight chuckle.

       "According to the sounds reported to be coming from his room, I think both
he and Dusty are happy that he made it." He said now laughing.

       "Well good for him." I thought.  Neek deserved happiness as much as anyone
and to be honest, I didn't relish the idea of having another knife sticking out
of my body.

       "We can't do that again you know." I said as well as asked.

       "How do you mean?" he asked.

       "We can't go unprepared like that into a certain ambush and expect to come
out of it alive.  We weren't ready, and almost got ourselves killed.  I'd be
dead already if they didn't want me alive.  We got really lucky." I said feeling
a little angry with myself.  We had been irresponsible.

       "If they would have captured one of us, they would have tore through our
minds until they discovered the location of the complex and then it would have
been the end for everyone." I said a little to fast.

       "Doc has all the equipment now to work on our future." He said quietly.

       It made me smile.  It wasn't for nothing.

       "How is the human doing?" I asked.

       "He didn't make it.  From what Doc says, he was probably dead before we
got there.  The Thorens did their work well." He told me.

       The water had started to cool as we stood there and my skin had begun to
wrinkle.  "We'd better get out of here before we shrivel up to nothing." I said
turning enough to plant a light kiss on Bransen's lips.

       After rinsing off, we dried and picked out our clothes for the day.  I
wanted badly to go back under the covers and hide in the dark for at least one
more day.

       "So how many days was it?" I asked breaking the silence.

       "Huh?" Bransen paused looking at me preparing to lace up his pants.

       "How many days was I out this time.  You said the Neek had recovered two
days before me, how long was I out total?" I repeated.

       "Ohh... you were out for five days.  You didn't become solid again until the
second day.  Once that happened Doc said that you were out of danger and we just
had to wait for you to regain your strength.  It was on that second day when you
became solid that we noticed the white streak in your hair." Bransen explained
as he had resumed lacing up his pants.

       "Yes... the latest in skunk wear.  Just what I didn't need.  I suppose it
could have been worse though.  It felt right to wake up with you by my side." I
said smiling at him.

       "Hey... help me with something?" I asked.

       "Sure anything!" Bransen replied.

       "I want to cut off some of this hair.  It's too damn long and it's getting
in my way.  Could you cut it off for me at mid back level?" I begged.

       "Are you sure you want to do that?" he looked at me with some doubt.

       "Yes... It'll still be long enough to tickle you when we're having fun, and
it'll be more manageable when we're in the field.  Scissors are in the top
drawer in the bathroom if you wouldn't mind?" I said smiling at him.

       A few minutes later he had lopped off a good 8 inches of hair and I felt
better almost instantly.  A little unnecessary weight had been removed, and it
looked much fuller now not being pulled taught by its own weight.  I shook my
head and pulled my bangs back and to the side.  The white streak was definitely
going to take some getting used to.  I still hadn't made up my mind if I liked
it or not.

       After cleaning up the hair from the floor I took another look into the
mirror but stared at Bransen in the reflection wanting to see him more than
myself.  He was looking back at me through the reflection.

       "Breakfast then?" he asked me raising his eyebrows a little.

       "Sounds good to me... let's go.  I'm hungrier than I thought now that you
mention it.  Hell I might even have a whole egg omelet for a change." I grinned
at him.

       We arrived at the cafeteria about fifteen minutes earlier than we normally
would have.  We got our breakfast and sat at our table eating and waiting for
the rest of the group.  They came walking through the door looking like the
morning zombies I had come to know.  I gave them a wave from our table and they
all seemed to push through the line in record speed waking up faster than I had
ever seen.

       The first to reach us was Twist, and of course the first thing out of his
mouth had to be a smart ass comment.

       "Heya skunk boy!" which I instantly responded to by moving his chair from
behind him as he fell backwards flipping his tray full of food onto himself.

       "Heya Graceful." I grinned back as we laughed.

       "Where's Neek" I asked looking around.

       "My guess, is he is running through the corridor from the lift to here."
Dusty no sooner got out, than did I see Neek dash into the doorway composing
himself suddenly at seeing me.

       He gradually moved through the line as he finally selected his breakfast
and moseyed over to the table.  Walking up to me he gave my chair a weak kick
and a quiet "Thanks" escaped his lips.

       Looking over to the mess that was Twist still picking food from his shirt
and dropping it to his food tray Neek muttered "Get off the floor you twit... you
embarrass me." and made his way to sit next to Dusty as a grin curled his lips.

       "I'm glad to see you're doing well." I said smiling at him.  "I hear that
you and Dusty are getting along too."

       "No... I hear them... and they're doing much more than just getting along!"
blurted Twist from the floor to which we all laughed as Neek's face blazed red.

       "Well it's good to see everyone has fully recovered and is in good
spirits.  You have two weeks until I test you.  I hope you've been training." I
announced with a deadly tone in my voice as the room halted with a deafening
silence.  "I will be harder on you than I was on the Thorens."

       "And that goes for all of you!" I stood and yelled angrily across the
cafeteria hearing my voice reverberate off the walls letting my eyes blaze to a
blue white light filling with power.  "You had all better be ready..." I paused
looking around the room slowly watching eyes drop to their laps as I looked into
their direction before sending each and every one of their trays splattering
into their chests and raced my escape to the doors.

       The door slammed shut in front of me and a hail of food followed.  Sneaky
little bastards!  Twenty minutes later, tired and caked with food I gazed at the
mess around us.

       "Training opportunity?" I questioned in thought to Bransen.  I saw a smile
cross his face and a slight nod.

       "I want this mess picked up completely.  You are not to use your hands,
broom, dustpan or any other device other than your mind." I said as I could see
grateful smiles beam from the kitchen.  They did get stuck cleaning up the last
mess I started so I guess it was only right they didn't get stuck with clean up
duty this time as well.

       I stood back up from where I had slipped and fallen to the floor.

       "Lester."  I called looking at the cook in the kitchen area.  "I want a
count of broken dishes when they're done and who broke them."  "I also want you
to please keep the broken dishes.  Keep them separated by who has broken them in
separate bags." I thought to him.

       "Ahhhh man!!!" exclaimed Twist.  "This is going to take forever!  You made
half the mess!" he whined.

       "Is that how you all feel?" I asked seeing heads nodding across the room.

       "Okay then... fine..." I said.  Raising my palms upward I drew the energy
around me and sent it out to the right hand side of the room seeing each and
every particle and item out of place.  I felt each barrier and form within my
mind and set about to right everything, moving tables and chairs back into place
and food sailing from one half of the room through the air into the trash cans
that sat every so few tables.  It was like watching a cup of water filling up,
but in reverse as fewer and fewer pieces of food remained until there was none
and one half of the room was immaculate.  I stacked the dishes and utensils into
the cupboards, shelves, and drawers until the right half of the room looked as
though no one had even set foot in it.

       Letting the glow leave my eyes I lowered my arms letting the energy flow
back outward to its normal balance.  "Okay then... I'm done.  You now have until
noon to finish.  Half the job... half the time." I said looking directly at Twist.
"Fair now?" I asked hearing several mumbles from the crowd.  I could tell he
wanted to say something but decided against it.

       Bransen stood smiling as I had finished.

       "Before any of you get the bright idea that broken dishes don't need
washed... please keep in mind that Bransen is the one that has to put those plates
back together." I said watching the grin fall from Bransen's face.

       "Hey!" He said louder than we both expected.

       "You did say it would be a good training opportunity didn't you?" I
interrupted him.  "And I'm sure no one here would want to have toilet duty for
the rest of eternity for upsetting their Captain."

       "Ohhhh you are sooo in trouble", Bransen sent the thought to me and smiled
again.

       I made my way to the exit and turned, and spoke with a deadly serious
tone.  "By the way... I wasn't kidding about the testing.  You've got two weeks."
and folded space to my room and was gone with a flash of light.

       After stripping down and taking a quick shower I crawled back into my bed,
which is where I wanted to be since I had opened my eyes.  My little display to
put the fear of well... 'me' into them had taken more out of me than I would like
to admit.  I still hadn't quite recovered from my run in with the Thorens.
Showing weakness right now was not going to motivate them to train.  Fear... fear
however would motivate them quite nicely.


---

Per suggestions from others, and a bit of work, I have re-written the
entire story.  Much of it is the same and the changes were cosmetic.  I
have also added some more depth to beginning characters and added a few
other things.  The chapters are for the most part longer and I have
corrected some continuity problems.  I know that I have much to learn
as a writer, and would greatly appreciate any constructive criticism
regarding this story.  Please contact me at gaywriter72@yahoo.com with
suggestions and criticisms.     Thanks!