Vall's Will Read Online Free PDF Page A

is not the real deal. It’s a shell, much like our shields we erect
around us.”
    “How can
that be? I heard his heart beating. I heard him breathing,” Will argued.
    “Maybe it’s
part of the disguise, to make others believe that what they’re seeing is the
real him.”
    “So, what
you’re saying is that the real Vall is inside?” Will clarified.
    “Yes.”
    “Can what’s
inside have the same appearance as what he appears to be on the outside?”
    Again, the
scientist appeared puzzled. “It’s possible. At this point, I can’t tell
you anything further until we run more tests on him.”
    “Have you
at least gotten everything you need?” Plymon interjected. “The man
needs to do some serious cleaning up. This place is starting to smell.”
    Vall reached
out, seeking her hand. Will gave it to him, giving his a squeeze to reassure
him. He was aware he was not being allowed to listen in on their conversation,
and their discussion was beginning to worry him.
    “Plymon’s
right. Gayt, can you ready a cabin for him?”
    “Will do,
Captain.” She hurried out of the lab just as Granth called over the
intercom.
    “Captain
Tayte?”
    “Here.”
    “I was able
to glean a little more information about our newest guest.”
    “What have
you found?”
    “Well, for
one thing, Vall isn’t his real name.”
    Killjorn
snorted. “How apropos. An unreal name for an unreal humanoid.”
    Will gave the
physician a condescending look. “What is his real name?” she asked.
    “I don’t
know, and from what I can decipher, the Ben Objure didn’t, either.”
    “So, why is
he listed as Vall?”
    “Vall is
the Objurian word for it. He was an it to them. But here’s the kicker. I
also found out how long he’s been on that ship.”
    “How
long?” She was almost afraid to ask.
    “Since he was
nine years old.”
     

Chapter Four
    Encounter
     
     
    Will lay staring
up at the ceiling of Plymon’s cabin, but the ceiling was invisible in the
perfect darkness. The Sub-captain needed an absolute lack of light in order to
rest. Being from the Pellucidor cluster, his home planet received sunlight
every hour of the day. In order to survive, the colony that settled on Pellus
Six was forced to build its cities underground, to get away from the constant
day. Underground, the colonists could simulate the hours of day and night with
regularity.
    Tonight, the blackness
wasn’t as comforting as it usually was. Beside her, Plymon snored softly. At
first, she’d thought a hard, wild fekking would help banish the demons haunting
her. But her mind had been a blank, and her body had felt no rush of pleasure
when he took her. She’d let her crew member have his moment as she laid
unresponsive. It wasn’t long afterwards that he’d fallen asleep.
    She swung her
legs over the side of the bed. The metal floor was warm beneath her feet. She
used her foot to search for her garment, and found it nearby. Grabbing the
short shift where she’d dropped it, she drew it over her head and exited the
cabin.
    The ship was on
night watch, which meant the lights in the corridors were dimmed. Even so, it
took a moment for her eyes to adapt. Up top, she knew Badin was acting captain
up on the bridge, with a small crew of three to assist him. But if something
major was to occur, he would contact her immediately, as well as rouse the
entire ship.
    Will resisted
the temptation to see what time it was, for fear it was nearer time to rise
than she wanted. She needed sleep, but the events of the day were finally
taking their toll on her nerves, leaving her unable to rest.
    Her first
instinct was to go to the clinic for something to put her out. Halfway there,
her throat began to tickle. Will coughed and tried to swallow, but her saliva
felt thick. At the corridor intersection, she turned and entered the tube to
drop to the next level. Stepping into the corridor, she turned again and walked
into the small dining area to get something to drink.
    And