Goddess Rising Chapter 3

Tigra rubbed her arm where it was still sore from being manhandled by the guard. She understood she was caught but they did not have to be so rough. Tigra seethed that they had been set up. She wondered if the information that she had seen in her file was even true. Tigra also understood now why it was a little too convenient that they had been able to get through the floor and they did not even see so much as a cleaning robot around. She also wondered about this Dr. Nother who's laboratory she had been led to. The doctor's laboratory seemed to consist of all of floor B-11, a floor that Tigra did not even know existed, and since it was not common knowledge than there was probably something to hide. When she saw Dr. Nother she was sure of it.

Dr. Nother was a skinny man just a little taller that Starla, with wild blond hair and steel blue eyes framed by glasses. He wore a white lab coat over a crisp white shirt and creased black pants. He usually had his face set into a sinister smile, and Tigra felt uneasy around him, like there was something that was bothering her about him. She had a half-remembered emotion of pure hate for him but she did not know why. It must have been perceptible to the doctor because he spoke.

"My Tigra, how you have grown. And what a look too. Why are you so angry at the one who has helped you out so much?"

"I don't remember who you are but you are not a good person." Starla said.

"I am saddened that you cannot recall me. Of course I did put in those memory blocks myself. I am the man who made you girls who you are today. I am surprised and delighted that you both came back here. It is seldom that I see my patients return. It is however getting pretty late, and I am sure you two need your rest. I am going to have you placed in the dormitories for tonight but both of you should expect to see me in the morning." Turning to the guards he said, "Take the girls to the dormitories." And strode away. The two guards each took one of the girls and led them out of the laboratory. When they came to a break in the hallways though, the guards split up, one heading straight and one for the elevator.

"Wait," exclaimed Tigra, digging in her heels. "Where are you taking me?"

"To your new room." The guard replied.

"But you are taking me away from Starla. I should be going with her."

"Tough luck toots but this is where the good doctor wants you to go."

"Tigra!" Starla cried out, "Don't go away!" Tigra fought against the guard but he out massed her by a lot and soon was dragging her by her clothes towards the elevator.

"I'll see you again in the morning Starla, don't worry!" Tigra yelled out as she was dragged around a corner. The guard was getting tired of the girl and backhanded her. Tigra fell to the ground and the guard easily picked her up, carrying her over his shoulder.

"The less you put up a fuss the more pleasant things will be." The guard commented. "It is a lot tougher down here than that easy time you had up there."

"We were doing just fine up there till you two came along and dragged us down here." Tigra retorted as he carried her into the elevator. The guard opened a panel in the wall and pressed the button for B-15.

"Not my fault that you were caught where you don't belong. You should keep your nose out of places it don't need to be. That is the best way to survive around here." He replied, "Here we are."

The guard stated as he moved out of the opening elevator straight for a door right ahead. He opened the door, picked up Tigra off of her shoulder and tossed her in. With a sense of finality on the whole thing, she landed on her rear as the guard closed the door. She heard a bolt slide home and knew that there was no way to get out that door, at least for the moment. She blinked for a moment as her eyes adjusted to the dark, and soon her excellent night vision adapted to the change in the light.. If she did not know she was in the basement of the OCC she would have thought that she was in a forest. Trees surrounded her and there was even a faint twinkling that looked like stars above. Ahead was a path that into the forest, which led to a clearing near a stream. She could make out a fire and several people near it.

Conscious that it seemed colder in the forest than in the hallway she made her way to the clearing. When she was able to make out the other people she stopped short. Tigra had never liked being different, often she wished she were like everyone else. She had never seen anyone like her, and had thought she was unique, but the six people who were near the fire were just like her and that changed her perception a lot. She looked at them as she walked towards the fire. Just like her each of them had ears like a cat that were half hidden in their hair, and tails that were in various positions behind them. Tigra was startled when one of them appeared next to here.

"Hi! My name is Cassie." Tigra was amazed how much they looked alike, though Cassie's hair, ears, and tail were black.

"My name is Tigra." She replied. Tigra expected the others to introduce themselves, but they remained silent. After a moment Cassie spoke up.

"I guess they as so surprised to see you they forgot their manners. This is Usagi, Devlin, Gren, Shar, and Talon." Cassie said, indicating each person as she said his or her name.

"Why would I be such a surprise?" Tigra asked.

"When they bring in new people they are always young. The younger you are the better you fare in the transformation. You look like you are about 16 or something and usually they bring them in about 7 or so. Did you just go through the change?"

"I don't remember going through any change, but I do remember being like this all through school. So it must have been a while ago. Is there anyone else my age?"

"You got to go to school? Anyone that reaches about 18 is taken away. They go to the military for more training. Most of us around the fire here are around 15 or 16."

"What is this place?" Tigra asked.

"This is the biosphere. The doctor created it to give us a simulated environment to have to survive in. It is supposed to be good training. There are about thirty of us in here at the moment, about twenty cat mixes and about ten or so bird mixes though it is hard to tell with them, they seem kind of anti-social."

"Cat mixes? Bird mixes?" Tigra was confused.

"Cat mixes would be like you and I, Human genes mixed with felines. Bird mixes would be human genes mixed with avians. They are kind of reclusive and live up in the cliffs at the other side of the biosphere. They like up high because they have wings. We have tried to get them to come down here with us but their personalities are different. They would rather keep to themselves. I hear their psychological training is pretty bad, and it makes them like that."

"Psychological training? What's that?"

"You will see soon enough. It is getting really late. We should get to sleep." Cassie commented, stretching and yawning. Around the fire the others had already stretched out to sleep, and Tigra did the same. The sweet darkness of sleep came quickly.