[MV] The Super Wizard From Space #51: The Surrogate Sovereignty, part 1

[Drew Perron]

On 2/10/2016 2:35 PM, wilalambre at gmail.com wrote:
<snip>
>      I never liked church. My parents were faithful, but not me. I shunned the
> theistic trappings and instead embraced scientific teachings. For me, it was all
> about the stars.
>      When I dream, I dream of my time at the observatory. Up on the Volsci's
> holy mountain, I spent endless nights observing the night skies surrounded by
> murals of our gods. My worship was in my work. My rosaries were the
> constellations. My psalms were all in microwaves.
>      That's where I was when my world ended. Looking through the telescope,
> recording sizes and substances of outer space when.... the darkness all just
> bunched together and slammed down on me. Like a black tidal wave. I remember
> praying. And I remember no one answered. The stars didn't care.

Oh that's good. ;.;

> I can suddenly breathe again... until I remember that I don't need to
> anymore.

That's also a really good line.

>      One of my old solar gods is shouting, peeling the insect mass off me. He is
> _nothing_ like the Volsci's priests described. Here, he's massive and he's
> furious and he's vengeful. He's a rolling red furnace with a voice of thunder.

:D :D :D <3 <3 <3 This is a nice way to link in those bits of character.

>      "Stop! SZztop it! Leave them alone!" I stumble up and instinctively force
> myself between the red ferocity and the black surge. The bees are a craze,
> trying to push past me, try to throw themselves at the angry god. I stay firm
> and use my substantial size to hold back. "I'm awake! I'm fine! Everyone stop!
> Please!"

Awwwwww. She's already a good queen.

> It's
> absolutely terrifying. He's a force of nature, and he does not like me.

God. You really do the "superpowered people as forces of nature" at the highest 
tier of quality.

>      "And _I_ said that he's busy. I'm here instead." My entire religion frowns
> back at me. Stern and stiff and more than a little bit cruel.

SERIOUSLY.

>      "He's right," I eventually have to admit to the bees. "This can't keep
> happening. Why do you always..." The bees. _My_ bees. _My_ swarm. They're made
> up of everyone. Everyone.. They're all I have left of my world. All I have left
> of home. And they depend on me, to protect what's left of it. I try and they
> still... I knew them. I've knew them my whole life. I recognize them. The way
> they fidget and the way they hold themselves. Some were my colleagues from the
> observatory. Some were my friends. "Which one of you started it this time? Which
> one of you _hates_ me so much?"

ohhhhhhhhh :< Poor baby (beeby?)

>      One of the larger beasts marches out of the swarm. Its wings are open wide
> and its arms spread out, trying to look bold and brave. The others aren't
> convinced. It isn't the first to engender this sort of murderous rebellion and
> it won't be the last.

I wonder if they do it because of their individual personalities, or simply 
because of the hive-urges...

>      I feel repulsed and blemished. And I start feeling very _tired_. I start
> pacing to try stirring myself, and as I do, I'm _aware_ of myself. Of my _size_
> and shape and height. Of how I sound through irregular jaws. Of how my shoulders
> click carrying my freakish heft. I cross jagged, chitinous arms tightly around
> my abdomen. "This is a nightmare."

Must huuuuuuug

>      I stop. One solitary bee in amougst the swarm stands, like a cat sensing my
> intentions. It looks at me, tightly strung. It knows what I'm going to say...
> but it refuses to act until I _ask_ it.
>      So I ask it. "Please, I want to go home."

Dun dun dunnnnnn.

> ## NEXT ISSUE
>
>      When she speaks, it reminds me of every disappointed teacher I ever had.
> "Oh Sybilla, what's become of you?"

;.;

Drew "this series is intense" Perron