At first Erwin though they were heading to the huge, white and luminous structures they could see in the distance, but Cassiopeia explained that was no city, just one of Sixam’s sources of energy. Sixamnians used that energy to power everything. The planet gave it to them, and they took care of the planet in exchange.
"So you don’t have cities?" Erwin asked as they treaded between glowing plants and rocks he never saw before.
"No, we live in hives. Excepting our Queen... Our Queen lives here"
Here was what Cassiopeia called The Tower. It was a mix of Sixam crystals - which powered the technological parts of the structure - and futuristic bits. But those crystals not only powered their devices, it was also the source of Sixamnian’s powers.
As they stepped into a transportation tube, Cassiopeia explained that’s why she felt so drained after using her powers on Earth. She was too far away from their source and it was harder to replenish them. And the Queen, since she was the one perpetuating their species, had the privilege of living in The Tower, which canalized more of that power into her. Then those Sixamnians made sure the planet was healthy and took care of it.
It was a symbiotic relation between the planet and its people.
The trip up the tube, as amazing as it was, started to make Erwin sick. He closed his eyes and only when the movement stopped he opened them again. The sight he found in front of him left him wordless.
Trying to take everything in, his eyes quickly travelled from the room filled with the strange and glowy flora of Sixam, to the two men lying on the floor, and lastly to who he assumed was the queen.
If it weren't because she was blinking Erwin would have thought she was a statue. Her skin was marble white, and she was almost completely still, as if carved into the place she was sitting. But she was looking at them… actually she was looking directly at him.
<<Collection Technician 1999, you are finally back home>>
Erwin couldn’t hold in a gasp. The Birth Queen didn’t move her lips to speak, instead Erwin could listen to her voice deep in his brain as she gestured the two male aliens to leave. And when they did she left her throne to get closer to Cassiopeia.
The Queen looked like Cassiopeia, but at the same time she didn’t at all. While his girlfriend looked cute and friendly, the Queen was intimidating in the same way Mother had been.
Erwin automatically didn’t like her.
<<Yes, I’m back home my Queen>>
Erwin was kicked out of his own thoughts when Cassiopeia’s voice filled his head too. She sounded calm and clear as she pressed the palm of her hand against the queen’s, and Erwin wondered if that was their way to say hello.
<<And you brought a human with you>>
There was not help in lying, her Queen would be able to see through her. Lying was not the way in her planet, that was something she learnt on Earth.
<<Yes, my Queen>>
Was the Queen angry at Cassiopeia because he followed her? Would she punish his girlfriend? He couldn’t let that happen.
"It was my fault… ehm… Queen. I followed her without permission"
The Queen really looked at him again, slowly, like a snake staring at her prey while it decided if attacking or not.
<<Understood… I’ll call the guards now>>
Erwin wasn’t even able to defend himself before Cassiopeia stepped in front of him, creating a protective wall between him and the Queen.
<<No>> She simply said.
<<No?>> The Queen barely showed any emotion in her marble face, but Erwin guessed she was confused. Why would one of her own defend a human…? And if he had to be honest, Erwin was wondering the same. After all he did to her, after all she saw humans do, why would she…?
<<You can’t touch him… He is mine. My human>>
Even when the expression on the Queen’s face didn’t change Erwin could feel – in his brain – that she was curious.
<<Your human…? Oh… I see. He spawned one of us not long ago. He was pollinated>>
<<Yes, my Queen>>
Erwin could feel in his mind the irritation that came with Cassiopeia's words and he felt a wave of guilt. He knew he wasn’t the one to blame about what happened, but still he could have told Cassiopeia about it.
<<And that displeased you>> The Birth Queen continued.
Again, Cassiopeia knew there was no use on lying. Her Queen could feel what she was feeling.
<<Yes, my Queen>>
<<You are a Collection Technician, you can’t own partners. You are not made for that. You weren’t born for that>>
Cassiopeia fell silent. She knew her Queen was right, she was born to collect resources for the Queen and Sixam, nothing else. Love was not planned to happen in her lifetime, love was not something Sixamnians knew, it was foolish and useless, it made you reckless… But in spite of that she found love on Earth.
<<And still, even when it’s not written in your stars, you want to own him>>
Erwin was starting to get annoyed himself. Own? What the plum.
"I’m not a thing, I’m a person. Cassiopeia doesn’t own me, I chose to be with her. She is not forcing me to stay with her as you force other creatures to have children with you"
<<Humans and their useless passions… Even if you say that you can’t keep her or the offspring you birthed. We need them more than you do>>
"What… what do you mean?"
That was it. Cassiopeia couldn’t hide it any longer, even if she wanted to, she had to tell Erwin now. This time when her voice reached Erwin’s ears, and it was tinted with sadness.
"She means she wants me to come back here forever, with Loki"