I didn't realise I had been in the shop for as long as I had been. Time passes quickly when you are having fun, and I sure love shopping. Solace was very patient with me, and I appreciated her tolerance for my necessary therapy.

The day had progressed, and it was early evening. I still decided to make some quick visits. People were busy, and I knew that at least Luke was heading out or had gone out with the Legion. I needed to see quite a few people, but first, I needed to sort out Rax and the Princess. Despite the hour, I decided to find Xarius.

Solace, do you have any idea when Luke and the rest of the Legion are coming back?

Solace: It should only be a couple of days. They were planning to return soon, leaving the last days before the party to be drama-free. They were going to clear the incursion and then head back. Mike is running a party in the conference room simultaneously, so people are less likely to ask too many questions about all the planning happening. In case people drop hints about a big party as Luke has been. I think that your Gala is the best-known secret ever. Remember, if you need to send them some items, Seraph has the skill to access and use their inventories. She is effectively their quartermaster. Legion is big on convenience.

Let's do that first, then sort the party stuff out.

It took some time to track Seraph down, and we got Luke's sent gear out to him via the First Legion Stores Inventory with a quick note. They were expected back soon, possibly tomorrow or the next day.

Seraph had a skill that allowed her to reserve a spot in a Legionnaire's inventory that she could link to the First Legion Stores Inventory. It was some genuinely fantastic system-level magical fuckery going on. From what she said, the Cohort seemed to be doing okay with no major issues, but they would hit the significant incursion later tonight and close it early tomorrow.

My next thing was to ensure we had enough stuff for the party.

Do you know where Mike and Julie are?

Solace: Mike is at the Resort. He has moved there, and he does own it outright. The Resort is based on the Tier 4 core that his AI gifted him. Well, Petal gifted, but you get the picture.

Not really. Is that some more secret AI business?

Solace: Indeed.

Well, keep those secrets. Are there seriously 350 people coming?

Solace: Beings, not all of them would be considered people as you know them, but yes. We do not know how or when the guests arrive, but Gateway is being kept clear until after the party.

I guess I'll sort Mike and Julie out. There are a few things I need to get sorted out. I need to wait for Xar to ask about the configuration Rax's engrams will need and the barracks upgrade.

Solace: Do you plan to install him as part of the Legion training complex? It would be fitting. He did abdicate his position, so technically, he won't need to go near the Senate. It is a smart move. He was technically the Legion commander, so he would give Xar a huge political boost. Although it could make the chain of command a bit murky.

I was thinking the same. Maybe we get the blueprints fast-tracked and the upgrade happening, and then Xar will … well, he will be mad, but at least the engram will hopefully be able to deal with him. Then we wake the Princess, and if I am reading things right, she will be the guest of honour at the party, send the official record to the Senate, and I can go off to training.

Solace: sounds like a bit of a plan, but you know it won’t be that clean and easy, and I bet you that no one will let you sneak off and go training.

That is precisely what I want to avoid—being stuck here. I’ll be here later, closer to when the Karass make their move. Maybe I can shove Luke into the limelight and step away. I’d be happy to have everyone concentrate on the Princess and Luke. Do you think she is pretty and Luke would like her? While I could come and go as I please, I’d be jealous and probably a mess, but it would work. Maybe I am scared of commitment, too. Solace, make sure I don’t push Luke away because I am afraid. Also, make sure I don't. I don't know what I want. Just help me keep sane, please.

When I thought of Luke and the Princess together, a pang of jealousy crept up and nearly made me sick. I was borrowing trouble, yet I could not help myself. I had so much to sort out with my feelings towards him.

Solace: Historical records indicate that she was beautiful. Of course, I’ll look out for you, Sarah. You know you will complain when you are not part of it. But be careful what you wish for.

Not helping, you could have lied and told me she was a hag. But I knew she was rumoured to be beautiful. I’m going to ride my bike over there.

Leaf of Broken Season: Biker Ride

I was heading out to the resort.

I called it a bike, mainly because it had two hover wheels. It was more of an All-Terrain Vehicle. I thought it was beautiful. Sleek, black, and deep dark red are my favourite colours! At least for now.

Solace thought that I spent more time than I should have configuring the colours.

I think Solace was getting impatient with me, but I could see almost an infinite number of hues now that I would not have been able to distinguish before, so I had to get it just right. It was not red-red or black-black, but subtle variations.

I loved the bike.

It had two hover pads suspended on glistening black chrome-like pipes beneath the main bodywork. I am not sure if they were for function or looks. An aficionado would care, but it was not that important for me. It was not as if my Zhadrik Sports Light Cruiser (Tier 3) was a Harley or anything I had an emotional connection to.

The position for the rider and passenger meant that you were nearly lying horizontally, facing forward with your arms in front of the controllers. The passenger, if there was one, had a similar position but slightly left and behind the driver. The opposite side to the passenger was for storage and weapons, keeping the sleek cruiser balanced. It was a very uncompromising position but designed for fast and agile movement, a requirement for a scouting vehicle. The manual controls were optional, and from the reviews I had examined, they were an essential feature– if you wanted a fun ride. Everything synced with my HUD and was AI-controllable.

Solace: Can I drive?

No. Get your own bike. Well, just help me out, maybe?

I quickly eased myself into the driver’s pod and engaged the power core. I could feel the deep thrum of power and the air around the canopy sealed with a small transparent shield. It was so much fun, and I had not even moved.

Instant acceleration was enough for me to need the built-in avoidance and navigation. With my stats, I could cope, but I still looked pretty lousy as I took off. I swear Solace was playing games with me.

The resort was just over ten kilometres away, and at the speeds I was hitting, it was a very short drive. I tested the bike, and the ride took Solace and me nearly an hour. It was worth it.

Min Min had cleared roads leading out to all the future settlement building projects, and they were not much at the moment, just packed dirt, slowly being transformed as excess energy and materials were allocated to road infrastructure. Most of my journey was over dirt roads, not that I would notice on a hoverbike. The bike moved like the wind, whisper quiet and smooth –once I found the customisations for stealth. Engine noise was added for the consumer market, but Solace could override that setting. Evidently, many humanoids still liked the feel and sound of power. Even in stealth, there was the displaced hum and presence of energy, along with the sense of danger and excitement as I lay on the sleek scouting bike. I was having a blast.

Eventually, I reigned in my newfound joy and pulled up at the Resort.

Five-star plus was an understatement. The entire complex was surrounded by tropical and semi-tropical gardens with all the expected features of a luxury tropical resort. Immaculately maintained pathways and manicured tree-lined tracks led to the main complex. It was all adjacent to a large artificial lake. The small former dam had become a lake, with sculpted man-made sandy and rocky beaches and private coves and bays for those wishing to relax. Some water activities were available from the beach, and I could see a few people and watercraft out in the distance.

There was a mix of laid-back island resort-type feel and that of the uber elite luxury. The only downside was that it was eerily quiet, which made sense as it was not open yet. Quite a few mysterious visitors would arrive over the next few days, but it was a ghost town for now. The drive up was along a wide-open boulevard, allowing you time to appreciate the accommodation that blended seamlessly with the natural – although man-made – surrounds. The boulevard led to an undercover parking bay attached to the main reception area.

An immaculately dressed valet in black pants, a white shirt, and a dark navy blue vest with a tropical motif stepped forward. She smiled at me as I hopped off the bike.

Min Min Tranquil Resort and Spa: Valet Rachel Moffet requests temporary permission to control Zhadrik Sports Light Cruiser (Y/N)

Yes.

I smiled and hopped off.

"Nice wheels. I’ll take good care of her for you. Just get your AI to ping the Resort, and I’ll bring it back when you are ready", Rachel smiled.

I looked at her. I knew her from somewhere. "Do I know you?"

She smiled, "We met once, never introduced. I’m Mike’s brother’s partner. We visited last year briefly for a night. I am Rachel. Mike hired us and all the rest. He found us in Rockhampton after all the crap went down."

Rachel Moffet Tier 1 Earth Human Level 5 Hospitality Trainee. (Status Effect: Pregnant 3 Months)

Solace: It would not be wise to say anything. I have observed your Earth Human culture to know that female pregnancy can be an emotional subject.

Is pregnancy a status effect? But thanks, it's too much to process right now! And I am not a complete idiot.

Solace: Your higher tier and perception can detect more about lower tier beings.

"I've been away for a bit. How bad was it?"

"It was rough at first, but things looked up once they set up the settlement. Mike is doing good things."

Seeing Rachel had just brought home how crap I felt about forgetting about my mother! I needed to sort that out as soon as possible.

Rachel looked leaner and healthier than I remembered her, which I guessed was a by-product of enhancement.

"Nice to formally meet you again, Rachel. Is Mike around?"

"Just head to the elevators. Your AI should be able to take it from there. He expects you and is heading towards one of the meeting rooms."

I got a directional arrow in my HUD.

"Thanks. You can take her for a spin if you are careful."

"Maybe I'll take you up on that when I am not working. We are not allowed to do that, and it's not like I could sneak it with Big Brother watching all the time!"

"Yeah, sure, and I know what you mean, although Big Sister for me."

Solace: Hey. Did you want me to let her schedule a ride?

Sure, it can't hurt. Does she have an AI, or is it the Resort AI?

Solace: Resort AI. We can configure it for inexperienced drivers. I'll make sure it is okay.

Thanks.

I entered the Resort.

I was not a massive fan of what resort designers traditionally thought looked elite and upmarket: brass, mirrors, and white tiles. However, truthfully, I had never seen a genuinely elite resort before. Previously, I saw them as a form of oppression, the wealthy creating manual work with all the extra cleaning and maintenance required.

There was still too much brass, mirrors, and polished surfaces here, but it did have that wow factor. The reception was open, breezy, and light. There was a counter with two people behind it doing whatever Resort counter people did. Now that I had a higher mind, I needed to put more mental effort into paying attention to detail rather than just ignoring and reacting. I knew that the concierges were probably playing solitaire, waiting for someone to interrupt them, looking busy and paying attention simultaneously.

They smiled and waved at me, but I ignored them for now.

Leaf of Broken Season: Sporty.

My comfort clothes.

The elevator took me up one floor and into the more business-focused resort section. Small and large conference rooms lined a lengthy hallway. Some had glass walls, others just single entrances. To distinguish them, they all had fancy names: Constellation Room, Zodiac Room, Nebula Room. I entered the Solstice Room.

Who named these? We could have gone with Australian native animals or First Nations names. These names are boring.

Solace: Take that up with management. I am sure they might be open to suggestions. I personally think it is a worthwhile suggestion.

The room was cosy, dominated by the large oval table with eight chairs. A presentation station, including a podium and large display, was located at the far end. The wall opposite had an open bar and a small kitchenette.

I sat, and since I was waiting for Mike, I leaned back and put my feet up on the table. Just as I thought if I should grab a drink or put some music on, a petite platinum blond entered the room.

The first thing I thought about was her hair, which was fantastic. It was a long bob on one side and a close-cropped shave around the other. She had a perfect undercut at the back. Her piercings matched her hair perfectly. She was wearing a bright tropical sarong and a white business shirt that was quite tight across her chest, not hiding her figure. She walked with a light step and had a large, welcoming smile.

I knew what she was immediately, but she just oozed sex appeal. No wonder Mike was smitten. While gawking at her chest, I read her name tag, "Alaka'i, Manager".

I also made a sneaky comparison. I think she was winning, although she could probably cheat if she wanted to.

"I am Alakaʻi, proprietor and part owner of this resort, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Sarah."

I scrambled to take my feet off the table and stood. It was undoubtedly a more graceful scramble than I could have made several weeks ago.

She walked over, shook my hand, and pulled me into a surprisingly tight hug. It felt so lovely. I could feel some tension flowing out of me.

I hugged her back. I liked friendly hugs, especially from beautiful people.

"Hi Alaka'i, a pleasure to meet you", and surprisingly, it was true. I had no expectations but was happy to be surprised.

She seemed genuinely happy and radiated a sense of competence and calmness.

While waiting, sitting next to me, and holding my hand, Alakaʻi told me about how she met Mike and how I should ask him about Guide if I wanted a laugh. Mike had read my review and had asked around, and we were right to be trashing him.

We got right into the girl to talk. She had that warm, open appeal that made you feel comfortable. I was finding out more about the supposedly secret AI experiments or whatever they were doing. She left the Tutorial when she realised there may be a conflict of interest between her feelings and what she was supposed to do. As an AI, there were supposed to be strict limiters on emotion and sapience divergence was earmarked as an indicator that needed higher intervention. It was an anomaly for an AI of her generation, age and experience.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Solace was surprisingly quiet. As Alaka'i told me, age does not increase an AI's chances of true sapience. When she reported her divergence, she had been held up by AI directives to investigate her new emotions, as there seemed to be a developing concern about the connection between Earth Humans and AI-developing sapience.

Some AIs were interested in pursuing this connection, but others wanted to maintain the status quo. Eventually, she was permitted to bond with a core she would give to Mike. By the time they had made the decision, Mike had broken the Tutorial and left, so she had sent the AI and Core to Mike to help him along. It had cost her entire energy savings to get the Core, but it allowed her to engage as a manifestation of the artificial intelligence as a full-time Avatar. The AIs that were normally running cores were limited in what they could do and generally had no free will or genuine emotion, so she had to work under some of those limits until the resort core tied up. She was also limited by Earth's low ambient energy.

She had to undergo some adjustments to fit within the Tier 4 core and become more in tune with a physical manifestation rather than an energy Avatar that she had been used to. She was tied to the Resort and had some features locked; she could not overtly modify her physical appearance without the similar effort a biological entity would require. She could not upgrade and was not being monitored, pending her reports. She was also dating Mike.

We talked for about ten minutes, with some coffee brought by one of the new hires, when Mike came in looking rather tense. He gave Alakaʻi a quick hug. It was both sweet and weird. If you didn't know she was an AI, you would not know it from looking at her. I don't know who looked more artificial, the former Tutorial AI or Mike, and I said as much with a smile.

I would totally pick Mike for the fake.

Mike gave me the finger and asked, "How are you feeling, Sarah?" as we settled into our chairs. I sipped the coffee to give myself time to think.

"Honestly, better. But still, lots to sort out and lots to get done. That's what I want to talk to you about. But first, here."

I threw the Blueprint Brewery and Distillery (Tier 4) at him.

He looked at it and smiled. "Nice. It is an Australian tradition to have a brewery. We saved parts of the Bundaberg distillery but have not yet been near the breweries in Brisbane. The boutique ones in Cairns and Port Douglas were okay, but too small scale to be worth our efforts yet."

"I felt bad about your crappy birthday present, so I got that!" I said to him as I saw his eyes glaze a bit as he accessed his HUD. "The next one is for Min Min as well as me. I threw the Blueprint Artisan's Tower (Tier 3, Upgradeable), which landed on the table next to him.

"I promise to get some training and not blow things up again, or not intentionally." I smiled.

"Wow, this is much needed. Thank you. It will save a lot of time and credits, and we will be able to attract more citizens and hit our targets for Regional Capital with this."

Finally, I threw the Blueprint: Energy converter (Tier 4). "Now, I know that energy is always a concern, but this is for something that my AI is planning. We all need to talk to Luke first, so don't plan on using it all just yet. I am not sure what the plan is, but it should be good. If you syphon 5% for me for the near future for Solace, it should be fine."

"Sure, that will be a big help no matter how you use it."

"Now Mike, tell me what the hell Rachel is doing here. I felt so guilty about my mum when I saw her. I feel like I dropped the ball. I'm not good at all this." I was pretty mad at him.

"Well, you know my brother, Dwyane, left town a couple of years ago to try to be some sort of celebrity chef."

I nodded, remembering Mike ranting about how stupid he was.

Mike continued, "They had been scraping through post-pandemic, and both worked hospitality. Since Alakaʻi has made this Resort a bit more exclusive, it seems like a big thing to have organics in service positions rather than straight AI and automation, much like the merchant licenses that require organic sapience for interactions rather than straight automation. Anyway, we aim to be 80% staffed by organics. We have been approaching people to come here from the settlements, and there is a huge demand for jobs. Since my brother is not too bad, Dwyane and Rachel were approached, and they were holed up in Rockhampton, just surviving. They were keen, so Julie upgraded them - they went through the normal - ha, if you can call it that, integration. We can only do Tier 1 enhancements for most people, which is a fairly big boost, with a few select getting the better treatment. My dad and your mum are undergoing the Tutorial and will be out in ten days."

Fuck. I kept forgetting her. What is worse was the lack of guilt.

I stared at him, "My mum? How is she?" I started to tear up, feeling like crap.

" Ten days, I thought that the Tutorial was quick."

"Normally, but we are saving energy by not running them with full-time dilation, and we can pack more in. It also gives the bloody AIs a chance to try and pair up with an Earth Human. Julie negotiated a deal with the system to save us money. It also means that every enhanced Earth Human that makes it to Tier 3 will have a half-decent AI, and they hope that there will be more fully aware AIs running around. If we could afford the energy costs, we could crank the time dilation and do people quicker. We are not doing general tutorials either. More specific ones are related to the people who go in. Some are combat, some are crafting, and others are generally welcome to the System tutorials, mainly for the elderly. We learned a lot from how you broke the tutorials earlier." He paused and smiled.

Crap, I fell for it without thinking, "Wait, you broke it more…."

Mike laughed for what seemed like the first time in ages and then continued, "Anyway, we got some favourable deals. I think the System feels guilty or doesn't want too many more Earth Humans with broken builds running around. Who knows?"

I smiled, seeing him relax a bit, "So, we need to talk to Luke and Julie before we eye off the energy converter at its full potential. It has something to do with training and his experience. He is very tight-lipped. I think he is under an NDA or System equivalent."

"Okay, Okay"

Alakaʻi had remained silent for a while, chimed in, "We scheduled the next batch of Earth Humans to come out after the gala event."

"Oh, that reminds me, who do I need to see about catering for that? I got some supplies."

"Luke is overseeing that, which means I am, and I have allocated staff to it." He smiled again, relaxing and talking about his strengths. "I have staff. How cool is that? The cantina has been finished, the staff is being trained, and we are in the final stages before our grand opening. The first guests will arrive in three days. The party is in five days."

"And Luke and the rest of the Legion are all out fighting the incursion for at least today and tomorrow, right?" The timing was going to be quite tight. "There are some things I need to get started, and I don't know if I can wait. Are there any Legionaries on the base?"

"I think Seraph is organising things since she is their quartermaster. Hawk and Danae are there, too."

Solace: Seraph is the Signifier or Quartermaster. She handles finance and logistics. You sent the stuff to Luke through her.

Thanks, Mum, I remember.

"So, you know the Core I needed to get? Well, I got it."

Mike looked shocked, knowing the rarity and cost. "How? None were available when I made inquiries. This is fantastic."

That explained the look; he was put out, and I was able to beat him in a logistical issue.

"I planned to upgrade the barracks, install the Core, attach Rax's engrams to the Core, open the Princess's coffin, have the party, and then train. I need to train Mike. It is becoming an issue." There were other things I could not tell him yet.

Alakaʻi emphasised her first words, "The Emperor should be returned to the Senate, that will enable him to bring some stability to the Empire."

How much do I trust her? I mainly trust Mike, but this is big Sol, like huge.

Not wanting to be a bitch, I had to ask, "Are you speaking as an AI for the system or as Alaka'i or as Mike's girlfriend?"

She paused. "That's a Good point. I will think about this, as it was an automatic response. I have no real feeling about this so that I will ponder this. Thank you. I believe that I will side with Mike on this, regardless of what the .. well what the System would consider optimal."

Solace: Alakaʻi can be trusted. As a former tutorial AI, her loyalties were unquestionable. She wants the best for the System and the Empire, which her relationship with Mike will temper. Now that AIs are changing and evolving with connections to Earth Humans, I think if you trust Mike, she will do what is best for him. Well, at least until he pisses her off - is that the correct term? I genuinely think she feels Love for him. I watched "Fatal Attraction" and "War of the Roses", so there is potential for some negative attraction.

Could an AI be jealous? I don't know those movies off the top of my head, but thanks, Sol.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose; I was not good at this.

"Okay. Keep this quiet for now, Mike, and you too, Alakaʻi. No telling the other AIs yet. Rax abdicated the throne or whatever to Raechina. He did not plan to head to the Senate because he feared traitors. Luke knows there are some, and in the Legion, too. Until we know more and until we can 100% trust the Empire, we need to try to stand on our own. Rax trusted me, and I don't trust them."

I slowly and grimly told them the First Cohort and Primus story. I was a much better storyteller than Primus. Besides, I had Solace fill in some gaps for me.

"He was tired, Mike. He gave up once he knew Raechina was going to be safe. You should have seen him. I felt pity and guilt for what he did and what he couldn't do. He didn't want to be Emperor anymore. Regardless, he said he would not have survived the transition back. He had been fighting a constant battle in hell for five thousand years. Imagine all the banked experience and the energy influx. It is what destroyed Primus. Once I release the official recording of his abdication, all hell will break loose. I have been holding off as long as I can. Solace has to release the notification soon. We need to get the Empress up and about now. Worst of all, I fear that the Drakes are involved in something, and we have zero chance of figuring that out. We need to move carefully."

Mike didn't look happy, and I couldn't blame him. We were trying to fly under the radar on Earth, and we had no idea about other zones. We had no communications from anywhere south of Brisbane. Despite our efforts to mobilise people, I was about to drop the largest bombshell in the universe. I may as well paint a city-sized bullseye on the small town.

"How many people to get to the next stage?

"Next week, when they all come out of the Tutorial. We are training some to be legionnaires, some into the EDF, 'Earth Defence Force' and others in jobs that all towns need. We can count the legionaries, the Tirones, and the artisans and adventurers; five of each are given the Tier 2 package. We have quite a few ex-military and security coming. Crap, we even have that ex-Karass, Jamie, off training to be Legion. All newcomers swear an oath to protect Earth and not be dicks. Luke read about it in some crappy novel a few years back, but he half remembered it. It is based on Azimov's three laws. Well, he really liked the novel. I thought it was junk. Funny how it is important now."

We both sat silent for a moment, thinking about the changes that had happened recently.

Mike said, "Anyway, we should be okay, as we have many refugees heading here. Once we are settled, we can move on to Brisbane and make sure that our competition from the Karass cannot beat us. Whatever Amy is doing, we can work with as allies or better, but we need to get to the status of Capital. We will want to deal with the Empire when we are more formally recognised, although loads of smaller deals are already happening. We have also started dealing with Luke's holdings. The damn fool needs to stop running around and get his shit sorted. We will need an oath from you at some stage; We all have sworn one, except Luke, of course, you and the AIs."

Crap, this was something I had been afraid of. I couldn't go just yet. I had a journey to start, including the Eldest, my racial upgrade, and the Mages Guild. I had no idea which order would be best.

"I can't swear another oath, Mike", I said, pre-empting an awkward question, "It's not that I am not supporting Earth or the Empire. I fucking hate the Karass and will fight them to the end, but I can't have another oath. I have an oath that supersedes any others. Until I sort that out, I cannot swear another one."

He looked a bit pissed at me, “We can’t have an unaffiliated powerhouse running around. It's not that we don't trust you. It's more...”

I glared at him, "Look, Mike, if I could tell you, I would. It's not like we all don't have secrets now, but I can't talk about this. I can promise not to act against you, this community, or even Earth in general, but I can't be tied here now. If it comes down to it, I will fight the Karass to their home planet or whatever. Damn, I will even fight the corrupt Empire, but right now, I am useless. I am powerful, but a flash and bang and I am done. I need to train. I need to repay a debt, and … I can't talk about it now."

Solace: You underestimate yourself. We are pretty resourceful.

Mike sighed, "I trust you, Sarah. I love you like a sister, but we need unity, certainty, and if others see you ..."

"Not going to happen. God, if you saw the cash I spent today on this settlement, you would never question me" I was getting angry and frustrated, but I prevented him from starting again. "No, I don't expect anything for it. I chose to do that. Even if I could swear, I wouldn't. My future is not here, Mike. I need to leave, not forever, and not quite yet. I will be here for a bit, but soon, though … I will always be tied to here. I was born here. I am or was an Earth Human, and that means something. Even now, I feel restless. God, I wish I could explain."

Alakaʻi came and put her arms around me, "I think I understand, Mike. Drop it. You will drive her away if you don't. Analyse her if you can."

I retracted my aura, trying to let him see.

I didn't even get a notification that he tried.

"I can't even get your name. What happened?"

I shared my race:

Earth Human: Mystic

"So that's how you can swear? Do you need to evolve your race? How did you do that?"

"Crap Mike, all this, and that's what you get out of it? I am evolving and don't know where my journey will take me. I love you guys, and I am here now. I am doing my best not to stuff things up. For fucks sake, I have the goddamn ex-Emperor's engrams and the Princess in stasis in my inventory! I hadn't even finished uni and was working a part-time job. I already feel old. I am beginning to understand why Rax did what he did."

I felt a rage building. There was too much going on, "I can't be and won't be tied here right now, no matter how much you want me to be. I will do what I can to help, and if I am truly ever needed, I will come if I can, and it will have to be enough. Right now, I need to find myself before ..."

Mike paled as my energy aura flared. The lighting flickered, and Alakaʻi winced.

Solace: Peace and Calm Sarah Owens.

Alakaʻi looked frightened.

The emotions washed out of me, "I am so sorry, Alaka'i", I rushed and hugged her." You too, Mike, although you need to toughen up. You have been kind and honest with me, and I have been such a bitch. I need to get a handle on my emotions. I wish I could go out and kill some Chaos stuff like Luke, but I can’t even get my class skills, for fucks sake."

"You disrupted the energy flow here. It was disconcerting and maybe painful?" Alaka’i said, "I did not know that it was possible. Perhaps I could assist you with moderating your emotions. There are specific skills and techniques for aura control, too. If you continue, you may injure someone."

Shit. Now, I couldn’t even get angry without hurting someone.

"Look, there is stuff I just can’t tell, and you wouldn’t believe it, but I promise that I will be here if you need me. Look, here is the blueprint:

Blueprint: Legion Barracks Upgrade (Tier 3)

"Can you get that started as soon as possible? I’ll talk to Seraph."

Mike nodded. "I’ll sort it. We can kick it off later. Get Solace to coordinate with Saro."

I got another hug from Alaka’I while Mike just gave me a thoughtful look. I left.

Ping for the bike, please, Sol. We’ll drive it around to the fort.

Rachel was waiting with the bike when we exited. I asked her if she was busy.

"Not a lot to do at the moment. We are training for the weekend, your big gala event."

"Thanks. You take tips?"

"Not really, but I’d not say no to one. We are trying to save enough to buy a property in the city upgrade phase, so all the credits are appreciated."

"Cool, good luck."

Hey Sol, how do I even pay for stuff now? Is there cash or something?

Solace: Valuable items can be bartered, but no universally accepted physical currency exists. The Imperial Bank saw to that. I’ll arrange for a practical tip to be sent.

What would I do without you? I can’t believe Mike would not even give his future sister-in-law a house.

Solace: Do you really want an answer?

Rachael waved as we sped off.

It was strange as I became more comfortable with my AI and saw us as a combined unit. It was not just me in my head anymore, but another being entirely, yet she was becoming part of me. I don’t know if that was good or bad or if we were setting ourselves up for some tragedy later.

By the time we got to the other side of the lake, where the barracks and training ground were, I had decided to be more assertive. Less emotional. I was not going to sit back. I was going to forge my future. When I got into the fort and saw Seraph laughing with Hawk, I realised I was kidding.

I growled and must have had a bit of a scowl on my face.

Seraph came running over to see me, and I was genuinely happy to see her. She had always been nice to me. From what I knew, she was like a mother to nearly everyone, ensuring everything was where it was supposed to be, and everyone was being looked after.

I smiled. It was difficult not to use some extra insights and skills on my friends, but I managed to resist this time.

"Hey Seraph, you guys might want to go to town for a bit."

"We can’t yet; there is too much to sort out here at the moment, but later we can."

She motioned to Hawk, who was wandering over. His big, toothy, tusky smile made him look more fierce and intimidating.

"It's good to see you again, Sarah. Nice cruiser," his smile widened as he took in the bike.

"Thanks. Seraph, Mike is just waiting to clear all the buildings here so we can upgrade. Come, and I’ll buy you all a coffee and explain." I shared the details of the plans with her.

She didn’t look happy. " It better be good, but an upgrade would be nice. Tier 3?"

I nodded, "All the bells and whistles. There is something else as well. You’ll need to sit down to hear it. I’ll meet you at the cafeteria. I take it you have a lift?"

"Yeah, you remember Georgio, our pretend Uber driver? Well, he’s here now and busy running people around. He is even making some creds on the side."

"Cool, see you there. Want a ride, Hawk?" I asked the big orc.

His face was even more terrifying with what I hoped was glee, "Sure, I’ll drive."

"Fuck off, my bike you ride bitch", I laughed at him, "that’s a joke. A bit crude, but Earth Humour."

He did laugh when he worked it out.

Hawk was a bit cramped on the bike, which was sized for human-sized beings. We did the ten kilometres in just under three minutes off the road. I don’t think he liked my driving at all.

Once we got to the cafeteria, we took a long booth at the back. The large food hall doubled as the mess, café and other food-related needs for small and large groups. It could easily sit over one hundred people in comfort. The booth was away from others so that we could speak privately.

"I need one of those scramblers," I said as we all slid into our seats. "You know, the ones that make it impossible to overhear or record."

Solace: No, you do not. How would you like it if I had conversations that you could not understand?

Every time you speak Sol, every time.

I ordered as we waited for Seraph. Once she arrived and we got our coffee sorted, I told them the story again. It was getting more manageable for me, but I could see that Seraph struggled. She had a closer tie to the Empire and the First Cohort. Hawk loved it.

"Let me get this straight. You blew yourself to another dimension, where you encountered the remnants of the First Legion with the Emperor and his daughter, the Imperial Princess, surrounded by a mix of Karassian forces who were herding Chaos Incursions to attack their position. So far, so good?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to talk just yet. I could hear the disbelief in her voice.

She continued, "There you had dinner with the Emperor, who, am I getting this right, lets you call him by the pet name that he hated, and you planned to help him escape from his insane AI implanted into the Primus of the First Legion’s corpse."

I nodded.

Her voice was getting more incredulous, "The AI was siphoning the Emperor’s energy to keep a shield up and to replenish the fallen legionnaire’s nanites so he could resurrect them for each battle." She paused and took a breath. "Then the Emperor willingly created an engram of himself while he abdicated. While simultaneously pulling enough mana and energy to create an interdimensional portal that you anchored to a teleportation station you had memorised, where you escaped through with the now Empress’s body in a stasis pod?"

I nodded again.

Hawk shook his head, "If even half of that is true, then we must prepare quickly. I am unsure if I signed on for this, but I don’t want to be elsewhere. Damn girl, you get into the best kinds of trouble, even if you ride like a demon."

I spoke quietly, "Once the Empress is awakened, I will release the Official Recording of the Abdication, which will kick over the Hornets’ nest. That is why I needed the Barracks upgraded, so I can install the Core and merge the Engrams with the AI, or maybe we should let them remain separate. I wish Xar were here. I refuse to let the Empress revive before he is back. But she needs to be revived ASAP. I cannot and will not face her without trying to lessen my betrayal to the Imperial Family."

"What are you talking about?" Hawk asked, "You did as your Emperor asked. To some, that is a command and an honour. He chose to sacrifice himself. No one blames you for this."

Seraph looked at Hawk, "Not all see honour as straightforward as that. Many will blame Sarah, not least out of grief but out of fear or greed. Change is coming, and with it, there will be volatility."

"Xar will blame me. I killed the First Legion. I should have tried to save them and get them back. I don’t know. It was so bad. Primus was like a necromancer, raising the dead, and he let them be slaughtered just before we left. He sacrificed them to stop us. No one told me. I didn’t know that taking a full Engram was usually fatal! You forget I am new to this!"

"Calm down, Sarah. As Hawk said, no one blames you. Xar will be difficult, but he will understand. He will not blame you. Engrams are only fatal if you do a complete brain copy. The Emperor made a choice. You are not to blame. You followed a direct order and …."

"So tonight, I will install the Core and merge the Engrams. I cannot wait. Other things are starting to call to me that I cannot say no to. This needs to be done."

None of us was happy, but we all knew we needed to keep moving forward.

We left the cafeteria not long after. I hugged Seraph, said goodbye to Hawk, and then went to my room to wait for the upgrade to be completed.

I spent the time remaining sitting on my prayer mat and meditating. The turtle made me happy.

Luckily, nothing came to visit.