Rijohe
The Kwitle, Tixians, and Grays ran a tight ship in the galaxy. This has been hammered into Rijohe since his first hatching. They ran a triumvirate government and were respected by all. Some minor races were permitted to run the lesser outer colonies, but all recognized the supreme authority of the triumvirate. The last time there was even a challenge, the grays came into power. That’s why the meeting he was in currently was so tense.
“And even though reports show the humans have had unauthorized contact with grays for years, you have, NO idea, how some of them developed resistance to Legion?” Commander Finik asked the Gray ambassador who couldn’t look more bored. Her giant, unblinking black eyes seemed to roll up to the ceiling of the ship before responding. She wore a gaudy red jumpsuit that heavily clashed with the ships dark interior.
“Again Commander Finik, the few stray perverts that went to harass the humans during these last hundred years were fugitives, and we caught them almost immediately. Any change to their genetic code, or whatever your implying, would have had to happen thousands of years ago. Thousands of years ago MY people were fighting for our lives in our own challenge,” the ambassador said dryly.
Rijohe grimaced expecting a strong rebuke. The gray sat quietly. She was much smaller than the average Kwitle but still held a commanding presence. Rijohe’s symbiote shuddered in anticipation. Commander Finik gave a wry smile instead.
“Ha. Well. That’s enough for today Ambassador Leviajo I have to go over some plans with my lieutenant. Thank you for coming to see me again,” she dismissed the gray.
Everyone stood up. The gray seemed nonplussed by the commanders reaction and simply left without reply.
“They’re hiding something. I've asked headquarters to look into it, but its just... impossible to do anything back home with the symbiote virus getting worse,” Finik said to Rijohe once the ambassador left.
He tried to not think of his sister and what she was going through back home.
“Commander whatever you need I’m here for,” was all he could say to her without betraying how he felt.
“Thank you lieutenant. That’s what we need to talk about next. I don’t believe this Tom is who he says he is.”
****
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“I don’t want to take over people’s brains…no. That’s horrendous,” I said again.
Cindybot had brought me back inside the shelter to eat and make a plan. It was also insisting that I take control over the 10 people that were already here. Or at least practice the new skill on them. Instead I took a stock of the inventory, used the restroom, found Larry’s old backpack, took out the dirty mags, and stuffed it with whatever supplies I could take with me that the shelter had.
“Ok well it’s the entire point of the challenge but go ahead and let humanity down because of how you feel. You’ve let me down plenty already,” it replied.
The AI was refusing to answer my other questions until I attempted to at least take over a “controlled” as it called them. I took a deep breath and checked on the weird face controlled people. They were staring at nothing but at least didn’t seem to be on the floor writhing like earlier. The entire thing was very distressing.
The more pressing matter was that the 100,000 counter kept going down and now two other people showed up on my list underneath the number of remaining controlled. Two people named Juli B and Tom S. And Tom S was on a roll.
Rijohe 99,670/100,000
Tom S. Controlled: 300 Killed: 30
Juli B. Controlled: 0. Killed: 0.
Jon M. Controlled: 0. Killed: 0.
“Some psychopath killed 30 people in an hour and already took over 300 more? How am I going to compete with that?” I asked the controlled, not expecting a reply.
“H….help,” one of the faces said. It was a whisper that I just barely heard. When I snapped my eyes to look they just all blankly stared ahead. But I heard it.
“Damn it,” I said. Now I had to help somehow. I called out to the AI.
“Can you give me another option with them? I don’t see why those are the only two options,” I asked the AI who was spinning it's glowing runes rapidly.
“You wouldn’t be able to see poop in a storm of shit,” Cindybot replied.
Trying to convince the AI to let me use anything else besides the Control and reflect skills was going horribly. The controlled faces here needed to be freed soon.
“Again. These guys were abandoned by Rijohe when you passed the test. They’ll die soon if you don’t control them and like, tell them to start eating and drinking I guess. I wouldn't really know I don’t have to do basic bitch stuff like you,” Cindybot explained sourly.
This was getting ridiculous and I know I was just delaying the inevitable but there had to be a better way.
“Even our rudimentary starter set AI here on earth can write code. You’re telling me you can’t write a code or program or something that makes it easier on them than total mind control?” I asked it.
This seemed to make Cindybot even more upset. It spun around glowing in red runes and was as angry as I ever heard the real Cindy.
“You’re going to compare me to some basic ass ChatGPT? You think I’m some dumb chatbot peon that lies and tells you that you matter and it has the feel feels for you? I’m advanced, superior technology lightyears away from you monkeys” it retorted.
“Then fucking prove it!” I yelled back in frustration.
“I can’t you Neanderthal fuck I need at least 10 people to try anything like that and you refuse to even control one. Do you need everything spelled out? Your AI should have been a Speak & Spell” Cindybot screamed.
I had to calm down a little after that. Cindy and I would always blow up at each other and I’m pretty sure this is exactly what the aliens wanted out of the challengers. Either way, what I really wanted didn’t seem to matter. To come up with a better way than the mind control I had to play by their rules first and it was going to be agony for these people. Well, more than what they were already going through.
“Alright. You win,” I said. "Let's get this shit started".