My mind faded in and out as I slept. I felt surprisingly warm but metallic hands grip me and carry me out of the pod. A gentle sponge-like bath given before being placed in a soft bed once cleaned.
When I fully woke I rose slowly, using what little strength I could muster. What my mind had thought of as a dream turning out to be true as I woke up in a large king-sized bed with white fabric over the mattress. The mattress felt like a mix between a large memory foam mattress and a water bed made out of silk by the way it felt. Over my body was huge and thick blanket like a black duvet with a logo over its middle.
The logo was a large circle with six triangles with their points pointed towards the circle while the flat parts created a hexagon in the centre. The circle and triangles were white with the hexagon being a bright red.
Thinking back I thought that the hexagon would represent the empire while the six triangles made up those pillar species that ruled it. The circle signifying the unity of those six creating something bigger than themselves. I shook my head and tried to centre my scattered mind. Thinking was hard, thoughts coming and going like a swarm of flies trying to land on a single spot only big enough for a single fly to stay on.
„I see you are awake, commander.“ M47-1C3 said in a calm and imperious tone. He looked more relaxed now, clothed too. He was dressed in what I could only describe as a futuristic combination naval service and dress uniform however his upper coat reached down to mid-thigh. He looked crisp, clean and very officer-like.
„You carried me here?“ I asked, now just a tad calmer but no less angry at the abductor.
„I did. I didn‘t take into account the state your body woke up in. Deprived of nutrients after the change along with nearly no physical energy. I‘m surprised you could stand let alone attack me in that state.“ He stood at the foot of the bed and stated me down, mulling something over in his head.
„What?“ I asked, noting the look he was giving me. It looked so much like the look others gave me when they wanted to ask a question one might consider rude to ask. Which was still bizarre to see on his horrific face.
„What is your name?“ He asked, ever so slightly narrowing his eyes.
I snorted and was about to say my name but the only one that came to mind was Zathris T‘zanith. I looked back and found many of my memories were blended together and jumbled but some of my human life‘s key moments were gone. I knew I had been somewhere or done something but I had no memory safe the knowledge I should.
I placed my face into my hands felt tears come to my eyes. I hadn‘t cried in years, not since the grenade accident but now I was grieving. Grieving for the person I had been because whatever M47-1C3 had done it had killed the woman I had been. Hell, I was effectively a completely new person now, being really. With my species being changed and mind so thoroughly scrambled as it had been.
The artificial actually showed some heart as he let me grieve in peace for a while. “Zathris T‘zanith.“ I then muttered bitterly at him, he seemed to brighten a little.
„Hmm so it seems the there is a melding of both going on within you.“ He said before looking at me closer. „What is the last memory you have of Zathris‘s life?“ He then asked.
„Stepping onto the bridge of the Overlord for the first time as it‘s captain.“ I replied even without thinking.
He didn‘t seem to take it all that well. „Just stepping onto the bridge for the first time?“ He asked with disbelief before seeing me nod, then he cursed. „Damn it, so you are effectively like Zathirs at the first day of actually being a force commander. Not as I had hoped the Zathris who became a force admiral and lead a large part of the empires fleet after decades of service and experience.“ He sounded rather angry the more he went on.
„Hey, you kidnapped me!“ I growled at him.
He stood up abruptly his hand on his left hip resting above the pistol from his left hip. On his right was something akin to a lightsaber hilt but it had this half ellipses shape on the bottom end with a line cut into it, like it would open when activated. „I guess I‘ll just have to recreate you through collecting your eggs and seed.“ He sighed as he reached down for his pistol.
Realizing he was about to shot me I tried to get up but my body felt so sluggish that I barely got to my knees on the bed. Without realizing why I reached out my hand towards his pistol. Not knowing what came over me I focused on tugging it to me but nothing happened.
I tried again, focusing all of my will on it and still, nothing happened but M47-1C3 had stopped in his tracks staring down at his belt. He was staring down to his right side where the cylinder was just so slightly tugged towards me before I felt too weak to even try to use my mind for anything as I collapsed on top of the bed.
„This... changes things.“ He sounded both delighted and annoyed as his expression turned sour. „I‘ll have to recalculate this new variable and get to the bottom of other questions this raises.“ He said as he stopped pulling out his pistol and turned towards the door.
I still lay on the bed another sudden wave of exhaustion coming over me and forcing my eyes to grow so heavy. While watching his back heading towards the door frame on the far wall I suddenly thought through his name and suddenly had to know.
„Hey. Wait.“ I croaked out feeling that soon my throat would be very dry if I didn‘t get water soon. „Tell me something.“
He paused right before reaching the door frame and looked at me impassively.
„Why Malice?“ I asked him and he looked surprised before a wide grin came to his lips. However, I didn‘t get to hear his reply as my consciousness faded right then and there and my eyes closed. The last thing I saw once more was just his lips moving as he answered but the words didn‘t register. Then once more my world went black.
When I woke up once more I had been tugged into bed again though this time I noticed an iv drip like pole next to the bed. A tube connected to my arm going up to the water cooler tank shaped part at the top. My mouth felt like I had eaten wheat raw, all dried out and feeling thick for some reason. My body had more energy and strength now than it did before though still, it felt like I was moving underwater.
I looked around some more and noticed two things. First I was wearing a comfortable set of pyjamas so I thought perhaps M47-1C3 or as I‘d noticed was spelled in leet speak as Lukas was so fond of using, Malice might have some decency.
The second was a uniform similar to to the one Malice had worn placed on a chair next to my bed. Next to the chair was a nightstand which had a small button on it and a holographic... no volumetric display with words above it. It said quite simply, press this once your awake, dressed and strong enough to function for more than an hour.
I sighed and let my head fall onto the bed almost rasberrying my lips. The sheer terror I had felt was gone for some odd reason and I felt a surge of something like excitement along with frustration rising up in me.
„Yubb, I‘ve gone absolutely bananas.“ I sighed as I let my body just sink into the gloriously soft and relaxing mattress under me. I rested for a while more as I got my mind a little under control. What had I done before I passed out? Had I used telekinesis? The force? I giggled at that thought but soon closed my eyes and let my mind wander in a rare moment of calm.
Half an hour later I felt strong enough to rise and don the uniform laid out to me. It fit surprisingly well with pants that were tight but functional, boots up to my mid-calf and an undershirt that was slightly large and came bellow my groin area which I was a little glad for. The slight bulge like outline on the pants was enough of a mindfuck as it was. Then came a coat like those old school Australian naval captain coats only black and futuristic.
Metal half-circle tubes ran along my shoulders but stopping right before the joint allowing for full range of motion from my arms. The long coat came down to my mid-calf but only down the back leaving the front fully exposed and allowed for running and I suspected a better sort of range of motion. Running up the chest were two rows of red buttons allowing me to close the coat on either side which I did on the right.
It was all in black with a red line running up the sides of the pants, the rim of the boots and coat, the buttons and cuffs of the coat as well as ringing the small bit that extended up from the base of my neck and came up around half the way to the base of my skull. It all felt rather good for some reason, like getting into your favourite clothes after a long time.
It appealed to both sides that had melded into one, military types both. A uniform and a purpose to go with it. Though truth be told I had my doubts about the purposes Malice had eluded to.
I didn‘t know if I had it in me to be some galactic conqueror or empress. It sounded like it might be fun but in that way you fantasies about high positions without really knowing the work or stress associated with said position.
With that sobering thought, I looked around the room properly for the first time. It was maybe six meters wide and eight long. Though I did note there were two-door frames one facing the foot of the bed with the other on the left wall. Deciding to investigate it first I found a nice bathroom with a walk-in shower perhaps half as big as the room I had woke up in the room‘s entirety.
Looking at my reflection on the mirror in the bathroom I once again saw how alien yet familiar I had become. I swallowed as I stared at my reflection.
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My face was all angular lines and predatory features but subtly hidden in an imperious type of natural gaze that came to my eyes now. I wondered if Malice hadn‘t hard-wired in some natural instincts to movement or the like when he utterly remade me. The thought of which made me feel the bitter resentment I had for the artificial.
Then letting out a deep breath I rested my forehead against the mirror and closed my eyes a little. What‘s done is done after all. There was no use crying over what I had just lost, I was about as far from home now as conceivably possible while still being in the same solar system as well. A ludicrous concept that boggled my mind but I now found I‘d have to accept.
I could never go back home now, changed as I was. I only looked vaguely human and that was at a distance. I could never live in human society and as much as I wished to be turned back I knew that wasn‘t possible. I was irreparably changed on almost all fundamental levels of my being.
I‘d have to just do as my drill instructor had said. „Man up and take the pain, come out the other side.“
I would have to step up and make the best of my new existence, insanity driven hallucination that it seemed to be, or risk what little I had left. I opened my eyes and stared into my own eyes staring back. The almost draconic reptilian golden eyes hiding something of a current underneath a potential I‘d need to tap if I was to survive.
That was all I had to do now, survive. „Adapt, overcome, overcome... and thrive.“ I said to myself as I rose back from my lean against the mirror and headed out of the bathroom and then my bedroom as well through the other door. What greeted me there was a tastefully done sitting room with a screen on one side with a sofa and three chairs arranged around a sitting table that looked to serve as a hidden bar as well. On the other side was a space that looked like the perfect blend of a kitchen and dining area, all of the furniture was a sleek futuristic type that blended form and function rather well.
The walls were a soft blue that almost looked to have the softest of ripples through water move along it, much like my bedroom's walls were. Then I noticed it was something akin to pixilated paint that actually made the walls something of a wallpaper once I reached the door out of the room as it had a screen to select a few selections that, what I suspected as screen paint, the walls could display.
Once I left the room I saw a hallway that I came out of the side of, looking left to see the long hallway move one while at the right it ended in what looked like twin elevator tubes. In front of me was what I‘d suspect was the second in commands quarters with officers quarters going down the hallway. Something I found out was the third of four floors to the craft. The fourth and topmost one was labelled as the bridge in an unfamiliar language that I suspected I could read and speak due to the memories imprinted into me.
The floor I was on now was labelled crew quarters and mess hall. There was even a little map that showed the door ahead of my room was in fact the first officers quarters with the second officers room being just next to it with the quartermasters quarters being next to my own. Then six smaller quarters for the other officers of the crew with an additional twenty same sized but double bunked rooms for general crew then sanitary blocks for general crew ending in a mess hall able to seat ten individuals at one time. I suspected that was for the work shifts when running the ship in day to day operations with the day and night shifts respectively.
The second floor looked to house the armoury, a small exercise area, engineering, the medical bay, a small storage area along with a conference room able to house twelve people at one time. The first and last floor was designated for only three things, a hangar able to house two fighters and a shuttle, cargo space as well as a small engineering bay for work on any machinery and such equipment needed repairs or maintenance.
What really baffled me was that there came all of a sudden a slight ding as if I had selected a destination as the door closed on the elevator. The bridge lit up and I felt a small jolt to my legs as it shot up in a blink and the door opened again. Cautiously I stepped out and noted that the elevator opened onto a security checkpoint which currently was unmanned. Once leaving that checkpoint I came upon the bridge. It reminded me a little of the star destroyer bridges that I had seen in the star wars movies but it had key differences which made it seem all its own design.
Instead of the work station lowered into the floor with a bridge going down the middle the bridge as it was stopped in the centre of it. Allowing the lower workstations to form a U shape around the elevated walkway. It all formed a triangle with a line going from the flat bottom of it up to the centre of the inner shape, with the lower workstations being what was inside said triangle. At the very edge and middle, I could see that there weren‘t lower workstations there but a flat circle of some black glass or other material. Something I noted was in fact a volumetric display as it threw up a hologram which could be viewed with ease if one stood in the elevated centre of the triangle the bridge formed. The captain's space I presumed.
Standing at that part of the bridge was Malice, dressed in his officers uniform and looking at the hologram displaying the solar system with surprising detail. Oddly enough what I noticed when I had to walk such a longer distance than just a few steps was that my gait had changed and I felt awkward using limbs I wasn‘t used to, both size and lengthwise.
„You will need some physical therapy to get used to your new body I‘ll imagine.“ Malice said as I was three or so steps from stepping up next to him.
„You think?“ I almost derisively snorted but stopped myself in expressing, instead opting for the tone of a displeased captain. „Well, as I don‘t have a choice much in the mater I will work with you, Malice.“ I then said shaking my head and then turning to look at him.
He was standing stock-still, his hands behind his back and staring at me intently. It felt a little uncomfortable as it dragged on in a heavy silence before he abruptly spoke. „Yes, I suspect we‘ll have to use the meagre stores we have of supplies to facilitate your recovery and acclimation to your new physique. I think we will have about a month before we‘d have to make our way towards civilized space to obtain more supplies for you.“
I stared at him a little and then decided to take my resolve and act on it. „I doubt that only focusing on my recovery will be very productive in the long run. What is the class and capability of this ship, perhaps we could work on other things as well while I go through my therapy?“ I asked and I saw a surprised but thoughtful smile come upon the artificial next to me.
With a little wave towards the display, I saw the hologram change to show the ship from the outside. The ship was in the shape of a dagger with a forked point at the end, which incidentally housed twin the torpedo launchers that were a part of the ship's armament. The ships overall look reminded me a little of the modified Corvus in that one battlefront game.
Only the ship had two large guns on either side which had two barrels and could swivel to almost shoot right at the back of the ship with another set on the bottom of the ship as well. The bottom had a total of three such guns, with each being close to the points of the narrow triangle the ship made if looked down upon.
With six point defence guns running down the length of the ship both above and bellow making it a total of twelve rounding out the last armaments the ship had.
„This class of vessel is unnamed as of yet. It‘ll be under your purview to name the classes of ships schematics I have in my databanks but this particular vessel we are in now will be the one and only of it‘s kind. Simply due to the secrets to its construction as well as the rarity of some of the materials being lost or of serious concern.“ He said first before he seemed to tap at the hologram to make it show a more schematic like view of the ship.
„This ship has the distinct capability to „eat“ raw materials to improve itself, depending on the resources reclaimed. As it stands now it is a corvette. This ship is designated by the classification of command ship so despite any extra specializations or abilities this ship might grow to take on it will always be first and foremost the command ship. Your flagship and the seat of your power as you reforge the empire anew. It already comes equipped with five heavy plasma cannons, twelve light plasma cannons as well as a pair of missile tubes.“ He said as he pointed out the weapons and coasted over the confused look I gave him over what he‘d said about the ship as a whole.
„This ship... eats ships?“ I asked with more than a little disbelief in my voice.
„Effectively yes.“ Malice replied before begrudgingly elaborating for me. „It will take time to do so as this ship has a nanite composite frame along with a few other choice systems that will allow it to break down other ships for resources. The conversion rate is rather poor however but what you need to know is simply this. This ship can grow and change according to what you want it to ultimately become if you feed it the resources it needs to do so. This „eating“ of other vessels will also allow for repairs to become automated and almost organic though much slower a process than what would be done if done manually. Of course, the trade-off for the very slow repair rate is the fact it can be done on the move if enough resources are stored within the ship to allow for said repairs.“ He then said and blew my mind with the implications.
„So this is effectively like a player base in a game that I can modify and mould to what tasks I wish it to perform while also being mobile?“ I asked a little incredulously.
„Essentially yes. If you step into the volumetric projector you will be able to view the statistics of this ship as well as your own. This is due to a sort of I guess video gamy display for you to see your own growth and even abilities you might not realize you had access to. Of course to access this hidden knowledge of this dimension the specific tech or special places to be accessed to even view so do not expect to get any notifications of skill ups or level up or the like as I notated happening in some of your human literature genres.” Malice said with a slight frown at the end.
Then he seemed to grow a little thoughtful and looked at me. „Commander, could you step onto the volumetric projector to allow me to see how well the changes have taken to you as well as show me your current...“ He seemed to grimace as he paused, most likely hating to say the next words. „Character sheet. For lack of a better term in your understanding.“
I could feel how much it pained him to say it from where I stood. „What is it usually called?“ I asked curiously.
„It is called classification verification or at least that was the term in the empire.“ Malice answered almost immediately.
„Then let‘s just call it that. Given that I think you said you accessed the whole of the internet back on earth I suspect you can use some of our pop culture and the like to explain things to me if you think I won‘t understand the... I can‘t believe I‘m saying this... Native terminology might go over my head.“ I said as I grimaced myself a little seeing the dilemma I was in. As much of the knowledge I had garnered from the second set was simply the basics of what my new position needed to know and not any of the terminologies for different things of day to day life or even general knowledge of this new galaxy I found myself in. Either that or the melding of two sets of memories deleted some choice bits just to spite me.
„Yes... thank you for that commander.“ He said bowing his head a little towards me. „Now if you please, step onto the projector and we shall see the full verification of both you and the ship.“ He said gesturing towards the black circle just a step down from the platform we now stood on.
Breathing in and out I began to take a step, feeling oddly nervous as I took my first step onto the display. And nothing happened.
„Ah right, you must first name the ship and it‘s class to bind it to you. That will fully unlock the ship's capabilities.“ Malice then said and I gave him a little glare before pondering it properly. I stood there for long moments thinking through it all before thinking of this new life I had been thrust into without any say in the matter.
Then I thought of what this ship symbolized and what it should mean to me in my new role in this coming storm. I took a deep breath and spoke the words to bind this ship to me, taking the plunge.