Chapter Thirty-Six

[Rel PoV]

“You don’t think she’s being too nice to Suisuni?” Jysel asked me as we made our way through his hideout. “I sympathize with him too, of course, but—”

I shook my head. “Elara is doing her best to help heal those broken by our society. I don’t think we can—or should—ask her to stop trying. Not when it’s one of her unique traits that drew us to her.

“What we can do, is monitor Suisuni’s behavior and make certain he doesn’t betray us. We can enlist Elara’s ship to help us on that front, I think.”

Jysel crossed his arms loosely over his stomach. “…you think we can evacuate this system in time?”

“Several of the outer moons have already been evacuated successfully,” I offered. “I checked on our way to Lynir’s. We should have time. What happens to the Creshians is the current question. They still haven’t struck up an agreement yet with anyone.”

“Tch, I don’t think she’s going to be happy when she realizes this ‘planet’ isn’t staying,” Jysel muttered.

“Yes…but how much of the life in this system is this nursery responsible for?” I rubbed my chin, thinking back to the early days of the empire. “Much of the flora and fauna was uncategorized, and we never looked deeply into the geological history of neighboring planets. For all we know, there may not have been life in this system until Elara and her ship were brought to it.”

“You think life may have been imported to sustain the nursery?” Jysel slumped. “I’d like to say it’d surprise me…”

“Another theory of mine is that Creshe and its powerful ‘guest’ exerted enough influence to change the system,” I answered with a chuckle. “But, it wouldn’t account for the rapid evolution of life.”

[You are bound!] The ship sang cheerfully the moment we stepped into the cavern. [My queen has blessed you! Oh, I am so happy. We will have to hold a celebration when we are free of my nursery!]

I couldn’t help but smile upon hearing the ship’s jubilation. “We came in hopes of continuing preparations. Plans to free us all from this place are underway now, and Elara has a task for us.”

[A task for us? Please, tell us!]

As the ship transported us aboard, I proceeded to explain the events of the past day in-depth to the ship. How we came to be bound, my mother’s plans, Elara’s true response, Suisuni—everything.

[A home for music? There are several such places built for this purpose within the palace and without. We are more concerned about the clan’s neurochips. We wish to replace everyone’s augments with those of our clan. They are safer. They are more secure.]

“My clan may not be as large as one run by a queen, but it is still many people…” I hesitated.

[We believe replacement parts are necessary for survival. Identified numerous potential breaches in Syldra-made neurochips. Threat Level: High. Reason: Intentional pathways left in design.]

Intentional? I frowned. Then…

…we were right. We can’t trust technology from Syldra. Citomy likely arranged something. Jysel scowled, his gaze flickering with fierceness I hadn’t seen from him in a long time. “May we see the technologies that were created for Elara’s clan?”

[Only once your parts have been replaced.] Vibrant holograms lit in an arc, following a path that led out into the water-filled city, curving toward an elegant complex of buildings. [This path will take you to where they may be replaced. The process is automated.]

We exchanged uneasy glances. While it was tempting to free ourselves from Syldra-made components, we knew so little of the ship or the technology’s makers.

“May we inspect the neurochips first?”

“We’re concerned that the Celestial Houses may be able to detect if something is wrong.”

[No. I will not risk theft. The current level of Syldran technology is unknown. I am to remain cautious. You may not board me again until you have upgraded. What is your decision?]

“…I’ll do it.” Jysel started walking, then passed through the barrier and began to swim. Wait until I’ve finished. If something goes wrong…

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

You imbecile. I am not letting you go alone. I followed close behind.

[Once you have upgraded, I will help with your arrangements to upgrade your clan members. Recommendation: Upgrade the court first. Then, find a reason to have every member undergo medical evaluation.]

“What of Elara?” I asked. “And communication? If security is your concern, the applications we use on Syldra…”

[She will be the first upgrade when you return, of course. I have her neurochip waiting in her chambers.]

The complex the ship guided us to, they explained, was built to be an extensive care and research center for the city, thus its centralized location. Be it for physical ailments, mental ones, aetheric—or simply a place to seek counseling—there was multiple buildings for it. Our destination was the tallest, longest of the buildings, but when we entered the lift within, it levitated us downward instead of up.

The domed hallways took us past dozens of rooms meant for research and experimentation, holding equipment built with designs I’d never seen. Vaguely, some appeared reminiscent of what we used in constructing larger cybernetic components, but beyond that I was outside my element.

Finally, the ship guided us to a room that was fully powered up. A lanky, tentacled construct awaited us within. Rather than the sheen of skin, it was coated in a flexible metal alloy, textured for gripping. Its core was shrouded by a long coat, and its squid-like head rose from the collar. Rather than a face, it had a screen scrolling with Syldran text, and tiny holes for receiving and emitting sound.

“This design…” I murmured skeptically. On Syldra, we had steered away from fully automating aspects of life—after all, one could argue medical care was an artform to be practiced. There were cases throughout history in which many explorers had regretted the decision, but I’d never seen a working robotic specimen.

[The ‘Automated Medical Assistant,’ A.M.A., is one of many amphibious constructs in the city. They can fulfill any roles left vacant or needing further attention. Your neurochip replacements will be handled by A.M.A.. Once finished, your Syldra-made chip will be destroyed so no information may be retrieved. Ter’suline Jysel, you said you wish to go first?]

The robotic squid-person flourished a tentacle toward the nearby examination table. “Please lie on the table when ready. I will run a full diagnostic of your neurochip before we proceed.”

“This…will not be the same as resleeving, will it?” I murmured. While a useful tool in extreme circumstances, we preferred our natural-born bodies.

[No. While Elara’s allies do not fear such procedures, they are not commonplace. We do have the necessary facilities for use when such need arises,] the ship answered after a moment. [This, however, will be as simple as upgrading from an older device to a new one. Syldra technologies appear…lackluster. Why has their growth stunted?]

Lackluster? I eyed my surroundings. While it was true the aesthetic designs were different, and I couldn’t recognize many of the present tools, that wasn’t enough to tell me that Syldra tech was lesser. “Can you explain to me why you consider Syldra tech to be insufficient?”

[The technological level of your neurochips is…dated. Fleets belonging to Elara’s allies were at this level over a thousand years ago, when they had yet to discover this system.]

“Then why is Elara’s underarmor so outdated?” I asked in disbelief.

There was a faint murring sound, followed by a rather obvious answer [Elara’s suit is from the clan that was here last. She never had the opportunity to receive her armory module from my stores.]

I looked at my brother worriedly when the robot moved toward him. I knew precisely what Jysel was doing. He wanted to take any potential fall if there was one, so the clan would still have me as a leader because he felt inferior. If there was no fall to be had, he would feel as if he’d proved his worth…but it wouldn’t last. Whatever manner of validation it was that Jysel needed, it wasn’t something I could give him.

Elara, perhaps… I wondered, feeling my pulse quicken as her true form flickered through my mind. Even as a human I’d found her beautiful, much to my surprise, but she was radiant now that she had returned to her Syldrari self. It seemed as if she didn’t even notice the way in which it had changed her mood and demeanor.

I shook my head faintly and refocused on the tentacled robot as it worked. The procedure took mere minutes, and once finished the robot turned to offer Jysel a small vial.

“Your former chip is here, what is your preferred method of destruction?” It asked.

Jysel blinked at the vial, his pupils shifting in size as he attempted to see the microscopic technology. “I… What is the most thorough method?”

“On the premises we have a powerful acid that can dissolve it. That would be the most secure disposal method.”

[Under normal circumstances we could repurpose the parts,] the ship offered. [In this case, destruction seems wiser.]

“Please dispose of it via acid, then,” Jysel answered, carefully sliding off the table. He rubbed at his head where the tiny tool had swapped his chips. I don’t feel any different…

A blessing, surely, I answered uneasily, taking a step toward the table when the robot motioned.

The incision made was so small that, as with the thousands of times I’d upgraded my chip before, I felt nothing. There was just the sound of the robot’s movements, and my brother fidgeting.

When finished, I opted for acid disposal as well and then joined Jysel. The robot thanked us for our patience, then the ship guided us off into the city again.

[The chips you have been outfitted with are for members of the court and constellation. I will show you to the storage for each relevant type, then to our queen’s quarters so you may get hers.

[She will need her upgrade before the rest of her people. I took a calculated risk in trusting you. Please do not make me regret it.]

“We won’t,” I promised. “What of your sleeving capabilities? We have allies, human allies, who wish to truly join us. Will they be relegated to synths, or…”

[I will make a hospitable compartment for them so they may board as humans. The rest may be decided when we are free of this system.]

“But what of their chips? They—”

[Human threat level: low. Creshe Empire threat: …suspicious? Recommendation: Replace their neurochips. Transfer to new bodies when ready.

[Are you done? Then hurry! I wish to help protect my queen!]