Captain Yasushi settled heavily into his ready room chair, groaning in immediate regret. He was suffering from a recently surgically repaired punctured lung, three broken ribs, and a shattered ankle. All were currently being knitted together with a maximum dose of Nanotech, and Yasu secretly praised the Technology exchange that was currently keeping him out of the Infirmary bed. The pain could not be helped. Usually, a Biobed could neurologically suppress the pain of such internal repairs, however, he had work to do, and had taken all of the meds he felt comfortable ingesting while staying capable of working.

Yasu forced himself to calm his breathing, easing the pain in his rib cage as he turned toward his console. Soon enough, he found himself staring blankly at the cursor of a blank report form, and the captain of the Excelsior found himself enveloped in the mists of his own mind. Each key stroke flowed, documenting those memories as the beleaguered man slowly entombed history into official record.

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-a week prior-

USN Excelsior flashed into existence as she dropped from slipspace. She slipped into the outskirts of the system, as was her captains want; and Excelsior’s main drives flared to life in a carefully calculated burn for the second planet of four orbiting a nameless star. Captain Yasushi forced himself into a steady cadence as he walked onto his bridge. To call His recent discoveries a “dry spell” was a titanic understatement. The last six systems Excelsior had discovered were barren toxic wastelands, worthy of the Deathworld moniker. More disturbingly, at least three of them clearly died of causes other than a Devoted’s suicide attacks, and that fact weighed heavily upon the captains soul as he beheld this new discovery.

They were roughly two days out by design. Caution ruled after Excelsior’s first experiences with long abandoned automated defenses. Captain Yasushi glanced at the sensor reading before making his decision, “I don’t like some of the fluctuations. Tactical, full shields. Warm up the PAC and the 1005, but keep them stowed for now.”

Yasu nodded mentally as his orders were carried out, their Destroyer escort was currently absent. They had been summoned away to aid in another sector’s search for surviving Tech. As versatile as exploration vessels such as Excelsior were, they still lacked the military equipment, and men trained in them to properly crack some of the harder nuts being rediscovered after eons of slumber. Her captain scanned the radiological date once more and finalized his strategy, “Helm, adjust course, bring us in behind the fourth planet. Sensors, begin a standard sweep. Let’s see if this system has any outposts.” A pair of “Aye, Sir”s rang out as Excelsior’s course was bent to her new orders, and her powerful sensor array was trained upon this newest discovery.

Excelsiors two-day approach to their target world turned into a three day affair. Yasu’s hunch had paid off. The inhabitants of this world had indeed been space-faring. The shattered remnants of their inter-system civilization littered the two outer planets. By the end of the third day, they had a name: Irix-lur. Fragments of information painted a picture of a thriving civilization that was heavily invested in the greater galaxy that existed before the Calamity. Standing at 3.5 meters, the Irix were a tall multipedal insectoid race, and their body plan was pure unadulterated nightmare fuel for Excelsior’s Human crew. Their bottom half resembled that of a tarantula covered in a medium coat of fur that ranged in color from almost a blond tan to jet black. The traditional 8 leg’d gate was reduced to 4 massive legs with the second 4 having evolved higher on the more upright thorax portion of the body. Each of these smaller legs had obviously developed for manipulating the world around them, and the entire Spider Centaur ensemble was crowned by an almost Mantis-like head only to have its mandibles replaced with large shining spider-like fangs. Yasushi was still reading the investigation team’s report when the chime rang on his ready room door.

“Enter” He called, pausing his material just as a frantic young midshipman burst into his ready room. “Sir, y-y-your requested on the bridge! W-w-w-we found something!” The sailor stammered out. Captain Yasushi raised an eyebrow, deliberately slowing his reaction in an attempt to impart calm to his already frantic crewman.

“Well then. Let us go see what this ‘something’ might be.” Yasushi smirked following the positively vibrating midshipman as he stepped onto the bridge. “Repo…” The command died in his throat as the image on the view screen captured his attention. It was wide, flat, angular; almost clawlike in its construction as it floated inside the blown-out opening of a ruined space station. They were still 2 hours out from the second planet, but the sensor return was confirmed...

“*cough* Report” Yasushi finally got out. He knew what he was looking at, he just didn’t believe it. “Captain, We’ve confirmed it three times… It’s.. It’s a ship sir… and it’s not Vorath.”

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Deep in the chasms of a dormant system, a small flicker lit itself. Incoming Signals awakened an ancient protocol, and a small auxiliary power core began gently feeding power into that small flicker. Systems slowly woke up, sounding their readiness while carefully concealing themselves from the same signals that had roused them. The flicker fed off the power and information, turning its gaze toward the approaching ship as consciousness slowly reconstructed itself. It did not recognize this design, but it had not recognized the ships that had pummeled its world and turned its people’s homes and outposts into graveyards.

The Strange approaching vessel was unlike anything it had ever seen. As the invader slipped into orbit above the Mother world, Its sensors picked up the telltale trickles of enveloping energy that betrayed. This vessel was shielded, militarily shielded. Its realization triggered another set of protocols as it spun up its disruptor Arrays. It had never found the components needed to repair its Flak Batteries, but it did not care. It no longer had any crew to protect. It readied itself for its final sleep. It would take this invader with it before following its people into eternity.

The Strange vessel ghosted over top of it as the sensor scans intensified. It felt its hull’s skin crawl with the strange energy as this invader probed it for its secrets. The invading ship must have found something, because It watched as the ship began bringing a large weapons out from their storage areas. “Interesting, Kinetic Primary batteries” the first conscious thought wafted through Its mind, for the first time remembering its identity. With an explosive burst from Her main drives, the Izurikazi Viss (Phantom Web) leapt from her hiding spot. She sprung her trap, pumping all of her power into weapons, shields, and engines. A pang of Agony rippled through her mind as she poured what power would have been reserved for life support into her shields, a potent memory of her long-dead crew.

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“CAPTAIN!! POWER SURGES COM..” The report came just as Yasushi watched the ancient craft fling itself from its berth, its engines flared bright Magenta into the backdrop of space. That was not what had interrupted the shouts from the Tactical station. 4 bright green beams streaked out from the bow of the vessel, slamming into Excelsiors shields. Yasushi was thrown from his seat under the repeated blasts of this strange vessel, and he cried out in agony as he impacted the bridge railing. Several heavy impacts later and the mountings of the console next to the captain’s chair gave way. The Heavy furnishing landed firmly on his ankle.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

The Tactical stations crewman watched his captain fall, and did not wait for the order, Calling out a defensive maneuver to the helm, The young Lieutenant at the Helm responded quickly, throwing Excelsior into a defensive corkscrew designed to rapidly create Delta V against an ambushing enemy. Tactical loosed a defensive barrage with the PAC, quickly scoring multiple hits in quick succession as the attacking vessel missed several shots due to Excelsior's crisp response. Soon, two of Its weapons were disabled and it was smoking from 4 breaches along its starboard flank. Still it pressed its attack with almost suicidal abandon, passing so close to Excelsior that their shield skipped off one another sending most of Excelsior's bridge crew to the ground.

“Target shields and weapons!! Hold on the 1005s! We need to keep them alive!!” Yasushi bawled through the pain. This was the first race they had encountered that had survived the Cataclysm. “Shields Holding at 35 percent sir! But that impact ruptured decks two, six, and seven!” Yasu’s first officer called. The Man was bleeding profusely from a nasty cut on his scalp and his right arm hung uselessly at his side.

“Shut down the 1005, transfer power to shields and engines!” Yasushi barked, “Change M- Pattern from Alpha 28 to Delta 995. Don’t miss!”

“Aye Captain!!” Helm exclaimed as he slammed the analog controls into place, disconnected the autopilot and taking direct control over Excelsior. Yasushi snorted at the memory of a young group of sailors requesting the modifications as the young man slammed the controls over. Excelsior groaned as the Helmsman pushed her well past her rated stress levels, holding her at her true limit. Yasushi grinned fiercely as He watched his Helmsman dogfight his ship, seemingly unaware that he was really piloting an exploration vessel. The change worked, and Excelsior was soon nose-on to her assailent. “Now Trent!!!” the helms howled into the chaos. Tactical said nothing, but a series of quick PAC bursts streaked out, punching through their attacker's shields. The Beams hit the aft sections of the vessel, and the magenta from the engines flickered twice then died as the strange claw-shaped vessel was disabled.

Yasushi Stumbled to his feet, leaning on the railing that had shattered his ribs, “REPORT!” he gasped. Several moments passed as the Medics tended to his bridge crew. Yasushi simply waited patiently, refusing to be treated till everyone else was checked.

“No new breaches, but Shield Generator 3 is in emergency shutdown. Our Slip Drive is offline, Engineering doesn’t have a time frame yet.” His first officer finally reported as the information came in.

“Hail them. Start i.. Common..” Yasushi began to mumble before coughing up a mouthful of blood and started struggling to breathe.

“MEDIC TO THE CAPTAIN!” His first officer barked as Yasushi slowly fumbled to the ground gasping for air.

A quick shot of emergency annites stabilized his punctured lung, easing Yasushi’s breathing a bit. “I need to get you to a bed, sir” the Medic pleaded.

“Not, yet.” Yasu growled before turning to Com’s “Do you have them?”

“I.. Yes sir.. but…” The sailor stuttered.

“What is it.” Yasu groaned..

“Its… well… Just look sir.” was the only reply as the screen flashed from the exterior view of the disabled vessel to an empty command deck, similar to the few examples found in the outer planets, with a holographic head floating in the middle

“Devoted Murders, Finish the Job you started!” the disembodied head bellowed into the screen. “I’ve waited eon’s to die, now grant me oblivion!” It was speaking an oddly accented version of Galactic Common, but it was understandable enough.

Yasushi forced himself to stand erect despite his condition, “Please cease your Hostilities, we are not Devoted. I repeat, cease your hostilities.”

The holographic head seemed to glare at him before speaking slowly, “If you are not devoted, then why do you tread the bones of my people.” She paused as if taking in their appearance for the first time, “What are you? I’ve not seen your species before…”

Yasushi breathed a painful sigh of relief as the surviving weapons on their attacker ceased their assault, “I am Captain Morino Yasushi, Master under the void of the United Sol Navy vessel Excelsior. We are an exploration vessel.” He used the same format of title that He had learned that the Unity used, hoping to further their dialogue.

“Exploration? Sol Navy? You are not Unity?” The Visage floating above the abandoned command deck plating was taken aback by the statement.

“To Whom am I addressing?” Yasushi offered carefully.

“I am the light assault cruiser Izurikazi Viss. The common translation is Phantom Web. I am the AI left in charge of this vessel; thus her name is mine.” Came the reply.

Yasushi’s decades of discipline almost failed him as the implication hit home, “Your crew?”

“Gone, Eons now. I am the last, my mission was to die killing any Vorath that stumbled into the Mother system. How long has it been.” The AI asked.

Yasushi coughed, quickly wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, “If I may, we will take you under tow. We must attend to our wounded. We will contact you within a day.”

“Yes, of course. Forgive me, I have been dormant for longer than I realized. I’m powering down weapons and shields, and I will wait for your tow.” The floating head nodded before cutting the connection.

“You, gurney, infirmary. NOW” growled the medic, forcibly reclining the captain onto a floating stretcher before adding a second dose of nanites, this time mixed with a sedative, to Yasushi’s system. The Captain, the last to be attended to, finally relinquished the bridge and was rushed to surgery.

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Yasu leaned back from his report, the clouds of memory receding as he swapped his screen over to an external feed that was currently locked on the Strange alien vessel currently sailing in formation with his Excelsior. That fight was three days ago. “Phantom Web” had demanded everything they had on the cataclysm, as well as Humanity, the Unity, and the Vorath. She had gone silent since then, responding with requests for supplies and component. A single repair crew had been allowed aboard her to aid her in engine repairs she could not complete with automation. Their report upon returning was equal parts enthralling and Horrifying. The AI had constructed a singular body to guide the repair crew to the damage… a completely accurate and appropriately sized body to her creators…

Yasu was still pondering the existence of a functional AI when the console beeped twice at him. It was from the alien ship’s AI. Intrigued he opened it.

“Captain Yasushi, I apologize for interrupting your evening.” The constructed body was sitting in an office of sorts. “I have finished processing the information you gave me, and I thank you for it.”

“I hope what you found brought closure. I would be lying if I told you I understood what you may be experiencing.” He offered. Yasushi truly had no idea if this AI had emotions, no idea how deeply the programming went.

a bone shivering creaking sound that translated into a dark chuckle escaped the being, “I suspect that I am experiencing what it is like to lose your people. It is… unpleasant..” ‘she’ began. One of the repair crew had started calling her a she, and the AI seemed to like the Human tradition referring to vessels in the feminine. “I have one request, Captain. I wish… I wish to die…”

‘I guess the programming does go pretty deep’ Yasushi steepled his hands, “I was not expecting this, and I believe I know why. Your creators programmed more than just intelligence into you, did they not?”

“…yes… I… feel their loss, I know that I am alone… I was not made to function without a crew, captain. I have no crew to function with.” She answered, her bodies head falling slightly. “It is not an existence I wish to continue.”

Yasushi contemplated her response for a moment before seeing another message appear marked urgent. He pulled it up on a separate screen and his eyes widened at its contents. “Captain?” His focus was pulled back to the AI sitting on her abandoned bridge.

“Forgive me, but I believe I may have a… counter proposal. I have received orders to return to my home system. If you are willing to have your weapons disabled for the trip, I believe you would be welcome, at least provincially, while we figure out the rest. You may be artificial, but you are still a thinking entity. I do not feel comfortable killing you. Would you be willing to come back with me, teach us about your people? I won't lie, one of our mandates is to find worlds to colonize, but we also wish to preserve the memory of any cultures and histories we can unearth.”

“I… If after…” She asked carefully, but Yasu noticed a small spark in her expression.

“Let us cross that decision when we come to it… deal?” He replied.

“I can accept that. I may need your repair crews once more. My subspace drive is not ready to jump at all.” She contemplated.

“Humanity does not use subspace, Phatom Web. You will be under tow for the jump” Yasushi smiled at the head jerk of shock from the AI. “I assure you, it’s safe. We have safely jumped a GHO station using this technique.”

The next 15 minutes were taken up with rapid-fire questions from the AI, who couldn’t believe the implications he was making before Yasushi excused himself. He managed to convince the AI to at least produce a more Human “physical interface” before the repair team returned.

Reports finally finished, Yasu finally hobbled to bed, it still hurt to breathe, but now he allowed himself the painkillers previously refused. He hoped his dreams fared better than the repair team’s.