Elinsys was sitting in the meeting room once more, Fera standing next to a screen ready to speak. Rixva was still fiddling away at the Blackbox, turning the meeting table into a makeshift workshop. Henera gazed at the engineer and fiddled with her fingers. Melora was sitting in her chair, staring into nothing as she waited,her eyes distant and glassy.

“Screw this.” Rixva put the Blackbox down and moved back in her chair. “Not going to open it without some high tech tools, someone locked the bastard tight.” She reached for her glass and drank it empty.

Melora raised her glass to her lips. “Fera, I think it's the time you tell us if you managed to find anything on the scientists.” Melora took a sip.

“Yes, ma’am.” The screen flicked to life and Fera began her speech. “Meet our three oddballs. Professor Hegran, Doctor Temira and finally ex-doctor Keresa. Professor Hegran worked for a university on Shil in the Paleontology department, specializing in alien bones. Doctor Temira used to work in a chemistry lab for the Orixon corporation. Now, Orixion corporation is a Consortium corporation, which means our doctor was operating in Consortium space. And finally we have ex-doctor Keresa. Wanted for torture, experimentation on live subjects, vivesection of sentients, and forced mutation.” Headshots of the trio appeared on the screen. The Professor looked normal, just as one would imagine a professor: old with a serious look. Doctor Temira was a middle aged woman, with tired eyes, two divorces under her belt and hair which could use attention. Keresa, well, she was missing her face. She did have it, but most of it was mangled. “Now, Keresa over here is a war criminal, she worked with Roaches to create infiltrator units.”

Leferia looked up at Fera, who was sitting next to Elinsys as usual. “Ask her how they made the infiltrator units.” She asked Elinsys.

“How?” Elinsys asked.

“Glad you asked.” Fera looked happy that someone took the bait. Leferia was positively beaming in her seat. “The idea was to remove the brain and replace it with Roach brain. It failed, spectacularly. The second attempt was to remove the skin from a Shil’vati and then put it over a Roach. That worked better, but it served more as a terrifying morale breaker than an infiltrator.”

“Thank you for that nightmare fuel. Move on, please.” Henera asked.

“Yes, ma’am.” Fera answered and showed the next slide. “Now, they have been passengers on this ship. Why would a respectable professor, a doctor with a great job and a mad scientist turned serial killer join forces? No reason, unless someone offered them a better job. Rixva asked around her contacts for any information on the Orixion corporation. We found out they sell medicine; to be more specific, cloning equipment and regenerative drugs. Thank you for that, Rixva.”

Rixva simply nodded, still keeping one eye on the Blackbox.

“Now I pondered for a long time why someone would need this team. And the answer is simple. Someone is trying to create a clone army.” Fera said, and others looked at her like she was mad.

Rixva shook her head. “I think someone is trying to live forever. Maybe they switch bodies, maybe they harvest clones for spare parts. But that is what I think.”

“But why does this person need a bone scientist?” Elinsys asked, Leferia let out a chuckle.

“Yes, why? Is this person bringing back someone from the Sea of Souls? Or something else?” Henera stopped fiddling with her fingers.

Leferia stared at Henera, her fingers fiddling quickly. She was counting something. Elinsys was watching her carefully, if only she could talk to her without talking to air. Then a terrible thought entered her mind.

She closed her eyes for a second, slowly losing all senses and entering the darkness. It became colder and colder as she entered deeper into her mind.

“Elinsys?” She could only hear Leferia’s voice. There she was sitting on a sofa, a drink in her hand. Half of her was lit by the nearby fireplace. “Oh, didn’t think you would come back here. I lost that bet.” She sipped away at her drink.

“Who did you make the bet with?” Elinsys was curious. Was Leferia slowly going mad, again?

“Me.” She put her drink down. “I’ve got no one else here to make bets with.”

“Talking to yourself? Really?” Elinsys created a cup of tea for herself. “You won’t go mad on me?”

Leferia huffed. “My sanity is tied to yours, kinda.” She raised her hands. “My point is, I will only go mad if I spend too much time inside of an insane person.”

“Anyhow, moving on. We need to talk about this ship. You are holding out on me again. I do not like that.” Elinsys tried to talk to Leferia in her most stern voice, but Leferia didn’t really react.

“You have your secrets, I have mine. How about this, secret for secret?” Leferia steepled her hands together.

“Fine. You first.” Elinsys needed time to come up with some secret of hers which Leferia couldn’t abuse.

“As you wish, I shall take the high road.” Leferia took a deep breath. “I have a family, a huge one, I can’t even guess the number. All adopted though, no blood relation. Your turn.”

“Why don’t you ask them for help?”

Leferia sighed. “Question for question darling, but fine. Because I am stuck here with you and trying to talk to them is… difficult.” She straightened up a bit. “My turn. Tell me how you got the eye scar.”

Elinsys raised her finger to touch the scar that cut her brow into two. Leferia nodded. “I got it during a struggle with a rebel, he got me good.”

“He?” Leferia’s ears perked up.

“Yes, I wasn’t expecting him to attack me with a knife, I expected something from one of the wives.” Elinsys took a sip.

Leferia laughed. “Where I am from, we don’t underestimate males or females, you always prepare for the worst. My father taught me that, did yours teach you anything?”

“Not much, just the basics. He focused more on my brother and sister.”

“You had one sister?”

“Have one, others died.” Elinsys wanted to change the subject, so she did. “Tell me about that ship, Wasted Hope. You were on it, yes?”

Leferia paused. “Yes. I did not enjoy it. I woke up on it, then escaped it.”

“What do you-”

“My question darling. Why do you hate me? I already explained I am not the one to blame for the station attack, I saved Nilni from being sacrificed by distracting the crazy woman, I healed our back.”

“You did what?” Elinsys shouted.

“I healed our back while you slept.” Leferia answered. “It was simple, easy, not like I gave you wings or anything.”

“I told you not to!” Elinsys continued to shout. “You promised you wouldn’t. Why did you do it?”

“Because you were in constant pain, and it seemed easier to just heal it rather than me constantly suppressing it. And you hated the back pain.”

“You promised, does that mean nothing to you?”

“I...yes, but it’s our body. Not just yours. So I-”

Elinsys stood up and went for the door. “My body, it has always been mine. You are just a parasite feeding off it. Leave me alone.” Elinsys’ hand reached for the door.

“I hated the pain!” Leferia shouted. “It was making me go mad, constantly felt like I was burning alive. I was suppressing it for you and it hurt me.”

Elinsys turned around. “You didn’t have to suppress it, I can live with it.”

“No, you can’t. It was getting worse and worse. By forty you would need crutches, fifty a wheelchair. Cybernetics might help a bit, but you would need to fix your spine. And that is well over your budget. I saw an opportunity to have you walk into your eighties like you are thirty, to maybe even walk when you are hundred. I don’t want to be stuck again, trapped. I was forced to sit back and observe for so long, breathing, just that, something you do without thinking, I love experiencing it again.”

“Who says you will stay with me until I am forty? I would like you gone in a week, right now if possible. You betrayed my trust, and there wasn’t much of it.”

“Those three scientists on the ship, they were researching me. Well, my rocks, the thing I was trapped in. Trying to extract me, make contact, study me and then… not really sure what the last step was, but it wouldn’t be good. They were cruel and sadistic.”

Elinsys went back to her seat and sat down. “Keep talking.”

“I did not enjoy being tortured, or, as they called it, ‘experimented’ on. So I looked for a way out. And I found one in the captain. It was difficult to make contact, I had to make sure a vial was dropped at just the right time, in the right place, so a speck of the dust could make it to the captain.”

“The captain? Are you saying that the noble from the station was the captain?”

“Yes, before she was forced to flee from a mutiny. You see, after I made contact, I showed her dreams of a great treasure; that the scientists had a weapon which she could use to become the Empress.”

“Can you actually do that?” Elinsys asked.

“I could manipulate anyone, if they came into contact with the dust and I wasn’t focused on one person, like I am right now.”

“So now the dust is?”

“Just a drug, and a very weak one at that. I am the one who has to create the dreams. Without me, it's just recoloured dust with a metallic aftertaste. Anyway, I got the captain to break into the lab and steal me. This made the scientists mad and there was a witch hunt for the culprit. I had the tapes removed and the blackbox locked with a code.”

“What is the code?”

“Oh, they broke into it later and changed it, so I don’t know the new one. Anyway, we stole a transport craft and escaped. Then the noble went mad and decided to become my bride. Just to be clear, not my type. ”

“I would be worried if she was.”

“So we left the ship back when it was fine. Months later, it was destroyed. So, I am innocent.”

Elinsys pondered if Leferia was telling the truth or not. ”So, what do you think happened?”

Leferia looked down for a bit, then back up. “I am not sure, there is something supernatural happening here and I don’t like it. There are many beings in this galaxy who could do something like this, or were able to, would be better to say.”

“Is this where you regale me with stories of some old war?”

“Yes, so a long time ago-”

“How long?”

“I have no idea, I was stuck in a rock for centuries, maybe longer. And the Shil calendar is not the one we used.” Leferia said. “Now, long ago there were two realms.”

“Only two?” Elinsys asked.

“Well, more like,two main groups always fighting each other and between themselves. Until one of them was unified by a ruthless tyrant. He would go on to slaughter the other realm, almost conquered all of it, but then… betrayal.” Leferia said dramatically.

“Please don’t do that. This is not the theatre.”

“Fine, fine. Anyway, he gets stabbed and dies. Civil war breaks out, civilization is destroyed, planets are bombarded into dust, stars explode and burn out. Life moves on. Half of the galaxy is gone, but the other part is doing better slowly. This was before your people even could talk.”

“How is this in any way related to the ship?”

“I am getting there. Anyway, both sides are battered and retreat to gather their strength, but they leave plenty of weapons and tech behind. Which brings us to now. There are caches of these weapons all around the galaxy and I used them to control a bit of it long ago. This is the treasure I promised the captain and what the scientists wanted.”

“Are these weapons really that useful?”

“Think cloning bays, enough to pump out armies in days. Think ships capable of traversing the galaxy in minutes. Communication from one corner of the Shil’vati empire to the other in minutes, not months. Think of immortality for your soldiers, for your people, for yourself only if you so wish.”

“So, one can control the galaxy if they wish?”

“Yes, one could control the universe if they so wished.”

Elinsys imagined what the universe would look like under the control of the Shil’vati empire, of the Consortium, of the Alliance and then of some wildcard who found these caches. “We must destroy them.”

Leferia had an expression of shock on her face. “What? No. Think about all the good-”

“Think about all the evil, the suffering these things would cause.”

Leferia was about to say something, but then she looked to the side. “You need to leave, now.”

“What? Why? What is-” Elinsys was thrust from her seat back into reality.

“Finally, by the Goddess this was a pain.” Rixva shouted in joy. Before her sat an opened blackbox. “Now to see what happened.”

“Great work, Rixva.” Melora said, smiling.

Elinsys was looking around, she was slightly confused, disoriented. But she turned to the screen.

The screen flickered to life and showed the deleted camera footage. Everyone was watching it carefully; it was regular footage of day to day operations. Whenever one of the scientists appeared, Fera made a note of it. They were carefully studied. Slowly they became more and more deranged, more and more paranoid. They locked the doors, always walked with weapons on them, always walking in the light. Looking around as if watching out for an ambush.

Then one day, another ship docked with them. Everyone was watching the airlock open.

“Hello, doctor. How are you?” Temira asked, next to her Keresa, who was shaking.

“Doctor, doctor. Here to help us?” Keresa asked, her body moving unnaturally, as if she was in terrible pain. “Here to extract us, bring us to glory once more?”

Finally the visitor walked into the camera’s line of sight. The figure was short and older, with sallow purple skin and white hair, a white lab coat and an expression of annoyance which Elinsys knew well.

“Is that Doctor Mrek from the station?” Rixva asked, pausing the video.

Melora was sweating bullets. “Fera! Set the course for the station now and get us there as fast as possible, there is no time to waste!” She stood up and pressed the emergency button. “All hands, we are heading back to the station right now. Emergency jump will be done as fast as possible.” She released the button.

“By the Goddess, what are you doing, Melora?” Henera shouted.

“We left Nilni over there with him and we almost left Elinsys, too! We need to go get her right now.”

“What if he is innocent?” Henera asked back.

“Then we will ask him what is going on. Rixva play the rest of it.”

Rixva continued the video.

“Yes, yes. Soon, soon. Now, when will you be ready?” Mrek asked.

“Tomorrow, this flesh is not enough. I will require the crew.” Keresa said, her voice strained.

“You may have them, we will leave the ship here, then. Now about our deal and your payment, Temira. We promised you how much again?”

“One million credits, a small fortune.” Temira smiled.

“Yes, yes. How about a kiss before that?” Mrek asked.

“Doctor, are you… making a proposal?” Temira laughed.

“Not from me, but your colleague. Well, your former colleague.” Mrke nodded to Keresa.

Temira’s face turned to horror as Keresa lunged at her neck. Biting deep into it and tearing out the flesh, piece by piece. Covering herself in the blood and flesh of Temira. “A most just reward, don’t you think so, Doctor?”

“Yes, just so. Now then, you may have the rest of the crew. Just do break the cameras first. I will go and wipe the logs.” Mrek walked away.

Keresa turned to face the cameras. Before their eyes the feed lenses started to crack and the video became more and more ruined. Then nothing.

Rixva turned off the screen. There was total silence.Melora stood up. “Mrek has been confirmed as guilty we will try to capture him alive. Keresa, if she is still Keresa, is to be hunted down and shot on sight. We must go and save Nilni. Henera, please stay, everyone else, go and prepare.”

Slowly, everyone left the room except for Melora and Henera.

Elinsys was walking down the hallway to her office, when Gelln came up to her. “Major, what’s going on?”

“Nilni and everyone on the station is in danger. Mrek was on Wasted Hope, he helped with the slaughter on the ship. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t also help somehow to smuggle in the dust.”

“I always wondered why I didn’t like him. My memories are foggy, but I do remember shaking that man's hand. Or the noble did, and exchange vials of something.” Leferia was walking next to Elinsys.

“What? Nilni is in danger? And we just left her there?” Gelln put his hands onto his head, terror on his face.

“Tell me about it.” Elinsys tried to answer both.

“Well, I do remember an operating room. Mrek was there staring down at the Noble, pulling out some bloody organ. No, bloody rocks. He pulled me out of the noble. At least my reserves of the Dust.”

Elinsys almost tripped. Were there reserves of the Dust in her? Her expression told Leferia she wanted an answer.

“Yes, there are a few clumps, I made less this time. Didn’t want you to go mad or something. I could technically turn you into a factory if I wanted, but you would die, become a walking corpse.” Leferia explained.

Gelln was having a panic attack. “How did I miss that? How could I let her stay in that monster's hands?”

Leferia looked over to Gelln. “You will have to calm him down, I suggest you kiss him.”

Elinsys stared at Leferia, or at least the space she was supposed to be in.

Leferia stared back. “What? I can calm him down with the dust, if you want. Give him enough and he could talk to me.”

Elinsys looked back forward. “No.”

Gelln looked at her, Elinsys looked so stoic to him, calm and collected. He felt bad for panicking. “No, what?”

Elinsys turned to Gelln. “Do not blame yourself, nobody knew about it. We can only hope we save her in time. Or that someone has already stopped Mrek, or...we can only hope.”

Gelln looked at her. “I am going to go and get my weapons ready. We are going to make that bastard regret ever touching Nilni.” He saluted and stormed off towards the armory.

Elinsys watched as he disappeared, then entered her office. She was alone in her office. “Lef, we need to talk about what I saw on that ship.”

Leferia appeared, moving through the wall. “I guess so.” She walked over to the chair and sat down. “Ask away.”

“Do you know what Keresa is now?”

“Dust Mad, an addict to it now. Eating flesh in hopes it contains specks of it.”

“She said, bring us to glory once more, what did she mean?”

“I presume she meant closer to me again, some see the Dust as a pathway to godhood, some see me as a goddess.”

“Would you say you are one?” Elinsys asked.

“Depends on one's idea of godhood. I am powerful, but not ‘god’ powerful. My father could have been considered ‘god’ powerful, but he is dead now. Shame upon his name.”

“Didn’t like him?” Elinsys asked, she didn’t like her family either. Something they had in common at least.

“No, didn’t know him well, died while I was… a baby by Shil’vati standards. I heard who he was, more than I saw.”

“Tell me, could anyone become like you?”

Leferia was quiet for a moment. “Yes, my adoptive father, well, one of them did that. But it has a great cost, many lives will have to be sacrificed to achieve it.”

“One ship’s crew, perhaps?”

“Not for godhood, nothing from that, at least not for your kind.”

“What would you gain?”

“Me? Not really my style, but I suppose some power-” Leferia stopped. “I need to go and do some meditating, we will talk more later. Goodbye.” She stormed off and disappeared leaving Elinsys alone.

“Lef?” Elinsys called out, but there was no answer.