"Guardian. Open your eyes, Guardian."
Markovious awoke to someone calling out to him. Opening his eyes it took him almost five seconds before he was able to see again. In front of him was an entirely white space filled with nothing except a single figure about two meters in front of him.
"What..what is this place?" Markovious said. Though it came out of his mouth it sounded like it came from all around him.
"This is your mindspace, well technically it's an AI matrix that will be used to house me when your Rebirth is complete" came the same voice Markovious now recognized as the AI he spoke to before losing consciousness.
“Right, so I’ll have access to this place all the time when this Rebirth is complete?”
“Yes, that is correct” replied the AI as its voice turned feminine once again.
“So how come I woke up here instead of when my Rebirth is complete?” asked Markovious as he searched for a place to sit down but found none and instead sat on the floor.
“If you wish for anything whilst in the Mindspace, just think it and it will be. Now as for why you have awoken here, we have a few things to discuss.”
Intrigued by the idea that anything he wished for could appear where he was, Markovious began thinking of different furniture items. A table, a wooden chair, couch, and stove until finally he just thought up and entirely furnished two-story ranch surrounded by grass with a 1967 Camaro in the driveway. Lo and behold each item thought of spawned in front of him as if it was always there. Now sitting comfortably in his newly created living room, he and the AI began their important discussion.
“Well, that’s probably about the coolest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Now that you’ve got me here, go ahead and do your thing.” Markovious said as he leaned back and made an ice cold beer appear in his hand.
“First thing’s first Guardian, you need to select our new names, these will be our names until the days we either fail to exist anymore or our partnership is ended, at which point you will retain your identity whilst I fall back to my original designation.”
“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask, what is your original designation anyway?”
“I was brought to sentience with the name Arsookliafor Nalmorkavid” replied the AI as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
“Ah, well I apologize but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to call you that. So let me think here.”
Markovious began to ponder about the new life he was going to live and everything that was described to him. Who will he be, or rather, who will they be? They’re a pair now, inseparable, who are they going to be to the people or beings that see them in their most desperate of moments. What will people think when they hear their names on the street or from their friends and family. Here he is now, a leader again but this time of something so much bigger than a few people. Here he’s a leader of a safe haven, a place people know will be safe and they can start anew. A place of new lives led by a man born in the stars himself, from a land they may never see and by his side, an AI, made specifically for him, for people like him, to guide them as they would guide others on their paths. Who are they now? Suddenly Markovious widens his eyes and lets out a sharp gasp, startling the AI next to him and making it go on alert.
“I’ve got it!” Shouted Markovious.
“Ah I see, you’ve finally realized our new Identities yes?” said the AI as it relaxed a bit, now realizing what was going on after seeing it with its previous partner.
“Yup, I sure have. I noticed you tend to be more feminine so I decided that you shall be known as Stella, my guiding light.” Markovious said, thinking he could possibly see a slight bluish creep across Stella’s face.
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“That..that is a beautiful name Markovious, I shall use it with pride. Have you decided on your name yet?”
“I have, I will be called Julius, Julius Starborne. When people hear our names they will know we will provide safety and help for them wherever they are.”
Allowing smiles to creep onto their faces the two sat there for a few moments, allowing the new identity to sink in. Julius now thinking of what kind of man he was going to be now and Stella about what kind of future lay ahead of them both now that she has a new partner. Meanwhile, just outside of the mindspace, Julius’ new body is being forged. Bone tougher than the hardest material on Earth, muscle more dense than any being in the Sector, blood that runs yellow instead of red, skin with the color of ash. Icy blue eyes so deep one could see the universe in them, pointed ears and lengthened canines show the trademarks of a Guardian and a symmetrical face and body crowned with mid-back length hair a shade of blue so dark that, like his eyes, one could see the sparkling of stars give Julius the look of someone rebirthed out of the hottest of flames.
Back in the living room with the now content Stella and Julius, things finally begin to move on and Stella begins her next topic of discussion.
“Now Julius, continuing with the naming, what would you like the ship to be called?”
“Oh, that one’s actually easy. I’ve had it in mind ever since you told me about the whole rebirth thing. I want to call her The Phoenix. A place people will come to start anew, a place that can provide protection to those who request it. Somewhere people will whisper about coming to. Something like that anyway.”
“I see. That’s actually a really good name. Though I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised anymore considering the last names you gave out. I should admit that I am a bit biased though as my last partner didn’t even give names and just left everything to its default. So unoriginal that one was.” Stella said as she flickered from what Julius could only assume was joy, then anger and then melancholy.
“The last thing I have for you is the Guardian Code and Galactic Law, both of these things will be automatically uploaded to your brain, however, it’s incredibly important that you still take the time to know these inside and out as it is all you will live for now. With that Julius, we are done. We are almost at our destination, I will wake you again when we reach it.” said Stella just before she put Julius under yet again.
Four hours later Julius found himself once again waking up from final sleep of the Rebirth cycle. Taking a few minutes in the silence Stella allowed him before they began the transition to his new ship, Julius took the chance to examine his new body.
‘What the? She wasn't kidding when she said I'd be reborn into something else. I'm nowhere near human anymore. It's odd that my mind hasn't split from looking at this. I wonder…’
“Stella, I know you said you're in my head but what exactly did you mean by that? Like, are you the reason I'm not completely freaking 9ut over not being human anymore?” Julius asked, a slight hint of concern in his voice.
“That is correct, do to how thoroughly I am integrated into your brain now, I have full control over everything both mind and body. It is standard procedure for me to affect your state of mind immediately following Rebirth transition.” Replied Stella as if it wasn't the most concerning thing Julius has ever heard.
“Right, okay, we're gonna set some limitations on that so my mind can be at ease. I'm assuming you already know what I want since you can essentially read my mind. However for the record, only affect my mental stability continuously to ensure I have no psychological breaks and use your best judgment in emergencies. Do not affect my thoughts or memories in any way. For body control, only on request or if I lose consciousness during a potentially deadly situation and only until you get us to a safe location. Does that sound agreeable?” Julius stated, trying to be authoritative but tactful to his new life partner at the same time.
“Of course Guardian, commands received and acknowledged.”
Looking back at his body, Julius couldn't help but feel giddy at how he looked. Essentially like a badass but handsome elf. Finally gone was his growing beer belly, now he had muscles in places he didn't even know they existed. All of them tightly wound like steel cable. He could feel that he was stronger than he was originally in his prime. Taking a few minutes, he began to jump, do push-ups, crunches and run around the small windowless chamber he was in.
After about ten minutes of smiling like an idiot and enjoying his newfound body of a God, Stella notified him that they were approaching his ship. With Stella guiding his way, Julius made his way out of the only room he's seen since leaving Earth. He himself wasn't completely convinced they had even left Earth yet but he soon found those thoughts wiped from his mind as he found where Stella was guiding him. Opening the door to the room he was informed was the observation deck, Julius had to quickly cover his brand new eyes because of their oversensitivity to the new light shining through the average sized portholes on the wall across from him. When his eyes finally adjusted and he pulled his hand away, he was shocked to see the sight before him.