"Andrew, please turn around and sit." Said the otherworldly voice.

As Andrew turned around, he saw a very tall man with jet-black hair and electric blue pupils rimmed in green. Those eyes had a look that seemed to pierce into your soul and left you with the feeling that if you moved too quickly, it might even cause your soul to pop as if it were an overfilled balloon. He had skin of peach aventurine and it looked like polished stone instead of the matte look the other elves had. As striking as this elf was Andrew’s attention was diverted by the rainbow of magical auras that surrounded him. The largest part of that aura emanated from the top of his head and was colored purple, pulsing almost hypnotically. It appeared to Andrew that this elf was connected to more than a few other beings. So many in fact that it appeared to be a fountain of purple water. The fact that most of the lines were pulsing towards this man, made it appear as if that water wasn’t flowing out from him, but instead flowing into his head. There were so many lines that he couldn’t even discern any individual lines until those lines were exiting the far wall and even then, they appeared like wires densely packed together.

Andrew couldn’t fathom how this person could speak with so much data and energy flowing to and from their head, much less seem so unimpacted by it, and suspected that it was a front of some sort and decided to test his theory.

"I was just going to ask Mr. Atari, if elven folk color coordinates with their walls, but you look closer to crystal than wood. So, I guess they weren't lying when they said y'all don't." Andrew said in a tone that he hoped wouldn't betray his nervousness.

"Mr. Lather, I have lived for almost 100,000 years, so please don't bore me with petty attempts to shake my calm. By your nervousness, I will guess that you have guessed who I am by now. By the look on your face, I think you can guess there's not much even one of your talents can do to one such as I," the elven god stated.

"I take it you're Enver Biaobel then? Aren't you a little short for a god?" Andrew said with forced nonchalance.

"Again, Mr. Lather? Trust me, you wouldn't like the results if you were successful. Also, you are to refer to me as Geald or Geald Biaobel. Before you ask to speak with my boss or any other inane thing, know that there is no title higher than Geald and it signifies my power is one so vast that it is above even the other Getls or as you would call them gods. Also, you are never to use my first name again. Do you understand me?" Biaobel said in a stern but steady tone.“I understand you, Biao my man.”

Biaobel’s only response was to send out the most powerful purple line Andrew had ever seen, and to his horror, this one successfully attached.

“Impressive defenses, but not as impressive as your reputation might have had you believe. Tell me why you’re here,” Biaobel stated dryly, yet the corners of his mouth ever so slightly betrayed his amusement.

For a brief moment, Andrew felt as if this elf were his best friend, with whom he wanted to share all of his knowledge, secrets, and troubles. Andrew’s mind, recognizing the foreign nature of those feelings, instinctively rebelled. Without conscience thought, it brought all of his willpower to bear on these foreign feelings. When the line detached from Andrew’s head, Biaobel’s eyes widened ever so slightly, before they narrowed again. The line reattached to Andrew with a mental force, the likes of which he had never experienced. He felt like an ant in a supernova, it was so far passed feeling insignificant that it defied words. Once again, he felt like he needed to share everything with this elf.

Yet before Andrew could speak his mind seemed to find a reserve of willpower that he didn’t know existed and he immediately deployed it against the magic attempting to control him. In the end, Andrew’s effort was rewarded as the control magic detached from his head and his will returned to be his own, but his joy was short-lived. Only a moment later the magic once again reattached. Only to be rebuffed yet again by Andrew’s will almost immediately. Biaobel though was unused to defeat and redoubled his efforts time and time again. This back and forth went on for what felt like hours. In the end, exhausted, Andrew kept his mind his own. Though he braced for what might come from angering an entity with powers so vast he had no framework to describe it.

To Andrew’s surprise, while Biaobel looked shocked, he also seemed amused, and no bolt of smiting energy struck him dead. Yet the stress relief he was hoping for was never found, as while he had not been killed in that moment, he felt he could see a scheme forming in Biaobel's eyes and it made him wonder if he had made the right choice in keeping his mind his own.

"I must know how you came by this power," Biaobel said with a fair bit of curiosity in his voice.

"Does your species ever tire of asking me the same question? If not, maybe you will tire of the same answer. I honestly don't know. One minute I'm concussed on my ship after having done what I'm guessing was an unscheduled jump and the next I'm in the bowels of some space whale ship thing. Now I’m here and yall can’t do certain magic on me. Seriously, I don’t know. I really expected you to already know. Though I do suspect your control worm was what gave it to me." Andrew said as if bored of having to repeat himself. "Mr. Lather, you are one of a literal handful of beings who have ever successfully resisted my attempts to connect to their minds. Two are Getl, one is an annoying troll who just won't die and the final was a dwarf. Though she died millennia ago. No human to date has presented any resistance, that is until now. I can see why Ioma wanted you dead. However short-sighted that was of her," Biaobel said in a tone that seemed to convey slight admiration.

"I have a question for you. Why does your control worm not translate Getl into god?" Andrew said.

"Likely because god denotes something far lesser than what we are. We are the originals, we know the truths of creation and about the races. As such, we know why we are destined to rule. I do not say this to brag, for other’s opinions are as meaningless as their short lives and about as valuable. I say this as I have yet to find a power in this universe that compares to even the least of the Getl. Much less mine." Biaobel stated with a practiced air to it. "Also, why do you call your Apanean, a 'Control worm'?"

"No disrespect intended, but this has gotten very tiring. The answer is, it's just what my implant called it. Can you please tell your entire network now? Maybe then I’ll stop getting asked why I call it that. Before you ask, I’m not sure how it gave me powers or how it integrated with my Kata, but here we are. Honestly, though with the fact that I cannot make out the number of mind connections you have, Control Worm seems more accurate." Andrew said with a good amount of resignation spilling into his voice.

"You know little of what you speak and you will not gain the answers you seek in this way. You are an oddity to me, which at my age and experience means something. I have never encountered nor ready about anyone with your exact style of magical sight nor have I met anyone with a mind shield comparable to your own. While I have yet to crack it, You will eventually find that I do not require some viruli to control those around me, and even without a connection to your mind, it's clear to me that you want to be some modern-day Captain Kirk. You know travel the universe and punch people like me as a badly trained ape might. Make no mistake, you are not Kirk and there are no scantily clad green aliens in the other room eagerly awaiting saving. I will give you some credit though, it was no small feat hitting my Leikni, much less twice. That said, I am orders of magnitude above a Leikni and as such I would heavily advise against trying such with me."

"I hope you’re not trying to impress me by figuring out I’d like to punch you, I’m pretty sure most people who meet you have the same urges. Have you met yourself?” Andrew said with a smirk before a realization hit him, “Wait, more importantly, how do you know of Captain Kirk?"

Biaobel looked slightly confused "You know you're not the first humans we've studied, correct? We have had some of your kind for over 85 years."

"That's not possible……...wait how do yall measure years? I’m guessing your measurement for a year is much shorter than ours.”

"Ah yes, that was in Biaobelan years, not Earth years.”

"And you wonder why people have the urge to punch you, you named the measurement of time after yourself?" Andrew said judgement clear in his voice.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Biaobel chuckled "In a manner of speaking yes. It is named after the center of Elven politics. My home world of Biaobela. Which was named after me by a unanimous vote of the Unesisa Rada tens of thousands of years ago, when Biaobela was the only planet, we had yet settled. They gave me this honor for my leadership in uniting the Ikolis from the warring factions they had once been. I also suspect it was slightly out of deference to my power. For even then I was more powerful than any being that had or has existed since. Point of fact Biaobelan years are 1.77 earth years. So, we've been studying your people for close to 152 or your earth years."

Andrew "Is that what happened to the Hringhorni? It went back in time?"

Biaobel's eyes betrayed some slight surprise. "No, the Hringhorni is a longer story that I will not talk about with the likes of one such as you. No, I speak of the Orinasa. Need proof? Did you not notice that the debris field has had enough time to have started to form into a ball? I assume you’re well versed enough in astral studies to know it didn’t get that way in a small amount of time."

Andrew’s hands opened in the way people do when they don’t believe what is being said and he blurted, "Are you saying that the Orinasa jumped into your system 150 years ago?"

"152 and I thought that obvious at this point Mr. Lather. I must say I am disappointed, as I was thoroughly advised of your clever nature. Why…"

In the middle of Biaobel’s response, Andrew grew tense, and his eyes narrowed as if he just realized something. Voice shaking Andrew interrupted the elven god.

"Stop! If you have had the crew of the Orin for 150 years, are you saying my wife is dead?"

"While I'm not sure of when exactly, but I would have to assume that the answer is yes as no one of your race has lived longer than 100 without our help. While she had been here for a number of months before those ungrateful members of the tribe ‘rescued’ her from being part of our breeding program. It was quite the shame as she seemed to be great st………"

Andrew unable to control rage and grief any longer, launched himself at Biaobel.

Yet before his punch could land, Andrew was blinded by supernova-like flash. The last thing he saw were a handful of the messages which flashed into his vision before he was blown into sub atomic particles

[You have been incinerated]

[You have been frozen]

[Your bone mass has depleted to dangerous levels]

[Your heart has received a fatal level of electricity]

***************

Andrew was sitting at a table nervously fidgeting with a rose. Part of his nerves were due to the fact that the rose was not a very good one. He had bought it last minute at one of those run-down charging stations, you know the ones that smell like too many different types of incense had been opened all at once and left to sit for months on a counter. He chided himself for having forgotten to buy one at a florist. This rose was pretty but looked every part of the best rose at the charging station and not the impression he wanted to give this woman.

They had met online and they had chatted for the last two days, but he was honestly so surprised she had even agreed to go on this date. She was way out of his league, but she had agreed nonetheless.

Andrew looked at the time on his Kata for what must have been the 10th time, it was 15 minutes past their agreed upon time.

Ziggy has she sent any messages?[ Unfortunately Mr.Lather, I have no new messages from her.]

Andrew started to contemplate what might have happened, that maybe she had seen him and left. There had been a cute blonde who had come into the diner, and she had left quickly, but his date had dark auburn hair. At least, her pictures did. Did she maybe wear a wig just so she could scope him before showing up? Seemed like a good idea with all the creeps there are out there after all.

[Mr. Lather, new message from Ms. Ardbei: “Sorry I'm running 20mins late and my phone died!”]

The text message popped up right below his vision.

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief and straightened his clothing. In doing so he accidentally put a grease stain on the belly of his shirt. Adding what he was sure was the 100th reason she would decline a second date. He giggled at the irony that he had gotten the food so he wouldn’t look like he was a pig and he had straightened his shirt so he wouldn’t look like a animal in front of this person.

He fretted for a few minutes only to look up in time to see the most beautiful woman in the world walk through the door. She was looking around somewhat frantically yet there was still a well composed grace to her, that Andrew thought seemed unfair to other human beings. She was wearing a conservative yet flattering outfit which was immaculately put-together. She definitely knew her way around fashion, that was for sure. I’ve never met a scientist who dressed so well, nor one that looked half as good. Ok Lather time to impress. Grease stain and all.

When her eyes met his, she smiled.

[Warning Sudden Heart rate increase detected]

Trying not to look awkward as he stood up Andrew almost fell as his left foot got caught up in the chair legs. Once he recovered he stepped over to her side of the table and gave her a friendly butt-out hug, so as to not seem desperate, creepy, or like he was looking for a cheap time.

He stepped back to his side of the table, smiled, and said, "Hi I'm Andrew and I'm really hoping you're Linnie or I might have some splaining to do it here in a bit".

She giggled "Yeah don't worry playboy, you're in luck I'm Linnie and I’m sooo sorry for being late. Without my phone I don’t have satnav, so I did my best. Which apparently isn’t very well as it took me 20 minutes longer than it should have to find this place."

“Which is impressive as it only takes 10 to drive across this town,” Andrew said with a smile.

Andrew couldn’t tell if Linnie took it as a joke or not as she hadn’t responded, but she had smiled at his response. After what Andrew felt was an awkward amount of time they both sat down at the table.

"Is this rose for me? How traditional." She said with a very approving smile.

[Warning Sudden Heart rate increase detected. If you don’t know the source of this rate increase, please seek medical attention]

Ziggy it’s because I like this girl and you know it, so stop making the situation more awkward!

[Reason for heart rate increase known, will mute heart rate notifications for 30mins]

"Nah it's for another beautiful woman named Linnie, but she'll have to take her turn I guess."

"Oh well I'll just have to take the hit for the team and save her the disappointment of having to meet you. We Linnies have to stick together you know, " she said with a sly smile that sent a wave of happiness through him.

"Soooo a phone? That's so a decade ago of you."

"Yeah well, I've been reluctant to get one of those Kata brain implants, Who knows what the long-term effects of them are? Probably, some terrible brain can…." she stopped herself when she realized that Andrew probably had one, "Well I guess it doesn't matter as my new research program requires them."

"Oh yeah, what program is that?"

"You're looking at the newest member of the Orinasa crew."

"For real life?"

"Yeah, It's actually the main reason why I'm late. When I got off the phone with the recruiter, I accidentally threw my phone and had to try to find it. When I did it had 2% battery and in my rush to get dressed, I forgot to put it on the charger. I mean I dress like this all the time, “ she said smiling at the end to sarcastically cover her revelation.

"I'm waiting to hear if I was selected as well."

"No really, you don’t have to be mean about it. It won't leave for another few years and I wouldn’t be gone long, so there’s nothing to be worried about."

"No No, I'm serious I put my name in the hat as well. I used to study under Kata himself, as an Implant specialist, " Andrew drew out the last sentence for drama, “So, I think I have a decent chance to get selected for one of the technicians slots”

A blush went across her face and neck.

"Don't worry, while some might disagree with the findings, my doctor found that I don’t give people cancer anymore."

************

[You have died. We thank you for giving all to help the 19 explore the reaches of space.]

[All wounds have been healed]

[You have been resuscitated]

Andrew sat up and touched his chest.

Ok this can’t be real. I mean why was the time spent to have a post death message? Did someone think it would be needed? Like so many people come back from the dead. Wait, where are my clothes?

"Where are my clothes?" Andrew said looking at Biaobel

"Floating in particles around the room with parts of you I could find. Don’t worry I reconstituted the missing bits with other matter. I did warn you about attacking me, Mr. Lather, it was not my intent to kill you," said Biaobel

"If I'm dead and this is the afterlife then why are you here?"

"I told you I'm even more power than a god," Biaobel said with a wry smile.

"Luckily not my god though, so I'm going to assume I'm still amongst the living. "

"You most certainly were not a moment ago. You weren't even amongst yourself. I had to piece together the particles which were thrown all around the room and in many cases reconfigure them to the proper atoms as they reconfigured themselves due to the energy they were exposed to. " Stated Biaobel.

"You don't need to sell it. I’m impressed. Wait so you really brought me back to life? Why?"

"Because Mr. Lather I believe you represent a very tangible opportunity. Maybe more than one and I am not one to miss out on opportunities when I can so easily seize them."

"And what are those opportunities?"

"That will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, I must go see to my other interests."

Biaobel stopped to look at something under the bench. When Andrew followed his gaze he found the god looked at the weird tube device which was still sitting under the bench.

"Have you already been utilizing the Plasira?" Biaobela said almost reproachfully.

"The what?" Andrew responded.

"You humans really are disgusting," and then with an almost unnoticeable magenta flash, Biaobel was gone, and Andrew was left alone in his room.

"You forgot the clothes man," Andrew said mockingly shaking his fist.