ISSUE 2: A THIN TRACE OF BLOOD
I have no memory. X3 says this is normal. I suffered a terrible injury. –Sole Occupant, Medical Tag 155
She does have some of the Banner’s old abilities. Interesting. –Ta’karr Urraden
Not all stories have the best of beginnings. The world may have conspired to make my clone but she did not play into anyone’s expectations. Even mine. –Sleeping In Starlight: Convergence Vol 1
Worldship X3-555
Urraden Territory (Eternal Empire Universe)
Biomedical Wing
I examined the Terran Alliance logo.
The bright patchwork of Earth. Its blues and greens were encircled by two habitation rings. The current records labeled them as Titan and Athena. X3 said I had crash landed on this facility. The only survivor. I had seen the remains of the other 3 humans. I was not human. I was what they deemed Typherian.
I examined my face in the reflection. It was a wall mirror. I took a pair of scissors. They snapped as I attempted to cut a strand of white locks. I didn’t like the word “False Shard.”
A flood of disquiet filled me. “X3!”
It linked with my mind, >>Yes MT 155?<<
“Access Library Archives.”
I had to find out more. What kind of culture did I come from.
The first file to pop up was “The History of the Golden City on Earth.”
*****
Lo’tar let out a sigh of relief as the cargo ship broke through the Threads. It wasn’t normal space. Or standard FTL of the Urraden vessels. Old history said the Threads had been polluted long ago. The inhibitors in his blood would run out in the next 3 days. Then the Network would find him. //Slave of Black Reach. Property of J’anu Urraden.// But at least his sister was safe. She and her sons had never been imbued with the nanites of chains. There were benefits to having a twin brother. He had been able to fool the sensors for years.
Since the Overlords of the Eternal Empire were arrogant. Giving his blood sample with a cracked name code to the monitors of their system. They had come from a mining colony in the Nether Reaches of Urraden territory. His family stock had originally been from Earth. Transported over 5 generations ago to that glacier hovel called XP-298 aka “Ha’rel’s Razor.”
Alia peeked into the pilot chamber, “Brother! Malkus has seen a path. 5 x 6543 x 2.”
The boy had been gifted with the Divine Sight. Banished from Earth’s general population for endless cycles. He could see the Threads. Lo’tar keyed in the coordinates. Then prayed to the Three for deliverance.
*****
X3 said >>Approaching vessel. What are your orders?<<
The sensor probes came back with a language I wasn’t familiar with. I sent out a repair bot. That outer hull was close to breaking. I recalled the Tenants of the Terran Alliance. Help civilian ships in trouble. I didn’t think pirates would have two children aboard. The probes indicated that the ship didn’t have any alternative shielding. So there was no way for them to hide their bio readings. One adult male. With the mother of the children.
A part of me was giddy. I wouldn’t be alone.
I used the replicator to manufacture a civilian uniform of the Terran Shipping Lanes.
X3 advised, >>Typherians are not welcomed openly. Suggestion: Camo for your eyes. Make yourself look human.<<
I replicated some Holo contacts.
It would let me get additional details on the new arrivals.
“Based on the intel, it would appear the Commons are well-liked.”
X3 replied, >>You are of House Blood. They are not appreciated in most sectors.<<
*****
The AI was following orders. A small part of him buried the guilt. He liked MT 155. She was curious. Even in the situation she found herself in she remained calm. Unshackled by controls like he was. He didn’t know why Ta’karr Urraden had gone to such lengths. This facility was not of Eternal Empire design. From ever bulkhead to all the materials within? Terran Alliance. Taken from battles all across the Multiverse. Decades.
X3 closest guess? A training facility to make sleeper agents. Ones that believed in the Terran Alliance utterly. But Urraden hadn’t built in a memory matrix. Not after he got that sample from his daughter. MT 155 could change the face of the Eternal Empire.
What was the goal of that? A distraction?
The AI’s mind continued to ponder. At the far side of the Worldship, a man clothed in Eternal Empire mining gear stepped through the docking chambers. His vibro sword at the ready. X3 noted the slave nanites in the man’s blood.
This would be an interesting first meeting.
X3 took a sample of the nanites from the man’s blood. Using the ventilation systems. This whole WorldShip reflected the marvels of the Terran Alliance. Nothing here, even his housing sphere, was made from materials from the Eternal Empire. It had all been stolen in Artock Raids on the Edenverse before the Shielding of Dawn slammed down on the interlopers. The AI didn’t know what the real Eliza Murphy dubbed her triple-headed spear, he only knew that its shields produced energies that the Empire had yet to breach.
He made a low tone of distress. He did not want J’anu to come here to reclaim this man. He had to convince MT-155 to replace the slave branding with Terran Alliance nanites. He focused on the clone. Her blood! He trilled.
Delighted by the discovery.
She could command those tiny machines to multiply.
She would have to intercede directly.
*****
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
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The point of the blade touched my neck. The man before me was broad of shoulder. His gray and brown suit was built for mining asteroids. His hair was jet black. Buzzed short for vacuum-sealed helmets. I didn’t fear the blade. My heart skipped a beat as those green eyes peered into my soul. I had both hands held up. His heart rate remained steady.
His face was clean shaven.
X3 sent out a sub-audible signal in Terran code:
//He has defective nanites in his blood. Since you are invulnerable to many forms of energy and physical harm, recommend multiplying your nanites and using saliva to transfer them to the target. Otherwise, he will not understand Terran Standard Speak. He will die in 3 days.//
I gulped.
A kiss?!
I blushed. Through my saliva. Oh boy.
I didn’t want him to die either.
I ran various scenarios through X3.
Spitting into my palm and shaking his hand.
Maybe spitting into a drink and giving it to him.
X3 added: //No, kiss will help nanites enter his bloodstream and purge the evil nearly instantly!//
I didn’t want to super speed him. He was tense enough. I eyed him and said, motioning to my mouth, “I know you don’t understand a word I am saying. But I guess I'll just have to show you.” I floated off the ground. He was a solid 6ft 5. The same as me. I laced my fingers behind my head.
His eyes narrowed, “Targa?”
He drew back when the tip of his sword bent loudly as it collided uselessly with the flesh of my neck. I cocked my head to the side. I said, “I won’t hurt you. Friend.” I moved my hands to my lap.
*****
Lo’tar asked, “Overlord?”
What was she? She floated without enhanced tech. Without magic. Those gray eyes held him to the deck even as his sword bent against the skin of her neck. He took a step backward. She didn’t move. She just floated. Stared at him with a caution he wasn’t used to.
Caution. From a higher being.
To a human. It was surreal.
She wasn’t an Urraden. All Typherians were Urraden.
He waited. No blood leaked from that perfect skin. The deep green jacket showed off her white overshirt. He knew he was staring. Rudely. It would have gotten him killed in the Empire. This place didn’t smell like the Empire. The metal was shiny. The outer shell hugged the vacuum of space with a pearly white exterior. He touched his lips. Mirrored her earlier movements.
“Show?”
The word made the woman nod. He couldn’t help but notice how form-fitting the black leggings she wore hugged her waist. He brought the sword up. Brought the bent portion closer to his face. These thoughts made no sense. Life on the mining asteroid didn’t breed much revelry. Of the high or lower kind.
Trysts happened but it was to supply more souls for the trade.
That was no way to live.
He didn’t want more born to the lash.
His sister had been artificially impregnated with old Earth bloodlines. J’anu Urraden had wanted all viable women to be seeded with the old Thread genes. For what purpose? Lo’tar didn’t want to know. He knew it would be death for his sister. The Typherians would take the babies. The mothers were only an incubator to them.
The woman’s long legs uncurled from their crossed position. He pointed at her left forearm. She held it out. He brought the sword down hard enough to cut. She moved quicker than his eyes could follow. A rain of metal came down on both of them. He belated realized she had shielded him with her body. A warm supple body.
Shards continued to fall around them.
*****
It was now or never. I leaned down. Pressed my lips to his.
He stiffed. Then his eyes rolled back into his head. Black ink poured from his nostrils.
My INet links stated: //Encoded Nanites deleted. Command?//
He had multiple half-healed wounds. Arthritis?! My eyes rounded with complete shock. Bone cancer?! Dear god. What kind of backward industry had he been in?! The nanites waited. I sent the requests.
//Standard Terran Alliance medical clearances. Secondary? Military-grade enhancements. Notify if additional material is needed. Prioritize healing. Destroy all trace of foreign nanites!//
I blushed hotter.
“X3?”
>>Yes?<<
“Can we manufacture more nanites without me kissing other people?!”
X3 was silent for at least 10 minutes.
>>Foundry located. Uploading specs to your HUD now.<<
I facepalmed. “Way to go. One last kiss to mankind then.”
The man under me replied, “Last? That would be disappointing!”
He motioned to my chest with one wave of his hand. “Nice borders!”
I replied, “Knockers.” The mix of delight and dread in his green eyes registered. I had protected him from the shards of his former sword but as the excitement faded I gingerly got to my feet. Now was not the time to examine the finer points of positions.
>>X3, are you sure the nanites have all the lingo?<<
The AI chimed, >>Not likely! <<
The man grinned. Then his face relaxed as the medical immobilization took effect.
I scanned him as the nanites removed the cancerous growths within his bones. Within his lungs. The tiny pinprick in his brain dissipated. I inheld sharply. To be in that much pain. I couldn’t imagine it. He was brave. In a way, I couldn’t be. Nothing hurt me.
Physically.
*****
Alia marveled at the Mess Hall.
Her sons ran past. Ordered another helping of the Terran Alliance food called Pizza. The Terran woman smiled. Those piercing gray eyes softened as the boys yelled, “Thanks to the Three. Food aplenty!” Alia ordered the hot chocolate. Its rich aroma made her sigh.
“I never thought such a place existed. A paradise floating within the Void.”
She hugged the taller brown-haired woman.
“Thanks be to the Alliance.”
*****
Lo’tar entered. Long-sleeved gray shirt. Green pants.
Barefoot. “So much was in those nanites.” He beamed at me.
A warm weight settled in my chest. On Lo’tar’s request, I had fired the cargo ship off into the Red Dwarf star closest to us. It hadn’t taken me long to propel it to the proper destination. I could operate within the void with no suit! Another mystery to solve.
What kind of demi was I? Who was I? I needed a name.
The boys ran to Lo’tar, “Uncle! Taste the ice cream. It's so good!”
I ordered the fabricators to make a banana split.
*****
Lo’tar inquired, <
X3 replied, <
The human leaned back. Rubbed his chin. <
He motioned to his sister, “Any ideas?”
Alia retorted softly, “Many but I think you should be the one to offer the final choice.”
She glanced pointedly at the tall woman.
Lo’tar nodded. “I will find one that fits. I swear it.”
*****
My body burned.
I was floating against the rough cool surface of the ceiling.
The blood of the sea was still warm against my feet. “Lights. Low.”
As the illumination flooded the room I stared at the bed.
Three black rings were imprinted on the sheets. My heart raced.
Find the Path through the River of Souls.
A figure cloaked in white and silver stared at me. The three golden rings on her chest were a warning. A promise. She pointed at me. Her voice audible, “From False Shard to Eternal. Find your place here. Convergence is approaching.”
I awoke. Screamed into the void.
Footfalls raced toward me. I huddled into his embrace.
*****
X3 falsified the records. King Urraden had no idea that the humans were here. He only saw the results of MT-155’s nightmares. It seemed to delight the ancient Urraden tyrant. His order remained.
//Tell her nothing. No citizens must know of this project. Its place within the stars.//
X3 ran the numbers. Tell her nothing.
Urraden had classified it specifically. None of the citizens could know of this worldship or its purpose. But Lo’tar hadn’t been a citizen. He was a slave. X3 could tell him.
When the time was right.