“I confess, I was briefed to expect a more dramatic reaction.”

Malan let out a long breath and took one last look at the crystal now embedded in his chest and allowed his shirt to fall down to its natural position, leaving only a slight lump to show the change.

“It’s a long way from the worst thing that could have happened to me,” he said, half trying to convince himself. “If you’d have told me to choose between what almost happened and this before hand, I’d have chosen this every time. Having said that—what exactly is it?”

Tanwen didn’t answer right away, and Malan used the opportunity to sink into the pilot’s chair at the front of the bridge.

“To put it simply, it is a focus. A device to channel celestial energy between the two of us and to guide it into making our bond function as it does. It is us. The ship you see around you is the raw materials of the sphere infused with my consciousness, and guided into shape by you. Another pilot, and I would likely hold an entirely different appearance.”

Malan frowned. “I would assume, then, that this..focus..is what gathered the celestial energy after I destroyed the Abyssal creatures? Then, when I level up, it converts that energy into improving things for the ship?”

“Mostly correct. It is not just the ship, Pilot. It is us. Remember, the ship comes from you. If you improve something, it applies to both of us. Return to the level-up menu once more, and I will show you.”

Malan nodded, and refocused his attention upon the menus displaying on his central monitor. He concentrated on the option to allocate his stat points and the menus shifted once more.

Stats

Energetics: 50

Synergetics: 50

Cognizance: 50

2 Stat Points To Allocate

“These Stats represent the foundations of our ability to operate,” Tanwen said, as Malan looked the three stats over. “Allocating stat points to each will raise each stat by a set value, and the celestial energy represented by the stat points will act to improve that function by the value increase.”

“So the stat points are just data values for celestial energy put aside for improvement?”

“Exactly. Celestial energy is a force of creation, inherent in all things. Our connection allows us to utilise it to improve ourselves and our bond, within certain defined limits.”

“What limits?” Malan asked, leaning back in his chair. “And who defines them?”

“My memory of specifics is limited. I sense that I knew the answers you seek, once, but I am no longer able to remember since my internment. Whether that is through accidental damage caused by the stasis process, or by design, I cannot say.”

Malan sighed, and shrugged. “I suppose getting all the answers up front would have been too simple. I have plenty of questions still, but I think I’ve waited long enough to see this all in action.”

He leaned forward, and peered at the stats. Just as he was about to bemoan that he didn’t know exactly what any of them did, a notification faded in besides the Energetics stat.

Energetics

Ship Utility: Energetics is the amount of celestial energy a Starbound ship is capable of running through its systems. This energy powers shield and engine systems. Greater Energetics equates to greater shield and hull durability, as well as energy efficiency. Certain classes can use this ability in unique ways.

Pilot Utility: In a groundsuit, the application is similar. The greater the Energetics stat, the greater the durability in combat.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

At first glance, Energetics seemed like a straightforward stat. The Starbound were craft that relied entirely on celestial energy, so it made total sense that the more a ship could handle, the more there would be available for shield and engine systems. However, the two tiers was throwing him off.

“A groundsuit?”

“When on land, you have the option to reallocate raw Starbound material to creating a groundsuit, much as you would wear a spacesuit on foreign planets. It will serve many of the same functions, including atmospheric and environmental protection and breathing support in low or no oxygen environments. Most importantly, however, it serves as a combat suit to allow you to perform as Starbound when outside of the ship.

“Your stats will improve your ability with your groundsuit as well as with your ship, as they are essentially, the same thing.”

Malan whistled. He thought back to when Talia had led him out at gunpoint onto that moon, and just how helpless he had been to resist until he’d reached the Starbound. Even then, it had taken Beric giving his life to give him a chance to actually break loose. The same was true of the Jauda. However clever he may have been, he’d not been able to save anybody that day.

A groundsuit changed that. Without it, it wouldn’t matter how powerful he became in the sky if he was as vulnerable as ever the second he disembarked.

He grinned to himself, and moved on to the next two stats.

Synergetics

Ship Utility: Synergetics is the degree to which a pilot is in line with their Starbound—their synergy. As this stat is improved, Pilot and Starbound are capable of working in unison to a greater degree. Greater synergy results in faster response times, ability and system efficiency and overall physical improvement. Ships can move faster and dodge capability is greatly improved, and react quicker to external threats as both Pilot and Starbound become greater than the sum of their parts.

Pilot Utility: Pilots with augmented Synergetics are capable of greater physical feats aided by their groundsuits and connection with their Starbound.

Cognizance

Ship Utility: This stat defines the level and amount of abilities a Starbound can utilise in combat, as well as the level of tech that can be equipped and used. Upgrading this stat can have significant impact on a Starbound’s form and capabilities, as well as grant access to more powerful or unique upgrades.

Pilot Utility: This stat defines the level and amount of abilities the Pilot and groundsuit can utilise in combat, as well as the level of tech that can be equipped and used. Upgrading this stat can grant access to more powerful or unique upgrades to the groundsuit and its technology.

Energetics, Synergetics and Cognizance. If he were being completely honest, Malan would have to admit that he was reaching his limit with regards to how much he was able to take in regarding his new Starbound abilities. He was a scientist at heart, and no matter much he looked at it, Malan couldn’t escape the idea that the whole thing seemed entirely too, well, magical to make sense to him.

Still, he knew there was no option but to keep moving forward, and hope understanding would come. As far as the skills went, at this point, Malan was happy to boil them down to the factors that he did understand. Energetics seemed the most straightforward, and also the most obviously useful. He’d come too close to his shields failing already, and being able to make that less likely seemed well worth investing in.

Synergetics, too, stood out to him as an answer to a problem he’d already run into. When he was pushing the ship to its limits, he wasn’t able to fire without Tanwen’s help, and it seemed that the amount of functions they could perform together or individually was limited. Synergetics seemed to be the remedy to this, as well as conferring other benefits besides that.

Cognizance held the allure of the unknown, however. Abilities, tech and upgrades. Malan had no idea at all how that could work, but the idea of it set the ten year old in him running away with the possibilities of it. No known spaceport produced parts for Starbound, nor perform upgrades, and Malan now knew why. Every time one had come popped up on the news with a new weapon or shield system, it had originated from this skill.

In the end, he went for safest option to begin with. Excitement could wait until he was able to survive long enough to enjoy it. He allocated one of his spare points to Energetics, and the other to Synergetics and pressed confirm.

The jewel in his chest warmed, and without warning the cool sensation from before washed across him—something he now knew was the feeling of celestial energy washing through him. At the same time, he saw a pulse of white energy run through the ship itself, and felt the ship shift ever so slightly in response.

Malan raised his own hands, examining them with wide eyes. The change was subtle, but closing and opening his fist confirmed his suspicions. The energy had changed his body, too. He wasn’t entirely sure how—he certainly didn’t look any different—but he felt it.

On the screen, his updated stats flashed up on the screen.

Status

Name: Malan Tierin

Race: Voidborn [1]

Alignment: N/A

Pilot Level: 3

Class: N/A

Stats

Energetics: 60

Synergetics: 60

Cognizance: 50

You have 2 Skill Point(s) Available. Allocate now?

On a roll, Malan went straight on to allocate his Skill Points—not to mention find out what that actually meant—only to be met with a screen entirely blank but for this message.

You have no unlocked skills to allocate points to. Skills can be unlocked by levelling, deeds, making particular choices or certain events occurring. You will be notified when you have unlocked access to a skill.

“Motherfu—”

Malan's frustrated outburst was interrupted by the crackle of his communications, and Elena’s static-ridden voice echoing around the bridge.

“Malan? Do you read Malan? What’s your status?”