by Dean Henegar
“I agree . . . with reservations. We need answers from the elf, and we can’t get them if she’s a raving lunatic. I’ll go in and see what I can do. Lend any assistance you can, if possible, Doctor,” Slater said.
“Ready when you are, Captain,” Doctor Cheng told him.
Slater concentrated on the power trickling into the elf. She could tell he was there, and so could the parasitic influence that was slowly overcoming her defenses. Slater exerted his control. She was on his ship, and the power she siphoned off from him opened the door for his nanobots to join the fight. In what was becoming a familiar battle, Slater began to roll back the dark threads of corruption in Illissa’s brain. While it wasn’t easy, he had gotten better at the process thanks to his previous struggles.
The longer he fought, the more he could hear both parties. Each was furious at the other and attacked vigorously. While he could tell Illissa was more powerful than the parasite, she just didn’t know how to fight it like he did. As the grip of the parasite shrank, Slater could feel it turning its full attention to his relentless advance. Small nudges here and there let him know the doctor was assisting where she could. This parasite was different than Pixi, Slater realized as he pushed it further back.
This parasite was also weaker. It fought strangely and felt . . . incomplete. When his advance came to the metallic object lodged in Illissa’s brain, he began to assault it and the corruption running through it. A voice began to claw at his mind.
“Don’t! Destroy the tech and you will kill me,” Illissa thought to him.
He redoubled his efforts, destroying only the parasite and leaving the mysterious technology alone. It took time, but the battle was eventually won. The last bits of the parasite were absorbed as it screamed its way into the void. Turning his focus outward, Slater looked at Illissa’s cell. The doctor, piggybacking off his feed, was also able to see and hear what had happened. After physically collapsing into an unconscious state during the battle against the parasite, Illissa was beginning to wake.
“I was able to see a bit more in that struggle, Captain Slater. I’m starting to get the hang of the interface,” the doctor advised.
“Thank you for your help. This parasite was much weaker than the other one I fought. The council’s hold was also much stronger than what was afflicting the elf. I just had to structure the right attacks in my mind and push them forward,” Slater said as the elf sat up on the deck, wavering as if dizzy.
“Where am I? Is this Tir’rillion? Why have you imprisoned me, my leader?” Illissa muttered.
“I don’t know who or what Tir’rillion is. I’m Captain Slater of the USS Franklin, the ship you and your friends just tried to destroy,” Slater said angrily.
“Destroy? You mean the boarding? The fights against kobolds and men? Don’t tell me that nightmare was real,” she asked.
“I don’t know what your angle is, elf, but I have some questions that you’re going to answer,” Slater told her.
“I . . . Yes, it’s coming back to me. Please give me a moment to collect my thoughts,” Illissa said, and from her expression, Slater could feel her trying to access the tech inside her head. His nanobots were there but could only monitor her for now. If she began to do the whole glowing eye thing again, he would put her down. “So much has been lost. So much I have destroyed,” Illissa said before sitting on the edge of her cot. She winced as she cradled her broken wrist.
“Who are you, and how did you find us?” Slater demanded.
“I will answer your questions now that the horrible thing no longer has any control over my mind. So long has passed since I was first imprisoned. Millennia gone that will never be recovered,” she mused.
Slater began to get angry at her dithering. Thankfully, she seemed to focus a bit before continuing.
“As for who I am, I am Illissa, subcommander mage and a proud member of the elvish race. Sadly, also one of the last,” she answered.
“Okay, let’s start there. Who are the elves and why were you hunting me for the council?” Slater asked.
“To answer that, I must tell you some of my people’s background and ask a few questions of my own. Tell me, Captain Slater, how long have you known about the derelicts and how many of your people have been transformed into one?”
“I only found out when my ship was destroyed and I became this. The soldiers mentioned they knew about derelicts, but not ones like me. As for how many of us there are, it’s just been me and my admiral . . . who didn’t survive the process,” Slater replied.
“Was your admiral killed, or did she succumb to the madness?” Illissa asked.
“Madness,” was Slater’s only reply. He still felt guilty about destroying the monster that Admiral Lopez had become, more so now than when he first defeated her.
“I see. My people had been journeying through the stars for thousands of years and had never found a derelict. Our technology and civilization were very advanced, and we lived in peace with our neighbors. Eventually, the races who lived nearby found themselves hard-pressed by a variety of new foes that had begun encroaching on their worlds. The kobolds, orcs, halflings, and their kin banded together to crush us all. We fought back, but war was foreign to us, and the first fleet we cobbled together was destroyed. In the destruction of our fleet, our salvation was found. Tir’rillion and Caer’navar were two captains of the destroyed vessels. Their ships had been infected with parasites, and they were transformed into derelicts.
“We found them both—our first glimpse of a derelict—when they jumped into our home system and announced what had happened to them. They had killed the parasites that sought to devour them and now were pledging their service once more to their people. We rejoiced that they were returned to us and were stunned at the support they gave. Material and components for our mighty vessels of war could be turned out in a matter of minutes instead of days. A starship that normally took a year to build was completed in a month.”
Illissa stood on shaky legs and proceeded to take a long drink from the faucet before continuing. “Our material needs for war were now easily produced in a fraction of the time it normally would have taken . . . all the material needs save for one. The one thing the derelicts controlled by our brave captains couldn’t provide was manpower. My people have always been few in number, and our virtually limitless lifespan is offset by our low birthrate. As the war progressed, we took losses, even with our overwhelming superiority in technology. We could not replace those losses, while our foes swarmed and bred like rats.
“Our numbers dwindled, and our allies fell one by one. Eventually, only our home planet remained. The derelicts bravely stood at the fore of our remaining forces, defiant to the last. Among the swarms of vessels that our foes assaulted us with were dozens of derelicts—derelicts controlled by parasitic masters. Tir’rillion and Caer’navar fought hard, defeating one derelict after another as the enemy sought to board them. Alas, even their considerable defenses eventually fell to the onslaught. They were unable to create new MOBS fast enough to replace those lost in the fight,” she said sadly.
Slater could see her drifting off into memory. “Why did the derelicts attack your world?” Doctor Cheng asked. “From what Slater told me, they remained neutral and didn’t favor one race over another.”
“You are correct. That is their agreement with the other races, except when it came to our derelicts. Like yourself, Captain, our derelicts were considered abominations, controlled by the host and not consumed by the parasite. Something about our existence and the elvish ability to fight off the parasite terrified them, galvanizing them to end the abominations as well as the race holding the potential to spawn more.
“They came for us, for Tir’rillion and Caer’navar, and now they know what you are, Captain Slater,” Illissa warned. “They will now come for you and for all humankind. They will not stop until the last human is destroyed or enslaved.”
— 2 —
Slater didn’t know what to think about the in
formation Illissa had just given him. He still had a healthy skepticism of what was being said, but it did make logical sense. Questions ran through his mind and he tried to organize his thoughts before asking her anything else.
“That’s a lot to process, Illissa. Let me ask a few of the basics. First off, what’s the implant in your head, and how did you become infected with what essentially looked like a parasite?” Slater asked.
“My implants were given to me when I first displayed an aptitude for magic as a child. Very few beings in the galaxy can harness magic’s power, and I showed more aptitude than most. The implants in my brain enhance the strength of my magic, regulating the flow of power and enabling me to maintain better control.”
“You expect me to believe in magic now?” Slater said with sarcasm, annoyed that the elf thought he would buy her absurd claim.
“Magic isn’t quite what you think. It’s essentially just another form of energy, one that permeates everything around us. What mages can do with this energy is limited, and specialized training is necessary to do something useful with the power. My magic focuses on healing and projecting defensive barriers around myself and those I designate. Let me demonstrate. My eyes will glow when I am using magic, but rest assured, I am no longer under the control of the council,” Illissa advised.
“Just remember that I can see what you’re doing, and if you try in any way to injure one of my people or escape your imprisonment, I will have you killed,” Slater warned.
Illissa nodded and her eyes took on the strange blue glow once more. The energy moved around her body like an electric current, eventually stopping and concentrating on her broken wrist. The energy pulsed, and Slater and Doctor Cheng were treated to the disturbing sound of cracking and grinding bones. With a final burst of light, the glow faded from Illissa’s eyes and her wrist was healed.
“That’s much better. Thank you for allowing me to do that,” Illissa said with a sigh of relief.
“That was impressive, and I’m sure Doctor Cheng will have many questions for you on how magic works. My other concern is, how did you become infected by a parasite? You’re not a derelict core,” Slater asked.
“I’m not sure what process the council used to infect me and the others. When Tir’rillion returned to us, I volunteered with many others to serve as crew for his derelict. When an elf spends a long amount of time on a derelict, they begin to change after being exposed to the core’s energy. The changes are subtle, such as not needing to eat, drink, or sleep. We slowly began to use the core’s energy to sustain ourselves, and in return, we became dependent on it to live. I suspect the humans you have on board may experience similar changes over time,” Illissa said.
Slater saw the look of concern in Doctor Cheng’s eyes.
“Do not fear just yet,” Illissa continued. “Our transformation took centuries, and if our legends are true, you humans live a much shorter lifespan than that. I wouldn’t be surprised if your life was extended by your presence here, but centuries will pass before you must worry about dependence on core energy. Of the four of us who boarded your vessel, I and Siratas had both served with Tir’rillion. The other two you encountered were simply advanced MOBS—highly advanced MOBS, but ones created by the parasitic core on our vessel through a process I don’t understand.”
“There was a derelict core on your ship?” Slater asked.
“Not a complete one like yourself. Well, not like yourself at all, as you are free of any parasitic corruption. The ship’s AI was connected to a fragment of a core. The council has the means to crack a core into several parts, each of which could control a vessel like my own and the crew aboard it. These vessels are limited in function and don’t have the complete power of a core, but they are perfect for using beings like myself to enforce the council’s will. Cores that are hunted down by kill teams are broken apart and face an eternity in slavery to the council’s whims,” Illissa said.
“How long have you been on a kill team, and when did the council capture you?” Doctor Cheng asked.
“I don’t know for sure, Doctor. Between missions, we sleep, and there is no chronometer aboard the vessel. If I were forced to guess, many centuries, if not millennia, have passed. My people are gone. Perhaps a few more are out there on kill teams, but not more than a fraction of our former numbers and not enough to sustain my race. We are destined to drift into legend, vanishing slowly from the galaxy,” Illissa answered.
The doctor began to ask another question, but Slater jumped in, interrupting her. “Sorry, Doctor, but I need a few more practical answers before we continue. Are all the kill teams like your own, and how soon can we expect another to track us down?” Slater asked. Was he about to face one kill team after another until he was finally brought down?
“There are kill teams other than elves, though I have never personally seen them. The council can track down cores, but yours will become harder and harder for them to find as time passes. We found you easily enough, as you were still brimming with energy left over from when your parasite was alive. Now, your energy signature will slowly change and it will become more difficult for the council to track. More difficult, mind you, is not impossible. Our ship likely sent off signals warning of a potentially sentient core. If that word gets out, you will become the council’s number one target,” Illissa warned.
“Is there some way to break the council’s control over my nanobots? I need to control my jumps if we’re going to get back in touch with humanity,” Slater asked.
“Yes, you will gain complete control over your functions in time,” Illissa advised. “Even now, I suspect you have seen changes to your nanobots as the chains upon them slip. Be advised that not all the changes and freedoms you will experience are beneficial. As the council’s hold on you dissolves, so will some of your power. Your hull will no longer be able to resist destruction. It will be stronger than any normal alloy but can still be breached by normal ship weapons. Your nanobots will also become less effective at repairs and reprocessing biomass and salvage. You will need to become more aggressive to survive. Sitting and waiting for boarders is no longer a valid strategy. In fact, all boarders—save perhaps for some of the dwarven clans—will try to kill you. No longer can you expect simple explorers looking for loot. Expect only killers who seek your destruction.”
Slater considered her answer. He had changed, and his last upgrade had revealed the beginnings of that. Normally, when he upgraded, his more powerful core granted him control of more MOBS. With this latest upgrade, the number of MOBS under his control remained the same. The core upgrade had been offset, somewhat, by his degrading nanobots. He could worry about the changes later. For now, he had other matters to deal with.
“It sounds like we need to be more like a ship and less like a collection of boxes floating around space. How do I gain control over my jumps and improve my drives? It will take way too long with current research speeds to develop an effective propulsion system or weapons systems. For now, I can only putter about on a weak positioning thruster and my only weapon is a puny laser cannon that takes way too long to recharge,” Slater complained, not liking what he was hearing. The removal of the council’s restrictions on his nanobots was great news. The fact that he would soon be easier to destroy was not.
“I’m not sure I can help you with that. I wasn’t privy to Tir’rillion’s research, but I do know he eventually found ways to make changes and upgrades quickly. It was only a matter of months, he said, from the time he was freed of the parasite to when he was a real ship once more, complete with elvish drives and weapons suites.”
Slater was confused. Had he been going about research all wrong? “Do you mean that Tir’rillion used his prior knowledge and didn’t have to wait for research to complete?” Slater asked.
“I’m not sure. I performed a different function on board. I was what you would refer to as a ship’s physician, tasked with healing the crew and providing magic support during battle. What little I did discuss with Tir�
��rillion about his improvements had to do mainly with items in our medical compartment. He was unfamiliar with anything medical or magic-related. His focus had been on commanding a vessel and its crew,” Illissa told him.
“I think I might understand what he was talking about. Thank you, Illissa,” Slater said, realizing that he had been going about research the wrong way. He thought back to the improvements he made to his firearms and the comm array. Upgrades outside of standard research were unlocked by using his own personal knowledge and that of his crew. He had a lot of experimentation to do—and not much time to do it.
“What happens to me now, human?” Illissa asked.
It was a valid question and one Slater wasn’t sure how to answer. He had seen the parasitic corruption in her mind and knew that her actions while attacking the derelict weren’t entirely her own. Still, with all of Pixi’s deception, he wasn’t ready to trust the elf anytime soon.
“First off, my name isn’t ‘human.’ It’s Captain Slater. As for what to do with you, we’ll have to give it some time. You are free of the parasite’s influence, but that doesn’t mean you’re not a threat to my ship or those aboard it. In addition, I don’t think the soldiers will be all that forgiving of you, given the death of Sergeant Gonzales. If I let you go, you wouldn’t necessarily be safe out among them. For now, you’ll stay in your cage until we come to a decision. Let the doctor know if you need anything. She can coordinate with you for meals if the power you’re taking from my core is not sufficient.” Slater switched his focus to his engineering station, leaving the doctor and Illissa to work out feeding times and other minutiae of her imprisonment.
Slater checked in on the other humans. They were all still asleep. He wondered how long it would take for them to become dependent on the core like Illissa was. She said the process would take many years, but he didn’t want to see them trapped forever on his ship. It was a worry for another time. For now, he wanted to explore more research options. Digging into the engineering console, he prioritized in his mind what needed upgrading. He would need to fight other ships soon, and that meant the ship-to-ship weapons and scanners on his vessel would be critical. Illissa hadn’t mentioned how long it would take for the hull to degrade, so he also needed to develop shield technology.
