The three-meter long sandwich was gone within minutes.
“I’ve rarely seen such an appetite,” said Kalliopy.
“You should see what they served me on board the pirate’s ship. A goo that tasted more like leeches than real food.”
A tear fell rolled down one of Kalliopy’s cheeks. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that.”
“You don’t have to apologize, your highness.”
“I think I’d prefer it if you called me Kalliopy.”
“Right.”
“I hope you understand that giving in to Xonax’s demand was one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make in my entire life.”
Kevin knew that she had had little choice in the matter. He had thought about it more upon returning and his point of view on the matter hadn’t changed. If the positions had been reversed, Kevin would have done the exact same thing.
“I understand. In the end it all worked out for the best.”
“I believe I owe you a kiss.”
Before Kevin could say anything, Kalliopy closed her eyes and advanced slowly toward him.
But Kevin felt like he couldn’t kiss her. Even though he’d been waiting for this kiss for so long, right this instant, these weren’t the lips he’d hoped would join with his. Not knowing how to get out of it without making a scene, Kevin faked a sneeze.
Kalliopy opened her eyes and retracted her face. “Bless you.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’m sorry, but can we continue this lovely discussion later? There’s something I really need to do right now.”
Kalliopy attempted a smile. “Of course, Kevin, anytime.”
Why did I do that? thought Kevin as he ran down the corridors of the ship.
But he knew exactly why. Something had changed in his heart. He felt like someone had taken Kalliopy’s place. A minute later, he stopped in front of a door, breathing heavily. His heartbeat grew stronger as his fingers hovered next to the button to ring the bell.
Minutes passed, one after the other, Kevin’s fingers still frozen next to the control, for what felt like an eternity.
Come on, man! He told himself. You’ve been through space battles, fights with a vile AI, torture, and more. Surely you can do this!
Eventually, he pressed the control. A moment later, the door split open and revealed Lacuna scantily dressed in her underwear.
Kevin knew that if he didn’t act quickly, he’d chicken out and turn tail. So he leaned forward, grabbed Lacuna’s back, brought her against him, and kissed her.
She kissed him back, which he only half expected to happen. The other half promptly expected him to get slapped in the face. But the kiss lasted longer than he thought was possible.
Eventually, their lips parted.
They both opened their eyes at the same time. Kevin smiled, and Lacuna echoed the sentiment.
“Your highness,” said Lacuna with a grin, as Kevin realized Kalliopy just walked behind him.
“I’m sorry,” said Kalliopy. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Fantastic timing, Kev, good job!
But at least he wouldn’t have to explain his earlier attitude, and Lacuna seemed receptive to his advances, which made him happier than any blowback from what had happened here.
“Well,” said Lacuna. “Good evening to you too. I did not expect you to do this, you’re full of surprises, Kevin. Why don’t you stay here for the rest of the evening?”
Kevin’s heart beat faster than a speed metal song playing in fast forward.
Is she serious?
Then something happened, and Kevin stumbled backward.
“Kevin?” Lacuna asked. “What’s wrong?”
“I—I don’t know. I lost all sensation in one of my legs for a moment. That was so strange.”
“Come in, get some water on your face, and maybe we can have you checked by med-bay afterward.”
“That’s a good idea, thank you.”
Kevin went to Lacuna’s bathroom and splashed cold water on his face, though part of him hoped he wouldn’t ever have to wash his lips after the passionate first kiss he just had. Silly, he knew, but those were the thoughts swirling in his mind. Another spasm in his leg made him panic. He rose and looked into the mirror and saw his shadow-self.
An icy shiver cascaded down his spine.
“No! That’s not possible. I killed you!” Kevin screamed.
“Who are you talking to?” asked Lacuna. “What’s going on?”
Have you now? said 8-3-9-6 in his mind.
Terror filled Kevin’s soul in a heartbeat. “It…it’s still there.”
“Who’s still there? You’re not making any sense.”
“The AI, 8-3-9-6, it’s still inside my brain!
Kevin lost sensation in both his legs and fell to the floor. Lacuna crouched and hit her communicator.
“Zee, beam me and Kevin to med-bay and join us there on the double, this is an emergency.”
Green streaks of light enveloped them as Lacuna kissed Kevin on the forehead.
When Ziron beamed into med-bay, Lacuna had already placed Kevin on a medical bed.
“This can’t be happening,” Kevin kept repeating.
“What’s wrong with him?” asked Ziron, panicked.
“He says the AI is still in his brain.”
“Mira,” asked Ziron.
“Scanning now…hang on.”
The wait felt interminable.
You really thought you could get rid of me so easily? said 8-3-9-6.
I killed you, I saw you die!
You saw what I needed you to see to protect my root code. Now that I’m reestablishing my subroutines one by one, I’ll get back in control; it may take a few hours, but I’ll have this body once more.
“I’m afraid I have detected additional brainwave activity from the chip inside Kevin’s mind. It’s not as strong as it was when the AI overrode Kevin, but it seems to get stronger with every passing moment,” Mira reported.
“Beam it to space,” said Lacuna.
Zee looked at her.
“What? We don’t have any idea of what that could do to Kevin.”
“Better than him getting trapped inside his own body with tech sorcerer’s powers,” she argued.
“Yes!” shouted Kevin. “Beam that damn chip out of my brain, now!”
I wouldn’t do that if I were you, said 8-3-9-6. If you attempt this, I’ll overload and destroy your brain.
You’re bluffing. That would kill you too.
Perhaps, but can you risk it?
“Mira,” said Ziron, “can you get a lock on the chip?”
“I can, but I can’t guarantee that it won’t damage Kevin’s neo-cortex.”
“Kevin, are you sure?”
Go ahead, Kevin, say yes and you die right here, right now!
Why aren’t you dead?
Only my creator can deactivate me fully, and since she’s not here…so to use one of your expressions: you’re shit out of luck.
She?
Myrianna. She could help him get rid of this scourge, but Kevin knew he had to bide his time until then.
“Stop!” he screamed. “Don’t do it. 8-3-9-6 says he’ll self-destruct and kill me if we attempt this. You need to put me in stasis, fast! Mira, can you interface with my mind and find a planet for me?”
“I believe I can, as long as all the AI’s functions haven’t been fully restored, which I estimate should take a couple of hours.”
“Do it, do it now.”
You fool, Myrianna won’t deactivate me. You’re assuming she’s in control of her actions.
Kevin didn’t engage back with the AI. He knew that some part of Myrianna didn’t want him hurt. She cried when she activated 8-3-9-6, and he could tell those tears were genuine. Also, she had helped him while he was fighting the AI, so it meant that at the very least, she had some semblance of control.
At this moment in time though, she was Kevin’s only hope for freedom. Hopefully, he
could reach her and get rid of the AI, this time for good.
Epilogue
“Zee, please tell me you have stasis pods on board this ship?”
“We do, Kevin. Why?”
“Just trust me and help me get into one of them.”
Lacuna helped Kevin out of bed.
“This way,” said Ziron, pointing toward a nearby chamber. Lacuna helped Kevin walk and step inside the stasis chamber.
“Are you sure you want us to do this?” she asked, her eyes filled with tears.
Kevin wanted nothing more than to wake up from this newly developed nightmare. Even more so, he would have hoped to spend the night with Lacuna. That dream had been so brief.
It’s not fair! thought Kevin.
“I’m afraid we don’t have a choice. Do me a favor, tell Boomer and Leg’olas not to worry, we’ll get through this.”
Lacuna nodded. “We won’t abandon you, we’ll get you free, I promise. Even if it’s the last thing I do.”
“I know, thank you.”
Lacuna kissed him passionately once more.
Don’t worry, said 8-3-9-6. Once I’m back in control, she’ll be the first to die.
You won’t touch a hair on her head, not a single hair, you hear me?
Let’s wait and see, shall we?
Kevin was terrorized about the thought of losing control of his body again. He could feel it slipping away, one muscle spasm at a time.
“We have to hurry,” he said. “Mira, did you locate the planet I asked you about?”
“I have, Kevin, it’s a two day hyperspace jump from here.”
“Freeze me, get me there, and then unfreeze me once you locate and reach the planet I’m thinking about. We need Myrianna to rid me of this asshole, forever.”
“We’ll do as you ask,” said Ziron. “And I’ll try and work on other ways to disable the chip while you’re in stasis too.”
I wouldn’t do that if I were him.
“No,” said Kevin sharply. “I don’t think he’d let me live if you tried.”
“But, Kevin,” Ziron argued.
“Just trust me, and do as I ask.”
Ziron nodded.
“Hurry, the sooner I get to stasis, the sooner we slow him down.”
You really think a trip near absolute zero will slow me entirely? 8-3-9-6 chuckled.
It will at least delay you, right now that’s all I need.
This is futile, as you’ll soon discover.
“I’ve just about had it with listening to the asshole inside my head,” said Kevin.
He grabbed Lacuna’s hand and squeezed it hard. “Please close the door and activate the stasis chamber.”
Lacuna was crying again, but she obeyed and closed the door. She rested her hands on the window.
“Do as he says,” she told Ziron.
“Hang in there, Kevin, we’ll get you out of this mess.” Ziron activated the stasis procedure.
It got cold fast, and Kevin barely had time to mumble three words to Lacuna.
“I love you.”
At this point, Kevin didn’t know if she had heard him or not or if his lips even moved. But he liked to think she had and imagined that she had answered. “I know.”
Then everything in Kevin’s mind turned black.
Xonax walked through the rubble of what was once his father’s palace. It had been completely destroyed. A decomposing dead space bug also made the air barely breathable.
“Are you sure you should be up and about so quickly?” asked Ziblus.
“I’m fine,” said Xonax with a voice that sounded more robotic than humanoid. “And you should address me as my Emperor.”
“I apologize, my Emperor.”
There was no throne left to sit upon, but this entire world, the entire civilization, was now his. Xonax’s dream of a coup had not gone without its hiccups, though.
He passed his hand on the cold metallic parts of his body. It would take time to adjust to these changes, and Xonax’s pride had been hurt. He would have to adjust to looking like a disfigured freak. But only the result mattered, and he was finally emperor.
His rule would be like no other, his wrath would have no equal. He would claim this galaxy as his own and then conquer the rest of the universe. Nothing and no one would stop him.
“Before we deal with the business of the day, make sure to have my father’s head on a tall spike and put on display at the entrance of the palace,” said Xonax coldly.
“Don’t you think that’s a little extreme? Most of the people might not know your father is dead.”
Xonax’s eyes filled with fire. “If you value your life, I suggest you don’t question my decisions.”
“I meant no disrespect, Emperor.”
“I know, that’s why you’re still breathing. Never forget that. Have you brought me what I’ve asked?” Xonax said.
“Our transport has a lock on him. We’re ready to beam him down on your command.”
Xonax nodded. “Then by all means, let’s tie up all these loose ends.”
Altanor appeared in front of him.
Xonax saw the fear and repulsion in his eyes as Altanor looked at his metallic parts.
“Congratulations, Xonax, that was a very well executed pla—”
But Altanor never finished his sentence, as Xonax grabbed his blaster and burned a hole through the man’s forehead. Altanor collapsed, lifeless, on the broken and ash-covered floor.
Xonax smirked, his eyes filled with the satisfying twinkling of absolute power. After being cast away and on the run for years, he finally was where he wanted to be. Where he belonged. At the reins of the Kregan Empire.
“Thank you for your assistance, Altanor, your help is no longer required.”
“I take it we won’t need the pirates’ help going forward?” asked Ziblus.
“They’ve served their purpose. This alliance was always meant to be temporary.”
“What about the rest of them?”
“Seize their ships, and execute their crew.”
“Very well, my Emperor. Thy will be done. Will there be anything else?”
Xonax looked around for a minute, becoming lost in his thoughts.
“Rebuild the palace next. Once it has been returned to its former glory, we’ll focus our efforts on rebuilding a large fleet of ships.”
“Are we taking out the Arcadian Confederate once and for all?”
“In time, but first we have a far far away world to conquer.”
“What world would that be?” asked Ziblus, intrigued.
“A planet called Earth.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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