Chapter 11: Chapter 10 – Major General

Major General Parthen greeted them at his own place. As soon as they stepped off from their ship, a group of soldiers escorted them into the deepest part of the shipyard. It was a room, sparsely decorated but the floor and walls were overlaid with real wood, giving it a kind of warmth that a lot of other places lacked. Especially for Sylen who lived her whole life in a flying, metal box.

 

“Is that a fireplace?” whispered to his grandfather, seeing one for the first time. Not to mention the huge, real, wooden, half-circle shaped office table, placed right before a panoramic glass wall. Looking through it, they could see the picturesque landscape of the Galaxy, as the whole room lit up in a bluish light when the Astropath opened up not that far away and a massive ship had floated out of its maw. Watching nature’s interstellar highway manifest in real space, spewing out a warship that was ten times bigger than the Dawn, it was simply mesmerizing.

 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” sighed Parthen, watching it with a half-smile.

 

“It is, never before I saw one!” replied Sylen, but she was talking about the fireplace still, watching the fire dance in it. She only saw one that was an imitation, a simulation. Getting across biological material was a luxury in itself that they could not afford. Miyon wanted to nudge her to stay silent, but Parthen already turned towards them, smiling, following her gaze. 

 

He was around the same height as Omega, looking just the same as Miyon and Sylen, having a similar pair of ears and tail, only black in color. The blue eyes of his were firm, full of life, even as he was nearing his 60th birthday. His body was slim and fit, exuding the aura of a predator, of a wolf, ready to chase its prey, no matter where he ran to. His face had some wrinkles, unavoidable as the years relentlessly passed by, yet he was still looking like someone who just celebrated his 40th birthday. He was wearing his standard, black military uniform with crimson colored edges and a multitude of medals decorating his chest.

 

“Glad you like it.” nodded, walking forward, looking at the other two, finally resting his eyes on Omega for a few seconds. “Please sit.” pointed at the leather couch in front of the fireplace as a maid came in at the same time. She was of a similar breed as them, only with bunny-like ears and with more fur on her arms and thighs that were showing in the tight, short costume she was wearing. She courteously bowed, bringing in fresh tea, placing a cup before all of them, pouring it out gracefully, without a word uttered. 

 

“Thank you.” answered Miyon as they sat down.

 

“Mmm, it smells nice!” licked her lips Sylen, unafraid of the situation. For her, they could do nothing by now. It was best if they took it at face value, enjoying the little things, instead of worrying like her grandfather did at that moment. Especially as she watched Omega, who was calm, unbothered, giving her a great amount of courage that everything is going to be okay. 

 

“It is a brew, directly from Saphir.” smiled the maid, finishing serving the tea, holding her now empty tray close to her body, standing behind Parthen.

 

The Major General walked before the fireplace, picking out a pipe from his uniform’s inner pocket, lighting it up, remaining standing, looking at them from an upward angle now. It was a conscious decision on his part, already employing psychological warfare, making sure he was seen as someone who had complete authority over them here. Which was almost true. Of all of the three, it was best working on Miyon. His life experiences quickly made his head bow to the alpha in the room but for Sylen, it was less successful as she was following along with Omega's mood instead. She was still young, inexperienced, sheltered. It would not be a problem to influence her the way he wanted. If it comes to that. That was the Major General’s honest first thought. About the other one… Parthen was unsure about the third individual’s thoughts and standings. He read the trio’s files, their backgrounds and knew that ‘Alphonse’ here was injured and mostly lost his memories. He was recently found and rescued by the two. Now, without a home and without a ship, he was following them as a new crewmember. At least that was what his files, recorded in the Neo-Hegemony’s system, told him. There was no time to make sure that the past he had recorded in his files was also true or not. Files could be altered. That was a fact he knew very well. Looking into his eyes, there was something else in them. Something he couldn’t visualize in his own mind yet. Parthen’s instincts were honed in multiple battles, rising from a junior officer on a medium-sized warship to the Major General’s role, the main head of Mors Caminus. This was not done by relying on his studies only. It was a mix of his wit, instincts and luck. The same combination that now told him, something was off.

 

“It is nice.” said Omega, bringing back Parthen from his thoughts as the former put down his emptied cup, back onto the small coffee table before them. 

 

“Mmm, it is!” nodded Sylen, wagging her tail softly, enjoying the exquisite taste of the tea.

 

“Happy to hear it!” Parthen nodded before continuing “Now, about the device…”

 

“Here.” Miyon gulped, taking it out from his pocket, placing it on the table.

 

“Interesting.” Parthen looked at it, nodding at his maid, who walked forward, picking it up and inspecting it. 

 

“It is made from a synthetic material.” The bunny girl spoke softly with, twisting her little nose “I’d have to run tests on it to determine what kind.” 

 

“Almost.” Omega said suddenly. “It is a mix between a carbon based alloy, namely 718 with psycho-active detrium mixed into it. The former was widely available, the latter was lab-created. It is not found in nature at all. It was specially developed for this technology. It is what gives the bracelet its function, power and flexibility. Giving a stiff, metallic bracelet properties that of rubber when activated.” explained, drawing everyone’s attention onto himself.

 

“Really now…” murmured Parthen, taking a deep drag from his pipe. 

 

“I was the one who found it.” Omega smiled as a response.

 

“That… is true.” Sylen whispered, shifting her sitting position a little. Miyon was happy that Omega was the one, receiving the gaze of the Major General. hHe honestly didn’t know if he could take it for much longer anyway. It was nerve wracking, like looking into the eyes of his own torturer. 

 

“She is not lying.” Parthen thought, as he could hear and smell out if someone did. He was still atop of his senses, honed to recognize swindlers and those who were aiming for achievement, embellishing their own stories. Turning towards Omega, he wasn’t lying either. Also… he wasn’t scared, intimidated by his presence. Maybe it was his heritage? Coming from the same line as Kaltazar? He also faced adversaries all his life, maybe his strong will has trickled down to his children, roaming the Galaxy? “Please, continue.” smiled in the end, signaling for Omega to speak freely.

 

“It is an ancient design.” turned his eyes towards the bracelet in the bunny-girl’s hand. “The detrium inside of it can pick up the thoughts of its wearer and transform it accordingly. It is also the transfer device between the pilot’s consciousness and the machine’s AI core.” 

 

“AI?” Parthen asked with a deeper tone, his eyes turning much more serious.

 

The idea behind AI was not strange for them. At least not because it was a far fetched idea. They knew it existed before, in the time of the true Hegemony. A creation of their ancestors. Even this station, it was once bolstered by the power of an AI, serving as its core, automatizing a lot of procedures for its human creators. When it was rediscovered by the scientists under Kaltazar, the AI was gone, completely deleted. Exterminated. The computers were still here, a giant core of the most advanced devices ever found, capable of computing at the quantum level. Yet there was no soul in it, not anymore. They were, until to this day, working on it, rediscovering new things from it, barely scratching the surface of how it even worked.

 

“Are you… saying this has something to do with true AI?” Parthen asked, his throat a bit drier than before. What they had now was only automatons. Pre-programmed machines that acted to their designated parameters. Unable to adapt, evolve, think.

 

“No, not true AI.” Omega answered, shaking his head, disappointing Parthen a little, same with Sylen, who was listening on curiously. Finding a working AI would be the miracles of miracles. “That would be dangerous! Linking up a human consciousness with a machine’s, who knows what would happen then! It could kill both or just one of them!” shook his head with a small smile “But it had a very sophisticated, self-correcting algorithm. Capable of adapting to its pilot’s needs and faults. Imagine it like a battle suit that makes up for your weaknesses, even for those you don’t know about!” 

 

“Turning soldiers into supersoldiers.” nodded Parthen, raising up his pipe, seeing the logic behind it. “If it is not an AI, maybe that is even better!” thought out loudly after blowing out the smoke from his lungs. “We wouldn’t be able to replicate something like that. Improving drones… is a different topic altogether. How does it work?”

 

“It is unlocked. Put it on and it will react to your thoughts.” answered and as Parthen’s maid was holding it, she couldn’t find out how to even put it on. It was perfectly rounded but it just wouldn’t budge or come apart. Her hands were not thin enough to slip through it either. “Try thinking about putting it on.” Omega smiled, watching her fumble with it a little, clearly enjoying watching it, before he spoke up. 

 

“You are so bad…” Sylen whispered to him but he just slowly blinked his eyes. 

 

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As soon as the woman thought about it, focusing on the bracelet it snapped open, becoming a straight line, like a metal ruler. It was surprisingly flexible, and when she put it on her wrist, it automatically closed, finding the perfect fit.

 

“Interesting…” murmured Parthen, watching it happen, nibbling on his pipe’s end.

 

“Run your fingers along its surface, from right to left.” Omega showed with his own hands. 

 

Following his instructions, a holographic image popped up from it, the same Sylen was already familiar with, the rotating holographic picture of the Suit of Ares. The bunny-girl maid flinched a little, surprised, but she quickly regained her composure, raising her furry hand towards the Major General.

 

“Fascinating!” Parthen sighed, leaning close, watching it, touching her hands and the bracelet, examining it with wonder in his blue eyes. “Does it contain the schematics for it?”

 

“No.” Omega shook his head. “This is a control device. The key for the machine.” said and seeing the changing face of Parthen he couldn’t help but smile again “But it recorded its last known location.” added after a brief pause.

 

Hearing it, both the maid and the Major General shuddered and the former quickly flicked her finger, the same as before, managing to swap the rotating image of the suit into that of a slice of a star chart.

 

“Smart.” Omega nodded at her. Her gaze was naturally proud and not because of his words. She was even… provoking him, telling Omega with her eyes, that of course she could figure out something simple like this!

 

“Damoclesian Rift…” Parthen whispered, reading it. “I never heard of it.” 

 

“It is the old Human name of the place!” Sylen said, happy to interject herself into the conversation. “It has a different name now!” 

 

“You know where it is?” snapped his head the Major General, focusing on Sylen now but she was completely unfazed, looking back up at her like it was something obvious. 

 

“Of course! Why else would we come here to make a deal?” rolled her eyes a little.

 

“Sylen… a deal…” flinched Miyon, finally regaining some resemblance of clarity, climbing out the mental rocks that Parthen buried him under. “It is a very… strong word. We came to offer it of course, hoping in the generosity of the Neo-Hegemony’s military officers.” 

 

“Accomplishments for the Hegemony are always rewarded!” Parthen answered with a strong voice. “Where is it located?” looked back at Sylen after silencing Miyon once again with one, quick look. 

 

Sylen looked at Omega first and not because she was unsure to say it… but because she wanted to tease him. Knowing how difficult it was for him to say out the alien’s name, she wanted to see him trying. As a response, Omega just shrugged, nudging her a little to not tease him if possible. 

 

“It is in the Gynkwhon’s territory. In the third, outmost system of theirs, called Frezthwin!” Sylen said in the end, holding back her smile.

 

Just hearing the Gynkwhon’s name turned the Major General’s face dark, crossing his arms, tapping his bicep with the end of his pipe. Frezthwin was reachable. It was at the borders of two other, smaller empires, both which were more preoccupied by fighting back against the ‘bugs’ than patrolling their other end of their systems. Walking before the wall with the wide, panoramic glass, he was silently considering their options. They could slip by, if planned right. The raiding fleets of the Gynkwhon were frequently harassing anyone who lived alongside their borders. Always looking for resources and most of all, hosts to plant their children into. The easier part would be going into Frezthwin as nobody would stop anybody who was mad enough to go to his death or to try and kill some bugs. Coming out was a wholly different endeavor. Anything that would come outwards of their territory would be immediately monitored, confronted and fought back against. All the Astropaths leading out from their territories were reinforced, repelling their invasions time and time again.

 

“This is… hard.” Parthen bit into his lips, already thinking up dozens of ideas while his maid was fiddling with the bracelet, finally taking it off by herself, proudly exchanging a glance with Omega, to be able to solve it without his help. “Can this lead us to other suits?” asked, watching the black void before him.

 

“No.” Omega shook his head. “It is bound to one machine and that one only!”

 

“We also don’t know if it is still there. It is wholly possible those wretched bugs already dismantled it or used it as a nesting ground to their maggots.” cursed a little, the Major General.

 

“Maybe.” Omega shrugged “But a working Suit of Ares, as it is called, can find other suits in its proximity.” 

 

“...” Parthen just furrowed his brows, mulling over the pros and cons. 

 

By now, even Sylen was nervous, rubbing her sweaty palms onto her thighs, waiting for the decision.

 

“Rururin here is going to escort you to your adobe for the next few days, until your ship is ready!” sighed the Major General in the end, turning around, while the bunny-girl just nodded, accepting his order “I need to contact the High Command and tell them everything. If we have questions we are going to need you to repeat what you just told me!”

 

“No problem.” Omega agreed quickly. 

 

“For now, enjoy your stay.” Parthen smiled faintly, escorting them out from his home and when he remained all alone, he immediately brought up the station’s communications, contacting a dozen others at the same time. 

 

Soon the room went dark, the fire extinguished in the fireplace as a metal door closed down before the panoramic glass. Twelve others’ holographic image appeared around the room while he turned towards them. 

 

“Calling up an emergency meeting? Is the Gate under attack?” asked a raspy, tired voice, he clearly has just been woken up.

 

“No, Admiral.” replied with a courteous tone, facing his own superiors and one of the big shots of the Neo-Hegemony, Admiral Jankoh, from the same species as Kaltazar. He was almost 100 years old by now, but still looking like someone in his 30s, with short, primly cut black hair and a muscular body. From the outside perspective, he was very much human looking, only with a bluish skin tone that turned completely see-through under blacklight. “But I came across something you all need to see…” raised his arm, wearing the bracelet the trio had left behind.

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