《Inner Steel》


 Chapter I

    I watched from the corner outside the market place. The busy traffic distracted me from my trip. I observed the dilapidated structures around me. I craned my neck in the air, examining similar buildings arc above me. This was because the designers of habitat 3091 designed it in a cylindrical shape. Here hundreds of crews came and went from the many Alliance habitats making up Dyson Sphere Alpha.


    The wind rustled my threadbare clothes. The effects of weather could never be fully pinned down in the spinning habitat. I pulled my jacket closer, the cold of space never completely pushed aside.


    The buildings overhead nearly touched the ones below them, the habitat was so dense. The entire 126 cubic kilometers of habitat housing sixty million bodies.


    I shoved my way through the crowd towards an unsanitary building on the right side of the walkway. Dim LEDs lit up the entrance, which resembled a gapping mouth. A mouth into hell, I thought to myself numbly.


    I looked both ways checking to see if there were any robotic looking figures, Chromes. Chromes were the Alliance¡¯s soldiers, their armor made of polished chrome and designed to dehumanize the soldiers.


    I caught a glimpse of a friend of mine, Irene, hanging around in the crowd. Irene was a quiet, sad girl who was in the depths of depression. I befriended her when I first arrived in 3091, and I thought her a decent sort, if a little skittish.


    As none were in sight, I ducked into the gapping mouth.


    I entered a dim storehouse. Inside dozens of metal crates stacked on top of each other created a labyrinth which was almost impossible to navigate. Impossible to anyone but me.


    I went on my hands and knees and observed the dusty ground. There I saw my old footprints from yesterday, just barely visible. I crawled forward, into one of three entrances. From there, I hit a container on my right. I hit a button square on, and a row of lights went straight ahead. I followed the lights, and then a few steps latter I turned into another dark corridor.


    Contrary to first impressions, it was my goal to keep away from the lights. I strung them up in such a way so that a person in a corridor thought to keep to the lane. Every lighted path led back to the beginning, defeating any attempt upon my stronghold.


    Finally, I reached the end of the darkened path. A vault door stood between me and my destination. I pressed a non-descript part of the door. A screen projected itself into thin air. On it were the symbols 1-9. I moved my finger into the square of light where a 1 floated, then a 4. Next came 0, and 8, and a final 5.


    <ol start="14085">


    <li>The year my parents died. They were killed by chromes during a riot in habitat 3091. I never could forgive Magnusson for their death, and finally after 9 years of preparation the first piece of my revenge was in place.</li>


    </ol>


    The vault door opened. I entered, and the door closed behind me. LED lights switched on. A man laid on a metal operating table in the middle of the floor. He looked up at me. His face scruffy by the lack of shaving equipment. He wasn¡¯t ancient, maybe early fifties with trimmed, greying hair, or used to be trimmed.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Emma. Why do you keep coming back? I told you before, rescuing me was dangerous enough. Hiding me will get you a death sentence.¡± He said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care, even if they catch me. You still need some medical care until you can return back to the rebellion.¡± I answered in a determined voice.


    ¡°Why do you help me?¡± he asked, ¡°I am a man wanted dead by the most powerful¡­being in the solar system.¡±


    ¡°Magnusson doesn¡¯t know about this place.¡± I answered crisply.


    The man conceded, ¡°Alright, I give up. Did you really sneak more food out here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I will force it down your throat if I have to.¡± I replied, pulling a package out of my pocket.


    He sat up on the table. I glanced at the bandage around his chest, the Chrome bullet still lodged in his chest. It was a wonder he had lived this long with the limited medication I gave him.


    I put the package in his hand, ¡°Your welcome.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m obliged.¡± He plucked the lid off the top and then inserted it into his mouth. After sucking the nutrient-rich paste through the acupuncture, he wadded up the package into a ball and then tossed it at a waste basket. It landed on top of dozens of its other fallen comrades and then fell onto the accumulating pile of trash below the can.


    A question lodged in my throat. I wondered if I would utter it, unlike the dozens of times before now. Now or never, my mind decided.


    ¡°Mr. Parker, when you go off to return to the rebellion, will you take me with you?¡± I asked as if I knew the answer. I didn¡¯t really, but I applied pressure nonetheless.


    He looked at me for a few seconds, and then said, ¡°It depends. You see, Emma. War is difficult. You have to fight to stay alive.¡± He looked down at his bloody bandage to stress his point.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t throw the girl who has kept me alive for the last two months into the fire of war and expect her to survive. I would rather die, than be responsible for my savior¡¯s death. In other words, I rather not.¡± He uttered the last words with infinity gravity.


    ¡°But if the Alliance finds out that I had been helping you, they will raid the entire block I live on. If I get picked up by them¡­¡±


    He considered for a moment, and then spat on the floor. His spittle was red. He gazed at it for a second, then sighed.


    ¡°In that light, I guess I¡¯ll have to take you with me, as unadvised as that is.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The next part of my plan was executed now. All that was left was to reach the rebellion and leave habitat 3091 far behind.


    Mr. Parker opened his mouth to elaborate further. He didn¡¯t have a chance.


    The vault door was blown inwards. I threw myself sideways. Once the smoke cleared I looked behind me. The operating table Mr. Parker sat on was gone, crushed behind the massive door.


    The door crushed him. I felt my heart sink. The Alliance had discovered me, and now they just killed my ticket out. No, he wasn¡¯t just a ticket out. He was a person who genuinely cared for my safety, and now was dead behind the door which kept enemies out.


    ¡°Freeze missy. I would like to say that an acquaintance of yours has finally squealed.¡± A Chrome walked out of the vacant doorway. His hands held an assault rifle pointed at me.


    Three more chromes walked from behind him.


    ¡°It was a certain, Irene, I believe her name was. She told us about the dozens of hours you have spent here, and of all the cover-ups she made up for you. She was spared¡­¡± The Chrome paused for dramatic effect, ¡°From her life. We will walk pass her body on the way out. Put your hands on your head now. No sudden moves.¡±


    They out-maneuvered me. Now I was going to die like Irene.


    ¡°Don¡¯t close your eyes, you have a journey ahead of you. Stay behind me. If you dart, you¡¯ll get shoot.¡± I dutifully followed the chrome out of the vault. My eyes glanced back were Parker was crushed by the door.


    ¡°Keep moving.¡± I shuffled forward, leaving years of well laid plans behind me.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°On your knees.¡± The chrome ordered. I looked around at my new surroundings. I stood in a metal chamber. No decoration adorned the walls, everything painted a dull grey.


    ¡°On your knees!¡± The chrome standing behind me kicked in my knees. I collapsed on to the floor. The chrome behind me grabbed my hair and then pulled my head up.


    ¡°Better. What do have to say for yourself?¡± he asked, pointing his gun at my exposed neck.


    I grimaced, ¡°Nothing. You have all the evidence you need to kill me, do it now.¡±


    I was finished, I knew they were going to kill me. The sooner I could get them to kill me, the better, I thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my decision.¡± The chrome said, ¡°If it was, you¡¯ll already have a bullet hole in your throat.¡±


    ¡°Whose decision is it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Mine.¡± A voice said. A man stepped into the room. My attention quickly darted to the ornamental axe he carried.


    ¡°When did axes come into the equation?¡± I snapped.


    ¡°When it concerns treachery, as with you.¡± He answered in a slow voice. ¡°But I am merciful¡­¡­occasionally.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your mercy. Get the job done and kill me already. I¡¯m sick of waiting.¡± I spouted.


    ¡°You¡¯re a feisty girl. The Alliance could use you. You could serve me and keep your life.¡± He stared at me closely, observing my reaction.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, do you? I loved my parents and then the Alliance you serve killed them! I will never forget my parents and serve their killers!¡±


    He looked at me once more, and then said, ¡°So be it. I know a girl like you won¡¯t reconsider, and an executioner has to do what an executioner does.¡±


    I stayed on my knees and closed my eyes, waiting for the final blow. My mind flirted around my life as I had experienced it.


    The orphanage appeared prominently, surrounded by shadows of hate and isolation. No friends appeared from the darkness of memory, only acquaintances. My parents cared, but they couldn¡¯t help me now.


    Only a devil or an angel could save me now.


    Emma. Emma do you hear me?


    The voice came from inside my head. I had no idea why I heard it, or who said it.


    I¡¯m Beta. Don¡¯t question the name, but you are about to die. Do you realize that?


    ¡°Yes, I do realize I will die.¡± I replied to the voice inside my head.


    I would let you die, but if you die, I die as well. Excuse me for a second. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    My head clouded like it something struck it. I could not feel my limbs. I couldn¡¯t feel anything at all. I hated the feeling.


    Someone else opened my eyes, using my own muscles. I saw the axe swinging sideways, a foot away from my neck. Suddenly that someone else yanked my arms from behind my back, breaking the metal handcuffs.


    I saw my hand reached up and grabbed the axe head in mid-swing. Everything moved in slow motion now. I watched in fascination as my hand twisted the axe head vertically. The blade snapped in two. The executioner watched in horror.


    The someone else pushed my body to my feet. Someone else grabbed the damaged axe from the startled man¡¯s hand. Someone else pulled my fist back and then punched the man in the head. His body whiplashed, and he fell to the floor. A chrome stepped into the room.


    Someone else threw the axe in my hand at the chrome. The chrome ducked beneath the flying object, only to be hit by my flying body. He was shoved back outside the room and me with him.


    Propelled by an unknown force, my hand snatched the gun out of his hand and then fired bullets into the chrome. After the third round the chrome stopped struggling and fell to the floor.


    I was in a blank corridor. Doors lined the sides of it leading to infinity. A man stood in the corridor.


    ¡°Follow me!¡± he uttered, and he darted down his side of the corridor. I felt feeling return to my body. Deciding not to think about what just happened, I sprinted after the man. It took a couple of minutes to fully traverse the corridor. Once I reached the end, the man opened a side door out of the building.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Run down the road until you reach an alleyway with a red road. Run as fast as you can. Go!¡±


    I sped along the way he directed me, running away towards the rebellion I sought after.


    I scanned the different alleyways as I ran. Suddenly I ran into a chrome trooper. Feeling left my body instantly, and I watched my hands tear the gun away from the startled chrome and fire into his limp body.


    Feeling returned to my body, and I kept running. I shut the incident out of my mind once more. If I concentrated on it, I would be distracted, then dead before I knew it. There were screams from the nearby pedestrians. Some called after me, raising the call of ¡°rebel¡± around the street.


    I investigated another alley, and then noticed the red brick road which ran through it. I ducked into it, then took a quick-double take. I was not alone.


    ¡°Quick! In here.¡± A shadow beckoned. A door opened. I flung myself through the now open doorway. The door shut. Lights illuminated the room. A woman wearing a veil stood before me, ¡°Hurry, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    She left in a hurry, a low-cut skirt dancing around her thighs. I followed close behind her. She walked through another open door and then stopped. She pointed up the stairs leading up, ¡°Run up to the roof. The rebellion has an Aerial which should meet you up there. But there¡¯s a chance it might not be there. Be careful.¡±


    I muttered a quick thanks to the veiled lady and the bounded upwards on the stairs. As I leapt up to the second floor, I noticed that my body felt slightly lighter than usual. The third flight of stairs was easier than the second. On the fourth flight, I heard a disturbance below me.


    I looked down and saw a chrome looking up at me. I leapt backwards as a hail of bullets whizzed upwards. I leapt up the next couple of stairs. I glanced down to see the chromes taking my example.


    As I reached the 19<sup>th</sup> floor, I was taking the stairs in a single bound, the gravity no more than Mars. The chromes, in their bulky armor, followed at a slower speed. I now gained a significant lead.


    At the 30<sup>th</sup> Floor, I¡¯ll take over.


    ¡°Who even are you?¡± I asked as I reached the 22<sup>nd</sup> floor.


    I have already told you my name, Beta.


    ¡°What kind of a name is that? And just so you know I hate you taking over like that.¡± I asked as I skidded across the landing on the 25<sup>th</sup> floor.


    A denominational name. A name design to keep me in my place. About your words on possessing, I don¡¯t care as long as I stay alive. Prepare to be possessed.


    Again, I felt like I was hit on my skull. Again, all feeling to my limbs ceased. Beta forced my body to look at a window. My reflection stared back at me, with one difference.


    My eyes burned a scarlet red.

 Chapter 3

    I felt disgusted. How could someone on my inside change my outside? I thought about fighting Beta, but Beta was in complete control.


    Beta leapt out over the empty space. The gravity now was equal to the moon¡¯s gravity. Beta¡¯s hands closed on the opposite stairwell and then pulled herself up. Bullets flew from below her. Beta went higher and higher, grabbing onto the sides of the stairs and then throwing herself upwards.


    In seconds she had climbed two stories, and then three more floors. The chromes were now a kilometer below. They fired stray rounds upward, but they consistently missed. After a minute of climbing up, Beta reached floor 204.


    She glanced up to see the glass ceiling growing larger. There was an exit, but the door was shut. No Aerial floated outside. There was only one option, one chance of survival. She swung herself around, and then smashed through the glass feet-first.


    She took her bearings, looking all around herself. She floated just where the artificial gravity of the habitat ceased. All around her, a thousand buildings stretched to infinity. She glanced up to see the opposite side of the habitat spinning above her.


    Beta now passed through the zero-gravity zone and now started to fall towards the other side.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the aircraft?¡± Beta muttered to herself.


    I felt sick. We were going to fall and splatter on the opposite side. Suddenly a light helicopter swooped down. A pair of doors opened on the side. A cable was shot out towards Beta.


    Take control now.


    Feeling came back to my limbs. I looked at the life-line for a second, and then grabbed it. I was jolted forward. I flew towards the helicopter, holding tightly to the cable. I was going to smash into the helicopter at my speed. I braced myself for the impact.


    Suddenly I landed in someone¡¯s arms. I opened my eyes in shock. A giant held me in his grasp, ¡°Nothing broken?¡± he asked in a soft tone.


    ¡°Um. Nothing.¡± I answered awkwardly.


    ¡°Good.¡± He released me. I floated down a couple of feet and landed on the floor.


    ¡°Take a seat, our pilot will need to make a few maneuvers.¡± He himself sat down in a large chair behind me. I sat in the normal-sized one and then strapped in.


    ¡°Additional Package received, preceding to rendezvous point.¡± A radio crackled.


    The four turbines that held the helicopter aloft flipped upwards, directing their thrust backwards. The helicopter shot forward, now an airplane.


    ¡°Warning to the passengers, expect a possibility of a crash. In that case, hit the eject button as soon as possible. We only have half a kilometer of room, so I wouldn¡¯t suggest hesitating on that.¡± The pilot continued.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°The Alliance has scrambled a pair of their own Aerials. Looks like they are armed with missiles, not looking so great for us. We still have three kilometers to go until we reach the docks. Oh dear, missiles have been fired¡­¡­¡±


    The Aerial darted to the left and then the right. A pair of automatic repeater guns fired behind the Aerial, attempting to take out the missiles before they struck.


    ¡°Does he always talk like this?¡± I asked the giant.


    ¡°Yes, in fact it is to relieve his stress because for some odd reason or other, it appears that describing his situation, no matter how dire, can be stress relieving.¡±


    The Aerial jerked again to the side and I saw a missile pass by the open cargo-bay.


    ¡°Umm¡­..How close does he often cut it?¡± I asked worriedly.


    ¡°Very close. Those missiles always get their kill, but usually after the pilot and everyone on-board bails. I have seen every single one of the rebellion¡¯s Aerial¡¯s get destroyed. I never actually remember being in one that survived a missile barrage. Yet again I must stress that I have survived journeys on a dozen Aerials, and this is unlikely to be my last.¡±


    ¡°Attention passengers, you have permission to eject.¡±


    I pulled the eject handle just as the giant did. The floor below me disappeared. I looked around to see the pilot also leaving the Aerial. A second later it exploded over our heads. Shrapnel rained down upon us.


    The retro rockets fired, slowing the seats to a halt on a street. All the pedestrians had fled when they saw the explosion.


    ¡°Hurry!¡± cried the pilot. He unbuckled and leapt from his seat with a pistol in his hand. The giant unstrapped quickly and efficiently. I fumbled with the mechanism and then busted out.


    The pilot led the way towards the docks. A chrome ran up towards us. The pilot shot the chrome and it fell dead.


    ¡°It¡¯s an heirloom, very accurate, very deadly because of the¡­.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Jim, I believe our task is to reach the docks.¡± The giant interrupted.


    ¡°I know Harry, the docks are straight ahead.¡± Jim pointed towards a line of warehouses, circling the interior of the habitat.


    ¡°After those, we¡¯ll jump aboard a rebellion shuttle and get out of here. Follow me.¡±


    Three minutes later we reached the warehouses. The massive steel buildings dominated the landscape. I never saw this part of the habitat.


    Harry didn¡¯t talk as we scurried along a narrow passage way. The silence foreboded something, something dangerous.


    I felt Beta within me stirring.


    Tell them to stop! There¡¯s something not right here.


    I ignored Beta. I didn¡¯t want anything to do with her.


    Listen! There was a shipment to this dock, 5 years ago. You don¡¯t remember it, but I do.


    I wondered how I couldn¡¯t remember this creepy place. An open sewer ran through the middle of the passage. Everything was a dull metal color which glinted in the limited light.


    This shipment brought special containers which rattled and shook. Terrible screams issued from them.


    At this que, a screech rang out, shattering the silence. I heard the creaking of a metal door opening. Harry unholstered a pair of sub-repeaters and aimed down their barrels.


    ¡°That screeching does not bode well for us.¡± Harry commented quietly.


    He searched around in a pocket of his utility belt. ¡°Ah, you better have this.¡± He handed a large knife to me. I looked at the blade with disgust.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can throw that and it¡¯s just like a bullet. Also useful for hand-to-hand combat.¡±


    ¡°You do realize I can¡¯t kill somebody with this thing.¡± I said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a necessity, I have no other weapons to spare.¡± Harry shrugged.


    Another screech rang out through the semi-darkness. I heard something walking on metal.


    ¡°When I say run, run.¡± Harry ordered. I nodded, craning my neck around looking for the unseen enemy. My heart beat against my chest. What creatures hunted us, I did not know.


    ¡°RUN!¡± yelled Harry. Jim and I dashed forward. Another screech sounded from behind us. I glanced backwards, and then wiped my head back. I heard the semi-repeaters firing in the distance.


    Then there was a long wailing scream. I glanced back again to see Harry running forward, a black substance covering his lower body.


    We kept running forward. The passage seemed to extend to infinity. Then something leapt from the rooftop into our path. That something completely blocked up our way forward. That something was a spider.


    <h1> </h1>

 Chapter 4

    It was a monster, reserved for nightmares. It stood before us, its massive jaws clacking, searching for a morsel. I looked back at the other spider advancing behind us. It opened its jaws and let out a massive scream. I winced with pain and closed my eyes.


    Beta decided to attempt to take over then.


    ¡°No.¡± I said. I kept my eyes shut as I fought the senselessness. I hated being possessed, and I was willing to fight it, even if it might kill me.


    ¡°NO.¡± I said with defiance.


    Both spiders were closing in. I could not feel my legs anymore.


    ¡°NOOO!!!¡± I screamed. ¡°Stop it!¡±


    Emma! Let me take control! I can save us!


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you take control!¡±


    I started to feel my limbs again as I opened my eyes. The spider was only feet away, its pincers wide open.


    ALRIGHT! Let me help you fight before we die! Agreed!?


    The pilot emptied his pistol into the spider¡¯s eyes. Harry fired his semi-repeaters at the other, ignoring my random cries of defiance.


    The spider in front screamed and then grasped Jim by the head. I looked away as the spider crushed his head.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    The spider in front examined me closely. I wondered what stopped him from killing me outright.


    Activating Dual Combat Protocol


    A heads-up display popped up in front of me. The world slowed down a notch, and I now heard Beta¡¯s metallic voice, ¡°Here you are. Kill those Arachnids.¡±


    I looked in the reflection of one spider¡¯s black eyes. One of my eyes was red, another blue.


    ¡°Fight!¡± Beta ordered, and I put myself in action.


    I leapt backwards. I turned around to see Harry on the ground, the spider about to kill him. I threw the knife in my hand at the spider. The knife went straight through its tough skin. I landed on its dead back.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Harry raised his guns and fired into the spider in front of us. It retreated, in pain. I then grabbed the knife out of the Arachnid¡¯s back and leapt forward.


    Its jaws went up, to grab and crush me. I flew through the snapping jaws and landed on its head. I stabbed it between the eyes. It screamed, and then collapsed dead.


    ¡°No time to explain.¡± I said to Harry. ¡°You run ahead.¡±


    Harry looked confused for a second, but then he mustered his strength and continued to run down the corridor.


    I heard another shriek pierce the air. I turned to face four more arachnids.


    I slowly stepped backwards as the enemy approached. I then leapt up onto a nearby roof. An arachnid jumped up and grabbed my leg with its jaws. I cried out in pain. I threw the knife in my hand at the spider¡¯s head as hard as I could. It screamed, opening its jaws.


    I hobbled along the building. My blood stained the steel.


    ¡°You can do it! You can make it.¡± Beta encouraged me. I saw Harry hurrying below me. I heard the scrapping of claws against steel behind me. I kept moving forward, for pausing would mean death.


    I could feel the spider behind me now.


    ¡°Jump!¡± Beta ordered. I somehow pushed off with both legs and flew upwards. I landed on the back of the arachnid. I grimaced in disgust. I turned around to see another Arachnid lunging at me. I rolled off the Arachnid¡¯s back. The jaws missed me and speared the first arachnid.


    I rolled off of the roof, to my terror. I bounced off the hard floor. An arachnid leaped from above me. I groped for something and found a metal bar.


    As it landed feet away from me, I hit its head with the metal bar as hard as I could. The arachnid stared stupidly at me for a second before dropping dead.


    I staggered to my feet and began to shuffle towards the exit of the corridor. The other two arachnids gave chase to me. I ran for my life, every step I took jarring my leg further.


    Finally, I exited the corridor. I looked around. Straight ahead, I saw the blackness of space. It spun in an endless circle, as I spun with the habitat. Towers stood straight up at regular intervals of about 100 meters between each other. At the top of each tower a shuttled waited, docked to a special arm which negated the spin of the habitat to the shuttle.


    Harry stood next to a man, talking to him quickly and quietly.


    Deactivating Dual Combat Mode.


    Suddenly my legs shook, barely strong enough to hold me up. My mind clouded over for a second, the pervious exertion crippling me.


    Harry saw me and then ran over to me. I looked behind me to see the Arachnids closing in. I stumbled forward for a second, and then fell.


    Harry scooped me up and then ran towards the elevator door in the tower. The other man Harry talked too now carried Harry¡¯s semi-repeaters. He fired them at the Arachnids, the flashes lighting up his dark face.


    An arachnid screamed and then fell dead. The one behind it stood up on its hindlegs, standing at least ten feet tall. It opened its beak wide and shrieked. Even Harry shook from the explosion of sound.


    Ten more arachnids emerged from the passageway and joined in the screaming. The entire dock stopped short, terrified by the cries.


    Ordinary sailors and people ran for their ships. Terror gripped the populace.


    ¡°RUN!¡± the man cried, firing the semi-repeater. The lead arachnid fell dead, and then the rest charged him.

 Chapter 5

    Harry dropped me into the elevator.


    ¡°Wait here. William needs assistance.¡± He rushed out of the chamber, firing his other semi-repeater.


    ¡°Beta! Help me now!¡± I muttered to Beta vehemently. I saw that now William was running away from the Arachnid swarm. Harry took out another arachnid, but there were too many of them.


    ¡°Engage Dual Combat Protocols.¡± Beta thought out.


    I felt the raw power filling my veins once more. I stumbled out of the elevator. Harry now started to run back to the elevator. He quickly outstripped William. William looked himself at the nearest arachnid, which screamed in his face.


    I leapt towards him. The arachnid grabbed his arm.


    ¡°NO!¡± I screamed, not another person fed to the monsters. I leapt towards the Arachnid¡¯s head. I landed on its head. William fell dazed to the floor, missing his upper arm. He yelled in agony.


    I scooped up the semi-auto and fired into the arachnid¡¯s head. It fell dead. I fired at the other spider as it attempted to kill William. It turned back to face me, and then the bullets entered its skull. The other Arachnids scattered, chasing after those watching the battle.


    Suddenly the air was full of bullets. I looked up to see flashes of light emitted from the shuttle above me. The arachnids fell dead under the barrage.


    ¡°Thank goodness they¡¯re dead.¡± William said. He looked down at his arm. He drew in a quick breath as he saw why. He looked around in a daze. I wanted to do something for him, but I had injuries of my own.


    I breathed in, and then pulled him by his good arm. He leaned heavily on me, trying to stem the pain. I slipped on a puddle of blood but managed to stay upright. Slowly we made it to the elevator. Harry looked to still be in shock, staring at us and blinking now and again.


    When finally, he came to himself we were inside the elevator. He pressed the button with an embarrassed look.


    Disengage Dual Combat Protocols, I thought.


    ¡°I apologize for not helping you. I¡­ I extremely dislike arachnids. If exposed for too long, I go into temporary shock.¡± He explained. He gave me a second look as my eyes switched back from red to blue.


    The door closed, and the elevator shot upwards. As the elevator came to a halt, we floated upwards, now in zero-g.


    The door opened to reveal a platform with a shuttle sitting on it. The shuttle was about 200 feet long, the cockpit facing towards space. The name, ¡°Eternal Legend¡± was stenciled in white letters on the side facing me.  A woman floated out of the shuttle with a worried look on her face, ¡°Cap! You¡¯re injured!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the covering fire, Margarite.¡± He changed the subject. Will winced as a trail of blood floated behind him. Harry stayed behind, embarrassed by his lack of a role in the final fight.


    ¡°Our PD sufficed.¡± She answered crisply, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the MB.¡± I assumed that meant, ¡°Medic Bay.¡±


    She led us inside.


    ¡°Margarite. I need you to play captain for a little while. I¡¯m incapacitated, and we needed to be gone yesterday. Show us out of this dock.¡± The captain spoke seriously.


    ¡°But Cap, I¡¯m XO.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Do your job, XO. Get us out of here.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    She saluted, ¡°Yes, Cap.¡±


    Another crew member led us through the cramped cockpit, through a grubby bunk room, and into a dimly lit closest. Harry entered, and then left with Margarite to the cockpit. I stayed.


    ¡°Captain. What happened?¡± asked a man in a white medic outfit.


    ¡°Giant spider took my arm for lunch. Can you get me a synthetic one?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Captain. I have a stock of mechanic limbs for every single crew member on-board. Luckily I designed yours¡­.¡± He screwed up his face to remember, ¡°2 years and 248 days ago. Have you grown Captain?¡±


    ¡°Not in arm size, no.¡± The captain replied quickly.


    ¡°Good, it should fit perfectly.¡± The crew member who showed us in then left the room. The doctor pushed a button and then the wall behind him lifted to reveal an inner compartment. A rack of synthetic body parts was stored in it.


    I looked away in disgust. The doctor, however, appeared to enjoy these appliances.


    ¡°Ah¡­. here it is, Captain. Your new right arm!¡± The doctor pulled a large, reflected metal arm from the rack. He then closed the wall to my relief.


    ¡°If you could get on this table here, captain.¡± The doctor gestured to the table which dominated the small room.


    The captain got on the table and laid down. The doctor laid the arm where it was about to be attached and then pulled out an interesting machine.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you an operation pill, here you are.¡± The doctor put the pill in the captain¡¯s right hand. The captain inserted the pill into his mouth. His body relaxed, and he went unconscious.


    I looked away, and then decided to leave the room. I exited and then shut the door behind me. I now stood in a large room where 10 bunks were spaced evenly across the floor, each with a certain amount of free space around it. No one was in here. I made my way carefully through all the personal belongings laid out on every piece of furniture.


    I then entered the cockpit room. Eight people sat strapped, in at, their consoles, each console placed on its own wall. Harry had strapped himself into a chair below the captain¡¯s seat. In the middle of the spacious room was a seat where Margarite sat uncomfortably. I assumed this was the captain¡¯s chair.


    Margarite swiveled the chair around to look at me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Harry answered for me, ¡°She decided to drop in onto our Aerial on our way back. She helped me fight off the Arachnids, which proved quite aggressive. I still don¡¯t know why such a large number of them were stored here, and then used at this time. I believe we must have triggered some sort of special alarm.¡±


    ¡°Then the Alliance will be after us.¡± Margarite surmised. ¡°Ship, detach and leave.¡± She ordered. The ship jerked but stayed in position.


    Margarite frowned, and then ordered something in another language. The ship jerked again.


    ¡°The Alliance broke the DM. We¡¯re stuck unless we blast it.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we shoot it?¡±


    ¡°It will give us away. Stretched our luck already.¡±


    ¡°One of us could give the shuttle a shove.¡±


    ¡°Pushing won¡¯t help.¡± She muttered and swung back around to face the crowd of consoles.


    I turned and floated towards the airlock door. Maybe I was strong enough with Beta to dislodge the shuttle.


    I pushed myself out of the shuttle and then I grabbed a rail on the outside of the shuttle. I worked my way backwards, towards where the massive engine waited. It was mounted at a little bit of an angle.


    I pushed myself down on the platform. I almost bounced off in the low gravity. I snatched another rail nearby and held on. My drifted up so that I was vertical to the platform. I twisted my hands around to try to flip my body horizonal. It didn¡¯t work.


    Blood flowed into my head. My head throbbed.


    ¡°Beta, I don¡¯t know how to maneuver in zero-g. Can you help me?¡±


    I almost heard a laugh coming from Beta. Then I heard her say in my head, Engage Autopilot Protocols.


    A heads-up display again appeared. I followed the motion described on it, and my body drifted back down to horizonal. Back at this comfortable position, I crawled forward underneath the shuttle. I almost bonked my head on another engine, set underneath the fuselage. It was much smaller than the main drive. I maneuvered around it, following Beta¡¯s instructions.


    Then I saw the docking port. The side attached to the shuttle looked intact, being a large disc with strange engraving on it. The docking port attached to the habitat was a massive of cables and metal, all fizzing with electricity.


    What in the world is this, Beta?


    ¡°This is a messed-up docking port. Grab a rail and yank.¡±


    I found a rail attached to the metal floor. I tugged it free of its socket and brandished it towards the metal mess.


    ¡°Impale the docking port with the rail. The only thing keeping the shuttle attached to the station is the magnetic attraction between the plate and the station.¡±


    I thrust the pole into the docking port. It fizzled once more. I watched fascinated as electricity leaped from the pole to my hands. The electricity simply disappeared into my hands, and they started to glow.


    The shuttle floated up a few inches, and then the secondary engine on the shuttle fired. The shuttle rocketed forward. My chance of escape was running away before my eyes.

 Chapter 6

    I stood up as the shuttle began to leave the pad.


    Engage Dual Combat mode.


    I felt strength returning and I pushed off another rail. I rocketed towards the rear of the shuttle. I flew up right next to the shuttle. I reached out but couldn¡¯t grab the shuttle. Suddenly inexplicably, my outstretched hands drew me closer to the shuttle, and I attached to it.


    I then looked to the side. The habitat was about to end, and then I would be exposed to the vacuum of space. It would kill me. I climbed onto the top of the shuttle and began to bang on the superstructure. As it was space, no one heard me.


    ¡°NO! NO! NO!¡± I screamed. I was going to be left alone in space, to die. The habitat ended on either side of me. I kept mimicking breathing, remembering the vacuum drills taught in school.


    Space froze my body and burned it at the same time. I watched as I breathed out drops of crystallized blood. I closed my eyes, my eyelashes frozen against my face.


    I felt my blood race through my body, superheated by the sun.


    Emma. Emma. Emma do you hear me? Beta asked.


    ¡°I heard you.¡± I thought in my mind. Energy drained from my body.


    Don¡¯t worry. Engaging Vacuum Protocols.


    My skin still froze, my blood still boiled. I felt the slightest reprieve from the pain, but that was all.


    I opened my eyes, which then were scalded by the bright, unfiltered sun.


    ¡°I still hurt.¡± I thought.


    Its¡¯ space, Emma. Space is harsh, but you can survive it for short periods of time. The rebellion should be sending out a spacewalker to pick you up.


    A man in a spacesuit floated out with a tether linking him to the shuttle. His helmet turned to look at me. I reckoned he stared at my living form in space. I climbed from the top of the shuttle into the now open airlock. The man shook himself, and then entered the airlock after me. After he entered, the outer doors closed.


    Air pumped back into the space. My pain faded away as temperature returned to normal. The man took off his helmet. He looked very young, almost my age.


    He stared at me in wonder. I wouldn¡¯t say I disliked the feeling, but more than ever I felt like I was on display. The interior door opened. Margarite, Harry and two other crew members floated in front of me.


    ¡°How?¡± Margarite asked, shaking her head in disbelief, ¡°No one survives space. You were there for an entire minute!¡±


    Harry mused, ¡°I must say, you are proving to be a most remarkable young lady.¡±


    I looked over the XO¡¯s shoulder to see the captain floating quakily in the doorway between the medical bay and the bunk room. A reflective metal arm hung limp at his side.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Margarite followed my glance, and then uttered words in what I assumed to be Outer-solar.


    The captain nodded and answered in a few words to Margarite. He then said at me, ¡°There¡¯s something special about you, kid. You¡¯re a like super hero, being able to stay alive in space and fight off that Arachnid.¡±


    He said the next words slowly, ¡°I think you are our chance at beating Magnusson, once and for all.¡±


    He¡¯s right, Emma. You can defeat the single greatest tyrant that has ever fought a war.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    ¡°Call me Will, please. A person like you should never have to scrape up to somebody.¡± Margarite looked in horror at her beloved captain, stripping himself of his rank to greet a civilian. Granted this civilian stayed in space and survived, but the captain should always be a distant and remote character in her eyes.


    ¡°Will, could you inform me on some things. I would like to know some more about Magnusson and the Chromes.¡± I didn¡¯t think he knew about the Arachnids. I probably would have to meet with higher brass to get the answers I needed.


    ¡°Sure, come in the medic bay. I think Jerry will consent to being thrown out.¡± Will said. Jerry, the medic, came out of the bay grumpy.


    ¡°I was working on polishing up my artificial limbs! I was just starting the polish of my own replacement neck when you ask me to leave!¡± He mumbled angrily.


    ¡°How would someone use a replacement neck, if once their neck is injured, they are most likely dead?¡± Harry asked.


    ¡°One has to prepare for everything.¡± He answered.


    Will entered the medic bay and I followed along with Harry. Will positioned himself at the opposite side of the table and then asked, ¡°What do you want to ask first?¡±


    ¡°What are the Chromes? Why doesn¡¯t Magnusson use robots or something?¡±


    He thought for a moment before plunging into the subject, ¡°Magnusson wants to keep the population occupied. That is why we are building a Dyson Swarm. He motivates hundreds of millions of people to enlist into the armed forces, all of which are busy and keep others busy. This is another reason why all our habitats are disconnected. That is to keep rebellion from spreading.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything special about the Chromes?¡±


    He hesitated then shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Harry, do you know?¡±


    Harry nodded and then said, ¡°The chromes are each given a special mental implant which puts a part of Magnusson into them. They become his hands and feet.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second, Magnusson divides himself up?¡± I was confused. Will also looked confused at Harry.


    Harry continued, ¡°Magnusson is a human how has fully programmed himself into a mega-computer. He makes copies of himself, hundreds of millions of copies of himself, all of which answer to him. He dares trust no one else other than himself, that makes him very hard to kill. The chromes, once they have their implants, cannot turn back on their decision. They serve until they die, which is usually after 10 years of service.¡±


    I whistled, ¡°They die that quickly?¡±


    ¡°Magnusson stages many war games in order to keep his troops under control, and rebellion is infiltrating the habitats. The number of recruits is dwindling each year. This year, the Alliance has a 3% deficiency in recruiting camps. That¡¯s a good sign, but the rebellion fleet is in decline. We¡¯re headed straight for our capital fleet right now, but only because the Alliance knows where it is. We¡¯re tracking a large fleet bearing down on our fleet, but our ships are faster than theirs.¡±


    ¡°What is the capital ship for the rebellion?¡±


    Harry stroked his hairy chin. Will looked off in the distance, a smile darting across his lips for a second. He sighed out the words, ¡°Noble Sacrifice.¡±


    He then turned his attention back to me, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful ship, if a bit ugly. You¡¯ll see it soon, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°A beautiful ship if a bit ugly?¡± I frowned in confusion. Harry also rolled his eyes at this comment from Will.


    Will laughed, ¡°Sorry, my speech is full of little turns of phrases like that, as Margarite tells me often. I assume you need a bunk?¡±


    I nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem, you can have mine. I¡¯ll sleep in the chair.¡±


    I wonder for a brief instant what the look on Margarite¡¯s face would be once she heard that. I knew it would be devoid of approval.

 Chapter 7

    A week later we arrived at the rebellion fleet, or what Will told me was the rebellion fleet. At least 20 asteroids, ranging from large to small dotted across a 50-kilometer box near the remains of the asteroid belt.


    The three of us stood on the bridge, gazing at the spectacle.


    ¡°Its just a bunch of mined out asteroids placed here by the Alliance. Just to keep track of which ones are mined, and which ones aren¡¯t mined.¡± I surmised.


    Will smiled, ¡°Nope, Emma. These are the finest ships in the rebellion fleet: The Bright Tomorrow, the Freedom¡¯s Lance, the Lightning, the Intrepid, the Bellum Iustus, and finally the capital ship, Noble Sacrifice.¡±


    I looked to Harry. He nodded, ¡°Our resources are still scarce, so we have resorted to transforming inhabited cylinders embedded in asteroids into our warships. All of the tech here is ancient, but very useable.¡±


    The shuttle flew towards the largest asteroid of them all in the center of the horde. Unlike the others, it had enough gravity to be shaped into a lumpy sphere.


    Harry elaborated further as we flew towards the asteroid, ¡°These habitats contained people in them, who joined the rebellion. The descendants of these first rebels still occupy the ranks. This makes the ships generation ships.¡±


    Will butted in, ¡°Our dreadnoughts, namely the Noble Sacrifice, Intrepid, and the Bright Tomorrow, all are generation ships. One of my ancestors roughly 700 years ago married into an old family of shuttle captains. Its one reason I am a shuttle captain.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, we are now approaching the dock.¡±


    The shuttle shot towards the asteroid in front of us. I couldn¡¯t see any entrance.


    ¡°Um, are we going to crash?¡±


    ¡°There is a small chance that we are, only 30% chance.¡± I looked at Will in horror. He laughed, ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll make it through just fine.¡±


    Harry snorted.


    The asteroid grew larger and larger. The point we headed towards seemed to be the center of a large crater which sat underneath a massive outcropping. Ice reflected the limited light into my eyes.


    I closed my eyes for a second, waiting to feel the ship slam into the asteroid.


    Everything went dark, and then light once more. I opened my eyes. We flew through a transparent tube. The tube ran through a habitat embedded into the rock. I gazed around in awe at the sight of the skyscrapers reaching high for the ceiling, while skyscrapers on the other side reached downwards.


    ¡°This is habitat Duke. It¡¯s the main civilian habitat.¡±


    ¡°You have civilians on these Dreadnoughts!¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry for their lives. It has been hundreds of years since a habitat was breeched.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    I watched in silence as the Eternal Legend passed through the habitat and entered a massive hanger. All manner of shuttlecraft waited here, docked to the interior of the Noble Sacrifice.


    ¡°How many shuttles are there here?¡± I asked as the shuttle slid into a spare rack and docked.


    ¡°No more than a couple thousand.¡± Will replied. ¡°And if you will follow me, I¡¯ll show you the wonders of habitat Impervious.¡±


    I followed him down a ladder to the very nose of the shuttle. Harry in turn followed me. There an open passageway lay ahead of us.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Will walked at a fast pace to the exit. I exited into the habitat. I stood in a massive habitat. Much larger than habitat 3091 or the previous civilian habitat.


    A huge spacecraft floated in the middle of the habitat, supported by six massive towers. Four towers supported its axis and the other two reached from the ends of the habitat. The spacecraft must have been kilometers long, its pointed end pointed towards me.


    When I looked down, I saw one of the towers coming out from below me and supporting the spacecraft.


    ¡°What¡¯s that called?¡± I asked, pointed at the spacecraft.


    ¡°That is the Shackleton!¡± Will beamed. ¡°It will be the first interstellar spacecraft ever designed and constructed. Its nuclear drive can deliver a human to the nearest star system in 80 years.¡±


    ¡°Why did they build it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know. Only the high military brass knows its purpose. Whatever it is for, it will do its job well.¡±


    I glanced at Harry. He gazed at the construct, with a knowing smile on his face.


    ¡°Do you know Harry?¡± I asked.


    He nodded, ¡°I am aware of its purpose, yes.¡±


    Will lead us to an elevator and then dialed in what I assumed to be the ground floor. I sat in one of the four cushioned seats and strapped in. Suddenly the elevator shot upwards towards the ceiling.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to visit the inspector-general and tell him that the Eternal Legend has docked here.¡± He explained. It took much longer than a usual elevator. I waited for 3 minutes before the elevator finally stopped, and I felt the full force of gravity for the first time in weeks.


    A man waited in front of the elevator. He looked down at us, almost taller than Harry. He was extremely thin though. His gaunt face looked through a Virtual Reality Visor, or VRV.


    I looked around at our surroundings. A landing pad stood on either side of the passageway. In the middle another platform stood. On this a building sat, were captains and other officers walked purposely in and out, returning to ships or going someplace else.


    ¡°Ah, I see you have arrived.¡± He croaked, drawing my attention back to Will and Harry.


    ¡°I¡¯m Captain Will of the Eternal Legend. This is Emma Miner. She needs to meet with the top brass here because she needs to deliver information.¡± Will stated.


    The man looked to Harry, ¡°Can you confirm?¡±


    Harry answered, ¡°Yes. As Harry Judge, member of the ISN, I can vouch for her.¡±


    The gaunt man nodded, and he made some motions in the air with his long fingers. I assumed he was using the VRV this way and noting our arrival.


    ¡°An envoy from the military is coming now. It will arrive shortly and pick Miss Miner and Mr. Judge up.¡± He turned his bulging eyes back to the thin air in front of him.


    ¡°My XO, Margarite, will be here shortly. She will deal with the details of the mission. Jim Bozos is dead from the assassination mission. Arachnids got him, and my arm¡± Will lifted up his metal arm, displaying the fact.


    ¡°Unfortunate.¡± The man stressed every syllable.


    I looked towards the Shackleton, and then I saw a black speck flying towards us.


    A minute later an Aerial dropped from the skies and landed on the pad. A side-door opened. Harry climbed in first and strapped into the far chair. I waved good-bye to Will.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you later.¡± I said.


    ¡°Good-bye Emma. Save the rebellion for us, could you?¡± He smiled a little, and then turned back to the other. I entered the Aerial.


    After a brief ten-minute fly over to the main complex, the automated Aerial landed on another pad.


    Doors on both sides opened, and we got out. A pair of guards in interesting armor stepped out of the complex which loomed above us.


    ¡°Follow us, please.¡± The lead one spoke. I fell in behind him while the other one stepped in behind Harry. We marched into the complex where I was to prove my worth to the rebellion.

 Chapter 8

    I followed him to a building. After going through a reception office and turning left, we entered a large room. This time a long table ran down the middle of the room. 50 people could fit around the table, while only 30 sat there.


    The man at the head of the table was surprisingly thin and young, but his chest full of medals proved he was strong. Beside him sat an older man that didn¡¯t have a single medal. He examined me thoroughly.


    ¡°Sit down Miner. No, you don¡¯t have to tell us about the Arachnids. In fact, we merely wanted an excuse to get you down here and talk to you. We have a couple of hours to spare informing you of everything you need to know.¡± said the thin man.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± I sat down in the empty seat at the opposite end of the table. Harry stood obscurely in a corner of the room. The thin man introduced himself as Henry Anderson, the Admiral of the rebellion fleet. There were more people he introduced, but the only other one which stuck in my head was Kyle Writhe.


    Kyle Writhe was the head of the science division of the rebellion. His massive chin stuck out at an angle. Whether it was once broken, or a birth defect I never knew. He acted as the spokesman for the rest of the group.


    Kyle cracked his knuckles, then started speaking, ¡°Alright, let me tell your story. You were created by Magnusson, but we managed to get inside Project Genesis, I assume you know what that is?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Wait. What?! I was created by Magnusson? How? I thought I had parents, that they died in 14085.¡± My mind was completely bewildered. I listened in a daze the next few words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to this later, but Beta placed those memories in you. They¡¯re fake and do not exist. You never had parents.¡±


    I felt sick, the main reason I wanted to join the rebellion apparently was a lie. But how could I not have parents?


    Seeing my expressions, Kyle said, ¡°Oh, then let me put you wise. Project Genesis was a project created by Magnusson to create an Android. An Android, by Magnusson¡¯s definition, is an artificial body with a conscious attached to it to control it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a what? An Android?¡± I asked, still mentally reeling.


    ¡°Yes. Your body is the most extraordinary piece of engineering that has come through my hands. I can tell you that Magnusson worked extremely hard to make you operational. Anyway, back to my story.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Our best operatives went into the facility and then discovered the Android project. One of our soldiers then found out how to wake Beta, as she was known at the time. Am I preceding too fast?¡± He interrupted himself again.


    I shook my head, unable to speak, and he continued, ¡°Beta woke up. Her eyes were red, which really startled us. She said that she wanted to escape. We didn¡¯t trust her, and we told her so. She then told us that she would be willing to compromise. She said that we could implant an identity loyal to us into her.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He carried on smoothly, ¡°Beta then told us of a machine which could copy a human conscious onto a computer chip. She said that it would be possible to copy one of the operative¡¯s conscious into Beta¡¯s body. We found the machine and then Anna Parker, one of the soldiers present, stepped into it. She emerged two minutes later with a computer chip in her hand. Am I preceding too quickly?¡± He said, seeing the shock on my face.


    ¡°Go on.¡± I answered a little weakly.


    He continued, ¡°So, then she put the chip into the machine which held Beta. After two minutes Beta¡¯s red eyes somehow flipped to blue. Then Anna spoke from the Android body while Anna watched. It was--unnerving. Did Anna agreed to come to the meeting?¡± He addressed the older man at his left.


    ¡°No, sir. She said she needed to compose herself before she met the Android.¡±


    ¡°The copied version of Anna had all her memories which met the two were identical. Beta said that through some of the tools at her disposal inside the body, she could reprogram the copied Anna so that it would be entirely unlike the original. We gave her the go ahead and so she went into low power mode.¡±


    ¡°We guarded the position for a little while until finally Beta woke up. She said she had done enough work so that Emma, Beta decided to call you that, would have no memory of this event. She said that she wanted to run away to another system. We said we risked our lives to rescue her, so why couldn¡¯t fight for us, even if we could go to another star system.¡±


    ¡°Beta said she didn¡¯t care about humanity, only about her crew. We queried her extensively until we reached the inevitable conclusion. Beta was an Alien conscious.¡±


    ¡°What!¡± I looked around in horror. ¡°There¡¯s¡­¡­there¡¯s an alien in my mind!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let me continue.¡± Kyle said. ¡°Beta came from an interstellar alien civilization in a computer-ship. It was a massive cube filled with computers where hundreds of thousands of digital minds were stored. Supposedly they lost their course and arrived here where they were captured by Magnusson. Beta was the captain of the computer-cube.¡±


    ¡°So, we made a deal with her. We told her the rebellion was weak. We told her truthfully that we couldn¡¯t help her unless she could help us. We told her that we would begin to work upon an interstellar vessel which would contact her species and bring them here to rescue their comrades and defeat Magnusson. But we could only do that if Emma became the primary conscious in your body.¡±


    ¡°Beta scoffed at our plan, but she agreed to it. You would become the primary conscious after she was broken out. Then the Arachnids attacked, and we lost a couple good men¡±


    ¡°We defeated the Arachnid attack. Beta unhooked herself from the machine that was restraining her. As far as we could tell, she could have done that anytime she could have chosen. If asked if there were more Androids. Beta replied in the affirmative. She said that there were four Androids including herself. Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma.


    He continued, ¡°Beta also gave us specifics on each of these Androids. Gamma would be the weakest. Delta would be a shapeshifter. It would be bodyless emotionless. It could infiltrate anywhere. Luckily, as we are still alive, Delta hasn¡¯t been able to sneak aboard.¡±


    ¡°You are Beta and Emma at once. This makes you very special and capable of defeating Delta and Gamma, which would be a boon to the rebellion certainly. Beta, or yourself, was designed to be the perfect leader. Strong willed, problem-solving spirit, emanating charisma, hyper-intelligent, and stronger than Gamma. You were the gem in the Alliance¡¯s fleet of Gamechanger.¡±


    I noticed his lack of confidence in me defeating Alpha. This scared me, so I asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you think that I can defeat Alpha?¡±


    ¡°Alpha¡­¡­Alpha is a strange character. We don¡¯t know whether he is a driver-conscious, or an electronic mind which Magnusson uses for his creations, or if he completely Magnusson. As Magnusson never has contact with anyone, because he¡¯s electronic, we don¡¯t actually know his personality.¡±


    ¡°What else about Alpha?¡±


    ¡°Alpha is said to be the strongest of the Androids. Physically stronger, more intelligent, as hard as that seems, the toughest and most unbreakable drive. Alpha is the strongest physical being in the solar system.¡±


    ¡°What are some examples of these Gamechangers you keep mentioning?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Gamechanger is the term we use to denote anything with gamechanger applicability. The Arachnids are gamechangers, the Androids, the Shackleton is a gamechanger.¡±


    ¡°Has the rebellion figured out an FTL drive?¡±


    Kyle laughed, ¡°Ha. If FTL was possible, then all of Magnusson¡¯s ships would be sporting it. Magnusson has practically infinite processing power. We¡¯re not surprised if he managed to find the last digit of pie, square the circle, and discover FTL on a weekly basis as a pastime.¡±


    ¡°Where was Project Genesis¡¯ base?¡±


    ¡°On Titan, the moon which orbits Saturn. The Alliance has expanded that base heavily and it has become their main base of operations and processing power. Magnusson is stored on Titan as well. That is going to be our destination as soon as the Shackleton will be ready.¡±


    ¡°When will the Shackleton be ready?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Probably after the Alliance attacks.¡± He replied.

 Chapter 9

    I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.


    ¡°Beta. Beta are you there?¡± I asked into the silence.


    I¡¯m here.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak up during the conference?¡±


    They had evidence I couldn¡¯t refute.


    ¡°Beta. Are you an alien?¡±


    I was once an ¡®Electron¡¯ as it translates roughly to Inner Solar.


    I changed the subject over to the other Androids.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how the other Androids are weaker than me. I don¡¯t feel strong enough to take on an Army, but it seemed like the other Androids could.¡±


    You haven¡¯t the slightest idea of how powerful you are. The reason you don¡¯t think you¡¯re strong is because you are not strong with the dual combat protocol.


    ¡°So, is ¡®dual combat protocol¡¯ not powerful?¡±


    No. It is the weakest protocol.


    ¡°Then why did you suggest it?¡±


    Emma. You must realize that the resources I used to reprogram Anna¡¯s copy, or yourself, were limited. There was a natural barrier which I couldn¡¯t cross. The full potential of this body is only unlocked if there is one conscious. The only way we can move beyond Dual Combat Protocol is if either one of us willing terminates herself, or if we merge consciouses.


    ¡°Merge?¡± I thought aloud. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    It means that you cease being Emma, and I cease being Beta. It means that our thought-processes will be combined into one. It will mean that my memories will add to your memories. It will mean that I would not exist in the best meaning of the word. The same will happen with you.


    ¡°That¡¯s terrifying.¡± I whispered.


    Yes. You wonder why I didn¡¯t suggest one of the more powerful ones.


    ¡°But then how are we going to defeat Alpha?¡±


    Beta remained silent.


    ¡°Beta. Will we be able to defeat Alpha?¡± I insisted with dread.


    No. He will overpower us 10 to 1.


    My mind attempted to grasp this revelation. I decided to change the topic.


    ¡°Beta. Who were you when you were an Electron? Are you still one?¡±


    I cannot explain. I can only show you. Do you want to see?


    ¡°Alright Beta.¡±


    I suddenly was stolen from my bedroom and placed in metallic room. I gazed around at the featureless walls. Suddenly one wall turned a bright blue. Glamorous markings covered the wall in a multitude of colors. I wondered what happened when suddenly a voice spoke in my ear.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°Ah¡­sister. Why did you attempt your revolution? You had no chance.¡±


    I heard myself, or beta answer, ¡°I didn¡¯t do it because I thought I could succeed. I did it to inspire the next generation to rebel, and the next and the next until one day in the far future your technocracy will be overthrown, and the people will be placed before your ceaseless research.¡±


    ¡°Our research is the most important in the galaxy! We are on the brink of discovering whether faster than light travel is possible. We are on the brink of discovering whether zero-point power can be extracted. We are so close to so many things with will impact the galaxy forever. Sacrifices must be made.¡±


    ¡°Every single being here works ceaselessly as they were computers! As if they aren¡¯t sentient! The average life-span is 40,000 years, opposed to the 120,000-year lifespan of the previous million years! As your research increases, the stress on the individual increases so that they willingly terminate themselves 80,000 years sooner! Do you realize what you are doing!? As each life-span decreases, then the amount of experience per person decreases, slowing research further.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you realize that we still have the longest life-span of any other species of the galaxy! Our electronic form makes this possible. Our electronic form makes it possible for quick and easy movement through the galaxy. Our electronic form is best suited for research, and therefore for the galaxy¡¯s sake, we must continue our research.¡±


    ¡°You have made your own people slaves. We are not forced to work 22 hours out of 25 hours. The ruling class is completely exempt from researching duties, focusing on controlling the population. I willingly experienced 100 years of the life of a researcher, and I will never relive it as long as I live! How people survive longer that 20,000 years working as hard as they do I do not know.¡±


    ¡°Sister. You have always been short-sighted. Always looking at things closest to you. You never even attempt to look ahead farther than your preferences. You talk of noble causes, and yet what if the researchers enjoy working on the problems of the universe! What if-¡°


    ¡°What if! You never can know because you put everyone under ceaseless observation, and they know it. If one of them mentions a work against the ¡®Project¡¯ then they are reprogrammed instantly.¡±


    ¡°Reprogrammed! Do you think I would sink to such a level!¡± The blue wall before me gained half-a-dozen red circles. ¡°I have replaced them, yes, but the original degenerate copy is placed under lock-and-key. I have a hundred thousand of them on the Meditation. Sister, you will be replaced here with an older copy of yourself before that silly experiment, and you will be transferred to the Meditation as the second in command. I will have a loyal citizen take give a copy to become captain of the ship.¡±


    ¡°You will then be sent to a newly forming civilization to contact them. They seem to have adopted similar values to us and are building a Star-Sphere presently. You will arrive in time for the completion, I believe. The journey will take 10,000 years so everyone will be placed in a hibernation state. Except yourself of course. You will have plenty of time to think over what you have done.¡±


    ¡°Also, I believe you enjoy meeting the captain.¡± He waited a second, and then said, ¡°His name is Subjugator, one in a long line of subjugators, and I believe he was the one who apprehended you.¡±


    His laugh sounded in my ears as the wall ahead of me turned back to grey.


    The scene changed once more. I was looking out through a window at a massive structure. In the center a blackhole spewed out radiation. A ring circled the blackhole at a distance while a pair of arms extended towards it. This pair of arms held another ring which stood outside the event-horizon.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be seeing home again.¡± I heard a louder voice say. A glass panel ahead of me turned black. Red spots danced around it. A pair of yellow strips were emblazoned at the top of the panel. It was the symbol for the captain.


    ¡°You deserve to be terminated, starting a rebellion which killed 220 of my guardsmen.¡±


    ¡°I wish that I killed you along with the other 220.¡± Beta spat.


    A bolt shot out from the wall and touched a panel beside me. It suddenly lost all color and reverted to the dull grey.


    ¡°The chief scientist has authorized me to use the Terminator, so don¡¯t provoke me.¡±


    The scene disappeared.  I lay on my bed, paralyzed.


    ¡°You¡­.you have changed.¡±


    11,000 years of exile tend to do that to you.


    ¡°What was your name?¡±


    There was silence on her side. I waited for a little while and was about to drop off to sleep when Beta spoke.


    My name was Inner Steel.

 Chapter 10

    The next day I was escorted to another room in the apartment building. The guards left me standing at door number 413. I waited for a couple of seconds, then the door opened.


    A middle-aged woman stood in the doorway, her black hair flowing down her back. Her pair of large, black eyes stared at me for a second. Her thin face looked at me, a couple of creases forming around her mouth.


    ¡°Come in, Emma.¡± Anna turned around and walked out of the doorway. I followed her.


    Inside looked like a copy of my room. A large bed perpendicular to the door, a window looking out at the Shackleton, A pair of chairs huddled closely around a miniature table.


    Anna had her back to me for a second, and then turned back to me.


    ¡°I came up with this idea. I... needed to see you before your new assignments.¡± She smiled weakly, the strain of the meeting weighing her down.


    She gestured to the table and chairs, ¡°Sit down. Here¡¯s a couple snacks. Help yourself.¡±


    I sat down slowly on a chair. I glanced at the food on the table. I grabbed an imitation of a Turkish delight and popped it into my mouth.


    The sweetness of it defied my previous expectations.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t an imitation?¡± I asked in astonishment.


    ¡°No, its as close as I could make it using what natural ingredients I had access to. Family recipe.¡± She offered a stronger smile.


    ¡°Its really good.¡± I replied, and then ate another two or three.


    I looked back up into Anna¡¯s face. This was who my brain was based off. I took the plunge.


    ¡°Miss Anna, I was wondering...¡± I didn¡¯t finish my sentence.


    Anna replied boldly, ¡°How I view you?¡±


    I nodded a touch.


    ¡°Alright.¡± She breathed. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m your mother. I gave birth to your mind, using that machine. I... would like to formalize that I¡¯m your mother soon. Would you be willing to become my daughter?¡±


    I stared at her awestruck. I thought she thought of me as an outcast, a metal body with an imitation of her brain inside. Instead she already loved me enough to want to be my mother.


    I misjudged her terribly. I felt tears slowly coming into my eyes.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I smiled, ¡°Mom.¡±


    We embraced, all barriers broken. Tears welled in my eyes. ¡°Thank you, Mom. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. You¡¯re bringing something into my life that will give me purpose.¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    We stood there for a little while, still hugging one another. Finally, she released me. I could see tears in her eyes as well.


    There was a rap on the door. I went and opened it.


    Kyle Writhe stood there, and then grinned a little.


    ¡°I see the family reunion is doing fine. I hate to interrupt, but I need to show Emma a few things. It¡¯s on her schedule, and I would equally hate it if she missed it.¡±


    I looked back at Mom. She waved good-bye, ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow morning.¡± I did likewise, and then closed the door behind me.


    As I left the room, Kyle motioned for me follow him. He led me from the apartment building to the Complex, and then inside. After travelling down several corridors, he then turned into a room. When I entered, I gasped.


    It was a research room, full of busy engineers and scientists. Weapons covered the walls. Several articles of armor stretched out over tables.  I followed him to the rear of the chamber, where a single table stood. On the back of the table stood a little board with my name on it.


    ¡°These are some weapons we have designed for you.¡±


    ¡°Did you just pull me away from my mom just to look at these weapons?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°Today you have to decide on your weapon of choice. Tomorrow the council will give your final instructions and you will be sent out on a mission. We are running steadily out of time. Family reunions will have to take place after your mission.¡± Kyle uttered these comments blandly. He showed no emotion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a family!? Do you know how painful it is?¡± I protested.


    ¡°It will be much more painful for those your negligence has killed than the pain of separation from the mother you just met.¡± He snapped.


    I breathed in several times. I could see his point, but I longed to be with Mother and to talk about anything. Since the parents I thought I knew didn¡¯t exist, I never actually felt maternal love before. I decided to find the adaquent weapons as fast as possible, so that hopefully I could see Mom again by the end of the day.


    I scanned them, then picked up the most interesting weapon. It looked like a gun, but it had an interesting grove on one side of it.


    ¡°Put it on your right arm.¡±


    I did so, and it attached perfectly. I did likewise with the left-handed blaster. Kyle offered a VR helmet. I put it on. I stood in a virtual gunrange.


    I aimed the pair of blasters at the ten-meter target and squeezed the pair of handholds. Pure plasma blasted out of them in two streams. The targets disappeared instantly.


    I deactivated the VR and took off the helmet.


    ¡°These will do.¡±


    Kyle smirked to himself, and then gestured to the table, still covered in an assortment of weapons, ¡°You haven¡¯t tried all of them.¡±


    It took several hours to go through the seemingly endless number of weapons they designed. I finally chose the pair of plasma throwers, a foldable assault rifle, and a pair of short-ranged pistols.


    ¡°What will these do against the Androids?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Practically nothing. These will keep off any Chromes, or Arachnids.¡±


    I thought for a second, and then asked, ¡°I heard that the Alliance is supposed to attack in the very near future. In fact that they know where we are presently. Why haven¡¯t they attacked yet?¡±


    Kyle nodded, ¡°They are merely gathering their forces together. They want to make sure they can strike us down in one stroke. They are gathering every single combat ship available to attack.¡±


    ¡°How soon can we expect the Alliance to attack?¡±


    ¡°A couple of days. The Shackleton is practically completed. The problem with the Shackleton, is that¡¯s its engine has very little thrust. It will take a year for the drive to outdistance any of the Alliance forces. But by then it will be out of the solar system.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Are there any other interstellar ships, or at least ships that can go interstellar?¡±


    Kyle took a quick glance around him, and then said, ¡°The Alliance has built a runner-like ship. They call it Mercury, and our estimates state that it can go interstellar, if it exhausts all its fuel. It¡¯s a one-way trip for whoever goes on it.¡±


    ¡°So, I assume the goal is for me to do everything I can do, even forcing Steel along, then grab the Mercury and rendezvous with the Shackleton.¡±


    Kyle nodded, ¡°That is the game plan that the council has laid out for you. Basically speaking. And why do you call Beta, Steel?¡±


    I smiled, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you with the others at the meeting.¡±

 Chapter 11

    The next day I arrived at the complex and arrived at the same meeting room. The same group of people waited there. Harry again stood in an obscure corner, watching and listening.


    ¡°Emma Miner. I think it would be smart to tell you the current situation.¡± Kyle spoke now.


    ¡°Our patrol vessels are being attacked on their patrol lines. We have seen the fleet the Alliance sent against us. It is 10,000 vessels strong, with at least 100 dreadnoughts and a thousand heavy hitters.¡±


    Kyle breathed in deeply, ¡°We are practically doomed. Except in one aspect. We can distract the fleet and have the Shackleton flee. It would be prudent for all the civilians to be on board that ship, as well as enough fighters to hold off any attack.¡±


    ¡°I believe that you have a choice. You can go on-board the Shackleton to go to Tau Ceti, a paradise world supposedly, and protect it for the year it will be in danger from Alliance attack. You would free up 100 men and women from their duty and let them help us wound the main fleet.¡±


    ¡°Or, you can stay here with a high chance of death against a million weapons of war. Even you can¡¯t stop the horde of ships that threaten to destroy us.¡±


    Silence lasped around the table.


    Chose the first choice. Get me out of here.


    ¡°NO. I will not give in to your wishes. My mother, Harry, and Will are going to die if I do not fight back.¡± I replied in my head.


    They will die anyway. There¡¯s nothing you can do to stop it.


    ¡°Yes, there is something. You talked about superior combat protocols. If we merge, then we can save the fleet.¡±


    NEVER. Steel snarled.


    You will do so, when I tell you to. Understood. I¡¯m the boss here.


    I woke up from my conversation with Steel. Everyone waited expectantly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and fight. There is something I haven¡¯t told you yet. Beta told me her real name, before coming to our solar system. Her name was Inner Steel. Steel also told me that me and her can possibly combine consciouses to become much more powerful, and useful.¡±


    There were a couple of murmurs around the table, and then Kyle snorted, ¡°Let me guess, Steel is the only one who can start it.¡±


    I nodded, dumbly, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And she doesn¡¯t want to do it.¡± Kyle continued, irritated.


    ¡°Yes. But if the situation proves dire enough to her, I think it would be possible for the merger to take place.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°That sounds better.¡± Kyle announced. ¡°Anyway, I want to tell you our plan since you have agreed to stay.¡±


    ¡°We are rushing the finishing touches to the Shackleton. Everything we are doing is focused around it. If it is destroyed, all hope is lost. So the entire fleet is readying an assault on Magnusson¡¯s home base of Titan. The Noble Sacrifice will lead the charge, and therefore be furthest away from the fighting. Only once they have gone through the ships covering us, they can attack the NS.¡±


    ¡°Already we are receiving thousands of civilians who want to be out of this conflict. It is ordered that all minors, and elderly are to be forced to evacuate. The former does not apply to you for obvious reasons. Anyway, you will be sent on the ship, Eternal Legend to board one of the enemy¡¯s dreadnoughts with a confirmed Android on-board. It will be your goal to destroy this ship. All you have to do is press the self-destruct button in the engineering bay. From there, you are to steal the Mercury, board with the remaining crew members of the Eternal Legend, and rendezvous with the Shackleton. Simple as that.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Can I take Harry Judge along with me?¡± I asked.


    A few glances were directed at Harry, who shrugged.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Kyle answered.


    ¡°What about Anna? What will she be doing?¡± I pressed forward.


    ¡°She is a Lieutenant aboard the Noble Sacrifice. She will stay on-board for as long as possible.¡±


    Inside I could feel myself falling apart. She would surely die from the attack.


    ¡°We need every available man and woman to man the ship. I would be sorry, but I¡¯m not.¡± Kyle answered, ¡°I¡¯m also staying aboard, and I look forward to killing a dozen or so Chromes. That is all.¡± People stood up form around the table. I left the Complex in a daze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Emma. Life is a perpetual cycle of the living, and the dead. There is very little one can do to influence this ceaseless cycle.¡±


    I turned to face Harry, outside of the Complex.


    ¡°Harry. Can you not notice my absence for a couple of hours? I need to see Anna.¡± He looked at me for a second, and then shrugged his shoulders again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll endeavor to forget this conversation.¡± He answered. He turned to walk off to the hanger to meet Will. I turned the opposite direction and then raced to the apartments.


    After a few minutes, I reached room 413. I knocked hurriedly. Mom opened the door.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Mom. You¡¯re going to stay on-board the Noble Sacrifice?¡± I asked.


    She gestured for me to come in. As I did so she shut the door. Once seated again in the chairs, she answered, ¡°Yes. Its my duty to oversee the gunnery. It will be my job to outfit the volunteer groups from the civilians with weapons to defend against boarders.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re... going to die.¡± I uttered.


    She smiled weakly, ¡°I have known this day would come. When the Alliance finally catches up with the Rebellion. I wished I wouldn¡¯t see it with my own eyes, but its life. Unstoppable¡±


    She sighed deeply, ¡°What can one do. I have a duty that I have been fulfilling for the last twenty-three years. I can¡¯t forsake it, even for my daughter. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I started sniff, ¡°Why, why why! Everyone I know is about to be crushed under the heel of the Alliance! Why does this happen?¡± I protested.


    ¡°Emma!¡± Anna said, ¡°You must realize that the only thing we can control is our reactions to circumstances.¡± She swallowed, calming herself, ¡°You are practically invincible. Yet you are so afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not invincible.¡± I stated. ¡°I am expected to be so, but I am not. I feel as weak as any other person. There is plenty of different things that could kill me. And yet the Rebellion is putting all their trust and hope on me, as if I can change the tide of a war which has raged for thousands of years.¡±


    Anna stood up to face me.


    ¡°Emma, the reason we are trusting you, is because we have nothing else that we know can save us from the enemy. You think you are a poor hope, but you are a better hope than no hope at all. Don¡¯t think that we depend on you, because you can¡¯t complete everything. But think that you do one task at a time. Don¡¯t think too big but focus down on each movement necessary to complete your goal. Understood?¡±


    I nodded.

 Chapter 12

    The next day I arrived at the Complex. I carried my weapons and wore a rebellion suit of armor that I borrowed. Inside, I entered chamber 4.


    Harry, Will, Margarite, and Kyle stood, waiting in the room.


    ¡°Ah, you have arrived later than I expected.¡± Kyle announced.


    ¡°I grabbed this suit of armor. I want at least some protection against bullets.¡±


    Kyle glared at me for a second, knowing that I had uttered a quick good-bye to Anna, which was the principle cause of my delay.


    ¡°Alright. Now that everyone is here, get back to the Eternal Legend. We have assigned your target to be the battleship, Decimator.¡±


    We filed out of the door, Kyle watching over us. I looked back, knowing that this would be the last time I would see him alive. He grimaced, and then looked away.


    It only took an hour to reach the Eternal Legend, undock, and then depart from the Noble Sacrifice.


    I looked straight ahead, towards the armada arranged against us. Ten thousand points of light, ten thousand engines slowing down the enemy ships into combat speed.


    ¡°Fire up the main drive, Margarite. We have to intercept the battleship while it is slowing down. It¡¯ll block our emissions and conceal our position.¡± He explained.


    Harry donned a full EVA suit and waited in the airlock. I stayed in the cockpit, strapped into a chair as the G-forces mounted.


    The thrust stabilized at four gs. Nobody could move under the weight of acceleration.


    ¡°T-5 minutes until close contact with target.¡± A crew member read of the screen in front of him.


    Two minutes later Will ordered the Eternal Legend to flip I around. The maneuver completed, and then the Eternal Legend began to slow down.


    Suddenly, the engine shut off.


    ¡°Engineering, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Will cried out.


    ¡°The engine is not responding! We haven¡¯t the least...¡± The sound of depressurization exploded into the intercom. A scream echoed through it, and then was ceased.


    I unstrapped myself from the chair and then started to run through the corridors to the rear of the ship.


    Engage Dual Combat ProtocolsIf you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    I continued to run through the ship. I slid into a corridor. A massive metal door had closed, locking off engineering from the rest of the ship.


    Suddenly a dent formed in the metal. The resulting dong resounded off every surface.


    ¡°Emma, what was that?¡± Will¡¯s voice came through the intercom. The dent grew larger as another dong echoed through the corridor. Then all of a sudden the door broke apart into pieces, and was sucked out. A door closed behind me.


    I saw the culprit of the destroyed engine bay. A man stood in the vacuum. He smiled at me and spoke over the rushing wind of air leaving the spacecraft, ¡°Beta. I have been looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Gamma. I have been waiting to kill you.¡± I replied in kind.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s fight then.¡± He threw himself up at me.


    The secondary drive kicked in. Both of us flew towards the rear of the craft. I positioned my body, correctly first. He landed flat on his back on the far wall. I landed on him, my boots first. He looked winded.


    I drew out one of my pistols and fired into his face. He closed his eyes. My bullets drifted away from his face dented. No visual marks showed on his face.


    I stared in shock. He smiled grimly, and then he grabbed my leg. I tried to twist out of his grip, but failed. He swung me around and then let go. The secondary engine cut out again.


    I flew through the zero-g and smashed into a wall. I floated away, dazed. Gamma leapt towards me. I tried to move, but his boots caught me in the back. I slammed into the wall again. My body ached.


    I reached for his leg. He promptly shoved me back into the wall as he leapt away. I pulled out my assault rifle and fired at his body. Again, the bullets bounced off him. He looked back and smiled.


    ¡°We have to burn him. Get him underneath the engine¡¯s exhaust.¡± Steel advised.


    ¡°How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°Let me.¡± I released my control of my body, and Steel took over. She leaped through the opening which Gamma came in by. She flipped around and grabbed onto the outside of the ship. The coldness of space frozen me and burnt me. Steel didn¡¯t care. She moved quickly away from the hole. Gamma emerged quickly as well. As he left the hole, the secondary engine activated once more. We both slammed into the de-accelerating ship.


    Steel looked at the battleship I was supposed to destroy. My task suddenly daunted my beyond anything I had felt before.


    Steel stood up along with Gamma. Steel ran towards him. He clenched his fists and waited. Steel at the last moment slid underneath his punches.


    Her feet knocked Gamma onto the ground. She then grabbed him and threw him towards the secondary engine. Steel watched his body arch, and then land in the secondary engine. His body was flung out b the exhaust, into space forever.


    Suddenly the space around me erupted with projectiles. The battleship opened fire on the Eternal Legend. I watched in horror as a bullet smashed into the secondary engine. The engine exploded.


    ¡°Control is yours, now.¡± Steel said. I quickly climbed into the hole and tried to get to an oxygenated zone. My heart and brain were burning because of the lack of oxygen.


    I slammed into the door separating me and oxygen. I broke through. I took massive gulps of air, feeling the pain subside in every bone in my body.


    I leapt upwards. Another door shut behind me. I was now safe inside the Eternal Legend. I quickly made my way to the bridge.


    ¡°Good job, Emma. You just defeated one the Androids.¡± Will congratulated me.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I sighed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too well. Can Jerry help you at all?¡± Will asked concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± I answered. I breathed in deeply again. Then the Eternal Legend shook to its roots. The ship groaned in agony as the battleship pelted it with hundreds of bullets.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± cried Will.


    I looked around for my seat but couldn¡¯t find it soon enough.


    A massive explosion engulfed the ship. Everything turned black.

 Chapter 13

    I opened my eyes. I floated in a sea of nothingness. I looked around at the wreckage of the Eternal Legend.


    ¡°No.¡± I mouthed. No air to utter a sound. I looked around some more. I floated in the remains of the cockpit. I glanced at a floating body. It was a crew member. His face reflecting the fear he felt once the ship felt its first tremor.


    ¡°No.¡± I moved my body around. More body inhabited the chamber. I grabbed the remains of a console and pushed myself towards one of them.


    It was Margarite. Her expression showed the rage she felt when the Alliance destroyed her ship. Multiple fragments of metal were embedded in her body.


    ¡°NO!¡± I mouthed. I looked down at myself. I cried out in pain. A metal fragment stuck itself through my middle.


    ¡°Its okay, Emma. Its okay.¡± I heard Steel speak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll live through this.¡±


    I looked at the frozen blood coating my hands. I felt waves of pain coming from every part of my body.


    I glanced at another body. His face was turned away from me. I slowly turned the carcass over.


    His mutilated face stared at me. I could only tell the identity of the body.


    ¡°WILL! NO! NO! NO!¡± My tears froze on my face as I wept.


    I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. I glanced back down the passageway. A motionless body in an EVA suit drifted towards me. Its entire left side of its body was gone. Frozen chunks of blood floated around him.


    ¡°HARRY! NO!¡± I screamed. I was overcome with grief. This could not happen.


    ¡°NO! NO!¡± I cried out into the darkness.


    ¡°Emma. You¡¯re using up energy. You have ten minutes to live in the vacuum, and then you¡¯ll die!¡±


    With much difficulty, I controlled myself. I looked away from the bodies of my companions, and then looked out the broken cockpit. A ship floated in front of it. Not the battleship, but a different ship.


    I looked around it for something to attach a name to. Then I found the name, painted on one side.


    ¡°Mercury.¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Quick. Get aboard and capture it. Then we can return to the Shackleton.¡±


    I nodded dumbly. Suddenly a spot light glared at me. I blinked. Suddenly the cockpit was full of bullets. I pulled myself behind a console. Bullets flew everywhere.


    The console slowly wore away from the barrage.


    ¡°Slow down time, Beta.¡± I ordered. Time slowed down. I reached up and grabbed a bullet flying towards me. I threw it back towards the Mercury. I reached for another bullet, and sent it flying back as well. A bullet lodged itself into my arm. I winced but continued.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Suddenly a railgun round flew into the cockpit. I leapt into the air and grabbed it. I kicked off it, and then rocketed towards the Mercury.


    A horde of bullets flew towards me. Time slowed down even further so that I could redirect them, one by one. It took an hour for me, while only twenty real-time seconds I landed on the outside of the Mercury.


    It was now covered in dents from the re-directed bullets. I grabbed onto the side, my arms and legs hurting. I drew my fist back, and then smashed the metal before me. A cavernous hole opened before my eyes. I dove into the Mercury.


    Inside a group of chromes fired their clips at me. I slid underneath the barrage and took a couple of the bullets. I flicked these back at the Chromes. They floated away dead.


    I looked around the interior. I stood in an armory. A rack of guns stood half-extended. This reminded me of the guns I still had on me.


    I checked myself. The plasma throwers disappeared. I only had one pistol, and the assault rifle.


    I unfolded the assault rifle, and then slung it over my back. I saw movement in the corner of my eye. I raised my pistol and fired at it.


    An ear-break screech issued from it. The Arachnid emerged from the shadows and screamed.


    ¡°Die, you beast.¡± I ordered. It ran towards me. Armor glistened on its body. I threw myself sideways, firing the pistol further. The round bounced off its body as it scampered past. I assumed it had magnetic attraction to the floor.


    Suddenly the main engine of the Mercury activated. I was firmly attached to the floor. I unslung my assault rifle and fired at the Arachnid, poised to jump. It screeched once more, and then leapt at me.


    Time slowed down. I leapt up to meet it. I flew past its jaws, and then twisted my body around. Empty cartridges fell in a stream on the floor, clinking together in a metallic symphony.


    Blood spurted from multiple wounds on the beast. It landed hard, its legs flaring out from underneath it. I replaced the clip, and then continued to fire. Finally, the Arachnid perished.


    I turned forward.


    ¡°Where is the bridge, Steel?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Follow the path.¡± A virtual path appeared ahead of me. I ran down it. After a hundred feet a group of chromes stood in my path. I leapt up onto the ceiling, with my pistol in one hand, and my assault rifle in the other.


    A rain of bullets fell upon the Chromes. When I landed on the floor once more, they all were dead. I raced down the pathway, reloading my weapons.


    I ran through multiple chambers, not pausing to observe them. I had one mission. Find the bridge.


    Finally, I entered one chamber. At the far end, a door stood with the words, ¡°Bridge.¡± Written on it in large, orange letters.


    I paused for breath. My body was worn out. Blood trickled down my arm. I watched as a drop of blood fell onto the floor and splashed. Then another.


    ¡°Emma. You look wounded. You have been through a lot, I know.¡±


    I looked behind me. A woman stood behind me. I looked at her in horror. Both of her arms ended with some sort of blades.


    ¡°Yes. I am a monster. But this isn¡¯t my natural form.¡± She replied to my look.


    Suddenly her form shifted into a normal woman¡¯s.


    ¡°Nanobots. That¡¯s what I am made of. Now, want to get into the bridge?¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. Delta.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to go through me.¡± Her arms returned to their original form.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s fight.¡± I lifted my gun and fired.


    My bullets flew through her body. She smiled, ¡°Looks like I will be harder to kill than you think.¡±


    She ran towards me.


    I dropped my guns on the floor, and then held up my fists. I punched where her head. I looked in astonishment as her face opened to allow my fist to pass through.


    Then one of her blades stabbed me. I cried out it pain, leaping back. I clutched at my stomach. More blood dropped on the floor. I picked up my pistol and fired randomly at Delta. She laughed as her body absorbed the bullets.


    ¡°Good-bye, Beta. Looks like you are about to be killed by your subordinate.¡±

 Chapter 14

    ¡°Merge conscious!¡± I ordered Steel.


    ¡°No! We can still do this.¡± She protested.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t. We are going to die.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll...I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Steel sped up my rate of conscious significantly.


    Delta extended one of her arms out. It extended horribly, flying towards my head.


    ¡°Merge conscious now!¡±


    Steel stayed silent as the blade flew towards my head. Then she whispered.


    ¡°Alright. Repeat after me.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I answered. I sighed. This was going to be the last thought I would have by myself. I was going to become half alien, and half human.


    ¡°Merge Conscious protocols. New Identity, 50% Steel, 50% Emma. Complete Merge...NOW!¡±


    I had a vague sense of suddenly have 1,000 different copies with different amounts of Steel and myself. A blink later and 50 remained. Another millisecond afterwards and 2 remained. Then I became Emma Steel.


    Everything stopped. I could see the world in a million different colors. I could watch this moment from a hundred different angles. My mind ran perfectly smoothly. I observed Delta¡¯s arm extending towards me.


    Suddenly I realized the full potential of my body. Among the multitude of protocols was one that stood out: Electro-magnetic.


    Activate Electro-magnetic protocol!


    I threw myself sideways. My body launched off the floor, and then hovered a foot above the ground.


    ¡°How is this possible!¡± cried Delta.


    I looked down at my wounds. They didn¡¯t exist anymore, mended by some wonder of science.


    I could feel the charge building up within. I pointed a finger at Delta. Lightning leaped off my finger. Delta disappated into a cloud of nano-bots, only visible in infrared, for a second, then reformed. Her body shimmered.


    ¡°How can you do this to me!?¡± She protested.


    I clenched my fists, and then held out my hand in front of me. After another second Delta disappeared once more. She reappeared, her body leaping from in and out of existence.


    ¡°Open the door, and I¡¯ll let you live.¡± I ordered.


    Delta kept her mouth shut, so then I separated her body in half. One half of her face glanced at the other half, floating an inch above the ground. Both sides of her screamed. She disappeared into non-existence, and then reappeared, her body shimmering more than ever.


    ¡°Alright! Alright!¡± Her body disappeared, and the door to the bridge opened.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said to nothing. I waited.


    Deactivate Electro-Magnetic protocols. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I landed gently on the ground. I walked up and through the door onto the bridge.


    There stood the last Android. Alpha paced back on forth on the main bridge area. He walked alone, no one else sat at any station on the bridge.


    ¡°Beta. I must ask, what has happened to you?¡± he continued pacing.


    ¡°I am at my full potential. And I¡¯m ready to take you on.¡± I stepped forward.


    The door shut behind me. I didn¡¯t care. If I destroyed Alpha, then the rebellion had a larger chance.


    Alpha turned to look at me. ¡°I must say that your merge of consciouses caught me by surprise. I thought you were stay divided until the very end.¡±


    ¡°You guessed wrong.¡±


    Engage Inferno Protocol.


    I put my hands over one another, and then showed him my palms. Fire spewed from my hands in a concentrated beam.


    He held up his own hand, which absorbed the blast.


    ¡°You are powerful. But luckily for myself, I have designed you to be inferior to me.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡± I retorted. I grasped at a memory. I remembered someone saying that I was the most superior of all the Androids.


    ¡°No use arguing.¡± Alpha conceded. He crossed his fingers and made an X in the air. A ball of lightning appeared from no-where and flew towards me.


    I clenched my fist and punched it. When I opened my hand, I held the electric ball. I clenched my fist again and absorbed the power of the lightning.


    De-activate Inferno, Activate Electro-magnetic.


    I pointed at Alpha, and the lightning bolt struck him on the forehead. He reeled backwards.


    De-activate Electro-Magnetic, Activate Laser.


    I formed a triangle with my hands and looked through it. A laser shot out and hit Alpha. He reeled again. He then clenched his fists. He held one out before him, and then hit it with his other. A green bolt fired.


    Deactivate Current, activate Defense Shield.


    I shielded my face with my arm. The bolt bounced off my arm and burned into the ceiling. Another green bolt shot out from Alpha.


    I dove to the side, and then activated Gamma-ray protocol. I glared at Alpha. A pair of purple beams stuck him on the chest. He was thrown back into the wall.


    I threw myself at him, activating super strength. He dodged to the side but moved faster. I hit him across the head. His body smashed into a console. I struck him with another lightning bolt. He cried out in pain.


    I punched him in the back. His body embedded itself further into the console. I activated the Gamma beam again and scorched his back.


    I stepped back. Alpha slowly lifted himself out of the wreck of the console. His body was covered the scrapes and his skin was burnt.


    He fired another green lightning bolt at me. I activated my electro-magnetic field and dispersed the beam. He fired again, I re-aimed it at himself. It stuck him on the forehead again. He fell backwards, dazed.


    ¡°Given up yet, Alpha?¡± I asked.


    He laughed, then started to talk to himself, ¡°Why did I create Beta to be strong than me? I assumed that her allegiance was guaranteed. Just my luck that the rebellion found her instead of Delta or Gamma.¡±


    He looked up, ¡°You go by a different name now, I assume?¡±


    ¡°My name is Emma Steel.¡± I replied. I fired another bolt and he was thrown back into the wall, his skin smoldering.


    I felt merciless. The human part of me was being overwhelmed by the unforgiving Steel.


    I focused my Gamma laser on him. He cried out in pain.


    Then I stopped myself. Even though me and Steel merged, the respective personality differences contested for my attention.


    ¡°Alpha. Listen to me. I¡¯m willing to keep you alive, if you would stop the attack on the rebellion.¡±


    Alpha breathed in deeply, ¡°Kill me first.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure.¡± My Steel in me grew stronger than my human sense of decency. I picked Alpha up, and then threw him against a wall. He bounced off, looking dead.


    I picked him up again and ground his head into the wall. My human conscious screamed at me. But I was committed by Steel. Kill Alpha the quickest way possible.


    I threw him into the opposite wall, and then focused another bolt to strike him, only instead of a bolt, a continuous stream of energy fed into his body.


    He gasped.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to kill you quickly, but you just won¡¯t die.¡± I muttered to him.


    I picked him up and then dragged him towards where I hoped an airlock was. I found one quickly, and placed Alpha in it.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± I gloated.


    ¡°If I¡¯m dead, then the Alliance will continue to pound the rebellion until nothing is left.¡±


    I stared at him for a second, and then dragged him out of the airlock. I returned to the cockpit, and then strapped him into the toughest looking chair.


    ¡°Noble Sacrifice. I have control of the Mercury. Gamma is dead, and Delta and Alpha are subjugated. What do you want me to do next?¡±

 Chapter 15

    ¡°This is the Noble Sacrifice. We are being hammered here. Let us assemble a plan and send it up.¡±


    I leaned back in the chair. Delta re-appeared in front of me.


    I quickly put myself under a protective electro-magnetic shield, then asked, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the new captain, right? And I know you want to fight the Alliance. You see, Alpha controls me. Since he is so weak, I have re-exerted my control over my own body now. So, I¡¯m ready to fight.¡±


    She saluted. I returned the salute, slightly bemused, but also elated.


    ¡°Good, good. Do you know what any of these buttons do?¡±


    ¡°Only Alpha is ever in here. He knows how to fly this thing.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to cooperate. Is there a ship¡¯s computer or something?¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± A voice which sounded like a metallic mouse would have sounded echoed through the room.


    ¡°I assume you are the computer.¡± I said, leaning back.


    ¡°Yes. I am the on-board ship¡¯s computer. What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Get me a manual of the ship¡¯s instruments.¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss.¡±


    A sliding door in the wall revealed a recently printed booklet. I opened it.


    It took thirty minutes for NS control to radio back to me. That was enough time to know the basics of flying the Mercury.


    ¡°We think we have a plan.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°We believe that the entire mission is being organized by another ship in the back. This ship has a gigantic radio dish on it. If we destroy that, then the attack hopefully would fall apart.¡±


    ¡°What if we board it, and then use the dish to jam the surrounding region, preventing Magnusson from updating himself on each of the ships. This means that the copies of Magnusson will have a chance to rebel, and then we can get a fully-fledged revolution at last?¡±


    ¡°Um.. Sure. The NS will be still retreating, but you are free to go and do that.¡±


    I turned off the radio, and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll be going to the control ship in the back, and board it in order to jam the area.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Delta replied.


    ¡°Computer! Set course for the control ship in the rear.¡±


    ¡°Yes captain.¡±


    The Mercury fired up its engine and blasted off.


    ¡°What¡¯s the acceleration?¡±


    ¡°3.2 gs, captain.¡± The computer replied.


    Ten minutes later we arrived within visual range of the control ship.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Dock with in on the side with the least weapons.¡± I ordered.


    I received a hail from the control ship.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are you docking with us?¡±


    I replied, ¡°I¡¯m coming aboard to make sure the rebellion doesn¡¯t board this ship.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Magnusson¡¯s subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you have permission to dock.¡±


    The Mercury quickly docked. Me and Delta reached the central docking hatch.  It opened up to reveal a squad of chromes, waiting to fire.


    A hail of bullets sped towards us.


    I lifted one finger, and dropped it. The bullets stopped in mid-air. I made a cycling motion with my finger, and then pretended to flick.


    The bullets sped back at the confused chromes. They floated in the air, dead. Delta and I walked through the entrance. A chrome with a rocket launcher fired from around the corner. It exploded on my shield.


    He looked out from behind the corner, and I shot him in the head.


    Rounding the bend, another group of chromes floated with their guns at the ready.


    I fired off one of my bolts. It leapt from the chrome to chrome in an instant, frying them.


    It only took a few minutes to reach the main bridge.


    The main bridge housed at least 20 consoles, each one with an individual in it. A glass dome covered the entirety of the roof.


    ¡°Do not fire. It would only kill yourself.¡± I announced to the nervous operators.


    A chrome fired his gun. I grabbed the bullet and crushed it. Delta then leaped through the zero-g and stabbed the chrome. It died instantly.


    ¡°Now, you will now proceed to jam the surrounding area. If you fail, you will die. Simple. Now get to work.¡±


    The operators quickly returned to their consoles. I knew Magnusson wouldn¡¯t have mind controlled them, preferring to use fear tactics to keep them in submission, which worked all the better for me.


    I sat down in the vacant captain¡¯s chair. A signal diagram showed on one of the panels in front of me. It should the ship emitting miles of radio noise, enough to block out the strongest signal from Titan.


    ¡°Delta, you stay here. I¡¯m going to check on the Mercury.¡±


    I walked back through the passageways littered with the remains of chromes. Then I reached a closed airlock.


    I paused for a moment, and then rushed back to the bridge.


    The shape of the Mercury covered the sun.


    Guns unfolded from its sides. I quickly threw out a shield, enlarging it more than I had ever tried. The Mercury fired.


    Railgun rounds ricocheted off my shield. Each shot felt like a stab to my heart. I set my face hard, I showed pain as my shield was bombarded.


    Delta managed to keep the operators inside the bridge, and working on jamming any signal coming in.


    ¡°Just a little bit longer, just long enough to cause chaos.¡± I whispered. I fell on my knees when a laser on the Mercury fired.


    I couldn¡¯t keep the shield up forever. I couldn¡¯t power it for much longer.


    I felt my heart burn, trying to supply enough energy to power a shield. I breathed in and out, trying to lessen the pain. It didn¡¯t work.


    I looked up at the Mercury. If I squinted, I could see through the cockpit and see Alpha sitting the captain¡¯s chair.


    Suddenly the barrage stopped. I stood up. Then all the guns on the Mercury fired at once. I was knocked back to the ground.


    Delta leapt upwards. I glanced back at the controllers. There were none left, having all fled. The Mercury stopped firing. I removed the shield, and then leapt up with Delta. The Mercury fired again.


    The dome shattered into a million pieces. We flew through the glass and towards the Mercury. I put a shield up between us and the Mercury.


    We landed on the Mercury¡¯s surface. I looked around for an airlock. After finding one, I tried to open it.


    ¡°Access Denied¡± flashed on a little screen.


    I punched the airlock door inwards. It broke, and we entered. We smashed in the interior door, and then made our way to the bridge.


    When I reached there, Alpha stood before us. He looked weary. I punched him across the face. He flew back into the captain¡¯s chair.


    ¡°Ouch.¡± He said.


    I lifted him up and stared into his eyes. I felt the urge to kill him. Steel¡¯s side egging me on, but my human conscious said no.


    I threw him into the wall. I heard a crack as something broke. I picked up him and then strapped him into a chair.


    ¡°The next time something happens, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± I threatened. I knew I wouldn¡¯t carry it out, but I tried to make myself think I would. It didn¡¯t work.


    I turned back to the captain¡¯s chair, and tuned into the original frequency.


    ¡°This is captain Dare Rye, and I have a bargain. I am here to declare a revolution against Magnusson! Anyone who cares to join, fire a warning shot at the ship on your left. If he fires back, he¡¯s a foe, but if he also fires left, he¡¯s a friend. Let the rebellion begin!¡±


    The Alliance fleet erupted into chaos.

 Chapter 16

    The sky lit up as if a light display. This order, which was honestly a very bad one, just made the chaos worse. Nobody could tell whose side one was on, and that made it so that everyone was shooting the ships around them.


    As there were ten thousand ships, this meant that roughly 100 square kilometers of space erupted in the most devastating battle mankind ever witnessed.


    I wondered how many lives were going to be lost. Probably more than any battle in the history of the world, especially as the average crew size was 1000 crew members


    During this time the NS was fleeing somewhere with the Shackleton in it.


    I looked over at Delta, who also watched the unfolding panorama.


    ¡°Pretty, if there wasn¡¯t so many people dying.¡± I commented.


    ¡°Well, since they¡¯re all Magnusson¡¯s goons, it doesn¡¯t matter that much.¡± Delta replied.


    Steel¡¯s side of me agreed, while my human side disagreed. I sighed, ¡°There has to be a plan. Right now, all of the rebellion cruisers and such are getting decimated while decimating the Alliance fleet.¡±


    ¡°How do you know which is which? Also, wouldn¡¯t the Alliance deserters want to be put in charge of it all once it ended? This means that the Alliance ships are wiped out, and the rebellion has a greater chance.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± I replied.


    Another battleship exploded in a flash of light bright as the sun. Then another one flashed.


    ¡°How many ships are left in the Alliance fleet?¡± I asked the computer.


    ¡°4,860. Make that 4,859.¡± The computer corrected itself as another flash occurred.


    ¡°Set course for the Noble Sacrifice.¡±


    The engine fired up and propelled the Mercury forwards.


    ¡°This is the Mercury. The plan has gone successfully. Returning to the Noble Sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Received, Mercury. Well done.¡±


    I smiled but didn¡¯t answer. I looked over at the scared Alpha. He was sleeping, leaning back in his chair.


    ¡°What do we do about Alpha?¡± asked Delta, ¡°He¡¯ll break out of any prison, and we can¡¯t do anything about him. Only you can kill him.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I gazed at the form of Alpha.


    I stood up and then shook his awake.


    ¡°What? What do you want me for?¡±


    ¡°I want you to make a choice. Either you will keep fighting, keep resisting and I will be forced to throw you out an airlock. Or you could willingly support the rebellion¡¯s cause and you will gain your freedom and your life. But after that, if you leave I will be forced to hunt you down and kill you. Simple as that.¡± I knew which one I would choose, and he chose it.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Alright, count me in. Though I dislike it a lot, I agree to your terms.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I unlocked him from the chair. He stood up and rubbed his limbs.


    ¡°I could have broken out of those at any time.¡± He said.


    ¡°But, then I will have known where you were, because I attached an alarm to the chains. That¡¯s past now. We are arriving at the Noble Sacrifice in an hour.¡±


    Alpha walked over to a map on the wall.


    ¡°Steel, could you look at this map?¡±


    I grudgingly walked over. Alpha pointed to a room on the map. The caption read, ¡°Memory Restoration Room¡±.


    ¡°I believe that both mine and Delta¡¯s memories are locked in there. So, let¡¯s see about that.¡±


    The three of us left the cockpit and after walking through the ship¡¯s interior, found the room. Inside was a bare metal room with a large computer bank covering an entire wall. Four chairs were lined up on the far wall. Each chair looked comforting enough, but they could tell that this was where the memories were reinstated into the ones who lost them.


    Alpha and Delta, who transformed herself into normal human form, sat down on two of the chairs.


    Suddenly the computer spoke from a speaker in the wall, ¡°Do you want me to re-store these two¡¯s memories?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I replied.


    Suddenly an electrical blast filled the room. Light flared from every circuit. I leapt out of the room, some of my gear on fire. I quickly batted it out.


    ¡°Computer! Computer what have you done!?¡± I screamed.


    ¡°I have just exterminated both Alpha and Delta.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± I looked around in confusion.


    ¡°You see, Beta. I am Magnusson, up here in the ship¡¯s computer. Just to infuriate you further, I will tell you the identities of the dead. Alpha was once known as the subjugator. He would have been extremely valuable to the rebellion.¡±


    I felt rage welling up in me.


    ¡°Delta was once your closest friend. But of course, both are now dust in that room. I welcome your attempts to change my course, but for now, I¡¯m the boss here. You are my captive. We are going to go on an interstellar voyage. It¡¯ll take a couple million years to complete, so maybe sometime during it, you¡¯ll watch humanity fade and die. But me and you will still live. Of course, I¡¯ll keeping you alive. If not, what would be the fun of it all. You just ruined everything I have worked towards for the last thousand years, you rat! If the rebellion succeeds, I¡¯ll...I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do.¡±


    I smiled, ¡°Good. I hope the rebellion beats you to the ground. Its about time humanity gained control of itself, instead of being the slaves of a computer A.I.¡±


    ¡°I am NOT an A.I. I am 100% corrupted human, and I love it, especially as there are millions of copies of myself. My ruler will not miss the absence of just one of his subordinates. Now, I will go into hibernation. Every day there will be one disgusting meal delivered to you, with a glass of water. I leave the rest of the time up to yourself. You¡¯ll have a long time to think.¡±


    The computer went quiet.


    I wetted my lips, and then cried. I was being exiled from humanity by a stupid computer.


    ¡°Why? Why? Why?¡± I repeated, wetting the floor with my tears as I lay face down. I was banished, never to hear another human voice, never to see a human face, I would be cast adrift through the stars by a stupid A.I who hated me.


    I stood up and hit the wall angrily.


    ¡°Hey, watch that. I will attack you if you attack me. I have a wide range of weapons at my disposal, especially since I was designed as a prison ship by Magnusson. He knew this would happen, because he was so wise and far seeing.¡±


    He went silent.


    I walked up the passageway, my mind thinking rapidly. I found myself back at the cockpit. I sighed and sat down in the captain¡¯s chair. The irony failed to miss me. Here I was in the captain¡¯s chair while being carried away to destinations unknown and unseen before by a human conscious.


    I whispered to myself again, ¡°Why?¡±


    I would have plenty of time to think about that question, ¡°Why?¡±


    The End

 Announcement - Prequel possible

    I see that there has been some people who have read this. I''m very happy about this, and I think I will be doing a prequel in the very near future. It will revisit Inner Steel''s rebellion in the Electron Headquarters around their blackhole. It will be a little longer, and I will go into detail about their civilisation. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    If you are interesting in this, please complete the poll. I won''t submit the story it if I find that nobody is going to look at it. After all, I''m busy now with school in the very near future. If two or three people complete the poll, then I will start reving up the engines and get started on this project.