Hello Lovelies! I'm back with part 2 of The Unknown Series. If you have been with me for awhile, you will know that the first half of this is what used to be a large portion of IitU. I've decided to reorganize this work into a series as it is turning into a more estensive story than I had originally intended.

Chapter 1 – We Need To Talk

Transmat.

Finally. Ship. Exhausted. Sleep, sleep now.

…

…

Awake. Where—sitting up. Soft, warm bed. Comfortable. Ship. Smiling gently. Ship is safe, secure. No fear. Looking. Ghost is near console, working. Always working. How long?

"You've been sleeping for two days."

Smiling halts. Ghost is… agitated. It says nothing. Clearly agitated. Why not speak? Ghost is strange. Deciding to wait. Time passes…

…

Ghost says nothing.

She will wait more.

Still so tired.

Sleep, more sleep.

…

…

Another day passes. Ghost says nothing. Sighing. Ghost does this, always.

She would have to prompt it. She hated prompting it. She would be gentle. Ghost?

"What?" Ghost says quietly.

She hated prompting it. Ghost?

"I said what?" Ghost turns. Staring, blank staring. Waiting. Ghost turns away. "We need to talk."

Yes? Waiting…

…

Waiting…

…

Ghost does this, always. Sighing again.

She knew, she would try. She would be gentle. It wouldn't matter.

Ghost?

It turns and—explodes. "You're dying! All this time, all this time and you never said anything. For two years we have been traveling from planet to planet doing all of this shit and you didn't think maybe you should mention that you are dying? You have been lying to me, letting me think that this pursuit of yours was purposeful, but it's not, is it? These creatures are what, conquests? Working your way through the universe just for kicks before you die?"

Ghost is not agitated. Ghost is angry, hurt, solemn.

She wasn't dying, not truly.

No speaking. Keeping this secret. Distraction necessary. Soothing necessary. Hand raises. Invitation.

Ghost understands. "No," it says. Ghost turns away. "Not right now. I can't right now."

Ghost?

"I said no. Now leave me alone while I work." Ghost laughs. Sounds unhappy. Sounds derisive. "Of course, I don't even know why I'm bothering at this point. Seems like a waste of time considering."

Standing. Walking. Close, close now. Close enough to touch.

But she wouldn't. Not first. It was Ghost's decision.

"I know, I mean, I've always known how messed up you were, but I never… I didn't… I didn't think you were dying. How foolish of me; I honestly thought you were trying to fix this."

Yes.

Ghost turns. It looks… sad. "No, you can't fix this. I felt it; this thing, whatever it is, is so ingrained with your being that I can't separate its existence from your own. It is draining you, feeding off your light and everything that gives you life like some sort of parasite. It's taking you, taking you away from me. I can't, I can't lose another…"

It is frightened, irrational.

She knew this, she tried to prevent this. She would soothe it.

Come. Hand raising, beckoning. Time passes.

Finally, Ghost floats slowly forward… and settles. The light flares, bright and hot. It feels good, feels like home.

Not conquests. Purpose.

She would fix this. She needed the Vandal, needed the Fallen. I don't understand yet why, but it is truth. Nothing had changed.

"Everything has changed. Now I know you're dying and I also know how well you are able to hide that fact. Any minute could be your last and I would never know."

No.

She would fix this.

"You can't promise me that."

No.

She couldn't promise that. But she would try. For so long, I have resisted. For so long. The Vandal makes it easier. With him, she felt like… her.

She remembered things. She felt things. She understood things.

Yes, she would try. She would succeed.

"You feel so certain, but I don't know how to feel."

Trust?

"You know I do."

All she had done, all she had been through. She would succeed.

Ghost understands. Ghost knows. Trust.

Ghost laughs gently. "Are you saying I should know better than to doubt you because of how awesome you are at everything?"

Smiling.

Ghost quiets. Time passes…

"Don't lie to me; do you really think you can beat this?"

Certainty. I tried to hide. Unsuccessful. Either way, I've pained Ghost. Perhaps, it should know. Monitoring this darkness. Ghost needs this, needs the distraction, needs to feel useful.

She would give it this.

Ghost?

"Yes?"

She had many secrets. Most, she couldn't remember. This, she would not keep this from Ghost.

"What does that mean exactly?"

Ghost would monitor this. She would let it know, let it know when it worsened. And when it lessened. She would let it understand, help it understand.

"Ever since we first met, I have wished for you to stop hiding things from me, but now I understand why you did it. You were worried I would freak out, weren't you?" Ghost sighs, mood leveling.

Interruption—alarm sounds.

Ghost floats toward console. Head cocks. Alarm is new. Curiosity, purpose.

"It's a proximity alert. I left a sensor beacon in the hollow the last time we were there so I could keep track of your Vandal's coming and goings." Its voice is normal. Work always distracts Ghost. Grateful. "He has returned each day," it continues, "but I thought it better to let you sleep since you were still recovering. I felt how tired you were. Don't worry though, I sent him a transmission the first day he returned stating that you still needed time to heal and would return when able. Do you wish for me to transmat us to the surface?"

No.

Ghost turns. It is surprised, confused.

Tomorrow.

She needed to speak with Ghost.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm honestly surprised you're choosing this conversation over meeting with your Vandal.

Important.

Ghost stares. Perhaps, evaluating? Strange. "I've sent another transmission telling him we will return tomorrow."

Tomorrow?

"Well I actually said 'following your next patrol.' Anyways, I think you should start telling me what the hell is going on with you and maybe I can figure out a way to be of more use."

Later.

She needed to speak of something else.

More important.

"More important than this?"

Yes. Quiet, calm, but solemn. This is necessary. Ghost must know, must understand.

Things would need to happen. Ghost would need to leave. It couldn't stay. It would be in danger.

She needed to speak of this.

Contingency.

"Contingency? I don't understand. What do we need a contingency plan for?"

Not we.

She had a plan, for Ghost. In case…

…she failed.

Thanks for reading! Next chapter we get more Fallen world-building and some more interactions with our Fallen characters besides Lykrosis.