EP10:
Scene 95:
If the Imperial Master had had a heart, it's beat would have quickened. He had sensed the raw fear of the Esperian Prisoner, such that she was able to break away, albeit momentarily, from the bonds that subdued her, and scream the name of her tormentor. He summoned Keyro and Orion immediately to his chamber.
Their implants burning home their master's orders, Keyro, fearing the worst, and Orion, always fearing the worst, hurried to the Imperial Master's chamber. Keyro caught up with Orion in the corridor outside the huge chamber entrance doors, "Leave the talking to me!" he ordered desperately. Orion nodded as the doors opened, and they shuffled in, heads bowed.
Scene 96:
"You pitiful fools!" the Master boomed, "You may have accidentally redeemed yourselves".
"Wha? We acted only to serve" simpered Keyro.
"Enough! Tell me exactly what happened when that beam of light struck and destroyed one of your carriers".
"Master, we were unprepared for an assault from outside of the planet's confines", flustered Keyro.
"Orion, your report?" the Imperial Master turned to the cowering Captain.
"My Commander is correct, the beam originated in deep space, our sensors were unable to detect it's origin".
"Yes but what of the captive?"
"Captive? The injured weakling female? Blurted Orion, "She was of little interest to us..."
"She is of utmost importance you fool! The data from your scanners suggests she was by the spot the beam touched the planet. Maybe she was carried there by the beam?"
"It is possible, great Master, but what technology could do such a feat?"
"The very technology you two cretins destroyed!" the Master roared. "Luckily for you, she has survived, otherwise you pair would have not. Dismissed!"
The cowards scuttled away, "Who is this the Imperial master speaks of?" Whispered Orion to an equally puzzled Keyro. "Why is she so important?
"Orion, If I had known that, I would have mentioned it to the Imperial Master don't you think?" replied Keyro exasperatedly. "At least we have survived his wrath".
"For now", whimpered Orion.
Scene 97:
The Imperial Master inspected the tiny picture, recovered from the captive by Councillor Darlan. He didn't quite understand it's origins, but he knew it was part of the Seer's predictions. To him, it was the dark forces of the Galaxy, amassing their might behind his evil cause. The picture was clearly of an unknown Thalian Commander, but it was so intriguing as it showed a female commander, and this was novel to The Imperial Master. While the Thalian race increased it's ranks' numbers through capture and bionic control via implants, he was aware of the more organic method of reproduction that he had assimilated data about, from some of the planets and races he had conquered. Hitherto now, the vast majority of captured troops put forward for implantation had been the males of the species. The Master had preferred the generally larger strength and size of the males, of most species. He had also encountered some difficulty in getting female captives to successfully integrate with the bionic nature of the Thalian ways. Males had seemed so much more manipulable when removing the emotional traits he so hated. Love and caring, goodness and charity, seemed so much harder to eradicate in most female captives.
He always suspected there were other favourable traits he was missing with such a blanket selection policy, but had engaged little resource or time to find out.
Now he was presented with an enigma, and the Seer's prediction forced him to concede that fate was sometimes not as predictable as he would have wanted.
There was also the question of the implant, no such advanced implant had yet been conceived: An actual face of it's own, maybe a voice and life-presence of it's own as well? But what subject could carry such an implant, nay, a sentient symbiont, in co-existence, with success?
The next question was the most puzzling of all. It was obvious to the Master that fate had contrived to deliver this subject to him, but the picture that it seemingly carried about with it, as some kind of token? How could that be? Is it possible that this being is from another time? A time when the total domination of the Galaxy by The Alliance had been completed, and individual races worshipped their Thalian superiors like Gods?
He had the captive bought to the main interrogation chamber.
Scene 98:
Caliban gleefully wheeled in his next victim, pushing the trolley with the inert Midia on it to one side as he positioned the new captive under the dissimilator's probe.
Midia at once went into a hysterical fit, the severity of which was causing actual risk to her continued survival. Caliban sensed that the Imperial Master's presence was strong, his every move was monitored through his implant.
"Caliban, remove her from the chamber, quickly!" ordered the Imperial Master.
"By your divine guidance".
Caliban restrained the fitful Midia and whisked her, still strapped to her trolley/bed, down the corridor to another sealed chamber. He noted that her fits grew less, but were still evident.
"Leave her!" The Master growled, "she will live!"
Caliban rushed back to the main theatre.
"Stabilise her condition, then proceed with the laser memory dissimilator" The Master sounded.
"By your divine guidance".
Caliban turned to an attendant Termoid who handed him a gas syringe. It gave a Hsss! As it injected Mary with more nanites.
"Master, it is unlikely we can save her arm", said Caliban.
"So be it".
The nanites set to work, staunching the wounds and replenishing lost fluids as Caliban set up a drip into Mary's good arm. They worked away to remove waste and improve lung function, as they did so, Mary's breathing came to an almost stop, as it was amongst Thalians. The huge gash in the right-hand side of her head was not looking good. Caliban noted: "Master, this type of injury would most likely be fatal in such a weak species, something is keeping her alive, other than us".
The Imperial Master sensed a great force of evil and concluded "This is a gift to us Caliban, the dark forces are so strong, yet I detect the fetid stench of good here as well. The dissimilator, now!"
Caliban quickly powered up the probe's crystal, and selecting the lowest setting played the beam onto the red shield over poor Mary's scarred forehead... Initially nothing happened and then..."BLAM!", Caliban was thrown against the walls of the theatre. The memory dissimilator, lay silent and totally defunct.
"There is much power here", concluded the Imperial Master. "Our subject lies still, deep in a dream state. I must try other tactics. Begin the implant conversion, I will create a special Symbiote for our new Commander".
"Symbiote? New commander?"
"Do NOT question my orders!"
"By your divine guidance".
Scene 99:
Caliban was permitted to look upon the picture, for guidance of the more direct, less divine sort. His implant assimilated the details, and he noted the Master's insistence upon closely copying this "Prophesy" as he called it.
Caliban sensed that the Imperial Master's immediate presence had waned, but he was not so rash as to think that he was really alone in his work. He speculated why he has been tasked with this operation, normally bionic implant work was the domain of semi-automated plants, under close supervision from attendant technicians. Still, His Master had ordered it, and whether he liked it or not, he had to carry out those orders.
He performed a detailed scan of the captive's body, whose condition had now stabilised thanks to the action of the nanites. He noted the nanites usage of body fat to generate raw materials to effect repairs and enhancements, as was the way of the Thalian bionic process. As far as possible, disease, weakness, and the reliance on an atmosphere and continual organic replenishment had been all but removed. The Thalian race, in all it's evil glory, was a utopian one of sorts.
His scan immediately revealed some surprises. The body had a genetic make-up that belied it's appearance. He investigated further and noticed signs of a surgery of some sort to radically alter certain parts of the captive's anatomy. "So we are not the only ones who artificially alter their race", he pondered. Suddenly he stopped the nanites progress and called the Imperial Master.
"Imperial Master, I crave your guidance".
"Elaborate" came the impatient reply.
"Master, this body has undergone radical surgical alteration, plus the actions of semi-organic chemicals to change it's basic genetic appearance, from that of Male to Female!" The surprise in Caliban's voice made it clear that he had not come across this before, and also could see no benefit in such a process.
"Caliban, there are forces at work here higher than your own meagre mind could appreciate" quipped the Master. "We may not be dealing with one entity alone here. Instruct your nanites to proceed with the enhancements, yet preserve the physical appearance of the female form, that is what the prophesy decrees".
"By your divine guidance".
With a signal from his implant, Caliban sent the nanites on their way again.
Scene 100:
Slowly the scars on Mary's skin began to disappear, superficial wounds began to heal. The very processes of aging began to slow down. Indeed, within the Thalian process, whilst being one so evil, reposed almost the very elixir of life that so many had searched countless star systems for numerous terra-parsecs, in vain explorations to uncover.
It was not long before the vast manufacturing capabilities of the Imperial Fortress planet had provided Caliban with the items he requested.
A Termoid arrived with a large container, hovering above the corridor floor, full of the "goodies" he so eagerly awaited.
"Your items" came the bland exclamation.
"Over there", Caliban gestured, not hiding his contempt for the lower ranks.
The Termoid pressed a concealed keypad on the box, which silently came to rest on the floor, and left.
Caliban eagerly reached inside and drew out a bionic upper torso section, with attached right-hand bionic arm. His genuine creepy pleasure at the most gruesome of tasks did not engender him to any of his peers, that was for sure. Not that "engendering" was inherent much in Thalian society!
Taking a laser scalpel, he leaned over the body of his captive.