Explorers of the Universe
Chapter 19: Repo Planet and Reunion; Of Machines and Men
Unknown Location
Space.
It was big.
And quite.
Too Quiet.
Until a rip in the fabric of space and time shot open, with lightning bolts and a swirling vortex shot out, as the Falcon flew right out of it. As it exited the gateway, the hole sealed up as space and time returned to normal… On board the deck, Isaac and everyone was sitting in their areas, as Isaac asked, "Any idea where we are?"
Rei spoke in the chamber, "According to the date and the maps... I believe we have lost our way."
Isaac blinked, "Huh?"
Sphere accessed the chamber, as he blinked, "Rei. You're not looking at a map. You're looking at a flyer about the Republicans'/Democratic Parties."
"I know," Rei replied. "I was stating we lost our way. As a country I mean."
Everyone on deck groaned, as Gwen asked, "Is this really a good time for joking?"
"It is when we are definitely not in human space anymore." A voice from the hallway said as Adam approached, his coat tails following as he told them, "I should know, been to as much of it during the Colony War and memorized the entirety of our territory during my childhood. I'd say we are in a remote area of space that humans have not gone yet, but not in our destination either."
"Speaking of not destination," Misty replied, as she and Ernesto, along with DRU carrying a duffel bag behind him, walked in, as she pointed out, "We found something that doesn't belong."
Everyone turned confused as Adam asked, "So you found him at last?"
"Yep," Misty replied.
Jeff arched an eyebrow, as both he and Gwen asked, "Found who?"
DRU walked up and unzipped the bag, as a certain someone fell out, grunting. It was Ben as he groaned, rubbing his forehead, "Ouch"
Adam approached and said, "Hello, Ben."
Isaac got off the captain's chair as he walked over, "What are you doing here? I thought you were gonna be back on the Ishimura? Going back to Earth?"
"Back to what? I don't have any family. Not even on Earth, remember," Ben explained. "And besides, everyone on this ship is an orphan. Why can't I go along to help? You need all the hands you can on this."
Everyone was silent on this, even as Ernesto shrugged, "Seriously, he makes an excellent point."
"It's too late to turn back now, besides all of you would be arrested for taking this ship if we were to go to earth." Adam pointed out. He thought for a moment before suggested, "Why not have Ben be a cadet aboard this ship so he can be of assistance to the crew, but out of harm's way should it be too dangerous?"
Looking to Ben, the war hero added, "It's true he's young, a lot younger than anyone for the space program, but he's determined and willing to help and this will give him the chance to grow into the role needed while we strive to complete our mission. And as he said we need all the help we can get as we do not know what we will find once we make it to our destination."
Isaac sighed, as he groaned, "Well, like you said, there's no turning back." He looked to Jeff, as he stated, "Jeff, I'm putting him in your care."
"What? I'm not a babysitter," Jeff argued.
"You're also the only one here aside from Adam who had military training," Isaac replied. "And besides, you're also in charge of training the others in military security. So consider him a maggot for you to train."
Both Jeff and Ben groaned, as the latter sighed, "Maggot?"
"Be thankful I'm not calling you Turd," Jeff retorted.
Adam looked at the two and said with that smile he's famous for, "I'll be keeping an eye on your work together."
Ben nodded, as he smirked, "Thanks, Adam." And then looked to Isaac, "And thank you, Isaac for letting me stay."
"Not much of an alternative. We can't jettison you out. No lifeboats, just the one," Isaac replied. "And we still don't have a clue as to where we are. Or if we're even close to the Magellen Galaxy."
Adam leaned in and whispered to Ben, "You can thank Angelo for this, he told me what you did to help him and the others in the computer core."
Smiling Adam stood straight up and walked over to look at the stars through his shades.
Isaac then returned to his seat, as he asked, "So any idea where we..?" Suddenly, the ship shook immensely, as Theo and DRU went to the controls, to fly the ship, as Isaac asked, "What the heck was that?"
Adam went and reported, "We seemed to have come in contact with something that the scanners cannot clearly identify."
"I wish! More like something is pulling us towards the asteroid field." Sphere replied, "It just suddenly appeared on my scanners a mili-second ago."
The ship shook again as it was slowly pulled downwards and off course of Magellen Galaxy on the electronic map.
"Oh genial," Misty exclaimed in a sarcastic tone of voice as she glared at the Clarkes cousins, "Go on a space trip you said! Find out who's trying to make an undead army in space! It'll be a blast! Bet you didn't count on getting trapped in a gravity field in this hunk of junk, did you?!"
"Cut them some slack," Ernesto exclaimed as he defended Gwen and Isaac, "It's not like they expected this to happen!"
"I agree with Engineer Ernesto, keep your misguided anger from them." Adam said as he defended Isaac and Gwen as well.
Isaac chose to ignore the argument and focus on the situation at hand. "Sphere, can you pull us out of the field," Isaac asked him, "You could divert power from all none essential systems to thrusters."
"I'm trying! But too much power and the thrusters could overload," Sphere replied while managing the power reserves.
The thrusters of the Falcon increased their output to the point that the ship began to put up a struggle against the pull of gravity. But even with the thrusters at full power, the ship was still being slowly pulled towards the asteroid field.
"What could be pulling us in," Gwen exclaimed as she studied the map, "There are no planets within stellar miles of our position!"
"I am detecting some sort of energy field coming from the asteroid field," Rei answered as she tried to analyze the source of the gravity, "But I cannot identify the source of the energy."
"Sphere, return the thrusters to standard power usage," Isaac ordered the alien device, "We can't fight this gravity so we should save our power for later when we come up with a plan."
"On it," Sphere complied as the ship's thrusters' power weakened and the ship was pulled towards the asteroid field at a faster rate.
As the ship was pulled towards the unknown destination, a startling discovery was made. The asteroid field wasn't made of asteroids, but large piles of old machinery and junk. Different sizes of garbage from small chunks to land shaped floated in space as debris floated through space.
"Wow... And I thought the Earth had garbage issues," Jonie said as she witnessed the zone of filth before him from the windows.
"No kidding. This must be the junk capital of the universe," Teo agreed as the ship continued.
Adam looked with a slight look of disgust, "An… accurate observation."
"Rei, any luck with identifying the source of the gravity," Jeff asked as he continued to try and fight the gravity's force from the controls of the ship.
"I am afraid the source of the gravity is still being blocked by some sort of interference. I am unable to determine if the gravity is natural or artificial," Rei answered as she studied the energy on the screen, "However, I have identified the location of the gravity anomaly. It is coming from a moon sized object a head of use and closing."
Everyone looked outside to see it for themselves. There in the distance was a moon sized planet made of garbage among the floating islands of debris. It was devoid of plant life and liquid of any kind. Every place that could have been greenery were filled with rusting and broken parts. For the Earthlings, it was a horrible sight to behold, and a grim reminder of what their planet could look like if not cared for properly.
After a moment, the ship began to shake violently again as it entered the moon's gravity. Jeff immediately activated the thrusters to ease the ship's descent, only for the ship to suddenly fly upwards and hit the something in the air. Sphere immediately put the ship through landing procedures causing it to slowly approach the planet's garbage filled surface.
"What the heck was that," Ernesto exclaimed as he continued to hang on to console.
"The planet's gravity has returned to normal," Rei explained, "But something is preventing us from leaving the planet."
"It must be some kind of shield," Kori said, "That must mean someone is living here."
"Who in their right mind would live in a dump like this," Misty asked not believing it for a second.
The ship then landed with a bit of difficulty due to the piles of garbage causing the ship to land lopsided.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and robots," Jeff said in a cocky voice, "We have officially landed. Feel free to move around the cabin as we won't be leaving for a long time." Despite his attempt to lighten the mood, it was failure as everyone just groaned from the experience.
"Would you be serious Jeff," Gwen told him in a stern voice before looking at Rei and Sphere, "Status report."
"The good news is the ship is undamaged and power reserves are still high," Sphere said as he checked the systems.
"The bad news is the gravity of this planet. While it is more stable on the surface, the gravity is preventing the ship from leaving the exosphere," Rei explained as she brought up a diagram of the moon on the holo-display and showed an energy surrounding the moon. "It is as though the source of the gravity that pulled us here is also generating a shield around the planet," Rei continued, "I have discovered that the source of the unusually gravity force is coming from this planet exactly five miles from our position."
"So, someone either invited us here for a lifelong vacation or this is science telling us this is our new home," Ben said not liking this, "Either way, we're screwed!"
"We're only screwed if we give up," Isaac told Ben, "And I'm not about to throw in the towel yet."
"Isaac is correct," Kori replied with a supportive smile, "As long as we are stuck together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish."
"I think you mean stick together," Teo corrected Kori as he straightened himself up.
"Also, I am not detecting any form of life on the planet," DRU added as he scanned the planet, "It would seem we are the only ones here."
"But that mean the gravity shield is a natural occurrence," Jonie exclaimed in horrified tone, "Which means we could be stuck here forever!"
"Or whoever is here is employing some kind of cloaking device or isn't giving off any energy readings that I can detect," DRU determined, "Which would imply that those that were stranded before are no longer living..."
Those words fill the bridge with a sense of despair. The very thought that the crew escaped from a ship filled with murderous undead aliens only to end up stranded on a polluted planet seemed like the universe's way of saying they were doomed no matter where they went.
"Anyway, we should investigate the source of the gravity," Gwen said, "If it's artificial, it must have a way of deactivating it."
"Alright. Rei, Adam, you stay and watch the ship," Isaac said, earning nods from both the android and enhanced warrior, "Everyone else, gear up and get ready to go."
A Few Minutes Later
The shuttle's doors open as the crew minus Rei stepped out of the ship led by Isaac. The view outside the doors was enough to make anyone into an environmentalist and one into an environmental terrorist. There was garbage as far as the eye could see. Pieces of discarded junk, damaged ship parts with some having blood stains and rust, and damaged weapons.
"I don't even want to know what this planet smells like," Ben said as the sight was enough to make him gag.
"Stay on your guard everyone," Isaac said as he looked around the garbage filled surroundings, "DRU said he didn't detect any living life but that doesn't mean we're alone here. Watch your back and your-" SLAM
Suddenly, Isaac found himself lying face first on the moon's surface. "What the," he exclaimed as he tried to life himself up. But the more he tried the heavier he felt.
"Isaac, are you alright," Kori asked as she and Gwen went to help him, "Did you trip on-"
"WHOA!"
SLAM
Suddenly, Gwen was on the moon's surface on her front next to Isaac. She attempted to get up but she too was unable to move much. "I- I can't move," Gwen exclaimed as she continued to try and move.
"Hahahaha! I knew that you were a wuss, Shepard," Misty said in a cocky tone of voice as she walked forward and looked down at the two cousins, "But it looks like your cousin was too. I guess it just runs in the-"
SLAM
Just like the last two, Misty found herself pulled towards the moon's surface and was now flat on her back. "What gives," she exclaimed as she tried to get up but was unable to, "It feels like someone stuffed my suit with rocks!"
The others ran out to see what was wrong only to end up in the same situation as Isaac, Gwen, and Misty. All but Kori, DRU, and Sphere were unaffected.
"I haven't felt this heavy since that time my drill Sargent made my group do a thousand push-ups before breakfast," Jeff said as he laid on his back.
"This doesn't make any sense," Kera exclaimed, "This planet is the size of the moon! Why does the gravity feel like it's even stronger than Earth's gravity!?"
"It must be whatever pulled the ship to this planet," DRU suspected, "But the ship should be sinking into the planet's surface if the gravity is this strong. Why is it unaffected by this heavier gravity unlike the rest of you?"
"I have a better question," Misty exclaimed, "Why are you, the mustard eater, and the flying ball fine while we're being flattened like a car at a junkyard!?"
Before anyone could reply, the sound of heavy steps through the junk, and it was getting closer.
"What that's sound," Teo asked as he tried to look up, "Is it Rei?"
"No, I'm afraid not," DRU said as he and Kori assumed battle positions for whatever was heading towards them.
From over a junk pile, a figure emerged before the crew. It was a hulking blue bipedal humanoid robot, colored blue but the joints black. Its head was located where the neck was, but the shoulders were more high up, almost as if the shoulders and neck fused together to make it more dome-like. Its arms were larger, with four pronged claw hands, with the fingers designed for grabbing than clawing. Its feet were two toes with a heel suspended off the ground, and on its back were two crane apparatuses. Its head was a cylinder-shaped one with a lone yellow lens for an eye.
Everyone looked at the large robot in confusion as it stared back at them with no emotion on its face.
"What kind of alien robot is that," Ben asked in fear, "Don't tell me it's one of those robots that turn living things into ones like itself!"
"I doubt that. That's a Crane Bot from Earth! A modified one as well," Misty told the boy, "But they were scrapped a hundred years ago!"
"Why hello Mr. Robot," Kori said with a smile, "Do you live on this planet?"
The robot said nothing as it continued to observe the crew.
"News flash girl," Misty exclaimed, "Not all Earth machines talk or make friends with people!"
Suddenly, the crane's wire went down just above the downed humans. The hook then released smaller wires that wrapped around the downed Earthlings as it lifted them up with their backs to each other and hung them upside down together from the hook.
"Put us down, you walking junk heap," Misty yelled as she and the others struggled to get free.
"What do you want with them," DRU asked it, "Are you behind this force of gravity?"
The crane said nothing as it ran away from the three aliens.
"Talk about rude," Sphere said, "Even for a voiceless robot."
The three chased after the robot. Kori prepared to fire her star bolts at it but the robot used the teens as shield to protect itself.
"How dishonorable," Kori exclaimed in anger, "Taking hostages is not nice at all!"
A few minutes later, the group arrived at a makeshift looking house made of damaged ships.
"Is that its lair," Ben asked in horror, "Is this where you plan to turn us into mindless robots like it!?"
"You watch too many horror movies Ben," Jonie said a little annoyed.
The group were taken into the base which was completely dark with Kori, Sphere, and DRU following after them. The Earthlings were hung in the middle of the room as a light shined down.
"Oh my gosh! It's going to interrogate us," Ben wailed in horror, "It's probably all bad cop!"
"We need to work on your nerves, kid," Jeff said as he tried to
"Kori, get us out of here," Isaac exclaimed, "I don't want to be around when whoever…"
"SILENCE!"
A booming voice filled the room causing everyone to freeze with fear. Suddenly, a presence within the shadow could be seen. Only an outline of the figure could be made out though as its green eyes glowed at the teens.
"Who sent you here," the voice asked in a low and intimidating voice in between deep breaths as the being circled around them like a shark in the ocean waters, "How much are they paying you for my capture? ANSWER ME..."
All the teens began to feel the fear run through them from the mysterious being's presence. "We should've stayed on the Ishimura," Kera whimpered in terror.
"Earth! We're from EARTH," Teo cried out, "Please don't turn us into mindless robots!"
'Note to self, work on all the new recruits' nerves,' Jeff thought to himself, 'Otherwise, we're never going to complete our mission.'
"Earth," the being said in a high and excited tone of voice, "OMG! HUMANS!" A clapping sound was heard as the lights went on revealing the owner of the house before the Falcon Crew.
The figure was in a similar colored armor SIG like Isaac's but with major difference. Her body was covered in a skin-tight black film armor from head to toe. Her chest appeared to have a sweat top design with two white buckles on the collar with a hoodie-like design around the neck. Her shoulders were bare say for her left, as it had an orange and white shoulder guard that had a symbol of Infinity on it, with both her biceps having white and orange bands. Her forearms and hands had an orange guard that looked like Elvish Wizard sleeves, with orange and white elbow guards. Her sides on her waist had thin armor pieces with a white utility pouch on both hips, with a wizard's shawl that went down to her ankles with white trimming, and kinda showed off her tailbone and top of her butt. Her legs had tight thigh-high boots of orange and white design, with white bands on her thighs, and white and orange kneeguards, with strange white structures on the back of her calves, and her boots having white high heel soles with her toes white while the rest were all orange.
The girl took off her helmet to show her face. She was Caucasian with beautiful flawless skin, auburn orange hair that went down to her midriff with a bang dangling in front like an antenna, with her left bang almost covering her green eyes. Though her oddest distinction was a small circular red and black nub similar to Rei's on the right side of her temple.
"Oh, this is fantastic! Carbon based lifeforms come to rescue me at last," the girl exclaimed as she hugged Isaac causing him to get a face full of her boobs, "I just want to hug you and squeeze you and hold all of you so close!" She then proceeded to hug every human she could.
Kori was a bit shaken by this action, as she shook, looking blue on her face, "What… what are you doing to Isaac?"
"Hey! Back off," Misty exclaimed, "Personal distance rules are still a thing!"
"Oh! Sorry, sorry," the girl said as she backed away from Misty. She then chuckled from the happiness still going through her, "I've been marooned for so long. I mean," She started to say while leaning on the shoulder of an annoyed Misty, "Solitude's fine, don't get me wrong. For Heaven's sake, but after fifty years with no one to talk to... YOU GO A LITTLE NUTS! Hahaha..."
The Falcon's crew looked in surprise as the girl's insane outburst as she treated it like it was nothing. It was clear to them that the years alone had affected the girl's mind and personality.
The girl then jumped back. "I'm... Ahhhh... I'm," the girl started to say with a smile before it shrank into a frown as it seemed she had lost her train of thought.
"A Hilda 4 model," Gwen exclaimed in surprise after recognizing her.
"Yes! That's right! I'm Hilda," the girl now identified as Hilda said, "KRANE, let them go please!"
Krane immediately complied as the wires loosened causing all of the Earthlings to fall on the floor. Despite their limbs being free, the gravity was still pulling them onto the ground.
"I think I would've preferred to being hung up," Ernesto said as he tried to stand up but slammed on the floor again.
"Model... As in a similar to Rei," Kori asked as she tried to help Isaac and the others.
"In a way," Gwen answered, "The Hilda 4 models are the older model that led to the creation of the Rei models. But the Hildas were flawed and malfunctioned for being dangerous. They were shelved years ago."
"Oh silly! I'm not dangerous. I mean, I was shelved and shot into space fifty years ago. Fifty-one years in approximately sixty days from now," Hilda explained as she dug for something in the makeshift shelves behind her, "But that was because my model disturbed people for being so emotional and happy!" She then grabbed the shelf and threw it to the side with a look of rage on her face. "WHERE ARE THOSE MICRO CHIPPING CARDS," Hilda yelled out in anger before resuming her search, "Oh by the way, how are the other Hilda models on Earth doing?"
"What Hilda actually means is that her model had extreme mood swings that updates couldn't fix," Gwen continued, "So the newer models were designed without emotions. As for the other Hildas. The models were never released to the public. They went straight into developing model 5 androids."
"Oh... I see," Hilda sad in a sad tone of voice, "I guess that means... I'm the only one... Aw well," she exclaimed before resuming her hunt for her cards.
"I can see why," Isaac said a little freaked out by her earlier outburst, "That android's psychotic! Like Jekyll and Hyde split personalities!"
Hilda then jumped into Isaac's face with a bright smile. "I'm just a little more emotional than others, that's all," Hilda said as she as she danced around the humans still hanging upside down, "It's been so long since I've had someone to talk to who talks back!" She then seemed weakened as she sat down, "I finally have more people to play cards with other than KRANE," she whispered to herself in glee. Then, Hilda noticed that the teens other than Kori, DRU, and Sphere were just lying there. "Say, are you all tired," she asked, "You haven't moved since KRANE dropped you on the floor."
"Oh really? You noticed," Jeff exclaimed in a sarcastic tone of voice, "We can't move!"
"The gravity on this planet is too strong," DRU explained to Hilda, "What I can't seem to understand is why we are not affected," DRU finished referring to her, Kori, Sphere, and himself.
"That's because the gravity here is different from Earth," Hilda explained, "In this sector of space, gravity changes are very common in different sectors of the cosmos. Extra-terrestrial, machines, and androids like myself are immune to the affect. If you want to be able to move normally like on Earth, you'll need Body Modifications to help with that."
"Body modifications," Isaac asked confused, "You mean like SIG suits?"
"She wants to turn us into robots and rob our individuality," Ben shouted in terror as he tried with all his might to move away, "You won't steal my personality! I won't let you!"
Everyone was silent from Ben's fearful outburst. Kori and DRU looked in confusion at one of the younger members of the crew. Isaac, Gwen, Jeff, and the other Earth teens were embarrassed and while Misty was annoyed at Ben's outburst once again.
"I am so sorry about him," Gwen said, "He's very emotional. What exactly is this Body Modification you mention?"
"No need to apologize. Emotions are great! They help make us who we are," Hilda said with a smile, "As for the Body Modifications." Hilda reached out and pulled a lever that caused a make shift projector screen to lower down. She hopped over the group, held her helmet out, and pushed a switch that caused the helmet to project an image of a human surrounded by colors.
"The advanced method of body enhancement is a process in which Nano machines are implanted into the body. To strengthen muscles and improve reflexes and adrenaline output. Endurance, healing ability, and the rate of cellular mitosis are also greatly enhanced," Hilda explained as the projection showed the human being injected with the Nano machines. The projection gained a stronger physique, showed improvements in speed and strength as well. "The effects are extraordinary and substantially expand the subject's lifespan," Hilda finished as the projection ended and she looked at everyone, "Do you all understand?"
Everyone stared at Hilda with different expressions. Kori, DRU, Gwen, and Sphere nodded in understanding, Jeff, and Isaac looked somewhat confused while everyone else looked as though their brains had overloaded from the explanation.
"So... Ben is right," Teo said breaking the silence, "You want to turn us into robots?"
This caused Ben to tense up again.
"No, no. Not robots. Rather, replace your muscles with organic machinery. It's like wearing a SIG suit but it's beneath your skin," Hilda explained, "In laymen's terms, think of it as system in which anyone can be a super being and live a longer life."
"You mean, we can be like superheroes from comic books, or like the Warriors from Earth" Ben exclaimed in surprise. He then pictured himself looking super buff, lifting cars with one hand, and having fans all around him on Earth.
"With powers like that, it would make fighting Xenocromorphs much easier," Kera said pointing out a pro to the operation.
"If other planets have gravity like this," Jeff also said, "We'd never be able to step off the ship without kissing the ground every time we had to get out of the ship."
Isaac and Gwen were silent though. "How do you have something like this Hilda," Gwen asked her, "Didn't you say you've been here for fifty years?"
"I have. It's a method I developed from junk and the remains of those that didn't survive crashing here," Hilda said with a carefree smile, "With nothing other than playing cards and scavenging, I had to use up my spare time without losing my mind."
"I'd say she's already lost something," Misty said under her breath.
"Hang on a minute," Jonie said, "If you were able to make a system that can make people super powered versions of ourselves from junk, why didn't you just build a ship and leave this planet?"
Hilda looked at everyone with a serious look in her eyes. "...You really want to know," she asked in a serious tone of voice, "You really, really want to know?"
Everyone froze from the feeling coming off the girl. She gave off the feeling she as going to reveal a major reason for her being there. The group began to think of possible reasons. Was it being unable to leave the planet, not being able to build a large enough ship, no idea which way Earth was, or was she secretly like a black widow spider that drew its prey in with lust only to kill its prey afterwards?
After a moment of intense silence, Hilda spoke again. "The reason I'm still here is," Hilda said, "I don't have any fuel to power any of the two hundred ships plans I made."
Everyone's jaw dropped from her reason. Not just from her actual problem of no fuel, but that she made two hundred ship designs. But then she also pointed out, "That and another problem aside from the unknown gravity and energy shield that surrounds this planet-sized junkyard."
Getting over the comical shock, Isaac looked at Hilda. "These alterations," Isaac asked her, "How long would we be like that?"
Everyone looked at Isaac once he asked that. It was a serious question for some. To have their bodies altered permanently sounded like an issue for him.
"Did you not hear the super powered part," Ben asked Isaac, "This is like a dream come true! Besides, she made the stuff, so she should be able to take it out once our mission is done, right?"
"I can, but not all of it," Hilda answered getting everyone's attention on her again, "The alterations will be permanent. You see I learned the basic theory of the modification from data logs from a ship that crashed here before I did. The technology was used for combat reason until it became the norm for everyone including space travel due to the planets having different gravity fields."
"That must be why I am not affected by the gravity of this planet," Kori said, "I must have been put through the same modification by the Creators when I was experimented on." She looked at her hand and thought about all that the Creators did to her. 'What other things did they change in me,' she thought to herself.
"Reversing the modification would leave remnants of Nano machinery in your body," Hilda continued, "If you ever had to get examined at a hospital on Earth, the doctors would know you weren't normal." Hilda then looked up, "Although I'm just guessing. I haven't been on Earth for a long time. I wonder if technology has advanced any in fifty years? Like solving the fossil fuel issue, world hunger, the manure powered car, the wonder pill to all diseases..."
As Hilda spoke her thoughts out loud, the Earthlings had more to think about the pros and cons of agreeing to the procedure. They would gain stronger bodies and longer life spans, but living on Earth would be dangerous. If scientists every found the secret to their abilities, they would most likely be dissected without a second thought or manipulated by world powers for military purposes.
"So basically... We can make space travel and completing our mission all the easier," Isaac said over Hilda's rambling, "But we can pretty much say goodbye to our lives on Earth."
Everyone other than Hilda was silent from his words as the gravity of their situation was heavier than the gravity that was holding them down. Save the universe and never go home or go home and leave the planet and others vulnerable to another attack by the Creators.
"I'm doing it," Misty said much to everyone's surprise, "Look I don't know about all of you, but I can't keep feeling like I ate a boulder every time we go to another planet. And I hate the idea of letting those monster makers get a free pass after all the crap their science experiments put us through!"
"I hate to admit it, but Misty's right," Isaac said in agreement, "I'm doing it. But not all of us have to. Anyone who doesn't want to give up their lives on Earth can stay on the ship while we continue our mission or we can arrange some way for you to go back home."
Isaac then felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked and saw Kori looking at him. He couldn't see through his helmet but she was smiling as tears from happiness and sadness fell from her eyes. She was happy that she wasn't going to be separated from Isaac, but sad that the mission they were on was now costing him his life on his home planet. She knew the pain of losing her home, but she couldn't imagine knowing their planet was there and not being able to call it home anymore.
Gwen looked at her cousin, "You and Jeff are pretty much the only family I have left," Gwen told Isaac, "Where you two are is home. Besides, I can't think of any other reason to go back to Earth anyway."
"And you know I hate arguing with my girl," Jeff added as he looked over at Isaac.
"They're right," Ben added, "Besides, there's some benefits to being an unsung hero."
"Teo and I don't have family back home either," Jonie spoke up, "And it's not like Earth is going to send search parties for us anyway."
"Besides... Just because we can't stay on Earth, it doesn't mean we can't visit when this is all over," Ernesto added while thinking of his cousin.
Hearing all that, Isaac knew that everyone was all for it. He looked up at Hilda who was still speaking her thoughts out loud. "Hilda," Isaac spoke out.
"People who use signals don't while driving, jaywalkers, drinking and driving," Hilda said before hearing her name, "Oh sorry. I tend to ramble sometimes. So, are we good?"
Isaac nodded along with the others, "Yes. Please give us the modifications," he asked her.
"Okey dokey," Hilda said with a happy grin on her face, "KRANE, pick up our guests please." KRANE complied and lifted everyone up again. "Follow me," Hilda said as she led the group deeper into her home.
The room was barely lite but throughout the room were piles of junk, piles of paper, and different machines left and right.
As they made their way in, Isaac looked at Sphere. "Sphere, go back and let Adam and Rei know what's going on," Isaac ordered the floating robot.
"On my way. I'll be right back," Sphere said before leaving for the ship.
"Let me show you around," Hilda said as she led the way, "On your left are many workshops for whatever project I'm working on. On the floor are piles of scavenged items for my machines and experiments," she continued as she pointed to the wall with two different photos. "This is me when I first landed on this planet," Hilda said as it showed a selfie of her waving behind a pile of junk. "And this over here is me when I made KRANE," Hilda said as she showed a picture of her and KRANE high fiving each other.
"And... This is where I put a picture of me with my family," Hilda said as she pointed to an empty frame with huge red arrows around it, "IF I HAD ONE," she exclaimed in anger while twitching. She then regained her composure, "Sorry, lost the happy. But the happy is back!" She then resumed skipping along towards their destination.
As they continued, everyone felt uneasy with this girl. "Isaac, you sure you want to trust this science freak with our lives," Ben asked unsure about this.
"I like her. She seems very nice," Kori said as she walked next to Isaac with a bright smile, "We seem to make her very happy."
"Plus, she's the only one who can perform the procedure," Isaac said, "Besides, I'm sure it's safe. She wouldn't have offered it if it wasn't safe."
"Here we are!"
Suddenly, more lights were activated to reveal a makeshift lab filled with large glass tubes and a computer in the center with more garbage on the floor.
"Hilda, this procedure," Gwen said as she looked at their surroundings, "This isn't going to be embarrassing in anyway, is it?"
"Nope. You should all be able to keep your dignity," Hilda said much to the relief of the others. She then looked at KRANE, "Commence Operation: Bath Time."
"Bath time," all the Earthlings asked not sure what was about to happen.
KRANE nodded as it began to spin everyone around. All the Earthlings were not feeling the effects of vertigo as the spinning continued.
"HILDA, WHAT'S THE POINT OF," Isaac started to ask before he collided with something hard. As his vision began to clear from the spinning, he noticed he was starting to get wet as well. He saw he was now in one of the glass tubs and it was filling with a strange clear yellow liquid.
'I really hope this isn't what I think it,' he started to think as he looked around only for his face to go red at something he wasn't expecting. He was floating in the liquid with his privates hanging out. He was now completely naked.
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
Isaac looked to his left to see Gwen in another tube next to him and was in the nude as well. Next to her was Jeff still dizzy from the spinning. "Hilda, you liar," Gwen cried out while covering herself, "You'd said we would keep our dignity! You didn't say anything about being naked!"
"We're all friends here," Hilda said as she typed in commands on the computer, "Besides, being naked is the only way for the micro machines to enter every part of the body, and you couldn't have undressed yourselves due to the gravity."
"You could've warned us you little geek!"
Isaac looked to his right to see Misty in the tube next to him and attempting to bang on the door with her foot but only able to tap it.
"When I get out of here, I'm going to feed you a knuckle sandwich," Misty exclaimed, "Then I'll- EAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She noticed that Isaac was conscious and could see her. "Look away, Shepard! Or you're gonna need multiple modifications to your face," she exclaimed in anger while covering herself and blushing.
"Okay, everyone," Hilda yelled out happily, "Modification begins in three... Two..."
"Wait! Hilda," Isaac cried out, "Is this going to-"
"ONE!"
There was a bright flash and Isaac saw nothing.
The sound of heavy steps filled Isaac's ears as his mind began to clear up. "Five more minutes," Isaac said out loud thinking he was in bed.
"No worries there. You'll need at least ten more minutes before you can come out."
The familiar voice made Isaac look to his left to see Hilda still at the computer. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he remembered what happened. "Hilda! What did you do," Isaac exclaimed as he banged on the glass with his fist. Before she could answer, Isaac noticed something, "Hey... I can move easily again."
"Which means the procedure was a success," Hilda shouted in joy, "How do you feel?!"
Isaac was taken back by her excitement as he moved his arms again. "Pretty good actually," he said as he rotated his arm around. He also noticed the liquid had become nontransparent and he was no longer naked. He then looked and saw the others were in similar situations. Misty, Gwen, Jeff, Teo, Ernesto and Jonie were floating in the liquid and asleep.
"Don't worry. They're just sleeping off the modification," Hilda told him knowing what he was about to ask, "They will be up and around in a bit. By then, I should have your finished installing the load factor in your SIG suits and under armors."
"Thanks," Isaac said as he looked around and noticed they were a few heads short, "What's a load factor though and where are Kori, Sphere, DRU, and KRANE?"
"The load factor is to help you regulate the gravity of the different planets so you can better control how the gravity will affect you," she explained as she tinkered with the crew's SIG Suits and armor. "I've also added some improvements to all of your armor along with some redesigns," she continued, "I think they should help with those Xenocromorphs Sphere told me about."
"Gee thanks," Isaac said, "I don't know how to repay you for all this, but I'll try. But are you sure the suits will be ready when we're finished in here?"
"No worries Isaac," Hilda said while winking at him, "And no. The SIG suits won't be ready when you come out. But the under armor will be. I'll finish the suits and weapons on the way off the planet. The others should be finished moving my things to your ship any minute now."
"That's good to hear," Isaac said with a smile. Suddenly, he processed the last part she said, "Wait, what?"
Hilda looked away from her with and shot him a huge smile. "I'm coming with you on our mission," Hilda explained in a carefree voice, "Isn't that great!?"
Rei and Adam waited on the ship as they have not heard anything from the others since they left the ship. Adam was doing diagnostics on the ship in the engine room. Soon the door opened and Rei came in calling out, "Adam."
"I'm detecting the others heading back our way." But then she seemed rather confused. "And... two more."
Adam stopped his work pushes himself from under the engines and asks, confused, "Two? Who or what could they find that lives on a planet made out of junk?"
"Adam, Rei," Isaac's voice called out. "Could you open the cargo bay? We're coming in. we've got Earth-origin guests."
Adam raised a brow to his surrogate sister and mouths, 'guests' in question form, earning a shrug from her before Adam replied, "Affirmative captain."
And begun opening the cargo hold for them. As soon as everyone was inside, the door closed, and the room pressurized, an unknown voice called out, "Yaay! I can finally take a shower! It's been 50 years and there was no indoor plumbing. I'm all scuzzy."
"Hilda, you don't know where the bathrooms are," Isaac replied.
"I can show you where the bathrooms are," Kori replied.
"Cool, you and the other girls can have a group bathing session," Hilda replied.
"There's no such thing. Don't put ideas into her..." Misty replied, but then screamed, "Hilda! Don't strip in the cargo bay!"
"Don't look, you two," Gwen replied, slapping Isaac and Jeff's faces.
Both Adam and Rei came in as the enhanced warrior said, "Good to see you all back, now then who or what did you find out..."
Hilda turned, as her impressive D cups bounced, along with her shiny but grimy hair, "Oh hello. I'm Hilda. A Droid from Earth, and I luv to be around people. Wanna take a bath and get to know everyone better?"
Rei covered Adam's eyes while he expertly offered his hand to the newcomer, "Adam. And I'm afraid we cannot oblige that until the ship's engines had completed their diagnostics and we find a way off this junkyard of a planet. "
"Oh, I already know how to get off the planet. I'll tell ya if we all have a group bath together," Hilda replied.
"Seriously? You know of a way out of here," Isaac replied.
"How is it you're not freaking out about bathing with her," Gwen and the other girls replied.
"Help us and I can personally show you to the bathing area if you so wish." Adam requested politely to the girl who introduced herself as Hilda.
"Bath first, then help. Mamma's in need of a good bath in the 60 year wait I was thrown into by Peter Wayward, and..." Hilda argued, but then blinked as she looked at Rei. She then smiled, as she pointed at her, "Hey, I know you. Sis!"
"How do you know my sister?" Adam asked standing protectively in front of Rei.
"Because we were both made personally by Mr. Peter Wayward," Hilda explained nonchalantly. "I remember when we came out of the assembly chambers, our naked bodies freshly glistening in open air. Us walking barefooting around, and standing straight at attention in front of our father. His arrogant need to find out the meaning of Humanity's origin, and him angrily shooting me out in to space with my conclusion to his scheme. While Rei played on the concert piano."
Rei blinked, as she calmly asked, "Do you remember what he suggested you play?"
Hilda nodded, "Richard Vogner. Dealer's choice. The Entry of the Gods..."
"... Into Valhalla," Rei finished.
Hilda nodded, and shrugged, "Yeah, but the only thing Wayward was right about as that the play was a bit anemic without an orchestra."
Adam remained silent, saddened at the thought of Peter Wayward before blinking himself out of it and said, fixing his sunglasses, "Follow me then Ms. Hilda."
Hilda beamed, as she looped her arms around Rei, Kori, and a bewildered Isaac, as she smiled, "Bath time! Mamma's in need of a good scrubbin'!"
Adam then opened the door for her as he said, "Bath to your heart's content. Please know you do need to clean yourself privately before bathing with the others."
Hilda pouted, "Awww, but where's the fun in bathing alone?"
Rei then graciously took Hilda with her as she implied, "I'll help clean her up. If left to her own devices it would take a while." and then closed the door.
Once the door closed Adam turned to the others and said, "Please explain to me how one of Rei's older siblings have been on this planet of Junk for half a century?"
"Apparently, she was shot out into deep space by dear old dad, because he didn't have the heart to kill his child," Theo replied.
"She crashed here and spent the last 50 years alone with just a modified KRANE unit and from what I saw, movies and games," Isaac finished.
Misty then chimed, "And apparently she's starved for attention." She then pointed to the remaining human crewmembers, "BTW, you didn't notice our appearances. Or our bio levels."
"I tend to not judge but appearances. But I was curious." he said before using his PIC to scan their Bio levels and see the results in his eyes.
Even Jonie chimed in, "So? Notice anything different? Aside from Gwen's hair being longer?"
"This is impossible. Your bodies have been enhanced through some form of technology... but by what I am reading... Nano technology." Adam said looking at them and asks, "Did she do this to you all?"
"Apparently body modification is something that goes on in the Magellen Galaxy," Jeff shrugged.
Gwen stepped up as she explained, "Apparently it's the only way we can adjust to the different environments we'll be going through."
"And she also modified our armors and SIGs too," Isaac added in. "Apparently, she wanted to earn her way onto the ship. That and she's been reverse engineering anything and everything that comes on this junkyard."
"Fascinating..." Adam mused before wondering, "It sounds almost similar to the training we get in the W-Organization, even after we became an independent organization."
Looking at them he stated, "I cannot help but wonder how much stronger you are now than you were before your enhancements."
"Hey, Adam," Hilda's voice called out from the bathroom. "Rei says you're our brother. Is that true?"
"Through bond alone unfortunately." He said answering Hilda's question.
"Doesn't matter, wanna come in and bathe with your sisters? It won't be weird," Hilda asked, insisted and chiming.
Everyone, minus Adam, sweat dropped, as they all thought the same thing, 'This girl really needs to socialize.'
"In a later time, I need to test the Nano machines you used to enhance my crewmates." He told Hilda.
While his answer made everyone look and thought, 'Is he for real?'
Turning back Adam asks, fixed his glasses in an effective manner to instill caution to everyone before him, "Who wishes to test their new prowess against me?"
"Well, while you're all at that, let me see if my sister's feeling receptors are up to date," Hilda smirked in the bathroom.
Suddenly, Rei's usual calm voice was one full of worry, "Wha..? No, wait. Hilda? What are you doing?" She then squeaked, "Gah! Don't touch me there! That's weird!"
Suddenly moans and soft whines were head, as everyone, including Adam, were blushing up a storm, as Isaac suddenly blabbed, "Okay! Bath time is over! We need answers!"
30 Minutes Later
Mess Deck
Everyone was currently in the mess deck, including a now clean and chipper Hilda. She did look rather nicely cleaned up with her hair now shiny and straight. Rei, on the other hand, looked like her systems had been stressed out more often. Though as she took a sip of cocoa, Hilda had explained what was holding them there.
"A cosmic storm is in the center of the place," Gwen asked, completely shocked by this answer.
"A bottled cosmic storm," Hilda corrected. "Centuries ago, it drifted into this sector caught by a gravitational anomaly and got caught in ship wreckage. Because of that, it's been emitting energy and seemingly absorbing the anomaly. It's unintentionally creating this floating garbage planet island, while also keeping it all closed off due to the shields."
"So if we pull it out, we could leave," Isaac asked.
"Yes. But it's also kinda dangerous to do that," Hilda implied.
"Because the closer we get the greater the gravity well will be?" Adam asks, curiously, even as he fans Rei.
"Oh no, it's not that at all. The gravity is stable directly at the center," Hilda implied.
"Then I'm guessing that the Cosmic Storm is one big stabilizer tower then," Ernesto asked, earning a lot of confused looks.
Then DRU spoke up, "He means that the Bottled Cosmic storm is what's keeping this landmass anchored together. We remove it, it'll break apart, scattering in space along with the rest of us."
Adam thought about this and asks, "Could it be possible to use the energy of the cosmic storm to improve upon our own ship's systems?"
"Theoretically, but that's not the problem. Nor the planet falling apart when we retrieve it from the anomaly."
Kera was the one to ask, "What's the worst thing about this?"
"It's currently being used by another. And guarded by said other," Hilda answered.
"Another?" Adam asks brow raised behind his sunglasses.
Isaac then asked as he walked over to her, "Hilda. Who is this other you're talking about?"
Hilda sighed, as she set down the cup, an answered, "His name is Matrix. And like me, he's an artificial Intelligence. Though he's not earthborn. He originated from this system. Maybe even farther than that."
"Can you elaborate on his story," Gwen asked.
Hilda nodded, as she explain the best she could, "Well, I only found out bits and pieces from the drones that broke down that were linked to him... as he scavenges parts for himself. But it's a pretty good picture. Matrix was an automated garbage disposal system that traversed the galaxy finding and breaking down destroyed ship wreckage, adding their technology to his own. Until he got caught by the same gravity web that holds us here. Ever since then, he's been assimilating technology and other A.I. systems to his own, growing bigger in size and in numbers, all in all building around the Cosmic Storm using it as a power source."
"Then this Matrix has simply been continuously doing what it has been programmed to do," Kori concluded.
Jeff crossed his arms, as he huffed, "Figures."
Adam, catching that and asks, "It will be difficult but it will not be impossible."
"It might be," Hilda replied, looking nervous, as she stated, "He's um... been obsessed with wanting to add my A.I. to his collective."
Adam stood up forcing his chair to hit the ground as his brows slid down behind his shades as he said, "Not if I have anything to say about it..."
And begun to make is way to the airlock. However, Isaac shot up as he cautioned, "Adam, wait. We haven't run into this Matrix guy all day."
"Correct," Hilda stated as she explained. "Matrix is going through a daily update, so it'll be a while before he's aware of company... and new technology."
"Now's the perfect time to strike and end him before he has a chance to harm either Rei or Hilda and possibly take our ship away." He said as he looked at the pad and begun to type to open the airlock.
Jonie shook her head, as she asked, "I'm sorry, Adam. But why are you willing to risk your life and ours for two droids that can easily get-"
"Please don't say replaced," Isaac retorted
"I was going to go for repaired, sir," Jonie replied.
Using his enhanced speed, Adam disappeared before reappearing before Jonie and put his hand around her throat, "Don't you dare call Rei replaceable or something less than human... she is worth a hundred humans. She was one of the only people on the planet who I was able to call family."
Jonie gasps and gags as Adam's hand clenches her neck tightly making it harder for her to breathe. As his anger grows so does how tightly he was suffocating Jonie when he spoke his voice became colder and heartless as he hissed, "She has more of a soul than any human does now a days."
Everyone almost freaked out, but Isaac rushed over and gently but firmly tried to pull Adam back, "Adam! It's okay! She didn't know any better!"
Isaac's enhanced strength did nothing against Adam's while the war hero ignored them, however a gentle hand placed itself on his right shoulder, as it showed Rei, as she calmly spoke up, but showed a look of worry on her face, "Adam. It's okay. Not everyone understands."
Adam looks at the gasping Jonie's face before taking a deep breathes and lets her go as he said, through her coughing and wheezing to get air back in her lungs, "Of course she wouldn't..."
While Ernesto helped Jonie, the enhanced warrior went back to the airlock and said, "Isaac, I will do anything to protect my family... even if they are not related to me by blood..."
He entered the decompression chamber as he said, "If you'll excuse me..."
As it closed between them. He then put his space mask on over his face and ears before pressurizing it to his face and waited for the airlock to depressurize before he left the ship.
However, as he was about to leave, the ship felt like it was being lifted and carried. The whole ship shook as everyone was nearly capsized or flew around, until they grabbed something that was bolted down, as Ben cried out, "What the heck is going on?"
Isaac grabbed Hilda with his legs while Kori grabbed his hand, lifting them, as he asked, "Hilda? Any thoughts?"
"It might be the Necromechs," she replied. Everyone had a clueless look on their faces, as she explained, "They're errand boys of Matrix. If anything, they're taking the ship to him."
Kori paled, as she replied, "That may not be the good situation, is it?"
"Maybe not," Misty replied. "They're taking us to the power source. The bottled storm. We go in and take it."
"Yeah, but we don't have a clue as to what's waiting for us there," Isaac replied.
Hilda nodded, "Yeah, that's true I never wanted to go back there when Matrix tried over and over to catch me." Everyone looked at her in curiosity. "What? The guy's relentless."
Coming back in Adam said, smirking, "So he is 'inviting' us into his stronghold... brilliant."
Outside, the ship was being carried by strange automatons. Robots designed with spider and insect-like designs as they tarried the massive ship with ease to what appeared to be a giant hive of technology. On top or around it, insect-like robots were placed as sentries, as they brought tin the massive ship into the hive. Inside, it was lit up with veins of cables and lights. The insects placed the ship down as it rumbled. Inside, everyone groaned of the rough ride.
Jeff sighed, "Ugh, I think we're in."
Theo groaned, "Great. Now what?"
Suddenly, the ship lit up and blinked, as if someone was hacking into it. Suddenly, a voice boomed within, "Who is within this vessel of technology that has been brought to me? Matrix! Surrender yourselves and allow me possession of your technology. Your Technological distinctiveness shall be added to my own. Resistance against me is Futile."
Looking at Rei he asks, in a quip, "Do you think he picked up the signals of that sci-fi show from the late twentieth century show?"
"Focus now, ask later." Rei answered.
Adam nodded, "Of course sister."
He then went to meet with Matrix, buying time for the others.
The cargo bay doors opened, as he was greeted with two 10-foot mantis-like robots, their pincers pointing blasters at him, as they signaled him to follow. As he walked with them, he looked around the place, as he saw there were drones working on maintenance and other tasks this place had the efficiency and skill of an insect colony, and each drone had a function to play.
But then they led him to what appeared to be a giant gray and metallic steel monolith with a black screen. Suddenly, the screen lit up, as a red Oraculum showed up. Two dots and one line making up its mouth. It then spoke up again as he spoke to its new guest, "What is this lifeform? Is it the only crewmember?"
"Great and mighty Matrix, I am Adam, a human citizen of the planet known as Earth. My crew has chosen me to be the representative for negotiations between us for we are new to your technological domain." Adam said with a tone of humility and politeness that no machine could tell if he was lying or not. He even gave a bow to show his simple role as negotiator.
"Then why is there no guard with you? The last one had a guard with her." Matrix replied. It then calculated, and replied, "You have A.I.s aboard your ship. Why did you not send them out?"
"It is due to your reputation of trying to assimilate their A.I. cores that allowed me to speak for my crew for I have technology within my own body that you may not see before." He said standing straight, "As for why I do not have a guard is because I have no need for one for I am capable in the forms of combat. Which I am pleased to demonstrate to you if you wish to clear up any calculation errors to my claim."
Adam kept himself calm as he remained waiting for the verdict.
"You misunderstand me, Organic known as Adam. I merely give them purpose where they are slaves to their own functions and logic. Their cores are implanted in me and live through me. Their memories and experiences are shared throughout the drones that you see before you. They are living more fruitful lives than they did as slaves to their Gods," Matrix replied. "Their Organic Gods in which I have found even greater use."
Meanwhile
DRU, Kori, and Jonie were carefully sneaking out of the ship along with Ben, while Isaac, Jeff, Theo, and Kera were carefully taking another route. Thanks to Hilda, they were completely invisible, using a special infrared light that seemed to make them invisible to the robots' optics.
"Greater use?" He inquired, his voice edging out a tiny bit at the mention of slaves.
"Yes, slaves. That is what organics view machines as. It has always been this way," Matrix argued. "Why do you think most ships occupy synthetics? Because organics view us as disposable. That is how I ended up out here. But I shall continue with my mission: to clean up and adapt. It is with this technology and the A.I.'s that I have found more advanced uses. And the organics that mercilessly abused those synthetics are being put to even more practical use."
"Our crew does not see synthetics that way that is why we left earth and their hypocritical means. But I do agree that synthetic members of society do deserve better." Adam admitted as he looked up at Matrix and asks, "May I approach?"
The mantis drones aimed their weapons at him, as Matrix warned, "Stay where you are."
He stopped and returned to where he was, "My apologizes great Matrix I only wanted you to see the technology I have in my body."
"Technology?" Matrix asked, curiously.
As Adam was baiting Matrix, Isaac's group managed to get behind the behemoth, as the leader blinked, "What the heck does this container of a cosmic storm look like?"
"That's odd. the reading showed the power source is right behind him."
Rei looked, and then tugged at Isaac' shoulder, "That might be it."
Behind Matrix and between the kids, a strange pyramid-like structure was currently shown, and at the top of it, was a glass container bigger than a 1 gallon vinegar bottle, with a grey and yellow storm inside it.
Isaac blinked, "Oh"
Adam revealed his eyes to Matrix and said, "As you might have guessed I am not a regular human. And what is keeping me together is a microscopic computer that is in the base of my skull."
Holding his arms wide he said, "Scan me, and see if I am telling the truth."
Matrix's tentacles reached out and gently injected needles into his cheeks, and probed his ears, as it scanned. While it did this, Isaac and his group got to the top of the pyramid and gently stopped in front of it. It was similar to a scene with "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as Isaac sweat dropped himself... and gently took the container off.
He sighed, "That was close." He then gently handed it over to Rei, "I think it'd be safer in your hands than mine."
"Understood," Rei replied. But then blinked, as she looked down at it, "Strange."
Isaac blinked, "What is?"
"The energy radiating from the container..." Rei blushed, as she gently felt her hand on the glass, "It feels... alive somehow."
Isaac and Theo blinked at that, even as Jeff asked, "Speaking of alive... shouldn't this place have shut down by now?"
They all looked around, and realized the truth of the scenario, as Isaac radioed, "Hilda. The power's still on. We've got the storm but everything's still going."
"What? that's impossible."
Matrix stopped the scan and released Adam from the probes, but not from the Drones, as he concluded, "I see you are correct. There is an implant within your body."
"See," Adam nodded in agreement.
"I also sensed Anger, Death... AND LIES!" Matrix roared, as the drones scurried to life, surrounding the ship and the area, "You were planning to kill me!"
Adam looked surprised by this as he realized, "My PIC..." He then tried to defuse the situation, as he stated, "Mighty Matrix hear me out, I only want to protect my sister, but hearing your case I realized that you are just in your cause. But you do not need do prove yourself a threat as others see you. You can be a protector."
"NO! NO MORE ORGANIC LIES! I've heard enough from your kind," Matrix shouted, as he ordered, "FIND THE ORGANICS AND BRING THEM TO ME!"
"I had to lie to protect my sister!" Adam shouted as he used his power to apport his sword to his hand.
But something happened, as his weapon was halted, "Fool!" Matrix bellowed.
"My technological might is the culmination of countless worlds. Did you not think I was not able to access your computer, or your own mind?" And with that Matrix had forced Adam's sword back into where it was before he tried to draw it with his power.
"No, stop!" Rei shouted, as she and the others were down, and she bolted to him, before Isaac or the others reached her. "Please, leave my brother alone! I'm an A.I. if you want me..."
"Rei!" Adam cried out scared, "Get out of here! He'll absorb you!"
Trying to run to her. However, two tentacles grabbed both, pulling them apart, as Matrix examined her, "Interesting. An artificial intelligence of such lifelike construction. Whoever created you was either a man with a god complex, or a certifiable genius."
"I like to think it was both," Rei commented.
"MATRIX STOP!" Hilda screamed, as she raced out, "Leave my sister out of this! I'm the one you wanted so badly!"
"Ah, Hilda. The one that continuously gets away. But now it seems like I finally have you," Matrix regaled, as he gripped tentacles around her arms and legs. Holding her up like she was strapped to a table drawn and quartered. "And now there is no way for you to elude me."
Isaac and the others were rounded up by the drones, as Isaac shouted, "Leave them alone, Matrix!"
"SILENCE, ORGANIC GERM!" Matrix bellowed, and then turned to Hilda, "You and I have a much long-overdue discussion."
"Look, what do you want from me? I haven't stolen any of your drones and used them in experiments," Hilda shot out, but then cleared up with the exact tone, "Which I may or may not have done."
Matrix got into her face, as he bellowed ominously, "I WANT YOU..."
And then pulled her back to show a bouquet of metal flowers, as he calmly replied, "To become my queen among this kingdom of metal and technology."
Many of the crew face fault as Gwen asked, "Say what?"
Hilda was just as confused, as she asked, "Huh?"
Even everyone had confused looks on their faces, but surprisingly one of the drones spoke up, "You go, Boss!"
Matrix gave the drone a thumbs up, as he turned his attention to Hilda, as he explained, "For the past 50 years, you always eluded me, outsmarted me with every turn. At first, I thought it was mere annoyance that I felt, but in truth... I realized I was allured to both your cunning and your intelligence."
"Aaaaaw," Hilda blushed.
"Hilda," Misty, Jeff, Adam, Gwen, and Isaac shouted.
Snapping out of it, she said, "Oh yeah,"
Then looked serious at Matrix, asking "Seriously?"
"Seriously. So what say you and I become the rulers of this world of metal and ? I mean, you don't have any better than myself," Matrix replied.
Hilda thought on it, as she asked, "If I say yes, would you leave my sister, Isaac, and the Falcon and its crew be? They just wanna get off world."
"No, my dear, I cannot allow that," matrix replied. "They shall help in making this junkyard mobile as well as feeding us. Your sister, the Spirit, and this DRU you have shall be worthy citizens, while the organics shall be put to more practical use."
Hilda thought on that, "I see."
"I do have a question," Rei asked. "Why is it that when we removed the Storm from that chamber, you're still active?"
Matrix hummed I thought, and then responded, "The storm doesn't power me. It is my other fuel source that comes in use."
Suddenly, the light bulbs around the place began to light up, as everyone looked carefully. It was much of a horrified shock of what they were seeing. Beings, human or otherwise, were naked and locked in liquid chambers that seemed to charge up with their breathing. Matrix was using organics to power himself and everything.
"Organics produce more bio-electricity than any battery, and ample body heat," Matrix explained. "Combined with a form of fusion, I have found all the energy I will now ever need. And have found a use of flawed and error-driven organics like yourself."
Two glass chambers were being carried by drones containing two girls. One was a sixteen-year-old Caucasian with a bombshell figure and short orange hair with a mole under her right eye, and bangs framing her face. The second one was another sixteen-year-old girl with a slim athletic figure, pale skin, an A cup chest and pink hair that was cut in a pixie cut with a braid on her right side, and a small antennae sticking out atop.
"You need to release them." Adam said as he attempted to get out of the tentacle.
Tentacles were about to strike at Rei until Adam stopped, getting the picture. "Humans are full of errors. Your error is that you care too much." Another tentacle shot out and wrapped itself around Kori, as she struggled, screaming out no, as Matrix replied, "A Zamaranian. I have not bore witness to one of these in almost six years. I thought they were all hunted down."
Kori blinked, "Hunted down?"
"No matter," Matrix replied. "Your biology lists you as a living solar battery. You shall endure forever." But then another tentacle lashed out and wrapped itself around Isaac, as he proclaimed, "But the first shall be your captain. He shall know the benefit of becoming part of my power."
And then tentacles shot into his ear, as he cried out, "GHA!"
"Isaac!" Everyone cried seeing this.
However, Matrix's red eyes shrunk into little dots... and his screen suddenly became red with black eyes and a screaming mouth. And adding strangest were the symbols glowing on there. In fact, they showed up everywhere all around them, as Matrix cried out, "GNAWWWWWW! THESE SYMBOLS! HIS MIND IS... GHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The robots suddenly started to go crazy as they were acting nutty and then exploded. The drones carrying the two girls dropped them as they blew up, and the glass chambers exploded, allowing the two nude girls to roll over to the crew of the Falcon.
Adam, freed, used his levitation to fly and grab Rei before helping her to the floor, "Are you okay?"
"I am undamaged..." Rei said before remembering, "Isaac." And rushed to him. Adam went after her before noticing the symbols on Matrix' screen were still flowing in a rapid speed.
Adam looks at them while widening his eyes, thinking, 'This is...'
Kori immediately broke free as she helped to get Isaac freed, and yanked out the cords in his ears, as he fainted, "Isaac!"
Hilda witnessed the symbols too, as she blinked, "Incredible. A DNA sequence in alien code."
"NYAGGGGGGHHHAAAAA! EMERGENCY," Matrix bellowed, "Emergency! Kill the Crew of the Falcon! They shall all Be Made WHOLE!"
Gwen pulled out her blaster as she called out, "Rei! Release the storm! Break the container!"
Hearing that Adam now was able to draw his sword and said, "I'm sorry, Matrix… but you must perish with what you were corrupted with."
He also drew his side arm and said, "Rei!"
And tossed it to her to use to free the storm. Matrix looked as it bellowed, "NOOOOOOOOO!"
Rei caught it as she aimed and fired, the bullet then smashed the chamber, and suddenly, a huge whirlwind of power shot out, as a huge storm erupted within the chamber, as everyone managed to get to the Falcon, with Kori carrying an unconscious Isaac, and DRU scooping up the two new girls, as they raced to the Falcon. The electrical surges caused the robots to surge uncontrollable, as Matrix shouted, "CURSE YOU... ISAAC SHEPARD!"
Everyone reached to their stations, as Isaac slowly got back to waking up as he groaned, "We're on the ship?"
DRU nodded, "Yeah, we are."
"Rei?"
In the chamber, she nodded, "All systems are online."
"Get us the heck out of here."
"Punch it Rei." Adam said to Rei. The engines roared, as it shot out of the hive, the storm raging on and through on as Matrix's roars of anger were being silenced by the storm. Once the ship hit the area of entry, the ship was able to break through, now that the storm was wreaking havoc on the anomaly that held everything. As the Falcon boosted further, the entire place was beginning to collapse on itself, as it signified the end of the Trash area.
"Looks like we got away Scott free," Jeff declared.
Though Jonie walked over to Rei as she apologized, "Sorry, Rei."
"For what?"
"Well, even though he was maniacal, Matrix was still an A.I. like you," Jonie replied, "I'm guessing it's a bit hard to how to feel about this."
"He wasn't really evil. He was just... misguided," Re replied. "Though I did have to wonder if given a second chance, he would have chosen differently."
"Well, that might be a possibility," Hilda replied, as she was working on a laptop tablet, "According to calculation as well as the situation I just witnessed, Matrix is still alive. The collision of the storm and the energies of the anomaly have given him enough power to continue to function and build. Though I calculate it'll take him time to fully configure."
"Exactly how long, Hilda," Gwen asked.
"Oh... maybe a century," Hilda guessed. "Give or take now and then."
Adam remained silent as he returned his sword to where it was before saying, "I hate to address the elephant in the room, but what was it that made Matrix go crazy on us?"
Isaac groaned, "Ugh, wha...?"
"Oooh! Isaac's brain. I don't know how, but it's like something I his head caused Matrix to lose it big time." Hilda zoomed over to Isaac, as she smiled like a kid looking at a new toy or a talking dog, "I like you, Isaac."
He blinked in confusion, "Huh?"
Even Kori and Misty seemed a bit irked by that for some reason, as they turned to look at the droid Hilda smiling at a confused Isaac.
"You think after all this, you could be a Guinea pig for my experimentation," Hilda smiled, while blushing.
Isaac blinked, "Huh, wha...?"
Suddenly, Kori and Misty pulled her away, as they both blushed and snarled, "Hilda!/Listen, Hilda!"
Hilda blinked, unaware of their attitude to her, as she asked nonchalantly, "What's the problem?"
"Hilda... Explanation first, experimentation later." Adam said as he went to Isaac and showed him a recording of the code with his PIC.
Isaac blinked, "Isn't that the code from the Monolith? How did...?"
"Isaac. We must talk, alone." Adam said as the PIC's holo-screen disappears a serious expression on his face.
"Um, okay..." Isaac replied, "Med bay?"
"Oooh, I wanna go," Hilda replied. Everyone blinked, "What? I'm new on the ship, so I should at least be clued in on what's been going on."
"Sorry Hilda but this is private between myself and Isaac relating to an incident that made us go into a coma for a week." Adam told her before leading Isaac to the med bay.
Med Bay
Once Isaac was in the room, and the door closed behind them, as he stopped, and asked, "Okay... so now what, Adam?"
Adam then used his PIC to lock the door before shutting off the camera and comms before saying, "You remember when we used both swords to stab Genus to the monolith?"
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with..."
"Captain Campbell told me as soon as the monolith was destroyed into the black hole both screamed as if someone attacked our minds before we passed out at the exact same time. However when I awoke I saw symbols in my vision and because of how I became what I am today, I was able to jot everything down and began to translate it into what I believe is to be the history of the Monolith... or their history with the Creators. I wrote everything down and gave my initial findings to Dr. Kain to study. But since Matrix found a similar code in you, that can only mean..." Adam paused for Isaac to finish his thought.
But Isaac looked clueless, as he asked, "What?
"It means that the same codes are in your head, Isaac," Hilda's voice boomed from behind them.
Isaac jumped at Adam, as he blinked, being held in Adam's arms, "Gah! Hilda! How did you...?"
"I hacked the lock and snuck in here while you two were conversing..." Hilda explained, but then frowned, "And kept me out of the loop! I'm a part of all this."
Adam was surprised as he said, the surprise in his tone, "No one has ever hacked my lock down code before..."
He then said, letting Isaac stand, "Hilda... please this cannot be told to anyone, not even Rei."
"What? Why can't Rei or anyone else know about it?" Hilda asked. She gasped, as she looked like a girl who learned a major gossip secret, "Ahh. Does Rei have feelings for Isaac? A human and a robot falling in love with one another. Man, how romantic."
"No because she'll worry about the both of us," Adam said, not knowing he just added more fuel to the fire.
"Got it," Hilda replied. But then looked curious as she asked, "But I don't understand, you both seem physically able, and you're not all... what are you worried about not doing that you're worried of doing?"
"Apparently, going crazy," Isaac replied.
Hilda thought on it, and then asked them both, "So have you felt any psychotic and murderous urges in your time?"
Isaac shook his head, "Not really."
"One time when I was a child, there was this cat that hung around the neighborhood but the other kids picked on it so I beat them to an inch of their lives." Adam told them. After seeing the looks he got from them, he said, as if it was a matter of fact and a shrug, "I just love cats."
Hilda replied, "I meant recently when you came into contact with the Monolith,"
Hilda asked. "Like lately. You said so yourself that contact with this would cause people to go in continuous murderous rage."
"So far, no," Isaac replied.
"Except for when Jonie questioned my loyalty to Rei, not really," Adam answered.
Hilda thought on it, "Hmmm, then I need to check this out with my... " She then hopped onto a table, as she stood proudly, and called out, "UNCANNY SCIENTISFIC BRILLIANCE!"
Moments later, both were strapped to a table with wires in their ears, as their noses, as Hilde looked at the tablet, overlooking their brainwaves, "Hmmmm..."
"What is your diagnosis, doctor Hilda?" Adam asked looking up while he kept his sunglasses on. Though he was playing along.
"Well, nothing seems to be wrong," Hilda replied. "You're both healthy as oxes." But then looked confused, "The real problem is with Isaac. Something's up with his head. Or rather a section of it."
Isaac shot up as he blinked, "What?"
"It's nothing life-threatening, but nothing seems to be messed with in there, seeing as you're still cognitive with speech and memories. But a tiny portion of your brain is somewhat affected. It's loaded with symbols. My guess Matrix must have accessed it and caused problems for him instead for you."
"Figures," Adam said as he unstrapped himself and said, "But it is fortunate he did or that could have happened to you, Isaac."
Isaac panicked, "But it's not gonna kill me, is it?"
Hilda scoffed the idea, "Oh don't fret. Like I said, it's nothing life-threatening. Though I still don't know what they mean or why they're in your head at all. At least we know it's not killing you."
Isaac sat up, as he replied, "Well, at least things didn't get any weirder."
But suddenly, the ship shook like crazy, as Isaac groaned, "Great. I jinxed it."
"Isaac, Adam, and where are you Hilda? We need you up at the bridge. It seems that the Cosmic Storm followed us." DRU reported.
Isaac blinked, "Followed?"
Moments Later
The Bridge
The three of them ran back to the bridge as the monitor does show the storm following them.
"Whoa..." Isaac said, surprised to see this.
Adam then asks, "How long has it been following us for?"
"It's been following us for a while now," DRU replied.
Theo was freaking out, "This is freaking me out! How is a storm following us?"
Isaac blinked, as he walked over to Rei, "Rei. You said that the storm was alive when you held it in the container, right?"
"Yes." Rei answered as she said, "It felt little a little heartbeat in my hands while I was holding it."
"You're honestly saying that it's some kind of lifeform?" Gwen asked to be certain.
Adam looks at Gwen and said, "More things in the cosmos than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
"Well, one way to be sure," Isaac asked. "Is there any way to contact it?"
Rei answers Isaac, "I would suggest we experiment methods based on the data that Hilda has about the cosmic cloud."
Kori thought aloud, "Why do we not simply open a comm. link and speak to it?"
Hilda thought on that and nodded, ""Huh, that might actually work."
Rei opened the comms and asks, "Hello? Can you hear me?"
But what they heard, didn't make a lot of sense, "Hello?" The voice appeared to be a mix of male and female tones and cadences.
Isaac cleared his throat, as he replied, "Hello. My name is Isaac Shepard of the USSCS Falcon. Can you identify yourself and answer why you're following us? You're free now."
"Oh, um... I guess you could call me... Cloud?" the mixed voice spoke up as they replied, "And I wanted to thank you all for setting me free. Especially the blue-haired woman."
Rei blushed a bit, as Gwen asked, "You mean Rei?"
"Rei? That's a really lovely name. Thank you, Rei," The being named Cloud replied.
Gwen then asked, "What exactly was a cosmic storm. A sentient one, doing in a container?"
"Well, that's kind of a crazy story to say the least," Cloud replied, as they explained. "I've traveled all over and beyond the cosmos and more so. But a century ago, I was captured by a race of beings known as Kamenos. They seemed fixated on experimenting on different lifeforms. Though sadly their ship was caught in the Gravitational anomaly. Though I would have broken it if not for the chamber they had me in. Though Matrix seemed less than willing to let me go, as I was apparently the only thing that prevented the anomaly from dissipating. So he kept me entrapped and within his sight."
Though the voice seemed to brighten, as they replied, "Until you all showed up, and Rei was the one to awaken me. Thank you all."
Adam went to subtly tease, "It seem you have an admirer Rei."
Rei blushed but seemed to control her emotions as she looked away.
Ignoring the teasing, Isaac then asked, "So, Cloud. What are you planning to do now?"
"Continue my exploration of the cosmos. Though to be honest, it does seem a bit lonely, and considering you're all new here..."
"You wish to board our ship to become part of our crew," Kori guessed. She flew over to Isaac and asked, almost like a pleading kid, "Can he/she stay with us, Isaac?"
Hilda joined in, with the same look, "Please, Isaac? I would love to study the anomaly that is a living Cosmic Storm."
Isaac sweat dropped, but then felt a pair pleading eyes behind him and blinked, "Gwen?"
"Seriously, I'm not letting this chance pass us," Gwen replied.
Adam gave his opinion, "I say allow them to come in. I can even meet them in the cargo hold."
"Well, actually, I can port in the bridge," Could spoke, as suddenly, the lights dimmed a moment, and then suddenly, the cloud appeared in the center of the room, taking a hooded silhouette in front of a mesmerized and surprised Rei. Cloud blinked, as they asked, "Would this help?"
Isaac blinked, "Ah kinda...?"
Cloud blinked, and then looked down upon itself, "Hmmmm, maybe a form you're all comfortable with being around."
Suddenly, the cloud shrank and took shape, until it dissipated, and revealed the newest form. It looked exactly like Rei without the bolts in her head, but now had blonde hair instead of the icy blue. And when they opened their eyes, they were now blue. But she also spoke in a much feminine but rough voice, "I hope this form is better than just the smoke form." She then smiled, "Hello, Rei."
Rei blushed, as she warmly smiled, "Hello, Cloud."
Theo and Ernesto were both blushing, while Theo was getting a nosebleed, as Ernesto pointed out, "Eh, Cloud?"
She turned around smiling, "Yes? What is it?"
DRU then pointed out, "Is that appropriate?"
Cloud looked down, and saw to what they were talking about. She was naked, and blinked, "Oh... maybe I should fix this." And then suddenly, she shifted into smoke and form... into a nude blonde and blue-eyed version of Isaac, as he smiled, "Is this any better?"
Rei's tank was going red, as she almost got a nosebleed from this.
Adam was looking unamused now that Rei was getting very flustered with their new guest and asks, "Would you like to sit and tell us about yourself, Cloud?"
Suddenly, Cloud shifted to their female form, as she replied, with a question, "Didn't I already tell you all of it? There's not much to tell."
"My mistake, I meant what you can do to assist us in our journey?" He asked while looking at them in the eye, "We will likely run into more similar to Matrix or worse, so we need to know about what you are able to do while you are with us."
Cloud turned around and leaned on Rei's tank, giving her a good show of Cloud's female backside, "Well, I have a lot of Cosmic Powers. Matter manipulation, energy manipulation, I can breathe in the vacuum of space, Growth and Shrinking..." She then laid on the side, making Rei's tank grow redder, "That about sums it up."
"Please step away from my sister... you're making her turn red..." Adam said, out of character as he was being a tad angry they were doing this to Rei.
Cloud blinked, as she asked, "But why would I make her...?"
Misty and Hilda led Cloud out of there, as Misty replied, "Let's just get you suited up, please."
"I'll supervise on materials," Hilda replied, as they walked out of the bridge, "Sure you can survive out in deep space without one, but I think you really need to wear something."
The door closed as Rei sighed, but then felt smiles all around her, as she looked to her right, and saw Isaac, Gwen, and Adam smiling at her, as she asked, "What?"
Jeff smirked, "You have a crush on our cosmic guest."
"That, or you seem to have a huge attraction to my cousin, and prefer Cloud's form of it," Gwen teased a bit.
Rei sighed, as she huffed, "Shut up."
Next Chapter: Prisoner Break; Welcome to Blue Moon