We jump once again and found ourselves in what appears to be ruins of a space station. We deploy scrappers to look for something salvageable, which we did, but not resources. Actually, clues to who this ancient evil was and why they want the three hyperdrives: an audio log
"Scientist log: 214. We are about to undergo procedures on Subject 251. Testing out mind uploading on the subject into the Gateship. If it goes well, then we're all fine. If not...Sajuuk knows."
Not exactly what we wanted, but it maybe something important in the future.
"You cannot hide from me!"
Her again! She summoned more ships at us, but there's no time to fight while we now must learn more about the Vaygr queen and her origins!
We jump away, going out to find non-Vaygr ships in their turf. Which we found, some other kind of ship unlike both Kushan or the other ones. One that looks like a spider with long legs sticking out and a baleful eye. Knowing we're being pursued, we hidden ourselves away in the wreckage of a spacecraft of similar design as that space station. The Vaygr entered the scene and spotted that ship wandering around the area. We wait for our chance to strike just as the two engaged in combat.
But then, more of these spiderships show up, eviscerating the Vaygr just as we're about to take their remains for more resources. While unsure of the wrecked ship, we sent scrappers to find anything important. Not much, sadly. We tore apart the ship and continued on our mission, sneaking by the spiderships before we jump to the remains of the Vaygr. And with them collected, we quickly jumped back into hyperspace to any other random coordinates, finding any ship or station that holds more clues from the Vaygr.
As we do so, are thoughts are being warped. Something's happening to us as we're doing what must be done. We're starting to see whom we're becoming. No longer as the guardians of the Garden, nor should we ever become one with the Vaygr. Something else, entirely. Something the galaxy may see us as...heroes. Could we be?
"Find me those Hyperdrives!"
"Get out of our minds, you're majesty!"
"Not till i get what i wanted!"
Our unified minds, we've become one body. In reality, we're one ship. In this, we're one body: human. The queen finally reveals herself, also in her human body.
"Vicious child! Even if you keep kicking me out of your mind, i can still come back to you! I'll haunt you all the time until my ships crack your hard skin! Take your collective thoughts and turn you into my children!"
We screamed out with anger and wrath against the ancient evil! So what if she's a goddess, do gods like her bleed? We'll test that! Unless we learn more about our enemy, that is. We press on, ignoring her as we arrive at another random point. This time we found another derelict space craft and started deploying our scrapper to see any clues. Finally, they found one and we download to see what it is.
"Scientist Log: 210. We're almost done with the Gateship's construction. All we need now is a test subject to undergo mind uploading. Whether it involves direct removal of the brain into the ship, copying the subject's consciousness or just upload it into the ship, it'll be a breakthrough in Boreal Cascadian History. It's looking good so far, I'll see how it'll go once it's fully operational.
Boreal Cascadia? So the Vaygr came from that place? Where is Boreal Cascadia even? And the Gateship. We've heard it from the previous log, but what could this ship be, and what was it's purpose prior to the Vaygr's control? There's still more to go, but we're starting to learn more about our enemy more than anyone else we've encountered thus far. We sent our probes within the vicinity, even deploying platforms to make sure no one threatens our very being.
Still, the hyperdrives. We can't let go of the one we stole from a behemoth we've witnessed outside the Garden.
Gateship...Three Hyperdrives...the Vaygr. We're thinking up a plan, but we must be careful, gather more information and where to go that won't threaten the galaxy, including ourselves.
We jump out once more and find ourselves in front of that same ship we've encountered upon leaving the Garden. We arm ourselves to battle and activate our inhibitors, trapping that ship from leaving, Then, Voices! Not from the queen, but from the ship.
"Disengage your inhibitors or be destroyed, Kadeshi! Do you not understand what has happened? We will not be bound!"
"We have evidence of who our enemy is, whoever you are! But you won't live to get it, nor that Hyperdrive we stole from one of your own!"
"Then you're bounded! Stolen our hyperdrive to serve your own hunger just like the Vaygr! We Bentusi would no permit you to use that technology you once bare back in Kadesh!"
We thought to ourselves, can we trust these ships? The ones whom didn't go after us and instead went for the Vaygr when we were hiding? Can we do something that doesn't involve attacking to justify our self-defence, ripping ships apart for more of our own nor salvaging something?
Let's test this out. But first, we need to specify our claims before the Bentusi they are.
"Very well, we'll stand down! On one condition! We won't give up the hyperdrive. We have a plan,"
"Speak before us then."
"We've been getting voices from the Vaygr Queen. Have you been hearing her voices?"
"She persists in our minds! Demanding us to deliver three hyperdrives over to her. But for what?"
"To become goddess and rule the galaxy we all reside. We'll grant, but anywhere else where no one else gets in harms way. Do you have a map of the galaxy?"
"Only Bentus itself bares keeps Heaven Spiral's map. Itself and a satellite galaxy. And what would you think would happen to the hyperdrives once they've been used?"
"They'd be useless. Enough power and energy converted over to those hyperdrives would render the Gateship inoperable. If we and the Vaygr jump into that satellite galaxy, then you, the Kushan, the Taiidani..."
"Keep the hyperdrive! We must go over to Triishala and Hiigara to have two more hyperdrives and the Heaven Spiral map! You stay in The Wastelands, collect whatever more evidence you need involving the Vaygr! But do it quickly! The Vaygr are spreading fast, and have already taken over the Inner Rim."
We've disabled the inhibitors, trusting their words of wisdom and both understanding what's going on. For the first time, we've trusted someone and not fighting. We've gain individuality among Kadeshi: Self-Awareness. We look upon the Bentusi Exchange ship.
"Once you've triumphed, we shall let the Kushan know of your efforts. Farewell."
And with that, they departs into hyperspace, leaving us alone. We felt...honoured, accepted and humbled. We enter hyperspace to continue our mission. And one jump after another, we fought the Vaygr greatly, we found more audio logs about this race who may appear to be human in a galaxy mostly of machines, ships and aliens. Could these humans become the Vaygr they are now? And if possible, has the Gateship become the very anti-thesis of what the ship was originally built for? Instead of unlocking worlds across the galaxy in an instant, it became the heart and soul of the Vaygr.
And who really is the Vaygr queen?
Only one way to find out!
But then...
BOOM!
Mines! We've been ambushed by the Vaygr as soon as we exited hyperspace. Right at our very propulsion system which houses our hyperdrive! Swarms of Vaygr strikecraft and salvage corvettes arrived to take what we've kept. It was part of our plan and she must have know what we're up to.
"I grew tired of your evasion, blasphemer!"
The Queen herself makes her appearance known to us. The flagship that scared us out of The Garden, but with a sigil that looks more like a twisted version of the one we usually see.
"Your pestilence will spell doom for all of Heaven Spiral, quantum witch!"
"How so?"
"Obtaining those Hyperdrives would mean you'll submit or destroy all of civilization, all because they believe in the Sajuuk through the-"
"SILENCE!"
The strikecraft punctures through our hull like a hammer slamming on a nail onto our skin. It was pain! We felt it, hard! They then ripped out our hull, tossing it aside to get what they wanted: The Hyperdrive. Like ripping out our heart, they removed it from our Jellyfish and delivered it over to the Flagship.
"Well, ain't we in good company. I offered you allegiance to my cause, i wished you to rule together as equals, my demigods like i already have. But instead...you resist! You defiled my plight, just for your own self-preservation. Which won't last any longer."
The guns of her battlecruisers fired on us, cutting through our hull to shreds. Our Jellyfish is dying and all we hear is the queen's maniacal laughter. Our pain and misery brings her joy. Rendering us right back down to where this all started: broken. The queen and her fleet departs to hyperspace, leaving us to die in her domain.
Another ship exits hyperspace, but neither Bentusi or Vaygr. A Kushan ship, rather. But as it approaches, we shut down to conserve energy once more.
Have we failed?