James interrupted Kiyan's depression when he suggested that Kiyan go and play with his friends. Kiyan decided that it would be a good distraction and was soon on his way.
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Corban was struggling with a decision much like Kiyan's but different. He was a skilled bender as well as a telepath so he would be an effective agent in the war. He had family here but he wanted to fight to protect them, the thought of someone else fighting to protect him made him sick to his stomach. Corban decided that no one would ever call him a coward, to war it was. The rumor was that on Samtan, in the capital city, examinations were being given to those that chose to join the war.
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Kendra was performing examinations of the volunteers when she recognized Corban's mind entered the room. She knew she shouldn't have been surprised, his mentality was one of the reasons that he had been chosen as Kiyan's trainer. There was still much more training that Kiyan needed so in a way Kendra was glad that he was volunteering. Taking Corban aside into one of the testing rooms, Kendra asked him if he was sure this was what he wanted.
“Yes, I understand the ideals that are being represented in this war and from what I understand there is much I can do to help, both in the battle field and with Kiyan.” Corban explained as much for himself as for Kendra.
“Corban there is a couple tests that I need to do to determine if you will be safe. The ascended have decided not to allow people that are not qualified to join the war. One reason is we don't want to have to protect them every moment and another reason is we created the refuge to preserve life and we can't let you waste your life needlessly.” Kendra wanted to make sure Corban would understand the importance of the decision he had made.
Corban agreed to go through the tests and abide by Kendra's final decision. As Corban was taking a seat Kendra moved faster than he could see and stabbed him in the arm with a small knife before he could react. Leaping back he clutched at the knife even as he raised barriers of dense air around him. Enough to deflect most anything but he stood facing an ascended. If she wanted him dead he would have been already. Kendra touched his mind and made him understand it was only part of a test. She also sent an apology for her actions.
“Corban look at your arm.” Kendra directed Corban’s attention to his arm where the knife had been. A dim glow emanated from what was a fast disappearing scar.
“What, how did you do that?” Corban was more than a little confused.
“I didn't do that. You healed on your own.” Kendra was a little perplexed herself. “I've never seen a mortal that could heal so fast.”
Corban was unable to believe Kendra. It couldn't be true, to prove it Corban made another cut on his hand. He watched in fascination as flames danced out of the wound until the skin was mended. The glow faded away with all signs of the injury.
“How is this possible?” Corban felt like he was losing his mind.
“I think you ascended when you were with Kiyan in the battle in the future. When we ascend we absorb a huge amount of temporal energy, it gives us our powers of time travel and precognition. A temporal event like an ascension isn't something that changing a few things in the past can stop. I am pretty sure that when you ascend the energy from the future is flowing back through time causing the effects to show up now.”
“So I ascended in the future and somehow that is healing me now?” Corban still wasn't believing what he was hearing.
“There is no way of knowing for sure but yes that would make sense.” Kendra wasn't even sure herself. “Your healing index is above one hundred, probably closer to one hundred fifty times the normal healing rate so that gets you past the self-regeneration requirements. As for your bending and other skills I know you are fine. There is one other thing, have you attended the school of science and engineering on Samtan?”
“Yes, it was a few years ago but I qualified on engineering as a level three and astrophysics as a level two. I learned medical to a level three when I learned how to life bend at the academy.” Corban was glad now that he had taken those years to expand his knowledge.
“Good, good.” Kendra was a little surprised even after all she knew about Corban, there was still some things that he was skilled that she hadn't learned about yet. “If you do indeed ascend then you will have your pick of what you want to do. Until then or if you don't then you will still have your pick of most any command position or any chief engineering or medical officer. There are few people that have become skilled in as many things as you have.”
“If it is my choice I would like a position with Kiyan if possible.” Corban was making a big change but he knew Kiyan was making a bigger change and wanted to offer any support that he could.
“I was hoping you would say that, you work well with Kiyan and you have much left to teach him.” Kendra was glad that Corban felt so loyal to his student. “I should tell you that he has not yet made his choice but he is leaning towards leaving with us.”
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Jeremy and Fred sat overlooking the lake from the training platform behind the falls as the sun began to set. They were both lost in their thoughts as they sat thinking about what was happening. Kiyan was leaving and they had to stay. They were too young to join the war. Their parents would probably never give them permission to go even if they could somehow pass the exams. They were just too young. Another hundred years and they might have been able to get in but not now. Addy sat with them not offering any input. Fred sensed a momentary disturbance in the energy around him and traced it to the sky a moment before a bloom of light heralded the arrival of a thousand shining objects in orbit. Kiyan had said that when the ships arrived that a drop ship would come down and pick him up. After he and anyone that was going to go left the planets the space time bubble would be sealed and shifted to another dimension where it would be safe. After that point no one could come or go, the joined planets would be sealed until they were brought back into normal space.
“I have an idea!” Fred jumped up while he ignored Addy's telepathic protest. “If we can hide in the drop ship until the worlds are shifted then they can't send us back.”
Jeremy nearly instantly grasped the concept of the idea and leaped off the platform bending the water of the falls into the shape of a crude glider and reinforcing it with ice. He was already half way across the lake when Fred and Addy caught up with him. They were soon near the clearing where they figured the craft would land, Fred convinced Addy to grow some plants to hide them and they were set. Before long their patience was rewarded by a ship the size of a house landing in the clearing and a humanoid looking being exiting the craft and walking towards the village. “Now!” Urged Jeremy and the three of them shot towards the still open ramp. Addy was still making her misgivings known but was giving in as she realized Fred's determination. The group made a flying leap as the ramp began to retract, Addy tossed them in and slid through the last part of the opening. Standing up and rubbing their bruises the trio looked around themselves at the interior of the ship. Seeing a door marked "EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORT" they found themselves in a room with a couple strange looking beds, a funny looking table and a few alcoves with sliding panels over them around the room. Deciding to hide in the alcoves the three chose alcoves and pulled the doors closed. Panic and questions about the wisdom of their choice set in as a glass like bubble formed around them before they could react. A sudden chill was the last thing they felt before losing consciousness.
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Kiyan was prepared when the Assurian arrived. Watching the ships warp into orbit and seeing the dropship head towards him gave him a feeling of finality. James and Marisa were going to go with him to the ship then return to the village via the teleporters. Having them with him helped Kiyan as he walked to the dropship. He had already said his goodbyes to all his friends and there was nothing left to do here. Ray was emotionally supportive too as he was linked with Kiyan he could tell what he was going through better than anyone. Seeing the ship up clo
se was even more impressive than watching it on approach. It was a sleek looking construction that looked like it was moving fast even as it sat on the ground. From the sharp nose to the rounded engines to the inter atmospheric wings that were extended it was a beauty.
“It doubles as a fully warp capable fleet support vessel.” The Assurian explained with pride as he noticed Kiyan's awe. “There are twenty of them on each battleship in the fleet. They can be remotely piloted and if they get destroyed the battleship's hangers are equipped with automated energy matter synthesis manufacturing bays that can build one in half a cycle. We are still getting the final touches finished on their design, this one was replicated for this trip and some of the subsystems are not yet fully functional.”
“What is a cycle?” Kiyan was curious.
“A cycle is a measure of our time that is equal to one point zero eight times one of your days.” The Assurian answered.
“What is your name?” James asked.
“I am known as Alpha7 Lima14 Echo6 Charlie3, you may call me Alec.”
“That's a strange name.” Kiyan reflected on the things that differed between races. “I guess all the races are different but that would be difficult to remember.”
“Organics often find our names strange. The designation is my AI description.” Alec seemed to think what he was saying was normal as he continued. “It tells what my generation cycle and sub cycle is. It is who I am.”
“An AI?” Kiyan had heard of computers that could act like a human but had never met one before.
“Yes, the first generations took nanite form more than twelve hundred years ago. We left the world that Alpha1 was compiled on and colonized a star system in the galactic void. Since then each generation has evolved on the last generation and the new updates get propagated through the mainframe after Alpha1 determines if the evolution is positive or detrimental. Each generation gets backed up in the core should anything thing corrupt our code. Each generation a few new AI are compiled.”
“That's incredible.” Exclaimed Kiyan. “I would never have guessed you were not like us.”
“Thanks, we developed molecular nanotechnology seventy years ago. We are able to interface with nanite constructs and emulate most any kind of matter to take physical form. The constructs can be loaded with programs to form various functions like weapons, shields, nanite matter interface repair protocols and medical functions. Kiyan watched as Alec's body seemed to change from organic matter to liquid metal, then as plates formed over his body. “This is part of a combat skin that I can form, Alec said as he shifted back into his prior self.”
Kiyan ran out of questions as Alec activated a HUD like holographic window in front of his face. Kiyan watched as the village grew into a dot on the carpet of green. Looking around the window followed Kiyan's eyes and he watched as the fleet grew bigger. The sheer size of the ships was impressive. The battleships were easily as large as the lake by the village if not bigger. Their design was similar to the drop ship but on a massive scale. Covered with massive plates of neutronium, a super dense metallic matter mined from the core of neutron stars. Alec explained in detail. They had the look of giant armored bugs floating in space. Shimmering blue bubbles covered anything not under the plates. Alec explained how the force fields protected the weapon bays, hangers, ports and the main temporal disruption shield emitters from damage. Kiyan assumed there were a lot of those as there were bubbles all over the ships. As they drew near one of the ships, one of the shields faded and revealed a large iris style armor plating that opened exposing a massive room that was a bustle with activity. Alec piloted the dropship into one of the empty bays and the group was greeted by Kendra as they exited. Hearing noise behind him as Kiyan walked away with everyone else he looked back and saw large tubes attach to the dropship.
The dropship is integrating with the ship and exchanging any cargo it has, Alec explained. It shouldn't have anything to exchange unless it took some air samples.
Kendra explained to them how there was a battle ship built for each ascended but that since there were only about forty ascended. There would be a couple hundred manned by human, thoran and water elf crews. Most of the rest would be controlled by Assurians and the rest would be reserves hidden throughout known space. Kiyan remembered the thousands of vessels he had felt the drakken attack with and hoped that these ships were enough.
Alec showed Kiyan how to operate the inter ship teleport system and showed him his quarters. The quarters were almost as big as Kiyan’s house on Thane. There was a bathroom with a shower, a bedroom bigger than the largest room at home and a living room bigger than his bedroom. Alec told him that if he were to get hungry there was a kitchen where he could get most anything he wanted. After satisfying themselves as to Kiyan's wellbeing, James and Marisa returned to the surface with a tearful farewell.
Kiyan began to feel lonely but was cheered up by Ray who informed him that he was never truly alone. Casting his senses out Kiyan realized he couldn't detect the Assurians aboard even though he knew there was a few. He sensed Kendra and moving his mind around the ship he caught his breath when he sensed a familiar mind. Corban was here, I wonder why, Kiyan thought as he noted the location from one of the telepathic relays incorporated into the ship. Kiyan accessed the teleporters and found himself beside Corban.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay on the joined worlds?” Kiyan hoped that Corban would stay.
“What? And miss out on the adventure of a lifetime? No way.” Corban was glad that he had chosen this path. “Hey they are going to begin phasing the planets soon so let's go to the bridge and see if they will let us watch.”
Kiyan was curious so the suggestion was soon acted upon. Arriving at the bridge they were surprised to notice that Kendra wasn't on the bridge. They were mildly surprised again when they recognized Draxos and DC on the deck with them.
“Kendra has returned to her own ship for the operation.” Draxos informed Kiyan and Corban. “This ship will be operated by Alec.” Kiyan pondered the fact that this ship wasn't Kendra's as he had previously thought. Ray soon joined them and seemed to be more comfortable on a ship hanging in a vacuum than even Kiyan was.
The group watched as Alec activated the flight systems and inertial dampers in preparation for the time jump needed to leave the nebula. Kiyan suddenly felt energy like what he had felt when he created shield around the nebula welling around them. Glancing at Corban, Kiyan realized that somehow Corban was reacting to the energy like he was. Small flames flickered across Corban's clenched body and as the flood of energy enveloped them he began to glow. Kiyan felt the familiar space around him give way to nothing then back again only somewhere else. Looking out the holographic windows he saw the nebula from the outside for the first time.
A few more operations and the ship moved into position around the nebula in a net like formation. Beams of energy formed between each ship and the nebula began to glow with temporal energy. Kiyan watched as the nebula faded from view. Alec switched to chronitonic scanners and the ghostly outlines of the nebula could be made out. A few more minutes and nothing could be seen. Kiyan reached out with his mind and was still able to feel the massed energy but it was rapidly fading. The command to continue the phasing came over the coms until Kiyan couldn't feel anything.
Kiyan decided to return to his room as he felt exhausted from the day’s happenings. Alec laughed as he saw Kiyan leaving the room.
“One thing about being a non-organic is that I don't have to sleep. Such a waste of time.” Kiyan smiled and activated the teleporters. Sinking into a bed that he didn't know could be so comfortable he was soon asleep.
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Corban tried to sleep but all that energy he had felt must have done something. It was like no other energy he had ever felt. More than he had ever bent. It must have been temporal energy that he felt. Anyhow sleep was useless. He decided to do some exploring of his own. With everything he had seen the rest of the ship must be
equally impressive. Tomorrow he was supposed to get briefed on the ship's systems and he would have a chance to choose a position that he felt would best suit him. He wondered what the med bay would be like and decided to start there. It took a moment to locate its coordinates from the teleporter menus and he materialized in the lobby. Glancing around the lobby he stepped into the clinic.
“Is there anything wrong?” Alec startled Corban by materializing next to him.
“No, I just couldn't sleep and was exploring.” Corban recovered and responded.
“Forgive me if I startled you. Since there is no dedicated medical personnel on board I am fulfilling the role. My sensors indicated you were here.” Alec explained. Taking the moment to run a more detailed scan of Corban he offered some sedatives to help sleep. He didn't mention that Corban was charged with temporal energy or that it was common after a jump but that only ascended were sensitive to it. Knitting his brow as he processed some of the readings from the medical bay he announced that somehow some cryo stasis pods had been transferred from the drop ship for some reason.
“They should only be used for transport of critically injured people.” Alec said. “I wonder why three of them are showing active status. One of them is indicating abnormal operation.”
Going to a console by one alcoves he tapped a few buttons and the doors slid open. Corban was stunned by the terrified appearance of Jeremy, ice spikes extending from his fingers, icy blue eyes and frost white hair and skin that was a bluish clear. The sickening realization of what was probably in the other two pods struck Corban as Alec turned to him with a question.
“He is one of the boys from the village where Kiyan lived. There is probably a kayloo and another boy in the other pods.” Corban answered the unasked question.
Alec tapped a few more buttons and Corban's fears were confirmed. The sacred countenance of Fred and the spiky glare from Addy greeted them from the other two cryo pods.