Wren watched with her anger rising. Who in the hell, did her brother think he was? A moment later both the thermic missiles impacted against his ship’s shields.
An almost satisfied smile, came to her lips as she watched her brother’s ship go dark.
“Open a channel Trigon.” Wren said.
“Channel open Master Wren.” Trigon responded.
“Hey idiot! What’s wrong? Can’t take it when someone is far better than you? Plus, they have far superior equipment, power and need I say looks? Oh yeah, that’s right that’s why you have so many followers, you’re so damn ugly.” Wren taunted her brother.
‘You little bitch! You’ll pay for that! I want all weapons to fire now, destroy that piece of trash.” Thomas was shouting.
“I’m afraid that all weapons are down,” came a voice from off screen.
“What!? Get then up now, or you and your entire family won’t know another day!” Thomas was almost shouting.
“Tsk, tsk, sounds like someone is having a tantrum. I’ll fix that kiss my a…” Wren started to say the started to curse when her brother’s ship moved away.
“After them we should be able to completely…” Wren started to curse harder when her brothers ship jumped to hyper space. “Tracking?”
“I am afraid that the shot they got through, has temporarily blinded our long-range sensors. I am effecting repair as we speak.” Trigon said.
Wren nodded as she looked over the readings from the wreckage of the ships that had attacked them.
“It appears as if almost all the ships were destroyed. Are you detecting survivors? Are there any more out there that we have to worry about?” Wren asked Trigon.
“You are correct Master Wren; I am reading ninety eight percent of the attacking fleet destroyed.” Trigon answered.
Wren was nodding as she was going over other readings. “Have you determined how he was able to get through?”
“I am still analyzing the attack, so far, the only thing I see is that the missiles were out of phase.” Trigon replied.
“Out of phase?” Wren asked.
“About the only way to explain it. When we are in hyperspace, we are out of phase with normal space. The same as when we are in trans-warp, we are here though not, as we have phased to that space. It appears that the missiles momentarily went to hyperspace to pass our shields. They, then emerged past our shields, therefore being able to strike us.” Trigon tried to explain.
Wren was deep in thought a moment then nodded. “Have you deduced a solution for this?”
“I am using almost total capacity, to compute several viable hypothesis.” Trion answered.
Wren was nodding, feeling her anger toward her brother, starting to break through what control she had established. It was slightly easier than when she left though, she was still having control issues.
A sudden voice in her head stopped her a moment. Wren, if you lose control out here like you did on Ceti-5, we might not be able to pull you from the abyss. If you do pass that point, I am afraid that all of us will die painful deaths.
“What!?” Wren said out loud once again startled. “Here, I thought that all of you in there could stop it.”
We could, the voice replied. Though, we would have to take control, it is painful when permission is not granted. It could even with you as high as you are, set you back several levels.
“What, so everything I had achieved would be for naught?” Wren asked.
We are ashamed to admit this, there is a way though it goes against almost everything you have learned as a human. It would trample many of the ideas that human kind has for Singularity. With us, we have a group consciousness, we are when we are as one, only one mind, though many thoughts.
“Would I have to become an energy ball like I saw all of you on Ceti?” Wren asked.
No, the voice replied. We have found that, when we are joined like we are, it becomes harder and harder to take a solid form. Many of us, are just now becoming able, for a hour of you time, to achieve this.
“So, you’re telling me that I am that important to all of you?” Wren asked.
It has become increasingly clear to almost all of us, that you are. The voice of master Flugret said.
“Master Flugret! I was afraid that you were no longer talking to me. Can I ask?” Wren said.
Of course, little Wren. Flugret voice in her head said.
“You know me better and far longer than any of the others. Do you think I could deal with whatever the other voices said?” Wren asked.
At the present time? No, I am afraid that you, with your human thinking, would quickly reject the process. Flugret’s voice said.
“I have an idea, though even it, scares me to some degree.” Wren said, then explained her idea to Flugret.
______________________________________________
Thomas was growing closer and closer to using his skills he’d learned on Ceti-5, to kill the entire bridge crew. Catching his self, he did all he could to calm before that happened.
The crew had seen him like this before, they were staying out of reach of him. All the good that it did them as Thomas, was far faster than any of them.
A look at the sensors showed that his bitch half-sister hadn’t given chase.
“Do we have information on why she hasn’t followed us? Thomas asked.
The lead scientist said a silent prayer to his god as he opened his mouth to speak.
“Sir, it appears that the missile that hit the other ship, has blinded the sensors for a short time.” The scientist said awaiting the death blow that he thought was coming.
Thomas’s head snapped toward the alien, “blinded the sensors? Show me!” Thomas said a slight smile crossing his features. “Ah! Finally good news,” turning to the others he said. “I want as much distance as you can get. We need to effect repairs as soon as we can, plus what improvements we can.”
Thomas whirled heading off the bridge toward his quarters. As soon as he had locked the doors, he turned on anti-listening devices. Reaching above the door he set several deadly devices to kill anyone that entered.
He then hooked up several machines to the ship com. Satisfied he sat, “alright mother we’re secure.” He started.
It was several minutes before he expected an answer. He reached over pulling a bottle of a green liquid, turning it up he took a deep swallow. Thomas grimaced as the liquid burned down his throat. The slight light headedness passed quickly as he smiled. Damn, tasted really bad, had hardly no buzz, though it helped to rid most of the pain racking his body.
He had drained half the bottle, when his mother answered. “I am busy what in the hell do you want?”
“Uh, uh, uh, I suggest you change your tune. I am not one of the mindless masses that are under you.” Thomas said.
“No, I don’t think so.” Thomas said when he heard her start to talk. “It is obvious that you withheld information from me. The little bitch has weapons I haven’t seen in a number of years, plus a few I have never seen. The only way we got to her at all was the phase missiles.”
“That is no way to speak to your Empress!” Esmeralda almost shouted. “I…”
“Shout the hell up mother. I am a hell of a long way from you, so don’t give me any grief. You might be the Empress; you are nothing without me. Or should I release your precious husband? I think all the aligned worlds would listen to him long before they would you.” Thomas said with a snide smile on his lips.
“You wouldn’t dare!” Esmeralda almost shouted a look of horror on her face.
“Wanna try me? I am tired of you lording over me. I don’t really give a shit for your plans right now. Not ’til I rid the both of us of that bastard’s spawn. Her ship, has disabled mine three times now. I don’t aim to allow her to do so again. Not a word bitch! After I kill her THEN, I’ll head back, out.” Thomas said a look of extreme anger on his face.
Esmeralda’s face held shock at the way her son had spoken to her. Didn’t he know that she had enough problems here? She suddenly stopped, Thomas had gotten through? He’d actually hit her ship? She then ran through all the weapons they had, experimental, standard, plus the new alien ones they had acquired.
Damnit, she thought. Figures that, it would be the experimental weapons they had just developed. Disconnecting her special com, she called the development team.
“Doctor?” She said when the man came on the line. “I want you to get as many of the phasic missiles as you can to me. I also want you to add the specs to the fleet missile maker machines.”
“I will do so immediately; I am afraid that it will take at least a day though.” The male said.
“That’s fine, we’re not really going anywhere at the moment. I am hoping that these new missiles can break through the Ceti-5 shields.” Esmeralda said as a twisted smile came to her lips.
“It just might my Empress, they are after all, highly unstable after they are fired.” The Doctor said.
“Good, I can’t tolerate those on Ceti-5 defying the greatest empire in this galaxy.” Esmeralda said with as commanding voice as she could.
The man bowed, then nodded, “I will effect to speed up the process as fast as I can.”
“Very good though, not outside of the safety guidelines. The last fool I had at the head of development forgot that. They still haven’t found half of him yet.” Esmeralda said.
“It will be as you say Empress.” The head scientist said then clicked off.
So, Esmeralda thought that little bitch daughter of her husband hadn’t thought of everything. Good, good, there was a chance to bring her to heel after all.
_______________________________________________________________
Wren’s ship jumped to hyper-space an hour after her brother’s ship did. An angry sigh escaped her lips, she saw that the all trace of his trail had degraded to nothing.
“I am sorry Master Wren; the energy trail is gone. I can track along the line they were going though, I am afraid it is almost hopeless.” Trigon reported.
“On another subject, have you deduced a solution to the phasic missiles? Having no offence against something they have isn’t very heartening.” Wren told Trigon.
“As I stated before I am working through several scenarios. After that I will start to apply practical applications. As of yet, I have only found two possible solutions. I will have to run all statistics on them, before I can start to apply actual data toward them.” Trigon said.
Wren shook her head, she really depended on Trigon. His dry analytical answers, could drive her nuts at times.
“Let me see what you have so far. I might be able to add data that you haven’t acquired yet.” Wren said.
“If this data is anything like past data you have added, it will be a welcome addition.” Trigon responded.
Wren nodded as she stepped to the data entry comp. She started to type at an almost inhuman speed, then suddenly stopped when her hands started to glow. The glow wasn’t what actually stopped her, it was her hands passing through the keyboard.
A slightly frightened look crossed her features, taking a deep breath she felt herself calm. For a few moments nothing happened, worrying her a bit, then slowly the glow receded with her hands solidifying.
That was an excellent example of control, a voice she hadn’t heard much of said in her head.
“I seem to know this voice, if I may ask? Is this the voice of the first master?” Wren timidly asked.
It is you have progressed far in such a short time. I was going to watch as the others instructed you, though this? I had to comment on, you have as I said progressed far, unfortunately you still have a long way to go. This that you have done? Will help you far more than anything else. The first master said.
“What? You mean being able to calm like I did? That was something my father taught me, control your breathing control the rage.” Wren said.
Ah yes! Your father the Emperor, he was also on the verge of level five when he left. He was the first to go as far as he did, well that was ’til you. I can only imagine that he is as proud of you as you are of him. The first master said.
“Yes I… what did you say? As proud of me? First master I am not sure if you have heard my father is dead.” Wren said with a shaking voice.
Oh? The first masters voice said. That’s strange, I can feel him quite alive, I’m not sure who told you this, I am afraid it is not true.
“WHAT!? Alive? I saw his ship destroyed, how? No, I should have known that that power hungry bitch lied. Well, It’s a good thing I took as much as I did from her.” Wren growled. “trigon have you made any more progress on the accounts?”
“Yes Master Wren, I have managed to garner another ten percent. I believe that’s another ten quadrillion credits. The eighty five percent is as far as I can go. It appears the encryption was changed as soon as I started to hack it. Ten percent is the limit, I hope that the extra hundred million will help.” Trigon said.
“I believe it will help more than you know. It’s that much more the bitch doesn’t have, to pay the killers she has. No money, no help, hell, some might even turn on her.” Wren said a wide smile dominating her features.
“Do you think that, that might accrue?” Trigon asked.
“I don’t know, though, I do hope it does, it’s about time the bitch stopped having things so easy. Yes, I think it’s about time she has killers after her. Like she, has had after me for so long, especially when I didn’t do what she wanted.” Wren said a truly wicked smile lighting up her face.
______________________________________________________________
Esmeralda was actually starting to have a good day when, it was all shattered by a call. Her smile quickly faded when she saw it was her royal accountant.
“Tell me you have good news, such as you have managed to get back the hundreds of quadrillions of credits she got.” A hopeful Esmeralda said.
The grimace on the male’s face let her know instantly that this wasn’t going to be pleasant at all.
“I am afraid that her A.I. was able to hack another ten percent.” The male said.
“Shit just how much more did she get?” A fearful Esmeralda said.
“Another ten quadrillion.” The male said uneasily.
“How much in total?” Esmeralda asked afraid of the answer.
“It appears just over a quintillion credits. Where she moved them though is still evading all our best efforts to find.” The male replied.
“Keep looking you know the penalty for failure.” Esmeralda said icily.
“I am well aware your Empress.” The male said, as the Empress grunted then cut him off.
It took all that she could do not to lash out at those near her. She really needed to kill something or someone.
“Admiral!” Esmeralda shouted a little louder than she intended. “Are there any prisoners in the brig?”
The admiral snapped to attention, “yes my Empress, two low ranks that are sleeping off being drunk on duty.”
“I want them taken to the execution room; I believe it is time to make an example of them to the rest of the crew.” Esmeralda almost growled.
“Yes, your Empress, I will have them moved immediately. Do you wish this broadcast to the ship or the fleet?” The Admiral asked slightly shaking, having disturbed her thoughts.
“The fleet?” Esmeralda asked then thought a moment. “No, I want it to the entire empire, let all know that I expect total loyalty from all subjects. I will also be performing the executions my self.”
“Of course, as you wish my Empress.” The Admiral said as he started to move away.
A small wicked smile came to her lips as she said, “I want all commanding officers in the room to witness, I want all of you to know what will happen if any of you piss me off.” Esmeralda said.
More than a little shaken the Admiral started to move off again, when the Empress stopped him.
“Yes my Empress? You have more to add?” The shaken officer said.
A small smirk appeared on her lips, when the Admiral moved back to her.
“You will make the call from here, there will be no warning. I want them all here within thirty minutes, or they will suffer greatly. Namely, they won’t survive out the day.” Esmeralda said menacingly.
Much to her delight, all of her commanding fleet officers were there in only twenty minutes. This though rapidly declined as now she had no more to kill. Oh well she thought, she’d just have to have her fun with the two.
The two men were tied to posts wondering what they had done wrong. A few thirty minutes later they were shocked then horrified. Not only had every commanding fleet officer entered the room, so had the Empress.
One of the men had no idea, though it quickly dawned on the other just what was going to happen.
The Empress smirked at the two males. “Today the both of you will serve as an example to the3 Empire what disloyalty will get you.”
Esmeralda was thoroughly going to enjoy this as she drew, her hand back. Moving far faster than anyone could see several hundred cuts started to appear on the clueless male’s body. Blood was flying everywhere covering all the officers in the room.
It was a moment later that the screams started. Ah! The delicious sounds of a tortured soul, Esmeralda thought. She paused, then started again this time starting to remove body parts Ears, toes, fingers, a nose.
Esmeralda stopped admiring her work so far, then cursing when she felt her anger defusing. With a sigh she started to go faster and deeper. First taking the lower organs, moving higher, ’til she took his heart. She showed it to the male, then smiled as he slumped against the rope holding him.
Esmeralda took a deep breath, holding her laughter back. Almost every officer was losing their lunch in a beautiful myriad of colors. Ah! It was more than worth it to see all the frumpy men do this. Then there was the fact that they were almost all horrified at the blood on their clean uniforms.
A sneer came to her lips as she looked at the second male. Her eyes opened wide so, this one knew what was coming and he was terrified. She gave the male a stern look then nodded her head.
“So, it appears that we actually have a loyal subject, release him, promote him. If, I hear that this one is abused or harmed in any way,” here she looked at ALL the officers. “Then I am afraid that another example will be have to be made.” She quickly looked at all the officers. “With you though it will be more than just you. Get out of here.”
Another smile came to her lips as, all the males almost broke their necks to escape the room.
“Empress?” Came a voice from the comm. “The chief scientist is here.”
“Ah good, I’ll be there shortly,” Esmeralda said. Perhaps with these new weapons, I can rid the universe of the Ceti.
_______________________________________________________________
On Ceti-5 Master Flugret was readying several pieces of equipment. Several of the masters were walking around takin advantage of being solid.
Master Flugret, watched each as they were adjusting to being able to physically touch things.
He’d just finished the last adjustment when there was a faint shimmering behind him. He only became aware of it when several masters gasp.
With a quick turn Flugret also gasp at the shimmering vision of Wren. “It appears that our enemies have discovered phase shifting weapons. That is the only thing that could let her do this.”
The others nodded as Flugret started to add several more adjustments. He then nodded, now, they were truly ready.