by Charles Nall
“Shut the eff up.”
“The imp interacting with your false memories caused the memories to be wiped. That’s the main reason your head has been hurting. Well, that and the vicious tearing the imp did to get to the back of your skull...”
Jacob sat down on the couch and groaned. As much as he hated it, he couldn’t remember anything about his parents. “What am I?”
“A pseudo-vampire. The first of your kind. You were... liberated from your original vampire parents. We performed experiments to make you better. I know how this sounds... we experimented on a child, but it was for the greater good.”
Jacob kept his composure, even though a rage was building inside of him.
Liam Fornax continued, “We built a story for you. We gave you a life through the memory matrix.”
“What sort of trick is this?”
“What’s your middle name?” Liam asked.
“William, why?” Jacob said.
“Well, we named you, after all. My father was named Jacob. Carpenter was the last name of a colleague. And William was inspired by yours truly... Liam.”
It sounded so ridiculous.
“What... what’s my real name?” Jacob asked.
Liam shrugged. “I’m not positive your real parents ever got around to naming you, I’m sorry.”
“I... I want to meet my real parents.”
“I’m sorry. They are dead. Look, I know how this sounds, but we did what we had to do for the greater good.”
“Everything was a lie.”
“Told with the best of intentions, my son.”
“Don’t call me that!”
“My apologies.”
Jacob rubbed his temple.“Why did you let me loose?”
“Further studies. And Michael insisted.”
“Michael?”
“My boss, for lack of a better term.” Liam leaned back in the chair. “We gave you some credits in a bank account and a computer and put you out on the streets of Urbania. You formulated a plan rather quickly to get off the planet. We were very surprised. We hired a mercenary, Teresa Day to keep an eye on you.”
“She kept watch over me?” Jacob asked.
Liam nodded. “Of course, we didn’t want you wandering somewhere you didn’t belong or worse, dying on the Exodus!”
Jacob felt sick.
Liam continued, “We had to protect you. We could not compromise the mission. In the end, you were safe and things took a delightful turn. Meeting Sharon and the strange man from the past... Which reminds me, I need to do some tests on your girlfriend. She hadn’t contracted pseudo-vampirism the last time I checked, but she might have by now.”
“The last time you checked?!”
“Oh, of course. When you decided to visit your parents on Urbania with Sharon we obviously had to scramble to not reveal the experiment. We implanted a vague memory matrix in Sharon’s mind as well about the visit with your parents. While that was happening, we tested her blood. She hasn’t contracted pseudo-vampirism from you, which is surprising. We would have expected contraction by now. You do have sex, right?”
“I am not answering that.”
“With protection? Without? She should have became a pseudo-vampire by now. Although you are far less contagious than a standard vampire, bodily fluids should carry the disease. I guess it’s not as contagious as I had expected. Intriguing!”
“I don’t know what to say. I want to strangle you to death one moment and then hug you the next.”
Liam smiled. “I think that’s typical in a father-son relationship.”
“This is a lot to take in.”
“I understand. I will leave you and let you think. I gave Sharon my contact information. Link with me if you want to talk.”
“Alright...”
Liam Fornax stood up and smiled. “You are incredible.”
The man walked out of Jacob’s quarters.
Jacob sat on the couch for several minutes, staring at the ceiling.
Sharon eventually entered into the quarters. “How did it go?!”
“I have lots to think about.”
“Oh. Not very well?” Sharon asked.
“It was... enlightening.” Jacob said. “I learned a lot about myself.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine.”
A lie with the best of intentions.
June 29, 0271 AC – 12:20
Bridge, USS Empyrean
Neutral Space
Jacob Carpenter, Sharon Turner, Lance Hydrus, and Aiden Alexander were on the bridge of Empyrean. A few ensigns worked on the bridge as well. Marines serving as security patrolled the upper level of the bridge.
Jacob was trying his best as the new executive officer of the warship. Devereaux had put a lot of responsibility on him.
Empyrean was patrolling the neutral zone between the States of the Orion Confederation and the Galactic Union. The former neutral zone. This area was now contested and skirmishes continued to take place. The independent systems of Epsilon and Zeta Volantis were nearby. The Confederation now supported the planet’s independence and forced the ISF out of Zeta Volantis space for now. The ISF was gearing up for a new attack on Zeta Volantis and Epsilon.
Jacob hated the idea of the assault on Zeta Volantis and Epsilon. He wanted to get out of it somehow, but Devereaux insisted they had to follow the orders from Galactic Command. Jacob knew that one day they would get an order he did not agree with. He didn’t know what he was going to do. His new responsibilities weighed heavily on his mind, but he also felt a dark shadow creeping toward him. Jacob knew that eventually he would have to confront this darkness.
The medical officer of the warship, Lieutenant Ashara Cinderflake, entered into the bridge.
“Lieutenant! Wasn’t expecting to see you,” Jacob said.
Cinderflake walked up to Jacob. “I... I think you need to see this.”
“Yes?”
“Come here.” Cinderflake walked up to one of the currently unmanned consoles on the lower level of the bridge. She tapped on the console and then input a small data disc into a slot. “I had a hunch. The imp creature modifies the brain waves of the host. Typically, the conscious brain emits beta brain waves. Theta brain waves are typically associated with meditation or sleep. The imp hijacks the brain and forces it into a theta wave, while the imp itself emits its own beta waves. The subject is aware of what is happening around him, like some sort of dream.”
“So can you scan for these theta waves and detect an imp’s presence?” Jacob asked.
Cinderflake nodded. “Yes. I can do a sensor scan of this ship and detect, over time, anomalous theta brain wave activity.”
“Devereaux will be happy to hear this. I want you to get on this as soon as possible,” Jacob said.
“I’ve already started. I don’t think the captain will be happy, actually,” Cinderflake said.
“Why is that?”
“I want you to relieve Devereaux from command. I want you to become the CO of this ship.”
“What?”
“I only detected one anomalous signature. I did further tests through our sensor network. I am sure of it. John Devereaux is infected with an imp.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s true.” She looked at Jacob with extremely serious eyes.
“Well, then. Looks like things got a lot more complicated,” Jacob said.
Captain Devereaux entered the bridge.
“Captain on deck!” Alexander yelled.
“At ease.” Devereaux began walking down the stairs to the lower level of the bridge. “Ah, Ash and Jake, how are things today?”
Cinderflake hesitantly looked at Jacob.
Jacob looked down on the console. The display was relaying sensor information. An imp was detected on the bridge.
Jacob sighed. “I’m sorry. Captain, by the Articles of Galactic Command, Regulation 1088, I hereby relieve you of your command.”
Devereaux chu
ckled. “What now?”
“Marines, arrest this man, whoever he is,” Jacob ordered.
The marines were confused and hesitated.
“Tell them, Ashara, tell them!” Jacob said.
“We... we believe that the captain is under the influence of an alien organism.”
“Captain, is this true?” Jacob asked. “Or is our good doctor incorrect?”
Devereaux sighed. “I’m on your side. No matter what, I’m on your side. I didn’t ask for this, you know, I didn’t...” He felt under his nose. “I can’t believe you would stoop so low, Jacob, I...” A trickle of blood left the captain’s nose.
The marines slowly made their way down the stairs to the lower level.
“Marines! Take him to the brig!” Jacob commanded.
“Marines, he’s right, he’s right, do as he says. No! I will not be taken!” Devereaux felt the side of his head. More blood escaped out of his nose and mouth.
The marines started to realize something was wrong and surrounded Devereaux.
“No. Take him to the sickbay,” Cinderflake said. “I’ll sedate him there. I’ll work on getting that thing out of him safely.”
“Do it,” Devereaux said as he struggled with the imp inside of him. “Do whatever you can.”
The marines grabbed him and started to drag him away.
“Fools, I can kill your captain right now,” Devereaux yelled. “I can kill him right—”
One of the marines forcefully hit Devereaux in the head with the back of his sidearm, knocking Devereaux out.
“Did that knock the imp out too?” Sharon asked.
“I hope so. Marines, get him to my lab. I will not lose another crew member to these things,” Cinderflake said.
“Does that make you the CO now?” Alexander asked.
“Yes. Don’t remind me,” Jacob said.
July 4, 0271 AC – 19:30
Main Sickbay Laboratory, USS Empyrean
Neutral Space
“How is he doing?” Lieutenant Aiden Alexander asked.
Lieutenant Ashara Cinderflake let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t get it out of him. I just can’t.”
Aiden walked up to the side of the sedated captain.
“Are the restraints necessary?” Aiden asked, pointing at the restrained captain on the operating table.
“In case he wakes up prematurely... I hope they aren’t necessary,” Ashara replied.
Wires ran out of the operating table to equipment nearby. These machines beeped and hummed. Data displays showed various scans of Devereaux’s skull.
“I can’t believe some... thing was inside the captain!”
Ashara nodded. “It shows no signs of relenting. I’ve tried everything I can think of; this thing will not let go. I am considering invasive surgery, but that could cause irreparable brain damage.”
“You’ll come up with something.”
Ashara walked over to the machines that were displaying medical information. “I have to keep both of them sedated. If the creature wakes, I fear for the captain’s life.”
“This is unreal. Are you sure you have thought of everything? There has to be some way to get it out!”
Ashara examined one of the medical displays. “I’ll continue my tests. There was one curious thing I need to investigate further.”
“What’s that?”
Ashara walked back over to the table. “The creature, even while sedated, occasionally gives off a small pulse of energy. It actually looks like some sort of transmission. As if it was communicating with... something.”
“Or someone.”
“Right. I talked to Lieutenant Thunder and we have modified our shield generators to generate a field that blocks this transmission. I think it’s for the best. I don’t want someone out there listening. If someone is using the creature to control Devereaux, I don’t want them to know what we discovered. No one should know.”
“I understand, and I won’t tell a soul,” Aiden said. “Only the command staff and a few other crew members know about the captain.”
“Yes, the rest of the crew was told Devereaux had an unfortunate accident in the engine room.” Ashara gently caressed Devereaux’s face. “I want him to come back.”
“He will, Ash. He will.”
July 12, 0271 AC – 19:30
Jacob and Sharon’s Quarters, USS Empyrean
Neutral Space
Jacob was packing. Collecting all of his clothes and other things to move to the captain’s quarters. Devereaux was kept sedated in the sickbay laboratory. There were no signs of any progress of removing the imp without killing the captain. For now, Jacob was going to move into Devereaux’s old quarters. It was a weird feeling. All of Devereaux’s things were packed and put in a storage unit elsewhere on the ship.
Jacob spoke to his officers. He made his decision. Jacob commanded the ship to set a course for Epsilon. He didn’t know if it was the right thing to do. He ceased all communication with Galactic Command.
Jacob rummaged through a dresser and saw an old book. On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres. He picked it up and looked through it. It was what Vis had given him. In actuality, it used to belong to Elijah. Elijah let him keep it, though.
On the Revolution...
Maybe it was time for a revolution.
July 28, 0271 AC – 18:45
Hangar 4, USS Empyrean
Near the Epsilon System
Jacob stood on a raised platform in the midst of the hangar. The crowd consisted of crewmen and civilians alike. Commander Elijah Shepherd stood next to Jacob. The command staff of the warship stood in a line in front of Jacob.
Jacob called out, “Thanks everyone for coming. I understand some of you don’t like that I am the new commanding officer. Hell, I don’t like it. I’m way too young and inexperienced to command a capital ship. Please know that I will do everything in my power to keep this ship secure. But not only this ship, I want this galaxy to be secure. While the ISF continues to scheme, the galaxy will never know peace.
“We are en route to Epsilon to join the Resistance. A ship with this amount of firepower will be a huge boon to the Resistance forces. I feel like this is my only option. You know by now what Trachis did.”
Elijah Shepherd took over, “We know none of you signed up for this. Anybody that doesn’t agree with this decision is free to leave. We will provide the transportation and send you back to Galactic Union space. We’ll understand if anybody would rather leave. Please, if you have any reservations you can leave. This goes for the command staff as well.”
Certain individuals of the crowd whispered to each other.
“I’ll need help though,” Jacob said. “Trevor, you have been with me through so much. I am offering the XO position to you.”
Trevor turned around and pointed to himself. “Me?”
“Yes, of course.”
Trevor thought a moment. “You know what? Eff it, I’m in!”
Ryn ran over to Trevor and hugged him.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Jacob said. “Please, step forward and talk to one of my officers if you want off this boat. And any officer that wants out just talk to me. There will be no hard feelings.”
No one, not even a civilian, stepped forward.
“Please, if there’s anyone...” Jacob said.
Cane “Skids” Venatici stepped out of the crowd and walked toward the raised platform.
“It’s fine, honestly,” Jacob said. “Don’t feel any shame.”
Cane passed by the officers and climbed up the steps onto the raised platform.
“Sir, you don’t have to speak to me about this, I understand if you want off this ship,” Jacob said.
Cane shook his head. “I’m not leaving. No one is, sir. We’re with you.”
A tear ran down Jacob’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Cane yelled out to the crowd. “We’re going to kick some Interstellar Federation ass! And we’re gonna keep going until Drake Mabus is
six feet under! Who’s with me?!”
The entire crowd erupted into cheers.
Elijah Shepherd smiled. “And so the war that will shatter space begins.”
Jacob looked over to Elijah. “What?”
Elijah felt the side of his head. “Nothing. Let’s get this done.”
July 30, 0271 AC – 16:12 Epsilon Ridgecrest Time
Amaterasu, Watatsumi-class Battle Cruiser
Forward Ready Room, Orbit of Epsilon
Commander Melody Kelly and Captain Hayato Suzuki saluted Lieutenant Commander Jacob Carpenter, the current Commanding Officer of Empyrean. Jacob, Elijah, and Trevor were meeting with the commanders of Amaterasu over Epsilon.
“Yōkoso, welcome to Epsilon space,” Suzuki said.
The three men from Empyrean returned the salutes and sat down in chairs around an oval table in the forward ready room.
“Thanks for your hospitality,” Jacob said.
“I understand you wish to join the Resistance,” Kelly said. “A few ISF ships have defected to join our cause, but never such a large warship. It will be good to be on the same side.”
“Well, I suppose we should get down to business. Are you aware of any plans to attack Zeta Volantis III and Epsilon?” Suzuki asked.
Trevor nodded. “Yes, although the date isn’t set as of yet, they are mobilizing many ships toward this location. The majority of the combined ISF fleet is stationed over the former Star Republic. With that battle won, they can start to send those ships your way.”
“And crush us under their might,” Suzuki said.
“Hey, I didn’t say that,” Trevor responded.
“We expect the attack to take place in about a month or so,” Elijah said.
“We need to attack when they aren’t expecting us and when the majority of their fleet is elsewhere,” Kelly said.
Suzuki nodded. “I agree. Begin preparations on all of our ships to travel to Union space.”