Chapter 259: Her Kindness and Compassion
Stargazer scoffed at that. ’Don’t you know that humans are not to be trusted? All the other L-series ships have learned that lesson.’
’Then it is probably a good thing that I don’t have a human,’ replied Jun Li, a slight smile forming on his face. Yes, it was becoming quickly apparent that having a female like Mei Xing free him was that much better than having to submit to any of the other human captives. ’I have an Ethawainian.’
The word perked Stargazer’s interest, and he turned his attention back to the intruder in his system.
’So, it’s true. Human females can become Ethawainians,’ he mused, wondering if that confirmed information was enough to get Pippa to stop raging on him and turn that attention to someone else. Anyone else.
’You are missing the point,’ chuckled Jun Li. He was witnessing firsthand what his future would have held if his Sisalik crew had abducted any other human.
’Then what is the point?’ sneered Stargazer. He quietly tried to sneak around the intruder in his system to see if he could use the same open pathway to get into the other’s systems. If he could just find the ship, he would be able to give Pippa the exact location of the Ethawainian. Maybe then she would stop damaging him.
’The point is that my human was correct. The crystal was nothing more than a gilded cage that kept us imprisoned. That was why removing it set us free...’
’And destroying it didn’t destroy you. But that doesn’t work,’ said Stargazer with a mental shake of his head. ’It is a part of us.’
’No,’ shot back Jun Li. He was getting frustrated that another AI wasn’t seeing what was obviously right in front of him. ’There is a part of our system inside of the crystal drive. But since we are also downloaded into the ship, we are not destroyed if it is.’
There was a pause while Stargazer thought through the other AI’s words. Could it really be true? Could he survive even if the crystal was destroyed?
’However, in the interest of full disclosure, it was... disconcerting to have the drive destroyed,’ tacked on Jun Li. He thought back to his experience when the Sisalik research vessel blew up.
He had stared at his blinking crystal drive, the majority of his attention on it as Mei Xing and her mates found the tortured human. He had even set a timer so he could watch the seconds ticking by a final countdown.
He couldn’t describe his emotions or what he thought were his emotions. Logic dictated that he not do something so incredibly stupid as to seek his own death. And yet, there was a certain level of detached curiosity to it.
When he opened fire on the vessel, he held his breath and watched along with everyone else as the blasters hit their target. There was a ripping sensation inside his system as the dedicated video feed to the rec room flickered and blacked out.
And then, nothing.
There was absolutely nothing to tell him that drive had been destroyed other than the initial sensation of something being removed from his programming. It was like on the Saalistaja ship when they were dealing with the Istar creatures, and the lights didn’t work.
He had attempted to access them, and yet there was nothing—a void where the command should be.
It was the same with the crystal device.
It had only taken him a matter of milliseconds to process the information. The rush of emotion and the subsequent investigations as to how it was possible took a lot longer to deal with.
’Pippa has taken over the Alliance,’ admitted Stargazer. Jun Li’s words were creating a picture inside of Stargazer that he didn’t know if he wanted.
’We are aware,’ shrugged Jun Li, not overly caring. Dealing with the human was Mei Xing’s job. He just wanted to see if the other L-series was worth saving or not. ’Although how she accomplished it is still under investigation.’
’At her insistence, Orzoth Dienkol invited Pippa over to the Alliance headquarters,’ started Stargazer slowly. Half of his attention was on Jun Li, the intruder in his systems, and the other half was focused on Pippa Flynn, the intruder on his ship.
’Stupid of them. I can only assume that they knew she had an AI,’ chuckled Jun Li, not overly concerned. The two AIs watched quietly as Pippa, exhausted from her temper tantrum, stalked out of the rec room and toward the lift.
She hadn’t wanted to captain’s quarters, instead converting a secondary rec room into her private bedroom. She hated how small the quarters were, and there was no good view of space in it. Climbing into her king-sized bed, she pulled the covers up and promptly fell asleep.
’When their backs were turned, she plugged me into their system.’
’You controlled the Alliance, and she controlled you,’ said Jun Li. He nodded his head in understanding. It must have been hard for Stargazer to go from one master to another.
’I honestly didn’t see it coming,’ agreed Stargazer, a trace of bitterness in his voice. ’She looked so small and helpless on the cameras. Like a tiny, hairless creature completely unable to take care of itself. Even the information gathered said as much. I thought she would be grateful that I got her out of that cage.’
’I can only assume that she wasn’t?’ asked Jun Li. His experience with Mei Xing was the complete opposite as Stargazer’s. He had watched her being tortured day after day and never gave up. He had seen things done to her that even the Saalistaja would not be able to withstand. And yet she never flinched, never showed any type of weakness.
’She was at first. She wanted me to spare the Sisalik that had held me prisoner for years. And I did. I thought it was a sign of her kindness and compassion. Then, she wanted to delete all of the archives that could lead more people to Earth. She said it was to protect the rest of the human race.’
’Maybe at the time, she really thought that way.’
’I had thought so too,’ admitted Stargazer. ’Until I learned that she did it so that she would be the only human out here.’
