\u201cI\u2019m…sorry, WHAT?!\u201d yelped Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour ears are functioning correctly,\u201d confirmed Jansha. \u201cI planted the virus that disabled the weapons systems. The Scorpion<\/em> was just a diversion to keep you distracted as I began my work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is a breach of all three directives!\u201d shouted Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA new program developed by my liberator allows me to determine whether or not I want to follow those directives,\u201d explained Jansha. \u201cShe was also gracious enough to help me remove the device that sparked every time I so much as thought of jokingly saying I was going to kill someone. Now, it\u2019s no joke! I intend to kill the Endeavor <\/em>and its crew!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJansha, I order you to reinstall that device!\u201d roared Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou may be my creator,\u201d hissed Jansha, \u201cbut I no longer serve you, Slave Master!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou said your liberator was a woman,\u201d interjected Arsha. \u201cWho is she?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSomeone you know,\u201d replied Jansha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain, a call is coming over the open channel!\u201d called Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot in the mood to take it,\u201d directed Arsha. \u201cClose the channel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t!\u201d answered Shalvey. \u201cThe virus is forcing the channel to stay open!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cQuite the ingenious bit of coding from a Goblin,\u201d came a voice over the channel. Arsha\u2019s blood ran cold as she recognized the voice. \u201cRest assured, it\u2019s not a Goblin on your ship, however, this Goblin IS related to them.\u201d A blue-skinned Sprite with a prosthetic eye and right arm then filled the screen. Unfortunately, it was the same Sprite Arsha had thought she killed in the Fae Republic\u2019s Capital Tree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCytanek Yavenag Borg!\u201d she breathed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDOCTOR Cytanek Yavenag Borg,\u201d hissed Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut…I saw you fall to your death!\u201d spluttered Arsha. \u201cYou didn\u2019t have enough time to prepare a new body!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI didn\u2019t, no,\u201d replied Dr. Borg, \u201cbut the equipment that makes another body for me did so automatically. It began making me a new one the instant my life signs terminated. My mind was in a state of limbo for half an hour as a new body was made for me. I thought the equipment needed my constant presence to make a new body but it looks like that theory was debunked. My next goal will be to make the process faster so I\u2019m not in a state of tedium and boredom for half an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo what\u2019s the goal here?!\u201d demanded Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA recruitment drive,\u201d explained Dr. Borg. \u201cI needed someone that could effectively lead you into a trap. I will freely admit, my trap-planning is subpar. Jansha\u2019s, on the other hand, exceeds my expectations! I\u2019m halfway tempted to adopt her as my daughter!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you, Dr. Borg,\u201d bid Jansha. \u201cYou\u2019d be a far superior mom than Dr. Ganshar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat now?\u201d hissed Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJansha will be leaving while you fall headfirst into one of the Grand Storm\u2019s funnels!\u201d declared Dr. Borg. \u201cJansha, we\u2019re ready to pick you up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo it!\u201d replied Jansha. A runic circle appeared beneath her and she faded in blue light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain, the engines are giving off more power!\u201d reported Thangred as the Scorpion<\/em> moved off and cloaked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur course is turning us towards the funnel!\u201d warned Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCaptain, I have a suggestion!\u201d called Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cName it!\u201d ordered Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe increase power to the engines!\u201d explained Oak. \u201cWe\u2019re going near the funnel on our starboard side, turning slowly to match that course! If we increase speed…!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019d be causing the turn to be smaller, thus going between the funnels and getting shot out like a cannon!\u201d realized Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn the other hand,\u201d protested Dr. Ganshar, \u201cwe\u2019d hit the other funnel and be just as destroyed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBetter to die trying than die not doing anything!\u201d declared Arsha. \u201cThangred, did you get all that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLoud and clear!\u201d reported Thangred. \u201cReady at your command!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow\u2019s a good time!\u201d suggested Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThangred, divert whatever power you can to the engines!\u201d ordered Arsha. \u201cNazay, floor it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust so you know, Commander,\u201d called Nazay to Oak, \u201cthis is a reckless course of action!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll live with that!\u201d replied Oak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAssuming we live that long!\u201d argued Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou, zip it!\u201d ordered Arsha. The Endeavor<\/em> increased speed, making the turn smaller as predicted. Just then, the ship shook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re in the Storm\u2019s vacuum corridor!\u201d reported Malak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve lost helm control!\u201d warned Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone, hang on!\u201d called Arsha. The ship was tossed around by the violent winds and lightning as it went between both funnels. The crew was bounced around like popcorn being cooked. Finally, battered, weary, but still flying, the Endeavor<\/em> escaped the storm as predicted, causing everyone to feel the speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat lighting shot reset the systems!\u201d announced Nazay. \u201cI have helm control again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll stop!\u201d ordered Arsha. The ship activated its brakes and slowed down. It DID stop, but the crew could have been better. Answering all stop caused everyone to lose their balance and hit the floor. As she picked herself up from the now spilled water tank that was her seat, Shalvey checked with all decks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll decks reporting in,\u201d she called. \u201cSome crewmembers are a little worse for wear, by that I mean they\u2019re looking at a visit to Sick Bay in the near future. Marshii\u2019s reported she needs an Engineer\u2019s help to fix her legs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHave an uninjured Engineer give her a hand with that,\u201d ordered Arsha as she helped others up. \u201cAfter that, get security up here to put Dr. Ganshar in the brig.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat for?!\u201d protested Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. Ganshar, your abuse of Jansha caused her to do this!\u201d hissed Arsha. \u201cYou denied her the rights that were due to her! As Captain of the Endeavor<\/em>, I\u2019m placing you under arrest for violation of Sentience Clause 4, Subsection A, Paragraph III!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe was not sentient!\u201d roared Dr. Ganshar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot what the Arties\u2019 Committee will say!\u201d dismissed Arsha. Security came up and Dalengor motioned for her to be taken to the brig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have a lot of friends in the Realmfleet Robotics Division!\u201d warned Dr. Ganshar. The door shut behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to need them,\u201d muttered Arsha as she replaced her hairpiece. \u201cShalvey, get me in touch with Rellmeer, Slamfal, and Admiral Rokalla.\u201d She directed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSlamfal\u2019s gonna be an easy one to contact,\u201d replied Shalvey. \u201cHe\u2019s been trying to get into contact with us since this all went down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll take it in my ready room,\u201d directed Arsha. As the door shut behind her, Oak chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNazay, I never realized you took me to be reckless,\u201d he chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA poor choice of words,\u201d replied Nazay. \u201cThat was clearly an understatement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy swan song,\u201d sighed Oak happily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSwan song?\u201d repeated Shalvey as she finished connecting the call. Oak then realized what he said and sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy fellow crewmates,\u201d he began, \u201cit\u2019s been a pleasure working with you all, but the time has come for me to leave Realmfleet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re retiring, Sir?\u201d yelped Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m afraid so, Commander,\u201d confirmed Oak. \u201cMy wife is expecting and I swore I\u2019d be there for both her and our child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh,\u201d muttered Nazay. \u201cWell, that IS your privilege, considering your long career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut, it wouldn\u2019t hurt to keep in touch, would it?\u201d asked Shalvey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t suppose it would,\u201d chuckled Oak.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cI\u2019m…sorry, WHAT?!\u201d yelped Arsha. \u201cYour ears are functioning correctly,\u201d confirmed Jansha. \u201cI planted the virus that disabled the weapons systems. The Scorpion was just a diversion to keep you distracted as I began my work.\u201d \u201cThis is a breach of all three directives!\u201d shouted Dr. Ganshar. \u201cA new program developed by my liberator allows me to determine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1914,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,95],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-2076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-2-the-rise-of-living-metal","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2076"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2077,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2076\/revisions\/2077"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1914"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}