Galthar was back on its feet after a few days. With motive-capable machines now talking and helping the citizens out, the damage during the crisis was fixed very quickly. While they may be considered newborns, the machines were actually adults, most likely because of how they were built long before they gained their new abilities. These new life-forms were classified as Arties and were given the further classification of Mechanica, living machines. \u201cAre you sure you still want a crew?\u201d Arsha asked Endea. \u201cI mean, you can fly yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI can,\u201d replied Endea, \u201cbut I\u2019d feel safer with a crew. I mean, at least Thangred can learn of any potential problems at a faster rate now that I can tell him what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTrue,\u201d mused Arsha. She then turned to Hindra and Hunmur. \u201cI understand Glathar\u2019s going to be a haven in the event of Mechanicas being denied their rights?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt shall,\u201d declared Hunmur. \u201cThey have as much right to enjoy the same freedoms as we do. I see no reason to impede them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhatever Anti-Mechanica Rights movement comes up will hate that a tech capital,\u201d chuckled Endea, \u201cis vouching for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, well, they can kiss my butt,\u201d remarked Hunmur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI appreciate all that you\u2019re doing, Your Majesty,\u201d thanked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd we appreciate all that you did for us,\u201d returned Hindra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMay your future be blessed with knowledge and wisdom,\u201d bid Hunmur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMay your lives be long and happy,\u201d answered Arsha in the correct manner. She and Endea returned to the Endeavor<\/em> and made their way to the bridge. They noticed an extra chair set up between the Captain\u2019s chair and the First Officer\u2019s seat. It was a table chair and both Endea and Arsha were confused about its presence. Denstra cleared her throat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI tried to find a more comfortable seat,\u201d she explained, \u201cbut all my family and I had was this, a spare seat from the dining area in our quarters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt will serve,\u201d assured Endea as she sat in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour next overhaul will need to include a seat for you,\u201d mused Arsha as she and Denstra sat in their own seats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf Realmfleet grants it,\u201d remarked Denstra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve checked with Realmfleet and the overhaul logs,\u201d replied Denstra. \u201cThe Endeavor<\/em>\u2019s reached its maximum of 25 overhauls. Any more overhauls will be deemed unnecessary and the ship will be retired from service.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut that usually means…\u201d gulped Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScrapping!\u201d finished Endea as she feared for her new life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOr being put up on static display,\u201d interjected Nazay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRealmfleet\u2019s already GOT a Dauntless<\/em>-class vessel as a museum piece,\u201d reminded Malak. \u201cOnly one museum piece per class.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was before our ship started talking to us,\u201d declared Arsha. \u201cIt\u2019ll change when she gets the same rights as us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIF I get the same rights as you,\u201d sighed Endea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWHEN,\u201d insisted Arsha. \u201cYou WILL see the dawn of sentient machine rights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Thank you,\u201d bid Endea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got allies,\u201d Arsha called to the bridge crew as she stood up and used the entire bridge as her stage. \u201cWe all took care of the Endeavor<\/em> when she was just a machine and I have every confidence we\u2019ll continue to do so now that she\u2019s holding conversations with us. As far as I\u2019m concerned, Endea\u2019s as much of a crewmember as us, she\u2019s a part of this family! I won\u2019t turn my back on her, I refuse to. While we continue with our missions, we continue fighting to make sure her rights are brought to reality. I expect all of you to protect her with your life as I\u2019m sure she will for us. Is that clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am!\u201d confirmed the bridge crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood to hear,\u201d answered Arsha. She then sat back in her chair. \u201cNazay, I believe we\u2019ve got a mission in the Greltharg Merfolk Kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCourse laid in,\u201d reported Nazay. \u201cWe\u2019re cleared for departure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNice and easy,\u201d directed Arsha. The Endeavor<\/em> rose from the landing pad and made its way to a Realmgate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yulduk\u2019s corpse was far from Galthar\u2019s northern border. It was already in rigor mortis and bowel evacuation. As it laid there, putrefying, the vortex of a Realmgate opened. It was smaller in scale, only large enough to accommodate a Troll, and released Dr. Borg, Tormo, and Jansha. It closed behind them as Dr. Borg ran an analysis on the body. \u201cOnly five hours dead,\u201d she reported. \u201cPerfect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLook, are you sure you mastered the spells and tech?\u201d asked Tormo. \u201cWe\u2019ve only got as far as the simulations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow is the perfect opportunity to try a real-world test,\u201d answered Dr. Borg as she set a pentagon of small devices around the body. She then keyed in a command on the display screen on her arm and the devices fired lasers at each other to form a pentagram. \u201cShanwey yat talyen falunar,\u201d she chanted. \u201cShanwey yat talyen falunar. Shanwey yat talyen falunar. Shanwey yat talyen falunar. Shanwey yat talyen falunar.\u201d This went on and on as she poured her magic into the corpse. Dark energies then penetrated the body and it convulsed violently. This continued until the corpse opened its eyes and screamed! The eyes were glowing blue as the skin turned ashen and blue lines of light snaked their way across various parts of the skin. \u201cShanwey yat talyen falunar! Shanwey yat talyen falunar! Shanwey yat talyen falunar! TEL!\u201d The chanting stopped, as did the corpse\u2019s screaming. It blinked and picked itself up as the pentagram was switched off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh! My head!\u201d groaned the corpse as it massaged its head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd you are?\u201d asked Dr. Borg. The corpse thought for a moment before remembering who it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYulduk,\u201d answered the body. \u201cI was the Collector for Galthar. I was sick of Hindra and Hunmur\u2019s reliance on Realmfleet. We\u2019re the richest kingdom in the Mid-realm! We ALL can afford to pay! But, no, they likened my collection methods to rape and thus scuttled my arrangement with…\u201d He then remembered. \u201cReb Rojam, she…no…NO!\u201d Yulduk then screamed in rage. \u201cShe DARED stab me in the back! Pirates are under my beck and…wait, she LITERALLY stabbed me. In my head if I recall.\u201d He felt around his head and found the stab wound. \u201cHow am I…did you bring me back?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI did,\u201d confirmed Dr. Borg. \u201cI didn\u2019t want a zombie, so I found old tomes relating to creating undead like you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut…but…if I am what I think I am,\u201d muttered Yulduk, \u201cthen you should be in pain from the damage to your soul.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s where the pentagram generators come in,\u201d explained Dr. Borg. \u201cThey constantly replenish my soul as I perform the ritual. However, I only needed to use it once. You can easily make more of your kind now with no damage to your returned soul. Tell me, do you seek vengeance against Galthar for not recognizing you for what you are?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…On Galthar AND the Scarlet Stream pirates!\u201d declared Yulduk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJoin me and I can grant you vengeance!\u201d promised Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, there\u2019s nothing for me here,\u201d mused Yulduk. \u201cWhy not? I accept!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWelcome to the Realm Trinity Empire, Yulduk, the first of my Revenant army!\u201d declared Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBefore we go,\u201d answered Yulduk, \u201cI have something that may interest you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh?\u201d asked Dr. Borg. Yulduk produced a phial from his robes. In it was the pink mist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScientists from both the pirates and Galthar have confirmed this to be the Breath of Life,\u201d he explained. \u201cLet it touch your machines, shut them down, let them start themselves back up, and you will have talking vehicles, ready to obey you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow this IS a promising start to our partnership,\u201d praised Dr. Borg as she accepted the phial. \u201cCome, let us go back to base. We\u2019ll need more soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll find more freshly dead corpses to make Revenants,\u201d promised Yulduk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExcellent,\u201d proclaimed Dr. Borg as she opened the smaller Realmgate. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d All four then entered the Realmgate, letting it shut itself behind them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arsha and Endea made their way to the All-Ones Shrine on the ship. They needed to talk to Sentriam or Benthe about how they found the Breath of Life. The Priest let them in and the two knelt at the altar. Arsha led the prayer. \u201cSentriam, Benthe,\u201d she began, \u201cwe invoke your names to speak with you directly. We have news that may trouble you as it does us. Please, hear us and speak to us.\u201d The candles\u2019 flames turned pink as pink mist covered the area. The mist then formed two upper torsos within the pews. One was masculine, the other was feminine. More details appeared to reveal Lady Sentriam and Lord Benthe, two of the Pink Divine Ones of Love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is most unusual for you, Your Highness,\u201d rumbled Benthe softly. \u201cYou don\u2019t call on any of us that often.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat could concern us as well as you?\u201d asked Sentriam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt concerns people like me,\u201d explained Endea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho are you, my child?\u201d asked Sentriam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Sentriam, Lord Benthe, I am Endea, the living extension of the Endeavor<\/em>,\u201d introduced Endea. Sentriam and Benthe\u2019s eyes went wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe came to life by accident,\u201d explained Arsha. \u201cThis was interfering with her systems.\u201d She produced a phial of the Breath and gave it to the two Divine Ones. Sentriam examined it closely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow is this…?\u201d she spluttered. \u201cBenthe, this is the Breath!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBu…but how?!\u201d gulped Benthe. \u201cWe sealed it all away after the Great Fracturing!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy first notice of the stuff,\u201d replied Arsha, \u201cwas when I was Reb Rojam\u2019s prisoner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhether she\u2019s found it by accident or on purpose,\u201d continued Endea, \u201cis a mystery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn any event, the two of us need to check the seal and see how much escaped,\u201d declared Sentriam. \u201cThank you both for bringing this to our attention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEndea,\u201d called Benthe, \u201ctell me, have you been mistreated since coming to life?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot yet, but I anticipate it,\u201d sighed Endea. \u201cI mean, let\u2019s not even start with the money-people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s always them that argue against progress,\u201d muttered Benthe. \u201cStill, just know that you DO have Divine Ones rooting for you, wanting to help you in any way we can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll try and do things with the means I have before asking for Divine Help,\u201d replied Endea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat is all we ask in return,\u201d assured Sentriam. \u201cJust try your best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will, My Lady,\u201d promised Endea as she bowed her head. She was then embraced by the two before the mist vanished and they departed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s promising,\u201d mused Arsha. \u201cYour brand of life is well on its way to being adopted into their care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope so,\u201d muttered Endea. They got up and left the Shrine so they could return to the bridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Galthar was back on its feet after a few days. With motive-capable machines now talking and helping the citizens out, the damage during the crisis was fixed very quickly. While they may be considered newborns, the machines were actually adults, most likely because of how they were built long before they gained their new abilities. 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