You make some good points as ever Snowship. I kind of enjoyed the detective parts myself. I confess the use of the messed up Corealien was just to some extent a lazy plot device that allowed me to throw a big spanner in the works of 'Freedom'.
I have posted a new version of the last chapter including a second appendix. Although this was done prior to reading your input and it hardly addresses your thougts on length. I had some of my own concerns notably about keeping a little stress between Amon and Judas. I would have liked to have played out the whole fear and paranoia aspect a bit more.
Still I always had this plan to wrap it up in 13 chapters with this one so maybe I got a bit carried away at the last.
I was going to detail the final battle for example - much more, but in the end I felt it would be more of the same. Plus really Treasure was just suiciding the Beast the old vehicle of her body had fulfilled its overall purpose for her.
I think it might be interesting to read it all from start to finish and see if 13 works better like that. As a last serial instalment CH 13 is without question short, but as part of a whole story I'm not sure yet. Maybe it all needs a little expansion here and there now it is complete.
I am by nature a revisionist. I have an idea then go back and refine it. I wish it came to me fully formed but that is rare.
On future projects I had a crazy idea walking along the shore yesterday. I was thinking about (X to the power of 10). A story set in a far future when the races have developed new advanced technologies. For example the Boron and Paranid would have true and noticably - living - ship hulls. Everyone would be using point to point jump drives, and the gates would be abandoned to being items of cheap travel for the very poor and or objects of curious historic interest.
Such a distance would allow me to feel free to play - with the other races - without stepping on the toes of the established mythology in any manner.
What do you think?
ARP a new (Reapers Passage) story completed here in 13 Chapters
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Snowship
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I like it, a step away from the races being traditionals and further towards becoming their own "ancients". With all the "leaving parts of their society behind in the race to the future" associated problems... maybe some parts just get left behind and become almost a separate race ideologically? Maybe a new very young race is being restricted by the status-quo?
Maybe the proper ancients make a note for the races to "fix your house up before you try ruling the street"??
And are they worthy/ready to let go of their own stomping grounds and venture out into the wild wilderness?
I'll give the updated chapter and appendix a re-read.
Maybe the proper ancients make a note for the races to "fix your house up before you try ruling the street"??
And are they worthy/ready to let go of their own stomping grounds and venture out into the wild wilderness?
I'll give the updated chapter and appendix a re-read.
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Amon’s Reaper’s Passage
Appendix I
First Supplemental - A few words from the first author - Amon.
On ‘Freedom’ everyone believed Jorac had slain the Ghost, and that the Ghost was a Khaak agent inside some kind of incredibly advanced biomechanical suit / vehicle / weapon being tested there. The material of this item self destructing into nothingness as did even the bits of blown off matter before it could be properly analysed - to everyone’s surprise at the time - except Jorac who had seen the visuals of Judas and Shunts virus doing much the same thing. The case was closed. Being a rather crazy time it needed simple to understand explanations. Jorac gladly adapted Bales story - once the details of that invention got back to him. I accepted it as well - at least on the surface - for my own reasons.
All of the ‘under works’ shrunk and compacted some sections almost immediately others a little later or in stages all this commencing not too long after Jorac’s victory over the (as it was broadcast) Khaak entity. Eventually the area had to be completely evacuated and those spaces were never considered for any use ever again - not even when the station changed hands as all Pirate Bases inevitably do. In fact towards the end they were completely forgotten about. When any anomaly was noted on internal scans it simply looked like some scrap material dumped into some gaps by lazy or incompetent Teladi builders or one of the stations previous owners who couldn‘t be bothered recycling or jettisoning such junk into space.
I believe the fact that so much took place in such a short time period helped some of us to let it go. It is mad what we can cram into a few seconds or minutes of our lives, or a day, or a week and then months can pass even years that are comparatively empty of content when put under the scrutiny of a review. I have come to believe that real life - the important bits - are not lived in years but instead in emotional moments some of: glory, others of pain, and suffering, surprise, terror, elation, boredom, fear, anger and of course joy and love.
‘Treasure’ being very unique I know won’t be offended by me telling you here that sometimes I have wondered am I wrong for loving a Monster: something that now just masks its essence in our Argon shape? I’ll leave that for you to decide, I just know that I do, and I can‘t help it and I don’t care - not anymore - time changes many things! Of course it is easy to overlook what you don’t see and Treasure on the surface looks well perfect. Otherwise I’m sure some of you are thinking wow - that last bit went quick - what happened to all the other characters so lightly touched on. Well I can’t encompass it all but what follows is a little of what I do know.
Lucky remained blessed by chance at first. He talked his way out of trouble and into membership of the ‘Fallen Angels’ as an intelligence analyst soon working alongside Roid. A bit of fortune that surprised Roid but also gave him some relief - as he felt guilty - about ratting him out in the first place. Luck however if you rely on it too much will eventually run dry. Lucky was killed before his time by a certain group of Boron Privateers known as the ‘Sharks’. Although he was in fact only wounded in battle. A poor understanding of Argon anatomical knowledge following his capture resulted in his demise during a botched bit of surgery - to fix of all things - a fractured hip.
After selling some large quantities of Shagga cloth to Jorac Judas returned to Aladna Hill. There he later resurfaced to become a major industrialist specialising in the production of toxins and antidotes with the assistance of a certain patron - an entity who became very powerful there. He also later became something of a beloved uncle to Kerry.
The rest of Jorac’s story is a strange one and is best told elsewhere.
Breaker also joined the ‘Fallen’ and had a long and successful Pirate career - technically - surviving Jorac to serve in his time another ‘Arch Fallen Angel’ also on ‘Aladna Hill’ taking up a commission in Beach Head’s local military. Unfortunately his true identity came to the surface in his relative old age whilst visiting Prime. To his shock Breaker was arrested tried and executed as an Argon Marine deserter in what became a political show case trial. Many believed this deed was a petty act of revenge by friends of an Argon faction that used to be headed up by the Admiral Sven.
Flame was secretly murdered by Bale when she discovered him instigating an early plot on ‘Freedom’ against Jorac. Her killer was believed to be a ‘Green Monkey’ who was in fact framed. I only know the truth because Bale boasted to me personally about this deed later when we became - temporary - confederates.
Sword was deeply effected by what she saw in the ‘under works’ laboratory as many others. She chose to leave the ‘Fallen Angels’ and ‘Freedom’ station with Jorac’s permission and vanished from any story I know of. Rumour however said she journeyed to Earth seeking after the full truth of the legendary provenance of the weapon - that I at least - never saw her draw once in anger.
Scratch died on ‘Freedom’ he was killed by a Hyena as were a great many wounded ‘Monkeys’.
Maul despite some initial protestations became the new ‘Monkey King’ after Lucky abdicated. He followed Jorac in all things realising that was the safest thing to do Jorac provided the brains Maul the brawn. To his shock he still woke up briefly one morning to realise he had been fatally stabbed: murdered in his sleep by a skilled on station serial killer. She was an ex slave that had taken him into her bed - not for the credits she had claimed - but to gut him much as she had seen her children being butchered by the old ‘Monkey King’. One of her offspring it turned out had actually ended his days as a Hyena. Chloe killed eight Monkeys in this fashion before she was caught - she was especially proud of her slaying of Maul. Jorac claimed he shot her while trying to escape and then had her body spaced, but in fact he smuggled her off his station she was sent to retire on ‘Aladna Hill’ with a generous credit pension.
Survivor - survived he lived in the ‘Dive’ for a time then left ‘Freedom’ mostly because Bale kept annoying him: complaining about the inaccuracy of his maps and information - which damaged his local reputation. Against his better judgement he later got roped into working with Argon Navy Intelligence eventually serving a commander called Fay working directly under another agent called Tebbin with some distinction. He was destined to outlive both Fay and Tebbin and later worked directly with Ban Danna and Plu Dup.
Kerry’s story is linked inevitably with the ‘Arch Fallen Angel’ and is told elsewhere.
To keep Roid’s word as a ‘Fallen Angel’ Jorac had Tai protected healed and moved off station. After his medical treatment Tai vanished off the Pirates gravidar scanners rumour has it that he settled at first in ‘Bala Gi‘s Joy’ and was a refugee at one point on AFC 4 somehow there he managed to acquire a new identity. He married a plain girl and endeavoured to have a large family living quietly on planet in ‘Home of Light’. Rather shockingly he worked until his retirement as a completely indistinct clerk in the local civil service office of taxation according to Treasure’s researches.
Bristle made a reasonable recovery but lost a little of his bravery. He never quite got over some of the fears that crept into him while he was left alone in a state of debilitation within the distortion of the ‘under works’. The experience taught him a new degree of caution. He remained a ‘Grey Wolf’ until he died among his friends.
Juice panicked during the second attack on the Angels & Allies and ran into a pack of Hyena’s. Remarkably he survived that assault but when he recovered from his injuries he left ‘Freedom’ and the ‘Rats’ I don’t know for sure what happened to him although I did hear an unsubstantiated rumour that he ended up as a permanent inmate in the Argon Asylum raving about tentacle sprouting monsters.
Innis was later killed during a mission in his scout ship in ‘Bala Gi’s Joy’. Some came to believe he committed suicide - by taking inordinate risks. He wasn’t quite the same Argon after he returned from the ‘under works’ perhaps he was really killed down there by the distortion field and the sights he saw in that difficult to forget laboratory. Cargo compression can have very subtle effects on some minds. Shunt was devastated as she had become quite close to Innis helping him through his depression though she never got as close to him as she had hoped.
Andrea was quietly disposed of by my ‘Wolves’ after we discovered she was in fact a ‘Fallen Angel’ sleeper spy. I wasn’t happy about it but it had to be done - for a host of reasons - we made it appear a training accident to Jorac. She should not be confused with another Andrea who was one of the Nights Daughters on ‘Purgatory’ and later ‘Aladna Hill’ [see the Reapers Passage].
Opus mysteriously disappeared around about the same time that Andrea had her accident -none of our doing - but I came to believe all three: Andrea, Opus and Helen were tools of Jorac. It made Helen’s death lighter for me to bear, and my later reconciliation with the nature of my Treasure slightly easier to deal with.
Diamond lost leadership of the ‘Blood Hawks’ to of all people Simple. Simple turned out to be a good leader overall. He was not stupid he just liked to keep things - simple - and grounded dealing with the Mad Parlay had just been a bit overwhelming for him at that time. He seemed to grow up a lot after his period in the ‘under works’. He came to his clans wider notice first when Diamond was wounded by a Bear and Simple was forced to temporarily take over command.
Aesyr was killed by the shock appearance of the Bear that wounded Diamond also in the last assault.
Yono survived the ’under works’ but was killed later during a failed assassination attempt against Jorac. She believed Jorac got Khaak technology from the laboratory. Because Jorac never mentioned any finds, and refused to share any booty she grew increasing disgruntled with his over lording leadership. Her assassination attempt was a personal almost spare of the moment opportunistic endeavour (not an action planned and sanctified by her clan). No revenge was taken by the ‘Wyverns’ when she died as a result of her personal rebellion, but it later made them susceptible to Bales - uprising - whisper campaign. By allowing themselves to be used by the ‘Rats’ many brave ‘White Wyvern’s’ usually a sensible crew were destined to get themselves killed including my friend Vale.
Spanner survived long enough to install a new safe generator on ‘Freedom’ and shut down what proved to be a very dangerous beast of a reactor in the ‘under works’. He unfortunately later died from a resultant radiation sickness. I heard secretly Jorac felt his loss more deeply than any other during that period. It touched him for a long time. I believe that was why he never talked about, or mentioned Spanner again.
Slips story is told elsewhere.
Hard Heart was killed in action against a Federal Argon Navy patrol. I heard it was an unlucky missile strike against already lowered shields that did the skilled veteran in. A good quick clean way for any Pirate to go I‘m sure some later envied him.
Many of the ex Slaves who had stayed down in the ’under works’ to the last but escaped being compacted ended up in one Mental Health Institution or another. Jorac surprisingly kindly had them secretly transported and quietly paid for their treatment - a very few even recovered and lived semi normal lives.
Of those slaves that left the ‘under works’ early and were able to put in part the past behind them: many, and no tales are told. Some the majority naturally faded into the background, but a few a very few others became important figures either directly or via their children or their children’s children. Why because they were motivated to do important things having been taught to appreciate the gift of their lives. Sometimes paradoxically a little good comes from even the darkest of deeds.
Lots more ‘Green Monkeys’ perished at the hands of the Clans under Jorac’s regime. Some were murdered quietly by ex slaves - many others - simply couldn’t fully adapt to having to abide by any rules of even criminal conduct they were too used to their old lords brutal anarchic ways and doing just as they pleased. Jorac’s Pirate Tribunals did steady business as did the airlocks.
The ‘Green Monkey’ known as Guts did survive but later fell foul of the Argon Authorities he ended his days in an Argon penal institution.
‘Freedom’ eventually became a very law abiding Pirate Base: partly through all the terminal ‘Monkey’ examples. Jorac even went ahead and imposed a degree of gun control so that only his own security forces bore fire arms on station although knives were still permitted and a degree of limited violence was not uncommon - well his troops were still Space Pirates with all the baggage that went with that!
For a time Jorac succeeded in turning the Clans into fully subservient Auxiliaries but it remained a fragile dominion and nothing ever lasts forever.
None of the true missing in the Laboratory survived their ordeal all of them had to be mercy killed - many by Judas - simply because he was one of the few there who had the stomach for that fell but necessary deed.
Treasure while on Station was initially embraced by everyone on ‘Freedom’, she was seen as one of the few positive things that came out of the ’under works’ blood red tinged shadows. Little did people know that she had been for a time the very beating heart of that dark.
If I have left out other individuals or threads it is mostly because I just don’t know or their tales and this information is best told elsewhere in other stories.
Finally because of the fear of spatial distortion (cargo compression) madness, few if anyone ever later talked about the old ‘under works’ most endeavoured not even to think about it too much - if they could help it. Once that region compacted a kind of mutual unspoken conspiracy of silence condemned it to be edited out of the Pirates history files. It had become associated with nothing but bad luck and suffering not to mention the dead old ‘Monkey Kings’ hated regime. Pirates like any spacer can be quite superstitious most were content to let those old ghosts rest in peace in their compacted tombs.
[end]
Second Supplemental - Treasure’s Words - In final Requiem
We are all capable of being Monsters don’t doubt it: I pray that you believe why because only - self knowledge - can save us from ourselves.
How do I reconcile it? I have had ages to contemplate my past actions: while I accept responsibility I also firmly believe I was also a victim: the product of all that I had met. That is the problem with some inflexible systems of justice and with simplistic retribution even those I committed to: vigilantes forget that the guilty were once innocent people and victims too.
How many of us have not been bent out of shape - at least in part - by events beyond our control or by accidental unintended consequences of our own actions. Besides relatively speaking - who in truth is innocent enough to cast that first stone - even the young are not without their guile, deceit and aggression. I don‘t claim this - to be in any way negative - it is just the nature of the predator that lurks smugly behind the forward facing eyes of us all.
Perhaps in the great scheme even suffering has some purpose - if only to make us a little wiser after the fact.
After I was carried from the Laboratory I ended up in the infirmary there Amon watched over me perhaps trying to absolve his own feelings of guilt. When I came to full cognition but claiming amnesia (yet a little illogically seeming to be suffering from clinical depression) he helped me by nursing my shadow haunted mind back to the light of life and even laughter - which helped him too.
When some occasional oddity forced him to wonder and fret about my nature luckily for me Amon’s own ego naturally shied away from the full truth. If I was a bit odd it was because I had been crudely experimented with, he told himself. Amon was - torn - by a growing conflict of emotions around me.
Initially after my rescue I also contrived to spent many hours in the ‘Arch Fallen Angel’s’ company, but he still tried to avoid me as an unwelcome guest. Yes even after all my efforts to win him over I had erred: I used the image of Bane’s wife as a rough guide for my new features thinking in my emotional naivety this would help attract rather than repel Jorac fool that I was.
Of course my countenance did the opposite. I constantly reminded him of everything he had lost, and could never ever fully get back! Beyond reason for a time I still tried - to connect - perhaps to justify my crimes by doggedly seeking to fulfil my original mission.
However in the end I had to accept defeat. Besides I accidentally found solace elsewhere. Ironically Amon became more dear to my sensitivities as my fascination with Jorac waned. Maybe it was all that attention he lavished on me. Or perhaps that first innocent contact of flesh on flesh when he laid his hands upon me to pick me up. My emotions were bedevilled it is quite possible I wrought the feeling in this fake Argon skin far too well. At first I fought against this change of obsession - but it was to no avail - I was snared by my own trap aren‘t we all.
As matters turned out I was initially good, then bad for him then I was happy to become his saviour and constant companion.
On top of his confusion: when I had been rejected by Jorac, I belatedly shamelessly gave in to my bodies cravings and threw myself at Amon using every natural and unnatural ability I possessed to get - very selfishly - all that I wanted.
The ‘Wolf ’proved surprisingly resistant. It took a shocking degree of persistence for example to lure him at last into my bed - despite all my charms - so I could experiment with making those limited Argon physical connections.
At that time I was also rather confused. In part deluding myself that being with Amon was as much about reducing his suspicions and maintaining my cover as anything else. Then I decided it was just about selfishly filling a little of the emptiness still within me from Jorac’s rejection via the ultimate in Argon intimacy - shallow though that was to one such as I. Later still I realised I felt more honest feelings than I had wanted to admit: feelings outside my logical control. I felt guilty again - I even confessed to some of my earlier manipulations, but I never actually honestly revealed all my abilities to him not while on ‘Freedom’.
I was now able to effect even normal Argon’s memories and thoughts via the outgrowth of almost microscopic filaments from my hair that could reach across and penetrate through to others brain tissue to make a direct neural link much like Jorac’s implant did only in my case in a temporary manner. My evolution was still constant even if the disguise of my outer shape remained fairly stable.
After the first time I gave in to the temptation and melded with Amon I felt so ashamed that I vowed to leave ‘Freedom’ and to never return. I departed under my guise of an unknown ex slave with deficient memory whom Amon had named of all things ‘Treasure’. For he said he ‘bore me out of the darkness like a single bright glowing gem’. I later learned after my departure he buried his memories of our short shared history ever deeper: throwing himself into his work and never mentioning my name as if I hadn‘t existed.
Yet I couldn’t forget him without deleting those memories altogether and that I refused to do. I kept my promise I never returned to ‘Freedom’ Station as such but I did return to Amon. In fact I went so far as to rescue him from his bondage to Plu Dup’s Federal ‘Legion of the Damned’.
At first he was displeased with me for I refused to aid in the liberation of his fellows as well. Luckily he got over that in time, for I had grown wary of bold interventions and not for my own sake either.
While I vowed not to tamper with my ‘Wolf’s’ mind I soon broke that restraint too, but I only ever fully interfaced with Amon lightly and in healing ways with a degree of affection to reduce his worries. This I occasionally did right up to the end while he slept next to me now I wonder was I wrong even in that?
One day after his rescue I decided he was ready and I confessed all my crimes on ‘Freedom’ - by that time - I judged Amon was capable of coming to terms with those wider facts. Like myself I was convinced that he could see the entity who committed those hate filled deeds was not the ‘Treasure’ I had become - very much with his help!
Of course we had a terrible row and split for a time but we were drawn inexorably together again. Again it was Amon who came to rescue me from my temporary despair. Then we found a joy in retelling our story as an object lesson of sorts. In truth no one ever really believed us to them it was merely an entertaining fantasy that we strange lovers liked to weave around ourselves as a show.
Nor did we really want them to believe it save as an enthralling educative piece of fiction! Yet near the end we both found the dissemination of the actual facts to anyone willing to listen somewhat cathartic - yes even when less imaginative individuals incredulity turned to mockery we still appreciated an audience for our little fantasy morality plays.
We found a degree of peace by hiding right out in the open: it was a freedom far more delicious than skulking about in the shadows - trust me - for I have done both consummately. Me and my old ‘Wolf’ felt somehow that their was vindication in warning others about abuses of power by the examples of our own misspent youth. While in my spare time I covertly fought against Argon political and social corruption rather more directly via an inter link avatar. Hacking and disseminating secret government and corporate information.
To sponsor our easy lifestyle I also used my abilities to generate credits via making small amounts spread over many, many insider deals so that nothing I did for our financial benefit effected the market adversely. Mostly though I just loved Amon and explored the Federal Colonies with him moving from planet to planet as tourists occasionally stopping whenever something caught our interest often to you no doubt surprisingly small and mundane matters. Sometimes we meddled in local affairs, but always with a high degree of self imposed restraint. Respect, love and concern for each other helped keep us grounded - especially me - until Amon inevitably passed away (due entirely to the natural causes of built in organic degeneration).
As you might imagine I could have kept him alive and healthy in any number of ways or copied him digitally, but he was a steadfast sensible Argon at heart. To him a hollow immortality was unnatural and something he didn’t want or deserve. I suppose to his nature such a fate might have been a crime. He wasn‘t impressed by the ‘Aladna Hill’s’ Devil’s stolen half life. I had explained to him all about that process of copying and transplanting ones id.
At the last Amon - unlike myself - was happy even willing to slip away on that most mysterious journey of all (perhaps a voyage I will never take at least not until the end of the Universe itself). I watched every twitch of his face with real tears in my eyes as we parted Amon taking the coldest of all vectors down the spacers Reapers Passage. That was the hardest thing I ever did letting him translate from one state of existence perhaps to another with the speed of one drawn out final breath, A breath that to me as my mind speeded up to hold onto him seemed very slow and yet not slow enough. How foolishly we cling well beyond reason.
Directly after that change I regenerated myself from the faked surface of my almost externally matched aging process and carried on. At first doing so because that was what Amon had bade me to do. However I don’t find life to be a burden there is always something new to discover something wonderful especially from this intimate and lowly perspective. Occasionally when I did feel - one alone - I sought out old friends sometimes not revealing myself but ghosting along just watching at other times I conversed with new ones like ‘Wasted Intelligence’.
For I do still miss him - I think I always will - but that is the price I willingly paid to set him free. I have lots of good memories to console me of the bold Pirate who taught me how to be an Argon not to mention a reasonably well behaved demi goddess among my adopted species the Argon. Those perfectly captured inner images will have to be enough! In the end as a wise person once said ‘change is the only constant’.
Today I like to think the true essence of Amon lives on gathered up by the benevolent but silent creator of everything. If such a belief is just a lie I am telling to myself I don’t care - in this Universe a few beautiful lies can help - yes even those with vast power! So maybe at some almost inconceivable end, that is really in fact - a truly new beginning for all things - we will meet again.
Recently I have been tempted to go on a quest: to find out what became of my old body. I often wonder what it has gotten up to out there among known or unknown stars. Perhaps in that their is another bold story worth telling. In a way I imagine despite all the initial abuse and suffering I put it through it had a - cleaner - less troubling rebirth than I. Yet I imagine like all self obsessed sentient entities it would beg to disagree with my external vision of its most personal and cherished inner most feelings.
[end]
Appendix II
The anatomy of a Ghost and other errata -
as explained to Amon by Treasure
What Jorac encountered was the result of my meld with flesh and constant forced evolution: the genetic and mechanical reengineering of myself. Something of my original form was hid within the semi translucent monster as noted by Bale - an insect like apparition.
As the Ghost my locomotion on station was a mixture of a wide range of effects. Often I just rippled along via moving my own muscles across surfaces or created various nodules that could act like primitive legs frequently with suckers attached. I also used various distortion field effects to literally - warp - myself along at seemingly impossible speeds. Many other means could also be employed such as for example grasping and pulling or just stretching forward my fore parts and contracting in my rear end like a worm - that could also allow me to move with shocking speed.
Although by the end of my period on ‘Freedom’ the Ghost’s mass was considerable I could change my shape to fit through fairly small areas or just squeeze part of myself through to act almost independently - while attached by a long trunk or even a fine cable of my essence to my Hive Queen nerve centre. My density could be varied greatly as well so that I could contract into a small very hard dense and heavy body.
As noted my outer body had the ability to form huge tentacles, but also less well known very fine strands so delicate they were all but invisible. Those threads I occasionally used to almost fish for my prey often with a sucker or claw like object attached. My skin was capable of various degrees of softness or hardness easily forming outer metal hard razor sharp claws and teeth like devices at will.
Often I supplemented my intake of elements by absorbing in any loose material to which I came in contact when travelling - thus the odd cleanliness in the ducts I favoured. Sometimes I actually scraped away a uniform layer of the metallic surface itself. I confess my feeding on flesh beyond the original sample needed for a meld was not strictly necessary. Especially later I could easily have created other internal means to generate and support my energy needs. In fact in part I used other means all along I merely supplemented these via hunting. It amused me to become a sometime carnivore in the same manner as the Argon feasted on their Argnu it seemed appropriate.
Being a true creature of the void we are able to propel ourselves through space again via various means everything from solar sails to the generation of distortion warp fields and the creation of worm holes: not unlike those made by the ancient’s gates.
Due to my particular altered nature I could easily create and release tame biomechanical virus that can effect both flesh, machinery, electronics and computers. Over these I could retain a sustained control or they could be made to operate fully independently self replicating like true purely biological viral entities.
Being biomechanical we are designed to interface with other technologies especially via our offspring or drones. Hacking is as easy and natural to us as breathing is for you. Our drones are connected to us via a means I am unwilling to discuss but is exotic enough that it can neither be detected or blocked by any means you Argon possess.
On ‘Freedom’ I interfaced with almost every system on station via drones of one type or another. I also constructed various basic mechanical helpers and made good use of the ‘Monkey Kings’ hidden laboratories. A lot of the material believed looted by Scavengers was in fact taken and used by myself if you hadn‘t guessed.
Among my engineering projects I built an ego capture and transfer device, the reactor in the ‘under works’ and enhanced the already by Argon standards sophisticated spatial distortion there not to mention seriously upgrading the life support systems. I insured nothing of any significance however remained - intact - to be used by Jorac or anyone else. The compaction and my reactor’s dangerous nature among other events being no accident.
Of other technologies - some utterly beyond even the current comprehension of your tech level - I will not speak.
Lastly I would just like to add that I was and still remain - even to my own species - a unique aberration the result of a freak accident with an ancient highly advanced (by your standards) artefact far too casually meddled with by you Argon.
In a way if you don’t like what I was, or have any fears about what I am, or even what I might later become well you have only yourselves to blame.
[end]
[ARP][File complete]_
Appendix I
First Supplemental - A few words from the first author - Amon.
On ‘Freedom’ everyone believed Jorac had slain the Ghost, and that the Ghost was a Khaak agent inside some kind of incredibly advanced biomechanical suit / vehicle / weapon being tested there. The material of this item self destructing into nothingness as did even the bits of blown off matter before it could be properly analysed - to everyone’s surprise at the time - except Jorac who had seen the visuals of Judas and Shunts virus doing much the same thing. The case was closed. Being a rather crazy time it needed simple to understand explanations. Jorac gladly adapted Bales story - once the details of that invention got back to him. I accepted it as well - at least on the surface - for my own reasons.
All of the ‘under works’ shrunk and compacted some sections almost immediately others a little later or in stages all this commencing not too long after Jorac’s victory over the (as it was broadcast) Khaak entity. Eventually the area had to be completely evacuated and those spaces were never considered for any use ever again - not even when the station changed hands as all Pirate Bases inevitably do. In fact towards the end they were completely forgotten about. When any anomaly was noted on internal scans it simply looked like some scrap material dumped into some gaps by lazy or incompetent Teladi builders or one of the stations previous owners who couldn‘t be bothered recycling or jettisoning such junk into space.
I believe the fact that so much took place in such a short time period helped some of us to let it go. It is mad what we can cram into a few seconds or minutes of our lives, or a day, or a week and then months can pass even years that are comparatively empty of content when put under the scrutiny of a review. I have come to believe that real life - the important bits - are not lived in years but instead in emotional moments some of: glory, others of pain, and suffering, surprise, terror, elation, boredom, fear, anger and of course joy and love.
‘Treasure’ being very unique I know won’t be offended by me telling you here that sometimes I have wondered am I wrong for loving a Monster: something that now just masks its essence in our Argon shape? I’ll leave that for you to decide, I just know that I do, and I can‘t help it and I don’t care - not anymore - time changes many things! Of course it is easy to overlook what you don’t see and Treasure on the surface looks well perfect. Otherwise I’m sure some of you are thinking wow - that last bit went quick - what happened to all the other characters so lightly touched on. Well I can’t encompass it all but what follows is a little of what I do know.
Lucky remained blessed by chance at first. He talked his way out of trouble and into membership of the ‘Fallen Angels’ as an intelligence analyst soon working alongside Roid. A bit of fortune that surprised Roid but also gave him some relief - as he felt guilty - about ratting him out in the first place. Luck however if you rely on it too much will eventually run dry. Lucky was killed before his time by a certain group of Boron Privateers known as the ‘Sharks’. Although he was in fact only wounded in battle. A poor understanding of Argon anatomical knowledge following his capture resulted in his demise during a botched bit of surgery - to fix of all things - a fractured hip.
After selling some large quantities of Shagga cloth to Jorac Judas returned to Aladna Hill. There he later resurfaced to become a major industrialist specialising in the production of toxins and antidotes with the assistance of a certain patron - an entity who became very powerful there. He also later became something of a beloved uncle to Kerry.
The rest of Jorac’s story is a strange one and is best told elsewhere.
Breaker also joined the ‘Fallen’ and had a long and successful Pirate career - technically - surviving Jorac to serve in his time another ‘Arch Fallen Angel’ also on ‘Aladna Hill’ taking up a commission in Beach Head’s local military. Unfortunately his true identity came to the surface in his relative old age whilst visiting Prime. To his shock Breaker was arrested tried and executed as an Argon Marine deserter in what became a political show case trial. Many believed this deed was a petty act of revenge by friends of an Argon faction that used to be headed up by the Admiral Sven.
Flame was secretly murdered by Bale when she discovered him instigating an early plot on ‘Freedom’ against Jorac. Her killer was believed to be a ‘Green Monkey’ who was in fact framed. I only know the truth because Bale boasted to me personally about this deed later when we became - temporary - confederates.
Sword was deeply effected by what she saw in the ‘under works’ laboratory as many others. She chose to leave the ‘Fallen Angels’ and ‘Freedom’ station with Jorac’s permission and vanished from any story I know of. Rumour however said she journeyed to Earth seeking after the full truth of the legendary provenance of the weapon - that I at least - never saw her draw once in anger.
Scratch died on ‘Freedom’ he was killed by a Hyena as were a great many wounded ‘Monkeys’.
Maul despite some initial protestations became the new ‘Monkey King’ after Lucky abdicated. He followed Jorac in all things realising that was the safest thing to do Jorac provided the brains Maul the brawn. To his shock he still woke up briefly one morning to realise he had been fatally stabbed: murdered in his sleep by a skilled on station serial killer. She was an ex slave that had taken him into her bed - not for the credits she had claimed - but to gut him much as she had seen her children being butchered by the old ‘Monkey King’. One of her offspring it turned out had actually ended his days as a Hyena. Chloe killed eight Monkeys in this fashion before she was caught - she was especially proud of her slaying of Maul. Jorac claimed he shot her while trying to escape and then had her body spaced, but in fact he smuggled her off his station she was sent to retire on ‘Aladna Hill’ with a generous credit pension.
Survivor - survived he lived in the ‘Dive’ for a time then left ‘Freedom’ mostly because Bale kept annoying him: complaining about the inaccuracy of his maps and information - which damaged his local reputation. Against his better judgement he later got roped into working with Argon Navy Intelligence eventually serving a commander called Fay working directly under another agent called Tebbin with some distinction. He was destined to outlive both Fay and Tebbin and later worked directly with Ban Danna and Plu Dup.
Kerry’s story is linked inevitably with the ‘Arch Fallen Angel’ and is told elsewhere.
To keep Roid’s word as a ‘Fallen Angel’ Jorac had Tai protected healed and moved off station. After his medical treatment Tai vanished off the Pirates gravidar scanners rumour has it that he settled at first in ‘Bala Gi‘s Joy’ and was a refugee at one point on AFC 4 somehow there he managed to acquire a new identity. He married a plain girl and endeavoured to have a large family living quietly on planet in ‘Home of Light’. Rather shockingly he worked until his retirement as a completely indistinct clerk in the local civil service office of taxation according to Treasure’s researches.
Bristle made a reasonable recovery but lost a little of his bravery. He never quite got over some of the fears that crept into him while he was left alone in a state of debilitation within the distortion of the ‘under works’. The experience taught him a new degree of caution. He remained a ‘Grey Wolf’ until he died among his friends.
Juice panicked during the second attack on the Angels & Allies and ran into a pack of Hyena’s. Remarkably he survived that assault but when he recovered from his injuries he left ‘Freedom’ and the ‘Rats’ I don’t know for sure what happened to him although I did hear an unsubstantiated rumour that he ended up as a permanent inmate in the Argon Asylum raving about tentacle sprouting monsters.
Innis was later killed during a mission in his scout ship in ‘Bala Gi’s Joy’. Some came to believe he committed suicide - by taking inordinate risks. He wasn’t quite the same Argon after he returned from the ‘under works’ perhaps he was really killed down there by the distortion field and the sights he saw in that difficult to forget laboratory. Cargo compression can have very subtle effects on some minds. Shunt was devastated as she had become quite close to Innis helping him through his depression though she never got as close to him as she had hoped.
Andrea was quietly disposed of by my ‘Wolves’ after we discovered she was in fact a ‘Fallen Angel’ sleeper spy. I wasn’t happy about it but it had to be done - for a host of reasons - we made it appear a training accident to Jorac. She should not be confused with another Andrea who was one of the Nights Daughters on ‘Purgatory’ and later ‘Aladna Hill’ [see the Reapers Passage].
Opus mysteriously disappeared around about the same time that Andrea had her accident -none of our doing - but I came to believe all three: Andrea, Opus and Helen were tools of Jorac. It made Helen’s death lighter for me to bear, and my later reconciliation with the nature of my Treasure slightly easier to deal with.
Diamond lost leadership of the ‘Blood Hawks’ to of all people Simple. Simple turned out to be a good leader overall. He was not stupid he just liked to keep things - simple - and grounded dealing with the Mad Parlay had just been a bit overwhelming for him at that time. He seemed to grow up a lot after his period in the ‘under works’. He came to his clans wider notice first when Diamond was wounded by a Bear and Simple was forced to temporarily take over command.
Aesyr was killed by the shock appearance of the Bear that wounded Diamond also in the last assault.
Yono survived the ’under works’ but was killed later during a failed assassination attempt against Jorac. She believed Jorac got Khaak technology from the laboratory. Because Jorac never mentioned any finds, and refused to share any booty she grew increasing disgruntled with his over lording leadership. Her assassination attempt was a personal almost spare of the moment opportunistic endeavour (not an action planned and sanctified by her clan). No revenge was taken by the ‘Wyverns’ when she died as a result of her personal rebellion, but it later made them susceptible to Bales - uprising - whisper campaign. By allowing themselves to be used by the ‘Rats’ many brave ‘White Wyvern’s’ usually a sensible crew were destined to get themselves killed including my friend Vale.
Spanner survived long enough to install a new safe generator on ‘Freedom’ and shut down what proved to be a very dangerous beast of a reactor in the ‘under works’. He unfortunately later died from a resultant radiation sickness. I heard secretly Jorac felt his loss more deeply than any other during that period. It touched him for a long time. I believe that was why he never talked about, or mentioned Spanner again.
Slips story is told elsewhere.
Hard Heart was killed in action against a Federal Argon Navy patrol. I heard it was an unlucky missile strike against already lowered shields that did the skilled veteran in. A good quick clean way for any Pirate to go I‘m sure some later envied him.
Many of the ex Slaves who had stayed down in the ’under works’ to the last but escaped being compacted ended up in one Mental Health Institution or another. Jorac surprisingly kindly had them secretly transported and quietly paid for their treatment - a very few even recovered and lived semi normal lives.
Of those slaves that left the ‘under works’ early and were able to put in part the past behind them: many, and no tales are told. Some the majority naturally faded into the background, but a few a very few others became important figures either directly or via their children or their children’s children. Why because they were motivated to do important things having been taught to appreciate the gift of their lives. Sometimes paradoxically a little good comes from even the darkest of deeds.
Lots more ‘Green Monkeys’ perished at the hands of the Clans under Jorac’s regime. Some were murdered quietly by ex slaves - many others - simply couldn’t fully adapt to having to abide by any rules of even criminal conduct they were too used to their old lords brutal anarchic ways and doing just as they pleased. Jorac’s Pirate Tribunals did steady business as did the airlocks.
The ‘Green Monkey’ known as Guts did survive but later fell foul of the Argon Authorities he ended his days in an Argon penal institution.
‘Freedom’ eventually became a very law abiding Pirate Base: partly through all the terminal ‘Monkey’ examples. Jorac even went ahead and imposed a degree of gun control so that only his own security forces bore fire arms on station although knives were still permitted and a degree of limited violence was not uncommon - well his troops were still Space Pirates with all the baggage that went with that!
For a time Jorac succeeded in turning the Clans into fully subservient Auxiliaries but it remained a fragile dominion and nothing ever lasts forever.
None of the true missing in the Laboratory survived their ordeal all of them had to be mercy killed - many by Judas - simply because he was one of the few there who had the stomach for that fell but necessary deed.
Treasure while on Station was initially embraced by everyone on ‘Freedom’, she was seen as one of the few positive things that came out of the ’under works’ blood red tinged shadows. Little did people know that she had been for a time the very beating heart of that dark.
If I have left out other individuals or threads it is mostly because I just don’t know or their tales and this information is best told elsewhere in other stories.
Finally because of the fear of spatial distortion (cargo compression) madness, few if anyone ever later talked about the old ‘under works’ most endeavoured not even to think about it too much - if they could help it. Once that region compacted a kind of mutual unspoken conspiracy of silence condemned it to be edited out of the Pirates history files. It had become associated with nothing but bad luck and suffering not to mention the dead old ‘Monkey Kings’ hated regime. Pirates like any spacer can be quite superstitious most were content to let those old ghosts rest in peace in their compacted tombs.
[end]
Second Supplemental - Treasure’s Words - In final Requiem
We are all capable of being Monsters don’t doubt it: I pray that you believe why because only - self knowledge - can save us from ourselves.
How do I reconcile it? I have had ages to contemplate my past actions: while I accept responsibility I also firmly believe I was also a victim: the product of all that I had met. That is the problem with some inflexible systems of justice and with simplistic retribution even those I committed to: vigilantes forget that the guilty were once innocent people and victims too.
How many of us have not been bent out of shape - at least in part - by events beyond our control or by accidental unintended consequences of our own actions. Besides relatively speaking - who in truth is innocent enough to cast that first stone - even the young are not without their guile, deceit and aggression. I don‘t claim this - to be in any way negative - it is just the nature of the predator that lurks smugly behind the forward facing eyes of us all.
Perhaps in the great scheme even suffering has some purpose - if only to make us a little wiser after the fact.
After I was carried from the Laboratory I ended up in the infirmary there Amon watched over me perhaps trying to absolve his own feelings of guilt. When I came to full cognition but claiming amnesia (yet a little illogically seeming to be suffering from clinical depression) he helped me by nursing my shadow haunted mind back to the light of life and even laughter - which helped him too.
When some occasional oddity forced him to wonder and fret about my nature luckily for me Amon’s own ego naturally shied away from the full truth. If I was a bit odd it was because I had been crudely experimented with, he told himself. Amon was - torn - by a growing conflict of emotions around me.
Initially after my rescue I also contrived to spent many hours in the ‘Arch Fallen Angel’s’ company, but he still tried to avoid me as an unwelcome guest. Yes even after all my efforts to win him over I had erred: I used the image of Bane’s wife as a rough guide for my new features thinking in my emotional naivety this would help attract rather than repel Jorac fool that I was.
Of course my countenance did the opposite. I constantly reminded him of everything he had lost, and could never ever fully get back! Beyond reason for a time I still tried - to connect - perhaps to justify my crimes by doggedly seeking to fulfil my original mission.
However in the end I had to accept defeat. Besides I accidentally found solace elsewhere. Ironically Amon became more dear to my sensitivities as my fascination with Jorac waned. Maybe it was all that attention he lavished on me. Or perhaps that first innocent contact of flesh on flesh when he laid his hands upon me to pick me up. My emotions were bedevilled it is quite possible I wrought the feeling in this fake Argon skin far too well. At first I fought against this change of obsession - but it was to no avail - I was snared by my own trap aren‘t we all.
As matters turned out I was initially good, then bad for him then I was happy to become his saviour and constant companion.
On top of his confusion: when I had been rejected by Jorac, I belatedly shamelessly gave in to my bodies cravings and threw myself at Amon using every natural and unnatural ability I possessed to get - very selfishly - all that I wanted.
The ‘Wolf ’proved surprisingly resistant. It took a shocking degree of persistence for example to lure him at last into my bed - despite all my charms - so I could experiment with making those limited Argon physical connections.
At that time I was also rather confused. In part deluding myself that being with Amon was as much about reducing his suspicions and maintaining my cover as anything else. Then I decided it was just about selfishly filling a little of the emptiness still within me from Jorac’s rejection via the ultimate in Argon intimacy - shallow though that was to one such as I. Later still I realised I felt more honest feelings than I had wanted to admit: feelings outside my logical control. I felt guilty again - I even confessed to some of my earlier manipulations, but I never actually honestly revealed all my abilities to him not while on ‘Freedom’.
I was now able to effect even normal Argon’s memories and thoughts via the outgrowth of almost microscopic filaments from my hair that could reach across and penetrate through to others brain tissue to make a direct neural link much like Jorac’s implant did only in my case in a temporary manner. My evolution was still constant even if the disguise of my outer shape remained fairly stable.
After the first time I gave in to the temptation and melded with Amon I felt so ashamed that I vowed to leave ‘Freedom’ and to never return. I departed under my guise of an unknown ex slave with deficient memory whom Amon had named of all things ‘Treasure’. For he said he ‘bore me out of the darkness like a single bright glowing gem’. I later learned after my departure he buried his memories of our short shared history ever deeper: throwing himself into his work and never mentioning my name as if I hadn‘t existed.
Yet I couldn’t forget him without deleting those memories altogether and that I refused to do. I kept my promise I never returned to ‘Freedom’ Station as such but I did return to Amon. In fact I went so far as to rescue him from his bondage to Plu Dup’s Federal ‘Legion of the Damned’.
At first he was displeased with me for I refused to aid in the liberation of his fellows as well. Luckily he got over that in time, for I had grown wary of bold interventions and not for my own sake either.
While I vowed not to tamper with my ‘Wolf’s’ mind I soon broke that restraint too, but I only ever fully interfaced with Amon lightly and in healing ways with a degree of affection to reduce his worries. This I occasionally did right up to the end while he slept next to me now I wonder was I wrong even in that?
One day after his rescue I decided he was ready and I confessed all my crimes on ‘Freedom’ - by that time - I judged Amon was capable of coming to terms with those wider facts. Like myself I was convinced that he could see the entity who committed those hate filled deeds was not the ‘Treasure’ I had become - very much with his help!
Of course we had a terrible row and split for a time but we were drawn inexorably together again. Again it was Amon who came to rescue me from my temporary despair. Then we found a joy in retelling our story as an object lesson of sorts. In truth no one ever really believed us to them it was merely an entertaining fantasy that we strange lovers liked to weave around ourselves as a show.
Nor did we really want them to believe it save as an enthralling educative piece of fiction! Yet near the end we both found the dissemination of the actual facts to anyone willing to listen somewhat cathartic - yes even when less imaginative individuals incredulity turned to mockery we still appreciated an audience for our little fantasy morality plays.
We found a degree of peace by hiding right out in the open: it was a freedom far more delicious than skulking about in the shadows - trust me - for I have done both consummately. Me and my old ‘Wolf’ felt somehow that their was vindication in warning others about abuses of power by the examples of our own misspent youth. While in my spare time I covertly fought against Argon political and social corruption rather more directly via an inter link avatar. Hacking and disseminating secret government and corporate information.
To sponsor our easy lifestyle I also used my abilities to generate credits via making small amounts spread over many, many insider deals so that nothing I did for our financial benefit effected the market adversely. Mostly though I just loved Amon and explored the Federal Colonies with him moving from planet to planet as tourists occasionally stopping whenever something caught our interest often to you no doubt surprisingly small and mundane matters. Sometimes we meddled in local affairs, but always with a high degree of self imposed restraint. Respect, love and concern for each other helped keep us grounded - especially me - until Amon inevitably passed away (due entirely to the natural causes of built in organic degeneration).
As you might imagine I could have kept him alive and healthy in any number of ways or copied him digitally, but he was a steadfast sensible Argon at heart. To him a hollow immortality was unnatural and something he didn’t want or deserve. I suppose to his nature such a fate might have been a crime. He wasn‘t impressed by the ‘Aladna Hill’s’ Devil’s stolen half life. I had explained to him all about that process of copying and transplanting ones id.
At the last Amon - unlike myself - was happy even willing to slip away on that most mysterious journey of all (perhaps a voyage I will never take at least not until the end of the Universe itself). I watched every twitch of his face with real tears in my eyes as we parted Amon taking the coldest of all vectors down the spacers Reapers Passage. That was the hardest thing I ever did letting him translate from one state of existence perhaps to another with the speed of one drawn out final breath, A breath that to me as my mind speeded up to hold onto him seemed very slow and yet not slow enough. How foolishly we cling well beyond reason.
Directly after that change I regenerated myself from the faked surface of my almost externally matched aging process and carried on. At first doing so because that was what Amon had bade me to do. However I don’t find life to be a burden there is always something new to discover something wonderful especially from this intimate and lowly perspective. Occasionally when I did feel - one alone - I sought out old friends sometimes not revealing myself but ghosting along just watching at other times I conversed with new ones like ‘Wasted Intelligence’.
For I do still miss him - I think I always will - but that is the price I willingly paid to set him free. I have lots of good memories to console me of the bold Pirate who taught me how to be an Argon not to mention a reasonably well behaved demi goddess among my adopted species the Argon. Those perfectly captured inner images will have to be enough! In the end as a wise person once said ‘change is the only constant’.
Today I like to think the true essence of Amon lives on gathered up by the benevolent but silent creator of everything. If such a belief is just a lie I am telling to myself I don’t care - in this Universe a few beautiful lies can help - yes even those with vast power! So maybe at some almost inconceivable end, that is really in fact - a truly new beginning for all things - we will meet again.
Recently I have been tempted to go on a quest: to find out what became of my old body. I often wonder what it has gotten up to out there among known or unknown stars. Perhaps in that their is another bold story worth telling. In a way I imagine despite all the initial abuse and suffering I put it through it had a - cleaner - less troubling rebirth than I. Yet I imagine like all self obsessed sentient entities it would beg to disagree with my external vision of its most personal and cherished inner most feelings.
[end]
Appendix II
The anatomy of a Ghost and other errata -
as explained to Amon by Treasure
What Jorac encountered was the result of my meld with flesh and constant forced evolution: the genetic and mechanical reengineering of myself. Something of my original form was hid within the semi translucent monster as noted by Bale - an insect like apparition.
As the Ghost my locomotion on station was a mixture of a wide range of effects. Often I just rippled along via moving my own muscles across surfaces or created various nodules that could act like primitive legs frequently with suckers attached. I also used various distortion field effects to literally - warp - myself along at seemingly impossible speeds. Many other means could also be employed such as for example grasping and pulling or just stretching forward my fore parts and contracting in my rear end like a worm - that could also allow me to move with shocking speed.
Although by the end of my period on ‘Freedom’ the Ghost’s mass was considerable I could change my shape to fit through fairly small areas or just squeeze part of myself through to act almost independently - while attached by a long trunk or even a fine cable of my essence to my Hive Queen nerve centre. My density could be varied greatly as well so that I could contract into a small very hard dense and heavy body.
As noted my outer body had the ability to form huge tentacles, but also less well known very fine strands so delicate they were all but invisible. Those threads I occasionally used to almost fish for my prey often with a sucker or claw like object attached. My skin was capable of various degrees of softness or hardness easily forming outer metal hard razor sharp claws and teeth like devices at will.
Often I supplemented my intake of elements by absorbing in any loose material to which I came in contact when travelling - thus the odd cleanliness in the ducts I favoured. Sometimes I actually scraped away a uniform layer of the metallic surface itself. I confess my feeding on flesh beyond the original sample needed for a meld was not strictly necessary. Especially later I could easily have created other internal means to generate and support my energy needs. In fact in part I used other means all along I merely supplemented these via hunting. It amused me to become a sometime carnivore in the same manner as the Argon feasted on their Argnu it seemed appropriate.
Being a true creature of the void we are able to propel ourselves through space again via various means everything from solar sails to the generation of distortion warp fields and the creation of worm holes: not unlike those made by the ancient’s gates.
Due to my particular altered nature I could easily create and release tame biomechanical virus that can effect both flesh, machinery, electronics and computers. Over these I could retain a sustained control or they could be made to operate fully independently self replicating like true purely biological viral entities.
Being biomechanical we are designed to interface with other technologies especially via our offspring or drones. Hacking is as easy and natural to us as breathing is for you. Our drones are connected to us via a means I am unwilling to discuss but is exotic enough that it can neither be detected or blocked by any means you Argon possess.
On ‘Freedom’ I interfaced with almost every system on station via drones of one type or another. I also constructed various basic mechanical helpers and made good use of the ‘Monkey Kings’ hidden laboratories. A lot of the material believed looted by Scavengers was in fact taken and used by myself if you hadn‘t guessed.
Among my engineering projects I built an ego capture and transfer device, the reactor in the ‘under works’ and enhanced the already by Argon standards sophisticated spatial distortion there not to mention seriously upgrading the life support systems. I insured nothing of any significance however remained - intact - to be used by Jorac or anyone else. The compaction and my reactor’s dangerous nature among other events being no accident.
Of other technologies - some utterly beyond even the current comprehension of your tech level - I will not speak.
Lastly I would just like to add that I was and still remain - even to my own species - a unique aberration the result of a freak accident with an ancient highly advanced (by your standards) artefact far too casually meddled with by you Argon.
In a way if you don’t like what I was, or have any fears about what I am, or even what I might later become well you have only yourselves to blame.
[end]
[ARP][File complete]_
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