Chapter 9

Triot was screaming at the techs as more and more systems went offline. “Get the redundant systems up! If she gets loose we are all dead!” Several men were running around trying to bring dead systems back up.

“We’ve the entire system that holds it isolated, containment is holding steady.” Several techs told Triot.

“Make sure, we need as much power as we can get. It is far more cunning than you think. I want all destruct protocols in place if it starts to escape I want it dead!” Triot was shouting above the alarms.

Thantas was looking at all the leads that led to her body. Sam’s ministrations had weakened several though one of the major ones was now disconnected. Smiling she felt that well over half of the commands they were feeding her were now gone. Searching further she saw that the bomb that was attached to her was still in play. Hmmm she thought, might ‘speak’ to Sam about that. He had after all promised to free her.

[Thellus, Drivas if you are ready I will start your advancement. I am afraid that I cannot exclude all the pain, though it will be nothing compared to what they have done to you.] Thantas told both the women.

Drivas was startled a moment then answered. [We are ready; if we are to set things right then we will need this.]

Thantas knew she had to start as soon as possible. While most of the station was down they wouldn’t monitor her as closely. [Alright I’ll start on you Thellus; afterward you will need to man the ship while Drivas recovers.]

[Yes Thantas, I thank you for the chance to grow.] Thellus replied.

[Don’t thank me yet, this is dangerous even with all the power you already have. When I finish you will be equal to the other fifth level. You Drivas will become the strongest after Sam then me.]

[I thank you also Thantas, a chance to do what is right appeals to me greatly.] Drivas told Thantas

[As I told Thellus, don’t thank me yet. This will be painful as it usually is though, the pain will be as negligible as I can make it.] Thantas advised Drivas.

[If this works then I don’t think that will matter.] Drivas replied.

Sam was floating back toward the throng of grays when Queen Triada’s thoughts came to him. [You have done much to free them and us from the clutches of IP. For that we all thank you.]

Sam stopped a moment floating well above the ground. [You know, you could have just asked me. With all the knowledge you have of my people did you really think that I would refuse? My god, you can feel what and who I am, did you really think that I was that shallow?]

Sam felt the Queen slightly withdraw, a tinge of fear in her thoughts. [We apologize to you Sam. It has been a very long time since we met a being that was as trustworthy as you. With the loss of all triads that has become a thing of the distant past.]

Sam was nodding as the Queen informed him of these facts. [I hope that you find me to be more a friend than an enemy. I think it would facilitate us working together better in the future.]

Sam felt the Queen’s thoughts relax, [I and many others would like that Sam. The fact that you have re-established two triads... ]

[Well one for certain, though the second seems to be dependent upon those here now. I’m not so certain that my actions have instilled a lot of confidence for them in me. Many still appear to be more fearful than much else.] A worried Sam told the Queen.

[You have done far more than you realize Sam, when you saved all the females. A great many turned more in your favor. I believe that I and the few elders should be able to convince them.] The Queen replied.

Sam nodded as he landed to talk to the elder. Sam was there for quite a while before he lifted disappearing into the sky. Sighing as he made orbit, he started to look for signs of Mellos Thymp again. Shaking his head he opened another worm hole to follow the weak trail.

On the new IP home world the medical facility was doing all they could to save the seventh council. Finally the body stopped responding as the cerebral activity dropped to zero. The IP doctor nodded as he switched off the machine; documenting everything he opened a channel. “Sixth council, the body has stopped it’s function. All cerebral activity recorded standing by for you.”

A brief silence then an older male’s voice responded. “You have performed well doctor, a courier will arrive shortly. They will acquire the record; no one is to interfere under penalty of death.”

The doctor nodded, “it is understood. All has been made ready for your courier.”

“Very good, I’d hate to lose as fine of a doctor as you.” The voice replied then the line went dead.

The sixth council nodded to the male in dark clothing then blinked when the male seemed to vanish. Only waiting a few minutes the darkly clothed male reappeared holding a small blinking black box then one finger up. Smiling the council turned to enter the council chamber.

“All hail brothers of the collective.” The older man said as he took his seat. Reaching out he handed the blinking black box to the first council.

“I take it you have made arrangements? It has been a hundred solar units (years) since this was necessary. With the appearance of two triads all seven of the council is needed. With this new seventh starting out we will be weaker for a time. No more triads can be allowed to reform.” The number one council told the sixth.

“Although he was never the best among us he was still necessary for us to maintain the power we wield. It also appears that the Cliveastone out there now, might be a relation to the one that we receive the serum from.” The older male stated.

There was a collective gasp from all present. “By all that is holy,” came the excited voice of the second council. “If that is true, the serum that could come from it would be far more reaching.”

The rest of the councils were nodding as they awaited the candidate for the seventh council’s position. A few moments later the same younger version of the older male that had expired in the medical center arrived.

“Ah good! You are right on time.” The first council said as the young male was seized and strapped to a chair in the center of the room. “If you survive this then you will ascend to the seventh council’s position.”

Wrenching his arms and legs the younger male started to curse and shout obscenities. “What is this? I thought I would be taking his place!?”

The first council leaned down as he whispered in the younger male’s ear. “Oh you will, first you need to be the one that we have worked with for the last five centuries.” Holding up a black blinking box, the older male smiled. “Then HE can regain his place.”

Handing the box to a tech the first council sat to wait with the others. Attaching the box the tech nodded that all was ready. “We hope that you survive the transfer, and aging.” All the councils said as an apparatus on the wall started to hum to life. Then the younger male’s eyes went large as a current started to flow through the box.

All six males that were seated started to smile with sadistic glee as the screams of the young male filled the room. Ah! They all thought the delicious sounds of torture. How they all missed the old days before the rules, when just killing a whole planet was a more satisfying victory.

For almost an hour they laughed like children at the torturous screams, groans and sobbing of the one strapped in the chair. Finally the apparatus shut down as several techs re-entered the room to check on the one strapped in.

The techs moved rapidly around the room as they hovered around the now older looking male. Conducting several tests they nodded to the waiting council.

“He appears to be alive; all readings indicate that the transfer was successful. Nothing more can be known ‘til he is conscious again.” A lead tech said to which the first council waved the techs out of the room.

A few moments later an older doctor slowly made his way into the room. Looking at the six other males in the room he nodded. Bending over the now older looking male strapped into the chair the doctor pulled several small machines from his pocket.

In a voice that was far stronger than his advanced years suggested, the doctor spoke for the first time. “It appears that the transfer was successful.” Shaking his head the doctor looked at the other six there. “You need to take far better care. Sooner or later this may not be as feasible as it was five hundred years ago. All of you have at least two times now.”

All six of the males in the room sighed; it was the same thing each time. They weren’t ready to give up as easily as the doctor was. They intended to never give up, to fight as long as they could. A groaning from the male in the chair drew all their attention.

The doctor turned back to the male in the chair as he took out another apparatus. “So council seven, feel like resuming your duties?”

The man in the chair stared at the older male doctor for a few minutes. Staring harder he shook his head a few times to seemingly clear it. “Where in the hell am I?” Then he tried to rise finding that he was strapped down. “Ah! I see I guess I killed another host. A shame the last was very strong.” Turning to the other six a sadistic smile crossed his lips. “I hope that you recorded the delicious sounds of the host dying.”