S1, 04 Completion (September 26, 2016)

Our protagonist was last seen fallen in Regentis, now, her conscience has begun its return. So long away from reality has, for the immediate time, incapacitated her cognition. This story tells the tale from her own perspective. Fifteen minutes should be an appropriate amount of time to read comfortably. Please enjoy!

Viewing in retrospect, it is easy now to understand just how much power humanity possesses. I was helplessly laying still, in an unconscious state of paralysis. I could have sworn that I had heard somebody walk by, but I could not open my eyes to check. I did not feel any pain; I really could not feel anything much at all. Simply laying still, I fell back into hibernation.

 I can recall later thinking within my mind —trying to answer the most profound question in the universe to me at that time— What was two plus two? Was it an old wise saying with deep insight behind it, or was it a mathematical paradox? I was this time able to open my eyes, but when I tried to count my fingers, all reality seemed to have doomed me when I discovered that my hands were now shaped like "C"s! Dismayed at my discovery, I again fell back into hibernation.

I was then disturbed by an unusual feeling in my stomach —I could feel! My eyes were able to open, and I could hear the many sounds of my surroundings. I heard and saw so much —the sounds of running circuitry, the lights of illuminous displays— all together at once struck my mind with awe. Reality seemed faraway, my existence like a vivid dream. A shadow, which I perceived to be a man, then wandered by and spoke aloud, communicating the word “Soon.” I understood his one word, but did not know how I could communicate back with him; I thought very deeply, but could find no way. At that time, I had hoped that humanity may one day develop a universal method of communication, such as perhaps by speaking with their tongues. As I pondered about this, I yet again fell back into hibernation.

 Suddenly, during my ever extending rest, I understood! And my brain reconnected with my body! Gathering all my strength, I was able to sit upright. Seated nearby, I saw the man as he noticed my movement. Everything no longer seemed dreamy, but real —the man, the room, I perceived it all as real, and real it all was. I did not question any of it.

 “H-he-hello.” I ventured an attempt to say.

 “Hello,” the man replied, “Do you feel well?”

 Ah, so then did the nature of things make sense to me, and I could finally comprehend the world. Yet no sooner after I regained consciousness, I began questioning everything.

 I asked, "Doctor, what has happened to me?"

 "You were shot by a dart," the man replied, "And have been in a medically induced coma ever since. It was only a few months ago that you began regaining consciousness, today it seems that you can now control your muscles and speak clearly."

 At that, my composure was building up. I began to recall things, mostly short-term remembrances, yet I felt, once at last, that I controlled wholly my own. It was odd, I thought, that the room I was in and the man I was talking with both appeared familiar to me. They were both of friendly nature, and both I could predict with enough accuracy to assume an ideal comfort with; but yet, I felt as though both the man and room were holding me captive.

 "It will be some time", the man said, "Until you are fully recovered, until you become mentally stable." His voice seemed to blend into our surroundings. As he spoke, my conscience whispered that I was a child again, but my hands looked of forty. I then recalled my name, “Deirdre Stradè” I conceived it to be; I recalled my family, also the place where I had been raised. And with memories passing through my mind, the room quickly began to seem alien, very quickly it became to seem that I did not belong there.

 "It has been twenty-four years, maybe soon you'll be ready." He said, interrupting my thoughts.

Had I been insentient for some twenty-four years? For many reasons I could imagine at the time, this could not be. The so many questions I then had, they made me reminiscent of my past, a past which I could not fully recall. I gazed around, and there before me lay my abandoned Aurelian uniform. My memory recounted the fact that I was once one of these, an Aurelian soldier. Oh, how could I have even forgot.

 My conscience must not have been aware due to all that was happening, but it soon became apparent that I was inheld within the premise of an Imperial research facility. Memories of the war returned to mind —the battle I fought, the Imperium, Aurelia, and the Collective— after so many a year, surely Aurelia had been felled. At this thought, I realized the circumstances of my situation, and I became worried by all my uncertainty in mind.

 The man tilted his head as he looked towards me for a response.

 Say what you may, but my sudden realisation which followed impacted me profoundly. I realised that I had not been unconscious for twenty-four years, but that I, myself, was twenty-four years of age. And the stare which rendered so familiar was that of my brother from Earth!

 “Xosepe, brother!” I exclaimed. So very quickly then did my mind become devoid of all doubt that it was a clear and joyous moment. After awakening from hibernation, so much happened so very quickly. In the spur of the moment, I tried to stand, but obviously failed because my muscles hadn’t any strength.

 "Welcome home, Deirdre." Xosepe said as I lay collapsed on the floor, "You ought not tire yourself for you still are not yet mentally sound." But I was sound, albeit not physically. I distinctively recall feeling a sense of renaissance finally being able to think clearly, and my mind was reinvigorated by the sight of all that was around me.

Of course however, I was not aware of current happenings in our world. What had transpired while I was adrift unconscious? Brother was aware, and lived through —if not taken part— in all the events past.

 "It is today the forth Friday of the month of September, in the year two-thousand and ninety-six", he began by saying. Through words and images he explained many a subject. Only then I learned of the Ossillium bomb, of the plague which followed it, of the Collective's demise and integration, and of some odd sorts of warp drives. He also explained to me his fear of a spontaneous electrical blackout. Years of war had darkened the wills of many, and had brought a new, irksome way of living to the star-system.

 It hadn't until then occurred to mind the question of how I wound up in an Imperial research facility —wasn't I an Aurelian? And last I could recall, the Aurelians were on the advance against Collective forces. I was sort of scared at that moment —being uninformed, but yet still maintaining comfort, induced the idea that I was being lead on.

 "Xosepe," I asked, "I recall a tussle in Regentis, but where am I and how did I happen to end up here, now?" He informed me that I was actually residing in his own laboratory stationed in the upper latitudes of Qoter. He also mentioned something of a "System 55”, which as I understood, was a newfound star-system being colonised by the Imperium.

 After reflecting upon all he had conveyed to me, I was surprised by two things —the first being how such a many happenings came to past within only a mere thirteen months of my "Absence," and the second being how I was still unaware of the process which ended me in reunion with my brother.

 So I repeated my question, "But where am I and how did I happen to end up here, now?"

 “Oh, Deirdre.” He replied, “I’ve explained so much already to you, but you have perceived none of it. Why do you not understand? The image of your past now is but a stroke of light fleeting into the cosmos over nine trillion kilometers. Ever so much have our worlds swayed, all that you had known before now has lost meaning.”

 Wars had passed, I knew, but I was still intact in body and mind. I tried to imagine all that had changed, but could not convince my mind to disregard the existence of the Collective as an entity of power. Just then, I recalled Aurelia, and wondered what became of that nation. So I asked Xosepe, “And, what of Aurelia? Were they able enough to survive even a year?”

“Oh,” he mumbled, “In a sense.” He hesitated a proper response and began pacing around the room nervously before speaking. “Such a quagmire of lunacy it has become dealing with them.”

 Apparently, as he explained to me, Aurelia had split into two factions. I had experienced many shocking revelations up until that point, but none quite so as this. Is it possible to explain the emotions one lives though hearing this after awakening from a short nap? On Qoter, the nation I fought for had split! With this, my life’s story seemed to have amounted to nothing. For whatever deplorable reason, whenever I sleep, the world always seems to go to shambles! He spoke of much more, but this one fact really did me in.

 Considering it now, I guess that could partially explain my occurrence in Imperial captivity. What with the Collective war being so hectic and all, I suppose the tide of war had lead me here. Ah, well, by this point in our dialogue I had attained a reasonably clear understanding of, and felt at last I had rediscovered, my place in our new world.

 “Deirdre,” Xosepe stated as if trying to draw attention, “Corvin’s Aurelia abandoned Zarus and has left the planet devoid of inhabitants.” His demeanor quickly changed as he began speaking in a crestfallen tone. “Surveillance reports from PAX have indicated that most of the populace was transferred to System 55. Worse still, production levels within Corvin’s Aurelia have recently peaked at heights thought unattainable…”

 He then paused, but did not seem to continue. As he looked away, I considered the home I left behind on Zarus. It was bewildering to think that my family was now displaced further from home than I had ever ventured. I dared not imagine what may be happening to their livelihoods. Among such probabilities, what chance lead me to waste my existence sleeping while heaven knows what may have become of my family?

Though I wished not to imagine the truth, I crawled forward and asked Xosepe, “Do you believe mother and father will survive the war?”

 “I cannot say what may happen,” he replied, “But the way our situation is now, I think it best we abide together until the duration of this war has run its course.”

 “But what can we accomplish, together?” I asked.

 “Well, being the General of Chi-Command, I assure you that I can queue up an endeavor for us to undertake.”

 So, as I learned after awakening, my brother not only held me captive for thirteen months in his laboratory, but also attempted to conscript me into his subordinacy. Of course however, I hadn’t many choices. Truth be recorded, I wondered at that moment —would I ever be allowed my own, conscience choice? Nonetheless, I understood my predicament and continued without concern.

 “I will fight whatever battle,” I said to him, “But do you have even a scheme to protect our family?”

 “Yes.” He replied, “For some years, I have been developing a novel engagement strategy which I have hoped to institute as standard the Imperium over. Recently, having collected intelligence from PAX, I was nearly able to complete my work. Alas, I have been hindered from evaluating the applicable nature of my systems until now.”

 At this, I wondered which of us actually had the unstable mind. Years spent as a murdering Imperialist must have taken a toll of my brother’s mind. Though a dignified record he had obtained, he was a changed person, malformed in spirt. Simply put, I did not recognise who I was speaking with.

 “Our soldiers are preparing for battle on Flouron at this time.” He continued, “As for you, you shall be trained to oversee operations. Hereupon, I bestow the title of ‘Sergeant’ to you among the ranks of the Galactic Imperium.”

 “Splendid as that may be,” I replied, “Xosepe, have you tricked yourself into believing that you can overcome Aurelia merely with simple strategies and tactics? ”

 “Hell, no. ” He countered. ‘Twas a simple response.

 He then stood over and engaged the hologramme projectour to display a figure of an odd sort. Upon examination, it appeared to render a four-legged robot —perhaps the schematic of a weapon?

 “Behold, sister, ” he explained, “A revolution in technological capabilities! ”

“A manifestation —the Imperium of humanity in all its ingenuity. Once this machine materialises, Aurelia will sulk. ”

 The figure emitted an ominous sense of power such that it seemed to represent the limitless power of humanity. Yet, looking down at our hands, I wondered how true this could be.

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BONUS:

 Thank you for reading! I am sorry that I have not uploaded anything recently, I am just the laziest person on Earth and cannot be bothered to engage in art of the brick (even though I really do enjoy it). If it is not too much to ask, I implore you to see for yourself all the work I put into the model. Also, critical commentary would be quite appreciated.

Stay creative always!

The original main image.