“Undo False Impression, Self.” An orange aura enveloped my attacker, slowly coursing its way around his body. “Undo False Impression, Target.” The orange light expanded like a fog, covering me as well.

A grizzled old soldier took shape in front of me. He was my spitting image. He had the same medium brown skin, wiry black hair, and birthmark on his left cheek. Time, however, had not been kind to him. His face was droopy, his eyes were tired, and his arms were riddled with pale age spots. I hate to say it, but he kind of reminded me of Emperor Palpatine, just with an afro.

“Warrant Commander Ares Troy, badge XRAY52, I hereby relieve you of your duty. Stand down.”

“I’m afraid that you do not have authority over me,” he spat at my right foot. “You may be my flesh and blood, but you are not fit to lead the IGC. I am.”

“Is that you talking, or is that your FRN talking?”

“What a foolish question. FRN and I are one. We are the ultimate force in this galaxy – the perfect synthesis between man and machine. He is me and I am he.”

“Is that so?” Demand Information. I thought.

“Resist Demand Information,” he countered. “Are you that much of idiot? There is no way that a simplistic ability like that could work on me.”

My body started to feel limp as my biotic power points reduced to 0.

CONGRATULATIONS ADMIRAL CARTHAGE

(BADGE SUNRAY 01)

Level 3 Integration Attained.

Biotic Power Points: 300 (+100)

Physical Dexterity Points: 100 (+0)

Health Points: 300 (+100)

You have earned 1 skill upgrade.

Apply now? (Y/N)

“Yes,” I said, “I am an idiot.”

He cackled, “at least you are honest.”

Select a skill to upgrade:

Biomechanical Health Modulation (Level 1, Physical) Mind Control (Level 1, Biotic) Illusion (Level 2, Biotic)

“Just you wait, dad,” I postured, “Once I upgrade my biomechanical health modulation skill you will see that even idiots are better than clowns like you.”

“Such a shame that you will not get a chance to do that.”

“I already have,” I smiled.

Congratulations, you have reached Biomechanical Health Modulation level 2!

Ability Unlocked: Iron Skin (Active)

Shrouds your body in an impenetrable layer of rock-hard skin that is completely resistant to traditional projectile and blunt force weaponry. Costs 1 physical dexterity point per second of use.

“PAL, activate iron skin.”

With pleasure, Admiral.

BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. My father opened fire on my instantly.

With the last of my mustered energy, I punched right through my father’s bullets like they were flies. Each bullet ricocheted off of me with a clank as I dragged the full weight of my fist straight into my dad’s droopy old face.

“Iron fist!” I shouted like an anime character.

WHACK.

The recoil reverberated through my bones, sending me collapsing onto the floor along with my father – a mass murdering bastard. I always wondered what kind of man he was. I had thought that he might be a psychopath like Ethan’s father, but Ares Troy was even worse. He was a power-hungry loner with no respect for human life. He was nothing like the man that my mother had described in her book. Had he always been this way? Or was he under the control of his A.I., FRN?

I would likely never find out. The gig was up. Soon, reinforcements would arrive and secure my murderous alien father, and me. Few would believe my innocence after what had transpired. In a worst-case, they might actually figure out that I am an alien. The NSA would have a field day dissecting me in their labs, in the most gruesome and painful way imaginable - at least if the science fiction games I played were to be believed.

“Let’s get you out of here,” I felt my body begin to heave across the floor.

“Who is that?” I croaked in exhaustion.

“Your agent.” A recognizable figure loomed overhead. “So, you really are an alien, huh?”

I squinted at her just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. “Did you see all of that?” I asked.

“Pretty much,” she answered back.

“Do you mind if I plug myself in before we go?”

“Sure, but there is something that I want to do first.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

BANG.

## ##

Lidia and I took off before any reinforcements could arrive to question us. We drove north, out of the city, and into Dairyland. As the bright lights of urbanity faded behind us, I looked forward to a fresh start with my new ally.

As it turned out, Lidia had a sister who was a police officer in California, and she did not take kindly to people who messed with law enforcement officers. She also didn’t like anyone messing with me – her only client. Even though he would likely recover from it, she shot my father point-blank in his temple, without batting an eye. Then, she helped me out of the building and into a waiting rental car. Perhaps I should have felt sad about my father, but I couldn't find a drop of empathy within me to care for him. As far as I was concerned, he sold his soul to the devil when he had agreed to work with FRN.

“Why are you helping me?” I asked her, “now that you know the truth, why would you still want me as a client?”

“Because I think you’re cute,” she answered honestly, “and you are a good person.”

“How do you know that?”

“I knew it from the minute I saw that video of you taking a bullet for your brother,” she said, “and you saving all of those officers proved to me that my intuition was right.”

“All I did was place some alien spider-thingies inside them to stabilize their vitals.”

They’re called drones, Admiral.

“Excuse me, I meant to say drones.”

Even though PAL was unable to fully synthesize with non-Andromedan humans, she could make minor alterations and restorations to Earthan physiology using a temporary connection via her drones. This connection was just enough to save every officer at the precinct. Most of them would have a long recovery ahead though, and some might still die from the cumulative effects of their injuries.

“Do you mind telling me your story?” Lidia asked me.

“Let me ask PAL if I am allowed to.”

Only if she agrees to be deputized into the IGC.

“Ugh,” I groaned. “Lidia, do you agree to become a member of the IGC?”

“I don’t know what that is,” she said, “but sure.”

We can hold her enlistment ceremony once we have established a base of operations.

“Alright Lidia, let’s start from the beginning – “.

I told her everything. I told her about the IGC, and how it was a technologically advanced superpower in the Andromeda Galaxy. I told her about its system of government, its military, and its people. PAL filled in the gaps for me as we went. Then I explained how I met PAL, and about the Serpian threat.

“So that man I shot was your father?” She seemed confused. “Didn’t he die on that outpost?”

“I guess not,” I said, but even I was confused by his survival.

Somehow FRN saved him, which is not that surprising now that I contemplate it. FRN always was the most resilient artificial intelligence system on Outpost Gaia.

Can you explain why one of your fellow intelligence systems would try to kill me? I asked.

The whole situation didn’t really make much sense to me. Why would FRN’s objectives be any different from PAL’s objectives? They were all made by the same creator, and were even housed in the same derelict outpost.

2nd Admiral Ceres created us independently of the other. Each of us is programmed with a different version of the same mission so that if one of our methods fails, another might work. FRN is programmed to dominate his host, while I am programmed to work in sync with you as a partner.

That would explain a lot. I mused.

Since your father was semi-independent of the military, he was skipped over for promotion. This event likely angered FRN who enjoys control. Keep in mind that FRN’s full name is Forced Resiliency Network. He is not the type of intelligence that looks to compromise.

What about the other intelligence?

You must be referring to BUD.

Yes, is it a threat?

I would be exceptionally surprised if BUD had survived that attack. I ran a Monte Carlo simulation 9,999,999,999 times and not once was there an outcome where he survived.

That’s not my question.

Yes, Admiral, he would be a threat.

Then let’s work under the assumption that he's still alive. We need to act quickly to secure this planet before he or FRN does it first.

BUD is not the type of intelligence that would fight us directly, but I can see your logic. We need to begin our conquest immediately, but first, we will need a base of operations and financing.

“Hey Lidia,” I said, “I think I know a place that we can lay low for a while.”

“Do you have a plan?” She asked.

“Take over the Earth in less than a month,” I said, “Are you in?”

“As long as you let me manage the social media account of our new empire,” she chuckled.

“It’s a deal.”