Unipsi, lovely entity

chapter 61: restart

Scilla pushed aside her concerns and soon she was already seeing a different illusion in the long corridor she had taken. The Founder was walking away. Same clothes as when he was in the restaurant. It was snowing and the pavement was covered in it. Then a backpack hit him in the back. He turned to see Elvira breathing heavily as she run all the way to him.

“what the fuck is wrong with you!? I get it you are all fuck up for some reasons but seriously!? Paying for yourself and leave while I’m in the toilet? How fucking low can you get?”

the Founder picked up the backpack and cleaned it of the snow that stuck to it.

“your backpack. It’s made of tissue, you should not stay out too long or it will get wet”

Elvira walked to him. She was face to face and furious. She was also 5cm shorter than him.

“see this is you fucking problem! You do shit like this and for a moment I think you care about me. Then you fucking run away while I pee. If you fucking hate me just tell me. If I’m just a fucking experiment tell me so right in the face. If I’m just a disgusting crippled for you just tell me.”

The Founder looked disturbed but then he replied. This time, for the first time his voice had tones. He felt different. He felt humane.

“You are not disgusting and you have nothing to fear on that side. I just think it’s better for both of us if we part away.”

Elvira pushed him. The Founder didn’t fall but hit a tree behind him that dropped all it’s snow on them.

“then fucking tell me why? Why should we go on our ways?”

“because I used you...”

“tell your lies to some other cunt. I ain’t the one you can fool”

“those around me have been harmed multiple times. If you get closer you will face the same fate. I enjoyed our time together. I’ll never regret asking you to be my test subject. I’ll never regret any second of it. But I know that if you were to be harmed because of me. I would regret it forever.”

“so fear. You are running because you fear some stupid shit. Well guess what? I don’t. All I have left is Malina and you. My career as a model is gone and with it my family. I was meant to die with them, burning alive inside the car. But I survived, I’m here! And I’ll get my revenge!”

The Founder eyes shined with something unexpected. Joy. Something had just changed.

“My apology. Miss… Elvira. You are a rare human. One of the few remaining. If you could find in yourself the resolve to forgive me I would gladly accept being your friend”

“ok, we will work on your way of speaking but one step at a time.”

“or you can keep speaking for both.”

A wide smile formed on the Founder face. He put a hand in one of his coat’s internal pocket and pulled out a folded raincoat. He gave back the backpack to Elvira, pushed away the snow that fell on her and also made her wear the rain coat to stop additional snow to deposit.

“I’m Paolo. Do you want to build a snowman?”

The vision vanished with Elvira extending her hand to grab the one the Founder used to make the proposal.

“this place is endless” Scilla’s words echoed for minutes. The new zone she was in felt more lived in. The massive corridors she walked in had old tire tracks. The walls were a bit dirtier but more importantly it was colder. She noticed that the further she went the colder the structure become. For now it was bearable. 17 °C were not particularly low, but the temperature had already dropped from the initial 20°C. Scilla also started to feel hungry but she was still lost. Looking for food she started opening each door she encountered. There they had power and were working properly. One of those opened into an immense library. It was absurdly huge maybe kilometers in length. As soon a she step foot inside new illusion animated the bookcase on her left.

The Founder had an almost empty box beside him and was moving some books from it into the bookshelf. All the books were about mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum physic and quantum computing, automation, human immune system and human neurological system. Not too far from him on a comfy armchair there was Elvira. She was incredibly well dressed, like if she was about to go on a date and wanted to impress somebody. The Founder was the exact opposite. He had just sweatpants and a hoodie.

“Paolo can I ask you something?”

“sure”

“did you had crushed?”

“no”

“seriously?”

“yes”

Elvira was a bit hesitant to continue. To any external observed it was crystal clear that she was trying to approach the Founder romantically. Those empty seconds left embarrassing even for Scilla.

“don’t you… do you have a favourite type?”

“I don’t read much for pleasure. But when I do I go for science fiction…”

“why are you talking about books?”

“cause you asked?”

“I was talking about girls. Who the fuck think about books when asked if he has a type”

“you should have been more specific”

“the fuck. Can’t be more explicit than that”

“fair enough. I think it’s a stupid thing. There are qualities that some may look after, not types.”

“well put how you want it. So what are those qualities you want?”

“mmh. I think the most important one is determination.”

Elvira was surprised and pleased. She felt that she had such quality, after all she pushed him so much until they became friends.

“oh!. So I guess I have it”

The Founder paused for a second.

“I agree. Your actions have proved your resolve multiple times”

Then he kept placing down the books. Totally distracted he didn’t sense Elvira sneaking up to him until she slammed lightly her arms beside his head to block him again the shelf.

“so when are we going to have our first date?” she asked. She was blushing but she wanted to make use of such opportunity. The Founder slowly turned to face her. He was smiling.

“you took it literally”

“you spoke sincerely. I act sincerely. Too surprised to react?”

“you see Elvira. I like determination but others never dictate my actions.”

With a rapid movement the Founder tilted his head and went for a small and fast kiss on Elvira’s burned side of neck. As soon as she processed what had happened she pulled back and ran away.

“bathroom on the left!” said Paolo with a huge smile of satisfaction on his face.

As interested as Scilla could find it, she was still hungry and looking for food. She spotted a door not too far that presumably was going to bring her back outside. As she passed beside a table 2 idras appeared giving her a half heart attack.

Scilla read the numbers. The one standing was 484 while sat at the table there was 500. 484 initiated the conversation.

“so? What’s going on?”

“this…”

500 took of her helmet. Her skin had several cracks.

“Cazzo. Cazzo, Cazzo cazzo! (fuck. Fuck, fuck fuck!)” said 484

“I know.”

“when did it started?”

“this morning. I have a favour to ask 484”

484 was alarmed and also sad.

“everything. What can I do?”

a box appeared on the table. 500 moved it closer to 484.

“maybe for once I did something correctly. That’s my blood. From today but also the previous days. I just felt different so I extracted it. Give it to 511. it could help her”

“I’m sure she will find a cure…”

500 grabbed 484 by her arm and pulled her closer.

“Anna don’t lie to me. I’m already doomed. I’ll be death in a month, two at best. This is not for me. It’s for her. Maybe she will live more than us.”

“I… I…”

500 pulled the arm again.

“I have been a terrible sister. I have made too many mistakes. Being a test subject is the least I can do now. But promise me. Promise me that as long as you breath you will take care of 511.”

“d’accordo Giulia. Te lo prometto (ok Giulia. I promise)”

It was strange, those visions were mostly translated into something Scilla could understand, but not everything. What was mostly let untouched were unique expressions that don’t have direct translation without loosing their colloquial meaning.

So that’s how they die. Iris had none of that cracks. Was she really special or did she succeed in making a cure… now that I think about it. What is going to happen with the omnicure. Wasn’t she the only source?

Fortunately for the Esterians Idra had a lot of backup plans and the omnicure was already being produced on other planets. She always new that her death was going to be premature so she made sure her people would be safe.

Scilla’s hope to find food was gradually reaching 0. However driven by her guts Scilla started to ignore the hunger. She had been following a persistent illusion of the Founder along side Elvira that had been walking for a while. They only stopped after reaching what appeared to be an elevator. Well an elevator for the illusion that started to shift underground. Scilla on the other hand was standing on what looked to be some metal plates welded together. Surely not the usual material for pavement. As she crouched to inspect it Scilla felt a vibration followed by a metal crackling noise.

“oh shit!”

The floor broke. And so did the next one, and the one after. Scilla kept falling from a level to an other, each time she hit a new floor it started mumbling and cracked immediately after. With a minor concussion Scilla reaching the bottom after at least 7 floors of fall. Even before standing she immediately noticed something. The place was deadly cold. The floor around had a thin layer of ice due to the frozen water from the air. The new place was at least at -1°C if not below. With no way up She could only walk forward. The corridor she was in had few dim lights on the sides that barely allowed her to see. The air was filled with unknown fragrances. They were pleasant but at the same time felt hostile. Then out of nowhere a sharp turn to a closed door. Once she touched the commands the door slowly opened and light overcome her. Behind the metal door there was a gargantuan room. It was a cubic zone of at least 100m x 100m x 100m. It barely contained an enormous structure that was composed of several long triangular based prism connected together. It looked like a 3D transposition of an asterisk but of a deep dark grey and blue metal. Scilla felt the structure pulsing waves of freezing air. It was the source of the coldness and something far worst. A treasure and a disgrace. At the bottom of it, right near were one of the prism touched the ground the vision was still going.

“Paolo are you ready?” said Elvira.

“how could I be? I hoped we will never have to use it”

The Founder was sad.

“with all they have done to us I think you are being too lenient. We could kill half the world and show them what happens if they oppose us. And with a name like Heart Break Emitter it would be a waste not to test it and break some hearts”

Elvira was overjoyed at the idea to activate the Founder greatest weapon to kill whatever she wanted. She was the source of the Founder tyranny. She was the devil in his ears.

“I understand your point. I now that this is the only way. I don’t feel pity for them. They were put us as sacrifice. At least they will die suddenly. We will not have the same regards for those who will keep opposing”

Or maybe they were both evil at their core. Elvira just showed it.

Elvira pulled out a tablet. She was looking at something, probably cameras.

“I think we should activate it, no regrets.”

“but I have one”

“which is?”

“that I lied to you. I don’t know if this is safe. At least not in close proximity”

Elvira’s happy expression immediately changed to concern.

“you… you want to kill yourself? I’m not going to let you do so”

“I’m not. But it is better if just one of us dies. If you remain alive you will be able to complete our plan.”

“why can’t I be the one to die? The plan and the HBE is basically all yours. I did nothing. I just share your ideals”

“because I am a man. It’s easier to clone you or make an artificial child from a woman. But also because I’m your man. I made a promise to protect you and I will.”

Elvira was crying and she pull out of one of her pockets a pair of wedding rings.

“then… then how about… no regrets… till the end… Paolo… will you marry me?” said the woman in tears. Her hand shaking as she clearly wanted to propose after the activation.

The Founder smiled and reached for his pocket too. A second set of rings.

“I guess we are really meant for each other” he was tearing us as well.

They exchanged the rings and with that action a new Esterian tradition was born. In a couple both must propose and so instead of one ring a married couple usually wears 2, one per hand. The Founder kissed Elvira and hugged her. When he tried to pull back she didn’t let go of him.

“I’m not going.”

“Elvi, please. I don’t want to risk you”

“the same goes for me. Having the world without you is meaningless. I prefer to die with you than alone with what you build for me.”

“you are breaking my heart”

“I know… I know… may God have mercy of them.”

“I don’t believe in God”

“me neither. It would be stupid for us. No matter how much good we do, for the few that will die we would be in hell for eternity. So why taking the risk.”

“are you watching?”

I am always watching.

The Founder touched the HBE, an abominable sound priced Scilla ears and tossed the Founder with Elvira away from it. As an instinct the Founder hugged Elvira. The illusion faded as the Founder hit with his back a wall and started bleeding from his head.

What am I suppose to do here? Did the visions brought me here or am I going insane. Why? Do I press it? Is this what Iris wanted? She knew about this?

But the reality was not what she thought. Iris had no idea that the HBE was still existing, nor she had idea of what it was. It was the HBE itself that sensed Scilla’s presence and called a new desperate to itself. The Founder had a lot of reasons to fear and hide his creation, but even with all the darkness it caused he was never able to bring himself to destroy it. His masterpiece was a part of him. A part that he couldn’t let go. A part worth hiding on a hellish planet and protect with inhumane creatures. Creatures immune to its call. What he believed was just an emitter able to build a pulsing electromagnetic field that stopped humans heart signals was far worst and he knew only after activating it.

The HBE had nothing in common with the initial idea. It just worked. It was able to send out a pulse that killed humans, but it was capable of way more. Fortunately for humanity, the Founder was a man of strong will. A man hardly corruptible by power and a man that understood the risks of his creation. A man whose greed and thirst for power were second to his ideals. Maybe god did exist and such traits were his mercy.

It was the HBE that broke reality making the Magnos rift appeared and also causing the disappearance of Morfians and Valurk from the sector 400 years before. That’s why their AI were still around looking for their creators. They were just beside them the day of the activation. Working side by side to win a war that was never going to end.

As the HBE pulsed and pulsed Scilla felt the desire to get closer, closer, and closer. That abomination was sucking her in. The electric pulsating humming was hypnotizing. Scilla tried to oppose but it was to no use. Out of her mind she touched the machine.

Reality stopped for her as her mind was instantaneously assaulted by an uncontactable about of realities. She was seeing, smelling, hearing, feeling a myriad of realities all at once and all focused on their own Idra. Her deepest desire to be reunited with her love was being read by the machine. But what she saw and felt was not what she expected nor desired. Iris was right, Idras were mostly monsters. In almost all of those alternative Idra was purely driven by hatred. Scilla saw them consume so many civilizations, so much destruction. So much pain. She saw a different Whispers holder. Consumed by the Whispers will and consumed by her pain, her need to inflict misery on all that lives. Scilla tried to run from them, hide and close her mind. But there was no escape, those observations of realities kept coming. Her mind was exploding. Then maybe out of pure luck she saw an Idra. She was like hers, kneeled before a beautiful tomb decorated with meticulously chosen and placed flowers. It was 484 grave. That was her Idra, her Iris or so she believed. As Scilla’s eyes laid on Idra, she saw her being duplicated and the abstract projection being tossed at her.

As it happened to the Founder so was Scilla tossed with brutal force toward a wall. She of course hit it violently but managed to maintain her grip on reality. At the base of the HBE, standing, there was Idra 511. The one she saw, the one she believed was hers.

Seeing this new Idra was so surreal. She was wearing a set of heavy clothes that Scilla remembered selected among the new clothed her Iris recently bought. However she didn’t notice that the collar Iris couldn’t take off was no longer spelling her name.

As their eyes locked Idra twitched and gruesome biological formations started popping out of her body. Her arms split in several irregular arms. A tail full of bony needles came out of her lower spine. From her back a circular crown of spikes and blobbing pustules stare at her. It was pulsing almost as if it was charging with something. Scilla’s hair started to float toward the ceiling. Static electricity was filling the room. Idra’s hair twisted together in long braids with bleeding eyes appearing out of them.

But as Iris form faded more and more into a blob of disgusting organic shapes the collar started beeping louder and louder.

Idra moved her hands underneath it and tried to broke free. She was roaring and screaming in agony as the collar was clearly trying to suppress that uncontrolled mutating beast. Idra’s roars of anger made Scilla’s ears ringing and worsen her already state of confusion. After all her mind has just been tortured and her body had the same fate. Yet she tried and managed to speak.

“Iris?”

As that word left her mouth a stabbing pain never felt before hit her. Her brain was exploding, she felt like her cranium was about to explode and her brain pop out like confetti. Memories of a different Scilla flooded her mind. Her life was almost identical but her war was different. She never met an Esterian. They never came to their aid. The war kept raging on and as she always believed a lot more people died. The parallel Scilla saw all her friends die in battle against the Droxi. Then lastly it was her turn. She died as well and never returned to her family.

Once her brain refocused on what was happening she saw Idra shaking her head as if she wanted to toss away some thoughts, then the pain must have been unbearable for her that she let go of the collar to grab and press on her head. The collar snapped and Idra immediately fell on the ground. Her body returned to the original form. By instinct Scilla rushed to her scared of having lost a new idra but fortunately she was just sleeping. The collar turned her off and with almost absolute certainty saved Scilla’s life even if she didn’t understood that at the moment.

The cold waves had stopped and the HBE was silent. Almost as if it had completed its purpose. The room was still freezing cold so Scilla gathered all her strength and started walking back to the elevator shaft while pulling Idra from her arms. Scilla was not in a good enough shape to carry her, but the icy surface reduced drag so she could drag Idra with her. At the base of the obscure shaft that was maybe one degree hotter, Scilla hugged tightly Idra to keep both as warm as possible.

In that dark cold peace she realised the painful reality. Her Iris was gone. What she was holding onto was no her. It was probably a clone of a different yet similar one that received her memories. Even more painful was connecting Iris’s stories with what she saw. The creature she had been squeezing between her arms was the completed Idra. She was what 511 was meant to be. Not an Esterian but a hybrid with a Leermorf. A shapeshifter. Now the collar made sense. Only 511 had it because she was the only one that could potentially be a Leermorf or a Leeresterian if it even matters. That piece of technology meant to keep a monster under control, both physically and mentally. The collar disconnected her nervous system to avoid mutations while it selectively deprived Idra of vital knowledge. It made even more sense that Idra couldn’t know how to reproduce. One alone was dangerous enough to be considered a hazard even for her sisters on an empty planet. Can’t image what more could do to the sector.