Chapter 29
----------
TIME:
4 DAYS LATER
LOCATION:
CYSA, ORENTHIA
GATE OF CYRUS INTERSTELLAR SPACEPORT
ASTRO DAWN
MEDBAY
POV:
Lilith Runethari
I could barely groan as I woke up. I felt like my own body suddenly decided to become lead. My eyelids opened with a crawl requiring a force of will to open them. I felt the world spin like it's in some whirlpool.
As a bright light in front of my face dimmed I managed to look around sluggishly. I almost attempted to jump out of bed as I remembered my last moments and feared I had been kidnapped. I was quickly able to dismiss that notion as the little hybrid's vital monitor beeped regularly with every slow heartbeat.
I dragged my face towards the door as I hoped someone would check on me now that I’m awake. The door opened a few minutes later. I almost cried when the thrall came closer carrying a large cup, its contents made clear with that sweet smell of human blood. I almost lunged at her as a bonedeep hunger smashed into my mind. My body however could barely even move thanks to its extremely anemic state.
"Mistress your Mother has asked me to bring you this. I was also told to help you drink it." The thrall voice was edged with a hint of worry.
I reluctantly nodded my head—another effort that required me to force my body to move. I felt the bonedeep shame of being so weak that a human of all things was forced to aid me in simply feeding.
Over half an hour I managed to drink an entire liter of blood. If I had decided to drink it all at once the organ that converts other species' blood into something I can use might have been harmed. So despite having to control myself against the horrifying hunger and thirst I managed to eventually finish the drink. It would, however, be a few hours before this weakness would disappear.
Suddenly I heard Mother's voice over a speaker system. "Lilith I am sorry I woke you from your recovery induced coma slightly early, but it seems the system governor and his brother are requesting a meeting. Should I postpone it until you are healthy or would now be fine? They spoke to Assistant Liza and it sounded quite urgent."
This posed a dilemma. If I took them now I might help manipulate them into helping/repaying me more using my current weakness. Making them feel like they owe me something for putting me in such a dreadful state. Or I could wait and take the time to properly communicate with them, though I risk revealing my extreme regeneration.
I thought about the two options for a few minutes . The thrall in the meanwhile rushes off to do something or another.
Eventually I decided which poison I would be drinking today, "Just tell them I am in a barely good enough state to talk at this moment."
"Understood... I will have Assistant Liza send a message to the parties involved." Mother seemed reluctant. I imagine she hesitated due to my current lack of strength.
After a dozen or so minutes passed I eventually grew bored of staring at the white ceiling while planning for the upcoming "meeting." I knew that whatever they asked about would likely end with asking about the Astro Dawn and its unscheduled take off.
"They have replied and seem to be traveling to this space port as we speak. They will be bringing a military officer as well, from what I managed to eavesdrop on he seems to be here to court martial you. Rest assured Lilith if they try to take you into custody I will kill all of them without hesitation."
I felt a small smile grace my lips as Mom reassured me. I would do the same for her. I was glad she wouldn't take an insult like that standing. If I become an outlaw then so be it my ship is specialized in remaining undetected. I might not even have to abandon the listening post.
About half an hour after my conversation with Mother I was alerted to the guest's arrival. The military officer seemed to be someone clearly disposable. If I correctly understood his record we managed to discover paints the image of someone with little individuality always following orders to the letter.
'How did someone like him even get to become an officer?!'
While I stared in shock at the record I was alerted to the fact they were approaching the medbay. Quickly forgetting about the officer, II took a face more deserving of someone who is recovering from some injury—a task that was rather easy to perform. A half a minute later a group of three people walked through the door.
The man that first approached was dressed in luxurious if practical clothes. He would have stood about a head taller than me. His hair looked like he hadn't taken care of it properly as of late. His build looked ever so slightly overweight but it was barely noticeable.
Coming to a stop a meter away from my cot maintaining a respectful distance he spoke, "I hope you will forgive my lack of formality in this circumstance. I would also like to deeply apologize for what happened at the Fields of Alexander. Even if my brother was the one who made the request I still failed to properly spot the guildless mercenaries that you fought."
I shake my head a move that requires actual effort, "It's fine I wasn't killed or kidnapped so it ended well. Regardless I hope I could ask a favor as an apology for this incident. I would like you to look into who hired those mercenaries, I believe that I was the target not your brother."
"That is our belief as well thanks to the testimony of the guard that was at the scene with you. Now I'll let the second lieutenant do what he is required to."
Someone cleared their throat though it was obvious that he just wanted our attention, "System Governess Lilith Runethari you are hereby ordered to appear before a tribunal within 7-8 months from now in the Orenthia system. Failure to appear will have you marked as an outlaw and your system and titles removed. You have the option to travel this frontier region, but any moves to leave it will also have you marked as an outlaw. This privilege will only be allowed if you attach a tracker and sensor to this voidship." I felt my brow twitch in anger as he proceeded to make his way out of the medbay with not a hint of care; like just handed a report over and was told he can go home. The system governor seemed to go with him, leaving me alone with Ryder.
----------
TIME:
AT THAT MOMENT
LOCATION:
CYSA, ORENTHIA
GATE OF CYRUS INTERSTELLAR SPACEPORT
ASTRO DAWN
MEDBAY
POV:
Ryder Orenth
Looking behind me one last time I steeled my resolve. Honestly I knew what I was about to ask would be stupid and suicidal beyond belief but I just had to know.
Clearing my throat I grasped my resolve and finally spoke, "ahem I would like to make it clear that what I wish to discuss will not leave this room even if my own brother demanded it." I held my stare into those ruby red eyes and I saw a flicker of concern.
I took a moment letting the silence build as I reached over to my bag that sat alone on a nearby table. Slowly I pulled out a thermos along with its battery instantly the tension became almost physical as I felt as the ship itself seemed to gasp.
"I will get to the point System Governess Lilith Runethari, why does this thermos contain blood; blood that I personally tested and found to be human mixed with something else I couldn't identify. Lilith what is your rea–" the lights dimmed rapidly, my world quickly being reduced to an inky abyss. The only thing emitting light was an extremely dim emergency light barely even glowing in the all consuming darkness.
Suddenly a voice spoke. A voice that I haven't heard yet and sounded incredibly monotone, almost mechanical or robotic in its tone, "Ryder Orenth, I will make this so perfectly clear that even the most ignorant members of your species could understand. If you wish to use this as blackmail against Lilith I will see to it that the civilization on this planet be destroyed down to the last person. Even if it came at the cost of us being on the run for a few centuries. Now mr. Orenth I would like you to continue with what you were saying."
Slowly the lights returned to their previous state. I shivered in fear as I could feel a cold sweat on the back of my neck. Despite that voice sounding so monotone and emotionless, my instincts told me she was probably already planning out a way to kill us all in the most efficient manner. I was sure that this voice belonged to something artificial. Confusingly however, was the fact I could feel some of the emotions it put into its words.
My sense returned to me as I beheld the scowl on Lilith's face. She was pissed but in those very same eyes I witnessed something unlike her usual arrogance, fear. Soon however, taking only a brief instant the fear was transmuted into pure hateful wrath that no sane person could ever hope to feel.
But one word caught me off guard, my mind returning to it no matter how I felt. 'Even if it came at the cost of us being on the run for a few centuries.' Slowly I began to fear that my joke about her being a vampire had more truth to it than I dared to wish.
I began talking again though my voice felt like it was being strangled by the tension in the room, "I do not intend to blackmail Miss Runethari with this. It is clear that she is no lunatic craving blood for the thrill of excessive murder. I will be straight though I apologize if this sounds like a child's joke... Lilith are you perhaps something similar to the mythological creature known as vampires?"
Slowly her glare softened but only to the point it was clear she wouldn't kill me; just beat me half to death if I messed up.
Then she spoke in a wary voice, "And what if I told you I am extremely close to what your kin would call a vampire?"
I took a breath, my brain refusing to believe she was something so far fetched. "Personally I would hope we could get along. However, I have one last question if you will allow it." It was a struggle but I managed to look into those ruby eyes as I asked one last favor. She slowly nodded her head, an action that I felt took more effort than it should have. "I would like to know are you perhaps aware of the Crimson precursors?"
For a handful of seconds a silence hung in the air; both refusing to speak. The only sound was the faint beeping coming from a monitor hooked up to some child receiving medical aid. Finally Lilith's face grew softer, she was still upset but not to the point of murder or anything close to it.
"They're called the Runethari Empire but yes, the crimson precursors and the Runethari are one and the same. Before you ask, yes I took my name from them... after all, my genetic material came from their citizens."
My eyebrows furrowed. What did she mean by genetic material? It was somewhat obvious that she did not mean she was born in any form of a normal way.
'Maybe she is some sort of clone?'
Taking a minute to process this absurd situation I reminded myself that I wanted to ask more questions. Sadly it was not meant to be; the monotone voice alerted us that my brother was close to returning to the med bay. I decided I would have to find a way for me to get us somewhere we can talk privately more at length. The inner anthropologist in me was almost screaming in joy at this miraculous individual. But first I would have to devise a test to see if she is really telling the truth or not.
My brother soon stepped into the room and immediately stopped glancing at both Lilith and I, "Ryder what the hell were you talking about with her that made this room feel so tense?"
I merely sighed, shaking my head. He clearly wants me to answer, but he would have to just deal with not knowing. After all, I would rather not see our world turned to dust by whatever that voice came up with.