Selene sat at the bench within her dreamscape, she felt the cold concrete beneath her face as she laid her head down onto the table section of it.

  Seki and that telepath dreamwalker guy had quite awhile ago, it was tough to tell time there... Leaving her and Pipsqueak alone in the shadowy Protectorate training field. She preferred to stay here for now.

  Her favorite scantid was still with her at least. The ferocious creature was reflected in her hazel eyes.

  His shiny dark blue flesh was uneven and pocketed beneath the forest-green chitin that was plated across his body. A giant bug. The edges of the armor gradually turned from green to brown in a gradient.

  "When I'm back in control, I could probably make you look way cuter—not that you're not cute already..."

  Pipsqueak tilted his head sideways at her, then began to patrol the area Seki had been. While Selene had begun to drum the table lazily with two fingers.

  "Either the General kills me—or takes me to Seki who can help me, but then I trade out one encephalon boss for another... What would it matter if the 'me' out there stops directly controlling my body if Seki just indirectly controls me? There's no difference."

  The other 'person' in this conversation didn't seem to care much for it, he ignored her as he moved beneath the bench and began nibbling at her shoelaces. Pipsqueak probably thought they were constraining her somehow.

  Selene shrugged, ignoring him in turn. Staring into the distance across the dirt runners track ahead of her. "It sucks. I can't protect you. I couldn't protect anyone. I couldn't even keep ahold of my fucking dogs."

  She balled up her fists and pushed them into her forehead. And she just sat there like that. Thinking. A hobby she's been doing ever since she arrived in that dreamscape.

  It felt like there was a simple solution to all of this, and she was on the edge of discovering it. Someone didn't suffer mistake after mistake without learning anything. It was like a word, or movie she forgot—it was on the tip of her tongue. But the more she thought about it... The further it drifted away.

  She had power. Immortality. An army.

  How could a person with all three of these things suffer so many setbacks?

  Just then, a sore, deep pain began to emerge from the core of her. Slowly at first, but quickly rising in intensity.

  "Ow...?" She winced and put a hand over her stomach. "Oh, OW!" She fell over and Pipsqueak hurried to her side.

  The world fell away in darkness and she lied their alone.

  "What's happening to me..?" She groaned through gritted teeth.

  General Adler, commander of the entire resistance force, sat in his private meeting room aboard his space station.

  The station wasn't nearly as large as Alexandria, but it was still large enough to house many people and facilities of all kinds.

  Several kilometers in diameter in a diamond shape, with five flat sides, which gradually tapered off to a point at the very bottom. Backlit by the multicolored cosmos behind it, it was cloaked in black and would be difficult to see with the naked eye.

  If it weren't for the many lit windows that lined the exterior walls.

  The room he was in was very lavishly inlaid with wooden decor, and well lit by numerous chandeliers above, and wall sconces. Which had shining brass metal bases, with the lamps themselves having flower-like shades, which diffused the warm lighting around the room evenly.

  A phonograph, made of the same shining brass as much of the rooms' decor was, was playing a relaxing melody.

  The table in front of General Adler was made of a dark oak wood as well, though much of it was burned black and laminated over with a clear coating.

  As he sat waiting, he looked at the burned section of the table with a weathered stare. Then touched the side of his scared face, running a couple fingers down the metal plate that followed his jawline.

  A hologram appeared in the center of the table, a woman's face with similar cybernetic implants as his appeared. A bald white woman, at least, apart from the single black pony-tail that came down from the center of her head and draped the side of her face.

  He lowered his hand.

  "The telepath is here." The woman said. Her stare was somehow respectful and judgmental at the same time.

  "Send him in." Adler said.

  The hologram disappeared.

  And the pressurized mechanics of the door across the room began to whir to life as a horizontal slit opened up in the center, as either half of the door disappeared, it revealed the silhouette of a cloaked man.

  He stepped into the room, and the doors closed behind him. Removing the sterile white light from the room.

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  "I've got good news and horrifying news."

  Dreamcatchers gravelled voice rang out across the lavishly decorated room, accentuating the space between the two men.

  General Adler gestured to the chair across the long, scarred table, and the roguish man sat down.

  "We might have a way to cure the kid. But we need to cut a deal with the Zykra to do it."

  Out of the many briefings the telepath has given over his many years of service, he expected this to have some impact on his composure. But Adler was unreadable as always when they were alone together. So he continued to give his report.

  "While I was in Selene's dreams, I encountered a Zykra Commander there. As we expected, it's yet another one of our abilities the Zykra has access to. It called itself Seki, and it speaks pretty fucking well for a bug. It told Selene that if we took her outside the outer-rim, it could separate her Zykra side for us. Place a buffer. But it wants something in return. The Zykra want her help—which means ours, in helping fight another batch of aliens they don't like..."

  He essentially described his experience in detail. By the time Dreamcatcher was finished relaying what he saw while within Selene's dreamscape the General was standing up and facing away from him, with his hands held behind his back in a regal manner.

  "...And that's pretty much it."

  The general responded instantaneously.

  "Good work, dependable as always. You are dismissed."

  Dreamcatcher held a closed fist on the table, clenching it until his knuckles whitened. How unusual. Though, it was a very strange situation.

  "General, I—"

  "Yes, I'm aware. You no doubt wish for me to save Ms. Carrington as she seems to be immune to the deterioration telepathy causes. I'm sure many telepaths would be interested in the same thing. But I've conferred with the research team and it isn't so simple."

  Dreamcatcher shifted uneasily in his seat.

  "I've given a lot to this, and I don't have a lot of time left..."

  Or anything to show for it, but he didn't say that part.

  Adler didn't seem even remotely moved.

  "If I make bullheaded decisions in the heat of the moment, none of us will. You have your job, I have mine."

  The large automated door began to open again.

  Dreamcatcher made a 'tsk' sound and got up. He seemed to want to say something else, but stopped himself and left.

  General Adler brought his hand back up to the metal implant on the side of his face again.

  Hope always made already desperate people even more desperate. They'd save themselves today and worry about the consequences tomorrow. Short-sighted and selfish. Primitive.

  It would be a deal with the devil.

  Any fool could see that much. Yes, the Zykra would give them power, surely. Health. But it would take human culture as well. Their way of life. Their love for one another. Their very soul. Just look at the girl, was she happy in this state, trapped within herself?

  It was no different than death anyhow.

  "Prepare Selene Carrington for transfer."

  Many events were currently taking place around the Protectorates many systems. Specifically involving the Zykra.

  The IBT division was carrying out their objective of finding and containing any alien threat to humanity, now led by a headstrong Major and General.

  A couple of resistance recruits trained in hopes of one day userping the protectorate. While the queenless swarm itself eagerly prepared for her majesty's return. Unaware that their only scientist had left with the Sequester, with the intent to exit the outer-rim entirely.

  And a solitary white cube drifted through a void of space within the Joaquin system.

  Twirling slowly away from a high class battle-frigate, painted with a shiny coat of colbalt blue with tertiary red stripes, similar to the one used in the Protectorates battle against the purple queen Ku'senai. Equipped with the latest gauss weaponry as well as cloaking capabilities.

  General Adler watched as Selene's prison drifted through space from the safety of the command deck.

  Like all command decks, the room was large and full of different alcoves, like little self-contained cubicle stations.

  "Incoming call from Commander Preston, General."

  One of the many operators said.

  "Put him through the main screen."

  A large monitor above the window flicked on, displaying Ron and Preston Carrington.

  "Tell me the it isn't true." Preston said. He was scowling.

  Adler glanced to the void of space off to the side of the screen and watched as the cube disappeared into the sun in a tiny fiery plume.

  "I assume you mean termination of Selene Carrington? It is unfortunate, but necessary."

  Preston looked behind him, towards Ron who had been standing there. But he walked away before Adler had finished his sentence. So the resistance commander looked towards the camera again.

  "...Why? We invested so much—we know so little about the Zykra—are you an idiot!?"

  Adler gave him a flinty look in response.

  "I never respond well to ultimatums, you know that. And if these beasts want a war, I say we give it to them."

  Preston just stared in disbelief, his eyes searched every detail of Adlers face. Grief was there, but also confusion. But then a sudden flash of epiphany.

  "You want the Zykra to invade. Use them as attack dogs against puck, holy shit..." He took a deep breath and ran a hand over his buzz-cut head. "You couldn't be this stupid. There's no way."

  "Yes, the Zykra could give the Protectorate more to think about. Which would be useful. If they're as formidable as the encephalon claimed. But I'm doubtful, so far they've limped away from every fight they've been in. I'm not so convinced."

  Preston leaned back in the chair he sat in and placed both of his palms on his face.

  "You've finally lost it. You've been in this fight for too long, old man. Selene is... Was—" He stood up and paced in front of his camera for a moment. "...No. I'm done talking."

  The screen went dark.

  The resistance general had expected this reaction. He had hoped the man would finally see reason. But now Preston would likely salvage what forces he could and leave the resistance, along with his brother. Who was nearing the end of his life due to telepathy fatigue. Neither would prove much of a threat in the end.

  He was right about one thing. He did partly plan for the Zykra to invade. At some point. Perhaps they would even provide some challenge to the Protectorate.

  For now?

  He would do what he always had.

  Triage his plans in concordance to whatever was most likely to happen. Selene Carrington was a mentally ill, dangerous creature. Her mind ravaged by Zykra influence. Unsalvageable. With her gone, her remaining swarm would likely revert to a feral state. Encephalons would likely appear to compete over her territory, they could capture one then.

  Use it as a weapon.

  "Sir..." The operator nearest him said uneasily.

  Even if they could cure the girl, what could they possibly gain? A paltry force of disposeable cannon fodder? Temptation for more of humanity to convert to literal demons?

  Preston meant well, but he was always guided by his heart. Not his mind. His habits were dangerous. Spending their resources to recapture his niece, only to demand they give her back to the Zykra soon after. How outrageous. This was nothing new either, he's habitually organized prison breaks and other expensive measures to reclaim dregs of their defeated forces.

  He always lacked the grit to see their mission through to it's natural end—he only ever made commander thanks to his brothers accolades decades ago. The man wasn't even worth disposing of quite frankly.

  "Sir!"

  Adler looked to the panic-stricken operator.

  "What?"

  He followed the operator's line of sight outside the window of the command deck.

  The star was now eclipsed by a purple-black sphere the size of a moon, and it was growing. Wisps of purple energy were emitting from it. The snapping of what sounded like twigs and the crinkling of paper could be heard throughout the command deck.

  Behind the Chapter...