Reborn as a Spaceship

Lynn didn't stay long after that conversation. Kel hesitated briefly at the doorway, throwing me a look that lingered somewhere between apology and regret before he turned and followed his sister. Their footsteps echoed quietly down the corridor, leaving behind only silence and unanswered questions.

Laia's gaze remained fixed on the door, her expression unreadable, save for the subtle, furious drumming of her fingertips against her arm. Her eyes flicked toward mine, faint threads of silver shimmering beneath her irises which was a telltale sign she was resisting the urge to intervene directly.

"Should I shut down the station systems?" she asked softly, though the question felt more like a suggestion than a request for permission.

"No," I sighed, massaging my temples. "Tempting, but no. We'll handle this our own way, later. First, we need to find T'lish and Jack. Then we will circle back around to this"

Just then, a sharp burst of blue light lit up the corner of the display. A jump buoy along the outer perimeter had flashed, its alignment failing mid-cycle. A cascade of warnings flared and vanished just as quickly. Laia didn't flinch. "Minor malfunction," she said coolly. "It's already corrected." Her voice was calm, clipped, but I caught the faintest hint of satisfaction in her tone, like someone flicking a light switch a little too hard. I sighed and shook my head. For all her growth, emotional regulation was still a work in progress. I'd need to talk to her about that later, after I made sure the station hadn't lost anything critical in the half-second she decided to vent through infrastructure. Before I could do that.

A sharp ping echoed from the terminal behind me. I glanced back and saw a blinking alert indicating that Jack's message had arrived.

"Speak of the devil," Stewie muttered, joining me at the console. "Wonder what our ex-resident spymaster thought we needed to know."

"Let's find out," I murmured, pulling the chair around. My fingers hovered briefly over the screen, hesitating as my stomach tightened. I wasn't sure if I was ready for more truths today, but delaying wouldn't soften whatever blow was coming.

Laia moved to stand quietly at my side, arms folded, radiating tension. Stewie hung back near the viewport, as if trying to decipher the tangled mess of ships outside would reveal how everything had unravelled.

The encrypted file stared back at us, impassively requesting a passphrase.

"Is that… a joke?" Stewie leaned in, eyebrow raised sceptically.

Laia narrowed her eyes slightly, analysing it. "It's not traditional encryption. It's context-driven—personalised."

The first question appeared plainly across the screen: What did you use to call Ellie's toy hippo?

I blinked, memories washing gently across my heart. "General Waddlebottom," I whispered, entering the answer.

The line faded and a new one appeared instantly. What's the nickname you used for Ellie's dad when he was late picking her up?

I smiled despite myself, nostalgia twisting inside me. "Sloooowpoke," I typed, recalling Ellie's delighted giggles every time I stretched the 'o' sounds. He had been just like the Pokemon.

Question after question emerged, each peeling back layers of memories—small, precious fragments of our lives together. Private jokes, bedtime stories, quiet moments shared between just Ellie and myself. It wasn't simply secure, it was personal, like Jack had crafted this lock out of our shared past. I was sure he was playing some angle, people like him always were.

Finally, the screen shifted. Jack's face appeared in still-frame, eyes tired but shining faintly with hope. Then words unfolded:

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Laz, if you're seeing this, you've made it back. Exactly as my contact said you would.

They didn't believe me—especially Lynn. I don't blame her. She changed once responsibility and Telk began flooding in. Survival, she called it. Maybe she's right, but it isn't what we built.

Things changed fast. T'lish saw it first. Lynn's trading partners, those quiet deals in shadowy corners… autonomy traded quietly for safety. T'lish pushed back, but that's not her game. She's a scientist, not a politician.

So I helped her escape. Rerouted supplies, falsified a research mission. Got her and the kids safely out to Kall-e space. Coordinates attached. If my contact is right, your arrival now isn't an accident. You're exactly on time.

I'll be with T'lish when you read this. Keep moving forward. And Lazarus… I'm sorry. Without you, everything slipped. Maybe now you can help set it right.

The screen dimmed and faded to black.

A heavy silence filled the space. Laia touched my shoulder gently. "Coordinates received. Ready when you are."

I shook myself free of the lingering nostalgia and regret. "Set the dimensional shift," I said quietly. "Let's see what waits for us there." There wasn't anything remaining here for us anymore.

We emerged into real space, and the alarmed blared immediately. Thousands of Kall-e warships filled the viewport, massive hulls glinting in starlight. It was an armada gathered in ominous formation.

"Holy…" Stewie murmured, mouth agape. "That's… a lot of ships."

A communications alert chimed sharply. Laia accepted, bringing up a familiar face on the screen. It was T'lish. But older now, more weary, authority and dignity carved into her expression. Beside her stood two immense Kall-e warriors, towering silently, protectively and undoubtedly K'lak and K'Pish. With one grey and one coloured. Their accelerated growth and maturity was as impressive as it was unsettling.

T'lish's eyes brightened at the sight of me. "Lazarus, you're precisely on schedule," she greeted warmly. "Jack predicted your timing exactly."

"T'lish," I managed, relief flooding my voice. "It's good to see you safe. Mind explaining the welcome?"

"Answers are coming, I promise," she smiled. "Prepare a docking port. We'll come aboard and discuss everything."

Minutes later, T'lish strode onto the Arbiter flanked by Kall-e soldiers. With each wearing ceremonial armour that marked her as someone significant. It was astonishing how drastically her status had changed. The outcast scientist now commanded respect. It honestly didn't make sense in a caste society.

We gathered in the crew lounge, another awkward reunion filled with wary anticipation. At least this meeting felt like progress rather than confrontation.

T'lish took a seat, studying me carefully. "I've missed you, Lazarus. I wish circumstances were better."

"What happened?" I asked gently. "Jack's message mentioned tensions with Lynn."

"An understatement," she sighed. "Lynn shifted the station's entire purpose. She abandoned the ideals we shared, chasing wealth and influence instead. I fought her openly at first, but… well, politics isn't my strength."

"You shouldn't have had to fight alone," Laia said quietly.

T'lish gave a gentle smile. "I wasn't alone. Jack ensured our safety and got us here, kept us hidden. I've done well since arriving."

She straightened proudly. "I cracked the genetic memory lock. The Kall-e rewarded that breakthrough significantly." Her voice softened with quiet pride. "I'm no longer an outcast. They gave me this fleet to lead."

"You deserve it," I told her sincerely. "But why such a massive fleet? What's the purpose?"

"NeuroGenesis," T'lish explained, her tone sharpening. "Jack uncovered intelligence that aligns with what Laia found. NeuroGenesis possesses a hidden genetics lab, and they were deeply involved in early human-Kall-e experiments. They have critical data that might lead to a full cure for our genetic code degradation."

My chest tightened, hope warring fiercely with caution. "And you plan to retrieve this data?"

"By force," T'lish confirmed resolutely. "Jack believes it's the only way. They won't hand it over willingly. Kall-e Leaders agree. It's time for war again!"

The guards began a guttural chant in their native tongue, a rhythmic drone that vibrated through the air and was completely unintelligible to the translator. The gist was clear. They wanted another war.

I nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation. NeuroGenesis was powerful, dangerous, and ruthless. Even with a Kall-e armada, victory wasn't guaranteed.

"You waited here because you need my help?" I asked plainly.

"Yes," T'lish replied gently. "and also because I trust you, Lazarus. Your expertise, your ship, your crew. They'll give us the edge we need. But it's your decision."

It wasn't even a question. I'd been chasing answers for too long, desperate for the truth behind Neurogenesis and maybe data on how I could make my own avatar. The path forward was clear.

"Then we're with you," I said decisively. "All the way."

Stewie exhaled sharply. "Well, damn. Here we go again."

Laia smiled faintly. "This is what we do, isn't it?"

T'lish's eyes warmed. "Thank you, Lazarus."

As the Kall-e ships adjusted formation, poised for battle, my thoughts lingered briefly on Jack's words—about the world we'd tried to build, the world we might still reclaim.