Ivan Kal - Warpath

“You saved us you know.” Seo-yun said.

Tomas’s lip curled upwards. “I doubt that. I just followed my dream.”

“No. If it weren’t for you and for Olympus. Humanity would never have left Earth. We would have been fractured, fighting wars among ourselves. And we would have all been slaves to the Ra’a’zani. You saved humanity.”

Tomas smiled sadly, his hand rising to his chest in a Nel gesture of acceptance. “So many people gave their lives for us to reach this.” He pointed at the city. “It took us so long to unite, to turn to the stars, and here we only found more of the things that we tried to get away from. Wars and senseless killings.”

“Well, then it is up to us to change all that. That is what you want for us?” She asked.

Tomas turned to her with a determined look on his face. “Yes. And that is what we will become. Even if we have to fight and conquer the entire galaxy. One day I will see peace among the stars.”

Seo-yun turned and pulled his head down for a long kiss. Then after she pulled back, she looked him intently in the eyes. “We will see it together.”

Two days later

After two months of being prodded and tested and monitored, then forced to speak with three different shrinks and two xenologists, Adrian was finally released from the hospital. No one could find anything wrong with him, aside from the whole new brain thing. Which they still couldn’t explain.

The first place that Adrian, Akash, and Sora visited was the Research and Development, to see Iris. He was informed that they had made progress on her core, and Adrian wanted to be there in person to see what exactly they had done.

Once they got there they were greeted by Seo-yun who enveloped Adrian in a big hug which he returned.

“I’m so glad that you are alright Adrian.” She said once she let him go.

“Thank you.” Adrian responded warmly. He had always liked Seo-yun, she was probably the smartest person he knew, but also one of the most approachable.

“And hello to you too.” Seo-yun said and patted the two wolions on their heads. She didn’t even need to bend to reach their heads because of her shortness and their big size.

“So, have you made any progress with Iris?” Adrian asked hesitantly.

Seo-yun smiled and led Adrian through the complex, while she kept silent. Adrian’s first reaction was to panic, but as Sora and Akash relayed Seo-yun’s emotions to him – which he somehow felt much more clearly now – he relaxed.

Finally they arrived at their destination and Seo-yun led him inside a small room. Inside it looked like an office, and after a few glances around Adrian realized that it was Seo-yun’s.

She walked to her desk and retrieved an item that was sitting on her desk, she turned and handed it to Adrian.

Turning it over, Adrian recognized it as a slender wrist unit that looked very reminiscent of the units that Nel used before they joined the Empire. He looked it over noticing the sleek and intricate fire design etched and color across it. It was also a bit longer than the Nel units, about the size of half his forearm.

“What is this?” He asked.

“Put it on.” Seo-yun said grinning.

Adrian wanted to ask questions but Seo-yun’s emotions made him do as she asked. He put the wrist unit on his left arm. Immediately the wrist unit’s lights turned on and the air in front of Adrian shimmered. Then a shape appeared standing there in the air.

“So, how do you like my new look?” A reddish fiery shape of a woman dressed in a long flowing dress asked.

“Iris!?” Adrian said surprised, but also relieved.

“Who else?” She said and did spin around herself.

“But what? I mean how?” He said turning to look at Seo-yun.

“We managed to save her core, but because of what happened to you we couldn’t give you an implant and have her inside your head again. And as Iris refused to be anywhere but by your side, we designed that.” She said pointing at Adrian’s arm.

Adrian turned his sights to the fiery shape of Iris, which was about the size of his forearm and floating in front of his face.

“Are you alright Iris?” Adrian asked.

“Never better!” She said amusingly.

“But how are you…?” Adrian started to ask, but Seo-yun interjected and answered.

“The wrist unit contains Iris’s core, a processor, and a computer similar to the implants. But it is also a holographic projector. It can project any hologram in the two meter radius around you. Since you can no longer have an implant, and as it is almost essential to life in the Empire, that will serve as a replacement.”

Adrian turned his gaze to the unit on his arm, and then back at Seo-yun as she continued speaking.

“It won’t have a connection to your brain, but it can do everything that your implant could and more. But it will be Iris that will use it to help you in your day to day activities.” She then turned to Iris. “If you can please demonstrate for us Iris.”

“Of course!” Iris exclaimed happily. And then reports started popping up in the air in front of Adrian, then a list of Adrian’s comm contacts appeared, then images, the net search bar. And when the area around him was filled with holo windows it all cleared, and Iris stood there looking smug.

“That was amazing Iris.” Adrian said, then turned to Seo-yun. He stepped closer and embraced her tightly, catching the shorter woman off guard. “Thank you Seo-yun.” He whispered.

Seo-yun returned the embrace. “You’re welcome Adrian.”

After a few more moments Adrian released her and stepped back.

“Alright, now there are a few things that I need to teach you about the wrist unit, just let me get a data chip.” She said and turned to walk to her desk.

Adrian looked Iris relieved, he couldn’t have imagined a life without Iris. He might not have her voice in his head anymore, but she was still present in his life. Finally for the first time since he woke up, he allowed himself to relax completely. All the worry about what happened to him and about Iris eased out of him. He finally felt at peace.

Seo-yun turned from her desk and walked back with a data chip in her palm. As she was walking towards him, Adrian noticed a ringing in his head. Focusing on it he realized that it had been there for a while, since he entered the building perhaps. His thoughts were just preoccupied with Iris for him to notice. The ringing wasn’t painful, but it was annoying. And now that he was focused on it, the ringing seemed to grow in intensity.

Adrian looked and realized that Seo-yun was speaking, and looking at him strangely.

“Are you alright Adrian? You zoned out there for a few seconds.” She asked worried.

Adrian frowned, “Do you hear a ringing?”

“A ringing?” Seo-yun asked, her expression getting even more worried.

Adrian focused on it and realized that he could tell the direction it was coming from. “A ringing, it is coming from there.” He said pointing at the floor.

“I don’t hear anything Adrian. And there is nothing there.” She said glancing at the empty floor and then back at him. Iris too moved in front of Adrian’s face, her holographic expression worried.

“Maybe we should get you back to the hospital Adrian.” Iris said.

“No. I don’t mean the floor. Beneath it, there is something down there.” Adrian said, his mind going into overdrive. He was certain that he now had the exact direction of the source of the ringing. He looked back at Seo-yun. “Do you have something beneath us?” He asked.

“There is nothing Adrian, we really should get you back to the hosp—” She stopped mid-sentence, a look of realization came across her face, then her eyes glossed over in a way that they did when someone used their implant. “Point exactly at where you think the source of the ringing is.”