Humanity has become the corrupted tool of the Earthen Interstellar Federation. One captain will soon find out just how much the corruption has spread. Just how does a once-human communicate with her own xenophobic species?

“Ships log; it has been three days since the disappearance of the Captain. We are following a pursuit course on the last known heading of the unknown alien vessel, though we have little hope of ever finding her again.

Repairs began immediately after the vessel departed and are now on the verge of completion. From what we could decipher from our scanners, the vessel is actually a living organism. Its biology and reasoning remains a mystery, much like the rest of the ship. Its hull is an incredible merging of highly advanced technology and biological engineering. I can see why this ship would be so important to Central Command. Yet how they knew about the unknown vessel is yet to be determined.” I sighed, “Computer, End Log.” Without waiting for the acknowledgement I entered the elevator leading to the bridge.

“Report!” I exclaimed to the current bridge shift.

“Still nothing, Sir. Not even an engine displacement trail. We don’t even know if the vessel came this way. Helmsman Snow responded.

I sighed once again internally, the crew was demoralised at the loss of their beloved captain. In a way, the captain was the most protected person on the ship, it was very rare to lose a captain. Yet we lost one without there even being a battle. I had already broken several protocols regarding this mission. Following a non-existent trail for three days was most definitely a breach of protocol. Gathering my breath to finally give the order I should have at least a day ago, I began. “Helmsman –“

“Before I could finish, the excited voice of the Science officer interrupted me. “Sir, there she is! It looks like she is powered down!”

The Data was completely overwhelming me. I didn’t even notice that I had fallen to my knees and was cradling my head until a voice penetrated me to my very core.

“Biolink dampeners engaged. Dataflow ceased.”
Suddenly I felt as if a part of my brain was cut out. There was now a separation of sorts from me and Serenity. I had my sense of individuality again, yet a large part of me dearly wanted that feeling of oneness again.

Pulling myself to my feet, I once again looked around the room. A name flowed into my head; ropyaH. Infirmary. Looking around the room I saw now exit, yet as that thought was given form, a hatch slowly formed in the wall I was facing.

“What the-“ I exclaimed.

“While you may not know it, you have full control of this vessel. Your needs become my own. You required an exit so I provided.” The voice had seemingly come from everywhere at once. However, I was sure that I didn’t actually hear it.

“Quite Correct, Captain. You are actually hearing me through the bionanite systems which link your brain to mine.” The voice interrupted my thoughts again.

Upon hearing that response I began to panic, my heart(s?) were beating a hundred times a second. What has been done to me? Am I being controlled by these nanites? Why me? What for? Just who was I talking to?

Cutting off any further thoughts the voice began, “The bionanites are actually the opposite, they control me. Or more correctly main brain becomes an extension of your own. As for who I am. I am Serenity, I control all the autonomic systems. Or at least, that was my original function, my last captain released my containment and I am now a fully self-aware and sentient artificial intelligence.”

That puzzled me, why kidnap me only to give me control of it?

Responding once again to my thoughts, “You are the legacy. Your genetic markers and biology were such that you had the potential to become Trelonian. My mission was to find one such as yourself in body and mind, to engage genetic migration and modification. You are now the only member of a once great species.”

“But why?” I asked aloud, even though I apparently need not.

“To continue what the Trelonians have dome since they launched their first interplanetary ships; to manage the Universe as we know it.”

One sentence, told in such a calm and collected manner, yet so profound that my brain stalled. “You want me to become some sort of intergalactic peacekeeper?”

“In a fashion, yes. This ship is equipped to handle many situations that you may find yourself in at a later time.”

“What if I don’t want the job?” I queried, already knowing that this was an opportunity not to be missed.

“Contrary to your current belief, I have been following your ship for three months, in stealth mode, to make sure that you not only matched the biological requirements but also the personality requirements. In fact, your personality was almost a complete match to my last captains. You have a moral code that is different to that of your old society. You break the rules of your society when your morality forces you to. Your innate sense of what could be, what should be and what is provides you with a unique outlook on the universe. In other words, you are perfect for the task at hand.”

“But why am I female? What am I?” I asked, not sure if I wanted to hear the answers or not.

“I have been watching you for three months. Your personality is not that of the human male, nor of my creators’ male population. You have a personality that is undeniably female in essence. While you may have been able to hide it from your crew, you could not hide it from me. I apologise for my intrusion, but I suspect that you are not particularly devastated because of it.”

My face reddened at that, no one, not even my own family knew about that side of me. I had always knows that there was something separating me from the other males that I had interacted with. I figured out quickly that it was not acceptable to tell anyone about my feelings. I joined the EIF to hopefully drown out that voice, yet it had not succeeded as I had hoped. 35 years later and still the nagging sensation was there, clawing and scratching at the back of my brain. At the moment, all I felt was clarity. I no longer had that feeling of being trapped by expectations. In a way, I missed the feeling, but by no means did I want it back.

I was never sure exactly why it was such a taboo against our society, but I did know it had something to do with something that happened in the late twenty-seventh century. Since then, there have been (publically at least) no gender or sexual variants in our society.

“So what am I?” I asked as my mind returned to the present.

“You are Trelonian. A member of the first advanced civilisation in the universe, at least, the first to their knowledge.”

I gasped, “The first?”

“Yes, the universe was still fairly young when I was created. My makers, the Trelonians, explored the universe as it was in its infancy. The Great Trelonian Empire was founded to guide the younger species so that they developed in a less destructive and peaceable manner, unlike their own relatively violent past.”

“What happened to them?” I asked. Evidently they weren’t around for humanity.

“Unfortunately the Empire was not as united at most liked to think. There were those who wished to subjugate the younger races and use them for their own good. A civil war broke out between those who wished to help and those who thought they were superior. Weapons so powerful that entire star systems were eradicated of life in an instant.

My countermeasure systems were the only thing that saved both me and my captain, after all my biological components are based on the Trelonians themselves. By then, it was too late.”

My legs gave way underneath me. Mass genocide in one stroke. Star systems obliterated. How does one digest that kind of information? So caught up in thought was I, that I didn’t even know when sleep overtook me.

A tall aging figure sat upon the throne, all around him were the officials of the EIF diligently going about their respective tasks. His expressionless face showing no hint of what the man was thinking.

A short statured, middle-aged man approached the figure upon his throne, “Sir, the vessel you instructed to be informed about immediately has been spotted by the Agamemnon, they are following a pursuit course.”

As the Emperor heard this, a feint but visible sinister smile crept onto his face. “Keep me appraised.” Was all his stated. Without waiting for acknowledgement, he raised himself off the throne and exited the command room. Making his way to his personal chambers he extracted his communication pad and sent a coded message to the person truly responsible for his rise to power.

Serenity is here.

I awoke once again in the Infirmary, seeing the pulsating silver walls caused me to remember our conversation, as well as my experience as I was truly connected to Serenity. “Why can I no longer see what you see?”

The AI, after finally working out the difference between me just thinking and me asking, replied “While your brain, or hardware, is capable of handling the information. Your software or thought pattern cannot. Eventually you will be able to handle the symbiosis link at full integration. The more your software, or pattern, adapts, the less human your thinking becomes. That isn’t to say you will not be yourself in personality. But, your brain will function at an entirely different level to that of your old species.”

I was not sure if I should be relieved of not. “How long will it take?”

“It is not known for certain. This procedure has never been done before. However, when the last captain died her memories were placed in the modification package you were given. It was thought best you have her memories so you would know what needed to be done. It also has the side effect of speeding up the process of your adaption, as your brain unlocks the memories it you will become aware of your new abilities, including that of multi-layered thinking. At the very least on a subconscious level. These memories are only a guide they will not affect your own personality, especially since yours matches hers almost perfectly.”

I was getting used to these shocks by now. After all, that is all I had been getting for the past day. I had one last question though, “If you are a completely sentient Intelligence, then why do you need me?”