Condition Evolution 4 by Kevin Sinclair (parable of the sower read online .txt) 📗

But first we need to fully exhaust diplomatic options and address the rest of the council with the news of what unfolded here. Understand, it has been centuries since we have lost a member of our people. I don’t think you understand the gravity of what you have done!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “What I’ve done? I did nothing. I was trying to make friends with you fuckers and just sitting on my ship waiting for you to get back to me, when you did all this. Shit, Jezai, I even tried to stop them from entering! But oh no, Fystr are just so much better and cleverer than anyone else, why would they ever listen to the likes of me!”

I heard a sharp intake of breath from the group behind Jezai.

“What? You don’t like that? You fucking Fystr bastards!” I held my arms out in front of me in the traditional come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough stance.

No one was laughing now; a deadly silence had fallen over the room. Until I spoke again. “You know what? Fuck you guys! Take your fancy fucking promises and shove them up your Fystr asses. You’ve messed me about enough.”

“Shaun, please calm down,” Jezai said as he moved to intercept me from leaving.

“I mean it, out of my way. I’m stealing one of your ships, and I’m going to roam this stupid Dark Sector until I find my friends. And I promise you, it’ll go very badly for anyone who tries to stop me.” I stormed off towards the opening. As you can probably tell, I may have let my temper get the better of me. But seriously, it had been an epic day. I challenge you to go through what I just have, then think straight.

“You won't make it, Shaun,” Jezai shouted almost pleadingly as I passed him.

“That’s hardly the fucking point, Jezai!”

“What do you mean? If you do not let me help you will be killed trying to leave. How will you find your people then?”

“I’ll tell you what. Help me get Ember and my crew back, and then I might just about trust you enough to talk.”

“I will. Just give me time,” he said, as I began to levitate off the floor towards the opening. Just then a golden light flashed around me.

I heard a gasp from the ground. I stopped and turned to them, curious.

A different Apochros spoke in awe. “What was that? What did you just do?”

“Shaun,” Jezai said, looking at me with wonder in his eyes, “what was that?”

I ignored his question, instead asking my own. “Did one of you just attempt to stop me?” I said angrily.

The first man who’d spoken raised his hand. “I just wanted you to stay and help sort this out. I was fully blocked by that golden aura.”

I didn’t have a clue what had happened, but I suspected my new Omni energy store may have just protected me. I wasn’t going to tell them that though. “You dickheads are not understanding this. You can’t control me, even if you think it's for my own good. That's not how this is ever going to work. So far, all your people have done is take from me. You’re going to have to start giving back before I ever even begin to trust you again. It’s a long road back from here, motherfuckers. You can talk about your good intentions all you damn well want. But right now, good intentions mean exactly fuck all to me!”

“You’re right,” Jezai said commandingly, causing the others to hush their clamor. “We will offer you something that we can do immediately.”

“See, now we're getting somewhere,” I replied, slowly lowering myself back to the floor.

“Will you at least explain the aura?” Jezai asked.

“How are you going to help me then?” I replied.

Jezai smiled tiredly. “You win. What about if we can contact the station and allow you to speak with everyone? Assure them that they will be collected soon. Will that suffice while we deal with the fallout here?”

“I will take the communication. That’ll buy you a conversation down here, but there’s not a damn chance I’m waiting on the whim of your bloody council again. I’m going for my crew today and that’s nonnegotiable.”

“Very well,” agreed Jezai and spoke to one of his friends. “Melik, will you arrange for a transmission to Beler 4008, please.” Then to a woman next to him he said, “Can you please go and inform the remaining council members what has transpired here.”

“Nope, I’m not okay with that,” I butted in, and Jezai frowned at me.

“If you have to send someone to the council, send Ialos. I trust her.” I paused and I looked over at her. “Well, more than I trust any of you.” I saw looks of outrage, but Jezai seemed to accept my logic. I had to say, I felt more than a little empowered by that golden shit that had sprung up around me. Seems like I had a sick new skill after all, and the Apochros and Fystr had just become much weaker in the face of it.

On a whim I quickly checked out my Cerebral Interface. The Omni Saturation had dropped from 35 to 34 percent. I wondered how I could replenish it. Perhaps it was like how Havok absorbed energy. Maybe I would have to kill people with my bare hands to get their energy. These bastards had killed Havok anyway, so I was weaponless for now, unless there were still remnants of the Uprising out there. I might be able to find him yet. It would be worth checking the wreckage.

Jezai beckoned for Ialos to go instead. She had a strained smile for me, probably happy that I was starting to cooperate a little.

Once she had gone, Jezai turned to me again. “Shaun, I would still like to apologize for everything that has transpired. I couldn’t stop it at the time, but I have since rallied likeminded people with influence