Chapter 15

Denny experiences the fake reality of the Zetan's memory preservation network, while Helvos discusses with his superiors the potential threat Mokvel might pose to their plans,

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Previously: The Sapien, Wise meets the Neanderthal Tabun in the medical bay. They both conclude that to overcome these aliens the two men must work together. Mokvel noticing their alliance, makes them aware of what lies in store for them. Elsewhere, a Denisovan is taken to be neurologically catalogued. Meaning whatever happens to the Zetan’s captives, there will always be a backup in place to bring them back.

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The sky was clear and filled with what appeared to be birds. They varied in size, and some were unlike anything they had seen before. The slight wind left her a little cold, but it was balanced out by the soft heat of the sun on her shoulders. For a moment, she wondered if all of what had happened so far was just her having some crazy nightmare.

“We all thought the same.”

The voice came from someone behind her at the top of the hill. She turned, seeing first the large tree and then the tall, lithe insectoid with a green, chitin exoskin and compound eyes. They clicked their mandibles while she got to her feet.

“What do you mean?” she asked, half-raising her guard.

“That this place was real. It’s not. It’s what they chose to use as a foundation. This place is another memory from another world.”

“What does that even mean?”

The creature looked down at the waving strands of grass. “None of this is real. We are both just copies.”

Such a thing was alien to her. “Copies?”

“I should have guessed you were primitive. Follow me.”

The alien moved past her and down the hill. It reached a certain point and stopped looking back at her. “Do you wish to stay here? Or do you want to see how things really are?”

She simply nodded and followed the alien. “What should I call you?”

“In your tongue, my name is incomprehensible. So call me, Xen.”

“Denny.”

Xen reached out and their hand met the barrier. It rippled, and they could now see a little of the other side. “You have nothing to fear here. They wanted to preserve you. Nothing can hurt you here… that is, unless they choose to erase you.”

‘Why preserve us like this?”

“In case your fragile body gets destroyed, and they need to download your mind into another. They’ll keep doing backups now and again. That way, you don’t lose too much if you die.”

“That sounds…”

“Terrifying.”

“You could say that.”

“The Blue Zetans are that and so much more,” Xen said, stepping forward. The barrier rippled, and they were gone, consumed by it.

Denny stood there for a few minutes, alone in the silent hum of the fake wind on a world that had once existed. She tried to remember where she was in the real world. They had captured her and taken her to be experimented on. Now she was here, preserved until they no longer had a use for it. She sighed and stepped through the barrier. Xen waited a few feet away, and she joined them.

“This is the World Inbetween. It forms the base of the Zetan Neural Preservation Network. From here, you can find others like us. Though there is something I should warn you about.”

“What’s that?”

“When they wake you, it-”

The voice was cut off as a bright light covered her. She was awake once more, under the intense white light and struggling to discern reality from the fake world she had just belonged to.

“You’re awake,” said the Grey Zetan beside her.

Her eyes widened; she understood him. “I-am. I dreamed.”

“The upload was a successful Mokvel, no visible signs of degradation either. We should return her to her cell for now,” said one of the Blue Zetans.

“My cell- Oh.”

“Adjustment will come in time; not everyone handles the reawakening process easily,” said the Blue Zetan. “But at least there are no more barriers between us. That is why you join the network. It makes everything much more painless.”

She looked from one Zetan to another and didn’t know what to say. She recalled Xen’s words and understood that since she now existed as an engram, they could kill her as many times as they wanted…. Because I will always come back. Until there’s nothing left of me. Until I stop being useful to them.

The solution then was obvious, but it was also easier said than done.

Just don’t die.

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“Is the world ready?” asked Helvos.

The others present remained silent until one spoke up. It had a floating sphere for a head, surrounded by orbiting rings. Its voice was mechanical. “We have scouted ahead, the final preparations are almost complete. A couple of regular entrants have yet to submit their tributes, however.”

“Why is that asked Helvos?”

“They stated that while they had found worthy warriors. They are putting up quite the resistance,” said the hologram that looked like a reptilian.

“The Terrans didn’t make it easy, and we still managed. If we help them, I want some of the stock.”

“The Reds won’t accept your help, Helvos. You asked, and we have answered your question. I doubt you called us here to just gossip about your rivals.”

The Blue Zetan had deliberately set this meeting up in one of the private consultation rooms away from any prying eyes. He began pacing to the point that it made those present uncomfortable. “Helvos, we aren’t psychic. Speak.”

Helvos stopped. “I don’t trust the Grey we adopted.”

“What is their name?” asked the sphere.

“Mokvel. I forwarded what we have so far, he’s been getting close to the prisoners… too close if you ask me.”

The minutes ticked down, and the reptilian answered. “If he’s bothering you, then send him out the airlock. You have no need for him now.”

Helvos looked at the reptilian. “It’ll be off the record, the other Zetans don’t like it when we kill one another. We moved past that long ago.”

“Needs must,” said the figure in the middle, obscured by the hood they wore. “Collaboration with intent to subvert our mission is treason. You have the evidence, how you act at this point is up to you.”

‘Thank you,” Helvos said. “I wanted your guidance before I committed to this. Mokvel will be promptly dealt with.”

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Mokvel entered the holding chamber, unlike the ones on the saucer, these cells held a much larger number of Terran captives. All except a couple held fewer. It was one of those he sought out. He kept walking until he found the one containing Young and the Chief. He climbed the steps at the side of the pyramid-like structure until he reached the glass roof that looked into the empty cell. Young looked even more worn out than when he had first stormed the saucer. His truth appeared to be consoling him. It didn’t take long before they became aware of them.

“Mokvel, why are you here?” growled Young.

Mokvel sat so that he had a clear view of the other structures. So many taken from their home to participate in Zeta’s idea of a sport. “I’m going to set things right. If one of you can take a saucer. Many of you are more than enough for this ship.”

“You betray your own kind?” the Chief asked. “Why?”

“I only wanted us to study your kind and leave you alone. If not for the Overseer. You would not be here… out of all the Zetans. The Greys tried to live a peaceful life, we’re mostly scientists and builders. They needed us, though, to make weapons and the games they will force upon you.”

“You realise this is going to get you killed,” said the Chief.

“Your friend here had every chance, and I consider him just as dangerous as my fellow Zetan. They won’t know what hit them.”

Mokvel stood up and left them, descending the steps. He headed for the exit when the great metal doors opened and an armed guard blocked his path. He went to go past him, but the energy rifle being directed at it stopped him.

“Researcher, Mokvel. On behalf of the Zetan state and its interests. You have been declared an enemy of the people, a threat to our plans, and worst of all, a xenosympathiser. You are to be terminated. There is no trial, this order comes from Chieftain Helvos himself.”

Mokvel said nothing. He should have known someone would be watching his movements. He thought that because these were his people, they wouldn’t pay him attention, too caught up in their schemes. He allowed them to circle him as they began marching once more.

How wrong I was…

It was a long walk of silence, and a couple of stray glances from the other Zetans followed them. They didn’t need to guess, they knew exactly where he was being marched to and soon enough, after rounding a corner, they reached a long corridor and a dead end. My end. He looked back on his time as a researcher, the promises that had been placed at his feet. All of that was for nothing, and he had thrown that trust bestowed upon him back in the face of his own people. He wondered if he had actually been that obvious or if more simply put, Helvos had seen through him from the very beginning.

The first set of doors loudly parted, and a rifle jab to his back gave him the needed motivation to cross over the threshold into the small chamber. Once the door was sealed, the sequence began. They said nothing while preparing to launch him into space. He stared at the small, rectangular-shaped windows that showed him a small glimpse of what came next. The next moment was swift, like his insides had been eviscerated. The doors to the void opened, and he greeted it with open arms. One minute he was on the ship, the next he had been sucked into space, where a sudden death awaited.