Questions

Darin opens the door, gently and quietly. The only noise to keep up company was the creaking from the henges. He walks in first. He checks his left, then his right. I follow in with him. The room is empty. No signs of life. Suddenly a chill runs down my spine. This urge to check behind me starts to overwhelm me. I spin around and check the door. A black figure moves. My heart sinks in that moment. Did I just see something?

"What is it?" Darin asks.

"I think someone is following us."

"What?" Darin aims his light at the door. "I don't see anything."

"Follow me."

We exit out of the room when suddenly something crashes onto the floor. I immediately turn to the direction of the noise. A desk is knocked over at the end of the hall and the door ahead has just closed. I point in that direction. We walk slowly to the door, careful not to make too much noise. We stand in the breaching formation and Darin bursts through the door, kicking it open with his foot. A man suddenly yells in a panic. His hands are raised and shivering.

"Wait!" He yells, "Don't shoot."

"Don't move!" Darin says.

He walks over to the man and starts to feel his clothing. I take a good look at him. He's an older gentleman. His hair is scratchy and long, like it hasn't been taken care of for years. His clothes were torn and worn out. He had dust all over him. How he was able to survive here is beyond me. Darin clears him and I approach the man. He was so out of it and couldn't stand still.

"Who are you?" I asked

"I need to destroy it. It's too dangerous." he says, clearly very weak and with no energy to fight.

"Sir, what is your name?"

"She asked you a question." Darin says.

"I am sorry. So sorry."

"Your name. What is your name?"

He suddenly turns to me.

"My name…my name is…Hen? Hen, I think."

"Hen?"

"Yes, that sounds right."

I thought for a moment. Where have I heard this name before? Then it hit me, the name that started this whole ordeal.

"Henderson? Professor Henderson?"

His eyes light up.

"That's right!"

"Henderson?" Darrin asks, "How do you know him?"

I lower my gun and run to him. I grab onto his shoulders to hold him still and I look him in the eyes.

"Henderson, I need your help."

"Do I know you?"

"No." I said, "But my father was looking for you years ago."

"Years? How long have I been here?"

"I don't know. We have questions for you. You think you can answer them?"

"Maybe."

"The people who kidnapped you, who are they?"

"I don't know, they came to me one day asking about my project, next thing you know after a drink I find myself here, forced to carry out my testing."

"What testing?" Darrin asks

"Jump space. My original research was related to the jump equation."

"The amount of energy must meet or exceed the amount of mass being moved." I said, remembering my last conversation about this.

"Yeah that."

"Why did they want that equation?"

"I...I don't remember."

"The people who took you, did they have any recognizable features, anything you can remember?"

"I don't know."

"Please, think of anything. Even the smallest thing could help."

He thinks for a hard moment. His eyes wonder as he uses every ounce of energy he has left to come up with this one thought.

"One had a folder on his desk. The symbol on the front was of a triangle. It was upside down and a planet passed through the center I think."

"And what about the Gridlock? How long has it been here? It looks like it's in disrepair." Darrin asks

"The gridlock? That ship left the planet a long time ago."

"Left?" 

"We are going to get you out of here." I said

I grab my rifle and stand him to his feet, I point for the door and start to make for the exit. Before I can move he grabs onto my hand.

"Wait, don't!" He yells.

"What?" Darrin asks.

"They got a call before you arrived."

"Who's they?"

Before the man could say another word, all the electronics boot up at once. The computers, the lights, everything. Rows upon rows of monitors now suddenly appear across the room. We would have never seen it at first with all the lights off, but a new question now arises. How did the power come online? And who is with us? That question is quickly answered as a shadowy figure suddenly appears as the last lights are lite. Darrin spots him first and aims his weapon at the figure and I follow suit. The figure just stands there, not saying a word. His complexation is dark and tall. He has no hair, facial or otherwise. His build is skinny but tall and his eyes were a dark brown. A slight blue hue surrounds his body...just like Soul. Is he?

 "Who are you?" Darrin yells. 

"I am surprised you were able to find this place." He says.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Artificial Intelligence, Designation: Legion 8284-B. You can just call me Legion."

"You're an A.I?" I asked.

"The one and only."

"You arent the only one, we have hundreds of systems like you." Darrin says

"And all are based on my subroutines and coding. I am the original."

"Why are you here?" I ask

"I should be asking you that question. What brings to you this relic."

"Relic? Your ship was just in the cloud system days ago." 

"This ship has not left the ground since the final jestin war."

"Jestin war? That was 1000 years." Darrin said

Legion raises his hands into the air, like his praising the lord above.

"You stand on the legendary HLS Lanta. This ship has participated in countless battles over its life time. You should be grateful to be in its presence"

"Then why are you still on this ship after 1000 years."

"That's classified. In fact, all of you trespass on this ship."

He begins to reach into his back pocket. Not know what he about to grab, I attempt to talk him down.

"Wait, wait wait. We are just here to rescue him." I say as I point to Henderson.

"He's with me. He is not going anywhere."

"Why are you holding him?" Darrin asks.

"You ask too many questions. All of you leave, or you all will die." 

"Is that a threat?"

Darrin raises his rifle and aims it at Legion. Legion doesn't react, he just smiles.

"You humor me with you pathetic weapons and threats."

"Enough!" I yell. "We are leaving with him now."

"Fine, but you don't have much time. The stars will have you soon."

He laughs and phases out of existence, leaving no trace behind. I run back to to Henderson and attempt to pick him up with the help of Darrin.

"Don't." he said. "We are not going to make it out. Get out while you can."

"We can make it before he sets off the bombs."

"They are not bombs. He activated it before you got here."

Darrin and I both stop and start at him.

"The explosion will be big enough that our mother will see it from home."

"Our mother?" I ask.

What is he talking about? An explosion that can be seen from our mother's home?

"Demi?" Darin asks, "What is he talking about?"

"For our mother and father," He whispers, "Hail to the empire."

"What?"

Then the realization hits me all at once and the sheer horror seeps in as I realize what he has done.

"An explosion large enough to be seen from Sulis?" I ask.

"What can cause an explosion that big?" Darin asks

"Shit, only thing that can. The bastard ignited Starfire!"

"The damn energy signature."

"We need to go now!"

Darin attempts to pick up Henderson, but he fights him off and runs into the corner. I chase after him.

"I am not going back!" He yells.

"Henderson!"

"I saw the shit on the other side. My work will not be used for evil. I will never go back."

The ground has already started to shake. Darin is already halfway out the door before he calls out to me.

"Demi, let's go!" He says.

"The answer you are looking for Demi is here."

He takes a worn drive from his pocket and places it in my hand.

"Don't let it get in the wrong hands." He continues. "If the secret gets out, all of civilization will end. Don't let that happen!"

I make my way to the door, but not before turning around one last time. Henderson nods and closes his eyes one last time. Darin and I bolt down the hall and out of the room, heading for the exit. We don't have much time.