Emergence: Chapter 67

Ash looked around as the now-free Xaosians helped each other and the citizens of Atui to shelter. Empire troopers were being dropped in, helping with the evacuation effort. They had taken taken Ash, Beldun, Carnat and the unconscious Foton to a tent and explained to them about the AI, before removing the Inducer from Foton's ear.

“Will he remember anything?” Beldun had asked one of the troops. “Of his time under control?”

“Probably.” The trooper sounded dismissive. “The Xaosians do.”

With that, the troopers left and the four of them were alone.

“So, who are you guys?” Beldun asked, breaking the silence.

Ash gave a humourless chuckle before Carnat answered. “I'm an Adjeti that was kept prisoner for the last century and forced to fight in a Hak'i arena. Today I found out my race isn't all dead and destroyed. And this is Ash. He doesn't know who he is because the Hak'i wiped most of his memory before they forced him to fight in the arena too.” He gave Beldun a mock grin. “And you?”

She shrugged. “I'm just an ordinary human really. Nothing too special really.”

“And him?” Ash nodded towards Foton.

Beldun sighed. “I don't know. I thought I did, but I don't. I knew him as Lyss Fown, and he worked with me for years. But ow he says his name is Foton and that he's a killer...” She trailed off.

Carnat put his arm on her shoulder. “Well, he's got some explaining to do then.”

“I think he's coming round.” Ash noted.

Foton moved his head slowly, groaning as he came back round. His hand shot to his ear, which was bandaged after the surgery. “What happened?” He looked at his hands again, watched them move in front of his eyes. “I'm me again. The AI it's...gone?” He looked to Beldun for reassurance, who nodded. He sighed. “Thank fuck for that.”

“Lord Keinam disabled the AI's main unit,” Carnat explained, “the signal it used to control you was shut off when he did so. They think the signal's still broadcasting on other worlds, but they destroyed the main one. You're free.”

Foton nodded. “Good.” He turned to Beldun. “Beldun, I...I owe you an explanation.”

She glared at him. “Yes, Lyss. You really do.”

Carnat beckoned to Ash. “Let's go wait outside. Give these two some privacy.”

Ash nodded, and followed him. He waited until they were out of earshot, before saying, “I kinda wanted to hear that, y'know?”

“Then I'll tell you.” Carnat offered. “Foton is an Assassin. His fighting style and weaponry made that obvious. Evidently, he was hunting a target that Beldun worked with and, to get closer, used the identity of Lyss Fown to get closer to them. When he took down the target, he disappeared until the AI took him under its control.” He shook his head. “Nasty.”

“Assassins?” Ash asked. “You told me about those, right?”

“I did indeed.”

“Thought so.” Ash shuffled. “Do you think this AI knows anything about me?”

“Why would it?”

“Well...” Ash sighed. “Well, maybe it knew what I was before the arena. It is controlling the Dominort after all.” Ash looked up at Carnat. “Think he's dead?”

“Hope so.”

Foton came out of the tent and beckoned them to go back inside. Ash acknowledged him with a wave, before they walked back inside. Beldun looked shocked, but her experiences had hardened her to Foton's revelations. If, Ash considered, he told her truth, anyway. He smiled at her, and she forced a smile back.

Foton approached Ash and extended his hand. “Beldun told me it was you who knocked me out.” Ash nodded. “Thank you. And I'm so sorry. All of you.”

Ash shook the hand. “It wasn't your fault. You're both just lucky we ended up landing where we did.”

“Yeah.” Beldun agreed. “Thank you, by the way. For saving my life.”

Carnat smiled. “No problem.”

“If there's anything I can do to repay you, name it.” Foton sounded sincere.

Carnat rejected the idea, saying that it was all a coincidence, anyone would've done the same. But thoughts ticked by in Ash's brain, clicking into place. He knew what he wanted.

“If I could ask for a favour...” Ash trailed off as Carnat turned to face him, a look of confusion on his face.

“Anything,” Foton said, “although any fighting may have to wait for a bit.”

Ash looked down at his hands and found them shaking. “I want to go to Rat'hak.”

“Why?” Carnat exclaimed. “We just escaped from there!”

“I need to go back, Carnat.” Ash pleaded. “I need to know who I was. Who I am. And the answers are on Hak'i. There has to be something left of me there.”

Carnat rubbed his forehead. “You're right. There has to be something there.”

“There is.” Foton sounded distant, spaced out. “I remember...when I first saw you two, the AI ran a check on you two. Found out your fighting style from the arena, and your origins before that.” He looked at Ash. “You crashed on Rat'hak a couple of months ago. Your ship is kept under the area, buried, so that no-one would find it.”

Ash's jaw dropped, speechless. He thought it was worth an ask, but he wasn't sure if he'd accomplish anything from it. This was beyond his expectations.

“Why's it buried?” Beldun asked.

Foton concentrated again, trying to remember. “I don't know. The AI was terrified of it for some reason.”

“All the more reason to find it, then.” Ash said. “Who's with me?”

Foton nodded. “Of course.”

Beldun stood. “I'm in too.” Foton gave her a questioning look, to which she shrugged and said, “I owe him too.”

Ash looked at Carnat, who seemed to be struggling with the decision. “Carnat? You in?”

Carnat looked at Ash and sighed, before smiling. “We've fought together Ash. I've saved you, and you've saved me. I've learnt that my people are alive, that I have a home to go to. And I want to go to that home after we've found yours. Let's go to Rat'hak!”