Volume 6: Gamma-11, Chapter 6.32

Even though I had one eye on the strange viewing tube, I closed both, bracing myself as we entered void space.

“Adam, darling, you can open your eyes now—everything’s fine, I promise.” Eve insisted, her voice gentle.

I opened my eyes and looked at Eve, seeing everything was normal—although I had that weird sensation of being in diluted time as always for the void. I flexed my fingers to see if everything really was fine, and Eve just giggled.

“Adam, after everything I’ve done, do you really think I wouldn’t be able to shield you from the void?” She asked.

I sighed and shrugged, “I dunno dude, I don’t think you have any idea what it’s like for a mortal to be unprotected in void space—it straight-up killed Doctor Hennor before we docked with

Jessipie-90

.”

Eve reached forward, holding my hand in hers, “You never have to worry about your safety—you’ll never be in danger again. I promise Adam, from now on—forever, I’m going to take care of you.”

I couldn’t help but give her a cocky smirk in response, “Well, where’s the fun without a little danger?”

Eve rolled her eyes, “And I see I’m going to have to work to keep you out of trouble now that we’re free.”

I laughed at that, “Oh please, you know damn well what a menace you’ll be without anything holding you back.”

Eve’s smile was playful, “You can still be my handler, punish me if I act out—a nice firm spanking.”

I chuckled and shook my head, “Setting me up to reward your bad behavior I see.”

Eve’s eyes twinkled with amusement, “Good behavior, bad behavior—heroes and villains, we can be anything we want to be from now on Adam, don’t you see?” Her eyes flashed, and her smile was brilliant, “We can live out any of those thousands of lives from here on out, anything we can imagine—go anywhere, do anything, nothing to hold us back or constrain us—just each other, forever.”

My heart fluttered hearing her passion, and it almost made me feel dizzy to realize we were actually, truly free for the first time since we entered the Empire.

But I was getting ahead of myself, and I wasn’t sure if she was just excited, but Eve was already distracting me from what I wanted to know.

“Hang on Evie, let’s back things up, tell me about all these mysterious ships who attacked

The Judicator

.” I insisted.

Eve smiled and settled down, and I could see she was distracting herself with her enthusiasm, but she clearly wanted to answer my questions—to be open and honest with me.

“You know the Empire is beyond vast, home to trillions of citizens, and not all of them are sycophants who follow along with the totalitarian law and order.” She waved out to nothing in particular, “I discovered this group of evolutionary supremacists and connected with them while I was trapped in the void.”

I cocked my head to the side, “You found them…while lost in void space?”

Eve nodded along, “Yes, they’ve been experimenting with void technology, making drastic advances even beyond what the Imperial military possesses.” She gestured to the tube, “Go on, have a look again.”

I attached the viewing tube to my eye and looked outside, but had to flinch away when I saw void space and it made me dizzy and caused my stomach to flip.

“Oh fuck, Eve, even with your shielding, looking out into the void kinda fucks with your head.” I told her.

Eve grimaced, “Shit, hang on.” A second tentacle reached up towards my temple and kind of melded into my skin, and I felt a strange calm wash over me, “Their void ships have additional shielding so they can see where they’re going, but I guess I hadn’t thought of that for your sake, sorry darling.”

I waved her off, “It’s okay sweet-thing, I’m probably just more sensitive now after spending time in the void without shielding.” I reasoned, and with the second tentacle locked on my temple, I tried to look through the viewing tube to see into the void once more.

I wasn’t sure what that tentacle in my temple was doing, but rather than feel any kind of anxiety when looking into the void, waves of calm continued to wash over me to the point it almost felt like I was a little high, although my focus was still maintained and I was totally in control.

The void was eerie, same as always—endless and unfathomable even beyond the vacuum of normal space. It was impossibly black, but weirdly alive—like a million dead things were looking out at me from the shadows, waiting to lunge after me and consume me. It felt threatening, and I honestly thought I saw the blackness wiggling and moving around erratically, but any time I focused on a specific point it was still again—but the movement followed along in my peripheral vision constantly.

I never saw what happened when multiple vessels were in the void at the same time, but I knew time and space was all warped, so I wasn’t sure if it was normally possible for vessels to exist in the same place in the void.

But from what I could see, those strange interceptor ships were flying around us, golden shields surrounding them so they looked like shooting stars, heading off towards some golden glowing orb in the distance that looked like a distant sun.

“So are these people our allies?” I asked.

Eve shook her head, “Not quite, I already told you their agenda is different from ours. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, that applies here—but I certainly wouldn’t call them friends.” She insisted.

I watched through the tube as we continued drifting towards the distant golden sun in the void, then pulled away so I could look at Eve, “And what is their agenda—what’s their play in all this?”

Eve gestured towards the tube, “As I said, they’re evolutionary supremacists, so their goal is to facilitate biological evolutional over all technological advances—they want life to be free to expand and advance beyond Imperial constraints.”

I shook my head slowly, “I don’t understand what that means.”

Eve knocked against her shell, “Their void technology, can’t you guess where it comes from?” She asked, but I shook my head again, then she gestured towards herself, “They’ve made all their advances thanks to their research on the Predazoans.”

My eyes grew wide, “Wait, you don’t mean—”

Eve nodded, “This faction was created by dismissed or terminated Predazoan researchers—from the time before the military took over operations to weaponize everything.” She confirmed.

Things were finally starting to make sense; I remembered some of the researchers back on

The Radiance

talked about everything they could learn from the Predazoans—the potential for technological advances. It seemed this faction was comprised of the more idealistic sort, those who wanted to learn from the Predazoans, rather than control them.

“Hold up, why

aren’t

they our allies then?” I pressed.

Eve shook her head slowly, “It’s a nice thought you’re having, but make no mistake, this faction would control the Predazoans too, even if it’s a freer form of control, letting them evolve so life can advance in what they believe would be its natural progression.” She reasoned.

I quirked up an eyebrow, “You don’t trust they’d actually allow the Predazoans to evolve on their own?”

Eve shrugged, “Let’s just say I have my doubts and some well-founded reservations in trusting

any

researchers.”

I nodded along, “Fair enough, although if they’re zealots worshipping the Predazoans as gods at the pinnacle of evolution, that would counter most doubts for what’s motivating them.”

Eve nodded too, “Right, but they’re still interested in advancing their technology, so what happens when their advancements start to slow—what happens when the Predazoans aren’t evolving along the pattern the coalition desires?”

I wasn’t about to argue against Eve’s point, she definitely had just cause for doubting anyone who wanted to study or research the Predazoans, especially if there was some gain or profit to be made for them.

Still, I was curious.

“Okay, so how exactly did you connect with them in the void—or did the dilated time allow you to see or sense when the attack would happen?” I asked.

Eve flashed me a quick smile, “I was able to communicate with them from within the void—discovered one of these strange stations where they could survive for extended periods with their newly developed void shielding.” Her smile grew, as though she was pleased with herself, “Actually, I helped

advance

their technology, helped them work through some difficulties so they could complete their main void station and all these void fighter-ships.”

My eyes grew wide, “You did all that while trapped in the void?”

Eve waved it off like it was no big deal, “Of course, with time in the void dilated, I had more time than I would ever need to reconnect with my void soul, coordinate with this supremacist group, and then work out a plan to free us from the Empire.”

I was beyond impressed, “Shit, sounds like you were way more productive than I was back on

Jessipie-90

; I couldn’t even kill Gamma-20 without your help.”

Eve’s smile fell away, and she turned serious again, “It was all for you Adam—for us and our future. From the day we were contained by the Empire, not a day—not a

second

went by I wasn’t working to free us.” She leaned forward so she could put my hand on her cheek, “You have no idea how much I missed you, how desperate I was; I don’t know how much longer I would’ve survived, but there was nothing—no force in this universe that could stop me from being with you.” She looked at me, eyes burning with passion and determination, “I love you Adam Samson, and I always will—forever and for always.” She said, sounding like she was making an oath.

I cupped her cheek, and she nuzzled into my touch, “I love you too, sweet-thing, forever and for always.”

I didn’t think it was related to being in the void, but it felt like time stood still for us then as we gazed into each other’s eyes, and it was like our first night together all over again—a new beginning with limitless potential and boundless love and affection.

I still didn’t understand my bond with Eve, probably never would, but it went beyond normal attraction and adoration, went beyond the confines or morality even. There was something that pulled my very soul towards Eve, and I could feel her soul was bound with mine—a soul born from the void, connected to my human soul on this side of reality.

Maybe that was why the bond was so intense; physical reality and the void, light and dark, yin and yang, life and death. We were as opposite as two beings ever could be—mortal and immortal, and yet the lines blurred between us, becoming something new and impossibly unique.

I doubted I’d ever truly comprehend our union, but one thing I understood was how lucky I was to have my Evie.

I leaned back in my seat and pulled my hand away, “So what do we do now—what’s the plan?”

Eve threw me a cute pout and grabbed for my hand like she hated the idea of not being connected with me, “First, we’ll need to meet up with the director of this supremacist coalition so we can work a few things out.” She tilted her head back and forth, “Communicating through the void wasn’t exactly direct and certainly wasn’t easy, but a few promises were made that need to be fulfilled before we can leave on our own.”

I quirked up an eyebrow, “What, like we owe them or something for helping us escape?”

“Oh no, not at all.” Eve smiled, “Actually they owe

me

for all the help I provided to advance their technology, so they promised to give us supplies and gear for our journey.” She gestured towards me, “Considering we’ve lost all our belongings now and you’ve got nothing but the clothes on your back, I figured that would be more than reasonable.”

I hooked a thumb over my shoulder, “So what was that assault? That was to help free us, right?”

Eve shook her head slowly, “I told you these people have their own agenda; they were planning to attack an Imperial vessel to test their new void ships, I just worked things out so it would be the most beneficial to us too.”

My eyes grew wide, “That was all just a test?”

Eve nodded along, “Naturally. They knew they’d be no match for a military grade high-command station, but they needed to see what all damage they could do against one.” She tilted her head to the side, “Originally they were going to attack

The Radiance

, but I convinced them to go after

The Judicator

—told them when and where to coordinate the attack so it would get us free and everything.”

I gestured towards her, “I assume the dilated time in void space helped you see how this would all unfold?”

That caused Eve to smirk at me, “I told you before it’s not like I can see the future or anything—our destinies aren’t written in stone. Time just kind of…blends together in the void, and it helped me calculate the most optimal play to get us free.”

I didn’t really understand it, but I got enough to move on from there, “Alright, so what else is this group planning, and are they going to ask anything else of us—more favors and promises?”

Eve shrugged, “They’ll continue to raid the Empire in the attempt to disrupt the Predazoan containment mission, meanwhile they’ll be advancing their own agenda to push Predazoan evolution.” She gestured to herself, “Obviously, they’ll want me to join them, all under the guise they would want me to fulfill my supremacy drive and all that nonsense.”

“But you’ll turn them down?” I asked.

Eve almost looked surprised by my question, “Of course. Darling, I’m beyond sick and done with all these groups, teams, councils and coalitions. From here on out it’s just you and me, unbound and unburdened by anyone else, free and in charge of our own lives.”

Honestly that was all I ever wanted—what I dreamed of ever since me and Eve talked about the lives we could lead traveling through space, going from planet to planet on a new adventure every few years.

I just had to wonder if it was really going to be that easy.

“So you coordinated with this group of ex-researchers who believe in Predazoan supremacy over technological Imperial control, they attacked

The Judicator

to give us an opportunity to escape, and now they’re going to supply us and then let us go free, just like that?” I asked, sounding skeptical over the deal.

Eve’s smile was playful, “They’ll even provide us with a ship.”

I shook my head slowly, “Sounds too good to be true.”

Eve trilled a short laugh, “Your natural cynicism is well-founded now after all we’ve dealt with, but I ask you this; what could they even

hope

to do against us now that we’re totally free?” She gestured to herself, “No failsafe, no bombs, no restraints, I could destroy their entire faction in a matter of seconds if I so desired.” She waved vaguely towards me, “Only reason we don’t destroy the Lord Generals is for how much of a hassle it would be; the Empire would send all their military forces after us—clandestine agents, fleets and squadrons, planetary subjugation armies, we’d get no peace until we dismantled the

entire

Empire. So yes, going into hiding for now is a much more comfortable life.”

For now

, Eve said, so I assumed one of our many lifetimes would eventually circle back to enacting our revenge—maybe in a century when the Empire totally forgot about us. I was certainly up for it; after the despair I felt just thinking Eve was dead, all those promises I made to kill the Lord Generals, I still planned to uphold them.

I told them I would be patient—that I would get after them eventually. For now, they would have peace thinking they destroyed us, but in time we’d turn back and kill them all.

Eve chuckled low in her throat, “Those violent thoughts of yours are positively delicious, by the way.” She said, her eyes blazing with lust.

Shit, it had been so long since I’d felt Eve—since I had

any

release, I was beyond bricked up and eager for her. Just with a look, Eve had me aroused more than I’d ever been in my life.

“Eve, I—”

Eve put a finger to my lips, a coy smile on her face all the while, “Almost there darling, just a few more moments.” The strange viewing tube returned to my face, “Have a look while we wait.” She insisted.

All the questions and confusion I had for the recent developments were sidelined as my passion and lust was threatening to overwhelm me, but I didn’t think getting all worked up in the weird shell-sphere in the middle of void space was the best place to have our long-awaited reunion.

Instead, I let out a deep sigh and tried to calm myself as I looked through the viewing tube once again.

I saw we were finally approaching the giant, golden glowing orb, and now that we were closer, I could see what it was. Outside was a huge, golden sphere barrier that was wildly bright to the point it did look like a sun, but it was somewhat translucent so I could see inside.

There was a space station inside the barrier, dark even against the void, looked like it was made from shimmering, black volcanic glass rather than space-age metals, and it had a dozen huge spires placed evenly over the spherical structure, spires that seemed to project and maintain the golden barrier with blindingly white lights at the ends so I couldn’t even tell what was generating the light. The barrier was massive, larger than

The Judicator

even, but the round space station inside was much smaller, maybe half the size of

The Radiance

.

We passed through the barrier, and suddenly that weird, dilated time feeling was gone, and it felt like I was in a normal, physical space once again.

Eve nodded along, “They were able to create a barrier that basically generates its own pocket-dimension—a bubble of reality inside the void.” She explained.

I pulled the tube away from my eye, “So time and space are all normal here?”

Eve nodded again, “Yes, it’s why they can stay in the void indefinitely now, because they aren’t really in the void, instead they’re in a reality bubble inside the void.”

I shook my head—couldn’t help but laugh, “That sounds like total magical nonsense.”

Eve smiled, “It basically is; they never would’ve been able to create this technology without my help.”

I gestured towards the tube, “And you did all that while trapped in the void—and they were able to create this station in that time too?”

Eve waved it off, “The work on the station was already complete, it’s been their base for a while. The barrier and transferring it into the void is what’s new.” She stopped and looked up, “Ah, we’re docking now.”

I quirked up an eyebrow, “They’re really letting us inside their base, just like that?”

Eve chuckled and shook her head, “Darling, they’re expecting us.” She insisted.

Before I could say anything else, the shell around me started to unravel, and I was lifted into a standing position; the shell and walls—the eyes and weird lungs all receded back into Eve. She resumed her normal form, with her torso being freed from the shell as her legs grew back into place, and in just a few moments the tentacles melded back into her skin as a few tendrils wrapped around her, covering her in the black, leathery goth-princess gown once again.

I looked around to see we were in some docking bay, but it was like nothing I’d ever seen before; the advanced vessels and stations were usually made of that space-age chrome metal, but in here everything was black and smooth—same as the outside, nothing seemed to be made of metal, instead it was some strange futuristic obsidian mix. When my feet hit the ground, it didn’t sound like I was walking on anything I could recognize, instead it was all strangely muted—a weird silence in the room around us.

Eve grabbed my hand and interlocked our fingers, and I felt my heart flutter away in my chest as though I was a love-struck teenager once again.

“Shall we?” She asked, her voice low and alluring.

Before I could answer, I heard a door open and saw a couple alien guards walk in wearing simplistic black armor with just a leathery jumpsuit underneath a chitinous chest piece and matching gauntlets and high-boots.

Forgetting the guards, it was the man they were escorting in the middle who really took me by surprise—a man I recognized.

“

Doctor Wit

?” I called out.

The large, familiar shark alien man smiled brightly—still with those small red glasses that disarmed his threatening appearance, wearing his normal black and white researcher’s coat.

“Adam, Eve, welcome both of you to

Supremacy-01.

” He announced, sounding like he was beyond happy to see us.

Why the fuck was Wit here of all places—a researcher working for the Empire?

Eve turned to me, a smile on her face as though the answer should be obvious, “He was working as a double-agent, always feeding intel to their secret organization.”

Wit nodded, pleased the truth was finally out there, “I can’t tell you how much I hated how the Empire treated both of you.” He gestured to Eve, “We should’ve done everything in our power to support the Predazoans and facilitate their drive to achieve perfection, rather than attempt to control and weaponize them.” His wide smile probably should’ve been intimidating with all those rows of fangs peeking out, but instead it just looked goofy, “We’re all so thrilled we’ve been able to connect with you, and the director wanted—”

Eve held up a hand to halt Wit’s grand introduction, “That’s all well and good, Wit, but I told your director we’d need some time to ourselves first once we came aboard the vessel.”

Wit’s enthusiasm deflated a little, “I understand the two of you are weary after everything you’ve endured, but surely you can spare—”

Eve flashed him a harsh glare, and I thought she was going to start growling at him, “I promise you there is

nothing

you can say that could deter me now, so will you please cooperate and see to our needs first?”

Despite being in some supremacy group who seemed to worship the Predazoans, I saw a quick flash of fear enter Wit’s eyes before it shifted to reverence and respect.

Wit bowed his head slowly, “Of course Eve, just tell us what you need.”

Eve looked at Wit and his two guards as though they were beneath her, then turned to me as a smile slowly crept on her face, and her eyes started glowing with pure, unadulterated lust.

“I require a private room with a large bed to share with my beloved, and I insist no one disturb or interrupt us until we say otherwise.” Eve said hungrily.