Excuses

Stryker

Deep in the bowels of Fantasma, in an unused part of the lower levels, are rows of computers, monitoring equipment, ECM units reverse engineered to act as sensor blankets, and Dozens of soldiers and Technicians interspersed among this equipment, making sure everything works as it's meant to. Watching from a raised platform I stood, awaiting status reports of operations taking place on this godforsaken rock.

I signed a report and sent it to the archive. The archive was where I had all reports from the beginning of our operations in these Heartworlds stored for when we would return to the empire.

"Report captain?" I asked dryly.

The man shuffled a few papers and began. "Sir, our measures to suppress all information of Human psi abilities have not been compromised as of this report. Monitoring of the Ghosts has gone as smoothly. They've given no indication they know we're watching."

"Good. What of our attempts to subdue that women Delithita?"

As if I didn't already know.

The captain's reply came in an almost childishly ashamed tone. "Our team hasn't checked in, we believe they were rendered in-op."

"They couldn't capture one woman? They had the skills needed to get the job done, what went wrong?"

The captain broke eye contact and stammered out. "She exhibited a previously unknown power." He handed me a written report.

"What kind of power captain?" my voice unwavering.

"She was able to somehow emit energy resembling Ghost Star in spectrum. Our men had no defense wearing simple combat fatigues."

"You call that an excuse captain? Those three..."

"But Sir! They were..."

"Insubordinate now captain? That's enough, you're dismissed." I barked, cutting his report short. He Briskly Nodded and left my catwalk office.

Left alone I began reading over the reports of the incident.

Seems they were burned to a crisp, and reduced to ashes by a massive release of radiation. Radiation seemingly emitted from thin air.

I signed off the report.

I knew better than "thin air". I knew the human mind is by far the most powerful weapon in any universe. And the Ghosts seem to have discovered the key to this weapon. And seem to be under the impression they alone know of and control these seemingly paranormal powers. Stealing this planet and declaring ownership of it. I thought this very egotistical.

The Brotherhood, and more importantly myself, had been conducting studies and research of this evolutionary anomaly since the first Earthsiege, Looking for ways to improve the Human soldier. Such experiments were successful beyond my wildest Dreams, but were not enough for my colleges. Worse still, research was cut short by Prometheus's return. My work was put on the back Burner By the Brotherhood. I kept working towards the perfect being though. We made the mistake thinking we could build the perfect being, when in fact it was lying dormant in each and every one of us, A sleeper simply waiting.

The change would occur naturally to all humanity in time, perhaps a millennium or two and we would all be z-point energy matrixes. But here and now the only known activating method was that of great traumatic experience. For those on Mercury existence was enough to start the change for a select few, the Ghosts.

I've kept the Depths of my powers secret from even my closest brothers. Bending spoons and moving various objects was the known extent of my power within the Brotherhood. But my skills as a leader weren't so hidden, Orchestrating our escape from the Cybrids and setting up within Fantasma was child’s play to me, but I was labeled a legend within the Brotherhood. Now I lead these men and women, still loyal to the empire, after all these years.

Back to current issues, The Ghosts are a pothole to my work. I must either convince them to help further my research or else eliminate them. Nothing my Brotherhood can't handle. / < / << /