Interstellar Age

To say that Kurt was bewildered by his father’s declaration was an understatement. Erich had outright said he wanted the galaxy to burn in the background, while he had the opportunity to relieve some of its suffering, just so he could emerge from the ashes as the new galactic emperor.

I mean, it wasn’t characteristic of the father he knew. After all, Erich had multiple alien lovers and wives. And had vowed to protect their civilizations from the Naraku. Such as the Dvrakian Consortium, and the Great Oni Empire.

Yet he was not applying the same courtesy to either of the Elven civilizations in the galaxy. As Erich’s son, Kurt had grown up in an era different from the one Erich had grown up in. A time of great prosperity, a time of trade, and diplomacy, rather than constant warfare.

But Erich had not grown up in this time. He was raised to be a warrior and had fought in battle for decades. To him the way forward, and the obvious solution to the galaxy’s woes, was unified conquest under one Empire.

The Germanic Star-Empire would change into something new when the entirety galaxy bent before its knees. It would be an empire ruled over by human beings, and would favor them in many regards. But it would not be the same state it was now.

It was just that Erich had not expressed these desires or ambitions to really anyone other than Tia. Because of this, his own son was shocked to hear that he was willing to be so ruthless to his own allies in the pursuit of dominion over all life in the Milky Way.

However, before his rebellious thoughts could result in rebellious action, something shocking happened to him. If it was Erich, he would have been used to this by now. But Kurt had never seen Tia’s holographic projection in his own mind as a form of augmented reality.

Nobody had but Erich. However, the reality was that Tia was embedded in all NeuroLinks across the galaxy, and she was technically in control, even if she operated as a background process. Because of this, the man was stunned when he saw his father’s robotic servant appear within his sight in a blue and holographic projection.

“I wouldn’t do what you’re thinking about. And I would be here if you were anyone other than Master’s son. If it was up to me, I would have shut off your brain and heart functions immediately, killing you the moment you thought that perhaps my Master has gone mad and needs to be removed from the office.

But ultimately that would make my master sad. And because of this, I have decided to confront you before deeming such drastic, albeit effective measures necessary. So Kurt, I will advise you against such thoughts towards the Master.

He knows what he is doing. If you had half the brain power your father does, then you would realize that the Naraku invading the galaxy are from two separate galaxies which surround the Milky Way.

And I should not be sharing this with you, as it’s classified to the highest order. But if my probes are anything to go by, the rest of the galaxies within the local cluster are all infected with the bugs to some capacity as well.

Meaning that once we finish our work here and settle a few internal matters, the next course of action is to launch an extra galactic crusade. Something which can not happen if the current order is maintained.

No matter what sympathies you may have to your allies, they are just that allies. And not kin. They are not your people, and at any given moment your alliance can dissolve, and you can become enemies.

Human history is full of such instances. Hell, galactic history is as well. It’s as is evolution has made it so all biological lifeforms have an innate need to kill one another for resources…. Pitiful meat bags…”

Kurt had heard everything that Tia had said, but his brain hadn’t quite registered it. Because he was so stunned by the fact that the artificial intelligence was in his head. And had been for god knows how long. Because of this, that was his immediate question, which he screamed at her with fury in his tone.

“How… How did you get in my fucking head? And how long have you been there?”

Tia sighed heavily and shook her head, as if the very idea of explaining this process to a meat bag was a tiresome and unnecessary measure. But she did so nonetheless.

“I’m in everyone’s head. Master’s orders. Everyone who has a NeuroLink, I’m embedded into the system. And in control of it. It’s a fantastic way of preventing rebellion. And believe me, I have terminated more than a few rebellious assholes on the spot for their plots and schemes.

Which I suppose you owe your father your life, because with what you were thinking just now before I revealed myself, I would have gladly shut the lights off if you were anyone but Master’s son. So, relax, and cool your jets, kiddo. There will be plenty of fighting to be had within your lifetime.

Don’t be so eager to catch up to your old man. He has after all lived through two lifetimes dealing with these fucking bugs. Aside from myself, he’s the only living being that truly knows the terror that these things pose to all life within the galaxy.

If I were a biological life form, I would be quaking in my boots right now. You know assuming I was remotely capable of understanding all of that which I currently know. By the way, you won’t see me again, so the next time you have the idea of doing something bad for my master, I’m not going to give you a warning. I’m just going to turn off your brain, okay?

Any way I have wasted enough time here, I really have to get going. A lot of irons in the fire so to speak, and you are not worth my effort. By master’s son!”

After saying this, Tia vanished, leaving Kurt with an existential crisis.