Star Alliance by Ken Lozito Page A

we’re doing this. One thing I don’t understand is how a Mardoxian chamber came to be built on Nerva. We already tested the Nershals to see if the Mardoxian potential was present, and there were no indications that it was,” Kladomaor said.  
    “That is correct. The standard tests did not reveal that the Nershals had the Mardoxian potential. However, nothing we did with the Nershals was standard. We kept them secret from the Confederation in hopes that they would become our allies. They were the only species that could resist the Xiiginn influence. Direct control from a Xiiginn wasn’t possible with the Nershals,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “And yet they allied with the Xiiginns anyway. At least now some of the Nershals are challenging that alliance, but this doesn’t explain how a chamber was built on Nerva,” Kladomaor said.  
    “Like the other species, the Nershals felt betrayed by us and the use of the Star Shroud on their star system. A small group of Boxans from the Mardoxian sect—some of the more open-minded scientists, such as Gaarokk and myself—built a test chamber on Nerva. Since the Nershals could resist the Xiiginn influence, we thought we’d try and cultivate the Mardoxian potential in their species,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “How? I thought the potential was either there or it wasn’t at all,” Kladomaor said.
    “We mapped their genetic markers and looked for similarities with ours. No changes were made to their genetics. The Nershals were quite adamant about that, and we wouldn’t have done anything without their knowledge or consent regardless. We invited some of the Nershals to observe connections within the chamber,” Ma’jasalax said.
    Kladomaor frowned. “I thought that was forbidden, that it was too dangerous because of the amplified connection the chamber helps create for traversing the higher planes?”
    Ma’jasalax eyed him for a moment. “I had no idea you knew so much about the chambers,” she said.
    “I’ve considered every potential asset in our war with the Xiiginns,” Kladomaor said.
    “I have no doubt you have, and so have we, which is why we built the chamber on Nerva in the first place,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “Were you successful?” Kladomaor asked.
    Ma’jasalax shook her head. “The Nershals we tested could only detect faint traces of the energies and connections the chamber was capable of. Nothing like the Humans. Kaylan was able to use the Mardoxian chamber on her own the first time she tried,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “That’s what makes the Humans different. Even though Kaylan and the others assert that what Kaylan is able to do is rare among Humans, the potential exists. This makes them both valuable and dangerous,” Kladomaor said.
    “The Human potential goes beyond whether they can use the Mardoxian chamber. I’ve reviewed some of the data their AI construct gathered on our listening station from their star system,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “It’s our artificial intelligence construct they copied,” Kladomaor said.
    “Perhaps at one time, but they’ve adapted it to their ship. The AI is loyal to them, just as it would be to us. I believe Zack is largely responsible for that,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “He is quite clever, that one, but even if they do find him, he will never be the same. You know what the Xiiginns will do to him,” Kladomaor said.
    “Based on your report, the Humans are also resistant to the Xiiginn influence,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “I believe I said it is highly probable that some of the Humans can resist the compulsion of the Xiiginn. I didn’t actually see any of the Xiiginns attempt to control one of the Humans. We were too busy staying alive and rescuing you,” Kladomaor said.
    “For which I’m grateful. Even if they are only partially resistant, they can make a much better stand against the Xiiginns than we can alone,” Ma’jasalax said.
    “We’ve fought the Xiiginns long enough to know they have other ways of making