background seemed familiar, yet I couldn't place it. With a shrug, I examined Aquila's picture instead. The man was all lean angles and shadows. In contrast to his wife, he looked anxious and tense like a coiled spring. Aquila stood tall in a severe, dark grey uniform. A posed picture, I assume.
"He looks like a mean creature," Promethea said. I nodded my head in agreement.
"Aquila does look as though he has something to hide."
"Emet is alive, that's what he's hiding." Agent Ke'rekh displayed several propaganda posters on the holo. "Although he's presumed dead, so he's not going under his original name. Now he's Markin, the rebel leader."
"Rebel leader? I suppose I'm going to have trouble with him then."
"Not so much as you'd think," Ke'rekh replied. "It's his protege I'm worried about."
"The file says his child went missing. Presumed dead, although I guess that means nothing with this lot."
She shook her head. "Not his child, at least, not biologically. We've been tracking her since she appeared in the system at roughly age five, which is strange. The Core has no birth registered for her. Or family."
I scratched my head and leaned back on my heels. "That is quite odd. Hypothesis?"
The agent nodded. "Could be just an error. It happens rarely, but it's possible. We want you to follow it up, nonetheless."
Pursing my lips, I looked over the scant amount of information on the protege. "Possible Second aberration?"
Ke'rekh shook her head. "It's been suggested, although we prefer to keep that part quiet for now. Follow it up. If she is a plant, we'll deal with it. Bear in mind she's probably not aware of it, regardless."
My jaw clenched. The implications of a Second aberration on Earth were inconceivable. We thought that they didn't know about this planet, but if they did - well we'd have to deal with it.
Ke'rekh patted me on the shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it much for now. Like I said, more likely a minor system error. It happens."
I nodded, glancing at Promethea, who gazed back at me, brows furrowed. "I think we should just erase her."
Ke'rekh gasped at the grinning Sylph. "You know very well that's not how we deal with problems, young Sylph. You have much to learn!"
Promethea shrugged. "Suit yourself."
I glared at her as she floated around the room like a cloud. "Sometimes I think you say things just to get a reaction, regardless of the consequences."
She laughed, that tinkling bell sound that creeps out every creature in the universe. "That's what we do. Gather and adapt. Gather and adapt."
Agent Ke'rekh rolled her eyes and gave me a tired look. I suppose I'm not the only one that hates dealing with Sylphs.
"You both have enough background information about Earth. Promethea has been programmed with her job, so no explanation needed on that front." She turned to me, patting my hand. "Have you chosen a permanent form yet?"
I paused for a moment. "It would make sense to stay bipedal and take on a form close to my future student, so I'll be boring and go with a young, male humanoid form. I have already established visual details in my head, you may execute the process when convenient for you, Agent Ke'rekh."
Ke'rekh stood up with me, and extended a palm to my shoulder. "I'll miss your blank face, Alastair. I've enjoyed our brief meeting."
I grinned and tried to maintain some composure. Promethea stayed silent, knowing her form would be decided the moment she arrived at her destination.
Ke'rekh remained silent for a moment, communicating with the Core system. "Ok, I've put in the request. By the time you arrive, your form should be complete."
I smiled, and saluted her. "Thank you, Agent." Turning to Promethea, I raised a palm in farewell. "I guess I'll see you again, at some point."
The Sylph raised her own wispy palm and winked at me. I smirked and turned back to Ke'rekh. "I'm ready when you are."
My vision went white as I entered the Core layer. As I drifted I could hear Ke'rekh's voice echo behind
"He looks like a mean creature," Promethea said. I nodded my head in agreement.
"Aquila does look as though he has something to hide."
"Emet is alive, that's what he's hiding." Agent Ke'rekh displayed several propaganda posters on the holo. "Although he's presumed dead, so he's not going under his original name. Now he's Markin, the rebel leader."
"Rebel leader? I suppose I'm going to have trouble with him then."
"Not so much as you'd think," Ke'rekh replied. "It's his protege I'm worried about."
"The file says his child went missing. Presumed dead, although I guess that means nothing with this lot."
She shook her head. "Not his child, at least, not biologically. We've been tracking her since she appeared in the system at roughly age five, which is strange. The Core has no birth registered for her. Or family."
I scratched my head and leaned back on my heels. "That is quite odd. Hypothesis?"
The agent nodded. "Could be just an error. It happens rarely, but it's possible. We want you to follow it up, nonetheless."
Pursing my lips, I looked over the scant amount of information on the protege. "Possible Second aberration?"
Ke'rekh shook her head. "It's been suggested, although we prefer to keep that part quiet for now. Follow it up. If she is a plant, we'll deal with it. Bear in mind she's probably not aware of it, regardless."
My jaw clenched. The implications of a Second aberration on Earth were inconceivable. We thought that they didn't know about this planet, but if they did - well we'd have to deal with it.
Ke'rekh patted me on the shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it much for now. Like I said, more likely a minor system error. It happens."
I nodded, glancing at Promethea, who gazed back at me, brows furrowed. "I think we should just erase her."
Ke'rekh gasped at the grinning Sylph. "You know very well that's not how we deal with problems, young Sylph. You have much to learn!"
Promethea shrugged. "Suit yourself."
I glared at her as she floated around the room like a cloud. "Sometimes I think you say things just to get a reaction, regardless of the consequences."
She laughed, that tinkling bell sound that creeps out every creature in the universe. "That's what we do. Gather and adapt. Gather and adapt."
Agent Ke'rekh rolled her eyes and gave me a tired look. I suppose I'm not the only one that hates dealing with Sylphs.
"You both have enough background information about Earth. Promethea has been programmed with her job, so no explanation needed on that front." She turned to me, patting my hand. "Have you chosen a permanent form yet?"
I paused for a moment. "It would make sense to stay bipedal and take on a form close to my future student, so I'll be boring and go with a young, male humanoid form. I have already established visual details in my head, you may execute the process when convenient for you, Agent Ke'rekh."
Ke'rekh stood up with me, and extended a palm to my shoulder. "I'll miss your blank face, Alastair. I've enjoyed our brief meeting."
I grinned and tried to maintain some composure. Promethea stayed silent, knowing her form would be decided the moment she arrived at her destination.
Ke'rekh remained silent for a moment, communicating with the Core system. "Ok, I've put in the request. By the time you arrive, your form should be complete."
I smiled, and saluted her. "Thank you, Agent." Turning to Promethea, I raised a palm in farewell. "I guess I'll see you again, at some point."
The Sylph raised her own wispy palm and winked at me. I smirked and turned back to Ke'rekh. "I'm ready when you are."
My vision went white as I entered the Core layer. As I drifted I could hear Ke'rekh's voice echo behind
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