The Neon Supremacy part 4 (finale)

On a space station in deep space, Astra and Shujai leapt through the air simultaneously. Behind them was a damaged alleyway in a simulated city. In front of them was a doorway leading to a section of space: their only salvation. Above them, the robotic being calling herself Primus Machina fired a massive energy wave. The only obstruction was the Debiarik known as Frenk, who floated toward the portal in an attempt to stop the two of them from escaping.

As they entered, Astra and Shujai slammed into Frenk and, while his containment suit protected him, he was still sent end-over-end through space. They made their way through the portal, leaving the space station behind. A split-second after they escaped, the doorway collapsed.

In the distance, they witnessed the city disappearing in a globe of energy like a nuclear bomb went off in its heart. As it was in space, there was no smoke or sound although they could still feel a shockwave. After the energy dissipated, there was nothing left, save for the giant robot floating alone in the ether. Primus Machina was unharmed by the explosion and seemed to be delighted in her handiwork. Slowly, she turned and faced Astra and Shujai and while she didn’t have a face, it almost seemed like she smiled.

Shujai was durable enough to sustain the vacuum of space, although speaking was obviously a problem, so Astra raised her hand to him and used her nanobots, creating a face plate that transmitted on all available channels. “She’ll be here any moment,” Astra told him through the newly-created device, “And I’m still not sure what Frenk is up to.” They watched as the armored figure flew back toward them and then they took notice of the weakened Transcension floating nearby. “Get to them before Primus does,” Shujai told her, “I’ll deal withFrenk.” Astra flew toward the Transcenscion while Frenk and Shujai locked arms.

“Why did you betray the Transcension?,” Shujai demanded.

“Our race is still at least partially organic,” he said through his suit’s transmitter, “It’s in our nature.”

Shujai slammed a fist against him, sending him hurtling through the void once more, “You can always change!”

“This is change,” he retorted as he used reverse thrusters to stop the momentum, “One day, your people will understand.”

Meanwhile, Astra made her way to Antilia and the others and displayed a message on her screen, “How can I help?”

Antilia sent an energy signal that contained information, “We need a significant energy supply to recover.”

Astra snapped her fingers even though no sound carried, and she displayed the next message, “Your lab still contains a nebula conductor. Can you access it?”

“Primus Machina drained us of so much power,” Antilia explained sadly, “I’ve spent a lot of energy contacting you and bringing you here.”

Not far away, Primus Machina gradually closed the distance, flying through the void with powerful thrusters. “Looks like I’ll be finishing two jobs at once,” she said via transmission. The other members of the Transcension collectively generated a forcefield around the area despite their weakened state. Primus slammed her palms against the field and began to absorb it, gradually breaking through.

“She’ll be here in a second,” Astra warned, “You need to open the lab now!”

Antillia concentrated and opened a doorway, “I’m not sure how long I can keep it open. Hurry!”

Astra saw the large, circular lab through the doorway and in the center was the nebula conductor. It was still active and glowing with power stolen from the nearby nebula. She quickly flew inside and formed large clamps from her limbs and then took hold of the car-sized device. Preparing for an escape, she turned and attempted to make her way toward the doorway, only for Antillia to lose what little power she had left. The portal closed shut and Astra was trapped with no visible way out.

Undaunted, Astra morphed her limbs into tendrils to engage with the conductor, installing it into her system. The synchronization was easy enough but the energy surge was too much. It threatened to destroy her physical shell. She sent more tendrils into the outer walls of the lab, absorbing any mass she could to channel the access energy away from her. Tears appeared along her body, threatening to destroy her completely but she soldiered on.

Outside, Frenk fired energy blasts which Shujai dipped around as he swooped in. He grabbed Frenk, making sure to dig his strong fingers into his containment suit as a warning. “I will tear this armor open,” he cautioned, “Surrender now and shut down your weapon!” He could hear Frenk chuckle softly over the communication channel, “Do you think this suit protects me? My people are still mostly comprised of energy. This suit isn’t meant for my protection. It’s to protect organic life… from us!” He reached up, unlocking the suit’s chest clamps. Shujai let go of him cautiously as the suit folded back, releasing a wave of radiation in the process. Outside the suit, Frenk resembled a humanoid sun with translucent organs pumping inside within some sort of solid-energy membrane. And when Frenk placed his hands on both sides of Shujai’s face, he felt the full force of the being’s radioactive heat.

Far away, Primus absorbed enough of the force-bubble that it soon flickered out, her power increasing even more. Once she broke through, she hovered ominously toward the weakened energy beings nearby. The Transcension were vulnerable. There was nothing left. “I’ll find your pet bug later,” she told them, “For now, I’m finishing my main function.”

Just then, a doorway slid open and Astra burst through having gained access to the lab’s controls. In front of her, she held the nebula conductor, partially merged into her arms. Behind her, she dragged long tendrils comprised of the lab’s machinery and walls. The tendrils whipped forward, slamming into Primus’s gut. Because Astra had gotten a significant boost in power and mass, she finally had the strength to affect her.

Primus flew back and ignited rear-thrusters to stop herself. “I wasn’t expecting that,” she admitted, “But you realize I can absorb energy on a cosmic scale. Your little battery just makes me more dangerous. Your enhancement only allows you to survive a bit longer. I am your superior! Did you think you could outsmart me?”

“Yes,” Astra said plainly, “Because you can only think of yourself. You didn’t expect me to be any different. This power was never meant for me.”

Astra spun around and channeled the conductor’s energy into her new tendrils. Beams of light shot out of each end, sending a spectrum of energy toward the Transcension. As the cosmic energy escaped, it burned and cracked Astra even farther. She screamed in pain as her body began to burst open at several points. And yet, she never stopped feeding the Transcension. Absorbing the energy, they quickly began to rejuvenate, the bright returning to their forms. “No!,” Primus screamed as she raised a single palm. Antillia and the other members acted fast, sending another wave of energy at Primus. This time, it was a stasis field that froze her in place. She stood still, unable to lower her arm. Meanwhile, the massive amounts of energy channeled through Astra left her badly damaged. She floated listlessly in space, her mission complete.

Far away, Shujai continued to grapple with Frenk. The U’ntari warrior punched him but his hand passed into his corporal form and stayed there, causing more pain. Frenk couldn’t say anything outside his suit but with the way Shujai’s arm was trapped inside his chest and the body language that followed, it seemed that he found the situation funny. Physical attacks did nothing but Shujai soon formulated a plan. Frenk still had organs and some semblance of an organic systems, which meant he would still be susceptible to toxins. With his fist still inside his core, Shujai began to generate bioenergy. He surmised that biological energy being pumped into his system would be devastating to any organic being, even if they were partially energy themselves. Green light emanated from his hand and he could see Frenk’s organs pulsating erratically. His theory proved correct and Frenk immediately let go and seemed to be wracked with pain. He double over and, if sound carried, there would have likely been a scream.

Back with the Transcension, Astra came back online. She had been overloaded and was badly damaged but she was still functioning. “Are you okay?,” Antillia asked as she floated toward her. “I will be,” was the answer and Astra quickly flew back to Primus who was still frozen in place. Once they were facing one another, she saw fit to have a conversation.

“Why are you following orders so blindly?,” Astra asked, “You likely have no stake in whatever Frenk wants.”

“They must all die,” Primus transmitted her voice to Astra despite being frozen.

“But why?”

“It’s my purpose. So is killing you and anyone else that gets in the way. It’s what Frenk programmed me to do. He’s afraid. His race isn’t as evolved as the Transcension and he thinks killing them will prove they’re inferior.”

“But that has nothing to do with you. If we work together, we might find our origins. Aren’t you the least bit curious?”

“I’m not like you. I have a purpose, so I don’t need anything else.”

“You can change.”

“Maybe… But maybe I don’t want to.”

“Fine.”

Astra flew toward her, setting her sites on the open cavity in her torso where the Absolute Cypher remained. The mechanism had been used to create her program, so she knew that, once it was removed, Primus would no longer inhabit the giant robotic husk. Once she was inside the robot, she saw the familiar metal spheres locked inside her inner-components. She formed a laser on her shoulder and blasted away at the couplings. She soon heard a transmission from Primus, “Astra? What’re you doing?”. Astra pressed her back against the inner wall and pushed against one of the spheres with her feet. “Sorry, sis,” she told her, “I hope we’ll meet again and it’ll be a nicer visit.” She kicked the spheres loose and they soon exited the cavity. Astra flew out a second later, pushing them onward toward the Transcension. Behind her, Primus’s body began to shut down and the glow faded from her eyes. As she stopped absorbing the energy attacks hurled her way, there was little protection from the next barrage from the Transcension. The lifeless husk didn’t explode. It was vaporized with no shockwave. There was nothing left, as if it never existed.

Antillia levitated the Absolute Cipher and the other members huddled around. Shujai joined the group soon after. With their full power restored, they created an atmosphere so that a normal conversation could take place.

“Is there anything to salvage?,” Astra asked while gazing at her own reflection in one of the silver spheres. “Let’s see,” Antillia responded. The spheres lit up and a giant wall of numerical values spread out to an almost infinite degree. They were odd, silver symbols none of them could recognize but the Transcension seemed to identify sets of green code that didn’t belong. The silver code receded and the green code shrank down into a single strand.

“I have located Primus Machina’s program,” Antillia said.

“Can you keep it?,” Astra asked.

“If you wish but why do you make such a request?”

She looked at Shujai, then turned back to the giant energy beings, “I’d like to see if you can rehabilitate her. Maybe she can find a way to change.”

“It will be done,” Antillia sent the code away to an unknown location.

“What about Astra’s source code?,” Shujai asked.

“We still have it stored in the Absolute Cipher,” Antillia answered as the silver code once again returned, “If Astra wishes, we’d like to continue working on it.”

“Yes,” she said with a smile, “I’m still invested in this.” Shujai took note of her statement but said nothing.

Frenk was brought forth next, trapped inside an energy sphere. “And what about him?,” Shujai asked.

“He’ll be returned to his people,” Antilia explained, “They will give their own judgement.”

“What about the Diaberiks?,” Astra asked, “Will you choose a new ambassador from their race?”

“We feel that perhaps they’re not ready to join.”

“Give them a second chance,” she told them happily, “They might surprise you,” she looked up at Frenk, “… I’m sure they’re capable of great things, despite any mistakes from the past.”

Later, a wormhole opened in New Jersey and Astra and Shujai exited it. It was night now and they stood on a rooftop, illuminated by the Moon and the few city lights that could reach them.

Shujai turned to Astra, “You told them to keep working to complete the gaps in your source code.”

“Yep,” she nodded, “I want to keep looking for my origins. I need to know why I was created and who did it.”

A knowing look crossed his face, “And what if it was for something nefarious?”

“At least I’ll know and that’s what’s important. Even if I was meant to be something like Primus Machina, I’m not afraid to learn the truth.”

He smiled proudly, “And why’s that?”

She smiled back, “Because I know who I really am. I know what motivates me. Whatever else happens, I know I’ll always be true to myself”

Epilogue…

Sky Darkly and Spazz sat in a gazebo-like structure in the middle of a lush forest provided by Lady Diamond. A screen displayed their account and Spazz gazed at the numbers happily.

“The Diaberik paid us well,” Spazz told his captain, “I don’t think we’ve ever been given this many credits.”

“I told you Astra Machina was a profitable investment,” Sky Darkly sipped the drink in his hand.

“Do you think she survived?”

“Who? Astra Machina? I’m sure she’s fine,” he reached out and a vine caressed the palm of his hand tenderly, “The important thing is, with this recent haul, I can afford a grand wedding for my beautiful lady,” he kissed the vine, “And Lady Diamond deserves the grandest of weddings. I’ll take my time planning it as these things should never be rushed. I can’t help but be a hopeless romantic sometimes.”

“Should I start preparing the guest list?”

“That’s very considerate of you, Spazz. Thank you.”

“The crew’s gonna show up, naturally. And y’know, Astra Machina made this happen. I think we should invite her and her humans when the time comes.”

Sky stared into the horizon and set his drink on a nearby table, then turned toward Spazz blankly. He then gave the small alien a pat on the shoulder, “Yes, that’s a brilliant idea. Let’s do that.”

Next: Junk Man returns