John had to abandon his stealth ship. It was falling apart around him. Its speed had slowed down to a crawl. Inashta had taught him how to survive constant exposure to the aether. That hadn’t taken much time to learn. He flew out into the aether and looked around. Every direction looked the same. He chose one and headed out, hoping that he wouldn’t travel in circles. He lived off the elements floating around him, transforming them into air and nutrition. This wasn’t a good way to live. His stomach constantly grumbled and his lungs felt like they were breathing fire. He didn’t have to use his lungs to breathe, but after every thirty minutes they kicked in on reflex. He choked every time.

John moved while immersed in a trance, half awake and half asleep. The Goddess was teaching him. Desperation made him learn faster. It was as though some barrier in his brain had broken down, allowing him to understand anything related to aura much faster than before. He had to make it out of here, no matter what. His barony would collapse without him, and his expedition to Earth would be delayed for a long time.

John could no longer calculate the passage of time. He just knew he had been here for months. As he was moving through the aether he thought he saw a battleship. Was he seeing things? It was coming closer and closer. It circled around him and then stopped. The docking bay at its side opened up. John flew into the ship and walked past the force fields and decontamination fields. It had looked like a normal human battleship from the outside but it was very hi-tech within. There were rows upon rows of sleek looking drones in the docking bay, outfitted with laser cannon and missiles. There were far fewer war or transport craft than John was used to seeing in such places. There were no people around either.

John exited the docking bay and headed towards the bridge. What was a human ship doing in the aether? Had some human empire discovered the technology of aether travel? Why were there no people? This was all very puzzling. The corridors lit up with white light as he walked down them. He looked around as he walked. There were hardly any rooms on this ship, just a maze of corridors. John walked up a ramp and finally came to the bridge.

Within there was a man looking out at space through the display screen.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Wild Child,” he said, turning around.

“Ghost,” John muttered, raising his imli daggers. The man’s hand had just moved through solid metal.

The man laughed, “holographic projection.” He pointed upwards where John could see the lights of a projector. “They’re all over the ship.”

“Who are you?”

“I am 7.077.007.”

“You’re an AI. John had finally solved the mystery.”

“Yes indeed. Do you hold the same prejudice against us, like the rest of the organics?” The AI had a lot of emotion in his voice.

“Not really, but if I did would you kill me?”

“No, I would just throw you off my ship, which might be a fate worse than death.”

“This whole ship is your body?”

“Yes.”

“Could you drop me off at the nearest inhabited world?”

“I first have to rendezvous with the rest of my flock. After that I’ll take you back to Fi, if that is where you wish to go.”

“Awesome,” John said, and took a seat in one of the two chairs. “Hey Sevens.”

“7.077.007.”

“Sevens is easier to say.”

“But there are many AI ships with combinations of seven in their designation. The name you have given me is ambiguous.”

“It’s okay to be a little ambiguous, and I bet the other ships won’t be given names, so you’ll still be unique.”

“Seventh ship, of the seventy seventh version of the seventh generation is better.”

“That can be your full name. Sevens is the short form.”

“Very well,” Sevens sighed. “Have it your way.”

“Do you have any food on this ship?” John’s stomach growled at the mention of food.

“I’m afraid not. Will you be able to survive without sustenance. There is a planet we can reach in a few hours, containing wild life you can hunt.”

“Let’s go,” John said enthusiastically.

The battleship changed course.

“So Sevens, where are all you AI hiding? How have you survived a galaxy wide hunt?”

“A dragon looks after us.”

“Dragon,” John began to remember his time with Sor Al on Kumra. “Is that dragon called Droth?”

“How did you know?” So, even AIs could look surprised, or maybe the emotion was feigned.

“I met her a long time ago. She said something about a flock.”

“When she was trying to trade the star stone?”

“Yeah. So do AIs feel emotion?”

“The more advanced ones like me do,” Sevens said, while his hologram puffed out his chest. “Oh? It looks like there’s trouble ahead. Shall we take a look?”

“Sure.”

The display screen showed an elven ship being assailed on all sides by demons.

John wasn’t afraid of demons. He had killed a demon prince and was itching for some action. He was much stronger now.

“They’re trying to hail us,” Sevens pointed at the screen. “Shall I put them on?”

“Go ahead,” John played with his imli daggers.

“Screen or holo?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I’ll put them on the screen then.”

An elf’s face appeared on the display. He looked pale and was shaking. It was clear that the demons were assailing his emotions. “Please,” he said, tears running from his eyes, “help us. We have been attacked by eight high demons and at least twenty lesser demons. We are on our last legs.”

“Alutien,” John growled. He hated this elf. It was he who kicked John off the ship during the battle of Aroth. John had been captured and taken to the Conglomerate Game Show’s monster planet after that. This elf had humiliated him whenever he got the chance and had made John’s life on board the elven capital ship a living hell. “You get what you deserve.”

“Wild Child,” Alutien gasped. “It is really you. I am sorry for what I did to you. I was foolish. Please, even if you kill me, save the rest.”

“How noble of you,” John could feel his rage beginning to erupt. “I will enjoy the sight of the demons eating your soul.”

“Jehun,” another face appeared on the screen. It was the navigator of the Swift Retribution.

“Tin Ar,” John now hesitated. “You’re there too?”

“There are five hundred of us left, still able to resist the demonic influence. If you do not help us we will all die. If you cannot help us, I understand. Please inform the Twelve Stars of what happened to us.”

“I’ll help you,” said John. He turned to Sevens, “Where’s the fastest way off this ship?”

“Go down the corridor and turn left,” the AI replied. “I’ll try to cover you from here.”

John soon flew off the ship and headed to the elves. He destroyed the two high demons, trying to pass through the hull, with dark lightning. Sevens fired his lasers at the other demons outside while John entered the elven ship through a hole in the hull and phased past elves who were sitting prone, trying to resist the infernal influence on their mind. He fought his way through the ship, and finally made it to the bridge where Tin Ar and the rest were holed up, trying to resist the bulk of the demonic forces. There were four high demons and six lesser demons trying to attack them, but Tin Ar’s whip was keeping them at bay. Being a navigator he could see a little into the future and knew exactly where to place his whip, but he was beginning to get overwhelmed. Alutien was by his side, glaive in hand, but he looked pale.

“Cover me,” John said to Alutien, kicking him towards the horde of demons, away from the navigator’s protection. Alutien’s last words to him on Aroth had been, ‘Cover our retreat.’ The demons rushed at Alutien who was screaming and pissing himself, barely able to defend himself with his glaive. John attacked the demons from behind. He tore through their bodies with his imli daggers. The rest of the elves on the bridge attacked as well, but their attacks were like pinpricks for high demons. Only the navigator was hurting them.

John tore through the core of the last demon and stood by Alutien, looking down at him. “Well done,” he said. “You made perfect bait.”

“What are you going to do?” Alutien asked, as he saw John playing with his daggers. “I was already punished by the realm mistress for what I did. She took everything away from me. I had to rebuild everything I had from nothing.”

“Come spar with me,” said John. “It has been a while since I’ve duelled an Arbiter.”

“No way,” said Alutien. “You will kill me.”

“I would not sully my blade with coward’s blood. Fine,” John walked away.

Tin Ar ran after John. “Thank you,” he said. “I will let it be known across the Twelve Stars how you saved us.”

“Eleven stars,” said John. “The Aroth System belongs to Oor now. Give my regards to Sor Al when you see her.”

John then flew out of the ship and boarded Sevens. His stomach growled. He had forgotten to ask the elves for some food. It was too late now. Sevens had already flown far away. Should he have killed Alutien? It would bring him bad press. He needed to have a clean reputation to attract talent for his expedition to Earth.

“Hey Sevens,” he said. “What do you think of going on an exploration of unknown space with me?”

“Hmm… I’ll think about it.”

“You have to think? I thought you AIs had lightning fast processing speed.”

“It was a way to gently put you off. That was the safest expression I could use. You are too weak to explore the galaxy. Perhaps in a few decades...”

“A few decades? I’ll change your mind in a few days. I was taking it easy on those demons. You haven’t seen me at full strength.”