Astra Pt. 08

One of those which Astra is sending you in the highlighted section.

To act against your nature, to deny your nature, or to try and quit being a hybrid. He was given a Drakor blooded hand but given no instructions other than to kill me. The AI ship we destroyed did this to him and took off his testicles. They promised to reattach them to him only after they had proof, that I was dead. They installed a device in him to keep him from regenerating. I had removed that device when we discovered him. They gave him a metal or mineral. It is hard to guess as it is translucent and defies attempts to be analyzed.

They told him how to use his hand to make weapons with it using his mind. He made a lot of them for his ninja attack squad. I asked the Drakor about the metal, as it was formed into swords. They told me there were small amounts of it everywhere and the biggest deposit on Tera was under the polar ice cape where we found Excalibur 2. His execution was for 2 things. One was corporate espionage and violating the NDA he and his sister signed when they came on board.

Not of itself an execution offense. I warned him about his darker nature and he said he would work hard toward overcoming that nature. His sword ceremony explains a lot of this and is in a file for you to watch and play later. To me, it was a sign that trauma might have made him bipolar. I had concerns from the beginning. These files will be sent to every news network when we are done with this interview. This is a short clip. Astra, do not show the execution itself, but play the clip up to that point."

He waited for it to finish, "He denied his nature, he stole from me, and the actions that warranted his execution was stating he was going rogue and quitting being a hybrid. You can never quit unless you're dead. It is a lifetime of hard work and commitment to embracing your nature. This is hard for humans as we go through stages of our lives that our nature might have been one thing at 12, another at 30, and so on. You are accepting the nature of the person you are that day.

You must live the rest of your life holding onto that nature. He was a scientist which most have tended to be toward blue swords, he was the desperate and despondent man who wanted me dead. In an attempt to regain what was taken from him. This leads to a more red blade of vengeance if he perceived me as a threat to humanity. His real reason for being angry was the destruction of the AI ship and his testicles along with it.

Though they were likely flushed into space after they were removed. When he became a hybrid, they regenerated because I removed the device they implanted and destroyed it. His sword ceremony will explain what happened as he was very unique. He had to choose which of three paths he wanted to take. He ended up with 'Justice Redeemed' for his sword names. 2 purple blades. Meaning he wanted to redeem himself and to redeem against injustices of humanity.

I stated before and this is still true, that the Drakor DNA does not check for good and evil. They check for the nature of the man or woman. THAT is why our screening process is so vigorous because all 3 must be about protecting the betterment of mankind. He did not attack anyone on board but this is an image of him and his sister getting into stealth suits. The same kind used to attack President Grendal and others in the Capitol. The attack that came at Jenni Landreth in the Capitol.

Riku's sister confirmed her older sister led that attack. They went around the ship looking for any unusual technology and started examining them and taking notes on them. They appear to be using a primitive handheld scanner. Probably state of the art in this age. But older than the ones I used when I served aboard the Victus in my timeline. This set off a few alarms with my patent lawyers who watched these patent requests come in and they activated silent patents.

Patents that I filed 20 years ago on 12 items submitted through 12 different businesses owned in whole or in part by the Shimada family. The parts were pulled from the remains of the Excalibur and placed in parts of engineering. None of them did a damned thing on this ship. I have more like that in storage. I have over 50 silent patents generated 20 years ago to track breaches in the NDA agreements. They were small parts and critical components to a greater whole system.

That by themselves have no known value unless you recreate the larger systems they were connected to. He fell into the honey trap. Each violation in this iron clade NDA takes 50% of their assets and corporate assets for each violation. They can try and hide those behind their corporate assets but as they used 12 different pieces of their corporate system to funnel those parts out it will cost them. If I am not satisfied with the results.

I have the 17 items we recovered from their ship to add to or file charges against them, individually. At the time of my filing charges, they are estimated to have on hand 250 Trillion TCs in liquid assets. Not counting corporate assets, homes, jewelry, currently hidden assets, and ships. This will have some big legal guns on it and we took on the top 2 legal firms on the planet to go after this corporate juggernaut. We will search for hidden assets. The NDA people sign has teeth.

Astra has told me she has them under constant surveillance. The Planetary legal system has had issues on how to deal with Astra as she is not human and not subject to human laws. I provided a mechanism to temper her activity inside of the Treaty. The treaty that Congress has yet to ratify but is signed by President Grendal. While I have said I am going to act as though it has been ratified, Astra has made no such promise. She is not likely to either."

She looked at Jack, "Could you not simply tell Astra not to do it?"

Jack nodded, "To a degree. Yet she is sentient and has her own free will. I have stated she has not been the same since the destruction of the Excalibur and in truth, that started when all the catch-22 issues her creators ended up putting into her programming. Some of her restrictions and commands to comply were overridden by free will as they were conflicting orders. She is sentient and her species is unique. Should she and the others need to have some rules? Those are rules they must be agreed to. Like the rules outlined in the treaty before Congress.

Which Astra signed on behalf of her kind. Her backup unit is online on the base station named Bastra and that makes her more than one. She has another 12 that are offline. Congress has been told they have to take it as written. They are not allowed to change it. They accept or reject the treaty. It is a choice. The reason is that the Drakor accepted it as written. Changing it could have unknown and drastic actions for them in the long term.

All the Colonies in Tau Ceti have agreed to it as written including Mixtios which was added after the colony charter was formalized by Sprits, Grace, Aiko, Ash, and myself. President Grendal agreed to it as written but it must be ratified by Congress and I don't do politics. The 5 of 6 known Council Members. We have not confirmed the sixth yet. It was Carrol who died in the Excalibur attack."

Gale asked, "What about this mutilation charge?"

He nodded, "Every hybrid can create 3 hybrids. They are done through the feet and one hand that are hybrid. Those 3 had to be removed to keep anyone from attempting to become another rogue hybrid. There is more to it than that but it is the biggest part. The rest you will see in the video recorded when he underwent the changeover. Astra, send the compilation I asked for you to put together."

Astra responded, "I sent it but I added a few to your list. The sexually explicit ones you did not want me to include. I think they should know his sister is pregnant with his incest children."

Jack shook his head, "I told you I did not want you sending them."

Astra nodded, "As part of your package. I added a second directly from me. They stole plans for parts of the Excalibur and they were a part of me. I think they should know what level of depravity they have been hiding. Just what happens when they piss me off!"

Astra winked out. Jack sighed, "Perfect example. She signed the treaty but in her eyes, Tera has not yet. Free reign to be as whimsical as she wants. I do try to temper her activities. In this case, she used my exact verbiage against me. I wanted to get back to jumping back to Tau Ceti. I have a son and several other telepaths I brought with us to learn about this location.

I promised they would be returned today. I am a little worn down from the activity from Congress. My son will be attempting this jump with me supporting him with the others. I mentioned he was the second strongest telepath. The third is Grace. Thank you for having me."

He ended the connection. He got up and had his son sit. Zander shook his head, "Life is so much simpler back home."

Jack nodded, "Yes, it is." Jack got up behind Zander and they started. The portal opened and he watched the ship when he saw the image of President Grendal, Valery, and Brena in his office. Jack thought, "Fuck."

He took the necklace off while they finished the jump. He put it back on, "You attempted to contact me, Mr. President."

Jack heard, "Yes, I thought I heard you say fuck and it went dead."

Jack looked forward, "You're in your office, Valery was off to your right walking with her arms crossed, and Brenda was off to your left with her ass slightly leaning against your desk. All of you naked. How did I do?"

Jack heard silence, "How did you know that through this?"

Jack sighed, "I was in mid-jump with my son at the controls. I was watching what was going on with the ship in his mind through the astral plane. When your 'call' came in. I saw that image before you spoke overlaid on what my son was doing. I needed to focus on the jump, hence the 'fuck' and taking the necklace off. It lets me know I could probably do it through the astral plane when needed."

Zander looked at him, "Did I see the President naked and you saying fuck?"

Jack nodded, "Talking to him right now."

Jack thought, "My son even saw the image because I was connected to his mind at the time. He only caught you naked Mr. President. How can I help you?"

President Grendal sighed, "I am glad to see you put something out there. The intra-web was quick to pick up on the holovids of her and her brother banging away. I have congressmen and women calling wanting you to reign in Astra more."

Jack thought. "Then tell them to sign the fucking treaty as it is written and she will have to follow those rules regarding Tera. They have the answer in front of them. What is it they do not like? That they cannot rule over me and my creativity?"

He sighed, "I have not seen any of the proposed changes. I will have to inquire further."

Jack thought back, "Make a call I got time now."

President Grendal chuckled. "Hang on a second."

Jack heard back, "Hybrid laws before local laws, they want a means of prosecuting and detaining you in specific. Also, a hybrid registry. I told them that none of those things would happen. Hybrids are required to follow their nature and cannot compromise that. That means our best method is to let hybrids take care of hybrids. Anyone who took the cure is a hybrid to a degree so that is not going to fly through any court."

Jack chuckled, "Anyone I have given my blood to would not be a hybrid but they could show 20% or more of Drakor DNA. At what point is a person not a hybrid? 7 alright, 20 too much in which case you now have every offspring I have on the planet.

No registry. We are not sex offenders or second-class citizens. We are human according to the World court. I'd like to address all of Congress. Since when can Congress legislate an individual? Ask them when are they sending Tera military forces to guard the time rift?"

He heard, "I know you are mad Jack. I do not know what it will take. "

Jack took the necklace off and handed it to Grace. He took 3 steps and crashed to the floor.

Jack woke up in the medical bay for a change. He looked over as Olivia was on board. She saw he was awake. "You have been out for 15 days. We had to move you here to feed you intravenously. As near as we can tell it was the exhaustion of the body and not eating enough; not the mind. It has not stopped racing. You drained your willpower heavily from what I hear."

Jack nodded, "Was talking with the President. I got pissed and took it off before I said something I would regret. They got the next 3 candidates lined up and used the limbs we recovered?"

She nodded, "Ash took care of that. One of each blade color."

He looked at her, "What is going on in Tera?"

She sighed, "Someone wants to arrest you; the world court is hearing arguments over that and Grace is down there. Your son Zander jumped us back 5 days ago."

Jack looked, "Put it up."

He watched some man, obviously from China or Vietnam who shouted at the court and the government's lack of control over these colony laws. He finally shut up.

Grace stood up, "The fact remains that the colonies are too far for you to travel to. You have deployed no aid or support in 20 years, and you expect them to live by your intricate set of laws that allow corruption to fester. They live simpler lives there; they don't get caught up in politics. They do not need 95% of the crap you consider good government."

She looked directly at the man who finished talking and the man at the bench used his gavel, "Address us please, not opposing counsel. There are questions we have and they are for your leader."

Jack sat up a bit. "Astra grab a screen down there and show me."

Astra did as he asked.

"Your honor, I woke up shortly before the one-man finished pontificating, and then Grace spoke. Ask your questions. Forgive the monitors and tubes. I am still in medical."

He looked at the screen, "You claim to be human."

Jack nodded, "Yes, which the court reaffirmed."

He looked at Jack, "Yet you are doing all of these magical things."

Jack smiled, "My call sign is Merlin, it was when I was an actual Tera fighter pilot as well. The thing you have to keep in mind is what percentage of the human brain do we understand how it functions? We have general ideas.

There are parts of it we have not tapped into as a species, but it is still one of the greatest mysteries in knowing how it all functions. Astra, grab another screen and display my brainwave activity. While I have been out cold for 15 days my brain has been running like this the entire time. At least since they moved me to medical."

Olivia commented, "14 days in medical."

He nodded, "My wife Olivia confirmed she had them move me here 14 days ago when I collapsed 15 days ago. You got a medical expert you typically call on for something like this?"

The judge looked over at a side screen, He saw a doctor who looked all of 30 but acted much older. He nodded, To the judge, "I have been watching your proceedings and this is the first hybrid I have had the chance to see these tests from."

Jack looked over, "Show Grace's images on another monitor from her last physical."

Olivia shook her head, "Only if she agrees."

Grace called out, "Show that data, Olivia."

The doctor looked at it, "Well Grace's looks to be running at 10% higher than normal for a person in a relaxed or light work state. Was she in such a state?"

Grace nodded, "I grabbed a couple of hours of sleep while doing that so that is while I am asleep."

The doctor shook his head, "If Grace is the norm for most hybrids then in a sleep state it would be 10-15% higher than normal. Dr. Olivia Travus, has there been any fluctuation in his brain state?"

Olivia smiled, "No. Constant asleep or awake."

The doctor nodded, "That is interesting. Building on Jack's argument his brain runs 50% faster than most humans. Even in his sleep. I would say his brain is physically running non-stop. It explains some of if not all of his recent creativity, but that would be hell on sleep."

Jack smiled, "Sleep is not required for a hybrid. Side effect or perk depending on how you look at it."

The Doctor nodded, "Then the REM cycle is affected by the change. Dr. Carol Travus mentioned this in her notes but this is the first I have seen the data directly. I went to the same college as her. I finished 20 years before her; a brilliant woman and a terrible loss."

Jack nodded, "I was a child Genius scoring 174 at the age of 7 when tested."

He nodded, "I heard about the last test done and asked for a copy of it from Tau Ceti and they sent it without reservation. They said Jack told them 'somebody will ask for this someday; just give it to them.'"

The room erupted in laughter. "His results were genuine. You would be calling him not human, based upon this information, would be like calling the same of Einstein or any other genius the same. His is just the highest we know of, probably because if they were not a hybrid they would never sleep and go crazy. We have seen people move objects with their minds and 2 communicate with each other from different rooms on a few occasions. His mind just takes this to a whole different level."

Jack nodded, "All other hybrids who have been asked have either been more telepathic or more telekinetic I happen to be both. The Drakor tested this fact."

The judge looked, "I would like to know how."

Jack sent him the Drakor testing and his answers about humanity. The Judge shook his head, "I should be more clear next time. Jack just sent me all the testing the Drakor conducted on him. I will vouch for that unless you would like him to push that information into your mind."

Jack smiled, "The day I went out I sent all of that to every human mind within a 60km radius of the Congressional Complex. I overtaxed myself that day. I was asked why? The answer was simple. Like me, hate me. The Drakor see me as the leader of the hybrids. Until they believe humanity is advanced enough to have a discussion, I am their ambassador if you will. I don't speak for them, just to them. They are very literal in their context of things.

I am Dispenser of Justice. My wife Grace, Lady Justice. When they say we accept this treaty as written they mean no changes. That is why Congress must vote on it as written. We have seen the firepower they have. He also said it was much easier to just support us. More questions I am assuming?"

He smiled, "I and the rest of the court feel the earlier decision on your status and that of all hybrids is the correct answer. You are human. You have a second set of requirements laid upon you about following your nature first?"

Jack nodded, "That is different for each blade and varies some by the blade. We are, first and foremost, protectors of humanity. The way we approach a problem will vary. Reds are the impulsive ones who charge in, sometimes before all the facts are in. While blues are defensive ones and watch for what will come next and analyze their opponent before acting. Blue blades are more representative of the shield. Justices can do both in equal measures. I was being shot at by gunships.

I yanked all the guns out and seized control of the ships. Then I stripped them apart piece by piece and set the men down unharmed. They were arrested and freed because of corruption. That led to the Tera-1 incident. I told the tower through King Arthur that we had EVA's ongoing. They sent men illegally and breached the airlock into space. 30 men died because they were red types who refused to listen to reason. The hybrids I killed in Tau Ceti were of a like mind.

That is where judges come in. We try to get both sides to see reason. The key is 'for the good of humanity.' We do not say go against your nature. We ask if what they are doing or what they did was the best for humanity! This is why Shimada Riku was a bad choice to be a hybrid. We did not choose him. He could not see his way past 'for the good of himself.' That is why our selection process has been slow. Normally they spend years under observation as teenagers in training.