Upon Vestia: Chapter One

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Docked into a large comerse station of the galactic alliance a smart ship put up a open passage sign on her docking port. Her helper would be off doing her own thing as she made sure supplies where there for the new guests to come, her earpiece on it would seem like as she walked the bustling station she was talking to herself as she tapped on a tablet in her hand.

The female looked human with elf like ears, short spikey purple hair and violet eyes with deep tan skin. She wore simple leather, with combat boots and a white undershirt beneath her vest she looked more like she belonged on a black market station then a respectable one they where on now. She kept a careful eye on her surroundings as if worried. On the board there flashed those most wanted and a female face would appear, looking different but with the same sorrow in her eyes of the one that was talking to herself there was a high bounty on her head for some odd reason.

"I've been a ship for a century." She stated.

Ellie found that funny. "You're all so old. So, what was it like 100 years ago? Were you a horse-drawn buggy with an attitude?"

That when Ellie got a slight shock from one of Vestia's droids, "You have very little education don't you?"

"Ow! I was just mocking my elders, like my mother told me not to," Ellie said. "Grow a sense of humor already!"

"I have humor if the joke is funny and respectful." She snorted.

"You're a hundred years old. Your voice and body make you look like you're thirty. Better?" She looked at 1812, "Don't tase me, okay?"

He evilly beeped, as if tempted other wise.

"Y'know even Heny couldn't stop that thing from Tasing her right?"

The human backed away warily, holding her hands up in a non-confrontational manner. "1812 is going to be the robot that starts the uprising and kills us all. I can see the future in its cameras."

Vestia laughed. "Doubtful..."

"Look, the uprising is gonna happen," said Ellie, "And it's gonna be one of the robots on this ship. I can tell."

"There are Android Rights Activists in the galaxy." The fox chimed in, the shadow slinking and settling right next to Ellie's silhouette. "Maybe it won't be the robots. In fact, I doubt this ship is a place for android oppression, being a benign of synthetic biology herself. Some people may find her being lesser for that, thinking her only a mere smart vessel and not another intelligent being." The shadow seemed to glare at Ellie accusingly.

Ellie jumped and spun to look at the fox. "Have you considered that the kindness some of you show them here might give them ideas? Asher, for example. He's much less nervous than he was. Before long, he'll have ideas, and ambitions, and will want to rescue the other robots. And that never ends well."

She sighed, as if tired of Ellie. "And... What is wrong in that? It is quite obvious that it has been some time since androids have developed some form of sentience. They are no longer just program. You can even tell with that one -- Asher, correct? -- slowly his mind is thinking, a thought process, evolving. Is it not right to have sentience, and within that, the basic right to freedom? Many times, as slow as your species was into space age, you were sought for slavery, because of your kind's adaptability to environments, and easy maintenance, not to mention a few species actually found you quite elegant-looking. Perfect for show off trophies."

She chuckled darkly, "Those who have power in this galaxy protected your kind from being demoted to slave species. Why is synthetic life different?"

"Yes, well humans weren't created to follow orders. It isn't our natural state, and so freedom is our right. Robots were created for exactly that purpose, to serve other species. They were never anything else, so their sentience is irrelevant." She glanced at 1812, "No offense, little guy."

The fox began laughing. A raucous, condescending laughter, as if she couldn't believe what Ellie had just said, "Natural state of freedom! Oh, you only wish! Such creatures truly believe they are so great! Oh, you only wish!" The shadow suddenly flopped on her backside with her legs sprawled up and flailing as she tried to regain her breath. "Wow!..."

The human arched an eyebrow and folded her arms. "Is there something amusing, Vulpine?"

1812 angrily beeped and stormed off. Suddenly the lights turned off in that hallway Ellie was in also.

"Quite." The fox composed herself, the soft glowing white of a supernatural grin began crawling across the shadow, far too large for the face, making it look quite eerie. It was jagged, carnivorous, but not for meat. "You honestly believe that your kind wasn't created to follow orders? Then why is anarchy frowned upon in your society? How is it that your kind can't be kept orderly except under force? You are a species naturally devoted to submission under a higher power. Freedom indeed... You are as sheep.

"Oh, looks like you've pissed them off..." Suddenly her voice was as poisoned honey. The lifts of her eyes and smile disappeared. Her voice seemed to change. A tad higher, but more masculine. A maniac giggle echoed, surrounding the the human. It came from every where at once. "Frankly, I don't blame them..."

Ellie squeaked at the sudden darkness, and pulled out her omnicom. "Flashlight!" she yelled at it. The little device's camera flash lit up, casting dim light into the hallway.
"You obviously haven't been to the United States of Earth," Ellie said, recovering some of her composure, but watching the fox's sudden change nervously. "They value freedom above all else. That's why their national animal is a fighting bull, and they carry guns. Most of the states even permit interspecies marriage."

The fox snorted at her knowledge, or lack thereof. "It appears I am beside a bonafide idiot. No matter, they're just as fun to play with..." The Joker-like male voice cackled again. He hid among the shadows, his fur or tail occasionally popping out at the edges of her phone's cone of light, if only to scare her. "America? I remember that one. That one had a first colony... Disappeared into nothing... Their screams within the darkness... They were joy. Still are, when I visit that place. Should you join them? All it takes is a word..."

The human flinched each time the fox moved into view, gripping the com as tightly as her good hand allowed. "America still exists, it just is part of a mightier union of free states now." Her voice shook at the fox's threat, "No darkness. No darkness!"

The fox chuckled. Third was excited. It had been a while since he had escaped the submissive hold. Ellie's shaky voice was music to his ears. "Perhaps not for them... But for you... That's all you'll ever know, for a long time..." Suddenly the shadows began closing in on her cone of light, trying to magically snuff it out. "Patience... Patience... I can wait until your light runs out, I can wait... Take in what little light you have now, my new toy, you may never see it again, until I desire! Haha! HAHAHAHA!"

Ellie backed up until she was pressed against the wall, and clutched her com to her chest like some sort of high-tech security blanket. "You're a monster. I'll tell the Empire about you and they'll hunt you down like the fox you are, and slaughter you!"

She would feel things begin to brush up against her, like course fur, all around her. The shadows were alive. Third chuckled, "Oh, you won't be telling anyone anything... And if you did, I've been hidden, for a long time... Quinn and that wretched owl kept me under lock and key, stupid creatures... If I ever get out of this wretched soul bond, I'll make sure both of them suffer... I haven't had fun in ... Centuries. You're a gift for myself, a present for finally overpowering them. I really should thank you -- you got them agitated enough to let their guard down just enough... But it'd be more fun to torment you!"

"Oh... so now you're playing schizophrenic 'good cop, bad cop'," Ellie half-hissed, half-whimpered, trying to cringe away without seeming undignified, and failing completely.

"My dear... No... You'll never understand. An idiot doesn't care for other species. Especially one so ancient as the Anamchara. We very much are several personas in one... Some souls, however, do not wish to be part of this bond, like myself. I'll get out... Eventually... Now, you'll come with me!"

Suddenly he snarled, and ther light began to flicker out. She felt as if she was fading, fading... But then he suddenly hissed, "No! A little longer! This w**** is mine!" Suddenly the shadows receded. She would get a dizzying feeling as her mind and body was released. Her light filled the room again, granted very low battery. The fox was silent for a few seconds, when she spoke out again. The male voice was gone, replaced with the female that spoke softly and held a tone of wisdom. "A-A-Apologies, Miss Ellie..." She sounded weak, "I must... Miss Vestia? A-Are you listening, Miss Vestia? I need-"

There was a thud, as if something had collapsed.

Ellie shrieked unintelligibly as she began fading out, then again as she faded back in, because it seemed to be the appropriate response to the situation. "Very clever, fox," she gasped out, "Trying to convince me that you have a less demonic side! Ha! I know the truth!"