Chapter 259: Vexical Prime: Kin
As he put his hands on the pedestal in front of him he felt a tingle run up his body. It was a strange feeling because he had not felt an electric shock for a while. But this time it felt like a bridge was being made between them. The electricity felt familiar again, but it was not something he could easily place.
Jace accepted the handshake with the odd electricity and sent some back. He then closed his eyes. In order to communicate with this sentient electricity they would need an interface. He had a feeling he had to provide it.
Since this creature was electrical in nature they could communicate with the electrical impulses in his brain in order to communicate. He focused and imagined himself in an open area. A plain and barren terrain appeared.
A moment later as he waited for something to happen a form began appearing in front of him. It began appearing first as a spot with electricity going away from it. But it slowly began forming into a figure. At first it appeared to be a baby but then it grew and changed, going through the ages until it stopped at the same height as him. It then changed into Salem.
"You are similar to us, but different." It pointed out.
Jace frowned, "I suppose you could say that. I invited you in to talk but you just read my mind and all of my memories instead. I suppose our perceptions of reality are completely different so I will let that pass."
"Ah, I see. Yes it was an invasion of ’privacy’, I will endeavor to not do that again. But we have never encountered a species that we could successfully communicate with. So I was what you might call ’excited’." The being told him as it moved around its limbs.
"What do I call you?" Jace asked, then felt he had to clarify for the sentient electricity that had a body for the first time. "I mean what should I call your race? Or your name if you have those?"
"You are correct, we do not have names or designations. Our race recognizes each other just by feel. We do not even have a name for our race, because our kind has no need for words. But even if we are not the same race as you, we are still kin. Hmmm... Kin. You may address us as Kin. That name will work as well as any name." The Kin told him as it got used to a body.
"Well Kin, in that case. How might I help you? I know you are currently trapped but how can I free you?" Jace asked, he wanted to know before he tried to do anything with these controls because for all he knew he was currently hurting Kin by even having it on.
"I will show you the memories of how they operated the machine. I will also show you where the person you seek went. I will also show you what I want you to do. I am curious about the ability to operate like your kind do, I wish to experience this form you have." Kin did, a moment after it said that. It showed him how the machine worked and how to operate it. It then showed him the location of Prince Cassius who used the machine to escape to another cruiser that was preparing to jump away from Vexical Prime with the books on him. Then it showed him what it wanted Jace to do, but it did not show the outcome.
Then he watched as the Kin disappeared, leaving the connection that Jace had made for them to communicate. When Jace opened his eyes not even a second had passed in the real world. That communication between Jace and the Kin happened in an instant.
Jace took a moment before he began operating the machine. Pushing buttons, turning dials, and pushing levers. "What are you doing? You said you would not hurt me!" The scientist screamed from the cylinder. "Why are you starting it up?"
"Because apparently that sentient electricity being that you have been harnessing and using wants to take something back from you." Jace explained with a chuckle. "I am just the middle man. I would say have a good conversation, but I have a feeling you will cease to exist."
The scientist began screaming as the door to the room opened up and the rest of his team walked in. "Hey..." Uti trailed off as they noticed the screaming scientist. "What are you doing this time?"
"No clue, just doing what the sentient electric being told me to do." Jace answered with a chuckle, getting a look of bewilderment in response from his team. Or at least he was sure that was what their faces looked like if he could see them. But because of their armor he could not clearly see them.
They then watched the wires and cylinder with the scientist inside of it. The whitish pink energy all began moving along the wires into the cylinder. By all, he meant all of the energy, even the stuff that was in the containment unit. Several smaller cylinders on the top and bottom appeared as they filled with the whitish pink energy.
They then watched as the energy flooded the cylinder where the scientist was located and he continued to scream as it began covering his body. The screams soon became silent as they watched the scientist’s skin melt off, his blood boiled and organs cooked. But before the bones were destroyed the energy began gathering around it.
It stopped as a humanoid form had fully formed. It was still the whitish pink mix of energy but this time it looked down at its hands and then looked forward. The Kin had fully occupied what was left of the scientist’s body. It reached a hand up to the glass and touched it. A layer of ice covered the area it touched.
"What is that again?" Jul’an asked as he pulled out a device. Jace honestly had no idea what the device was.
"If that is a scanner, I would refrain from doing that." Jace told his Mar’talic compatriot. "Or did you forget that the being is energy based." Jul’an hesitated and then put away the device. Jace then sighed, "it has decided its piece’s name is Kin. Apparently they had no need for words before communicating with me so they had no language."