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Prisoners of Sol 60
🕑 Added 2025-07-29 11:00:10 +0000 UTCThe Elusians were weird, and…coming from me of all people, that meant something.
They were technologically weird though, not just getting their jollies by making unhinged comments to robots. We’d gone to the “mirror side” of their station by opening up a floor panel and stepping through the shimmering blue fog, which looked like ghostly water. Corai had assured us that this was for visual effect, to know that a permanent 4D portal was present. An expansion to their little complex didn’t even have to be in the same location—it was as simple as hopping through a warp field like a door!
As far as I could tell, the training area was located on some sort of habitable planet—the sky, fresh air, and endless land would suggest as much. There were some ground floor buildings in the commune, but more levitated in the air, held up by nothing. The Elusians just—poof, waved their wrist thingies and floated right up off the ground to travel between levels. I guess that explained why they wore metal boots. All of their soulless black eyes were on us from the beginning, and unlike Sofia, I wasn’t eager to approach them.
Corai told us that she instructed the scientists that they could speak to us, but only if it was appropriate or if we initiated the conversation. I’d rather talk to Mikri, the alien who did think it worthwhile to use his greater advancement to cure our diseases.
“This isn’t so bad. It’s kinda like having a staring contest.” I paced around the training courtyard calmly, the metal wristbands—or raisers, as Elusians called them—vibrating at a low resonance that I could feel in my bones. Raisers took commands from the wearer’s brainwaves because reasons, which was why Bighead could only float so much at once. “This is the heaviest object I’ve lifted by far, right, Corai?”
Corai continued her mental notation, hardly shifting her eyes’ direction. “You learn quickly, Preston. You had to learn to envision object trajectories with precog, so I think that helped your aptitude. I’m happy you put the work in. Sustained levitation and the ability to multitask already is impressive.”
“I had a goal in mind for what I wanted to pick up, from day one. When are you going to teach me the whole ‘rip off a leg’ routine?”
“Let’s focus on you developing the ability to levitate yourself safely.”
“What are you, OSHA? ‘Safely’ takes the fun out of it.”
Mikri’s beeps developed more urgency, as I twirled him through the air like a rotisserie chicken. “Put me down. Sad baby. SAD BABY!”
I held up my pointer finger, moving him another foot higher off the ground. “I’ll change your diaper in a minute.”
“No! That’s our safe word!” the android exclaimed, his expression mired with betrayal.
“Selfish clanker. Do you not want me to get better at this? You’re motivating me.”
“I’m the NASCAR Vascar! I like the ground! And I don’t trust you not to drop me.”
“You have to break a few eggs to make a muffin, Mikri.”
“I am not an organic’s embryonic development stage. I am certainly not a food ingredient; I am widely regarded as inedible. Corai, help! Why do you just sit there taking notes?”
The Elusian scientist shrugged. “My job’s name is Watcher. What do humans say about old habits? I’ve had to sit back and observe things…far worse than this.”
“Nuh-uh.” I lowered Mikri to the ground with a hand motion, like Corai suggested since gestures helped novices. “You didn’t have to observe anything. You could’ve stood up for what was on your conscience.”
“That’s why I’m here now, Preston. But to be honest, my conscience tells me that humans had to be allowed to make mistakes to grow. There are dangers to being a helicopter parent; not having tough love is to a child’s detriment.”
“Well, you were deadbeats instead. Congrats! You can’t seriously talk like that’s right. It wouldn’t have killed you to reach out once.”
Corai hesitated, drumming her fingers. “No, but it might’ve killed you.”
“And how would you know? Did Mikri tell you this in a simulation?”
“No,” the Vascar interjected. “I simulated that it would kill me to reach out to humans. This is different.”
“Exactly. It’s always some Elusians sitting around in a nanobot summoning circle deciding what’s best for us. And you think they were right, Corai. I thought you were angry for us.”
“I am,” Corai insisted. “I’ve said you have the right to judge our choices, but I also explained why we made them. I’m sorry that we saw your struggles as a necessity. That can’t be an easy thing to hear.”
I chuckled with incredulity. “I’m judging your way of showing you love and care about us. It’s awfully funny. You don’t know what would’ve happened if you took a hand-in-hand approach, just like we’re doing right now, from day one.”
“Yes, I do.”
Mikri sensed something he didn’t like in her certainty, and the robot’s eyes darkened. “Elaborate.”
“Of course. I have nothing to hide from you, and it’s relevant to our next step anyway. I planned to divulge certain mistakes the Elusians have made, both to prepare you and in the interest of transparency. Let me retrieve Sofia from the library, and we’ll go somewhere private to discuss.”
Corai, being a fucking eldritch horror, meant opening up a brand new portal long enough to walk into the library; she kept it ajar while she retrieved Sofia. What text did that nerdy scientist have her head in? I seized the opportunity to telekinetically push Mikri in the general direction of the teleportation rift, whispering, “Books!” in a menacing voice. The Vascar dug his legs into the dirt, and scrabbled against the magnetic pull. He let out a continuous squeal, like I’d stabbed him and twisted the knife.
“You. Library,” I growled.
Mikri frowned at me. “I’m on your side! Do not mail me to the book prison.”
I pushed the robot inches away from where the portal was situated. “But I have a parcel for Sofia. You can visit her in Nerdland.”
“No!”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“What the—” Sofia stepped through Corai’s temporary portal, colliding with Mikri, who was inches away from the entrance. The fluffy robot tipped over like a bowling pin, as my raisers weren’t prepared for an outside force. “Why is Mikri positioned right outside the damn portal?!”
“Mikri really wanted a hug,” I scoffed. “Clingy bastard’s spawn camping. I told him it wasn’t a good idea!”
The polycarbonate dunce whirred in protest. “Everyone knows this is a lie! You would never stop a bad idea from receiving actualization. You are telekinetically abducting me.”
“If that was true, it’s your fault for being made of metal. How much temptation can a man resist?”
An unamused Sofia raised a hand, gently lifting Mikri to his feet. “Preston. Mikri is not a toy. You should know what it feels like to be confined against your will.”
“Curmudgeon. What were you reading in the book prison, Fiefs?” I chuckled.
“About the Elusians’ history. These texts are billions of years old: Capal would salivate. I know the Space Gate was…shut down, but I sure hope he made it out alright.”
“Yeah. I do too. I…worry about everyone, though primarily Sol and Mikri’s people. There was…some heavy shit that the Elusians threw a Molotov into. Corai just told me they have more mistakes!”
Corai waltzed out of the portal, worried creases on her forehead. “When you’ve existed as long as us, and have technology that can shape entire realities, you have mistakes within mistakes; the consequences are severe. I’d like to discuss our next step, as part of a long-term mission to help Sol. Follow me.”
I walked after the gray-skinned alien, as she opened another gateway to some private chitchat area. Corai had given us the full story about humanity’s origins and purpose, but it was hard not to wonder what skeletons a million-year old goddess had in her closet. There was no guarantee her motives were as straightforward as she said, even if she’d been a quiet, down-to-earth presence. The little ounces of moralistic superiority in her words kept raising my hackles.
I’m happy to work with Corai, but I’m leery of trusting her fully. What happens to this Elusian’s belief in us, if their interpretation of humanity usurping them turned out to be accurate? How much are we being patronized, rather than treated as equals?
Corai settled into a lounge chair, while once again, Sofia, Mikri, and I faced her on a couch. Someone reused the same design layout here. “I know we must seem omnipotent to you, but in reality, we’re a tiny collective of scientists who have no chance against the rest of our people. We need a plan to gather allies—and there’s few serious options who have interdimensional capabilities.”
“Why do our allies need to have interdimensional capabilities? We have them, and could teach others,” Sofia ventured. “The Caelum species worked alongside us with the portals. They could be of assistance.”
“Goodness, no. No offense to your metal friend and his cohorts, but they’re novices with the technology at best. The Empire will be watching them under a magnifying glass, just as they will with us. If we were to open a portal to Sol, it’d be detected and our little hideout would be shut down. Humans would be punished. It has to be someone else who they won’t notice.”
I blinked several times. “I take it you have someone in mind?”
“I do. Mikri, I believe your people found one of their derelict ships, though the passengers had irreparable fifth-dimensional insanity.” That rings a bell. He told us about other organics they’d found whose brains got ruined coming through a portal, because they seemed to have escaped Elusian notice—except the Elusians clearly know about them. “How much do you know about the Fakra?”
The Vascar stared at Corai. “Name and appearance. I will supply answers when you elaborate on your prior assertion as requested.”
“Yeah, Corai, elaborate. You don’t let people travel interdimensionally, because they lose their marbles! Unless you found out after they’d already done it, which it sure as shit doesn’t sound like,” I hissed.
Corai massaged her temples. “We knew about the Fakra’s attempts millions of years ago; we encouraged them. My point is that they have interdimensional abilities, and the Elusians wouldn’t pay any attention if they opened a portal. The closest species to our technology level would be them. I want to send Preston and Sofia to gain them as allies to help humanity.”
“You’re leading these efforts, and it’s your plan. You know more about the Fakra than us,” Sofia ventured, narrowing her eyes. “Why don’t you talk to them?”
“Because they…hate Elusians, very much. The Fakra were the first species we created. Before humanity.”
My jaw almost dropped to the floor, mindblown by the idea that we weren’t the Elusians’ first creations at all. Seeing how bad they fucked with Sol, what had the grays done to these poor Fakra to earn their hatred? For all of their talk about us being special and chosen, it sounded like we were just take two; and if they were happy to discard us, how likely was it they’d done something similar to the Fakra?
“So you let them cross through dimensions, but not the humans?” Mikri’s eyes lit up with fury, after acquiring more evidence that these aliens were terrible creators, just like his own. “What did you do to them, with your infinitely wise punishments? Must you hurt all of your creations?!”
“I’m not defending our mistakes, I’m merely disclosing them. The Fakra were before my time. We’re on the same side, Mikri, and that means we’re all here to save Sol,” Corai fired back. “I’m trying to trust all of you, because it shows respect. Can you be levelheaded, if I provide you with the entire story?”
“I am being levelheaded. I have not turned you into jambalaya for the MONSTROUS intent you show toward each of your creations!”
“You haven’t even heard the story of what happened, Mikri. It doesn’t do any good to be angry over something Corai had no part in,” Sofia whispered.
I pointed an accusatory finger at Corai. “Whatever happens, she was absolutely defending the Elusian mentality left and right. She mentioned something about handholding killing us, and how she had to sit back on her high horse and watch.”
“I am saying that we took a radically different approach to humanity than the Fakra, because it was a failed experiment in terms of making a true equal, as we sought.” Corai threw up her hands in a rare display of frustration, not thrilled with the accusations turning personal. “Preston, we learned…lessons from our first attempt. Debate their merit all you wish, but you are everything the Fakra aren’t!”
“‘Failed experiment?’” Venom dripped from my voice as I spat back her words. “You’re describing people! You made them, and what, gave up on them?”
“Yes! That’s why they hate us. I am making every effort not to withhold information, and I think you deserve the truth. Does that count for nothing?”
“We appreciate the honesty, but Mikri and Preston have strong emotions tied to creators. They understand logically that this has nothing to do with your character, Corai,” Sofia answered. “Could you please explain the specifics of what happened?”
“Certainly, if Preston can keep it civil.”
I crossed my arms, nodding. “The way Elusians act pisses me off. Sorry, Corai. It’s not really your fault. It’s been hard knowing…everything I worked for has been undone.”
“This is a temporary setback, if we do our jobs correctly. That’s why you need to be aware of their story ahead of time.”
“Alright. Just get on with it.”
“Well, the Fakra were created in the complete opposite fashion to humans. They were an artificial organism, engineered to be perfect, as was their paradise of a pocket universe. The Elusians wanted quick results, so we spoonfed them all of their technology and communicated our purpose to them. We were always there.”
“But?” a skeptical Mikri whirred.
“The Elusians wanted the Fakra to be able to go through the portal on their own, or else we wouldn’t have solved the problem of having true equals. We’d given them everything else, but they needed to take the last step on their own. Despite the engineering, they couldn’t survive the portal rides—our sole objective. We lost patience and…left.”
I shot Corai a horrified look. “Because your engineering wasn’t enough for them to get through the portals without going nuts, you abandoned your creations?! What is wrong with you people?”
“I believe the Elusians’ official position was that they didn’t want to care for a dependent child forever. We promised the Fakra we’d return if they got through the portals and proved their worthiness. They never did, so we turned our focus to a long-term experiment. We hoped we could turn up the evolutionary heat and have humans grow without our help. They made your success possible.”
“That’s not the point. What happened to the Fakra, when you left them after always being there?” Sofia asked.
“You’re a smart woman, Dr. Aguado. What’s your guess?”
“They were left alone in a pocket dimension without any foundation for their knowledge. They’d never had to figure anything out or survive without your help before. Fakra society must’ve collapsed under its own weight.”
Corai nodded. “Ages passed before they recovered, but that was after they nearly died out. However, the Fakra kept trying with the portals eons later, as you can see by them turning up in Mikri’s universe. The Elusians don’t care to watch their universe, and pay their interdimensional attempts zero attention. If they’d help us and open a gateway to Sol, it would fly under the radar.”
“But they won’t help you. Gee, I wonder why,” I mumbled. “How exactly will they feel about us?”
“That, I don’t know. You’ll have to meet them and find out.”
“Fine. Sofia and I will make a plan.” I glanced at the scientist, who nodded in resolute agreement. “All settled then. When do we leave?”
“Train a bit longer. It’s more time to ensure that the Empire don’t check in on Sol and find out what we’re doing here. Mainly, it’s so you’ll be capable of defending yourselves against any threats. I want you to be safe.”
Mikri bobbed his head emphatically. “I do too. We must minimize the chances that any individual is able to harm you. And we must help these Fakra, who were used and discarded by their creators.”
“On that, we’re all agreed. I confess my surprise that your group was so quick to help humans, Corai, but never tried to assist the Fakra,” Sofia said.
Corai frowned. “I can speak only for my motivations. I watched humans and saw how much you deserved your freedom with each success. The species I love, and would risk my life for, is humanity. You are…special.”
“And they are not?” I asked.
“Not to me. Perhaps if I’d been born a billion years earlier and watched the Fakra, my sympathies for them would’ve compelled action as well. Our alliance could be the start of making things right between us and them. They’ve proven themselves to be a ‘worthy friend’ now, and I hope you’ll convince them that we are too.”
I gnawed on Corai’s words, somehow more upset by how they treated their previous creations than how they handled humanity. It was my hope that the Fakra would be willing to befriend humans, and that we could help them where their parents had abandoned them. Us species with the Elusians as our makers had all gotten screwed, and that was why, in my book, we had to stick together.
A/N - 60! The Elusians’ station has 4D portals to cross over to the living area, where Preston has been training with raisers to master levitation. Corai describes the ally she wants our team to talk to, explaining who the Fakra, the species whose interdimensional ship was found comatose are; they were created before humanity and discarded as a failed experiment, and have been locked in their pocket dimension for millions of years. How do you think Fakra society and ideology has changed after being abandoned by the Elusians? How do you feel about how the Elusians treated their past creations? Will the Fakra be willing to be humanity’s allies, or will they react poorly to the new creations?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!
Comments
Yannis Morris
Yeah exactly! He got given Elusian tech and immediately started using it to be an ass to Mikri
EliasArt2Life
Okay Preston, let’s be honest, you KNOW that if humans had the Elusians’ tech, we’d be doing most of the same things they are. You’re just looking for a reason to dislike them. The story of the Fakra is pretty sad. Interactions with them will be… interesting. Will they see us as the favored, golden child, or another victim of the Elusians? Also, do we KNOW that they still hate the Elusians? I didn’t hear anything about the story that says they hate the Elusians for sure. It sounds like Corai might be drawing conclusions due to their society collapsing without Elusian support. Maybe it’s more complicated than that; maybe they’ve learned to value being made to learn how to do things on their own, even if they no longer see the Elusians as providers. Interested to see. But I swear, if they got a SINGLE SOLAR SYSTEM as a dimension! Someone is going to need to have a serious conversation with the Elusians about the ethics of locking and abandoning potentially spacefaring species in tiny cages for millions of years.
Byron Ritchie
Pretty good chapter
