An Untitled Novel

Basil and Grey worked on reassembling the pieces of the salvaged Elthrice craft they had just examined. Although many parts like the propulsion mechanisms were well outside of the two’s capability to disassemble, those that had been accessible had been the obsession of the two for weeks as each part was disassembled, observed by ACE, and then reassembled. “Where would I even go?” Grey asked Basil, a little bit of annoyance present in her voice. “I don’t know, you’re the Elthrice” Basil responded, somewhat unsure of himself.

“Do you want me to leave?” Grey asked, now definitely annoyed and seeming a little upset. “No” Basil replied, pausing for a moment while trying to formulate a response. “No, I like that you’re around. You’re the only one who I can relate to in being ‘not from around here,’ your knowledge of Elthrice technology saved my life at least once, and of the people who have set foot on Domum you and ACE are probably the only two who haven’t lied to me or had a weapon pointed at me at some point.”

Grey seemed to both look relieved and confused. “Then why did you offer me the craft? I’ve already been living in it, so the only reason for you to offer it to me after we finish research is to get me to leave.” Basil thought for a moment again. “I just don’t want you to be a prisoner here. I have the only Elthrice craft, if I can even lay claim to it, and hopefully this will be the only one on this planet. Even if I don’t want you to leave, I also don’t want you trapped here if that’s not what you want.”

“Basil, there’s nothing out there for me” Grey said in a suddenly somber voice. “Nothing but ruins; and if I did somehow find other Elthrice they would likely kill me. Maybe for my resources, maybe because of my genetics, and certainly because of my previous affiliations with my .” She paused momentarily, adding “Basil, you are the closest thing to my .” Basil didn’t know the meaning of the words she had used, but her voice seemed to carry both reverence and sadness when she used the latter one.

“Sorry, I don’t know what the word means.” Basil could tell his pronunciation of the word was incorrect, but Grey clarified. “I don’t know of a direct translation, but it was used often by the ones I used to be with. It means something like fleet-family, but the kind that is chosen rather than by blood.” Basil smiled. “Well, I would be honored to have a space sister." Grey smiled, but Basil could tell the conversation had drifted to areas of Grey’s past she was uncomfortable talking about as she changed the subject.

“So then, little brother, what is this craft you believe you can construct?” Basil pulled up a diagram that somewhat resembled the stingray shaped craft. It was much smaller than the behemoth that the Elthrice made, but still somewhat large for an aircraft. A cabin sat in the center of the craft, flanked by two large cylindrically shaped protrusions from the salvaged propulsion system of the larger crashed craft. It also contained two long and flat wings that gave the craft a somewhat triangular shape when viewed from above. “Well the thruster and power generation of the crashed craft seem to still be working, and we still have enough materials to construct the rest of it, even after using some for more wormhole devices.”

“It looks like a weird design” Grey said, prompting a shrug from Basil. “ACE and I did have to make some improvisations, and it would not actually be suitable for space travel, but the simulations are successful, so it should work if we can manage to put it together.” Grey looked very confused. “Why build a craft if it cannot be interplanetary? We still have this one, and you could build many of your non space faring crafts?” Basil rotated the holographic model. “Because of these” he said, pointing towards weapons mounted on the bottom. “It would have the speed and durability of an Elthrice ship, but be a legitimate gunship and a serious upper hand if any groups of Elthrice decided to come here. Using the propulsion system to accelerate projectiles it could fire just about anything, and with the right projectiles it’d be a threat to any surviving crafts.”

Grey looked astonished, although Basil thought he saw a tiny bit of hesitation on her face when he showed her the weapons. Nevertheless, she spoke as if she had concluded it was a positive development. “Basil, armed Elthrice ships have not existed for a very long time; I do not know that you fully grasp the significance of this. Even the old Elthrice would be terrified of a craft like that.”