Mental Clarity 20%
Potential: 99%
“Wisdom five and an increase in Clarity. Do you feel any better? Clearer?” Ember asked.
“Not particularly. I’m sure it’ll help. I’m more hungry and tired,” I complained. “Happy with level ninety-one, though.”
“You're such a dumbass. Come on, then. Let’s go get some food,” Ember said, disappearing.
Over the following days, we spent most of the time in Ember's Cognition Room with Havok’s crazy, yet cool, fast-paced music playing. Our increasing skill at putting things put away, had Ember’s Cognition Room looking to be about halfway tidied. Her stats had improved significantly, too.
Name: Ember Davison
Age: 25 GY
Transcendence Level 97
Strength: 80/1000
Agility: 109/1000
Speed: 98/1000
Intelligence: 39/1000
Constitution: 105/1000
Wisdom: 50/1000
Mental Resilience 200/1000
Mental Clarity 38%
Potential: 83%
“I feel so much better, Shaun. It’s opened my mind up loads. We need to keep going with our Cognition Rooms as much as we can. I’m even beginning to see how the Fystr can section off a portion of their mind to operate in their Mindscapes. I can’t do it yet, but I can see how it’s possible.”
“You’ll get there, Ember. I know you will. And, you're nearly at level one hundred. We’ll have to have a party for that.”
“We’ll wait until you reach a hundred and have a joint party. I know you’ll be gutted, falling behind on your level. Still, that’s because of your Mental stats. We’ll get you fixed up soon enough, okay? Your level is going to skyrocket when you do.”
“Meh! Whatever. It’s not a competition. I’m happy you’re ahead on levels,” I said, truthfully. I had Havok, and more than anything I wanted Ember to be safe.
“I know you’re not bothered, you big idiot. I also know, you're avoiding working on your mental skills.”
“I'm not! I do want to do it, but it’s just…”
“Boring?” Ember interrupted.
I laughed, “Yeah. Pretty much.”
“Well, you can’t hide from it forever. We need us both as strong as we can possibly get if we’re ever going to stand up against the Fystr.”
C15
Ship Shop
By the time we approached the hidden planet Ember trained exclusively from her Mindspace. She could now use telekinesis while fighting, and even managed to do some small levitation-boosted jumps. She definitely lacked her usual skill and ferocity in this state, but she was improving all the time. The bonus she got from the super-jumps and the telekinesis made it well worth the sacrifice.
We had made sure, as promised, that we would train for an hour every day with Elyek. We didn’t really have much to offer them other than sparring partners. In return they trained us in the fighting skills of the Veilitian people. Focusing on quick sharp movements and being elusive. A fighting style that Ember was made for, both mentally and physically. It was less useful for me, as I liked to bludgeon people to death with Havok.
We all stood on the bridge as we arrived at the planet. Elyek had told us it didn’t have a name, just a numerical designation. They couldn’t remember what it was, but we soon found out, as the ship's communication panel buzzed into life.
“MC-8314-Fe. Please state your business on D10-8841,” the static voice said. I imagine the voice was full of static only because of our turd-burger-of-a-ship's communication device.
“We’re here to purchase a ship,” I said back.
“And how do you know of our planet?” the voice asked.
Elyek took over, “I was once a part of a crew that made regular stops here for certain acquisitions-work, that would be best not mentioned over an open signal.”
“Very well. I will send over the coordinates to land.”
“Thank you,” I said. But the communication had already went dead.
“Ignorant, fucking dick!” I shouted at the comms, causing everyone to look at me like I was an alien. Shit! Bad choice of words. Like a psychopath in a shopping mall.
“What?” I gestured at the comms. “That was properly fucking rude.” Everyone chose to make themselves busy instead of responding to me.
The landing was semi-smooth, so we congratulated Calegg. He beamed with pride. He was a daft ass, no doubt about it.
“Okay, Elyek, we’re heading out. Can you really not come? Is it that bad?”
“It is. The cameras and scanners may pick me up unless I’m invisible. Before you ask: I can’t stay as such indefinitely. You three go, and please do not die.”
“Don’t worry one bit. We’ll be back,” I said, confidently.
“I believe you. Now, good luck, you three.”
“Four!” shouted Havok in my head. He was back on my back, and happy about it.
Standing on the exit ramp, on yet another alien planet, I took a second to absorb the absolute insanity my life had become.
“Yeah, Havok. Four. I’m sure once Elyek gets to know you, they’ll not be so quick to discount you. You’re the best,” I said, internally, to the axe. To make my point clear, and to ease the axe’s anxiety, I held my hands up to get everyone’s attention and shouted, “Right! Going forward, we’ll be counting Havok in our crew: There are officially five of us. You may think me crazy, but once you see him in action, you’ll appreciate why.”
Elyek and Calegg chuckled together at my expense, thinking me even more crazy. Ember nodded sagely, “Damn right,” she added.
We headed down the ramp towards the dock supervisor. He was small, broad, and covered from head-to-toe in coarse hair. He looked like a cartoon character.
“We’re looking to buy a new ship. Can you give us directions?” I asked.
“Long overdue, isn’t it?” he said, eyeballing the shit-heap we’d rocked up in.
“Yes. It is,” Ember said. “Now, about the ship-dealers?”
“I’ll call you a ride. Otherwise you’ll probably get lost and start bothering people. The ship-dealers are a couple of miles away.” He quickly arranged for a cab, then we were forgotten about.
When it arrived, it was a sleek car-like design. It hovered about a foot from the ground. I was pretty excited about being driven in a hover-cab. The driver looked almost identical to the dock supervisor, apart from a few darker markings and a different
