The Pale Prince

Invaluable Hermes

There was a dank, phosphorous-like smell shrouding the interior of the ship, nauseas and choking to behold. As the doors has slid open with a slightly ancient murmur of technology and the effect time had upon it Fortress had stood back, watching as tiny flecks of light had emerged, akin to fireflies as they flitted through the air, bouncing upon the stone floor of the cavern. Taking a deep breath of the finite oxygen that remained within the cavern, Fortress took a step forwards and placed his foot against the metal of the ship's interior, muttering as he continued moving into the ship. As Fortress found himself delving further and further into the inside of the craft the doors behind him closed, hissing as they collided with each other and stopped the atmosphere of the spacecraft – stale and decrepit – from leaking out of the ship. Fortress could tell that the air that wafted around him wasn't oxygen – it was too heavy, too noticeably distasteful to the palate. With a frown upon his face the man continued forward as the shifting specks of light continued to move forwards towards the entrance, noticeably making a direct line towards the superhuman before running delicately and passively across his body, tracing his form.

The room was clearly a hanger; multiple smaller vehicles placed upon its floor each in a symmetrical position those that sat opposite them – each at least the size of a house. Nasty looking cannon-like tubes were positioned at the front of each vehicle, casting menacing shadows across the room, stroking at the other vehicles with a seemingly tentative malice. Biting upon his lower lip as the flecks of light continued to trace themselves through him, Fortress yelped with shock as he watched them begin to phase through him, shifting through his body with no harm befalling the man, the action simply leaving him feeling warm and sensitive to touch. Grimacing at the odd sensation, the man pushed forwards, shielding his eyes as a group of the lights blurred through his head, leaving him with a dazzling kaleidoscope of colours ingrained into his memory before the group of shimmering 'orbs' flickered out of their grouping, fizzling away and continuing down on their path towards the entrance to the hanger-bay.

As if somehow related, Fortress took in a deep breath as he felt the air in the chamber slowly change itself to suit that upon the surface; the pressure on the super-human's chest reduced itself to a tolerant and comfortable level and the light in the room increased, neither dazzling his eyes nor becoming less than useful. Looking around at the lights, Fortress jumped as a voice called out to him, a group of the beacons joining together to make a familiar shape in the distance. "Greetings, David Freeman." The form moved forwards, small flickers of light drifting off of its 'body' only to be replaced by other lights. "I do hope that this form is suitable. We opted to take the shape of one of your many childhood friends' mothers – not too personal we hope?"

"I'm sorry," Fortress exclaimed, lifted his hand, placing it upon his head before scratching at it with confusion. "Who – or what – are you? How do you know my name? What the fuck is this; is this a test?"

"This is not a test, David Freeman of Earth." The figure moved towards him until stopping when he was ahead of him, lifting his hand and looking upon the five fingers that sat upon it. "Strange – I have never taken up a Homo Sapiens form – it is funny, that for three billion years we have not attempted it-"

"Wait, three billions years?!" The superhuman exclaimed, taking a deep breath and taking seat upon one of the many craft that sat inside the ship, the figure followed suit, sitting down on one of the wings of the opposite vehicles. "Hold on, you're going to have to fill me in – what are you?"

"My name is Invaluable Hermes. I am this ships last remaining Artificial Intelligence system – you are currently standing within Hanger-Bay Four upon the Battle-Scout Class Ship 'Cerberus'." The AI spoke, lifting its arms as if heralding towards the beautiful structure that Fortress found himself within. "We operate the ships main functions and also work to make the craft more comfortable for you and our pilot."