Dark Light: Carnal Faction

Chapter 1

As a perfect Light Nine, my stress was always minimal and my contentedness was within the top 96% of the Earth's population. I trusted OurTcno, out symbiotic AI governance. Every decision I made, I made with the assistance of the Light; thousands of years of AI refining.

It was perfect, so I trusted OurTcno, Our Light, with 100% of my decision making.

So why did I end up here? In a shady Lux Pad in the middle of the universe, where only the top 1% of wealthy subspecies lived. I was in the foyer of an Elion Kor who was offering me full debt repayment for a secret trade that would guarantee I wouldn't be hurt, injured or killed in any way shape or form.

I asked the Light if the trade was worth it; due to the debt I owed, it said yes, proceed.

My parents were Dark Eights – which means they followed base feeling and instinct rather than follow our brilliant AI Light. The worst you could be was a Dark Nine and fall off the grid entirely, but my parents both opted one faith to the Light. They allowed it to look after their wills and estate after death. Due to various awful investment decisions, they left me with a massive debt repayment after they passed in a freak avalanche while hiking in snow country. I was now unable to repay what my bloodline owed without a sturdy and quick intervention.

I had no idea what the trade would be, but I was about to find out.

Kors were already exposed as being Elion, one of the greatest threats to humans and the subspecies in our universe. But they were also vastly integrated already, and had access to massive assets that OurTcno wanted me to acquire.

From my brief study on Kor beings, I knew they were Elions who mated with subspecies, impregnated them and devoured them after they obtained their offspring. So they were a type of carnivore. However, I had become so squeamish learning about them, I stopped reading and put my faith in the Light to guide me through what's next.

I would simply complete these next suggestions without a fuss.

I move through the dark tiled foyer toward a single reception desk with no attendee. The lights were dimmed and to top it off, there was no sunlight and no moonlight. On a Lux Pad, it was hidden this way, it was a tiny floating gated community of about a thousand wealthy individuals who had their secret accommodations all together on an artificial ring.

I stand behind the reception desk and find a contract case, where you'd supply a handprint, blood and an iris scan.

The Kor I was making a deal with, Lienart, told me to wait in the Foyer with the devices, at mid hour night, with no expectations other than to trust in the process once he arrived.

I hear the black glass doors I walked through, zip open and I glance up to see a purple and cyan stripped leopard type of animal, pawing toward me. It moves with strong agile movements, but makes hardly a sound, as it's claws are retracted. Their is no fur, only metallic skin. The big alien cat moves around the desk and I watch the shape morph and transform into a large 7tf Kor... so he was a shape-shifter. And he's purring too, constantly, making a deep noise that sounds uncontrollably natural for him. He warned me about it in a message, but I thought it was an ill attempt at Kor humour.

Lienart also advised me to remain still and face the contract for our interaction. I keep all this at the forefront of my mind.

I didn't question why, and he explains now, the purr getting closer to my back as he steps behind me.

"Madison Torre," when he speaks, the purr changes to a deep growl of words. Exactly what an Elion predator would sound like, "Do you remember my first rule?"

"Do not, under any circumstance, look at your face or meet your eye," I say it smoothly, mastering the cool calm way of a Light Nine my whole life, I would not show uneasiness now. I trusted in the AI's decision to send me here.