Condition Evolution 3: A LitRPG / Gamelit Adventure by Kevin Sinclair (ereader with dictionary .txt) 📕

“The Empire is an annoyance at best. They continually encroach in our territory, and we continually kick them back out again. That is of little importance today. Please explain how you are here?”

We didn’t have many options available to us, and if these aliens could fuck the Empire off with ease I wanted to be their ally, so with a shrug I told him everything: “The Fystr caretaker in charge of our planet chose not to cripple our society when he should have. Instead, he developed a way to boost a few humans, or 'hindered' did you call us? Anyway, he helped us to surpass our mental barriers. So while we're not Fystr, we’re not hindered anymore either.”

The yet unnamed alien listened intently to what I was saying, nodding his head. “This is fascinating information and of extreme importance to our leaders. Will you wait where you are while we get in touch with them?”

“Um, that’s not impossible. The Empire fleet is coming, and they want us dead. Not to mention you guys.”

“We will allow you to pass further into this solar system beyond our defenses. You will be safe from them and us, but you must swear to me that you wish no ill will toward us.”

“Sure, buddy. Like I say, as long as you’re not a bunch of serious douchebags, we're here to be friends.”

The screen went dead. I looked to Ember, who was looking at me. “Well that was weird,” I quipped.

“Really weird. I wonder what's going on here. How did he know so much about the Fystr? We’re literally on the other side of the galaxy,” she replied.

“Never mind that, let's get our asses to the only thing that looks like safety at the minute, the other side of their fleet. You okay with that, Hwista?”

“Sure, Captain. Plotting a course right now.”

“Elyek, are you okay letting the other ships know what's going on? Leave Rufus until last.”

Elyek grinned a little. “Of course, Captain. I'll get right onto it.”

Seconds after we got moving, Hwista spoke again. “Captain, the same ship is hailing us.”

“Put them through, please.”

The screen came back on. The same alien as before appeared and spoke. “My leaders have requested to connect with you on a direct line. Will you speak with them?”

“Sure. If nothing else, this shit is fascinating,” I said, smiling.

He gave me an odd look, then the screen went haywire. When it calmed down, it was my turn to be shocked to bits. The dude on the screen was only a bloody Fystr.

“Okay! What the hell is going on?” I shouted angrily. “We're armed to the teeth and we're ready for you, motherfuckers.”

“Calm,” he said gently, and not in keeping with the usual Fystr pomposity at all. “We are not your enemy, at least I do not believe we are, if what I have been told is true. Are you really the hindered ones? You have managed to evolve?”

“Yeah. Not to mention escape the Fystr Empire too. Only to find you fuckers in the opposite part of the galaxy.”

“We no longer see ourselves as Fystr. Not for a very long time, young man. For example, has a group of hindered ones from your planet ever committed horrible crimes? Would you wish to be judged the same as those people just because you are from the same planet?

“When the great purge occurred, not everyone agreed with the methods employed by our race. Those who did not care for what we had become left rather than be a part of it.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you stay and fight? Stop them doing what they did to us all?”

“We were far too few in number to counter their cruelty, so we had a choice to make: be executed as traitors or disappear, sequestered as far away as possible.”

“That’s actually a pretty good answer to be honest. Although I wish you could’ve stopped the bastards. So what the hell is going on over here? You're at war with the Empire?”

The ageless ex-Fystr laughed. “They are forever nibbling at our borders, like flies on a corpse. But we are not a corpse. We have nothing to fear from the Empire. They are as a child to an adult. Our main aim is to stay hidden from the Fystr Empire. You, however, are just too intriguing. We share both a common ancestry and a common foe.”

“It certainly looks that way.”

“Will you visit our planet, so we may commune face-to-face?” he asked.

“Seems risky. You could be luring us to our deaths.”

“Yet if you are refugees, you have few choices. And I assure you we are not deceiving you.”

I couldn't really sense any deception, and this was kind of a big deal. I looked to Ember. She shrugged, but seemed quite positive. Glancing over to Elyek, their expression was as neutral as a gray wall. No help there then. It seemed like I was making this decision on my own. Turning to the not-a-Fystr, I smiled. “We’ll come, but no funny business,” I said, pointing at him.

He looked confused, then answered anyway. “Excellent! It shall be fascinating to meet our descendants. And perhaps we can be of value to one another?”

“I sure fucking hope so.”

The end of Condition Evolution: Book Three.

…Incoming from Shaun…

Wow, that was an epic turn of events. Providing these new guys are on the level, things might just be looking up for Uprising. I suppose we will have to wait and see. We still need to build up our strength, and there are a few issues that are popping up. But first we need to see if we can get Ogun back on his feet… or well, whatever we can do for him. Some of the crew have a few ideas, I didn’t really understand most of what they were talking about, apart from something about everyone writing down kind thoughts and hopes and sending them into the ether.

“Elyek! What was it we needed?”

…

“Re… what?”

…

“Ah, yeah of course, that’s it,