The Hades Project

[Seth Karlo]

When you look at space with mere eyes, you see nothing. Blackness consumes everything that dares to shine it's faint light in this abyss of pain and suffering.

But Kewl did not have eyes, he had scanners. Kewl did not have a brain, he had a computer. Some said that it subtracted from him, but he personally thought it was better than a human, he thought he was stronger than the weak blood and flesh of the homo sapiens that ruled this sector. However, they could feel, something that he and his siblings were unable to accomplish, no matter how hard they tried.

So, he, a member of the 40 children of the stars, rode out through ions of matter, through particles of nebulae, through rays of radiation to learn and to watch and to listen.

And it was doing this that Kewl heard the the ship. It was strange to see a ship like this so close to Corsair space, a research vessel, dealing with a corsair gunboat?

Computers and processors inside Kewl whirred and clicked, and he started scanning the two ships, hiding himself behind an asteroid while he contemplated this strange situation.

Then he heard their shriek.

His scanners turned direction, focusing on the incoming ships. 3 of them flew in formation, their organic composition lighting up alarms left right and centre all over Sirius.

As soon as a Nomad was seen by a Child, every child knew about it.

Instantly, 2 systems away, a massive hulk of metal ripped itself into life. Cruise engines charged, and the ship powered itself towards a jumphole.

Kewl powered weapons. While the situation was strange, the Research ship was still Zoner, and so he would protect it. Kewl played two audio clips over the radio waves. Both were Saker's voice.

"This is a Child of the Stars, and I shall do my duty to Eris, to the Zoners and to myself!"

Then the second clip pulsed into life.

"Blue monsters, you killed the father of the children, for this you shall be under ceaseless attack, for in this never ending black, you can not hide nor run from the fury of the children!"

Kewl sometimes thought he could feel. Sometimes he saw things that made him overcharge his weapons, ignore the safety warnings, sometimes he put himself in danger for something he thought was right...

So he threw himself forwards, the small engines powering him forwards from behind his little rock, and with his pitiful cry, and his two radio broadcasts, he went up against an enemy many times more powerful than he was.

For he was a child of the stars.

---

Signature by Sleipnir.