Not a slave

Megan awoke, feeling refreshed and full of vigour. Stretching out, she revelled in the feeling of her muscles and amazed how much control she seemed have over every individual ligament and joint in her body. She proceeded to get out of bed and began a stretching routine learned from Master Zanik. She started to realise the reason for each movement and the purpose behind each stretch and the sequence involved in them. One position led to the next and so on.

Finishing up, she grabbed her towel and clean clothes and intended to head out and get cleaned up. Opening the door, she discovered Tau, on the ground in a slave pose, waiting for his master?

"Miss Megan, Madam Brigella has asked for you to meet with her at your convenience when it pleases you to do so." Tau said in a formal and pompous tone he reserved for the formal dinner occasions.

She stared at him aghast and was surprised enough that she just couldn't help herself and burst out laughing. She caught herself and stopped giving a soft urrp noise. She looked at Tau and saw his glaring eyes giving her a look of mock betrayal. Their limits reached Tau, and then Megan both burst into howls of laughter as they fell about and mock sparred, reaching a mutual decision that friendship was more important than all that formal crap.

"I'm glad to know that awakening your core doesn't somehow change you into what I've seen of cultivators." Tau joked with Megan as he followed her to the communal bathroom and waited while she got cleaned up and dressed.

They both walked around to stand in front of the door to Mam's office, where voices could be heard talking loudly within.

Bringing his finger to his lips, Tau signed for Megan to be silent and quietly step forward to the door and beckoned for Megan to join him. They both listened close to the door and were able to hear Mam's voice and a deep male voice belonging to someone that neither of them recognised.

"... can not seriously be considering this course of action, Madam Brigella. The consequences of this will be felt all the way to Havenport and beyond, mark my words." The males voice could be heard loudly exclaiming.

Mam could be just heard replying in a much more moderate tone, "Those meddling fools in Havenport can eat rat scat for all I care Mister Greyson, what I chose to do with a slave under my roof is none of their high and mighty business and they will do well to stay out of it." It was at this point Megan realised this conversation was likely concerning her.

Mam continued, "The girl has awakened a core and shows great potential, I will not stand idley by and watch that talent be squandered. You and I both know what is likely to happen if it is found out."

"Talent! Ha! It's a fucking slave Madam and an unauthorised or properly curated awakening is certainly no reason to attempt to elevate this... thing to a such the high status of..."

Mam interrupted at this point and her tone was sharp and scathing "Mister Greyson, I will not sit here and let you disparage a valued member of my household and I would ask you kindly to leave now before I get sufficiently angered to take action against your interests the same as you are doing to mine."

There was a silence that felt almost palpable in intent and Megan looked at Tau and in unspoken agreement they both backed off to the opposite wall to the door and bowed thier heads just as the door slammed open and a small squat being stormed out and passed them without looking in thier direction wearing an expression that looked like he had just sucked on a particularly sour lemon. This was made very comical due to massive snout the same shape as the pigs the inn bred for meat in the middle of multiple jowls and flaps of skin hanging from its face and under two beady little black eyes.

After the squat pig-like humanoid disappeared around the corner leading to the stairs both Megan and Tau turned to the open door to Mam's office and walked forward through it to see a smiling Mam sitting behind her desk.

"Hello you two, I see you have now been in the presence of someone you should be on the lookout for, Mister Theodore Greyson, the Deputy Citylord of Faron City." Mam said as they made themselves comfortable. "The fat gregoran (Megan learned later this is the Deputy Citylord's race) has his own ideas about attracting the notice of cultivators and giving former slaves freedom that he feels is undeserved."

Megan looked up at Mam and, in a small and almost hopeful voice, asked, "So it's true, Mam, I am really not a slave anymore?"

Mam looked at her with an unreadable expression for a few moments before replying, "Yes dear, you are no longer a slave, far from it in fact, as you are now officially a cultivator." Mam reached down and tapped on the desk like she was typing on a device like Megan had seen only in books.

Megan and Tau gasped in tandem as a small section on the top of the desk opened up like a trapdoor pushed from the inside. The top of it faced them in a way that they couldn't see what was inside. Mam reached into the opening and took out a small silver object, then closed the little door by pressing it back into place on the desk, Megan looked and couldn't see sign the opening in the desk was there.

Mam held out what for all the world looked to be a three-dimensional frame model of her ear! Meagn's hand went up to her ear and touched the round helix and felt down to the bottom of her fleshy earlobe.

Mam smiled a sharp-toothed smile and said, "Yes, this ancient device has been shaped to fit on your ear, dear. Don't concern yourself with people seeing it. When you put it on, you'll find it will shrink and fit to the contours of your face and despite covering your right eye and ear you won't feel or see it and neither will anyone else."

Mam passed the device toward her and placed it down on the desk. "Only cultivators can use all the functions of one of these devices, to most people if they are able to get their hands on one the device is only a fairly rudimentary communications device. To cultivators, though, once they channel their energy and make a proper connection, the device will connect to the Uni-Net and develop an AI that is linked to the user."

Megan looked at the device with suspicion. "Are you sure it is safe, Mam?"

Mam waved her hand in a placating gesture, "It is perfectly safe dear, it is a fairly simple device that is created in another device called a printer. You can remove it at any time, and they have never been implicated in harming beings who wear one."

Megan picked up the small device from the desk and was surprised by the weight of it, "What is this Uni...thing?" Megan asked.

"The Uni-Net is a connection hub that spans not just planetary but universal communications. It isn't cheap to send a message outside of the planet, but if you have enough energy, you can send a message anywhere." Mam explained. "Some planets have better connections than here on Barbeedo II, and interruptions to service are very common. Not many worlds have the required technology to repair and maintain the Uni-Net so it isn't as good as it used to be but luckily here on Barbeedo II we have a fairly stable connection, if not a strong one."

Megan nodded at this and tentatively brought the device up to her right ear. As the device touched the skin of her ear it appeared to come to life in her hand and practically leaped from her fingers and she felt it grapple and twist around her ear with part of it flipping out and a lens like section covered her right eye before turning transparent and then contracting in a way that at first made her skin tight as the device dug in almost uncomfortably and then relaxed. She reached up and found she could feel it still there but couldn't see it, even the part over her eye. A slight tone dinged in her ear, and a small voice along with text appeared in her vision.

INITIALISING...

CONNECTING TO UNI-NET...

CONNECTION ESTABLISHED

UPDATING TO LATEST VERSION...

VERSION 22867.11133R UPDATE COMPLETED

VERIFYING ACCESS LEVEL...

ACCESS <redacted> LEVEL GRANTED

PLEASE SAY NAME TO FINALISE REGISTRATION

Megan read then re-read the text and said softly "Megan?"

REGISTRATION COMPLETED

NAME: MEGAN

ACCESS LEVEL: <redacted>

LOCATION: BARBEEDO II

CONNECTION STATUS: LOW

PLEASE SPEAK 'OPTIONS' FOR CONFIGURATION SETTINGS

Megan looked up and nodded to indicate she was done.

Mam clapped her hands gleefully and asked, "Now Megan, you don't have to tell me, but what access level did you get granted?"

Megan checked and replied, "It says 'redacted' for access level. What kind of access level is that, Mam?" She looked up questioningly.

Mam looked thoughtful for a minute and then said, "To be honest with you, Megan, I have no idea. I've never heard of anyone with a redacted access level before. Then again, considering the tech around you works but does not identify your species, there can only be one of two options."

Mam studied Megan for a minute and went on, "To know these options you need a little background. How much have you learned about the history of this planet and the local solar system?"

Megan spoke up, "I've learned about the planet we are on which is Barbeedo II, and the solar system is called Netherous IV and something about an, um, in-ter-gal-act-ic, what ever that means, an intergalactic civilisation. Then I think there was something about a war, that is about it."

Mam nodded and said, "That is the basics, yes. So that intergalactic civilisation you mentioned was an empire whose name has been purposely forgotten and was comprised of beings whose species name has also been stolen as well as erased from records. Along with the lead race in this civilisation, there were also six other races that also came from the same origins as the initial race, and their names have also been purposely forgotten. So, without going into to many more details, your species is either one of the six subordinate races to the main or even might be the same species as one which created and maintained one of the most advanced and widespread civilisations of known history, responsible for almost all the tech you can find laying around and the ones that held the most power in regards to cultivating personal power of a being.

Megan again sat stunned at this further revelation, and it was a few minutes before she could bring her wild thoughts back into order so she could ask, "Is there any way to find out for sure?"

Mam looked pensive for a while, then replied, "It isn't a matter of knowing or not. The problem stems from the fact that looking for information may bring unwanted attention. What you have to keep in mind Megan is that the war that occurred between this civilisation and its enemies never really officially ended despite one side appearing to lose. You see, no one actually knows who the ancient ones were fighting as no one has shown up and taken responsibility or attempted to subjugate the subordinate races or any other species at all. But whenever someone attempts to declare that they are one of the subordinate race or even what people call the ancient ones race, they are quickly and decisively brought to ruin and complete annihilation."

Mam looked at Megan with an expression of pity, "So even if you do manage to find out what you are and where you came from, then I implore you to keep it to yourself."

Megan thoughtfully nodded and was a bit startled when a beep sounded and text appeared in her vision.

INCOMING REQUEST FOR CONTACT DETAILS FROM BRIGELLA RECIEVED.

ADD TO KNOWN CONTACTS?

YES/NO

Megan said, "Yes, please." There was another beep and another message appeared.

PERMISSION TO SEND CONTACT DETAILS TO BRIGELLA?

YES/NO

Megan said "Yes." And looked at at the bemused expression on Mam's face. Seeing Megan's confusion Mam waved her hand again and explained, "I apologise Megan, I don't mean to look like I am making fun of you, it is just amusing to see someone talk to thier Ear-Comm when you can use your thoughts, I would recommend changing your settings as soon as possible." Mam clapped her hands together and turned to Tau, "Let this be motivation for you Tau to get yourself in order so you can awaken your core, we know you have it in you."

Tau who had been listening in rapt attention startled and bowed deeply, "Yes, Mam."

Mam snorted and turned to Megan, "Take some time to get your Ear-Comm sorted then go and see Master Zanik as he is itching to get into some real training with you."

Megan nodded and bowed to Mam, "Thank you for all the trouble you've gone through for me Mam, I won't forget it."

Mam nodded and Megan followed Tau outside. Tau turned around when they got to the end of the hallway and stated, "I'm going to me regular training with Master Zanik, I'll see you soon, ok?"

Megan nodded, "I'll be down as soon as I sort this Ear-Comm out." Saying so she turned to head to her room for some privacy as Tau turned in direction of the training courtyard.