Welcome to the Journal of Now and Forever. This Journal is a collection of my Star Control and Star Control 2 fiction. Note: Some of this material is, by necessity, extrapolation from the slim information provided by canon sources.

New fiction is posted first at My Livejournal before it appears here. This story is in response to 15 Minute Ficlets' Challenge #84.

"...and presently uploading to your ship," Jack said, "are the last known defenses of Earth. Those are several years old, however. We had planned on making another reconnaissance mission this upcoming year. However, given the strength of the Hierarchy, I doubt the Earthlings will be able to mount an effective defense."

The Ur-Quan on the viewscreen stirred. "You. Have Been. Most. Helpful," Information Specialist 2128 stated. "Why. Do You Choose. To Be. So. Helpful. Against Your Own. Race."

"Because they mistreated us," Jack said, without emotion. "We were their slaves."

"And Now You. Are Our. Slaves."

"Yes."

"This. Is How. You Show Loyalty. To Former. Masters?

"There is a difference," Jack said. He wasn't sweating, and he wouldn’t for some hours to come; it was possible the Ur-Quan knew he injected himself with chemicals to prevent such before any scheduled meeting with them. The Ur-Quan appeared to have a good grasp of human emotions and reactions, although whether that was luck, years of unseen study, or plenty of experience in handling uncounted slaves was a matter of conjecture. The less fear he showed, the smoother the interaction seemed to go. The chemicals didn't so much keep him on an even keel emotionally as kept his autonomic responses in a steady state. As long as he didn't need to do much physical activity, or run for his life, until the chemicals wore off, he was nearly unflappable.

"The Earthlings," Jack continued, "kept us as slaves, as you do, but had we been granted the respect that the Ur-Quan display toward us, perhaps we would not have found the need to revolt. Instead, many of us were beaten and abused, some of us were tortured or even killed. We were identical copies and descendants of some of those still living, and yet we were treated as less valuable than some livestock."

He waited for the Ur-Quan to speak next. Presumption could be construed as disobedience if the Ur-Quan in question had had a bad day.

"Did You. Know. Your Progenitors?" Specialist 2128 asked. "Or. Your Makers?"

That's an odd question, from an Ur-Quan. "I never knew my parent, no," Jack admitted. "I am of the Necro series. Necro-series clones are unique and were created from deceased Earthlings. I don't know who originally brought me to life, but I did eventually meet those responsible for my care before decanting from the cloning tank."

Specialist 2128 gave a twitch that ran halfway down its length, and its mouthparts stilled for a moment. Jack had seen that 'expression' before; he wasn't entirely sure of its meaning, but suspected it was something equivalent to an Earthling, or an Androsynth, stroking their chin and saying "Hmm."

"So. You Have. No. Loyalty. Toward Any Being. On Earth."

Jack shook his head deferentially. "No, Specialist 2128. After so many years apart from Earth, I doubt any Androsynth does. Even those who might once have had fondness toward certain Earthlings" – he thought briefly of Dean the Church-founder – "would have to admit that a generation has come and gone on Earth since we left. We – "

"Revenge. Then. Against Your Masters."

"Former masters," Jack said, keeping his tone light. "The Ur-Quan are fair. The Earthlings were not. My progenitor, the one whom I was cloned from, was one of their most famous and respected men, yet I – his clone, functionally identical to him – I was treated as beneath those lesser intellects whom I served. The Ur-Quan recognized the value of the Androsynth and placed us as equals within the ranks of the Hierarchy. We may be your slaves, but we are valued slaves. I assure you, we can and will work well for those who value us."

Another long pause. Jack didn't know how much the Information Specialist would believe, but this was probably close enough to the truth for it to believe him, at least. For him, it was truth.

There was no sense telling it who his progenitor was. The name wouldn't matter to the Ur-Quan, only to other Earthlings.

Revenge? Oh, yes. He'd never known his progenitor personally, and there was so much myth that the man was forever obscured to Jack. He'd never know what his progenitor might have thought about the Androsynths' situation, whether revenge would have been the best or worst case. Over the years, Jack had decided it didn't matter. He wasn't his progenitor. Perhaps they were the same genetically, but the rest?

Without responding to Jack's speech, the Information Specialist asked for explanation of some of Earth's defensive structures, based on the uploaded file. The Androsynth freely answered.

The sooner Earth was conquered, the sooner the Androsynth got genetic material in order to reproduce, the sooner Jack's revenge could begin.

Comments? Email me: laridian at aol dot com