Griffin Location unknown Date UnkownI have no idea how long I’ve been kept here, they never turn off the lights and the food seems random so I can’t judge off of that either.

  So far it’s just been ‘advanced interrogation’ techniques but I have a feeling it’s about to get worse. I’ll take whatever they throw at me though I’m not going to die here.

  The doors open and this time several spiders crawl in. “This is your st chance human, answer the questions or I will have you over to the healer for a more in-depth study”

  “Colonial Seran GS935115” The one talking nods and then leaves saying “We’ll transfer him to your care”

  Once I’m alone with this new bug it speaks and I hate its tone. Like that of a deranged doctor. “Don’t worry human I won’t kill you that would be a waste of a specimen though I do have many pns”

  It plunges a huge syringe into my arm and takes a rge blood sample leavin g me even more drenched in my own blood, then leaves.

  Sometime ter

  I’ve been moved to a cell with basic accommodations so I have a bed and room to move rather than being strapped to a table.

  For three food cycles, nothing happens but I notice the food seems more regur and not sporadic. I fill my time working out trying to keep in shape so I can make a move should an opportunity arise.

  On the fifth ‘day’ I have a dream or vision. Well, vision might be generous as I only heard. “You have done a remarkable job resisting until this point but it’s about to become leagues worse…I need you to trust me”

  Either I am hallucinating already or they are trying to trick my subconscious. “I understand you're not going to trust me so I’ll leave it at this for now. Soon they will open that door and let you leave so they can perform tests. The tests mean nothing so there will be no harm in going along with it I’ll speak to you again after that”

  As the voice said it left I felt a noticeable presence leave my mind. That just creates more questions. I need to think of a way to figure out what that voice is before I divulge anything.

  The next morning the ‘doctor’ comes in with the food “I have only one question today. I know you won’t speak but I’d like your cooperation in some tests, they will be outside this room as well”

  Hmmm one point for the voice. Let’s take a risk I can always find a way to off myself should it be necessary but…

  “What’s the tests” I asked, surprising the creature. “Your blood was very interesting, it hints that your species should have some respectable endurance”

  It waits and watches me for a moment “The test is simple exert yourself while I monitor vitals” I think for a moment and it’s true that the results should mean nothing as if they want to see our endurance they can watch us in battle so there is no hiding it.

  I could use this as leverage too “I’d like to ask some questions if I agree” The spider seems puzzled for a moment “I’ll indulge your intellectual curiosity but just as you have I will not answer every question”

  I grab the pte of food from it and stand up “Fine lead the way” It gets obviously excited probably because as a scientist it can do research no one else can and it made more progress with the impenetrable human than trained torture professionals.

  As we walk and I eat I make a map of the facility and ask an innocent question “What do they call you” I guess the body nguage it shows is surprise “that’s an interesting choice for a question but nevertheless you may call me, me-me”

  I stifle a ugh at his name but remember it all the same. We stop at the next door and head inside. It’s just a bnk rge room with some basic equipment. It almost looks like it was used for something else and then got repurposed for this test.

  Despite ‘willingly’ helping with this test I have no intention of giving them good data, I fully intend to skew the results.

  Me-me attached some sensors to me and gave me the go-ahead. I speed up to somewhere between a jog and run and hold that pace.

  I go for about five to eight minutes making sure to show strain before stopping and sounding out of breath. I gnce around and they seem satisfied. I doubt they would be dumb enough to do this once so I make a note of exactly what I did so I can be consistent.

  Me-me makes a bunch of notes then seemingly satisfied leads me back to my cell. I stop at the door “Do you have a concept of religion” I ask him.

  Lots of wars were fought on earth because of religion so I’m willing to bet this is simir like a crusade. “Hmmm my people do but I don’t, though I understand their tenants”

  Interesting maybe I could use that ter. “I’ll have extra rations brought it’s obvious that you are malnourished. I have seen the footage of your battle, the results don’t match”

  With that, he leaves me in the cell. A short while ter more food is brought to me and I scarf it down. I'm not going to compin about more calories especially when thanks to the gene cracking my bones and muscles won’t be broken down if I'm starving.

  It was originally intended for long periods in null gee but now I see unintended side effects.

  I y down on the ‘bed’ and closed my eyes. Like it promised the voice is there again but I can see this time.

  A figure is sitting on a ledge of some kind swinging their legs. The abyss below is just a swirling fog.

  “Beautiful isn’t it” the female asks. I shrug “It’s just some fog” she momentarily stops swinging her legs before resuming. “I suppose it would be shrouded for you”

  I look around and with nothing else to do I sit next to the figure. Their facial characteristics are hidden but prominent features are visible like long canine teeth like a vampire and glowing eyes. I can see where their heart should be and it’s a beating mass of branches lightly glowing.

  The figure finally speaks again “What has Miss Rex told you about her faith” Fully attentive I realize this is no subtle attack from my captors.

  “She spoke of seven pilrs humanity the mind, death, war, destruction, and Helios and one other” The figure nods “Indeed I am that final pilr. I believe she misunderstood Nyx the mind pilr in regards to me”

  “I do represent monsters to an extent but that is because I am evolution” Struggling for words I simply nod. “Nyx was very kind in letting me invade your drums to speak with you and even let me cheat a little that’s why I knew what was going to happen I saw your memories from the future”

  It takes me several seconds maybe minutes to realize I’m looking dumbly at her. “Why are you here” I say as I shake off my stupor “a deal of sorts but I’d like you to be fully informed of what’s involved”

  I nod slowly “Perfect I’ll expin a little more, the goal of this deal is to allow you to survive this wretched pce. To do so I’ll need to bless you… unfortunately, numerous physical changes will spring up, partly because of me but mostly this pce”

  She takes my silence as permission to continue “You will become the first and likely only saint of evolution you will become the embodiment of what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Add in a touch from Nyx so your mental faculties stay true to you and a pinch from Casper and you’ll be much harder to kill in the first pce”

  My eyes widen and so many things click in pce with Tanya’s assistant Casper. I clear my throat “So I’m guessing they will experiment on me and I’ll die without your intervention” Evolution nods.

  “I’ve managed to pce you a helper as well, me-me was created by me… well the entire species was but they drifted too far. I recommend trying to befriend him regardless of your choice”

  I nod slightly again “Am I allowed to see what kind of physical changes will happen or…” A sad smile spreads on her face “Unfortunately no the rules are in pce to keep us from interfering too much like those we sin before”

  The smile brightens “I can say that eventually you will appreciate the changes should you accept” I sigh “Very well I still have too much to do just to die here. I have a few questions before you go”

  She nods “Forgive me for the horrors you will endure” I frown a little “Right… you said you made the spiders did you make anything else”

  She waves her hand and the fog in the abyss vanishes revealing countless species of creatures. I squint and think I spot a tukyarid.

  “Did you really make them too” I ask and her response is a bit surprising. She holds a finger up to her lips “It’s a secret, part of an old project that I repurposed”

  I look back out to the ocean of life “Is there anything required of me now” and she just hums for a moment. “At the moment no, just keep striving for excellence if I need something specific you’ll know”

  I rex not having that weight on me “This is the st I’ll hear from anyone from the republic for a while isn’t it” she smirked “Maybe” and the dream cut out.

  I blink a few times then throw my arm over my head and groan “What did I get myself into”

  Some time ter me-me was back with what I’ll call breakfast and another test. Having a rough idea of a pn I agree to do the test and ask him some ‘innocent’ questions.

  “What do your people have for entertainment” he doesn’t pause his scuddling to answer “Lots of movies and informational videos on how great our ruler is but there is also the arena”

  Got it so propaganda and what sounds like gdiator fights. “I’m curious about this arena” Now inside the test room he stops and turns “It was almost your end. Before I got custody to do my research those higher than me wanted to watch you die in the arena”

  I smile, like I would have made it easy. “I should thank you then… I’ve been yearning to py a game from my people but it requires a second pyer”

  Chess is a good way to get a captor to get on your side right? Well anyway, I’ll py on his curiosity for now. Me-me perks up “Should I provide this game would you be more cooperative”

  I shrug “It’s only fair” he nods a few times to himself “you humans have a strange honor system,,, very well I’ll get you some writing equipment for you to detail what’s needed and I’ll see what can be done”

  With that settled he sent an assistant away while we conducted more tests. Today there are various objects to lift and move.

  So of course once again I fake it to throw off the results. I stopped at around my own weight and the observers seemed satisfied.

  Once done me-me gave me paper and a writing utensil so I could detail what’s needed for the game. I don’t use words but instead, I draw each piece in respectable detail.

  Once I hand it off I’m back in my cell. Many in my position might wonder why I’m being treated so well. I’m not. For months I was tortured and now I’m being experimented on. This is just the preliminary data collection to get a baseline.

  Some time passes likely a few weeks maybe more of the same routine. Eat, talk up me-me, and ‘participate’ in his tests.

  That is until today. Today after the test I found a table with some rough but respectable hand-carved chess pieces on it.

  “You held up your end I see” I state as I walk to one side of the table while he takes the other. “Teach me this human game”

  Before we officially start I show him how each piece moves and before long our first game is over, my win of course.

  And like that my routine changed to a game of chess at the end of each ‘day’ and while we pyed I chat with him learning about his personal life. If I didn’t know what was coming I’d have no compints. I mean the cell could be more comfortable the food better but I mean I’m a pow.

  What has to have been months ter me-me comes in to py chess after not having any tests for the day. He seems happy I think.

  “Did something happen” I ask. He thinks for a moment “I guess there is no harm in telling you. My superiors think I’m taking too long to get results so they opted to compile the recordings they had before you were given to me and pn on sending them to the enemy forces still on that pnet”

  I blink a few times trying to process the information then I slowly ask “are you trying to make them mad to make mistakes” he nods “that’s exactly their goal I personally have my doubts such a simple strategy will be effective but time will tell”

  I can’t help but ugh and after a solid minute and a very confused me-me I speak “That’s a terrible idea you’ll just piss her off and doom your entire race to extinction”

  Me-me studies me for a few moments “You're not lying to me…. This is worrying” I nod and continue “Listen me-me when they get here and they will get here not a single one of your people will survive. You’ve started something you can’t stop now”

  He looks distressed now “What should I do I can’t just release you” I nod again “if you listen to me I should be able to spare you from the coming sughter”

  He looks at me suspiciously “Why would you do that” I shrug “you're not like the rest and you've treated me decent the least I can do is not kill you when the time comes”

  He seems to chew this over then gets up to leave “I’ll have to think about this. I’ll have my assistant perform the test these next few days”

  Once he leaves I almost feel sorry for his race then remember he’s the only one that actually has higher thinking so I settle on hoping I made the right choice in pying this hand.