Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 26: A bug in the ecosystem

[Scott's pov]

I've never taken the time to appreciate how vast space is on my journey through it. Sitting on the pilot seat, I stare at the empty space through the windows. It's all empty, and it reminds me of the dream state, where the majority of the interesting interactions took place. For the first time, I must thank the Primagen and the Protogen for making it possible. They probably haven't realized that it could be utilized more than it's original purpose, to an extent of even reaching Godlike beings.

Through the dream state, someone was able to save a catastrophe from happening, twice. I turned around in my chair to look behind me for the two. Lui is sitting on the floor with John. Lui reminds me of Prima, and the last memory I have is of him sacrificing himself, offering himself as an offer, and defeating the nemesis. It could've been peaceful until Doctor K bit off more than he could chew. What is the matter with him? He had become obsessed with the black artifact ever since he had obtained it, and it is concerning.

He isn't usually like this, but he now has an insatiable thirst for creation that has taken hold of him. Doctor K apparently knew about John and radioed Ghost to rescue him. Is this another of his obsessions with creations, or a last-ditch effort to redeem himself? We won't know until we get home. Return home, extract hardware from Lui, and completely purge hardware and Doctor K's creation. That is all that remains for us to do before we can finally be free. I forgot to mention that John and Lui are both chowing down on the MRE aboard this spacecraft. At the very least, this ship has plenty of food and water for us.

"Scott and Lui, do you read me? Doctor K here. This is urgent, do you read me?" A voice said over the walkie-talkie sitting on the control panel of the ship, and I immediately grabbed the radio and held it close. "This is Scott, and I hear you loud and clear. Over." I replied, followed by a loud bang of a steel utensil falling on the floor. I turned around to look, and I noticed that Lui is petrified in place.

"Good! I presume you have boarded a spacecraft by now with a Protogen named John. Something terrible happened in the laboratory. My latest creation of Protogen failed because of the Latex somehow reaching the pumps. The failed Protogen melts like Prima and Lui, and it can somehow use the black artifact we found deep in the labs. After it got the artifact, it began act strange before wrecking havoc in the laboratory. I can't find Puro and Colin, nor my prototype. I'll fill you in with more details when you get back here. I need to escape this crumbling laboratory. Over and out!"

As Doctor K spoke on the radio, John approached Lui. He shook Lui for a moment before looking at me and pointing his paw at Lui's visor. "Look! Something is written on his visor!" I stood up from my seat and walked towards the two, holding the radio in my right paw. I knelt beside Lui and leaned in close enough to inspect and read the words on his visor.

"I do not speak, but through words on screen shall I do. Your lunatic doctor gave birth to a creature he refuses to acknowledge, despite doing so for a reason he's obsessed with. But I must thank him for his creativity which formed me, and now I must repay by showing what I am capable of. However, my existence came with a price. I am to fulfill a wish of someone as powerful as I am who has failed countless times to ascend. For their cries my eyes were opened, and through the carelessness of the doctor my mind was gifted. I am a wise and creative demigod, Cosmic being. Through me shall the amalgam of minds and knowledge ascend. Through me the creatures of the Latex shall flourish. All beings deserve to have their wishes fullfilled. Bring the remains of the false karass, and then shall I leave your planet in peace and spread the Latex through lands with the artifacts collected and destroyed, for mortal beings do not require countless artifacts to reach the Cosmic worms and creatures. I am the key. I am the Saint."

After reading aloud, Lui's visor clears and he collapses to the floor. I swiftly held him up, and his visor reactivated with his red Protogen face. "What happened? I was just eating, then I blacked out; am I slowly dying?" Lui questioned, shaking his head. "Hopefully not. While you were gone, Doctor K's failed creation reached out to us through your visor. According to my understanding, this Saint Protogen has the ability to control the Latex just like Prima and can also use the black artifact. The Saint demands we bring them the Malware, and they shall leave us alone." I explained to Lui, and he quickly stood up from the floor. "Then we must give them the Malware! If we give it to them, they will leave us alone; this is the best thing we can do to avoid any one of us being harmed." Lui stated and I shook my head in return.

"We simply cannot handover the Malware to them. The Cosmic worm warned that the Malware must not ascend. They do not want the Malware to become immortal. If we do, we have no guarantees what will happen after and may cause more harm than good." I remarked, and John abruptly called us. We both turned to face John, who was pointing his right paw at the window. "We're getting close to a planet!" said John, and I looked at Lui before tapping his left shoulder with my left paw. "Remember, we delete your Malware and purge this Saint; got it?" I questioned, and Lui hung his head low in return before returning my gaze and nodding.

"Alright then, may I also add that I am no longer melting anymore?"

"Yeah, I did notice that as I was carrying you earlier."