Ch 16 – Terror

“Do you like honey tea?” Yu Xi had been visiting Tau every day lately, only chatting with him about everyday matters.

And Kersz always accompanied him, which caused Tau immense suffering.

He subtly implied that perhaps Kersz was being held captive by Yu Xi. Kersz clearly detected the disparagement in his words, but he insisted that he was simply a space pirate with no accomplices. He didn’t need to report to anyone, and there were no missions that he was required to complete.

Kersz claimed that he was a freelancer, and that he was taking some time off lately.

He had indeed threatened Tau’s father, but hadn’t set a specific timeframe for the assassination. In any case, Kersz wasn’t in a hurry.

Tau was very dispirited.

“Your sleep has been awful lately” Yu Xi was very worried about Tau, fearful that all of his care would result in the human’s death. “You eat very little, and you don’t like to move around much. You can’t go on like this.”

Tau stared at Yu Xi.

He now had a general idea of Yu Xi’s character. Tau actually was trying to win him over, since Yu Xi likely possessed all of the technological achievements of those humans who had evolved to their limit.

But Yu Xi didn’t seem to have much faith in him.

Tau found this very strange. He didn’t understand why Yu Xi trusted Kersz more than him.

Kersz was nothing more than a mentally fragile, neurotic space pirate. Even if Yu Xi shared his technology with the man, he wouldn’t know how to use it.

All Kersz knew was destruction.

“Mr. Yew Shi.” Tau didn’t give up.

Yu Xi could only sigh when he heard this. He didn’t even mock Tau’s pronunciation, because he knew that Tau was addressing him respectfully in order to persuade him to cooperate with the Supreme Governor.

“You love humans so much. How can you let so many of them suffer without trying to do anything about it?” Tau asked him.

“I am doing something. I won’t let you starve or freeze to death,” Yu Xi said. “There are too many people for me to help them all.”

“If it’s beyond your capabilities, you can hand over that ancient human technology to the human government,” said Tau. “Allow them to take on the responsibility. They can improve the lives of today’s humans.”

Without even thinking, Yu Xi shook his head: “They won’t.”

Kersz let out a derisive chuckle, but didn’t interrupt.

“How do you know they won’t?” Tau pressed.

“Because judging from the state of your technological development, you’re capable of ensuring that every human’s basic needs are met.” Yu Xi gestured toward Kersz. “What reason is there for the profession of a human miner to exist?”

Yu Xi recalled Kersz saying that today’s androids were extremely capable, but those companies still chose to use human miners because androids were expensive and cost a lot to maintain.

They would rather pay more compensation to the families of dead miners, since the combined compensation for more than a dozen people was only equivalent to the cost of one android.

“And you can’t afford to eat.” Yu Xi found this quite baffling. “Your food supply is monopolized, and only a select few can afford it. But the conditions for planting food aren’t that demanding. You’re capable of terraforming planets, yet you’re incapable of growing plants?”

He didn’t bring up the topic of synthetic meat, since he wasn’t sure if this human society was capable of producing it.

“You already possess the objective conditions to ensure that all of humanity can live well,” Yu Xi said, holding his teacup. “But now there’s an orphan like you, and a rebel like Kersz.”

“This is just because of the selfishness of a select group of people,” said Tau.

“And the final result is what you see here.” Yu Xi didn’t intend to hand over the technology of the ancient humans to any civilization in this world. Not even another group of humans. “The things belonging to the ancient humans will only make the current situation worse.”

“But….”

Yu Xi cut Tau off: “The humans I used to know also went through such a stage, and they figured out the path they needed to take on their own. Only people themselves can determine the direction of their destiny.”

“You’re just saying that to avoid taking responsibility,” Tau said indignantly.

“I am not responsible for your people.” Yu Xi found Tau very strange. He wasn’t even a human-created robot vacuum cleaner here, so what responsibility could he possibly bear?

“Since you feel that you have no responsibility, then you have no right to restrict my freedom.” Tau set down his cup. “I’m leaving this place.”

“I don’t think that’s a wise choice for you.” Kersz put down his cup as well. “If he lets you go, I’ll shoot you right afterward.”

“If it wasn’t for Yu Xi protecting you, you’d have been dead long ago,” Kersz reminded him.

“This isn’t very good, is it?” Yu Xi whispered. “That sounds like a threat.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it. Once you release him, you shouldn’t interfere any further.” Kersz rested his arms on the back of the sofa. “And it doesn’t just sound like a threat. It is a threat.”

“Kersz, you’re helping an alien robot kidnap humans!” Tau raised his voice.

Kersz: “What else should I be doing? Spreading love and justice?”

“Are you really so unhappy living here with me?” Yu Xi asked him.

“This place of yours is very good, but I don’t belong here,” Tau explained.

“You don’t belong outside either, ah. You don’t even have a proper identity,” said Kersz. “Do you think that what your father does is for the sake of humanity? Do you really believe that?”

Tau remained silent.

“I’ve always known that you Illegitimates have father and mother complexes. You don’t care whether your masters’ actions are right or wrong, and live your lives entirely for their benefit.” Kersz clicked his tongue.

“What kind of logic is that?” Yu Xi didn’t understand.

“The personalities of Illegitimates are screened, and the unsuitable ones are ‘disposed of,’” said Kersz. “For them, loyalty to their master is a matter of course. A few hundred years ago, something rather absurd happened because of this.” He lowered his voice, as if to deliver a piece of gossip.

“What happened, ah?” Yu Xi perked up.

Tau, left on the sidelines: ……

“Back then, there was an Illegitimate whose feelings for his master were so intense that he developed a rather peculiar possessiveness toward him.” Kersz raised his eyebrows slightly.

Yu Xi immediately understood: “Love?!”

Kersz nodded: “But then that master got married. Unable to bear it, and under extreme psychological pressure, the Illegitimate killed his master.”

Yu Xi covered his mouth with a gasp.

Kersz continued: “Then that Illegitimate managed to actually clone his master, and made more than one. He chose the most obedient one and destroyed the rest, just like what people do to Illegitimates.”

“My god.” Yu Xi stared at Tau.

Tau shrank back: “I wouldn’t do such a thing to my father.”

Yu Xi asked: “Then do you like your father?”

Tau: “I revere him.”

Yu Xi gave an ‘oh.’

“Then you don’t want anything to happen to your father, do you?” All Yu Xi needed to know was that Tau really cared about his father. It didn’t matter what form that care took.

Tau: “Ah?”

“That’s a threat!” Tau grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest.

Yu Xi looked to Kersz, somewhat helpless.

Kersz immediately jumped in: “It’s not you threatening him, it’s me.”

Yu Xi felt that this was a bit unreasonable.

Kersz added: “If you let him out, he’ll definitely die at my hands. To avoid that, you have no choice but to use every means to keep him here.”

Yu Xi breathed a sigh of relief. This sounded more reasonable.

“If you really can’t adapt, I can temporarily take the place of your father. I don’t mind,” Yu Xi said.

Kersz: “……” It was clear that Yu Xi ‘not minding’ was an understatement. He was actually looking forward to it.

“You can also call me ‘Dad.’” Yu Xi tried to take Tau’s hand, but Tau immediately snatched it away.

Yu Xi let out a sigh: “I’ve never raised a child, but I think I’ll be a compassionate father.”

“No need. Thank you.” Tau proceeded to refuse.

Yu Xi spent some time attempting to persuade him, but in the end, he sighed and left with his hands behind his back.

Kersz didn’t follow him out. Worried that he would take action against Tau, Yu Xi warned Kersz that if he dared to kill the other human, he would place him in solitary confinement for three whole days.

Kersz smiled and acquiesced.

Once Yu Xi left, Kersz picked up his cup again: “Stay here.”

Tau eyed him warily.

“We’ve been friends for a few years at this point, so I think I know you pretty well,” said Kersz.

“You really think you know me?” Tau found this amusing.

He was constantly wearing a mask, and the personality and identity of the “Tau” Kersz knew was all pre-designed. How could Kersz ever come to know the real him?

He didn’t even know himself.

“I know you quite well,” said Kersz. “First of all, ‘Tau’ is a seasoned veteran from a third-class planet, a slick-talker who’s good at getting things done.”

“Whether as ‘Tau’ or the stereotypical Illegitimate, you wouldn’t be foolish enough to actually make Yu Xi release you.” Kersz took a sip of tea, then let out a heavy sigh. “After so many days, you should have a good grasp of Yu Xi’s character.”

“Even if you have doubts about the personality he outwardly presents, you’ll quietly go along with him. Perhaps you’ll be able to convince him to kill me, or coax or trick him into giving you the technology in his hands.”

“How can someone over seventy years old be so presumptuous ~” Kersz’s tone became languid once again.

Tau froze.

“Now tell me, do I know you?” Kersz asked him.

Tau didn’t respond.

“I also have a guess. Would you like to hear it?” Kersz asked again.

Tau remained silent.

“I think you actually have a death wish, because all of this is causing you more suffering than direct torture would.” Kersz gestured around the room. “All of this clashes with your simple, straightforward, brainwashed thinking, doesn’t it?”

“What ‘kidnapping?’ Cut it out with the performative anger. Someone like you, who doesn’t even consider himself to be human, is actually talking about human rights?” Kersz sneered.

“You people are the best at being lackeys. Being kidnapped, tortured, or even killed are all within your comfort zone.”

“But that’s clearly not what’s happening now.” Kersz got to his feet. “You’re in so much pain that you wish Yu Xi would send you to your death right this instant – because that’s the world you’re familiar with, isn’t it?”

Tau didn’t react. His current state was a result of specialized training, so that others would be unable to discern what he was thinking.

“So you’re not pretending to be a clueless hothead anymore? This is more like you ~” Kersz walked to the door. “Get some rest. Don’t make your new dad worry ~”

The door opened, and Tau watched Kersz leave.

In the wake of Kersz’s departure, Tau remained where he was, completely motionless.

Tau didn’t know if there might be cameras watching him.

He slowly lowered his head. His hands were sweaty, and he clenched and relaxed his fists.

Kersz was right. Tau was afraid.

Tau hadn’t even been this terrified when Kersz exposed his identity.

Death was an inevitability for most of his kind, and he was nothing special.

But after that moment, everything spun out of Tau’s control.

Someone was doing things to Tau that he couldn’t understand. These things didn’t hurt him, but they still elevated his fear to an unprecedented level.

He longed to return to a safer, more familiar environment – even if it resulted in his death.

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Chapter 15 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 17