Space Odyssey: Spectre

Jace was still reeling from the information about the Xenar. But he was able to get the information exchange going after he got his armor back on. They docked and he walked across the threshold of the centuria's airlock.

He talked with the chieftess a bit more and learned a lot more about the Xenar. It was a large part of the information he asked about. On the other hand, he had to hand over the combined historical records of the Victorium and Vexical Empire. Which was not difficult, but once they saw their more recent records there might be a problem.

Jace saw Nila with Charlie and Jul'an waiting at the other end of the airlock as it opened up. "Spectre Jace, please remove your helmet so we can verify you are fine and have Private Charlie do a scan with her equipment."

Jace frowned and then nodded his head in understanding after a moment. "I apologize Chieftess, but it seems you will have to deal with my second in command for the time being. Just show her a bit of what I pointed out and she will gladly hand over the cultural and historical information I talked about."

The chieftess chuckled and slapped his ass as he started walking away. "Come back any time, the ladies will definitely be waiting." She remarked as he walked away. He reached up and removed his helmet, he could feel the glare from Nila as it was removed since there were still a few visible hickies and some new lipstick marks along his neck and some on his face.

Charlie chuckled as she pulled out a device and nodded her head, "come with me I found the ship's medical center." She directed him as she held out a device and began waving it over him. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You have not gone to the sickbay in the Venture either so I will forgive you for your lack of knowledge but this helps scan for abnormalities."

Jace nodded as he followed her, at the same time he listened to the conversation between the chieftess and Nila. "Hello Chieftess of the centuria, may I know what reason we have for interacting today? Usually your kind does not interact with us. We have yet to even get a positive picture of one of your kind, but here you are freely showing yourself with full armor on. But without a weapon?"

"Silly little accer, I do not need a weapon to beat you into submission. As for us never interacting with the Victorium. That is because the Victorium never had anything that was ever of interest to us. But now you do." The chieftess responded snarkily.

He could almost hear Nila glaring back at the older woman, "there are plenty of humans just on the other side of our nation. I suppose that is the reason for your interaction? If that is the case-"

"I apologize little bird but that is not the reason. We had interacted and categorized humans a long time ago. But we determined they were too, mentally unstable after interacting with us. Well that and a scent we give off acts adversely to their biology…. Basically we are aphrodisiacs to them." The chieftess explained, but did not seem bothered by it. Seems that humans were not the only race affected by this affliction.

"So then, why Jace? He is human is he not?" Nila pointed out, this time he could almost hear the doubt in her voice.

"He is not," There were a few moments of waiting before she continued, "I can see by your expression that you were not sure before. But let me assure you that he is an evolved form of human we have not seen before."

"How many evolved forms of humans have you seen?" Nila asked with a click.

"Only Jace and the other kind you have aboard the ship. Although those are more mid-stage evolution rather than fully evolved." The chieftess declared with a chuckle.

"The others are not an evolved form of human, that much is clear." Nila pointed out, "I mean all of the equipment we have shows them at the same level as humans."

"But they are not, it is tricky because their makeup is being altered by those nanomachines. It is difficult for you to notice but on the most obscure of levels they are slowly evolving. As far as I can tell their subspecies of humans evolve at a varying rate depending on some type of conditions. The only reason our technology picked it up is because our medical technology is so much more advanced than anything you have even heard of. The only ones to ever get close were the Xenar." The chieftess explained.

"I suppose," Nila answered, "but then what species is Spectre Jace?"

"I do not know, he is a new species. But I suspect it is already in the name: Spectre."

"Hmmm… you wanted to do an informational exchange?" Nila suddenly changed the topic and her tone sounded more annoyed. "Jul'an, bring the historical records from the Guardian-01, both of the Victorium and the Vexical Empire."

"We can trade some weapons as well. You still need to improve a few things with energy dispersion but you still do have some rather interesting and unique designs. Not to mention the weapons the humans have. As well as the one you have at your hip." The chieftess requested.

"I can not trade you this gun, I have a personal attachment to it. But if our squad leader checks out he can make the decision regarding whether or not we will make the trade for weapons." Nila answered. "Now what was it that had Spectre Jace so interested in doing an informational exchange?"

"It was the Xenar I believe. His entire manners changed when I mentioned them. He was confused at first, but he explained that other species have a different name for them since their actual name is not recorded anywhere. If I recall… he said the Victorium people call them something like their ancestors?" The chieftess asked with a tone of bewilderment. While Jace could hear Nila gasp in shock.

"How do you have their actual recorded name?"

"Because their nation bordered ours before they were annihilated." The chieftess answered, "Jace had a similarly shocked expression on his face."