Interstellar Age

Chapter 248 Visiting an Old Friend Part I

As the time approached for Erich to strike against the Sages and their future attempt to spy on him, Erich realized he needed to put together a team, which he was not currently associated with, to apprehend the individual in question.

And because of this, he decided to contact an old friend, to see if he was currently deployed, or would be when the time to make a move against his enemies arrived. Thus, while drinking from a bottle of hard liquor called a number, which he had not dialed in nearly a year.

His NeuroLink rang for several moments before a familiar face and voice appeared within his own mind.

"Well, look who it is? With all the super secret shit your are doing for the Dominion, I honestly would have expected you to be dead by now. What's up Silber?"

Erich could tell that his friend was dressed in casual clothes, though whether he was undercover, or simply on leave he did not know, thus he was quick to ask about this crucial matter, before speaking further with the man.

"Hey JT, you currently deployed, or do you got time to chat for a bit?"

"JT scoffed when he heard this, before pulling down his neck to reveal the collar around his neck, as if to make Erich look like an idiot."

"What do you think, asshole? It's only been a year since we last served together. How the hell did you already forget that I'm essentially a slave to the Empire, who is constantly fighting against its enemies?"

Erich truly felt like an idiot when he heard this comment. It had indeed not been too terribly long since he and JT parted ways. Yet, so much had happened that the fact that JT was a penal soldier had completely slipped from his mind. Thus, Erich sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose, before commenting on this matter.

"Shit, I'm sorry, yeah, I forgot. But what if I told you I could get your sentence thrown out?"

A stern expression appeared on JT's face as he looked over at Erich as if he were a completely different person.

"I'm listening...."

Erich smiled as he began to explain his plans.

"You know, as an Archon, I have the ability to transfer prisoners into my possession, and even free them if I so choose. I need someone I can trust to help me out with a little problem. Somebody whose skills are second to none, and there is nobody in the galaxy I trust to get this job done than you, brother.

I'll make a call to Emrys. You will unofficially be considered KIA, even if you are officially dead already. Then I'll transfer you over to my unit. Once you are freed from your restraints, we'll meet up on Teutonia, but be discreet... I don't know how deep this goes. They could be watching you."

JT smirked when he heard this before making a comment on the whole deal.

"Same shit, different master, eh? Alright fine, you get this damn thing removed, and I'll meet up with you. Don't worry, I know how to avoid watchful eyes. I'm a W-7 remember? Covert Operations are our specialty, remember?"

Erich smiled when he heard this, before saying goodbye to the man.

"Alright good, meet me at these coordinates once you are free, and remember, nobody can know you are still alive."

After saying this, Erich hung up on the man and immediately dialed Emrys.

---

Emrys saw a familiar number dialing his NeuroLink, it was one that he had not seen in a long time. Thus, a sneer curled on his lips as he accepted the call with a smug tone in his voice.

"Well, if it isn't the newest Archon, to what do I owe the pleasure, your highness?"

Emrys could hear Erich scoff on the other line, which was followed by a rude comment.

"Cut the shit, Emrys. I need a favor."

The moment Emrys heard these words, he smirked, turned into a frown, as he sat up straight in his chair before responding to Erich's statement.

"Oh really? And why exactly would I help you?"

On the other end of the line, Erich rolled his eyes before making an enticing offer, knowing that Emrys was the one person who his authority did not work on within Alfheim Space.

"Do this for me, and I will give you a shipment of a truth serum. A little corporation I own has stolen the Dark Elf formula and perfected it. You can use it in interrogations of your many prisoners. And if you like the effects, you can set up a trade agreement which would allow you to have routine shipments. How about it?"

Emrys thought about this for a few seconds. He was aware of how effective the Dark Elf truth serum was against most humanoid lifeforms. But those with NeuroLink were virtually immune. However, Erich said he had perfected the formula, and thus Emrys was quick to inquire further about it.

"We have a lot of our own people who need to be interrogated, and as you know, the Dark Elf formula does not work on our people due to the effectiveness of the NeuroLink. How well will this enhanced variant you have created work on Germanic citizens?"

Erich smirked when he heard this, before explaining how Tia had engineered the drug to be effective against even Germanic citizens.

"I'm not a biochemist, but from what I have been told, the truth serum effectively paralyzes the nanites in our bloodstream, and works flawlessly until they regain control. You have about a thirty-minute window to ask any questions you want. After that, the nanites are reactivated and will purge the chemical from the bloodstream. If you need more time, you can always use another injection."

Emrys's eyes opened wide when he heard this news, he was tempted to accept the offer on the spot, but he also was a cautious man, and thus asked for more information regarding the serum.

"What are the potential side effects on this potential drug?"

Erich once more wore a smug smile as he confirmed just how effective the drug was.

"The drug has been tested on millions of prisoners from thousands of different biological lifeforms and has been perfected to the point where there are no known side effects within each species tested. Germanic prisoners were one of such test subjects, so were humans."

Although Emrys did not know how Erich got his hands on Germanic prisoners to test, he was still impressed with the results, and thus he made one demand before asking for what favor Erich had in mind.

"Alright, send me the data you have, and if my analysts agree with your conclusion, then I will accept whatever favor you ask of me, aside from you know what. So what is this favor, anyway?"

Erich smiled when he heard that Emrys would accept his demands, and thus, he was quick to make them.

"I want JT released from custody, and killed off in every record you might still have of the man. Officially, and unofficially, he needs to be a ghost. Because that is the only way I am going to win this war I am currently engaged in..."

Emrys folded his fingers together and contemplated this for a while. JT was a valued asset, not only due to his skills and experience as an elite operator, but because his loyalty was unquestionable. For him to fall into Erich's hands, and to be used as a tool for the man's ambitions....

It didn't sit right with Erich. But then again, the truth serum was something that was incredibly useful. And thus, after much internal debate, Emrys sighed heavily before agreeing to this request.

"Alright, I'll give you JT, if this serum is as effective as you say it is!"

Erich once more smirked with a shit-eating grin as he nodded his head, before assuring Emrys his serum would work as planned.

"You have my word, Emrys.... My enhanced truth serum will work just as I have stated. It has been a pleasure doing business with you!"

After saying this, Erich hung up on the man and waited for a response from JT. Meanwhile, Emrys confirmed the data before doing as Erich had requested.