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Both Chester and Smythe were keeping tabs on the Solar King. Since they were connected to the neural uplink they were each privy to everything going on around the Solar King. The improvements Chester had made to the neural gel were working, thankfully, and the Solar King could act more independently while also giving Chester and Smythe a clearer view of what was going on around him. The real difficulty now was not getting too distracted from their work in the lab while being constantly fed visual and audio input.

“The sample is ready.”

Chester didn’t notice which of the necrologists had spoken but he moved with practiced hands as he began the process of protecting the sample’s organs in advance of killing the sample and injecting the neural gel.

The door into the Solar King’s conference chamber flew open and three men in silver armor strode in, interrupting the Solar King’s daily briefing.

“My sons,” the Solar King said, looking up and noting the absence of a fourth son. “You bring news that could not be transmitted?”

There was no other reason for them to have abandoned their posts.

“We’re losing pressure,” a necrologist said and Chester shifted his tools to make room for another clamp.

“The sample’s stabilizing.”

“Our report is for you alone,” the eldest son, the Dawnstar, spoke and every other advisor in the room rose as one, bowed, and left the room. “Our brother is lost,” the Dawnstar spoke the moment the doors were shut. “His ship was destroyed and we’ve found no trace of his beacon. If he lives, he is adrift in the void.”

“And how fared the rest of the fleet?” the Solar King asked, concealing the pang of loss over the news of his son.

“The battle was costly,” the Dawnstar replied. “Though our forces have superior resources and technology, our enemies have quantity. They throw their people into single fighter craft, heavily armored and armed with a single payload capable of causing devastating damage to any ship they detonate on. Many of their attacks turn into suicide runs. We kill hundreds, thousands of their ships, but all they have to do is destroy one of our and they’ve more than made up for their own losses.”

“And why are our fighters not capable of dealing with them?”

“We’re ready to insert the neural gel injectors.”

Chester realized he’d been standing still while the Dawnstar spoke about the war, and it was a war. One that Chester had no idea was going on. There were, of course, mentions of dissidents, but never so much as a word regarding anything more substantial.

“Are you okay, sir?” another necrologist asked.

“Sorry, lost in the moment there,” Chester shook his head as though clearing his thoughts and got back to work on the sample.

“Injecting neural gel now,” he said.

“We’re in the process of upgrading our fighter’s weaponry,” the Dawnstar said, “but currently the enemy’s armor is too strong. They can ignore most of our fighters and even some of our larger vessels since they simply lack the power to punch through their armor.”

“Neural gel saturation is at one hundred percent.”

Chester removed the injectors.

“Begin reanimation,” he said.

A slight hum in the air sounded and the sample twitched, then began to breathe. Another mind connected to Chester’s neural uplink.

Confusion...slight pain...hunger...strange smells

The sample opened its eyes and Chester issued the command for it to treat everyone here as though they were part of its family group. Trusted, safe, and on good terms with them. Early on the necrologists had learned that just being part of the family group wasn’t enough to prevent accidents or violent outbursts.

“I…ah…hmmm…” The Solar King’s speech began to slow and became less certain as he stammered.

“Father?” the Dawnstar asked, concern crossing his face.

“Should…eat,” the Solar King managed to say.

Chester and Smythe met one another’s gaze as they felt the sample’s thoughts mixing in with the Solar King’s thoughts. They’d never tested the neural uplink with multiple subjects, only multiple controllers.

“I need a moment,” Chester and the Solar King said at the same time as he took direct control of both subjects.

The sample lay suddenly motionless as Chester commanded it to do nothing for the time being, not even think.

“There’s feedback in the uplink,” Chester managed to say without having the Solar King repeat his every word.

The Solar King’s sons left the room, none of them seeming capable of questioning their father and Chester breathed out a sigh of relief as he could then loosen his grip on the Solar King’s mind.

“Who else here has a neural uplink installed?” Chester asked, vaguely aware of the Solar King repeating his words.

“I do,” a necrologist raised her hand.

“I’m passing control of the sample to you then,” Chester said. “Let me know if there’s any feedback.”

There was a moment of slight buzzing in the back of his mind as he transferred the sample to her and then, blissfully, the Solar King was no longer half ape.

“Any issues?” he asked as the necrologist assumed control of the sample.

“None so far,” she said, “but my experience with using the neural uplink is limited. I might not know what to be looking for.”

“If there was feedback, you’d know it,” Chester assured her. “Must be something with my uplink. I’ll have to get it checked. In the mean time, you’ll be in charge of managing the samples.”

“Of course sir,” she beamed. It was not an insignificant matter to be given that responsibility.

Chester had kept it for himself the whole time for that reason and he wasn’t sure he liked giving it up. However, given the circumstances, he was willing to let it go for the time being.

“Right,” Chester said, “Let’s run this sample through some tests.”

At the same time, Chester was having the Solar King return to his normal self. It came as a surprise, then, when he found a few tears on the Solar King’s cheeks. Was he crying for his lost son? There didn’t seem to be enough of an emotional connection there to warrant such a reaction. Then again, it could also have been from the sample. Many times, the samples were overwhelmed and were flooded by emotions. The first few times Chester hadn’t been ready for it and the experience was quite unpleasant. That was in the early days of the project, however. These days, the neural uplink blocked most of the emotional feedback and kept things at a manageable level.

The Solar King wiped the tears and sat up in his seat.

“Return to me, my sons,” he commanded and a moment later the three men strode back into the room. “Let us discuss this war and what needs to be done to end it.”