The next thing Adam knew he was letting out a groan and rolling over on the bed. grabbing his pillow he would try to move it to his new position to find that the pillow was stuck, causing his sleep-addled brain to realize something's wrong.
"What's going on?" Adam tried to pull at the pillow while opening his eyes to find that it was almost a completely white pillow... on a pale bed with different tiles on the floor.
"Ugh, did I get punished or something?" Adam asked while trying to sit up, though when he did, he could feel his insides stretching as he was practically held in place, feeling something wrong he would open his eyes wide in shock and fear and look down, seeing himself shirtless and with medical equipment going into his side near his pelvis.
"In a sense, you were punished." Was the reply, causing the human to turn his head right into the multi-faceted yet surprisingly direct gaze of the woman he wouldn't forget before he died.
"Ma'am. Sorry for not noticing you!" Adam quickly said and tried to salute, his arm hitting a piece of medical equipment.
"Stop moving around, would you? it was hard to adapt this equipment to work on a human and I don't need you breaking it and causing my supporters even more distrust."
"Ah, y-yes," Adam said and laid down. trying to think about why he was here. the last thing he remembered was royally pissing Rutemia off in a fight and. "How bad was I hurt?" Was all he could ask.
"She sent a hole right through your kidney. it was a lethal wound to be sure. any normal species would have died from a puncture like that." Adam felt the phantom pain of the strike then, his psyche making up pain as he grabbed at his side.
"Don't worry, you didn't lose a kidney. You humans are surprisingly regenerative, with our advanced medical facilities we were able to ensure it's full recovery, despite the fact we were preparing to extract the damaged kidney before it could bleed you out."
"that's..." he took a while to think about it... how was he alive? common knowledge was that damage to any vital organ was fatal. if not from the lack of that organ but for the shock of it being severely damaged would kill the victim. "How am I alive?"
"I just said that. you humans regenerate so well that your second kidney was already taking over the functions of the damaged one, while your damaged kidney was already trying to close up with the regenerative fluids pumped into your system."
Adam thought about it and smiled... "Huh, it seems we're built for survival. too bad it doesn't help in this empire." He chuckled at that. He would be able to handle a lot more from the Vanid. he knew his bones were hardy but his vital organs?"
"It is more survival. if this extends to other bodily aspects you may share a trait with the Vanid that rare few specialized beasts possess." That both surprised and excited Adam, if he had more to take advantage of he could do more, and he always wanted knowledge of things.
"And what is the special trait?" Adam asked flat out, Gramu translated the hope in his voice and sighed. seems she explained things wrong to this human.
"You may be able to survive losing a limb. just like the Vanid or the farm animals, you could even regrow them to some extent." She saw his face change and her translator gave her the signal of disappointment. her translator hadn't fired off in explanation so much in a long time.
That didn't last long though as Adam's thoughts redirected him back to what he was focusing on before: figuring out what he could do as a human. Shaking his head to reaffirm himself he asked. "Wait how did you find out about my regeneration abilities? The vanid haven't-"
"The Vanid" Gramu cut in without letting the boy say any more. "Don't inspect the biology of their conquered species until their females have proven themselves. As I run a fleet and need to know the biology of my soldiers I ensure to fill in the gaps that the Vanid leave."
As she finished Adam would nod in understanding. it was obvious that his species would be overlooked because of their natural disposition of having no specialty to work around.
Gramu though cut the boy off before he could speak again. "But before we diverge on this tangent any longer, I need to talk to you about why I am here to talk to you." Gramu gave Adam a pause, letting the young man refocus on what Gramu could be here for.
"My supporters were severely enraged when they discovered that you received a fatal wound on my watch. They believe that I have been letting the Vanid run free and am betraying them to curry favor with my heir when they turn steel soul fleet into every other fleet." Adam let out a chuckle at that, even when you're a mighty CEO, still have to listen to shareholders.
"Don't worry. It was my fault for infuriating my subordinate. I should've known their temperament better and handled the situation more calmly. I can give a statement to your supporters." Adam received a buzzing of laughter in response
"It seems you don't understand what I mean. The Vanid Recruited your underling to betray you. It turns out one of the spies for my supporters heard the conversation and prevented me from keeping this a purely internal matter." This shut Adam up for a minute while thinking about this situation. He was betrayed? well of course he was, he was never that popular in Rutemia's eyes.
"This is a serious offense, recruit Blake. The rules of the fleet state that any display of racial supremacy that leads to changes in performance will be punished with dishonorable discharge and debt for any free resources used in training. But an attempt to kill an officer by a request for racial supremacy? Even if this event did not reach the knowledge of my supporters, You have legal grounds to enslave Rutemia for her treachery."
Hearing those words sent Adam into shock. he was still trying to get used to the idea of slavery and now he had the right to take one's freedom away from them and force them to live for his sake? His heart constricted in pain and stress just thinking about it, he was troubled. Worried that this situation he was in would turn him into a monster... he didn't know what to do.
"Why haven't the Vanid smoothed this whole situation over? covered this problem up before it could become a major issue?"
"Do you truly believe that the Vanid have enough power within this ship to break it's core rules without punishment?" Gramu cut through his argument as brutally as one could, stopping Adam from freeing himself from the decision. "My supporters do not care about the Vanid; they will pull their funds and send Steel Soul Fleet under if I don't ensure they are satisfied with their last line of defense."
"Wait, what do you mean the last line of defense?" Adam had to ask. The whole situation was confusing but for many companies to call this fleet their last line of defense?
"Do you know why Steel Soul Fleet is not run by Vanid Recruit Blake?" Gramu was as brutal as she was straightforward.
"I'm... not sure... it was started by other species?"
"That would not ensure it would stay Vanid free for long. Steel Soul Fleet is as varied as it is now because we are the reason the Vanid will be executed by the chosen should the Vanid try to become more supreme."
Just hearing the chosen sent a chill down Adam's spine. Religious fanatics that, despite being Vanid, would murder their kin in the empire for not being discriminatory enough. "If they push us too far, we will wage war on them. meaning that the Chosen will destroy us both."
That... made way too much sense. The fleet Adam was an officer for was the linchpin that allowed all of the other species to have a political say in the empire, and if it wasn't there... the Vanid could cause even more atrocities.
"W-Well then." Adam tried to bring this back to the handling of Rutemia. "Could you let Rutemia go? She was only participating with the Vanid to ensure she wouldn't be punished for being under my command. she doesn't deserve to be enslaved and killed if I am."
"And what makes you believe you will be killed for being an officer?" Gramu would ask, the translator set to give no information about her emotions.
"Well if I don't become CEO, the officer who does will feed me to their favorite Vanid. And that's not even taking into account if A Vanid becomes CEO. the only way I can see myself living is to become CEO."
"So that's how you see the situation. I will take your words into account but it may not be up to your decision anymore. my supporters may decide that your recruit needs to be enslaved to make a point about the rules of Steel Soul Fleet. Alluris will come to inform you of our decision when it is made, just wait here and rest." Gramu would finish, walking out of the room while ignoring any attempt from Adam to continue the conversation.