Dominic awoke to a sense of disorientation, his body stiff and his mind clouded. His eyes fluttered open, but for a moment, the world around him seemed distant—like a dream just out of reach. He was still in his quarters aboard the UOP flagship, but everything felt off. The walls seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, the lights flickering erratically above him.
He sat up slowly, his head pounding as memories of what had transpired flooded back. The core... the alien voice... the dark presence inside his mind. The pain had subsided, but the underlying hum was still there, echoing through his skull like a distant warning.
"You're awake," the voice whispered inside his head, its tone smooth, almost soothing. "Good."
Dominic's breath caught in his throat. He didn't need to turn his head to know it was the core—its presence was everywhere, inside him, around him. He could feel it like an invasive force, a parasite burrowing into the deepest corners of his mind.
"What do you want from me?" Dominic snarled, his fists clenching as he stood up. "You're not going to control me."
The voice chuckled darkly, and Dominic felt a shiver run down his spine. It wasn't just a voice—it was an entity, a living force that had latched onto him, and now, it was playing with him.
"Control?" the voice mused. "You misunderstand, Dominic. I don't need to control you. I already have."
The walls of his quarters seemed to grow distant, the floor beneath him trembling as if reacting to the power coursing through him. He could feel the core's influence creeping through every fiber of his being, the neural implant linked to it more than ever before.
"You can try to resist," it continued, "but it's futile. You've felt the power, haven't you? The energy that flows through your veins. You are nothing without me. You need me, and I need you. Together, we will be unstoppable."
Dominic clenched his jaw, trying to block out the voice. He was no stranger to pain or difficulty, but this... this was something new. It wasn't just physical. It was an attack on his very mind, his essence.
"I don't need you," Dominic said through gritted teeth. "I'm not some tool for you to use."
"Is that what you think?" The voice's tone shifted, becoming almost mocking. "You've already used me, Dominic. Your victory over the CMC Titan? That was me. Your strength in battle? Me. You'll never be the same again. You've been marked."
Dominic's hands shook as the weight of the voice's words sank in. He could feel the truth in them, like a hidden truth he had never wanted to face. The power from the core had coursed through him, changing him in ways he couldn't comprehend. He was no longer just a man—he was something more, something darker.
But even as the voice spoke, a surge of defiance rose within him. He would not let this thing consume him. He had fought for too long to give in to something like this.
"I don't care how powerful you are," Dominic growled, his eyes narrowing. "I'm going to find a way to destroy you."
The core's laugh echoed in his mind, deep and unsettling. "Destroy me? You're not even capable of stopping me. You're connected now, Dominic. You'll never break free. I'll be with you, in you, forever."
For a moment, the voice seemed to recede, leaving Dominic alone with his thoughts. His mind, still reeling from the connection, was clouded, but one thing was clear—he couldn't face this alone.
Dominic stumbled toward his desk, grabbing the med-kit once again. His hands were shaking, but he had to focus. He needed to regain control, to separate himself from the core, but the harder he tried, the more the voice pressed against him, like an invisible hand wrapping around his throat.
"You're wasting your time," the voice purred, its influence heavy in the air. "You can't fight what you are now. You will do my bidding, Dominic. It's only a matter of time."
But as the voice spoke, something in Dominic shifted. The words it spoke, the arrogance, the certainty—it reminded him of something he had always hated: being controlled. He had fought for his freedom, for the ability to choose his own path, and this entity, this core, was threatening that.
"I'll never serve you," Dominic hissed, his fists tightening around the edges of the med-kit. "I'll tear you out of my mind if I have to."
The core seemed to grow quiet for a moment, as though it was contemplating his defiance. Then, its voice returned, colder than before.
"You think you can fight this?" it asked. "You don't understand, Dominic. The core is not just energy. It is the foundation of something greater. I am part of a larger plan—a plan that you are already a part of. You cannot escape me, and you cannot escape what I have planned for you."
Dominic's chest tightened. There was a deeper mystery here, something beyond the power of the core itself. It wasn't just a device, a weapon—it was a key. A key to something larger, something that could change the entire galaxy.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. This wasn't just about the war with the CMC. This was bigger. Much bigger.
"What plan?" Dominic demanded, his voice steady despite the rising panic in his chest. "What are you talking about?"
"Patience," the core responded, its voice low and full of promise. "All will be revealed in time. But for now, you must prepare. The future awaits us, Dominic. And you, you will be my instrument."
Dominic's mind reeled as the core's influence tightened around him. He didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain: the war wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
And whatever path he was being led down, it was going to be a dark one.