The ride up was a lot longer than the escape attempt down to the shuttle bay. It was a lot more awkward having to silently stand under the watchful eye of four silent androids. Their red glowing pupils felt like they were boroughing into my brain; judging, malicious, and calculating. There was something behind those eyes besides processors and liquid microfiber. Even with those nearly expressionless, generic rubber faces, something felt... unsettling.

Were they even actually hostile or angry about my escape attempt?

Were they thinking for themselves? Feeling?

Or, perhaps I was merely projecting that these androids controlled by the Æger Mainframe, and by extension Director Jenkins, felt any animosity towards me at all? No. It wasn't possible. Androids don't feel. They don't think. They just run programs. There were a handful of instances I thought I'd caught the robots displaying some human emotion; a sigh of frustration, an impatient tap on a control unit, or even a head tilted in curiosity at my presence. Just my imagination. After two weeks of isolation, I even dreamt I saw one of the RAN Robots sitting alone in the Habitation Ring One Commissary, sobbing into its hands.

One thing was certain.

My dreams and hallucinations had become unbearably dull.

These Androids could dream of Electric Sheep for all I cared. What I should have been focusing on was finding a way off this station. Instead, I've found myself captured with four robots pinning me up against the wall of a lift. Only three floors to go until they deliver me to the most annoying human I've had the displeasure to meet.

Director Stephen Damien Jenkins II.

A massive corporate tool if ever there was one. He stood three feet from the lift entrance as the doors opened. His suit, expensive. His wrist computer, equally as elegant. His smile, if you could call it that, was just as cold and hollow as his voice; "Thank you for joining us, Mister Norihito." I look around to see who all of 'us' entails, but there are only more androids. RAN Robots at the helm and navigation consoles. RAN Robots monitoring the station diagnostic monitors. Their presence seemed redundant considering that Æger could run everything digitally across the system network. Maybe Jenkins just liked to have underlings nearby to boss around?

"So," I ask, "What's on the menu for this evening? I'm curious to see if the Management's dining options offer anything more palatable than the slop served in the commons habitation ring."

Jenkins' facial expression is almost identical to that of the RAN Bots. He registers neither displeasure or annoyance as he explains, "I'm afraid this isn't a social engagement, Mister Norihitio. We need to talk about your conditioning."

I roll my eyes as the RAN Robots drag me out of the lift and follow behind Jenkins, "What a bummer. Judging by the company you keep, I was certain the dinner conversation would be nothing less than riveting."

Jenkins waved the bots over towards a table on the far side of the room; "Your ability to mask your displeasure and irritation with humor is fascinating, Mister Norihito. But, it unfortunately falls outside of your programming. Coupled with your feeble attempt at escape, I'd say some adjustments are required."

What an asshole. I remind him, "Director Jenkins, as I've mentioned before, I DON'T WORK FOR YOU!" He remains unconvinced as the Androids shoved me down onto the table top, "Maybe the laws are different on your home world, but abducting folks and holding them against their will-."

Jenkins waves a hand dismissively, "Their will? On this station, all things run in accordance to MY Will, Mister Norihito. Whatever is attempting to run contrary to my will, can be adjusted."

Jenkins casually strides towards the table as the RAN Bots secure my arms and legs into leather straps. I make a mild attempt to resist, but I know the odds are against me now. Right now, it's a matter of keeping a calm mind. Patience. I'll get my chance to escape, but any action taken before or after the right moment will be a loss.

The director stands over my head with a data tablet, talking down to me, "Did you know BiFrost Communications Conglomerate funded ninety percent of this research station?" I say nothing. Jenkins continues despite my lack of interest, "This project was deemed too expensive for the Fryga United Government to invest in. Just like the global communications network, the health industry, environmental conservation, and space exploration, our company spent the capital to expand and conquer this system. From its neighboring planetary bodies to the human's who populate their surface, BiFrost Comm owns it all."

Jenkins lowers his table and circles around to the end of the table to look me in the eyes. Only now does the semblance of a satisfied smile spread across his gaunt face, "Tell me, Mister Norihitio, what laws do you think are capable of constraining our progress?"

I take in the information. Not a threat. Information. He wants me to show fear, to be intimidated. Instead of panicking about how his company can leapfrog over all forms of galactic rule of law, I compartmentalize the information and stay calm. So he's a corporate suit that just so happens to have a bite to back up his bark? I've seen tougher men do more with less.

At least, it feels like I have.

I still can't remember a damn thing prior to my arrival.

Jenkins chimes in, "You'll remember what I deem is necessary for you to remember, Mister Norihito. You're RAM is far too precious to waste on whatever you were prior to your arrival." Circling back to the head of the table, I look out the large bay windows. In the distance, I can almost make out two bright binary stars. With deep controlled breaths, I focus on their distant celestial brilliance. I just need to block Jenkins out of my head until a plan presents itself and I can make a move.

Chuckling, Jenkins pats my head like a dog; "Those are Dellinger and Ullr, the World Brightener and Glory; the twin suns of the Norn System. For centuries, our early ancestors believed them to be gods. Deities to worship and adore. Now, with the advent of technology, we know better; balls of superheated gas and nuclear energy. Nothing more. Through our understanding of science, WE have become the new gods."

My brow wrinkles as I sense a pattern to his conversation. I search my mind for the most ridiculous thing my imagination can conjure...

I can almost feel Jenkins frown as he asks aloud, "Tell me, Mister Norihito, what is the significance of a... purple monkey dishwasher?"

My smile hides as much fear as it will allow as I admit, "Nothing. It's only confirmation that you're able to read my thoughts somehow. Despite your corporation's monstrous power, even you can admit mind reading is cheating, eh, Stephen?"

Jenkins drops his tablet beside my head. I glance to the right to view the screen. In a window within the tablet, I can see my thoughts, my inner monologue branching out like a tree as it attempts to guess the words within my mind. The experience is unsettling, to say the least. However, it is not without an opportunity.

Leaning down to my level, Jenkins' voice actually becomes more stern, his aloofness has vanished; "Mister Norihito, shall I explain precisely how important you are to this station's research? Far to valuable to be wasting this much time, I assure you."

I shrug, "No, by all means keep dancing around the issue. I love it when people speak in riddles and veiled threats."

With a wave of his hand, Jenkins summons a holographic map of the gas giant we're currently orbiting at 4.8 miles per second. He walks toward the orange glowing projection and explains his nonsense to me; "Within that gas giant, is a phenomenon unlike any other. We've tentatively classified it as Yggdrasil, The World Tree. More accurately, it is a seemingly infinitely branching series of wormholes to many worlds."

Only able to manage raising my hand off the table under the restraints, I offer, "Perhaps you can send me through one of those portals? I think I'd prefer venturing into the infinite unknown rather than listen to your lecture."

Jenkins didn't take the bait. He kept lecturing. Somehow I knew the inherent truth that his kind liked to hear themselves jabber; "Do you have any idea how far our company could expand, how profitable we would be traversing infinite universes, dimensions?"

That did it. He finally broke my poker face. Conquering different dimensions? That sealed the deal: this guy had clearly lost his fucking mind. Trying to regain my composure, I throw another distracting quip, "I mean, I'm no economist, but wouldn't having a monopoly on the entire universe ultimately create a stagnant market? Maybe you'd better stick to being an all powerful amoral company cock goblin in your own dimension?"

Jenkins clapped his hands together. The hologram disappeared, and the would-be-corporate-warlord spun on his heels to face me. A repulsive smile spanned ear to ear on his disturbing rubbery face; "Actually, Mister Norihito, we shall continue our progress--"

I had to interrupt, "Gene. It's Gene or StarJammer, preferably. Once you have your victim strapped to a table, there's really no more need to be so formal. Although, I would have preferred dinner first before your twisted kinky stuff you have planned." Maybe that would do it? If I can just interrupt his little machine...

Jenkins' smile dropped as he approached the table, "Mister Norihito, you are our most valuable asset and we can't afford for your juvenile behavior to distract us from--"

The thing about being an easily distracted twenty year old that's bored out of his mind; my imagination might end up being a little too chaotic for simple programs to decode. Maybe if I keep my mind distracted, split, branching off into different subjects...

The tablet on the table flickers, along with the lights in the room, and the eyes of the RAN Robots standing over me. Jenkins looks concerned, almost frightened. That look doesn't last long as he withdraws a Black Cylinder from his pocket. I try and keep floating different thoughts through my mind. Flashes of whatever I can remember. I stretch as far back as I can remember and see the silhouette of a girl, a wolf's tail and cute, sharp pointed ears.

Then everything goes black.

I hear Jenkins' voice in my head, "Conquest cannot begin until we have everything and everyone under our control, Mister Norihito. Until that time, I need you to forget and fall in line."

---

Two standard weeks have passed. Time is growing unbearably circular, like a saw blade slowly carving its way into my mind. I wake at 0600 as the station lighting flickers to life. I hear the power hum, shut off, and then return to life. As I walk back to my dorm, I can't help but feel I'll keep walking in circles forever; everything repeating, everything the same. At least I can rely on the comfort of my dorm; a loft identical to the thirty others found in Habitation Ring One; single bed, single bathroom, navy blue, black, and grey color pallet across the furnishings and fixtures.

Only another quarter mile shuffling clockwise along the same stretch of tile floor. Maybe I'll just go back to sleep. At least I can dream of somewhere other than here. Somewhere softer than this cold and lifeless station. Wolves are soft. I can't remember what wolves are, but my fingertips somehow remember the sensation of soft, auburn fur.

That same shade of auburn fur passes by my peripheral vision along with a handful of other odd creatures walking down the hall. Pointed ears, a tail swishing past their ankles, she's something familiar and too far out of reach to grasp. Perhaps I'm already dreaming? Might as well make it a comfortable dream and dive head first into my bed.

A soft voice calls out as I open the door to my dorm; "Gene!" She screams, almost joyfully.

I know better.

Just my imagination.

Must be a squad of the RAN Androids passing by.

The only thing those empty shells ever say is, "We live to serve."