Chapter 73

　　Seeing Kal come to the answer on his own, Amelia smiled. Nodding to confirm his hypothesis, she continued.

　　"It`s logical when you consider it from their point of view. The peace treaty with the Artificial Intelligence Collective was predicated on preventing Humanity from recreating and enslaving new A.I, but the memory of humans can be short. How long would it take before someone, somewhere, sought the power that such a technology could bring?"

　　"Within a few generations, the horrors of that war would be forgotten, and with humanity fractured and spread across the galaxy, the Taboo could never be enforced." Amelia finished, turning away from Kal and looking at the Ouroboros.

　　Her statement shocked Kal, the revelation that the Empire was founded primarily due to the contributions of A.I., one of their historical enemies, was staggering. If this information got out, it would rock the very foundations of the Empire.

　　"So you see," Amelia continued, ignoring Kal`s stunned expression. "There is no possibility that Atlas would replicate the human mind. Its designers would never let something like that happen again. As I`ve said, everything you experienced while Piloting your Titan came from within you, not through its systems."

　　"That`s impossible. I saw things. Memories, images of the past from its previous Pilots, how could that be feasible if there wasn`t something hidden inside Atlas, some remnant of my ancestors` minds?" Kal asked, ignoring the ramifications of Ouroboro`s creation and focusing on the immediate problem of Atlas.

　　"Why do you think that only your bloodline can Pilot Atlas?" Amelia countered the question with one of her own. Kal was taken aback by the inquiry, recalling his grandfather`s words. Atlas had always been in their family since its creation, and they were the only humans who could Pilot it.

　　"Our genetics, we were bred and engineered for compatibility with the Titan?" Kal guessed.

　　"If that were true, any Noble or person with the means to manipulate their descendant`s genetics could Pilot a Titan. Nobles are more robust, dextrous and more intelligent than the general population. They have access to the very best medical procedures in the galaxy, careful management of their reproduction and progeny, and generations of overlapping genetic modifications. It`s not hyperbole but a simple fact.

　　"But even with those enhancements and advantages, they cannot Pilot a Titan. It remains restricted to twelve bloodlines. So I ask you again, why?" Amelia posed the question, pushing Kal to think.

　　"The system in the Titan is built upon subsequent generations of Pilots, all from a direct line to maintain compatibility," Kal answered, basing it on the information his grandfather had provided in his holo recording.

　　Amelia shook her head at the answer.

　　"That would eventually create a creature capable of thought and emotion. It would not border on the Taboo. It would completely break it. Even basing a system on the human mind would render the peace treaty moot."

　　"Knowing that, only one variable is left." Amelia guided him, nudging him in the right direction. Kal was at a loss. He could only review what she had told him and try to piece together what she was hinting at.

　　"The Titan is a tool, unthinking and without emotion. It was designed by A.I., using techniques no other Mechs are capable of. When I Piloted it, I saw and felt things from beyond myself, but they could not have come from Atlas. The Titan uses a Neural Link that would place a lethal burden on anyone but a member of a Ducal Bloodline." Kal spoke out loud, his left hand uncontrollably clenched painfully by his side.

　　"If nothing in the Titan would cause such a limitation, nor is it a restriction only Nobles can pass, then there must be something special about us, a fundamental difference that separates our families from everyone else in the galaxy." Kal reasoned.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

　　His unfocused eyes blinked before regaining their concentration on the Empress. She nodded at his words, agreeing with his logic.

　　"You`re correct. The Ducal bloodlines all have something distinct embedded within them. I`m curious if you can deduce what it is. I`ll give you a hint. If Atlas didn`t show you the visions of your ancestors that you described to me, where did they come from?" Amelia asked.

　　Kal furrowed his brows, thinking through the problem. It made no sense for him to be able to experience his ancestors` memories unless they were somehow contained within the Titan. But Amelia had been clear that the Atlas was an unthinking tool, more powerful than other Mechs but fundamentally similar.

　　Could some technology exist, implanted into his family on birth, to record their experiences and carry them on to the next generation?

　　Kal shook his head at his question. There had never been a mention of anything like that ever being created, nor did any of the numerous scans on his body reveal anything unordinary.

　　He felt that the key lay in the bloodline.` Amelia specifically mentioned that it was unique and distinct from others. Could the A.I. that visited the Unifier also have provided knowledge that would assist his descendants in the form of some kind of generational awareness?`

　　Something else about the visions nagged at his thoughts, drawing his attention to them. He witnessed many of his ancestor`s memories, going back thousands of years into the past, but he didn`t see the first time the Atlas was used.

　　Granted, each vision was merely a fragment, disjointed and strange. The Titan had also harmed his memory, but he could trace his lineage back through the images. One thing missing, a significant event that hadn`t been shown, was the first activation of Atlas.

　　The founding Duke of Caledon had been a Noble of the planet who joined the Unifier in his struggle against various factions. It was likely that the first Duke of Caledon would have used the Titan to solidify his hold on the region, but nothing appeared in his memories. Why would others be shown but not the first?

　　There was turmoil for centuries after the unification, remnants of insurrection all across the galaxy that would have required his intervention. But there was nothing in Kal`s memories of the Titan regarding the first Duke. Was the unique attribute of his bloodline created well after the Unification War ended?

　　It was doubtful since it seemed like it was part of the requirement to use Atlas in the first place, and Kal could not believe that the Duke would have left Atlas in storage while he stamped out the fires of rebellion in the newly forged Empire.

　　Kal felt he was touching on the truth, hinting at the edge of his awareness.

　　"What can you tell me about the first Duke of Caledon?" Kal asked, looking to Amelia for more information. She smiled at the question, understanding Kal`s mind`s direction.

　　"Emery Caledon. He was king of Caledon before the Unification and joined the first Emperor as a general after his defeat in a duel against Ouroboros. After the war, Emery was the first of the Dukes to receive a Titan. The event coincided with his first and only child`s birth. A daughter who would go on to become Duchess after him." Amelia explained.

　　"A child&born just as he became the Pilot of Atlas, but before he would have first used it in combat. If there were something in his bloodline, some changes to his body to adapt to Atlas, it would have passed to her when she was conceived." Kal murmured, coming to an understanding.

　　"The memories are carried through our bloodline&our genetics? The A.I. granted the Emperor the secret of unlocking genetic memories to be used in conjunction with the Ouroboros and the Titans?" Kal asked, waiting for Amelia to confirm his hypothesis.

　　"I knew you could figure it out. Yes, those memories, along with the skills to Pilot Atlas and the visions you saw in a time of great stress and danger, are a legacy ingrained in your body, in every strand of DNA. A legacy stretching back to the founding of the Empire. It`s why only your bloodline can use Atlas. It`s physically impossible for anyone else to Pilot that Titan. The burden would overwhelm them in an instant. But your body remembers Piloting it in the past, allowing you to succeed where others fail." Amelia illuminated.

　　"Is that why the Emperor is interested in me, for my ability to Pilot Atlas?" Kal questioned.

　　"No. Truthfully, although you are the last of the Caledonian Ducal Bloodline, if that was his interest, he could have harvested what he needed from you while you were in stasis and trained another pilot during your incarceration." Amelia clarified.

　　Her cold logic sent a shiver down Kal`s spine.

　　"The Emperor doesn`t care about your ability to Pilot, Kalen. At least, not entirely. He is much more interested in your ability to lead, keen mind and kind heart. But enough of that, you need to focus on getting better, not on what the road ahead is leading to." Amelia stated, brushing away his questions and refusing to elaborate further.