---------------------------------------------------------------   They were inside the ship! Mala had never seen Dredgen Truth before, it was true he had made her a dredgen but… he had never seemed fond of personal appearances. This seemed like it was a rare instance where he would be there personally. She was interested in seeing his combat abilities, and maybe a slight bit in how he looked. Mala decided she really was insane.   Another ship landed and a lone figure disembarked. He had no weapons on him, at all. He had black hair and brown eyes, the eyes seemed to pick out every secret she had. His face had a rather sharp appearance. His chin was more pointed than flat as was his nose. His hair was just long enough to reach his eyes and cover his ears. It looked like it hadn't been cut anytime recently.   "So you're Dredgen Truth."   His eyes took on a murderous gleam, "yes"   He certainly wasn't disappointing, he looked like a Dredgen Truth. But it was slightly disconcerting that his eyes could hold the same gleam as hers normally did. She figured this was what it must feel like being around her. However she knew his eyes didn't normally look like this, she had her evidence from the sad look that his eyes had when he disembarked.   Either he could fake the psychotic appearance, which was unlikely, or he was just better at hiding it. She thought the latter.   "You have no weapon."   "I have the only weapon I need."   "What, your fists?"   The shadows then seemed to bend toward him, the color began to drain out of her skin. Her normally tan skin was slowly turning into a pale white.   "I see."   The shadows retreated to their normal positions and her skin returned to its regular color.   "The Darkness has shown me it's willingness to assist. All it asks in return for helping us, is that we become the Final Shape. That we allow it to inhabit us, then we will be one with it and it will also be the Final Shape."   "And you believe it?"   "No. But I'm willing to become the tainted one so that others don't have to."   "So it's selfless."   "I enjoy the power as well."   "I like you."   "Don't get too comfortable."    Mala laughed, "let's blow this thing to pieces."   "I agree."   They walked into one of the many hallways of the Eviscerator. It looked eerily like the Dreadnought, even inside. It disquieted Mala that someone had replicated such a weapon. Not much disquieted her, most would think she would find the ship a work of art. No, it wasn't personal enough, and it was too destructive. No fun.   "Just so you're aware Mala, there's a Hive ascendant aboard named Akûn. He'll try to kill us, he'll try to mess with our heads."   "Not that there's anything he could mess with in my brain. I've been told it's too jumbled up inside there."   "I expect mine is like that too, though it doesn't seem to affect me on the level it does you."   "I don't think it affects me much Truth, I just wound up this way. Driven off of the path of sanity."   "I've gotten a scan of your brain Mala, you remember the comment you made about your thoughts being jumbled up? That was a true statement, the nerves are going off all wrong in there. Sure your experiences did most of the work, but your mind has a small bit to do with it as well."   "Cause that's what I like to hear."   "I'm telling the truth Mala. The part of your brain that handles emotions is messed up. It's affecting you, that's why you don't feel emotions the same as other people. I have the same issue."   Mala laughed, "two peas in a pod. That means you understand why I'm like this?"   "Partially, I think differently though. You kill because it's fun to you, I kill because it's necessary."   "How do you know that's not the messed up part of your brain speaking?"   "I don't, I just took my best guess."   "Maybe we'll get along better than you thought then."   "Maybe."