- Spike/229
- Species: Sirenidae
- Height: 1’6” in length
- Age: Five years
- Rank: Bane’s Assistant
Like all of the military Sirenidae, 229 was born and bred as a useful tool. Sirenidae are not sapient creatures in and of themselves. But they are implanted with chips that merge with and augment their brain functions and make them biological artificial intelligences. 229 was born on Aukate along with dozens of other Sirenidae created to help maintain the Darnathi ship and to scout for supplies. Because of this his programming 229 had full knowledge of repair, fabrication, design, programming, and stealth tactics. Eventually he was chosen for a stealth mission in an attempt to get to Darius Steele at the lair.
Thankfully his attempt failed and the general lived, but 229 was captured and after confessing his mission he was turned over to Bane for study. Oddly, the two started a clumsy friendship, bonding over the fact that both of them were often considered animals and not taken seriously even when they had something useful to say. 229 also observed that the horrors he had been told the Overlord brought down on the Darnathi and their creations were untrue, in fact his treatment at the Lair was better than his treatment on his home ship.
Being a creature of logic, 229 believed that he could explain that the enemy was not so bad to his brethren. So when he found Pyrite, an agent of Beryl’s, attempting to finish the job he had originally started he thought he could reason with her. Instead he took a poison spine to the back and almost bled to death.
Pyrite ended up being useful in saving 229’s life after having her neck snapped by Artemis. Bane realized that she might be used as a blood donor to save the dying sirenidae and quickly attempted a transfusion. 229 regretted her lost life but decided that the disregard for him and his words was the final nail in the coffin. He cast aside his assigned number and asked Fox to give him a real name. As the Overlord possessed a sense of irony, she chose to call him ‘Spike’ after almost losing his life to one.
Spike now works alongside Bane as a personal assistant, acting as hands and dexterous fingers when she needs them. Currently the two are working on a method of continuing to supply power to the AI chips in the sirenidaes’ heads so their technological brains can live as long as their organic bodies can.