The small device fizzled with green power whilst Pentergost bent over it studiously. The fleeting squeal of the now-dead rat adding the final touches to another failed experiment. Pentergost had been spending the last few weeks completely engrossed in his new soul technology, deferring the other tasks of an Emperor in favor for his passion. The scientists he had were good, but lacked imagination. He had created several different rituals himself, all focused around accessing and pulling out a creatures soul to then be transferred somewhere else. The problems arose in storage of the now-external soul. Our souls are just the inner manifestations of our being, so the manipulation of the body may allow me to alter the soul as well… But can a soul exist without a body? Absolutely, otherwise this whole project would be a waste.  
Pentergost sighed and rose, "Try platinum next, the power of the rat's soul was still too much for this gold alloy. We are going to need much, much more power if we ever want to store a real soul inside." He turned with a flourish of his black cape and exited out of the laboratory, leaving the whirring mechanisms and vials of bubbling liquid surrounded by intelligent Illithids behind. If  no materials work, I will have to try and add power through runes to the objects. I will begin the schematics later. As he strode out, he felt the now-familiar presence of Gith slip into his shadow as effortlessly as a breath and felt a smile forming on his lips underneath his face-tentacles. Without his psionic senses, he would of had no idea that she was there at all. She was good. 
"Any more of your insightful knowledge for me today, Gith?"
She grunted and fell into step alongside him, something he would of never allowed just a few months ago. None were allowed to walk side by side with the Emperor. 
"What do you plan on doing with that sort of... magic?" She sounded confused, maybe even awestruck. That was good, Pentergost enjoyed having her appreciate his work.
"Well, many things.” Pentergost’s voice naturally adapted a scholarly tone, as if speaking down to someone, “It is my way of making the Illithid race immortal. It is my dream that one day, all of us would be able to store our souls in an external object, to be hidden or carried on us, so that if our body was ever destroyed, we could be placed into a new body, one maybe even better than the last, and live again. Think of it! Our Empire would be unstoppable, endless soldiers each with ancient wisdom!"
Pentergost glanced across at her and saw a hint of worry on her face. It reminded him of his youth when his mother had failed to bring home any brain chunks for her children. His mother had been a poor Illithid, working as a simple merchant who wove robes and cloaks for the middle-class. Some days when business was bad, she could not afford to purchase brain chunks, even the low-quality Elthine ones. She knew she had to tell her children, but it would break their hearts and cause them great physical suffering at being undernourished, so she would often avoid it entirely. Her face would wear a mask of happiness, taking her children outside to witness a gladiator fight and distract them from their lack of food, but she could never fully conceal the worry that lurked behind that mask to someone as perceptive as Pentergost, even as a youth. That same look was lurking behind Gith's face right now. Is she also wearing a mask? Gith seemed to notice his examination and her face immediately lit up into a dazzling grin, making Pentergost completely forget about the idea of her wearing a mask and filling his soul with a warmth instead. 
"Nay it's... Well it's just that, that technology, what were you calling it?"
"A Phylactery"
"Aye, a Phylactery. Would it be exclusive for the Illithids?"
Pentergost frowned, he had never even thought of that. In his mind it was of course exclusive to the higher beings of Illithids, who else was worthy of such power? Especially power created by the leader of the Illithids himself.
Gith continued, "Because the way I see it, if it's something that would help out the Illithid population, couldn't it also help the Elthine people? And before you say anything about us being 'lesser lifeforms' or whatever, I'm not saying that you give it to the Elthine for no reason, I'm saying that by empowering your slaves in that way, they will likewise boost the Illithid Empire."
Pentergost frowned, it did make sense. If the slaves were given Phylacteries similar to Illithids, once the technology was perfected of course, then they would have immortal slaves. They would not gain power over their leaders who have the same technology, but would live longer lives, which meant less turnover for their overlords and a booming slave economy. In Pentergost’s mind it was not helping out the Elthine people as such, but extending their slavery for eternity. 
"You are surprisingly smart for an Elthine, Gith. I like the idea. I will do it."
She immediately embraced him in a wrapping hug he was completely unprepared for, pushing all the air out of his lungs. This strange act felt alien to Pentergost, such contact, and yet it felt somehow nice, so he cherished it. Gith pulled back with a small amount of colour coming to her cheeks.
"Oh I-I'm sorry sir, couldn't help myself. Just love the idea of helping out my people. In a way that benefits the both of us of course."
Pentergost hardly heard her. So that was what physical contact was like, it was pleasing. His entire life he had lived like an Illithid, touching others only through their Psionic powers through fleeting contact, and never for anything other than completing a task or passing on information. 

As Pentergost stumbled forward, momentarily lost in thought from the physical contact with a woman he loved (although he did not know it at the time), he did not see her expression change ever so slightly. Watching the effect her hug had on him, her mask fell away for the slightest second, before reappearing and resuming the role of bodyguard for the Illithid Emperor.