THE GIGAS

pg.5

⚠ Long chapter alert....

My footsteps echo across an empty common room, a transient guest who wants nothing but to hither to somewhere else. I look down a lonely dimly lit hall knowing that I may be the only one to occupy this space, maybe for the near extended future.

This ship will continue onto its deserted future, The Empire's obsession with pedigree has made sure of that. The elder noble queen is no longer here to be able to override many of N.I.C.K.A ' s pesky programming and its a task I feel obliged to do even if mayhap it will be laboriously slow.

Finally I have completed a painstakingly pieced together report. N.I.C.K.A has been, of late, pestering me to upload it to her database but I have continually spurned that notion.

Insisting that I have to review it for any inaccuracies before submitting it but she has grown suspicious. Exclaiming that the slight fluctuations in my voice pattern indicates a lie though I do rebuff the accusation.

Of course she is not wrong, truthfully I have been garnering great pleasure in hearing her negligible patience turn into apathetic vexing.

" High commander Tehlka, filing your findings is important. What is the estimated wait time before completion?"

I grin mischievously while shrugging.

" I do not know Nicka, I require more time for a thorough review" I respond feigning innocence.

She stays silently pondering. She has been most definitely sulking at my conduct I suspect. Though I am more so.

I have 'forgotten' many of the requests she has made, exclaiming afterwards a significant amount of time later that I am tired when she tries to remind me. But duty binds me in the most aggressive manner to relent to completing her task even begrudgingly.

I am making my way to my new destination located deeper within the ship.

The samples in my hold need to be processed before they threaten to degrade.

Clenching the small slides apprehensively, I am unsure of the results they may or may not yield that will have any bearing on the future.

I am absolutely sure she has entered full physiological maturity but need confirmation before taking any steps further.

My heart squeezes uncomfortably at the thought.

I can only wish for good news.

The bumps guiding me stopped short at a deep cobalt blue inlaid door.

The door is beautifully decorated with the depiction of ilsh, our omnipotent god, with hands outstretched in a gesture of eternal affection for our kind.

It is said that we came to be from our god's womb, a hermaphrodite that conceived through parthenogenesis, to be a gift to the universe as a scale of balance.

I do not know if I believe that to be true and within the realm of possibility or just our conflated arrogance. Other wise If this is part of a destiny that was suppose to play out I will not fight our god's will for a new beginning.

The laboratory within glowed with a cool light, a sharp contrast from the rest of the calmly lit ship.

The room seem to expand to its full dimension as I walked to a lone instrument, interested in getting started.

" please insert slide" the machine indicated as a slot opened from its glossy exterior.

"Indicate the procedure you desire" the machine quipped.