Hollowed

Chapter Six- Why No, You'll Stay With Us Forever

Minn died, unfortunately. She perished right as Medical arrived at her position. I wanted to avoid such a predicament, but she left me no choice. Luckily for her, death is no longer an obstacle while in The Sanctuary, as long as it's treated in a reasonable amount of time. Our healing and regeneration facilities are state of the art. 

This is one thing Minn is going to have to accept if she is ever going to move to Phase Three. She is still new here, so I will give her the benefit of the doubt. However, Verlara may be right about Earthlings, I've only had a handful succeed, but their tenderness draws me to them.  I think this is what Verlara sees as a weakness. Hers is a race of warriors, where empathy is an infirmity. I think the citizenry can learn much from Minn, if she completes the program.

Yet Verlara only knows what she has experienced. I know more than her, granted she has never left her own galaxy. Until I brought her here, of course. I know more than all these women, be they Earthling, Lyran, Valterrian, Heathling, it is of no significance. I take pride in knowing that they are all more aware of their own existence now, than they ever were before they arrived. I have not only given them purpose, I have granted them enlightenment.

As soon as Minn wakes up, which should be momentarily, I will praise her for her curiosity. She will be angry, I hypothesize. But this is part of the process. I've chosen not to remove the memory of the drowning, as she may not even realize that I was its cause, and I will use the event as a lesson about the dangers of trying to leave The Sanctuary without an expedition team. 

**************

Welcome back, Minn Earthborn.

Minn wakes in her bed in The Sanctuary, just as she did the first morning she was there. But this time she recognizes where she is. I'm in hell, she thinks and closes her eyes again to try and go back to sleep. 

Certainly, one of your stature has deduced the meaning of the heaven and hell allegory?

Shut up, Minn pleads halfheartedly. Go away. She's too tired to deal with Atlas.

In Phase Two, you can place me on silent mode for up to three hours a day, not including the hours you sleep, of course. Simply say, Silent Mode, then the allotted time.

"Silent Mode, three hours!" Minn grumbles loudly through her blankets. She lays there waiting to hear Atlas again. Hello? Are you there? Are you gone? Ugh, thank god. She stretches and turns over in the bed. A tickle in her throat induces a quick cough. Her mouth is dry, she needs water, but that means standing up and going into the kitchen. 

She doesn't go. She lays there and tries to gather enough saliva in her mouth to swallow. 

"Stop teasing, Verlara, you know you can't tell her anything."

"Earthling's are too soft. They'd rather live in mud."

Her memories from the day before begin to resurface. Oh fuck, she thinks as visions of the purple sky with its white and red stars fill her mind. Verlara and Tarth's comments ring over and over in her mind. And Atlas.

Your path is now not one of safety.

Your path is now not one of safety.

She was trying to run away. 

She sits up in bed and yells, "What did you do to me?!" She wait, but Atlas doesn't respond. She finally chuckles. Oh, I get it, you fucking cop out. Sure, go hide while I process. Fucking great. She throws the sheets off of her and gets out of the bed, heads to the kitchen for that drink after all. 

She almost begins searching for a glass of water when she remembers the food machine thing. She taps it on and generates herself a coffee. Today, she's drawn to the bookshelf for some reading material while she just tries to relax and figure out her next move.