Khelena sat in the command chair of the Princess Class Yacht, thinking about what she was doing. The Gartagen Union, their neighbours to the Galactic South-West. She had been informed, that they had information that would benefit them and that they were strikingly similar in many ways. In her mind, this was either a good thing or a bad thing. They could get along, or their similarities could cause friction. This was going to be a delicate game. It certainly didn't help the Garts were numerically superior to them. They dropped out of FTL just outside the system, using STL to make it the rest of the way. There were certainly benefits of there being on a fast ship. This would have been boring otherwise.
Now she thought about what she should wear. She could wear nothing... That was common. She rarely wore clothes. She thought about wearing her EVA Combat Suit, but she knew the Garts dd not wear clothing often, or at least a minimal amount. Her formal wear? Too glittery. Flashy. She didn't know if they would appreciate that. It was a political meeting and these were first impressions, but there were something things she should do.
She stood up, making her decision. She would wear her formal wear. Glittery be damned, she didn't get to wear it near enough, and she enjoyed the attention she often got wearing it. Morioka had even adopted it, but she doubted she wore it all the time. Likely a show piece. "Inform the Gartengen once they hail us, that Khelena Het'Laderen of the VDTF is here ready for this meet and greet. However, be a touch more professional about it. I would rather my crew not make me look a fool before I even step foot on the station. I will be getting ready for the initial meet," She ordered, walking into the back of the ship to her quarters to get ready, followed by Alexis, her personal assistant. She had ended that trip short, wanting her bedwarmer back. She returned shortly, to see nothing had changed.
Khelena would then see on her view screen, an ebony coloured space station orbiting a very cold blue gas giant world in a yet unnamed star system just out side of Gartagen space. It was a part of the contract that she had signed for. It was for lack of a better term, massive. 3 miles long, 2 miles tall, it was shaped like a thick squat mushroom. Construction of the facility had been completed rapidly enough. It was something of an unsaid thing amoung the Gartagens. Their warriors got all the fame, but as a people, they were far better builders and engineers than fighters when it came down to it.
A simple unmarked text-based message came through. "Docking port four. Step out alone." When Khelana arrived she would end up on the deck of a sterile white loading bay, and greeted by an elderly peach coloured gartagen woman, her tenticle like hair grey as stone, and her face mottled to the point it was amazing she could even see.
Khelena tilted her head slightly at the woman, looking around. She did not like the idea of stepping out on her own, but this was their territory. Simple as that. Why would the Garts bring her all the way out here to kill her? "Well... How are you this fine... Whatever time of day it may be considered here. Are you the only one here to greet me?" She asked, looking around. "Also, I like the colour. Many Gartagens coloured in such a way?"
The scientist eyed the monstrous alien. "Yes." was her response to the question she said beckoning Khelena to follow her. "My Ethnic group is by and large the most numerous of my people. " She said walking down a corridor towards and elevator. " It is also some time in the morning, around 0200 hours in Nepleslian Standard."
"But we are not here for a tour of the station, nor admiration of my skin colour. You are here because you paid us to do this...monumental task. Well, as the head of this project, I have been by the share holders tasked with showing you the product."
Khelena chuckled. "Well, I have not seen many peach Gartagen, so you would have to forgive me. Though yes, progress on this project would be a nice thing to have my dear. A pleasure to meet the one in charge of this task, and I hope secrecy is... as important as I was told it would be," Khelena sighed, now feeling substantially overdressed.
"With this kind of task, secrecy is difficult. Which is why you have acquired more debt than most nations." She said showing Khelena the actual number for the cost. "There was more added. Which you were informed of. In fact, the cost...has delved into political favours at this point. But. After doing the work you ask for I now understand why."
"Yes yes, the cost is of little concern to me. If I have bodies, there is little I cannot do to alleviate the debt," Khelena stated in a bored tone.
The elevator began thrumming taking them to the proper level. "Indeed. Well, the cost is not my concern either. My concern is for your kind."
"Some species have a genetic bottle neck. Yours is a literal pinhead. Unlocking your genome to obtain the past coding was.... art rather than science. It was difficult, to say the least," The Gartagen stated.
"Though you managed it, and I sense a little pride in that accomplishment?" Khelena asked with a sly smile.
The elderly woman smirked. "Pride. That is an understatement. This was the work of gods. " she said as the elevator opened into a small darkened room.
"I would merely put it to the work of talented individuals. I do not put much stock in gods," Khelena explained.
"No my dear. This was no simple feat. We had to invent techniques, we had to dissect and reconstruct well...It doesn't matter. This is what matters. I would take stock in the divine because this is well..."
The woman walked up to a console and pushed a button with. Several window panels would open revealing a massive cavern. Walls and pillars lined with jars of fluid all illuminated by a dim blue light. Technicians and service personnel moved about cleaning and maintaining the countless jars. Khelena would see with in those jars were embryonic Vekimen. The thing was it was all so organic. The walls, the jars for lack of a better term. It appeared as flesh. Vekimen flesh. The internals of the Vekimen form had been repurposed for this breeding chamber.
"The womb as we call it. We took the genetic material and synced them into a matrix, and with the growth of the womb, we were able to engineer and design a massive incubation nursery. You have over 500,000, children.
Khelena let out a whistle, looking at the chambers. She hugged her torso in an impressed manner, cocking her hip. "500,000 Vekimen? What is the male to female ratio?" She asked, moving to get a better look.
"Yes. Individuals. No two will be identical. The womb was elegant. As was your stunted genetic code. It yearned to be released. Your species...for lack of a better term was in a genetic prison. Unable to break free, but unwilling to die. The ratio is typical of the average we have surveyed. 35% male 65% female, to the number. As well as the ethnic group ratio. Most of these are the workers you requested, others will be warriors and scientists. With a .01% being exceptional. Though the fun will be in finding this one. Think of it as a freebie on us. "
"We are a tenacious bunch, for sure. Good. So the population majority is Kiraten?"
"As per the request."
"Good. Though, if I am to understand you correctly, these are just Vekimen Children? They will grow at the same rate as if they were born of my own kind?" Khelena asked, tilting her head.
"They are born of your own kind. Technically. We merely guided. The flesh you see in the womb is vekimen. We merely shaped it. As I said, your species' biology is elegant, most receptive to suggestion when it comes to progress."
"Fascinating. I am more concerned with how long it will take for me to get practical use out of them. I need workers and soldiers, and I need them fast. I simply cannot support 500,000 children as it stands.
The old woman turned away. "I had a feeling you'd be saying this. So. This is why you are here. To hear this." The old woman presented small vial from her jacket pocket. "I held off on the growth accelerant. Because. it comes with a price. Your species simply does not age. This is common in reptiles and other creatures. You are functionally immortal. However, when you disrupt the natural order, there is a price. We kept to the natural order as best we could...to get perfect results. Accelerating their grow will take that perfection and remove your greatest gift. The beings will have a predicted life span. They will live, breed, make children. work, then die."
The old woman smiled. "Which, the concept of death and dying and leaving a legacy that tends to breed dynamism, as well as a sense of immediacy. Such a thing would likely make these children...something if not unpredictable."
"If you wish for slaves, slaves will much like your fresh yearn to be released. I have learned much of your people. Slaves to life, slaves to death. They will lust for more than they would if they were blessed with immortality as you are."
"That does rise a problem, doesn't it?" Khelena frowned. "The Vekimen have never been the type to laze about. We mined our previous planet to the point of collapsing as we are now, and I would rather that not happen again. Though, I need an army now... I need my planet colonised properly... Now."
The old woman frowned. "This is not an army. This is something more. This is the door way to the thing that sustains armies, colonies, nations. This is a people."
"The Vekimen themselves are an army," Khelena stated.
"Armies die. I feel that you are not understanding my warnings. Or heeding my advice. This is more than a batch of clones, this is your genetic ascendancy. You may need to rethink your priorities and views of the universe, my dear."
"That being said if you wish for the growth to be accelerated, I have given you the choices."
"Will the accelerated growth carry over in the children?" Khelena asked, titling her head.
"Yes. "
"Hmm... Then I think I would like them to have something special... Something unique to them, as it were."
The elderly woman squinted her eyes at this, barbarism. Khelena could sense the disdain. "Then that is something you will need to subject them to. Just remember, children, are often the ones who judge their parents harshly."
"I beg your pardon?" Khelena asked, turning to the woman.
"These are your children." Was how the woman responded.
"I am aware of that. The Vekimen, however, have a way of doing things. A society much older than the station or our current problems that I wish to bring back."
"Then that way must change, or the Vekimen will pay for it...like these children are about to pay for their accelerated growth....in more ways that you will fathom."
"Yes, I am fully aware of that, but each Vekimen has a group. If I were to change that I would face riots. Do not speak to know how my race acts better then I do," Khelena stated coolly.
"Your race came to mine looking for a tomorrow. You have it, and you seek to brutalise it."
The woman, looked at the womb and studied it. "your choice today will either damn your people or make them ascend.
"Who ever said brutalise? Are you making an accusation? Based on what premise?" Khelena snapped, obviously offended.
"You think you are the only elder race? You think others have not trodden this ground? My people have paid penance for similar ideas. "
"What idea? I was going to bestow a gift upon these children
"The idea that one group is superior to another. What is this gift you speak of?"
"I beg your pardon but I have no idea what gave you that assumption. Do you have any idea what I am facing at this moment? Do you have any clue that if I cannot get this group and more like them ready to do a job as soon a possible this would all be a mere waste of time and resources?" Khelena snapped.
The woman smiled. "Children are not responsible for their parents, their parents are responsible for them. That being said. Everything has a price. Make your choice. We can accelerate their growth and steal from them their birth right. Or let them grow, naturally. "
"I'll be perfectly honest, if I were to listen to your morality right at this moment I may as well walk along and put a bullet through each of their heads and be done with it. I can settle morality when I am not on the brink of facing an extinction."
"Bullets are the weapons of barbarians. But as I said, I have been hired to do this task. You wanted to discuss possibilities and I have laid them out for you."
"You are correct. You have been hired, and you have not discussed anything. You have ignored what I have said to lay your personal opinions on me. Ones that even if I wanted to, I could not listen too. You obviously don't care about my people. You only care about these you have created and I will not stand for that."
"I do care about your people. I do not care for what these innocents are to be subjected to. As I said, children will judge their parents. Often, harshly."
"I will assure you these children will suffer no less than their parents. No single Vekimen will be allowed any less until we have dealt with what we face. Now. I know what I will be doing."
"You have not answered a question. What is the gift you wish to bestow on them."
"Eyes to which they can see the future. Blue, as was the sky of our Origin. If you must know." Khelena said. "But only those who have been cursed. I want to know who I should be thanking when I look upon them," Khelena stated clearly.
The woman nodded. "I see."
"We can adjust the growth accelerant to change the colour of the eyes. How many do you wish for the accelerant to be used on?"
"I need to know how long it would take for one to breed. Vekimen breed fast, how much faster would this Vekimen breed?" Khelena asked.
"Well. Your people already have a swift maturation time. Though we did for your sake increase multiple spawnings... twins, triplets. So that will happen. Your maturation time in this accelerant would mean that physically those with accelerated growth will Mature with in the standard solar year. At which point they will have to obtain sexual maturity.
"And can these Vekimen support multiple children? Vekimen do not have something like that," Khelena asked.
"With sufficient medical techniques, the birthing of multiple young should be a trivial affair. The generation produced by this one will be non-immortal and will rapidly grow as well, though it will begin to slow down, and maturation will be twice as long as these...then normal to your species typical maturation rate. Though if the immortality is gone, it may be gone."
"So I will experience diminishing returns?" Khelena asked.
"You will have a sustainable population at the end of it."
"One that will eventually die regardless," Khelena muttered.
"As I said, not all of them have to have the formula used on them." The woman said. "I can use it on the entire brood. Or some, or even just one."
"Fine. How many broods will I get?" She asked. "How many times will you make a new set?"
"The facility will remain here. You need only summon us through your contacts. Your assigned observers to the facility may remain to protect it, as will our personnel to maintain this place. Keeping it safe, means this facility is known only to us. Those here, do not tend to leave it." She said calmly. "they know what is asked of them."
"Alright. Then that settles it. The first two batches are to have the syrum, and after that, I do not want the syrum to touch a single Vekimen. I will heed your warning... But I am in a situation where there is no right or wrong answer. Merely a challenge I must face."
She nodded. Placing the vial back in the jacket pocket, she waved her hand over the computer consol. Another vial appeared, sliding out of a small door on the computer. The woman held her hand beckoning to it. "The actual vial. I...can not do this to them I am afraid. However, you can. Merely push the button next to the formula."
"Are we playing games now?" Khelena asked, arching an eyebrow. "Making me push the big red button that will doom these Vekimen to a life that is sure to end?"
The woman looked up visably weeping. "No. This is no game. I have watched them grow. Monitored them, checked in on them in the evening. I will see them when they awaken in the womb, and when they are born. I can not take from them such a thing."
"Regardless of what I choose, a species will die. Either a part by nature or the whole thing. Do not think you understand my reasonings."
"I understand things such as war, and survival. But I have never had children. Until now."
"In the future, I would advise to not get so attached until you learn of the world they will be born into," Khelena advised.
"That is impossible. Parents birth their children into this...brutal universe not even considering. I knew what I was getting into when I was tasked with this assignment. However, I did not expect to see such purity of form. I did not expect them to be so precious."
"What I have done, is nothing short of love. You have to love something to go into such detail. You have to love in order to create. You have to love your creations or else the creation will fail on completion."
"Life is precious, but sometimes it must be lost. I personally know this all too well," Khelena said, walking over to the consol and hitting the button without even flinching.
"We agree on that. But is the truth of the matter." The woman said. "I need to go grieve now." the woman then faded away before Khalena's eyes. A holographic projection. "I would show you out...but. I'm sure you understand. If you have trouble an escort has been tasked to you," Her voice said from within the room. "The birthing will be in about a week, thanks in part to the accelerant. Please try to attend."
Khelena stood, looking around the room. Holograms. Always with the holograms. "I will be sure to make time to witness it."
Now she thought about what she should wear. She could wear nothing... That was common. She rarely wore clothes. She thought about wearing her EVA Combat Suit, but she knew the Garts dd not wear clothing often, or at least a minimal amount. Her formal wear? Too glittery. Flashy. She didn't know if they would appreciate that. It was a political meeting and these were first impressions, but there were something things she should do.
She stood up, making her decision. She would wear her formal wear. Glittery be damned, she didn't get to wear it near enough, and she enjoyed the attention she often got wearing it. Morioka had even adopted it, but she doubted she wore it all the time. Likely a show piece. "Inform the Gartengen once they hail us, that Khelena Het'Laderen of the VDTF is here ready for this meet and greet. However, be a touch more professional about it. I would rather my crew not make me look a fool before I even step foot on the station. I will be getting ready for the initial meet," She ordered, walking into the back of the ship to her quarters to get ready, followed by Alexis, her personal assistant. She had ended that trip short, wanting her bedwarmer back. She returned shortly, to see nothing had changed.
Khelena would then see on her view screen, an ebony coloured space station orbiting a very cold blue gas giant world in a yet unnamed star system just out side of Gartagen space. It was a part of the contract that she had signed for. It was for lack of a better term, massive. 3 miles long, 2 miles tall, it was shaped like a thick squat mushroom. Construction of the facility had been completed rapidly enough. It was something of an unsaid thing amoung the Gartagens. Their warriors got all the fame, but as a people, they were far better builders and engineers than fighters when it came down to it.
A simple unmarked text-based message came through. "Docking port four. Step out alone." When Khelana arrived she would end up on the deck of a sterile white loading bay, and greeted by an elderly peach coloured gartagen woman, her tenticle like hair grey as stone, and her face mottled to the point it was amazing she could even see.
Khelena tilted her head slightly at the woman, looking around. She did not like the idea of stepping out on her own, but this was their territory. Simple as that. Why would the Garts bring her all the way out here to kill her? "Well... How are you this fine... Whatever time of day it may be considered here. Are you the only one here to greet me?" She asked, looking around. "Also, I like the colour. Many Gartagens coloured in such a way?"
The scientist eyed the monstrous alien. "Yes." was her response to the question she said beckoning Khelena to follow her. "My Ethnic group is by and large the most numerous of my people. " She said walking down a corridor towards and elevator. " It is also some time in the morning, around 0200 hours in Nepleslian Standard."
"But we are not here for a tour of the station, nor admiration of my skin colour. You are here because you paid us to do this...monumental task. Well, as the head of this project, I have been by the share holders tasked with showing you the product."
Khelena chuckled. "Well, I have not seen many peach Gartagen, so you would have to forgive me. Though yes, progress on this project would be a nice thing to have my dear. A pleasure to meet the one in charge of this task, and I hope secrecy is... as important as I was told it would be," Khelena sighed, now feeling substantially overdressed.
"With this kind of task, secrecy is difficult. Which is why you have acquired more debt than most nations." She said showing Khelena the actual number for the cost. "There was more added. Which you were informed of. In fact, the cost...has delved into political favours at this point. But. After doing the work you ask for I now understand why."
"Yes yes, the cost is of little concern to me. If I have bodies, there is little I cannot do to alleviate the debt," Khelena stated in a bored tone.
The elevator began thrumming taking them to the proper level. "Indeed. Well, the cost is not my concern either. My concern is for your kind."
"Some species have a genetic bottle neck. Yours is a literal pinhead. Unlocking your genome to obtain the past coding was.... art rather than science. It was difficult, to say the least," The Gartagen stated.
"Though you managed it, and I sense a little pride in that accomplishment?" Khelena asked with a sly smile.
The elderly woman smirked. "Pride. That is an understatement. This was the work of gods. " she said as the elevator opened into a small darkened room.
"I would merely put it to the work of talented individuals. I do not put much stock in gods," Khelena explained.
"No my dear. This was no simple feat. We had to invent techniques, we had to dissect and reconstruct well...It doesn't matter. This is what matters. I would take stock in the divine because this is well..."
The woman walked up to a console and pushed a button with. Several window panels would open revealing a massive cavern. Walls and pillars lined with jars of fluid all illuminated by a dim blue light. Technicians and service personnel moved about cleaning and maintaining the countless jars. Khelena would see with in those jars were embryonic Vekimen. The thing was it was all so organic. The walls, the jars for lack of a better term. It appeared as flesh. Vekimen flesh. The internals of the Vekimen form had been repurposed for this breeding chamber.
"The womb as we call it. We took the genetic material and synced them into a matrix, and with the growth of the womb, we were able to engineer and design a massive incubation nursery. You have over 500,000, children.
Khelena let out a whistle, looking at the chambers. She hugged her torso in an impressed manner, cocking her hip. "500,000 Vekimen? What is the male to female ratio?" She asked, moving to get a better look.
"Yes. Individuals. No two will be identical. The womb was elegant. As was your stunted genetic code. It yearned to be released. Your species...for lack of a better term was in a genetic prison. Unable to break free, but unwilling to die. The ratio is typical of the average we have surveyed. 35% male 65% female, to the number. As well as the ethnic group ratio. Most of these are the workers you requested, others will be warriors and scientists. With a .01% being exceptional. Though the fun will be in finding this one. Think of it as a freebie on us. "
"We are a tenacious bunch, for sure. Good. So the population majority is Kiraten?"
"As per the request."
"Good. Though, if I am to understand you correctly, these are just Vekimen Children? They will grow at the same rate as if they were born of my own kind?" Khelena asked, tilting her head.
"They are born of your own kind. Technically. We merely guided. The flesh you see in the womb is vekimen. We merely shaped it. As I said, your species' biology is elegant, most receptive to suggestion when it comes to progress."
"Fascinating. I am more concerned with how long it will take for me to get practical use out of them. I need workers and soldiers, and I need them fast. I simply cannot support 500,000 children as it stands.
The old woman turned away. "I had a feeling you'd be saying this. So. This is why you are here. To hear this." The old woman presented small vial from her jacket pocket. "I held off on the growth accelerant. Because. it comes with a price. Your species simply does not age. This is common in reptiles and other creatures. You are functionally immortal. However, when you disrupt the natural order, there is a price. We kept to the natural order as best we could...to get perfect results. Accelerating their grow will take that perfection and remove your greatest gift. The beings will have a predicted life span. They will live, breed, make children. work, then die."
The old woman smiled. "Which, the concept of death and dying and leaving a legacy that tends to breed dynamism, as well as a sense of immediacy. Such a thing would likely make these children...something if not unpredictable."
"If you wish for slaves, slaves will much like your fresh yearn to be released. I have learned much of your people. Slaves to life, slaves to death. They will lust for more than they would if they were blessed with immortality as you are."
"That does rise a problem, doesn't it?" Khelena frowned. "The Vekimen have never been the type to laze about. We mined our previous planet to the point of collapsing as we are now, and I would rather that not happen again. Though, I need an army now... I need my planet colonised properly... Now."
The old woman frowned. "This is not an army. This is something more. This is the door way to the thing that sustains armies, colonies, nations. This is a people."
"The Vekimen themselves are an army," Khelena stated.
"Armies die. I feel that you are not understanding my warnings. Or heeding my advice. This is more than a batch of clones, this is your genetic ascendancy. You may need to rethink your priorities and views of the universe, my dear."
"That being said if you wish for the growth to be accelerated, I have given you the choices."
"Will the accelerated growth carry over in the children?" Khelena asked, titling her head.
"Yes. "
"Hmm... Then I think I would like them to have something special... Something unique to them, as it were."
The elderly woman squinted her eyes at this, barbarism. Khelena could sense the disdain. "Then that is something you will need to subject them to. Just remember, children, are often the ones who judge their parents harshly."
"I beg your pardon?" Khelena asked, turning to the woman.
"These are your children." Was how the woman responded.
"I am aware of that. The Vekimen, however, have a way of doing things. A society much older than the station or our current problems that I wish to bring back."
"Then that way must change, or the Vekimen will pay for it...like these children are about to pay for their accelerated growth....in more ways that you will fathom."
"Yes, I am fully aware of that, but each Vekimen has a group. If I were to change that I would face riots. Do not speak to know how my race acts better then I do," Khelena stated coolly.
"Your race came to mine looking for a tomorrow. You have it, and you seek to brutalise it."
The woman, looked at the womb and studied it. "your choice today will either damn your people or make them ascend.
"Who ever said brutalise? Are you making an accusation? Based on what premise?" Khelena snapped, obviously offended.
"You think you are the only elder race? You think others have not trodden this ground? My people have paid penance for similar ideas. "
"What idea? I was going to bestow a gift upon these children
"The idea that one group is superior to another. What is this gift you speak of?"
"I beg your pardon but I have no idea what gave you that assumption. Do you have any idea what I am facing at this moment? Do you have any clue that if I cannot get this group and more like them ready to do a job as soon a possible this would all be a mere waste of time and resources?" Khelena snapped.
The woman smiled. "Children are not responsible for their parents, their parents are responsible for them. That being said. Everything has a price. Make your choice. We can accelerate their growth and steal from them their birth right. Or let them grow, naturally. "
"I'll be perfectly honest, if I were to listen to your morality right at this moment I may as well walk along and put a bullet through each of their heads and be done with it. I can settle morality when I am not on the brink of facing an extinction."
"Bullets are the weapons of barbarians. But as I said, I have been hired to do this task. You wanted to discuss possibilities and I have laid them out for you."
"You are correct. You have been hired, and you have not discussed anything. You have ignored what I have said to lay your personal opinions on me. Ones that even if I wanted to, I could not listen too. You obviously don't care about my people. You only care about these you have created and I will not stand for that."
"I do care about your people. I do not care for what these innocents are to be subjected to. As I said, children will judge their parents. Often, harshly."
"I will assure you these children will suffer no less than their parents. No single Vekimen will be allowed any less until we have dealt with what we face. Now. I know what I will be doing."
"You have not answered a question. What is the gift you wish to bestow on them."
"Eyes to which they can see the future. Blue, as was the sky of our Origin. If you must know." Khelena said. "But only those who have been cursed. I want to know who I should be thanking when I look upon them," Khelena stated clearly.
The woman nodded. "I see."
"We can adjust the growth accelerant to change the colour of the eyes. How many do you wish for the accelerant to be used on?"
"I need to know how long it would take for one to breed. Vekimen breed fast, how much faster would this Vekimen breed?" Khelena asked.
"Well. Your people already have a swift maturation time. Though we did for your sake increase multiple spawnings... twins, triplets. So that will happen. Your maturation time in this accelerant would mean that physically those with accelerated growth will Mature with in the standard solar year. At which point they will have to obtain sexual maturity.
"And can these Vekimen support multiple children? Vekimen do not have something like that," Khelena asked.
"With sufficient medical techniques, the birthing of multiple young should be a trivial affair. The generation produced by this one will be non-immortal and will rapidly grow as well, though it will begin to slow down, and maturation will be twice as long as these...then normal to your species typical maturation rate. Though if the immortality is gone, it may be gone."
"So I will experience diminishing returns?" Khelena asked.
"You will have a sustainable population at the end of it."
"One that will eventually die regardless," Khelena muttered.
"As I said, not all of them have to have the formula used on them." The woman said. "I can use it on the entire brood. Or some, or even just one."
"Fine. How many broods will I get?" She asked. "How many times will you make a new set?"
"The facility will remain here. You need only summon us through your contacts. Your assigned observers to the facility may remain to protect it, as will our personnel to maintain this place. Keeping it safe, means this facility is known only to us. Those here, do not tend to leave it." She said calmly. "they know what is asked of them."
"Alright. Then that settles it. The first two batches are to have the syrum, and after that, I do not want the syrum to touch a single Vekimen. I will heed your warning... But I am in a situation where there is no right or wrong answer. Merely a challenge I must face."
She nodded. Placing the vial back in the jacket pocket, she waved her hand over the computer consol. Another vial appeared, sliding out of a small door on the computer. The woman held her hand beckoning to it. "The actual vial. I...can not do this to them I am afraid. However, you can. Merely push the button next to the formula."
"Are we playing games now?" Khelena asked, arching an eyebrow. "Making me push the big red button that will doom these Vekimen to a life that is sure to end?"
The woman looked up visably weeping. "No. This is no game. I have watched them grow. Monitored them, checked in on them in the evening. I will see them when they awaken in the womb, and when they are born. I can not take from them such a thing."
"Regardless of what I choose, a species will die. Either a part by nature or the whole thing. Do not think you understand my reasonings."
"I understand things such as war, and survival. But I have never had children. Until now."
"In the future, I would advise to not get so attached until you learn of the world they will be born into," Khelena advised.
"That is impossible. Parents birth their children into this...brutal universe not even considering. I knew what I was getting into when I was tasked with this assignment. However, I did not expect to see such purity of form. I did not expect them to be so precious."
"What I have done, is nothing short of love. You have to love something to go into such detail. You have to love in order to create. You have to love your creations or else the creation will fail on completion."
"Life is precious, but sometimes it must be lost. I personally know this all too well," Khelena said, walking over to the consol and hitting the button without even flinching.
"We agree on that. But is the truth of the matter." The woman said. "I need to go grieve now." the woman then faded away before Khalena's eyes. A holographic projection. "I would show you out...but. I'm sure you understand. If you have trouble an escort has been tasked to you," Her voice said from within the room. "The birthing will be in about a week, thanks in part to the accelerant. Please try to attend."
Khelena stood, looking around the room. Holograms. Always with the holograms. "I will be sure to make time to witness it."
Last edited: