The scientist recoils beside the doorway in order to let me pass. “Yes, sire, that is correct,” he says.

But when would you ever doubt me? I want to tell him. You treat me like a god, of course you wouldn’t question anything I do.

I only wish to find somebody that will understand in this damned place.

An equal that won’t submit so easily just because of my rank.

Why is that so hard?

We exit the bunkers.

Father’s quarters are up next.

I take a deep breath and present my bracelet to the scanner at the door. The gold ornament around my arm glows a brighter shade of cyan.

The scientist bids me farewell as the door slides open. “Father,” I say, entering his room, the only place here reminiscent of a lineage long gone. Fog from the ice surrounding him comes to greet my skin. “How are you feeling today?”

“Skip the formalities, Aster.” Father turns around. His hands are clasped behind his back, and the wrinkles around his eyes are more sunken than usual. “You know very well how I’m feeling.”

“The ice isn’t helping?” I ask as I take a step forward. “If you’d like, I could go beckon them for something a tad more—”

“No!” he snaps with a sharp movement of his hand that slices the air. “Enough of this nonsense, Aster. I didn’t expect your presence for us to speak of my health. Tell me about him. Tell me about Nero. Is he almost ready?”

“I…” I gulp and swallow down the lump of nerves that has built up in my throat as I try to remember that it isn’t his fault, that I shouldn’t take his remarks personally. He’s thinking of his country. He’s thinking of my future.

Who can blame him for that?

“I don’t think so,” I finally say. “At least, not yet.”

“Is something wrong with him?”

“Not exactly…” I shake my head and hope the scowl on his face isn’t indicative of the potential for full-blown argument between us. “But they still need to test his obedience. So far, he hasn’t tried to escape. However… it’s not as if he’s much of a social being either. They’ve no idea how he’ll react once they start giving him orders.”

Father’s lip twitches. I brace myself for what is to come next, yet, he is surprisingly calm in his response. “I see…” he mutters. “Well, make sure you stay away from him no matter what. You getting injured would be the last thing I need when the fate of our people reside in your hands, Aster. These… humans can handle him on their own—after all, it was their idea.”

“Of course, father. I understand.”

“Good,” he huffs. “Now get some rest. We’ll be acting soon. You need to be ready for when that happens.”

Just like the scientist had with me—I bid him farewell. It’s like I’m watching myself from afar when I notice that our interactions aren’t any warmer than the ones I have with strangers, and something breaks within me, something that digs into the already existing hole in my heart, making it twice as large as before.

I push away thoughts of a moment in time where everything was right; when father still smiled, and when mother still lived.

“Goodbye, father,” I say.