Isobel emerged from the winding corridors of the facility, her eyes widened in awe. The garden dome was by far the largest room in the facility, dwarfing even the workshop. Filled to the brim with alien flora of varying sizes and colours, Isobel found that she was constantly being distracted and slowed down. Everywhere there were alien plants and flowers, with a few trees dotted around the dome. The flora was only separated by a wide concrete path. Each plant had been adapted to live in this personal garden in the far corner of the galaxy. Aurelia was sitting on a bunch in the center, her head tilted to the sky above, eyes closed, and a pained look on her face.
Isobel made her way slowly to the scientist, her attention being grabbed by each of the plants she passed. “Hello, Aurelia.”
Aurelia’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze met with a bright blue butterfly resting on her nose. With a small huff, she sat up, and watched as it flew off to join its brethren.
“Hiya Isobel. How was breakfast?”
“It’s mundane though, isn’t it? '' Isobel quipped. As she sat down, the bench bowed under her weight slightly, letting out a small creak.
“Nothing about you is mundane to me. You are the most precious thing I’ve ever created. I am wholeheartedly interested in every little part about you, and your journey you are about to undertake.” Aurelia beamed with pride, Isobel coupled help but crack a small smile at the overly enthused woman.
“Point taken. I had an orange fruit which I forget the name of it. I also had some toast. Bread is my favourite food group now.”
“It’s an orange.”
“Yes and I forget the name. Very sweet though.”
Aurelia turned to stare at the android, receiving only a blank look in return. Isobel then cracked a smile and snickered.
“I was teasing.”
Aurelia gave a blank look, before looking like she was shot by an arrow.
“I am an idiot.”
Isobel responded only with a sly grin. Aurelia was happy that Isobel was showing more and more emotion with every passing day. It showed very real growth, proof that she had done her job well.
“Did you know that oranges come from the rust planet, Earth? It was one of the plants humans took with us when we moved to space permanently. Humans had polluted the planet so badly that when they were discovered by the Galactic Coalition, that we weren’t allowed to colonize any planets for a millennia. This planet was actually going to be a human colony, but due to the hostility of the life here, and the distance from the Galactic center, it was deemed too much effort to colonize.
After she was done, she looked at violet to see she was staring attentively, her cybernetic violet eyes wide with wonder. “Ah sorry, I tend to drop every bit of information I have on a topic when I get started.”
Isobel shook her head. “No, I think it’s fascinating. I think I would like to know more about humans. I feel like I just have this… hunger for knowledge. I don’t know how to explain it.”
Aurelia nodded. “That was intentional on my part. Most species of children, from a young age, have this need to learn anything and everything they can. They are particularly receptive in the first two years of their lives,” Aurelia grabbed her cane, and hauled herself up,
“And since you have a different start to them, I preloaded you with many basic things. Language, general concepts, a few mannerisms. I wanted you to learn and develop yourself without as much help as I could manage. Who will you be? Kind? a tyrant? A saviour? Who knows. Regardless of who you turn into, it will be interesting..”
The inventor held out her hand to the android. “Now walk with me. I could do with some help standing and I want to get a bit of exercise in.”
Isobel took her hand, and as she went to pull herself up, Aurelia was instead yanked on top of her, the pair gasping in union. Laying across her lap, silence lingered in the air, Isobel looked absolutely mortified. The silence was cut when Aurelia broke into laughter, wiping a tear from her eye.
“I’m so sorry, I forget myself.” Isobel started. Aurelia waved it away, pushing herself off the android and sliding onto knees on the pavement.
“You weigh a quarter of a ton, and that knowledge completely escaped me. That being said, I can’t get up very easily from here, could you please help me up?”
Isobel stood herself up quickly, and knelt down beside Aurelia, offering her arm to her. The scientist nodded her approval, and the two stood up together slowly. Isobel was shocked at the vice like grip that the frail woman had. She winced a little, eliciting a concerned look from the scientist.
Aurelia offered an apologetic grin. “So, any questions eating away at you?”
The pair walked through the garden, Isobel stayed silent, but her pensive look gave away how hard she was thinking. The rain had since ceased from the night before, Riths star shining its rays with a cool, red colour running through the sky. The only sounds were the clicking of Aurelia cane as it hit the ground with each step, and footsteps of the android.
Isobel broke her silence, “Why do you live here?”
“In the middle of nowhere as far from humanity as possible? Would you believe me if I said it was because I enjoy the scenery?”
Isobel cracked a small smile. “Probably not.”
Aurelia’s eyes took on a steely look, her voice more serious. “I needed to be away from everyone and everything.”
Isobel decided that she was going to drop the subject, and decided to move onto questions that would help her understand her creator better in a less invasive way.
“Okay, what’s your favourite food? I love bread.”
“That is a difficult one, but the cuisine from Xiveron is delicious. Humans as a whole can’t handle spicy food very well, comparatively to some species, but there is no species that makes more flavourful and spicy food than those little dogs. Absolute havoc on my insides though, so I only go once a decade.”
“Interesting. I think I would like to try that some time, especially if it is something you are interested in. I think I love food.”
“Oh I love food too. I looked into marrying the concept of food but it was revoked.”
Isobel feigned shock. “That is atrocious! You should be able to marry whoever you want!”
“I know! I will never be the same. Woe is me!.”
The pair giggled together, until the speakers sparked to life.
“Excuse me miss, you have a pair of visitors requesting to see you. Diplomats from Guul apparently.” Addison chirped.
Aurelia pinched her brow and frowned.“How did you not see them coming from the edge of the system? You should have been able to flag them the second they exited the wormhole field.”
“They appear to have come through a smaller, personally generated wormhole from about one quarter of an AU from Rith.” said Addison. “They are getting impatient and are requesting you let them in immediately.”
Aurelia sighed with resignation. “Fine, send them here. Isobel, let’s go sit at the gardens picnic table. Addison, please provide food and refreshments for our visitors.”
“Of course, miss.”
A few minutes after the pair had sat down, Addison announced the arrival of two Guul diplomats into the garden dome. The first was a short, stocky human woman, her dark skin contrasted with her bright silvery robes, her eyebrows adorned with golden piercings. The second was a Raxth man. Despite the lizards usually being a few feet taller than humans on average, he was only half a foot taller than Aurelia, and about as thin. He too, was dressed in silvery robes, and several rings pierced his lower lip. His deep blue scales had a slight luster in the sunlight.
“Ah Guul Diplomats. Are you here to join us for lunch? We were just about to eat.” Aurelia said rigidly, a fake smile plastered on her face.
“I am Qoaz of the Raxth, and this is Natacha of the humans. We came with an offer on the behalf of the Eternal Empress. There-” The stocky woman started, before Aurelia held her hand up and shook her head.
“I’m not interested in helping that tyrant.”
The Raxth man licked his snout, a reflexive behavior for his species. “At least here us out. You are in danger.”
Aurelia glared at them with contempt, tapping her gnarled fingers on the table.
“Fine, but only after you eat with us. I am starving. Aren’t we starving?”
Isobel nodded. “I am so starving for nourishment. I crave food.” She did her best to match Aurelia’s tone.
The two diplomats looked at each other warily, and nodded to each other.
The Raxth man spoke up. “We agree. We will eat, then we will talk.”
Addison soon had her drones bringing in a variety of foods on ornate plates, a variety of sandwiches, curries and salads, and a platter of raw meat from a Zullas beast for the lizard. They all mostly ate in silence, the stocky woman giving looks to Isobel, and leaning over to whisper to her colleague. Eventually, the stocky woman spoke up.
“Who is this with you? You are not known to have much company.”
“I am Isobel, Aurelia’s cre-”
“Friend from the Tau sector.” Aurelia interjected. ” I met her a while back on my last trip, and we have since hit it off as friends. I paid for her trip to Rith, where she will be staying for the next year.”
The diplomats eyed her suspiciously. The lizzan licked the blood from his scaled lips and nodded and spoke softly. “I see. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Isobel.” Qoaz turned to Aurelia. “May we present our offer?”
Aurelia rolled her eyes. “Fine, get on with it so I can say no and you can be on your way.”
The Natacha glared at the frail scientists. “The empress is trying to save your life, and you are only rude to us!” She snapped. Qoaz put her clawed hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Natacha nodded and turned back to Aurelia.
“I apologise for the outburst. The Nekt Federation has sent the most relentless and dangerous contractors in the galaxy to bring you to the Nekt president. His name is Steve Smith. In the political and underworld, he is feared even by his contractors. We know nothing else. His face is often changing, and we do not know when he will be here. In fact, we only know of him due to… an informant's sacrifice.”
Aurelia nodded apathetically. “Uh Huh. I’ve fended off contractors before. The only reason you were able to get into this facility was because I allowed it. I could just as easily have you removed.”
Natacha cleared her throat. “Against most, we would believe you, but this man is different. Do you know about the assassination of the last Nekt president twenty years ago? The first human president? He was at his most secure when he was killed. There were guards everywhere, the audience all had to be ID checked with the galactic registry and he still made it in and out of that speech hall. The man never finished his speech.”
Aurelia slumped down on the table, banging her head against the wood. “And yadda yadda you want me to come work for your empress to create yet another monstrosity while under the guise of being ‘Protected’, correct?” She said, making air quotes.
Qoaz spoke up. “The current Nekt president is far more ruthless than most. The Empress said you will not be made to do anything while under our protection. She thinks you are too valuable for the galaxy to lose.”
“No. I’m too valuable for the Guul to lose me to the Nekt. I came out here to avoid politics. So please leave. I am sure I can fend off one contractor.”
Qoaz and Natacha gave each other knowing looks. “Fine, then we do this the hard way.” They reached into the robes to pull something out, but they were stopped by a deafening crack ringing throughout the dome. Isobel had been quiet almost the entire time, she now stood tall, her face twisted in rage, despite being the shortest person in the room, she was radiating pure menace.
“I believe she asked you to leave.” Isobels violet eyes glowed with rage.
The diplomats pulled their empty hands out from their robes and nodded .The Raxth man stood up from the bench. “Fine, we will leave out contact address should you change your mind.”
“Addison, how many bugs have they placed.” Aurelia said plainly.
“We didn’t-” Started the Lizzan before being interrupted by Addison.
“Twelve in toal, miss. Two at the entrance, nine throughout the corridors, and one under the garden table.”
Aurelia bent down with a groan and looked under the table, grabbing the small, black object. She sat back up and tossed it to the flustered lizzan, both diplomats flustered.
“You will regret this if you don’t come with us. The Nekt will not be as lenient as us.” Natacha spoke cooly and coldly.
“I’m so sorry, i just have sooo much science to do. Addison, whats my schedule for the next week?” Aurelia smirked.
“Well, for next week, you have science day on monday. On tuesday, you have some more science to do from the previous day's science time. On wednesday you have to catch up on reality TV, then thursday you resume with more science. Just so much science. All day.” Addison spoke cheerfully.
Aurelia scratched the back of her head apologetically. “Eesh sorry. As you can see, my schedule is full, and I need to get back to doing some science.”
Qoaz almost looked like he was about to lose his temper, his scales shifting to a deep red, but he took a deep breath and spoke coolly.
“We understand. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
The Raxth slipped his claw into his robes and pulled out a card, placing it gently on the table. The diplomats then walked out the way they came, and as soon as they were out of earshot, Aurelia let out a loud sigh and slumped back down to the table.
“I am so glad they finally left. I hate dealing with silver tongued assholes.”
Isobel looked at the chuck of wood in her hand. “I’m sorry about your table. They had no right to treat you so rudely. I think they were going to attack you. Why do they want you so badly?”
Aurelia groaned without looking up. “Something something make me a weapon something something. I did it a few times. Never again. Not to mention many of my creations have made me so rich, I personally fund about fifteen hundred charities in the galaxy. Money or power won’t sway me, and I will not do favours for any nation again.”
“Again?” Isobel asked, placing the chunk of wood on the table.
Aurelia stood up, a grim look on her face. “Sorry, I think I need a nap after dealing with those twats. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
Isobel stood there, unsure of what to say or do, but watch her leave.
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