Eve Sky
Chapter 13 - "Mother..."
by StarCross
Not once did they felt like being carried to the heavens by angels. At least in their minds, they would eventually end up in the depths of hell by going past the highest point of God's domain. Jerri and Eva already had a bad experience in the sky, but they were going higher than normal travel altitude of airships.
Evie barely grasped the situation she and her family were in, and in contrast Nikhila and Odilia were giggling euphorically in their ascent. It was good since the Pike Matador Danya, unlike the rest of her MA Unit sisters, had a warm smile that went against her imposing stature. The Pearl Caster Cherise, Coral Thunder Reese, Blade Ribbon Hina, and Crystal Dancer Kaguya carried their passengers as if it were an exasperating chore. They didn't bother to construct an elaborate, if not comfortable platform, but then again they did not want to expend unnecessary energy and matter in doing so.
Evie began coughing, and the infant twins started gagging. Eva tried to stir her sapient transport, the Pearl Caster, to go to them, but she began to feel a bit light headed.
"I apologize," said Danya. "The air is getting thinner."
"How much longer?" asked Jerri.
"Oh, a lot longer," smiled Hina, Jerri's transport.
"Hina, Kaguya," said Danya. "Create a radiation shield for our passengers. The rest of us will broadcast an oxygenated medium."
Hina nodded. She then unwrapped her ever-extending sari ribbon that wrapped the group to form a sphere, while Kaguya sent out from her sleeves hundreds of ice-like crystals to filter the light and radiation. They did see the medium generation happening, but the lightheadedness of Jerri and her family disappeared.
"Behold my guests," said Danya. "The Fortress Eschaton."
Hina adjusted her ribbon so that she could show Jerri and her family the might of the black fortress the size of a metropolis. It was conical-shaped with the tip pointed to the bottom. From the top edges spread a spiraling array of curving and intimidating spiked accents that looked vaguely like a torn black cape and demonic wings. The architecture was both technologically gothic and organic, and it would not surprise Eva if the entire fortress were a living being. She had learned from her history books that during the Eugenesis Period metals and superstructures were grown from a colony of nanomachines. Whether it was the case for Fortress Eschaton, she would not know.
They all navigated their way through the web of accents that hid the many disguised antimatter and rail cannons and approached the side of the main structure. One of the hexagonical hull plates folding open organically to grant the group access to the tunneling pathways. Again, the interior was gothic and organic, but not enough to pulsate at every heartbeat. All there was a deep hum and a few lines of subtly glowing cables leading back to its source.
The MA Units dropped their passengers on a magnetic levitation platform, and boarded it themselves. As they rode upwards through the tunnel, Jerri wondered why the machinations didn't just take them to the destination themselves.
Eventually they arrived in a small roofed station that looked buffeted by works of postmodernism. Mainly it was concrete and metallic junk, but that and the half-dome of the living level were deceptively sturdy.
The living level was a paradise in space protected by a geodesic half-dome that had its trusses arranged so that the outside universe could be shown in the blue-to-black transitionary beauty. Exotic and alien plants and trees grew on their own concrete mini-terraces, and the walkways between were made out of soft bleached asphalt. The group was at the edge of the half-dome, and they realized there were others below their eye level that contained a desert environment, a forest environment, an arctic environment, a savanna environment, a beach and ocean environment, a congested 'city' environment, a farming environment, and a blank environment consisting of a smooth bleached concrete floor.
The living level also happened to house a small village that could have been a throwback of parochial times if not for the postmodernist buildings. In the center was a bell tower attached to what looked like a church.
"What took you guys so long?" asked a bratty and childish voice. Appearing in a blink to their sides were Annette and Lindwe.
"You do have to consider the passengers we had to carry," said Danya. "Not to mention the danger of overexerting our fifth-dimensional energy limit."
"I made the calculations myself, and it should only delay the lot of you thirty seconds."
"We would have made it sooner if Danya hadn't slowed us down," said Hina.
"She could be getting old in the tooth if you know what I mean," grinned Reese.
"Enough," said Danya. "The time between our birth-creation was only mere hours. Now then, have you told our mistress that her guests have arrived?"
"I have," replied Annette, "but she seems to be hurrying to the house for some reason."
"The house, then she must be..."
Immediately, they heard the faint tune of a sad harpsichord, which twitched the ears of Jerri and the woman herself into a near-trance. Jerri was the first to lead the others, and she moved right into the village square. Up ahead and past the church was a large two-story house that was built with wood in a prairie-school style. Jerri ran up the path and went inside, and honing her ears she instinctively headed into the sitting room decorated traditionally with embroider couches and wood furniture. The harpsichord was sitting by the window, and the harpsichordist was somewhat tall and bespectacled middle-aged woman with short blond-brown hair in a dark green blouse and brown corduroy jeans.
The woman stopped, and looked up when she sensed the presence of her guest.
"So you must be the wonderful woman who is able to impregnate others," she said.
"I guess I am," Jerri smiled childishly.
"Then I must embrace you appropriately."
The woman rose from her bench to walk over and hug Jerri with tender tightness. She was the same height as her, Jerri had noticed, but her body felt cold and lifeless. And yet she could not feel any anxiety. Instead, she was drawn to her looks and the music herself.
"It feels like I'm hugging myself," the woman said.
"Jerri," said Eva as she and the others caught up with her. "Don't go running off on your own in a strange place. You should know better."
"I assure you Misses Adams's wife that there are no traps in the Living Level," said Danya.
"Because we're sufficient enough to annihilate all intruders," added Annette.
"Annette!"
"Oh Danya," smiled the woman. "Forgive your sisters for being a bit sociopathic. She's only jealous of the love I shower towards you."
"But mistress..."
"Again with the mistress. Can't you just call me Zoya?"
"Yeah Danya," said Annette. "Why can't you call our mother Zoya?"
"Zoya?" Eva said. "Zoya Admantite? The heretical scientist of the 7th Vermont Special District of Bay-Haven?"
"You have heard of me recently," said Zoya. "But me heretical? I suppose I can be looked upon as such, but that is only the opinion of others. As long as I have the strength and will to do good for this world, my heresy will be looked upon as miracles and martyrdom I committed."
"Like sending out these killing machines to destroy all of humanity?"
"Eva shush!" Jerri snapped. "Don't speak to her this way!"
"Why not? We're her guests and I have every right to!"
"Jerri, it's all right," said Zoya. "I admit to committing such sins upon the world."
"Then stop."
"Okay. I'll stop. But that's only if Jerri approves as well."
"Well," said Jerri, "I guess I'll have to agree then."
"You're not serious are you?" Annette said. "You'll give the human filth a chance to strike back at us like last time!"
"It is all right," smiled Zoya. "Do what they have requested."
"But Zoya!"
"You do remember that I am human as well."
"That was back then!"
"Annette, you cannot disobey a direct order from our mistress," said Danya.
"Grr, fine! But when those monkeys attack, I will fight for the cause you have laid out for us!"
Then, Annette's disintegrated back to her orb-form. The orb flew off and disappeared, and the sparkling particles she used to form her human visage were funneled into the few vents of the house.
"Maybe it was a bad idea to give us sapient wills," said Danya.
"Oh, don't say that," said Zoya. "You wouldn't have the drive to protect Jerri after all those years."
"Eh?" Jerri asked. "You protected me?"
"Of course. Believe it not, Danya was your nursemaid and your heavenly guardian. But the one who gave birth to you... was me."
Jerri almost gasped, and she felt as if she was shot through the heart. Zoya her mother? Was Jerri like the MA Units? That would not possible as Jerri didn't posses rapid-transmutation abilities, but that fact that there was a mention of her being a created human resurfaced in her mind after her odyssey. Zoya was indeed a scientist that toyed with artificial beings, and the reality of Jerri being one was closer than ever.
"You all must be tired," said Zoya. "Why not rest in this house until dinner? Or if you prefer, you can use the guest houses in the village."
"If you insist," said Eva.
"We'll rest here," said Jerri.
"Jerri! Of all places."
"We're going to rest here, and that's final!"
"Hmph. Come on Evie. Danya or whatever, hand me my babies."
"Where are we going mommy?" Evie asked. "Are we sleeping in this house?"
"We are," replied Jerri. "Aren't we?"
"Yes," Eva nodded grudgingly.
"I shall show you the way Misses Adams's wife," said Danya.
"It's Eva. E-v-a."
"I apologize. Please come this way."
Danya remained in her human form as she led Eva, Tenaya, and the children upstairs. The rest of the MA Units walked away with a bow without turning their backs, and soon enough they disintegrated back into their orb forms. In that form, they disappeared into mouse holes that were on the ground or in the ceiling.
Jerri, however, lingered in the sitting room watching her "mother" close away the harpsichord and picking up the music score.
"My daughter, you should rest," said Zoya. "And it seems that you may have to talk to your wife."
"Um, right," said Jerri. "I'll see you then."
Jerri waved to Zoya nervously as she ran upstairs. She found Eva alone sitting on the bed in one of the first rooms she searched in, and walked past her in order to sit on the opposite side.
"Evie and the twins are in the next room with Tenaya," said Eva. "And you forgot to close the door."
"Oh."
Eva quickly closed the door and sat back down.
"They could have bugs," said Jerri.
"It doesn't matter."
"I see then."
"I guess that's the reason why we were able to survive for so long. It's all because of one madwoman's sick plans."
"I don't think she's mad or sick. Lonely perhaps."
"And you're siding with her because?"
"I'm not siding with anyone! I mean, I am too shocked to think straight when I learned that she's my mother."
"I can understand that, but you can't let your emotions get in the way of our personal survival."
"She's keeping us alive, isn't she? Look, we really can't do anything right now since we're here."
"You did say that they took us here to kill us."
"We're only here to save our friends."
"There is a big chance that they are dead already."
"Eva..."
There was a knock. "May I come in?" asked Danya's voice.
Jerri lied down. "Sure."
Danya entered, and this time she was dressed in a frilly maid's outfit. She brought in a tray of snacks and wrapped garments in her arms, the latter of which she hung in the closet.
"I have already given Miss Tenaya and the children some snacks and a change of clothes," she said. "It will be some time for the mistress to prepare the food, so you are free to wander around Zoyana."
"Zoyana?" said Becky.
"I apologize. I used to call you Zoyana when I nursed you."
"Eh? How does that work when you're a machine?"
"It's simple enough for me to artificially create milk in my breasts. Otherwise, I would create a hollow in them and I drink the milk cultivated from the milk-producing machines."
Jerri covered her mouth to anticipate throwing up, but she had no inclination to do so. If it were the other MA Units who nursed her, she would have, but seeing and even being with Danya made her comfortable.
Then there were thoughts on why Zoya didn't nurse her, but alas Jerri remembered that she was a created human. But there might be other reasons for that.
"Zoyana, I mean, Misses Adams," said Danya, "feel free to give yourself a personal tour. We have dangerous biospheres, but the automated security systems should warn you beforehand."
With a bow, Danya exited the room and shut the door. She had disintegrated back to her orb form, as indicated by the metallic splashing sound and sharp howl.
"Shall we have a look around?" Eva asked.
"Sure," replied Jerri.
After a quick shower together, they changed into the clothes given them. For Eva, it was a summer Eastern European dress, while Jerri fitted herself in tight jeans, a t-shirt, and a vest. They walked next door to call Tenaya and the children. Tenaya came out carrying Nikhila and Odilia in her arms, while Evie was adorably donned in smaller version of Eva's dress.
"These clothes suck," said Evie. "I wanna wear what Amam has."
"We'll ask grandma for some later," said Jerri.
Setting off through the downstairs hallway, they could already smell the cooking in progress. Zoya, with an apron over her front poked her head out of the kitchen to watch her daughter's family exit the house. They put the infant twins in a double-stroller Danya had left beforehand.
The village was homely and peaceful, despite its postmodernist looks. There were actually insects, birds, small reptiles, and rodent critters the likes no one had seen. The species Eva saw looked like nothing what she read in her family's archives, past or present. Besides a church, there were ten additional small homes, a small hostel, one hospital, a wood shop, a metal foundry, and a general store. Each of the building was unlocked, and the family went into a few of them look around. There were handmade wood furniture ready to be used by the new inhabitants, and each interior lacked dust due to the lack of human inhabitants.
They then toured some of the other biospheres, Evie took particular interest on the ocean and beach one because she wanted to jump in and swim. The larger city biosphere with its high ceiling was modeled after a small city, and came complete with stoplights, a mini-mall, an arcade, a multi-purpose theater, and even bright and bright clothes that caught the eye of Tenaya who wanted to try some on. They took a short trip through the farm biosphere, which was full automated and showed promise of edible yet seemingly alien crops.
They boarded the maglev platform at the station, and the automated system asked them for their destination.
"The MA Units' Quarters," said Eva.
"Eva?" Jerri said.
"CONFIRMED," spoke the system in a female voice.
For Evie and the twins, it was yet another rollercoaster ride through the metal-organic tunnels, but it went deeper and spiraled counter-clockwise. They arrived in the interior of the orbiting fortress in a hallway that was purple and pink.
"Why are we here mommy?" asked Evie.
"Yeah, why are we here?" asked Jerri.
"We are allowed a tour, aren't we?" said Eva. "This place isn't dangerous or restricted."
"Going into the belly of the beast, huh?"
"Why not?"
Not knowing what they wanted to find, they proceeded down the curving halls passing many empty computer terminal rooms and locked doors that led to the fifth-dimensional particle maintenance guns. They were then drawn to the sound of chattering, and passed many uninteresting rooms where they spotted the MA Units in their human forms floating in an egg-shaped chamber. Instead of being in their usual battle costumes, they were in colored semi-transparent leotards that would have been very revealing if not for the solid color coverings over the breasts and crotches.
"Look who's here," smiled Annette. "Have you come to play?"
"Is this a bad time?" Jerri asked.
"No, never! Just step in."
"You know we can't fly--hey Evie!"
"Hey!" Evie cried. "I'm floating!"
"Evie come back!" Eva yelled.
One step into the chamber and the family was floating. Evie swam away from her birthmother, while the twins swim with pure instinct. Jerri floated towards the middle, watching her family struggling to get used to the zero gravity. Her natural drift swept her towards the wall, but Annette floated to catch Jerri from behind.
"Mmm, you smell nice," said Annette as she nuzzled onto her hair.
"You can smell?" Jerri asked.
"If Danya can lactate for you, then anything human is possible," said Hina, who then latched onto to Jerri's right arm.
"You're handsome and pretty," said Cherise, who snuggled on Jerri's bosom.
"Nothing short of our mistress's beauty," said Reese, who latched onto Jerri's left arm.
"Hands off her," said Eva, who now had given up chasing Evie.
"Feeling jealous?" Lindwe said as she grasped Eva's arm. "We can keep you company, won't we?"
Kaguya then appeared with a cold grin and a cold breath, which sent chills up Eva's spine.
"You're making them uncomfortable girls," said Danya.
"Then why aren't you fawning Jerri like you used to?" Annette asked. "It is because of your attachment that you protected her from the shadows."
"You even went as far as masquerading as her 'Auntie'," added Hina.
"You were Auntie?" asked Jerri.
"Um, I'm sorry that I didn't do more to protect you," said Danya.
"Forget it. Even if I knew it wouldn't erase the scars of my childhood."
"Jerri, I..."
"Help me!" Tenaya cried.
Tenaya, who was chasing the twins, was flying towards the roof. Seeing as she had failed Jerri somehow, Danya turned her attention towards catching Tenaya, even the entire chamber was padded.
"Are you all right Miss Tenaya?" she asked.
All Tenaya could do, after staring into Danya's eyes, was look down and make a blushing nod.
"All right you six," Danya said. "Let go of Misses Adams and her wife."
"But if we touch them more, they might succumb to our whims," said Annette.
"Humans are not like that Annette."
"Very well. We'll have time when the world is cleared of the human filth dirtying the surface."
"Annette, we have orders not to conduct any more attacks."
"Right, right."
Jerri and her wife were set free from the grip of the MA Units, and for further spite they were giggling as the family left. Danya accompanied them towards the second entrance on foot, during which Tenaya shyly kept her distance from the Pike Matador.
"I apologize for their behavior," said Danya. "Ever since the mistress gave them sapience, they have been acting that way."
"But you are different from them," said Eva.
"Though were technically the same model, we are able to develop our own personalities and styles of battle as you have witnessed. With I being the oldest, I was ordered by the mistress to keep them in line."
"You seem to be losing your control over them," said Jerri.
"I have not. They have to behave or else the mistress will cut off their data-energy link."
"I see."
"Are there any other places we can go see?" Eva asked.
"From the security videos, you have visited almost all of the free access. The restricted access are left, but they are so because of the dangerous radiation and cross contamination."
"Do you think I can see the place where I was born?" asked Jerri.
"Are you sure?'
"I'd like to know how I was created."
"Well..."
"Danya!" cried Annette as she skipped out of the zero gravity chamber. "Danya!"
"What is it Annette?"
"It's almost time for dinner!"
"Okay. I apologize Misses Adams, but we'll have to postpone the tour of the birthing chambers. Our mistress awaits us."
Danya escorted the family back up to the living level. Once they were inside the house, the rest of the MA Units were already gathered at the long table in their dresses. Danya sat among them, and she without the family realizing it had instantly changed into a frilly Spanish-style dress.
Jerri and her family sat close to the head where Zoya would be sitting. Like the typical mother, Zoya had already laid out the food, drinks, and plates beforehand.
"Jerri my daughter," she said, "would you like to begin some kind of prayer?"
"I don't know any," replied Jerri.
"That is all right. I'm not religious despite having a church here. But perhaps your wife can lead us."
"Sure," said Eva. "Hinduism and Christianity do have similarities."
Eva recited a prayer, which she would do sometimes during holy months when she and her family were back at the family farm. When she finished, the MA Units began filling their plates with anything they could get their hands on and gluttonously cleaned them off with forks, knives, spoons, and mouths. That was not surprising to the family, but they were more surprised on how little Zoya ate. In one serving, she was done, and she sat with her chin rested on her hands watching her biological and surrogate family eat.
The food that was cooked and prepared terrestrially was succulent, but like the biosphere domes they tasted exotic and alien. Nonetheless, it did not make Jerri and her family sick, let alone spit their meals out in disgust. There were thoughts of them being poisoned, but they kept on eating lest they would worry Zoya.
With everyone having their fill, Zoya cleaned the table, and adamantly refused all help from Danya, Tenaya, and Jerri. She came back from the kitchen bringing trays of desert two at a time until the table was filled. Jerri's family tried the best to at least one equivalent of a slice of cake, while the MA Units again gorged on whatever their mistress ate. Once more Zoya ate very little, and contented herself watching her families eat for the rest of the short meal.
Finally, she allowed help from Danya, Tenaya, and Jerri in dishwashing by hand, which was done quickly. Afterwards, Eva ordered Tenaya to take her children to bed, for she accompanied Jerri to the sitting room where it was cleared off to create a small dance floor with Zoya creating music from the harpsichord. Jerri and Eva mainly watched as the MA Units, excepting Danya, took turns dancing in line or with partners in various folk melodies coupled with a few pop ones. Eventually, they coaxed Danya, Jerri, and Eva into dancing, and even Zoya joined in with Annette taking over the harpsichord.
Annette's style sounded to mechanical. Jerri was eventually partnered up with her mother, and again she could feel her heaviness, the coldness of our touch, and the lack of a pulse. Zoya, as Jerri saw it through her eyes, was pushing herself to be lively as if it was a new effort for a machine. Jerri thought her own mother being a MA Unit herself, but that didn't seem to be the case. Rather, there was something so half-human about her.
"Now wasn't that fun?" breathed Zoya as she rested on a leather reading chair.
"With the addition of Jerri and Eva, it was more so," smiled Annette. "Say what time is it?"
"Twenty-three hours and twelve minutes," replied Danya. "We should return to our capsules to rest."
"Ah, can't we go on for little more? We can get back there in less than five minutes."
"Danya is right," said Zoya. "Even though you only exerted yourself less than usual, you should rest due to the increasing space-time fluctuations in your fifth-dimensional circuit."
"So it's becoming worse then," said Hina.
"We have been fighting a lot last week," said Reese.
"Oh, all right," pouted Annette. "If it is for the best of us."
"I understand your need to play Annette," said Zoya. "I promise that you'll be the first in the conversion process."
"Thank you Zoya!"
In order to make their guests comfortable, Danya and the other MA Units left the room so they could disintegrate back to their orb-forms.
"Conversion process?" asked Jerri. "Fifth-dimensional circuit?"
"Come with me to the nook where we can talk about this over hot chocolate," said Zoya.
Eva and Jerri were led to the breakfast nook that was just "south" of the dining room. Zoya came back with hot chocolate for each of them and began answering the questions the couple had in their mind.
"You might be wondering why they eat and drink when they don't need to," said Zoya. "They see it as practice in becoming human."
"Practice?" asked Jerri. "Why would such powerful weapons want to become human?"
"True that they could be god-like--or perhaps demonic. Of course, the energy and matter requirements to perform the feats they do are vast, and needs to use the fifth dimension to process it on-the-fly. Their core unit is their mind and real body, but in truth it is not as stable as it could be. Rapid matter transmutation damages the core's molecules not just at the quantum level, but also at the fifth-dimensional level. The capsules they 'sleep' in allows them to repair themselves, but it only delays the inevitable space-time atrophy."
"I keep hearing about that. What does that mean?"
"It means they'll implode into a singularity, kind of a like black hole. That is why I intend to transfer them into human bodies. No, I shouldn't be calling them human. Perhaps it would be 'enhanced human', or--"
"Created human?"
"That too. Jerri, it is likely that you will have many new sisters very soon."
"Sisters, huh?"
Eva frowned at the fact that Zoya was doing nothing but smile amidst Jerri's internal shock.
"Danya will be out for twenty-four hours, so I will be giving a tour of your birthplace tomorrow," said Zoya. "Please get plenty of rest. We'll start the tour after breakfast."
Zoya had delivered Evie's new clothes in the early morning, and then immediately got started in making breakfast for the family. After the meal, at Zoya's suggestion, Jerri and Eva sent Tenaya off to the playground in the city environment, for the things the parents would see might disturb the children.
The couple followed Zoya to the nearest maglev platform station, and once on they went further below the MA Unit's quarters. The three ended up in the same metal-organic hallways, but it was darker, perhaps more so than the exterior of Fortress Eschaton. The birthing facilities seemed a lot larger than the MA Units' quarters due to the long walks that went several levels up and down.
They ended up in the completed bodies section where they beheld the ready yet soulless bodies that were identical to the visages the machinations. There were seven in all each nude and inside their capsules, and they were sleeping for the time when they would receive the minds and personalities of MA Units. The rest of the hundred capsules were empty.
"So these will be Danya and the others' new bodies," said Jerri.
"Once they complete their duty, then yes," said Zoya.
Eva made an "hmph" under her breath.
Zoya then led the couple to the adjacent chamber where there were hundreds or at least around a thousand empty capsules large enough for infants.
"This where you and your sisters were born," said Zoya.
"I had sisters?" Jerri asked.
"Yes, but tragically almost all of them did not survive past their infancy. You might think that genetic engineering would be easy considering that this technology dates back to the 'Eugenesis Period' the world refers to as such, but consider the vast amount of variables you have to consider when creating a human you have recently reverse-engineered so to speak. Simple things as tolerance to Earth's gravity and the amount of nitrogen could produce a still-birth created child, and those who did survive the turmoil of infancy died with a debilitating disease both external and genetic in mere years.
"In my long life, I wanted to create a perfect human not hindered by the rape-minded aggressiveness of testosterone and the submissive manic weakness of estrogen; a human that would not possess the sword between its legs to attack its victims and mark its perceived territory; a human who would posses the drive to procreate, yet the tools to take care of the children if for any event the birthmother were to meet her untimely demise.
"Mankind ruled by male superiors thought it best to control the masses by tweaking their genetic code to their fitting, but their folly was that they forgot to fix themselves. Thus, after numerous removals of undesirable human traits, like sex drives and the purported 'gay gene', the masses simply stopped copulating, and despite pressures from the male and female rulers very few children resulted. Almost all girls were produced since then, and the Y-Chromosome was suffering rapid atrophy. Then the wars happened between who wanted to preserve their empires, and eventually we settled into the inept males who think they rule when in reality they do not.
"At first I felt rejoice of the removal of males from actual leadership, but it turns out I was wrong. Taking a page from the opposite sex, the female rulers began aggregating power and began oppressing their commoner brethren, and the only difference that they were more vicious. They were the reason for the second fall and the massive population reduction of this scarred Earth.
"I have once felt that Adam was the very reason for the fall of mankind, because he was not valiant enough to stop Eve from devouring the Fruit of Knowledge. Now I feel they both share equal blame for the sins of humanity. Eve was but a stupid bimbo, and God was too proud and arrogant to realize Adam was a dumb and distracted jock. So I decided to rectify God's mistake to create a woman who could impregnate other women only if pure love exists between them. I made no mistakes in creating one who would be like the males who sleep around as if he is God. My children are tweaked so that perfect monogamy would exist, and through that perfect monogamy the offspring will be raised in a better world."
"How could I impregnate other women?" asked Jerri.
"You should have already figured out that it was your ejaculate that did the trick. No, it's not urine. Rather, it came from your modified ovaries that not only produce your ovum, but also a 'string ovum', which is created during sex with your wife. That string ovum is drawn to a vaginal lining not of its own, and when it senses it, it attaches and struggles its way your wife's ovum where the ova merging occurs. I expect the wife to get pregnant after a couple of intercourses being that the string ovum doesn't carry as much genetic material as a burst of sperm."
"No, it wasn't a couple. I impregnated Eva on my first try with her."
"So brilliant! You are indeed my best work! I mean, not in a objectifying sense, but I am really proud of you."
"Then why was Jerri left on the surface if you knew she would succeed?" asked Eva.
"I never expected her to succeed," said Zoya. "Nor did I expect her to survive. Jerri was sick, and in my depressive state I wanted to be merciful and euthanize her. But Danya had secretly took her to the surface and delivered her to the hospital. It was best for me to forget about my Zoyana and planned on to commit revenge on those who rejected my ideals and threaten my children's existence."
"You nearly destroyed the entire human race in the process."
"They tried to kill me first! I was alone, and my MA Units wanted to punish the world for rejected me, in order to create a clean slate for me to rule. But when I finally learned of your existence and survival Jerri and the fact you had children with your wife, I was overjoyed. I had to see and feel you in my grasp Jerri. You are truly a success and the future of our new humanity!"
"Um, thanks?" Jerri said.
"I still don't forgive you for sending out those monsters against the world," said Eva.
"I may never be forgiven for my past sins," said Zoya, "but surely we can put it aside in the name of peace."
"Please Eva?" said Jerri.
"I solemnly swear to cease all hostilities to what remains of humankind. If needs be, I will offer myself to be put on trial for my war crimes."
"You swear?" Eva said.
"Of course I swear!"
Eva sighed. "Very well then. I would request that you take me and my family back down to the surface as soon as possible."
"Won't you please stay for a while? I want a chance to get to know my grandchildren a little longer."
"At this height I feel precarious."
"This is one of the safest orbital fortresses of the Eugenesis Period. No debris large or microscopic can pierce its hull."
"Eva, can't you grant her that request?" asked Jerri. "I mean, I want to know more about my mother."
"Then we'll stay for seven days," said Eva. "Agreed?"
"Agreed," said Zoya.
On the next day of Eva's reluctant stay, she accompanied her family for swimming at the ocean and beach biosphere. The MA Units also swam, and they also held a sandcastle contest, a volleyball tournament, and luau dance.
Eva didn't participate due to her developing womb. The baby inside of her was now many months in development, and she had hoped she didn't indirectly traumatize it after all the adventures she had. Eva had the unfortunate circumstance of reclining next to Zoya underneath the umbrella, and again Zoya was covered in her dark blouse and corduroy pants. The only difference was that she was now wearing flip-flop slippers, sunglasses, and a straw hat.
"Come swim with us grandma!" Evie yelled out from the water.
"Oh no, I can't," said Zoya. "I'm too old."
That's not the reason why, Eva thought.
Eva didn't have to tell her children about their grandmother's cold strangeness. Nikhila and Odilia were uncomfortable in arms and would cry immediately. Evie would always remark that Zoya was always cold to touch, but Zoya was tolerant and smiling, and allowed her granddaughter to say apparently obvious things.
Jerri, on the other hand, was completely fawning over the mother who nearly put her to death, and thus Zoya returned her love equally. It was as if the two were catching up to their relationship of mother and daughter. Jerri assisted Zoya on everyday matters, and eventually became a competent cook herself. Together the two repaired various buildings and some computer terminals in the lower level lab facilities. They even did a pretend shop at the city biosphere, with the MA Units acting as cash tenders. It was disconcerting to Eva, yet she didn't want to spoil her wife's happiness, however false and momentary it may be.
As a side development, she noticed Tenaya gravitating to Danya every chance she got. During Danya's days of rest, Tenaya would look very worried, and when she wasn't Tenaya was at her happiest. Eva had never seen her that way ever since she and Jerri took her in as a live-in housemaid.
It was now confirmed, for Tenaya had confessed to Eva on Danya's day of rest that she fell in love with her, and wanted to know how she could get her to notice her. Eva helped as best she could by picking out the best clothes from Zoya's many wardrobe collections, styling her hair, and applying the right makeup.
Yet there was the problem of Danya not knowing how to respond to love. She always acted like an emotionless brick in the presence of Tenaya, and was completely unaware of Tenaya's feelings. It drove Tenaya to tears that Danya would not respond, and soon Tenaya completely stopped seeing the oblivious MA Unit.
Danya, who had heard that Tenaya fell in love with her, confided with Jerri in private in the forest biosphere. Danya was too embarrassed to ask Zoya, and too ashamed to ask the snickering MA Units.
"I don't see what the problem is," said Jerri. "The only barriers are the she's a human and you're a machine."
"I'm one of the monsters who murdered her mother," said Danya.
"But you didn't murder her directly, didn't you? Besides you're different than the others."
Danya reclined herself against the tree. "We MA Units know nothing about love. We just pretend that we do."
"You are learning, aren't you?"
"A little at a time."
"If I may, how do you feel about it?"
"I am terrified."
"Oh."
"And frustrated."
"How about I ask this: does it feel like the time you looked after me?"
"A bit."
"Is the feelings you have now stronger?"
"I... I think so. Is this what you call love?"
"Well, there is a love of one because you care about the well being of that person. Then there is the love of where not only you care about the well being of that person, but you also want to 'make love' in order to feel complete and whole. Adding to that, there is a love used to create children."
"You're lucky you get to experience all three."
With a somber smile, Danya disintegrated into her orb form and disappeared into a pool of water to go through a pipe that led back to her chambers.
After another day, Danya asked Tenaya out on a date of some sort, which the human girl readily agreed to. To back them up, Jerri and Eva accompanied them, although there really wasn't much to do in Fortress Eschaton other than visiting the biospheres to find ways to have fun. Jerri and Eva did their best to leave the Danya and Tenaya alone.
Then they realized that the rest of the MA Units were spying on the new couple with disgust. Ridicule was not enough to prevent Danya from taking an interest on a human, and it was soon apparent that the MA Units did not want to be in the same space as their perceived traitorous older, and outright excluded her from their activities in their holding level. Danya barely noticed, as she was worried she might upset Tenaya's bliss.
Jerri and Eva realized they overstayed their time in the orbiting fortress by about three days. Evie was getting restless and wanted to go home to the farm. Eva wanted to as well, but she wasn't sure if their town had survived the onslaught of the MA Units' attacks. All in all, she and her family couldn't stay here forever, and it wasn't because of fears that Zoya and her followers would change their mind. Eva talked about it with Jerri on the night of the MA Units' resting period in their bed.
"We really should leave now," said Eva. "We'll use Danya to transport us to the surface since she is trustworthy."
"And we leave without saying goodbye?"
"We'll use her to say it for us."
"But why so soon? If it's boredom, I can understand, but Tenaya seems to be very attached to Danya and I want to spend more time with my mother. We can't exactly take those two with us."
"Something isn't right Jerri."
Jerri sat up. "What's not right?"
"I worry about our children and Tenaya, and I don't think the rest of the MA Units will keep their word."
"Then we have to teach them the consequences of betraying trust and dishonesty. Why don't you tell them off Eva?"
"You are too relaxed about this situation."
"It's a nice place and almost self-sufficient."
"A lot of accidents can happen at this altitude."
"Stop making things worse than it is."
"You're making it worse! Ever since you came here you've been fawning over that woman like a lost child."
"Because I am a lost child! Do you realize how happy I am to find out that I have a mother?"
"What mother would abandon her child who she sees as nothing more than an experiment?"
"Don't you have some commandment of forgiving your enemy?"
"I do, but I am not stupid enough to not sense imminent danger coming towards us."
"Eva, don't you dare talk about my mother like that. She's my family."
"Jerri, what about us? We're your family!"
"Screw this shit. I'm sleeping downstairs."
"Jerri!"
Jerri exited the room at around midnight. It was dark, but hardly cold in the artificial night in the house. She quietly made her way to the sitting room and moved the couch pillows accordingly for her slumber. During that time, she saw Tenaya in her pajamas being embraced by Danya. Tenaya was smiling sadly, and she clung onto her love not wanting to let go. But Danya gently pushed her away, and then beautifully disintegrated into her orb form that then flew away. Tenaya returned to the house, sniffling, and Jerri reclined herself in the couch so that her housemaid would not notice.
"It's breakfast time girl," said Hina.
It was not the face she wanted to wake up to. Jerri got off the couch and pushed away Hina somewhat rudely as she headed to the breakfast nook. There was only Annette and Cherise at the table eating the food cooked by their mistress.
"Boy did you sleep like a log," said Annette.
"And you snored the part," said Cherise.
"What time is it?" Jerri asked. "And where's my family?"
"Your family is at the concrete biosphere trying out roller skates."
"Did you and your wife have a fight?" Annette asked.
"Where's my mother?" asked Jerri.
"In the church tuning the carillon," replied Cherise.
"Thanks."
"You're not going to eat?" asked Annette.
Jerri came back to munch on a piece of toast and drank down half of a glass of orange juice. Throwing an overcoat over the pajamas she wore, Jerri headed out into the village and entered the church through the front. Even though there were clocks and a regular solar schedule, it was still difficult to tell what time of day it was in Fortress Eschaton since it could move against the spin of the planet or faster than it. The sun that should be lighting the area would usually be too bright and harmful, so the biosphere windowpanes were constantly tinted even though it did not seem so.
There were stained glass windows depicting no one but colored patterns. There was a cloth-covered altar, but no religious books abused by human hands or gothic candles to light the night. There was no cross and no crucifix. There was nothing to indicate what denomination the church was a part of, but then there was no indication if it was supposed to be Christian church or a Jewish Synagogue. It might was well be the chapel of pure atheism or agnosticism.
The door that led to the bell tower was open, but it was actually carillon, a keyboard instrument that was designed to play the twenty-four bells like piano, but fists was used to hammer the keys. Jerri went through the door, which she never did since her arrival. It went straight into a stone staircase that led below the level, and as she went down it spiraled deeper. Once she hit a solid ground, Jerri could now hear the solid hum and whine of machines. Above her were wires, pistons, and shafts that controlled the carillon bells, and it led into room behind a plain double-door. Jerri entered, and she felt as if she entered a technologically enhanced music room.
There was an array of overhead video screens that were bordered by curtains. The control panels looked like an endless line of white piano keys and organ switches and dials with an ancient script printed onto them. The room dipped downward, and had a railing separating the walkway that to two adjacent rooms Jerri knew not where it went.
And direct in the center was a harpsichord more elegant and shimmering than the one in the house. Zoya, still in her blouse and corduroy pants, was giving such a detailing cleaning that she wore goggles and rubber gloves.
"Ah, Jerri," said Zoya, finally seeing her daughter. "Did you have a hearty breakfast? I am sorry that I wasn't there to eat with you and your family. But I didn't want to wake you from your peaceful slumber."
"You didn't show me this place."
"I suppose I forgot. My age must be catching up to me."
"Do you need any help?"
"Oh, don't trouble yourself. Please, sit down at the bench. I am almost finished."
Jerri sat. Zoya immediately put away her goggles and gloves into her tool bag along with the other tools and set aside. She gestured Jerri to scoot so that she could sit with her. With key cover flipped up, Zoya ran her fingers across the keys letting the sound reverberate for her to hear.
"Yes, it is in tune," she said.
"You're quite a fan of this instrument."
"I loved the harpsichord since I was young. Back then the piano was a more popular instrument, but it became too common for bubblegum pop ballads. The harpsichord has the voice of an elegant era governed by class and nobility."
Zoya began playing a bright and melodious tune that entranced Jerri as if it was a lullaby. Jerri swayed side to side as she basked her mother's audible talent, and then she accidentally fell onto her shoulder.
"Sorry!" said Jerri.
"That is all right. This was the song I would play to you when you were but an infant."
Finally, the tears rolled down from Jerri.
"Jerri, I'm sorry," said Zoya. "You know that I didn't want to euthanize you, but you would have been put into a much worse situation if the Congregational Corporation or Nataraja Agriculture discovered you."
"You should have... you should have taken care of me even when I was supposedly dying. Because of that, I had to put through sexual abuse, rapes, and being used as a toy by other women."
"But if I haven't sent you down, you wouldn't have met Eva, correct?"
Jerri nodded. "She's very suspicious of you."
"I understand completely."
"Then why all this? Why must you commit these sins against humanity?"
"It's because I love you. The truth is that I want to create a world you can live happily with the sisters you will mate to produce a new era. I can't let these people survive after how they treated you. After all, half of their genes came from arrogant men and the other half from hysterical women. I can't let you go down now because... I have already killed all the known males on this planet."
Jerri's eyes widened.
"I didn't mean to. My children confirmed it right after you came up to live with me here. Word will spread fast that you and your daughters are the only people able to impregnate us. Wars the likes of which you haven't seen will be fought over you and your family due the access of ancient technology that nearly destroyed our world and civilization hundreds of years ago.
"I truly care for the safety of your wife and your children. I really do. So please do not leave my sight until the time is right. That is why I am sending Danya and the others to seed the land with strong crops and strong creatures for your domination. Right now, only I can protect you from the world at large."
"But we'll forsake the people below."
"I am sorry, I cannot find the means to save them. You should know that you can't impregnate them if you can't experience true love."
"But my children can..."
"I can't risk it. Many will have died by the time the are older and willing, and I don't want them to be exposed to the ancient diseases sleeping on the surface."
"So my friends down there... we're going to let them die naturally then."
"I won't harass them any longer. For the future of all humanity, please stay here."
Zoya hugged the trembling Jerri, who had finally stopped crying.
"Mommy," Jerri said.
"Jerri," said Zoya. "Oh, my Zoyana."
The twins were put on a wagon towed by Tenaya on in-line roller skates, while Evie dashed and skipped around attempted to perform tricks, but it would not be so under Eva's supervision.
She didn't want to confront Jerri when she woke up, so watching her children and nursemaid play would have been a good distraction if not for the presence of Flame Sniper Lindwe and Crystal Dancer Kaguya. The fire and ice duo were watching them too intently, and their eyes blinked in all-too regular intervals.
"Mama!" Evie cried. "Look at this!"
"Evie, let's go back to the house and wake up Amam," said Eva.
"Already?"
"I think it is still too soon Jerri's wife," said Lindwe.
"Eva," replied Eva. "It's Eva. Tenaya, bring the twins to the platform. Evie come over here."
"Danya won't be back for quite a while."
"Tenaya, don't listen to her."
Tenaya nodded, but then Lindwe and Kaguya appeared before them.
"Out of the way," said Eva.
"Very well," said Lindwe. "Kaguya, shall we?"
"Indeed," hissed Kaguya. The two MA Units stepped aside to allow Eva and her family to pass.
Before they could even step into the platform, the ground suddenly disintegrated, and the family was now freefalling rapidly to the blue Earth. Lindwe and Kaguya remained where they were as if they were still on the ground, watching with playful grins the hapless family disappearing into the atmosphere.
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