The Emperor put her hand on the top of the case and it glowed for a second or two then clicked open. Then she lifted the lid and took out a shining sphere. Garan raised an eyebrow. It was larger than her paw but she seemed to be able to handle it. "Ahem." The Emperor said clearing her throat. "Afain have you ever seen anything like this before."
Afain had turned her attention towards her Emperor and came forward looking at the shining sphere. She had seen one before when she was just little and out with her Guardian (Father or father figure), who had taken her on a tour of one of the lord's castles. One of the high guards had one of these things floating above her. Her Guardian had told her it was a machine with great powers. She wasn't really sure that what her Guardian said to her was the truth, so she denied ever seeing one. "No Madame, I have not." She had asked her Bearer (Birth Mother) if she knew what her Guardian had said was true but she did not know.
The Emperor sighed, "I will let it explain. Put out your hand." Afain did as she was instructed and the Emperor placed the sphere in her paw. "This will hurt for a few moments but don't let go of the sphere."
"Yes Madame."
The Emperor put her paw on the sphere and said, "Initiate." Then quickly removed her paw and the sphere began to glow. "Merge," commanded the Emperor and the sphere turned bright white.
Afain felt a burning sensation throughout her arm and then her body. She desperately wanted to drop the glowing object but she held it fast, then it was over.
"Process Complete." Said a mechanical voice that had come from the sphere.
"Good, the sphere will give you more freedom to do your work Afain, without having to ask permission from everyone. It is a symbol of authority, do not abuse it."
She looked at the sphere in her hand. "Thank you my gracious Emperor, it is a precious gift. I thank you for your trust." She had no idea what had been given her, but she was about to find out.
"Now go Afain, go prepare for the arrival of the ship. Gather whatever or whomever you need." The Emperor had turned her attention to Garan and was about to speak, but Afain had an awkward question to ask. "Many Pardons my Emperor."
The Emperor turned to face Afain again. "Yes Afain."
"How do I get back to Tarra?" She bowed her head for it was a silly question but she had no answer for it.
"Ask your Guardian, now go."
Afain did as the Emperor commanded and traveled down the hall a short ways before she stopped and looked at the shining sphere she held. It was not the lightest thing in the world and in her condition she had already become tired out. The stress of meeting the Emperor had put a strain on her system. Not knowing what to call it she just used Guardian as a general term. "Guardian I wish to return to Terra. Will you show me how I can?"
The device began to move on its own power and she quickly released it. It took up a floating position just a little above her head and a little forward of her. "Follow me." It said in a mechanical voice, it seemed she did not have much choice in the matter, so she did as asked.
Afain didn't know but Guardians or Spheres were the cutting edge of Zargozian Technology. They could shape change, translate and act as personal computer. They also had defensive and offensive weapons. They could become body armor, or just plain street clothes. Very few people knew exactly what they were capable of. In time the Guardians could become companions and given enough stimulus they could even develop personalities. Although it took a very long period of time for an AI to absorb that type of knowledge, this one however was different. It was programmed to make a personality for itself. This was a new step in their evolution and they would see how this one got along.
She found walking just too hard and too long for her and finally she had to tell the sphere to stop. She sighed heavily and could go no further. She panted continually trying to catch her breath, it almost seemed futile.
"Do you wish to rest here, or should I carry you the rest of the way Historian #1 Afain?" The sphere said in a monotone voice. Its tone made talking to it very impersonal. It was almost on the rude side.
Carry, now that she could go for, she wished it had asked a long time ago, "Yes please if possible I would like to continue." The Sphere shifted forms and became a flat circular disc that sank to the floor.
"Please step on Historian #1 Afain."
She was impressed and did as it asked and the plate rose off the floor slightly then started moving forward quickly, too quickly for her. "STOP! STOP!" She screamed and it did, promptly. She flew off the plate and hit the floor and rolled with a thud. This was embarrassing, she thought, as she picked herself off the floor and straightened out her clothes. The plate said nothing and sat there unmoving.
"Why have we stopped Historian #1 Afain?" The plate asked.
This was getting on her nerves, she was tired and this thing wasn't making her life any easier. "Ok, first command, you will address me as Afain from now on, understood?" She again began to pant it seemed she was having a bit of trouble getting her wind back.
"Understood Afain." It promptly said.
"Secondly moving along with out any supports to hold on to is scary and dangerous. You saw what happened when you stopped."
"Yes Afain, I was in error." She watched as rods grew from the plate to form suitable bars to hold onto. "Are the rods sufficient support? I can add more if you wish."
She climbed on and gripped the rods and they adjusted to the height of her arms automatically. "These will be sufficient Guardian."
"Then may I proceed?"
"Yes you may." The plate began to move again and she held onto the supports. This is more like it she thought. "Do you have a name Guardian?" She was curious.
"No Afain." , said the mechanical voice.
"A designation or something?"
"I have a building code."
"Ok what is that?"
"C.1.E.0."
She thought about it then put it together, "CLEO"
"CLEO..?? I don't understand Afain."
She thought she might better ask this thing first before she went and put a label on it. "Do you wish to have a name?"
"Do I need one, Afain?"
"It would make things easier for me if you did."
"Then I need a name."
"Then pick one."
"It went silent for a few moments and gently turned down a corridor. Then it spoke again, "You said the word Cleo a moment ago. Do you wish for that to be my name?"
"Do you like it?"
"I'm not sure if I understand the question."
This was becoming exasperating, "Ok do you object to me calling you Cleo?"
"I have no objections to that Afain."
"Ok from now I will refer to you as Cleo, but at later time you may change it if you wish."
"Why would I want to do that Afain?"
Arrraggh she thought. Sometimes advanced technology could be so stupid. "Never mind Cleo."
They traveled very far and she was sure even in her best condition she wouldn't have been able to make this walk. At the end of the corridor stood two Elite Guards but Cleo made no attempt to stop or slow down.
"Cleo don't we have to stop?"
"You forget Afain you carry a symbol of the Empire with you. You do not have to stop unless ordered to."
They traveled past the guards to an open alcove where she could see the inside of the spaceport. "Look at all the ships." She couldn't believe it, she had never seen so many.
"There are forty-three at present docking, four approaching for dock, eight preparing to leave."
They took a few more corridors and finally arrived at an airlock. It had the Empire's seal upon the door, which meant this was an imperial shuttle.
"Cleo we can't use this ship?"
"We can now. Please disembark, I need to change forms."
"Oh, sorry." She stepped off the platform and watched Cleo become a Sphere once again.
Cleo moved to a computer panel and then the airlock opened. "Cleo, will this ship have one of those special chairs? The last one was so comfortable; I'm going to have to order one when I get home. If they make a bed too, I'm getting that as well."
"All the Empires Ships come with what you call 'Special Chairs'. Come let me show you to your seat."
"Wait Cleo I need a space suit."
"Not in this ship you don't."
"Oh, good, I hated that thing." Cleo showed her how to put the restraints on. Once she was comfortable she pushed the massage button and basked in the marvels of technology.
She didn't even remember the flight, to her it felt instantaneous but she knew several hours had elapsed. She was again upon the ground of her home world and it felt good. Again Cleo became a platform for her to ride and began moving towards the personnel carrier area.
Afain became alarmed, "Cleo, we are not permitted in here." She knew that the personnel carriers were only for the Elite and the Emperors personnel but she wasn't one of them. They moved to a section where there were heavy security gates, but Cleo went through without any problem, the ships parked here shined with the iridescent colors of new ships, like oil on water. She had no idea why they would be in this section.
"We are now Afain. Please choose the carrier you wish to have."
"What! I cannot afford to own of these, beside I don't even know how to work one."
"It matters not Afain, choose one."
She looked at all the different models as Cleo passed them by. Each had its own uses but nothing really caught her eye, until. "Oh MY!" It was sleeker than all the rest but that wasn't what had gotten her attention. It was the fact that it was Sapphire Blue, her favorite colour.
Cleo stopped, "You like this one."
"It's Beautiful."
"One moment." She just stared at her reflection in the body of the sleek ship. It was a thing of beauty. "Done!" Cleo announced.
"What's done?" Afain asked.
"This vehicle is now yours. Shall we go?" Cleo moved around to the entrance hatch and became a sphere once again.
"Cleo, I told you I cannot own one of these things, I don't know how to fly or even maintain it."
"That is of no consequence, as you do own this vehicle now. Please enter and we will get underway. I have interfaced with its main onboard computer and have begun a pre-launch sequence."
The door of the sleek ship opened and she entered. She couldn't believe this was now hers. It was just as beautiful inside, with subtle blues and greens. It had many consoles and she wondered what all of them did.
Cleo came floating up to her. "You picked a very well designed vehicle." Then it floated back to the cockpit.
"Yes I like it too."
"I didn't say I liked it." Cleo said from the cockpit.
Afain laughed, "In a way you did." She yawned and felt the Hatchling move. "Cleo can we go home now, I'm really tired." She saw the chair and immediately sat in it; from that point on she didn't remember anything else.
She awoke to find Cleo floating above her. "Hi Cleo." She smiled at the sphere.
"Good morning Afain."
She shook her head, "It must be late evening, Cleo."
"No Afain it is mid morning, you have been a sleep for quite a while."
She covered her mouth, "Oh my! I didn't mean to…I take it we are close to home." She knew that there was not enough room for a transport vehicle to land at her place. But a port wasn't very far away. The walk, she thought, would do her good.
"We are home Afain." Cleo said.
"Huh! Open the hatch." Cleo did and she stepped out of the craft onto a landing pad. It was atop of a beautiful chalet over looking the Popillure Ocean, its pink beach was far below her, the cliffs were a sight to see. "Cleo!!" She called out in alarm to the sphere.
The sphere came out of the ship at her calling, "Yes Afain."
"This isn't my home!" She exclaimed. The home was huge; it had a pool and a satellite transmitter. Plus the landing pad that her new ship sat upon.
"It is now."
This infuriated her, "Now just wait a minute Cleo, I have a lot of things back there." She pointed in a direction that she wasn't sure was right, but it got the point across.
"They are no longer there." Cleo said calmly.
"What!!!"
"They are here now Afain." It paused then continued. "Everything was moved almost the minute you left for the Emperor's palace. She picked this spot for you personally, or so they told me."
She couldn't believe it, "For me." It was so beautiful she almost couldn't breathe. "Cleo I wish to make a recording."
"Understood, go ahead anytime."
"My Dearest Emperor, thank you for your most generous gift. Your choice of locality is awe-inspiring; its beauty is almost too much for ones eyes to behold. My gratitude is eternal, my many thanks. Long live the Emperor and the Dynasty in which she reigns. Please send that to the Emperor when you can."
"Understood."
"So all my things are here?" She just couldn't believe it, a ship, and a new home all in a matter of hours. She knew she would be saddened to leave this place when the assignment was finished, maybe just maybe she thought if I do a good enough job I will be become a permanent member of the Emperor's court. She sighed knowing it was all a dream.
"Yes, but your possessions may not be in an order or in places you want. I can have people come to help you move things, if things do not please you."
"Thanks Cleo."
"For what Afain?"
"For just being here at this moment." She stared at the beach below and waves breaking the beach. Also far below she could see the Gabbies (Seagulls) soaring. "Let's go see the house." She started to walk towards the beautiful home but felt strangely uneasy with each step she took. The world seemed funny and she couldn't begin to fathom why, then it occurred to her. "Cleo!" She said in alarm but it was too late.
Cleo watched as Afain fell unconscious to the hard landing pad.
End of Chapter 1
Oopsy she fall down and go boom!