Afain sighed, her emotions were running wild and the Hatchling was moving around causing her stomach to turn. "Kira the timing was wrong on both sides but your posting was…….more important to you and I felt I could not hold you back from that opportunity. It has helped you become what you are today."
Kira shook her head, "You could have told me, I would have had a choice."
Afain was now trembling, "There was no choice……you had to go and I was not about to stop you from fulfilling your dreams." She smiled for she knew that Kira was a better person now that she had that experience out there on the frontier. Tears flowed and she couldn't stand to stay there any more….this was just too hard.
Afain ran off followed closely behind by Kira and it didn't take much for her to catch her.
"Hold on Afain…..I ….I didn't know."
She shook all over, "I know…..it was wrong of me not to tell you."
"You had your reasons…..I see that now."
Afain looked into Kira's beautiful green eyes, "You just meant so much to me, I knew your hopes, your dreams and I knew if I told you that you would have stayed. I couldn't let that happen."
"Afain I …….." There wasn't anything else to say but to embrace her and Afain felt something she hadn't felt in a very long time, whole. Afain cried in Kira's arms. It seemed that the past had been bottled up so long now it flowed out of her like a river; a river of hope.
They moved into what was a living area, it had lovely comfortable chairs and sofas. On one wall was huge monitor one that would make anyone envious. They sat and stroked each other until it seemed all the emotional out pour had melted away.
"You know this isn't what I expected to happen." Kira said softly to Afain.
"I knew you'd be mad." She grinned.
"Mad….oh you should have seen me when the guards showed up."
"I heard…." She frowned.
"Afain, what's all this about?…..I know you and this isn't like you."
Afain got up and called for Cleo, the sphere came quickly and took up stance beside her. "Kira this is Cleo. Cleo this is Kira….whom you saw earlier."
"Hello programmer #2 Kira."
Kira got up off the sofa and moved in to take a closer look at Cleo. "Afain, do you know what this is??" It suddenly came to her, that this was what had taken her down.
"Yes, it's Cleo."
"No…..no…..what it is…..it's a guardian!!! I've only ever seen two of these things." Kira was awed.
"Yes I knew it was a guardian, it was given to me by the Emperor herself."
Now Kira was impressed, "Why?"
"Because of this; Cleo, transmit hanger data of the ship and display it on this monitor."
"Understood." Suddenly the giant monitor came to life and there was the ancient ship in all its glory. "This is why I brought you here." To say that Kira was impressed was an overstatement.
"Ok, it's a space ship." She shrugged.
"A very old spaceship. It's an Evangelion Y2 Scientific craft. That's about the extent I know about it, there are almost no records of it. I was lucky to find this much."
"Ok, it's very old…..so?"
History wasn't something that Kira excelled in or really cared about. "It's a ship from the 2nd Dynasty."
Kira blinked. "You're joking right?"
Afain shook her head, "No."
"Afain that thing has to be…….." Afain saw Kira trying to do the math and figured she save her the time.
"Over a 1000 years old."
"Yeah, guess you knew that already." She again shrugged, "It's all surprising but I still don't see what it has to do with me."
"This is where it gets a bit unbelievable but this is why you were brought here, because it's still alive!" Kira was shocked. "And it has the seal of the Empire protecting it."
"WHAT!!!!!!!" She couldn't believe it. "Now you are joking." She said with sarcasm.
"No I'm not and that's why I need you." She didn't take her eyes off Kira.
Kira thought about things for a moment then spoke, "Afain, there is nothing on this world that will talk to that craft. It's almost like an Alien from another planet."
Afain sighed knowing that this was the problem, "But we knew how to talk with it at one time in our history."
Kira looked at Afain and knew that this was serious. "Afain that language is long lost, nothing we have today even runs on what it does."
"Then we will have to make something." Afain said with assertiveness.
Kira sat back on the sofa and thought, this was ridiculous. "What's so special about this ship? Why not just kill it? It's probably close to dying anyway."
"The Emperor feels that it has data on it of significant value and I have been hired to try to extract it."
"Afain, as I said, there isn't anything that can talk to it."
"Kira you're the expert on this, that's why you're here, there has to be something!"
She sighed, she thought about it and something came to mind. "There might be one thing that could talk to it, another powerful organic."
Afain understood what that could entail, "Are you sure?" Months, even years might have to be used just training the organic to respond to them. She shook her head.
"Afain I'm sure; no machine is going to be able to interpret any of the signals from that old craft. To complicate matters, no science laboratory will give me a new organic to work with." Kira thought it was hard enough to get what equipment she wanted now.
Afain took a deep breath she was so tired. She sat down next to Kira. "I'll tell you this." She swallowed then continued. "I did not drag you here because of our relationship. I called you because of your skill. If there is anyone on this world that could make something talk to that old fossil; it's you."
She was taken aback, in the past Afain had called her a no good hacker and very lucky. Now it seemed like she was doing a big turn around. "If you do not want to work on this then I will have to find another, I won't force you."
Kira's mind wasn't on the old ship; just Afain. She had always been attracted to her. Her blue fur offset hers and the fact now she was carrying made her all the more attractive. She caressed her ear and she moaned a bit. She was extremely sensitive in that area. Afain looked up into her former lovers eyes and saw what she had always seen, love.
"Kira, this isn't a good time to be doing that." Afain said in a soft voice, she wanted it so badly but it was beyond her at this time.
"Why not?" Kira purred. It was obvious that her presence now had taken a calming influence on her.
"I'm very tired, I got up early this morning to meet you. I also have an early appointment with the Emperor."
This surprised her. "The Emperor! Can I come?"
"I suppose…. but you haven't given me an answer."
"I'll help you Afain, never could turn you down." Then she pinched Afain's ear.
"OW!!" Afain cried as she jerked up right from her comfortable position.
"But first you have to tell me why you were calling me from a hospital bed." Kira grinned.
Oh God, she figured that out. She sighed, "I forgot to take my pills." She put her head down for she knew she was going to get a tongue-lashing.
"What pills, are you ill?" Afain had never taken medication that she knew of.
"In a way, seems this little one and I don't get along too well, it produces a toxin and if too much builds up in my system I shut down. That's what happened to me."
"But…..you're ok……and the hatchling???"
"We are fine, now that I'm taking my pills again." Afain stroked Kira's head, reassuring her that everything was fine.
She liked that, it was good to have her back. "That's good to hear." Kira sighed out loud.
"Kira I'm really sorry I dragged you off your project but you weren't listening to me."
Kira put on a big smile for Afain. "It's ok, you're forgiven. You have given me quite a challenge and you know I like those. I will be able to contact my second to help her out ….right?"
"Yes Kira….we have time to get your affairs in order you just can't go back there."
"Great…." At least she could do that.
She rose and gave Kira another rub on her head. "If you want to go with me to see the Emperor then be ready by 5 am."
"5 am!"
"The shuttle leaves for the orbiting Palace at 6 am, we must be on it."
"Okay."
"Goodnight Kira." And as she walked away she said softly, "It's nice to have you here again."
Kira watched Afain walk away and vanish from view, then she gently got up and looked at the view screen once more. "Ok ghost ship from our past I'll solve your mystery." She ordered the house to turn the screen off and she too headed for bed. She thought about joining Afain but then she thought it best to take things slowly.
Cleo, who had been recording the whole thing, edited the conversation and sent it off to the Emperor.
Afain briefed Kira on the formalities of greetings and for most cases you just kept your mouth shut unless spoken to. They entered into the Emperors Chambers backwards and waited for her to acknowledge them.
"Ah, Historian #1 Afain and Programmer #2 Kira, come in come in." They both turned and approached the Emperor. "So how are you this fine morning?"
"Very well, your Majesty." Said Afain.
"Most well, your Worship." Kira said, she had never been this close to the Emperor; she was awed.
"I am glad to hear you have recovered Historian #1 Afain. Minister Garan made me aware of your condition. I am pleased to see you are up and around again."
"Thank you your Majesty."
"I take it you have heard or seen that our prize has arrived on Tarra."
"Yes your Majesty."
"You may use an informal tone Afain. This also applies to you as well Kira."
Afain was glad the Emperor lowered the formalities; it made it easier to speak. "Thank you Madame."
"So how goes your research? I understand it hasn't been that long but I was just curious you see."
"Madame, I have some information." She didn't want to tell her the truth but she was going to have to. "This task is going to be very difficult to accomplish."
"Hmm, I suspected as much. What obstacles have you encountered?"
She was glad the Emperor understood that this wasn't going to be easy. "The protocols that the ship has evoked will be extremely difficult to translate and communicate. It is using the language of the ancients, which we all know have not been spoken or written in hundreds of years. Our Language and machines have evolved past this ancient ship. Everything will have to be relearned just to break the Seal of the Empire surrounding the craft."
The Emperor was quiet for a few moments and looked outside several times before responding to Afain. "I understand the task that has befallen you Afain and Kira. The counsel has backed me on its cost and efforts put fourth. I understand too that many a lost skill will have to be learned but I and the counsel feels that if you are successful the benefits to our culture will outweigh anything that we pay now. I am a patient Emperor and the counsel has been told not to expect results any time soon. If it takes years then so be it. You have the backing of this Emperor and the counsel and I will abide by what decisions that you make in these matters."
She was awe struck, to have this much faith, well it rattled her. No one had ever put that much faith into what she had to say. "Thank you for your trust, your Majesty."
"Is there anything else you have to tell me?"
Kira cleared her throat and spoke. "We will need an Organic; a very powerful one."
"Hmmm, is there a problem getting one programmer Kira?"
"There may be Madame."
The Emperor knew there would be obstacles, many in fact. "Understood, then put your request in as to which one will be suitable and we will go from there. I knew there would be some things that you would need that would cause a stir in the counsel. An Organic is one of them. So be it. Is there anything else?"
"Nothing I can think of at this time your Majesty."
"Good, now go the two of you and accomplish the impossible for the Empire."
They bowed. "Yes your grace." They left in haste, for they knew the Emperor was a busy person.
"Well that was short." Kira said.
"I'm glad that she and the counsel understands that this won't be accomplished in a few days."
Kira chuckled, "More like a few years." Kira said sarcastically.
She knew Kira was joking but it could take that long or even longer. "It's possible, let's find somewhere to sit, it's way too early for me. I feel exhausted."
Kira looked at Afain and thought she didn't look very well. "Ok." They found a lounge and sat.
"Looks like we'll go and put your knowledge to work." Afain said.
"What?"
"What I mean is what kind of Organic are we going to need?"
"Oh, I see. I have been thinking of an A7 but I think we are going to have to go higher."
Afain now was confused, she knew a little bit about computers but really nothing of Organics. "Ok let's start at, what's an A7?"
Cleo was about to answer that question but it had something else occupying its thoughts, Afain's blood pressure was beginning to rise somewhat. The hatchling's was also, it couldn't be sure what exactly was happening but now was keeping a close watch on things.
Kira looked at bit puzzled but then apologized, "Oh sorry Afain, an A7 would be used to run a small moon. Mostly they're geared for keeping things stable, like atmospheric conditions and such. But I'm doubting that will suffice, I think were going to need one that can run a Star Cruiser."
"I doubt that it will be easy to get one. For that matter they may not even have one available."
"Well you have the Emperors Authority, 'bout time you used some of it."
"Yes I suppose but I don't like pushing citizens around."
"I know Afain but I don't think we're going to get anything accomplished if we don't. We can try to be civil about it."
"Ok, we'll look…….." Afain's abdomen lurched suddenly with so much force that she threw up the entire contents of her stomach all over Kira. Then she collapsed in a trembling heap leaving Kira screaming for help. Cleo had noticed the sudden rise in temperature and abnormalities in Afain's body and had already called for a medical team.
End of Chapter Three.
Oh No!! She fall down and go boom again……sigh……..i gotta write better endings.
Nothin' says love like warm puke in the morning…