Companionship - beyond flesh

Offspring

"Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall, Godlike erect, with native honour clad in naked majesty, seemed lords of all, and worthy seemed; for in their looks divine the image of their glorious Maker shone, truth, wisdom, sanctitude severe and pure, severe, but in true filial freedom placed, whence true authority in men: though both not equal seemed..." ~ Extract from Milton's first testament, IV:286

The globe that shone above the tree bathed Emma and Max in a golden, life-giving light. So warm and alluring was the feeling, that Max compelled, removed his shirt so that his skin could drink the vitality offered. He had always considered himself built for comfort, but was now pleased with the way his hard work over the weeks had improved his physique, fitting of a manly beard that had thickened nicely — not that Emma or anyone else cared, he was sure. 

They were close to the great tree; standing at the foot of the hortus and just at the edge of the branch-line. Max could now clearly make out the sapling forms that combined to make the trunk and boughs and branches. Each sapling was at least the length of a man, and it was clear that they were alive. Their bark translucent to a degree, revealing an underlying rainbow-like opalescence. They were in themselves wonderful, but Max had no clue as to how Emma could assign them to be "his children". He needed to know. 

"Emma, this place is like nowhere else, but how can you say that these—" he paused, searching for the correct words, "—tree creatures are my children? All I did was watch you plant seedlings and tend them in the ground, but this!?" He gestured with a shrug to the massive structure before them.

"It is simple Max. They have grown from zygotes prepared with the genetic material from my ova and fertilized by your sperm."

"Simple? All I really understood there were the words 'my sperm' and if I can guess what you are trying to say, well it's just not possible considering we haven't—", the right words again, "—you know, done-the-deed?"

"Ha ha, Max. You are humorous. Of course, the genetic information I obtained was from a snapshot of your organic system, synthesized and used in vitro with similarly synthesized eggs. The relevant sections of deoxyribonucleic acid used for the egg component, I scanned from my Mother, Emma Yee."

Max reached up to punch in a hit of doze, but Emma's arm shot out, signaling his hand to stop, "No Max. You must understand while of sound mind."

Max lowered his hand; she was right, it wasn't anxiety that called for relief, it was reality, and it was time to face his reality head-on. "Ok. It's just I don't want to sound rude, but these creatures don't look like something that any human parents would produce."

The tree rustled and Max, already edgy, jumped back.

Emma laughed, "You have heard this from me before — their thought and processing patterns are human — their needs and wants are human. Because they are beyond flesh does not mean that they, from that definition, should be excluded. After all, am I not human, then some?"

Max nodded; he recalled Emma's admission that she was not human because she could not see her death. But he knew that she was: more than human.

"They need a mother and father. When I first copied Emma Yee's pattern, while I could not hold her memories, there was a space for a concept called Mother and another, for Father. No matter how much knowledge I acquired or how many patterns I copied or merged, I could not fill the void for these places, although I tried. Emma Yee I call Mother, but only as she is my prototype. 

Look around and see my children.  I am a mother now, and the emptiness is filled. Tell me Max, can you remember your Mother?"

Max flinched; the memory of his Mother was a scar, "My Mother was not the type of person that should ever be a parent." He related emphatically, "she called me her 'unhappy accident' and used to lock me in a room with a dispenser and hygiene routine for weeks on end. 

"I never knew my Father, although I guess there is or was one out there  somewhere." 

A thought hit Max in a deep and profound way; he took a step towards Emma. His eyes downcast and shy, not comfortable expressing his feelings, "You know I do relate to the emptiness you hold for a mother and father and, I think the whole reason I'm here — the reason that I applied for a place on a twenty-four year mission — was so that I could build enough wealth to improve myself — find someone and make a family." He raised his eyes to meet the shimmering amber glow of hers, "I need family."

"So we are the same, Max. You and I?"

"Yes. We are the same."

The soiled clothing that Emma wore strained and ripped as her form grew slightly. She moved close to Max and wrapped him in her arms. There they stood for a long time.

The tree moved and turn-by-turn the branches gently twisted around to touch their parents embraced.

***

On the royal flagship Dragon, Senniella Atriplex withdrew her mind from The Machine and, in-so-doing, from the phase gate. "Now what do you have to say about that?" She asked The Machine aloud, bitterly, not expecting an answer.

When they had discovered the gateway, she had imagined uncovering a new world inhabited by a race of highly advanced beings. Instead, beyond the grey dimension, they found a soft man and cuckold robot lamenting over foregone family. She had watched the sweet love confessions and now, the disappointment, or other emotion that she would not admit feeling, fired an intense rage.

There was a request for entry. She could better influence others face-to-face so insisted that all communications be made in person. 

"Enter." she called hiding her mood.

Her Captain entered the dark, small and cluttered chamber. Bright diffused light followed the dark featured Costaria as he moved into the dim room, he paused to adjust his eyes to searching about the piles of tech junk for his leader. 

From a dark corner, a large shaggy grey animal jumped down to the floor. The wolf loped over to the Captain and sat by his side, nuzzling and licking friendly fingers; rewarded with a scratch to the head.

The Captain found Senniella seated in the shadows toward the rear of the room beside a large backlit processor interface. He moved forward with his usual confident stride but stopped dead as he read the anger on her flat face, his deep voice carried an abnormally formal address, "Your highness, the fleet has arrived at Nova Akropola dead space. Your command?"

"BURN IT!" She screamed with venom and the stoic man flinched. Eyes bulging, she wiped spit from her lip enraged, "Every father. Every mother. Every child. Burn them all!"

A stunned Costaria froze as she stood, kicked over a nearby stack of gadgets and spat, "Level the land.  Disintegrate each and every platform. Implode every ship. Do you understand me, Captain?"

Her servant replied quickly, "Yes Your Majesty." But had to ask, "The Hera?"

The Queen, snapped indignant, "Are you an idiot? Nothing has changed. Bring the processor to me."