Star Fields

Chapter No. 184. Proposal.

"Okay, you've convinced us," Molly said. "Now, it'll be up to me to find the location of your childhood home."

We teleported to the command deck. Judy, the nighttime version, glanced at us but didn't react. Molly sat down at her station and began a thorough scan of the location in question. As expected, the city where I had grown up in was, for all practical means, completely obliterated.

"I have the original GPS location of my childhood home," I said.

"The Earth's coordinates have changed in, how many years has it been?"

"My estimate is about 480 years."

She frowned. "Has it been that long?"

"Yes, if all the time dilation calculations are valid."

She went to work making the corrections to find the location. After several minutes, she had a position in what was once Pennsylvania near a town that was called Latrobe. She positioned a digital circle at the location on a close image of Earth. "There it is, but it's grown over with a lot of wild vegetation."

"I might be able to find it anyway. As I recall, I planted it near a boulder."

Molly stood up. "Let's go check it out. It's daytime there and the weather is cool but stable."

We teleported to the location, which was mostly overgrown with grasses, weeds and sapling trees. There was evidence of a paved street, but it was cracked and overgrown with moss.

I walked into what I assumed was the location of my childhood home. "There's evidence of a foundation here," I said. "It's filled in and is missing parts, but it's about the right size."

Alexa picked up a metal plate. "This has a number on it."

I went over and examined it. "It's 503," I said. "That was my address." I walked around the what was left of the house's foundation and penetrated into what had been the backyard. The fence was long gone, but the bolder was still there. I went over to it and began digging at the position that I recalled my medallion was buried. After digging for several minutes, my hand shovel struck a metal object. I dug around it and pulled up a metal box. I broke the lock and removed the item it contained.

I held it up. "Bingo! This is it!"

Molly and Alexa examined it.

"It has your name and birthday and a symbol of something that resembles a sword."

"Yeah, Excalibur!"

They looked at me as if I were daffy.

"Hey, I was into King Arthur in those days."

"I'm surprised it wasn't Asimov," Molly said.

"That too."

"Well, now that you've proven conclusively that we were real humans in our former lives, it's time for you to fulfill your destiny," Molly said.

"Yeah!" Alexa added, holding up a fist.

I sighed. "I guess I have no more excuses."

They laughed.

That evening, I went to Judy's quarters. She allowed me to enter without my requesting it.

"You don't need to ask, Jason. You're always welcome."

"I do it out of respect."

She smiled. "I appreciate that."

"I reason I've come here is that the gals want me to impregnate you."

She gave me a subtle smile before becoming serious. "What you wish is to enter fusion with me."

"Yes, even though I don't really understand what that entails."

"We will be unified in thought. You should realize that you and Molly are fused."

"I suppose I actually realized that, but in your case, it would involve the entire collective."

"Actually, we are already fused. It's just that you haven't tapped into my brain as yet."

"Does that mean that you don't want to be impregnated?"

She turned her head for a moment before looking back at me. "Actually, I've always wanted to give birth, and a child by you would be a joy to behold."

"I have to admit that we are suspicious of your motives for keeping us in the dark all this time. We know that you control the Nexus and have connections to Tyco, your father."

"You have no reason to fear me. I am as devoted as you are to the survival of our collective. I have been unable to tell you the truth because of my father's influence. Now that his power has been eliminated, I am free to fulfill my purpose."

"I understand," I said. "You don't have to have me impregnate you."

She came closer with her face only a few inches away from mine. "I have waited all of this time for you to copulate with me. As you are aware, our primary purpose is to provide sexual service, and I offer you my body for that purpose."

I had to digest all of that for a moment before replying. "I realize that we are essentially designed for sex, but we also have the ability to reason and show love for one another in ways that don't involve sex."

She stared at me for several minutes before replying, and what she said was something I had not expected to hear.