Idunn

Hidden Garden space station, Year 2456 of the Assurian calendar

- I finally spoke with her.

My gaze trailed over her body, engraving every detail in my memory. Her shoulder length blue hair with a white streak flowing over her right shoulder showed her Assurian heritage. Her toned body was covered in silvery scars, marring her otherwise perfect? Form. I smoothed them over with my hand, making them disappear. I smiled, happy of my handiwork.

My eyes glided over the highlighted damaged area of Fenicia’s body that the quantum field generator showed me. The device highlighted the young woman’s physiology and enabled me to zoom in onto any damage, infection, or other problem it detected within her. With her unique blend of races, there were several things that it detected as anomalies which were actually perfectly normal for her - it was one of the reasons it took me several weeks longer than usual to safely wake her up, I had to decide what needed to be fixed, and what was already normal. I then repaired and treated them with nanites. Once done I reinforced and optimised her nervous system, allowing for faster transmission of information to the brain - and therefore faster reflexes, while keeping them flexible enough that they could be used in her Saryan warrior form.

- I had spoken to her, but she still doubted we were family, hmm. It’s a problem; yes yes, I could have played with her memory to make her believe me. But there are some things you do not do to family, some lines you do not cross. Family, huh. It had become a strange concept to me, after all my own family kicked me out of Assurian space deeming me too “dangerous”.

To them.

My project of creating a hybrid of Saryan and Assurian blood succeeded. But the fact that I used my own genetic material caused this obsessive need to have her in my life and under my protection, but to them? She was a monster - impure… tainted.

- Sighing mentally, I remembered how 22 years ago I was hunted by those of the house of Lyss. I had to temporarily give up the raising of Fenicia to her sperm donor, he didn’t do a good job of caring for her and my crusade against the Assurian house of Lyss went on for far too long. They paid for it, in the end; their destruction is almost complete because of me. Only the founders are left. Still, they can do damage and I suspect that my space station isn’t safe anymore. Whatever means they employ, if I can optimize Fenicia, their plans will be rent asunder.

I wish I could have been there for her when she was younger. From her memories I perceive she had it rough compared to how spoiled I was in my own childhood. Her sperm donor created this inferiority complex in her that makes her wants to outperform the best and brightest, she did well, even with her abilities sealed. Mastering her body, then her weapons. She even went as far as becoming a pilot for starships and various assault spacecraft, Fenicia obtained other minor talents, skill discs have been slotted into her bio implants. I replaced them with the ones my Dark friend from earth gave me as payment for the last job I did for her.

I need to tweak her brain to give her at least a little more processing power, maybe two percent of a quantum crystal computer? I need to run more simulations to check if her brain can take that load. Hmm, Saryan physiology is really resilient - all but indestructible even; I shouldn’t worry too much. Their muscles are the perfect mix of stamina and power, their bones are as hard as carbon steel. There is still the old mystery about the Saryan race - were they engineered or the product of nature? My opinion leans on the first hypothesis. And I don’t think tha…

Ping.

Doctor you have received a message.

“Always. Always, when I am doing something important!” I screamed.

“Show on screen.” And the computer showed me a little window with a brief message.

You have been found.

A. A.

It surprised me, really. But it shouldn’t have, I’d believed that I would be safe in an uncharted system between human space and the Shdeveri Dominion. The resources deployed to find me must have been staggering. I do not feel fear exactly, but pride that my enemies have expended so many resources to locate me. Or to say it differently, I’m flattered. I’m a little scared for Fenicia however. The operation to make her whole again must not be rushed…

“Fenicia, I guess we will have to give you the full augmentation package.”

Helena my dear Dark friend, you must have foreseen this moment huh? Precognition has always been a suspected ability of yours. I understand why you insisted, now. My hand slid over to my keyboard. I slowly inputted the special authorization code for the release of the special nanites; this will irrevocably change my prodigal daughter.

“I’m sorry, my darling daughter. It seems that I have placed another burden on your frail shoulders.”

I watched the swarm of little machine cover Fenicia entirely, entering the cavities of her body to get to work. A countdown appeared on the screen of my super computer, two days to complete the conversion. I hope that I can hold on this much, or else the cookies are going to be burned.

“Everything rests on you, darling.”

***

Fenicia

Hidden Garden space station, stellar date unknown

I woke up in a tank filled with green tinted water, no it isn’t water; it’s a special viscous liquid used for regeneration tanks on ships and stations Usually they are stationed within their medical labs and wards. I felt the water inside the tank being flushed away, I stayed still until the tank completely emptied. I’m going to be free, and make that bitch pay for strapping me to that lab table. Nobody does that to me. Nobody! Even my actual mother, never mind someone only claiming to be my mother, would not get my permission to restrain me. When my feet touch the bottom, I can finally feel my whole body. I’m… feeling good. Better than my regular top form. The tank opened, and I found myself outside it in an instant.

“Huh?”

I thought about it and moved, but how come I am already fully outside of the tank? The anti-static, kinetic absorption orange tiles prevented me from slipping on the ground - normally I shouldn’t be coordinated enough to remain standing after near instantaneous movement. I made a fist with my right hand, another with my left and it felt... weird. Like I had two dominant arms. What is the word for it? I clicked my fingers trying to find the word on the tip of my tongue.

“It’s called being ambidextrous, Fenicia.” A female voice jolted me out of my thoughts.

“You again...” I trailed off. Seemingly out of nowhere, she appeared before me eyes.

Wait no, I’m the one who moved. I managed to get up close, got into her face and was already grabbing the crazy lady by her collar - all in a matter of an instant. Thinking about it, this might not have been a very good idea, this crazy woman almost certainly has insurance to make sure I don’t kill or maim her, and I’m not exactly feeling confident I could survive whatever she has planned.

“Good morning darling. How are you feeling?” She asked warmly.

Even being held in that uncomfortable position she was unafraid - she definitely got something to stop me, but all I could see was… care, and another emotion I didn’t want to guess at. I put her down; weirdly I think it would be fruitless to even harm her. This little woman must be crazy to even stand up to me.

“Fine.” I said as I scanned the laboratory. The dumb lab table was still there, some clothes lying there neatly folded upon it.

“Yes they are for you, training clothes.” The lady said as a way of explanation.

She looked jittery, she seemed to hesitate when pressing me to don the clothes, but it must just be me. Yet again I found myself near the table without remembering how I got here and started putting the clothes on. White undies, black leggings and a t-shirt. The kind which can easily be created by fabricators. At least I don’t feel naked anymore.

“You have a good way to go, before having your speed and reflexes under control.” The crazy lady said, watching me intensly.

“And we don’t have enough time. You must be in control of your body before the mercenaries get here.”

“Huh, what?” I turned toward her, this was new - and possibly worrying information, if my last job really was for Ares, and it had gone wrong, then there could be serious repercussions.

The fuck is she saying? Please don’t let this be like that cliché scenario where I am woken up and have to defend that woman from waves of tin soldier with a knife and a Pistol. I saw that vid, and I hated the main character.

“Daneel, show Fenicia the results of the deep space sensors.”

A holoscreen appeared between me and Idunn, it showed our position in the star system. A medium sized space station called Hidden Garden orbiting an M class planet that is in turn orbiting a gas giant. The kind of situation that, in my opinion, was bat-shit-crazy levels of unsafe. There were two asteroid belts in the system. The first was closer to the star than us, and the other was further out than the gas giant. I thoroughly checked through the whole system map, at the edges, further away from the central star than any other significant planetary body, was a fuzzy point which advanced in hyperspace. The sensors had picked up another thing, it seemed to appear and disappear intermittently, that could only mean it was a ship… clearly a ship with stealth tech, let’s not deny it - advancing on a trajectory that would take it straight towards the M class planet. The number of details made me whistle in astonishment.

“Can you see the model and type of ship? I have never seen long range sensors this precise.” I asked, marveling at the mystifying tech.

“Not till they enter in range of the short range scanners, my dear. And when that happen we are going to know the make, the hyperdrive signature, it’s weapons… even the number of crew inside.” Idunn’s face displayed a thoughtful look.

“You are right, it looks like I might need to bring my A game for this one. I will cooperate with you for now.” I said, still studying the data.

“Show me how to master myself again.” I locked eyes with her through the holoscreen.

“While we still can.”