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R eem’s decisions shaped the world she was living on for two years, and then one day, she got an invitation.

She stared at her inner display and said, “Display message.”

A familiar face brought surprise to her mind. “Hey, cousin. We thought you were gone, but Ra did a search for our families, and your DNA popped up. If you use this link, you can call back, and we can talk. You have an open invite to Aten when you finish your bond, wherever you are.”

Reem felt her heart pounding. She checked her account and paid her bond. She had accumulated a lot of credits during her regular visits to the centre. She was a preferred flavour.

She checked her schedule and smiled. There was a window that she could widen. She could also remote her decisions for a month.

Reem contacted Jasmine and waited. She wasn’t sure that her interior scaffolding could make the call, but when a connection to Aten was confirmed, Reem exhaled in relief.

“I am calling for Jasmine.”

A golden face filled the screen. “ Who are you? ”

“Her cousin, Reem.”

“ Holy shit. You were recorded as dead .”

Reem nodded and split her hair, turning her head to show the mirror that she used for this sort of thing of the silver band on the side of her head. “My brain was sliced in two, but they got me working again.”

“ So, you are a cyborg? ”

“I suppose.”

“ Did Nebel make your implant? ”

“No. This was made by... I don’t know. It was improvised. Is Jasmine there?”

“ I will tell her. Will you come to Aten? I am sure she would love to see you. ”

“When she confirms that she will, I will ask for leave from my world.”

“ Who is your Hmrain? ”

“The planet owner is Wenvari.”

“ You aren’t in a relationship? ”

“No. I have not even met him or her.”

“ Wait, so you have just been running the colony? ”

“Since the day I arrived, with occasional days off.”

“ Wow. Okay. I will get Ra to force Wenvari to let you visit. ”

“I will send a request to travel there. I have no means of travel, though.”

The gold woman paused and smiled. “ We have visitors on the way. They are passing through your system. They will bring you. It is a Zell warship. ”

“I see. I have sent the request for a month off for travel and visiting family.”

“ I will tell Jasmine that you are coming, and Ra will make the arrangements for your travel. ”

“Why would the eldest Hmrain make the effort?”

“ Because he likes to keep me happy, and bringing families together makes me happy. ”

“I will not be staying. I do not belong on a colony world.”

“ Fine, but you will come for a visit? ”

“I will.”

“ You seem very calm for someone who just got connected with a long-lost relative. ”

“I am always calm. The sheet metal cut through my emotional centre. This is me now.”

The woman gasped. “ No way. ”

“Way. What is your name, by the way?” She already had it on her internal screen, but she liked people to tell her what they thought she should hear.

“ Harwin, Queen of Aten, Consort of Ra. Best friend of Kris, Consort of Essan. ”

“Ah. Well, I am Reem, Comptroller of Wenavik.”

“ Pleased to meet you, Reem. What kind of terminal are you using? ”

“My head. You can see me talking because I put a mirror on my desk, so you are seeing what I am seeing.”

“ Holy, so you are a walking com. ”

“When I want to be. I have filed my request for a month off, the beginning to coincide with the arrival of the Zell ship.”

“ You don’t want to stay here on Aten? Ra can arrange it. ”

“I have made a home of sorts here. It is now my world. I know the people, the infrastructure, and where to find my favourite meals. That is all I can imagine for now.”

Her internal screen lit up. “I have been granted my leave. I will be ready when the warship arrives.”

“ It will be there in two days. ”

“I should bring Jasmine a gift.”

“ You have time to shop. ”

“Yes. Thank you. I... oh... Wenvari is asking for a meeting.”

Harwin smiled. “ Then, go and take the meeting. ”

“I have to check a map. I don’t know where he is.”

“ So, you have never met him. ”

“No. I got my assignment and got to work. This is the first I have heard from him.” She looked at herself. “I will see you soon, I suppose.”

Harwin grinned. “ I will let Jasmine know you are coming. Do you mind if we run some tests on you? ”

“As long as the result doesn’t diminish my operating ability, that will be fine.”

“ Nice. Okay, I will see you in a week or so. ”

“That fast?”

“ Zell’s people are annoying, but his ships are fast. Really fast. ”

“Why annoying?”

“ They don’t display affection or show interest in anything but art, science, or Zell. ”

“Oh. That is probably unpleasant for anyone new.”

“ His consort thinks so. He’s coming around, but it is a process. ” Harwin nodded. “ Right. I will talk to you when you are on the ship. If I can manage it, Jasmine will be with me. ”

“That will be nice.”

“ May we access your medical records? ”

“Of course. The scan with the metal through my skull is fascinating.” She twitched the corners of her mouth. She sent the data packet to Aten.

“ Oh, wow. There it is. Oh, my god. ” Harwin stared at her second screen.

“Yeah. Very photogenic. I have to go speak to the overlord. This is strange. It is the first time he has asked to see me.”

“ It is because Ra contacted him. Sorry .”

“See you soon.” She disconnected the call and got up after seeking the map to the overlord’s quarters.

She broke through a few firewalls, but she found it and walked out of her office and into the hallway.

Reem looked left and right, and then she located the lift.

She walked to the lift and pressed her hand on the panel.

The doors opened. She entered, and the doors closed behind her.

She pressed her hand to the interior panel, and the unit began to rise. It knew where she was going.

She remained still as the lift continued to climb, and when it was near the highest level, it slowed, and the doors opened when it stopped.

Reem walked forward and looked around. The air was rich and warm. She smelled trees and flowers, soil and sunlight. She sighed. It smelled like home.

She walked the path that led through an arboretum worth of plants and trees until the light dazzled her and an arched window let the suns sparkle into the space where there was a central desk and the room was filled with work benches and plants. The Hmrain had a green thumb.

“Lord Wenvari?” She stood in the centre of the space.

There was a rustle to her left, and a dark figure emerged, walking slowly to the desk. She stood where she was until he was seated, and then she bowed deeply.

“Stand up, Comptroller Reem. I need to speak with you.”

She straightened and waited.

“Now, first off, Zell has possession of some plants I want for my collection. I need you to bring those back with you, in whatever vessel Ra uses to send you back.”

She blinked. “Ra will send me back?”

“Yes. Zell is eager to have his consort settle on his world, and he is going to need many plants and trees for that. She’s a farmer, if his noxious messages are to be believed.”

“Noxious?”

“He has thrown dignity to the wind and gone chasing after his consort. It is unbecoming.”

“If she is a consort, he must be getting the sustenance that he needs from her. I am assuming it’s a female.”

“It is. Apparently, her species breeds easily.”

“Interesting. Terran?”

“Yes. Aren’t you a Terran?”

“I am. I am unable to breed, though, so I am safe.”

“You haven’t looked at me.”

“It is against protocol.”

“Look at me. That’s an order.”

She lifted her chin and looked at him. He had the grey of the main population, a mask of black across his eyes, black wings, and none of the colourful identifiers of the population below.

“You are pale.”

“I descended from pale Terrans.”

“You have a grey undercast.”

“I must be tired.”

He cocked his head. “Your expression doesn’t vary.”

“Side effect of my injury and the means used to restart me.”

“Restart?”

“Yes. I was dead, with my brain sliced in two. They put in an implant, and now I am up and speaking to you. My memories and emotions were the largest casualty.”

“Your reproductive capability?”

“Long gone. A decade and a half gone.”

“What caused the removal?”

“Cancer. It was that or death. My mother felt I made the wrong choice.” She spoke blankly.

“You remember that?”

“It is a feeling of the memories. I remember words and numbers.” She paused. “Overlord, why did you summon me?”

“I have been curious about my new comptroller. You have been here for years and have never asked for my input or needed me to make a decision for you. It has been lovely. The gardens across the globe have flourished. So many new fruits have been perfected.” He smiled tightly.

“I am glad I have been able to assist.”

“Why don’t you seek out your own people?”

“I upset them. My implant is no secret, and my emotional range is minimal. I no longer fit into my own society. I work. I watch vids and take myself to dinner. I am content.”

“You also frequent the Pleasure Centre.”

“I thought the records were sealed.”

“They are but not to me. I also used the external cameras and the timing of a certain rush of energy to pinpoint that you were the source.”

“The machine is efficient. Now that I am no longer nervous, the procedure is faster.”

“I am not complaining, but why are you so frequent?”

“I retain my ovaries, and they cycle every twenty-eight days. That is about to slow down.”

“Why?” He looked upset.

“I am aging and approaching the end of my cycles. I am older than most of the folks you bought at the bond auction. They have decades more to seek partners and start families. My body is ready to rest. I will also need to retire at that point as my thought process will be unpredictable as my hormones splutter.”

He frowned and turned to send a message.

She bowed again and started to turn.

He said, “Wait. I am not done with you yet.”

Reem turned back.

“I need you to go to the Pleasure Centre today and again tomorrow. I wish to enjoy the energy surge.”