Untitled Sci-Fi Story 2
Notes/Warnings:
No notes, really.
No content warnings.
“You’re not alone, you know,” Masie said. “I’ll always be around.” Her voice echoed throughout the empty vessel, my ears being the only ones around to hear.
“I don’t think that really counts for much,” I said. “You’ll be here when I inevitably die. You might live forever.”
Masie - the Matriarch Artificially Sentient Intelligent Engram - was my only companion on this shuttle. The rest of the crew… Well, I’m sure they’re dead. Growing up in space, I’m honestly surprised I lived to see sixteen.
“Your father…” Masie started before I cut her off.
“Didn’t care about me. Don’t even start.”
I’d heard it a million times over. Masie went on and on about how much my father loved me. She thought he was the peak of paternal greatness in my life. Meanwhile, he was absent twenty-four seven, always too deep in his work to be there for me. With no mother in my life, I was virtually alone. After a pause, Masie spoke again.
“You know that’s untrue,” she said, letting out a defeated sigh. “But I’ll stop now. For your sake.”
The days dragged on, drifting alone in the shuttle. I went over that day’s events in my head - the alarms blaring, the crew running around in a panic, my dad shoving me into the emergency shuttle, and of course when I was ejected into the void of space. Luckily, there were enough emergency rations to feed me for years, if I only ate as much as I needed. At least dear old dad thought that through.
“Zoey?” Masie’s voice chimed in through the silence. “Do you need to talk?”
I’d been ignoring her awhile now, trying to tune out her constant check-ins. Though, it’s been hard not to snap in response to her. I took a deep breath and spoke.
“Talk about what exactly?” I asked, though it came out as more of a sigh.
“About what happened that day,” is all she said. Despite the lack of a face, I could almost imagine her saying that with a concerned frown.
I paused, mulling over my next words. I cleared my throat and gave my reply.
“I don’t even know what happened.” I frowned, looking at the other wall with unfocused eyes.
“I’m just as clueless as you are, Zoey. Your father never told me about his work. You were always my number one priority, by design.”
Those last two words stuck in my head. I asked what was on my mind.
“Did… Did my dad design you?”
“Yes.”
I went silent, not sure of what to say.
“Are you upset?” Masie asked.
I remained silent for a time, connecting the dots in my head.
“Zoey?” she asked, clearly concerned.
I didn’t speak for another week. One week turned into two. Then a month went by. I always thought Masie was an integrated system in the main ship. I wondered why she followed me to the shuttle, why she barely spoke to the rest of my dad’s crew. It clicked in my head one day. ‘Matriarch’ - it was right there in her name.
I decided to test my theory. The lights were dimmed in an artificial night cycle. After a month of silence, the first word I uttered made my voice crack. It was barely a whisper, but I still said it.
“Mom…?”
There was silence. Maybe she was ignoring me. Maybe I offended her. I suddenly realized I was panicking over hurting a program’s feelings - but then again, was she really just a program?
Her voice broke the silence.
“Yes, Zoey?” she asked.
My heart pounded; before I knew it, my eyes were wet with tears. I had been ignorant to this fact the whole time I had her around. My whole life, I never considered this possibility. Until now.
“My dad… he designed you to be my mom, didn’t he?”
I heard a small sigh from her, but I couldn’t place the emotion it accompanied.
“Yes, he did.”
Masie turned the lights up slightly. She must’ve seen my face, the tears streaming down it.
“Hey, it’s okay, sweetheart,” she said in a soothing voice.
The little nickname brought on a new wave of emotion. Masie was there for me my whole life.
Masie spoke up as if she could read my thoughts.
“He knew he couldn’t be there for you - that he couldn’t take attention away from his research,” she started. “So he made me as a side project, to be there for you in his absence.”
Memories flashed through my mind - birthdays, Christmases, praise for even the littlest accomplishments I made; with Masie and me at the center of it all.
I couldn’t find any words to say. Masie spoke up again.
“Did you ever wonder where my voice came from?” she asked.
I simply nodded, another rush of tears escaping my eyes.
“Your biological mother gave her life to give birth to you. Her and your father knew beforehand that she wouldn’t survive childbirth. I don’t know all the details.” She sighed. “But her memories are mine. I’m essentially her. She was the real Masie.”
I continued to cry, thinking of the countless times I’d ignored her or belittled her; I thought of all the times I had lashed out, or called her useless. I suddenly regretted it all.
“I never wanted to force that kind of relationship onto you, Zoey,” Masie said with a sorrowful sigh. “I’ll admit, for lack of a better phrase, I’ve had my heart broken by you quite a few times over the years. But I knew I couldn’t just tell you this until you realized it for yourself.”
Fighting through sobs, I managed to croak out a few words.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”
“Hush now… It’s okay,” she said, continuing to shush me with a soothing voice. “I know I can’t be there physically, but I’ll always be here with you.”
We were silent for a moment, then Masie spoke again.
“I love you, Zoey. I always have.”
The words caused my heart to leap into my throat. I felt almost sick, but somehow it was a good feeling. Words that my father barely said to me… now the one who’s been there for me the longest, she was saying them.
I continued to sob, feeling my perception of Masie changing, morphing into this new view. She wasn’t just Masie anymore. She was… my mom.
I managed to speak a few more words to her.
“I… love you too… Mom.”
And with that she dimmed the lights once more.
“Get some rest, sweetheart. We’ve got a big journey ahead of us.”
Shh... don't wake her up.
