Seed

You are the seed.

You are the spore.

You are the savior.

Your guide is so pretty. Her skin gleams with hints of blue and purple against velvety Black, the jewels in her forehead display her home in a charming old fashioned way.

"You come from, let me guess is that Castor?"

Her giggle is shy and fuzzy and new, it strikes your too human ears like music. Her voice is deep and resonant.

"Very good. Most humans can't tell. The old symbology is going out of style."

You blush, you feel tongue tied as your translator implant turns her voice into words. You watch her lips, full oval lips that call back to the features of an ancient race from Earth. Blood that you believe still trickles in your own veins. It occurs to you that she's trying to make you comfortable.

"Thank you Star. The face you choose is beautiful. Your skin is, it is-"

You can only trail off. You don't know velvet or silk. Your fingers only know the harsh synthetics of all of your uniforms. She has organic beauty of a sort you can't understand.

"Are you upset?"

Her face trembles, concern changes the pitch of the buzz in her voice. The sound vibrates against your skin like searching fingers. You blush another color and sweat inside your suit.

"I just, I don't have enough organic, tactile experience or words to tell you how beautiful you are."

The star girl smiles, swirls of bright color began to spin in here eyes. She forgets her form and you are mesmerized. This is beyond the dreams you've had about your time.

Time has become your new and last enemy. There is simply not enough left. You sober as you remember why you're here. The small ship has begun to gently chime then countdown to your transition. She sobers too, her smile turns from shimmering delight to gentle comfort.

"Don't be afraid, there will be no pain."

The tears spilling down your cheeks feel as decadent as the huge gulps of water you take. You rationed your way into deep space so you could have this moment. You are gloriously hydrated and your belly sloshes.

"I am not afraid."

You're telling yourself as much as her. The console blinks a gentle green, you have ten minutes. The panic you felt as you entered orbit above the planet is only a soft current inside, your body feels easy.

"Who are you"?

Her voice is low and urgent in your ear. This is how you imagine having a lover would feel.

"I am a seed. I am a spore. I am hope and fertile birth. I am a savior."

You recite the Eco Catechism easily, your training was completed at the Ministry for Resettlement a year ago. You were bred for this. Humans created from scavenged DNA rarely lived long enough to do much else. There were too many generations and light-years between clean human DNA and your creation.

Naturally, you chose a duty to devote your life to. You chose the Ministries for Resettlement and Eco Vivification. Your short life would maybe be the one to begin life on a terraformed and waiting incubation planet.

The Star waits you out. You close your eyes and smile.

"Thank you Star."

Her response is soft and sweet with pleased vibrations.

"I am pleased to come with you. We enjoy our job."

The sentient beings from the stars have been guiding dying humans into the beyond are perhaps the greatest gift presented humankind outside of the incubation planets. Your star chose her face from your genetic memory. Someplace deep in your DNA someone looked like her, your own skin is a few shades lighter brown and your cheekbones are larger, but, you can see yourself in her gleaming face.

"Star, will I know my ancestors?"

Her little laugh is gentle.

"That I cannot say. I'm only here to be with you until it is time to go there,not beyond."

The ship turns to port and the computer announces,

"Two minutes to seeding."

The lights dim and the ship trembles as the engines warm up.

You take your last long drink of water and pour the rest over your head. When you open your eyes the star girl is smiling again.

"Goodbye Star. You are the most beautiful thing I will ever see."

You peel off your suit and retract your safety equipment. Under you the ship jerks twice before the nose dips and the acceleration moves the water in your belly.

You close your eyes and her buzzing voice fills your ears, drowning out the last minute fear and apprehension.

"Go seed. Bear fruit. Be life! Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye. You are loved goodbye!"

When the ship impacts the shallow salt sea you are screaming in joy.

“Goodbye Star. Goodbye beauty. Goodbye-“

You are the seed.

You are the spore.

You are the savior.

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