After opening a heavy set of double doors, Rick beheld his new office, a spacious and luxurious room. While there was a vast arrangement of elegant sofas, bureaus and tables, each was perfectly placed, the work of a top-class interior decorator.

All in all, it was a disappointing sight. Rick loved comfy offices and this space was far too airy for his liking. While he doubted he would ever get used to it, he would bear with it for the time being. Promotions often came with strings attached, and he knew the impact an office could have on those who entered it, especially when they had to report to a man of Rick's stature.

As he strode through his office, he came up to his desk, a block of polished mahogany that was far too big for his meager possessions. He dumped a small messenger bag, his only luggage, onto it and moved toward a wall of windows at the far side of the room.

As he looked through them, he saw an ocean of green, the branches of great trees which towered far above Hunkeryork. Even as he stood eye-to-eye with the view outside his office, the trees towered infinitely higher, a reminder of the monsters who roamed the forest.

Gazing down, his eyes fell on a wide expanse filled with men and machines.

His shoulders relaxed as he watched them work.

...

The Spiral was populated by thousands of civilizations. Each spread out further from the center and no man knew how far the Spiral extended. Some people believed it was infinite, while others compared it to a vast ocean with distinct limits that were incomprehensible only because they extended so far beyond mankind's limited senses.

The Spiral's single arm had given birth to civilization many millennia ago, on a planet near its center. Humankind progressed slowly outward until the arrival of the Kaiju, monstrous beasts of incredible size and power. The Kaiju had been seeded along The Spiral and to the young civilizations that existed at that time, conquering the Kaiju was the perfect opportunity to add to their own glory.

And so The Great Exodus began in earnest. Ships were sent out by the millions and tens of millions, each guided by their own will. But humanity was voracious in its avarice, and as more and more Kaiju planets fell, the thirst for conquest faded.

In this new universe, humanity soon fell into old habits.

Space was an inviting place and some civilizations chose to wander its inky expanses. Others preferred conquest and chose to fight the Kaiju ceaselessly until the present day. And others chose to sleep.

Hunkeryork was of the last variety. Once its first setters touched boots on the unknown planet, they chose to descend, abandoning the surface world to the dominion of the Kaiju. Its citizens had slumbered for 10,000 years, content to enjoy life in glorious underground cities lit by artificial stars.

But Rick's generation had grown restless, though no one could fully explain why. Maybe it was longing, or boredom, or a sudden hunger to share in the adventures of their ancestors. Whatever the cause, this restlessness stirred Hunkeryork to wakefulness.

The King chose to indulge his citizen's wanderlust and announced the plan to conquer the surface. To that end, 8 staging areas were built. They radiated out from Hunkeryork's main entrance and were the launching grounds for expeditions designed to scout the areas around Hunkeryork for dangerous Kaiju and sites for further expansion.

Rick Sanctum had taken part in one such expedition. His task? To find, catalog, and collect biological samples on behalf of his employer, Lambden Biotech. He led a team of civilian scientists aboard The Wavering Confession, a scouting crawler owned and operated by Hunkeryork's military forces.

But neither the military nor the scientists expected to find a being like Core. The colonists who settled this planet were one of the last to leave the home worlds and had already spent countless centuries cataloging and studying Kaiju before they took their first breath of space. And yet their vast libraries had no recording of a humanoid Kaiju, or even a hint of the possibility of such a being.

But Rick had confirmed her existence for himself, risking his life in the process. After contacting his superiors and explaining the peerless quality of Core's body, he was promoted to the scientist in charge of her study. As such, he had almost complete authority over the allocation of his employer's resources, including the installation of a vast testing facility designed to collect and examine biological samples collected from Core's body.

The collection facility was being built inside a collection of buildings in the 8th staging area. Just a few months earlier, The Wavering Confession had launched from this very same facility, but the staging area's warehouses and housing units were being repurposed into a labyrinth of intricate machines and isolated laboratories.

Rick gazed downwards, toward his subordinates, who scurried beneath him, all part of a coordinated dance that had begun at his command.

Rick smiled. Yes, maybe this new office would work out after all.

...

Core eyed the trunk of a great tree. Well, all the trees in the forest were great, but this one was especially girthy. She had been forbidden from seeing Hunkeryork from the ground level, but it should be possible to see it if she climbed high enough.

The trees in the forest grew close together as a rule, and their dense growth meant that most of the trees ended up about the same size. But sometimes a tree would grow up alone, allowing its emerald canopy to tower far higher than its neighbors.

Core had scouted the forest for the last day or so. She had found new hunting grounds which was nice, but her yearning for leather hides and delicious meals was overshadowed by her yearning to see a city with her own eyes. She knew the staging area wasn't really a city, but in her mind it was close. Hundreds of people lived there; far more than she had ever seen in her lifetime. If Rick asked her, she would have admitted that she was tired of talking to machines.

Core slipped off her leather shoes and placed them against the tree's trunk, then, with an easy-going leap, she floated up onto one of the tree's lowest branches. After scanning the emerald canopy for her next landing spot, she jumped again, landing on a branch a little higher up. Core continued leaping higher, but the forest still grew thick about her, trapping her between the arms of the trees. There was still plenty of room all around her, but it still felt a little suffocating, like being trapped forever in an enormous cathedral.

As she continued her ascent, she moved more quickly, mostly due to her excitement. The air smelled clearer and the leaves gradually let in more and more sunlight, then with a final leap, the cathedral walls gave way and she found herself blinking in refreshing sunlight.

Turning, she tiptoed toward the edge of the branch and surveyed world as it spread out before her. Below her were the verdant tops of the trees, which looked almost like a field of waving grass. And beyond them, there was a clear expanse that extended endlessly.

She stared at the expanse with an awestruck expression, taking in its every detail, daring herself to walk to the very end of the branch. For in the midst of the expanse were square shapes she recognized as buildings and the glinting of machines.

With a longing sigh, she stared intently at the place where Rick lived, taking in every detail she could, though it wasn't much. But she wasn't deterred. She would be there soon, with him, as his proud specimen, and the kaiju known as Core nestled herself onto the branch and allowed herself to be swept away by a sea of daydreams.

...

Rick bent over his desk. Its expansive surface had been filled with a wall of monitors but they were of no interest at the moment. Instead, his attention was focused on an adult coloring book on his desk. He was coloring in a picture of a bird, taking every precaution to do it perfectly.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

As he colored in its beak with a pale shade of blue, he heard an alert coming from one of his monitors, and a face appeared on it, though Rick ignored it. The face was that of a woman. Her hair was black, the same shade as his own, but while his hair was an immaculate mane that tumbled down his back, hers was straight and framed a beautiful yet angular face.

The woman cleared her throat and then spoke quickly, as if she was upset.

"Dr. Sanctum, can you hear me?" Rick grunted an affirmative. "Aren't you going to look at me?" Rick glanced at the woman's face then snapped his attention back to his work. "I don't think you should be coloring right now."

"Then what should I be doing during my lunch hour?"

"You're having lunch at 3pm?"

"I've always eaten at weird hours. But then again, you should know that."

"That still isn't an excuse. If you cared about her, you would take this more seriously."

"That's not necessary."

"What?"

"I am the one getting lectured, yet you are the one who's two hours late. You never change, Bonnabel."

"I don't appreciate your tone. You could at least pretend to be professional for her sake."

"Very well." Rick said. He sat up to his full height and locked eyes with Bonnabel.

"You are officially two hours late for our meeting. Explain yourself."

"Gerald had an emergency meeting."

Gerald? Who was Gerald? Ah yes, the mid-level noble that was the source of Bonnabel's current level of power.

"About what?"

"I'm his wife." Bonnabel said defensively. "It doesn't matter does it?"

"Which means you were only there to stick your nose in other people's business." Rick said. "I suppose I could overlook your tardiness if you promise not to make it a habit. A lot is riding on our relationship with her, as I'm sure you're aware. If I can have your word that you won't do it again, I will be content."

Bonnabel's face filled with rage, but she quickly suppressed it and spoke through gritted teeth.

"It won't happen again."

"Excellent." Rick said cheerfully. "Have you memorized my guidelines?"

Bonnabel nodded. "Is that it?"

Rick's attention returned to his coloring. "Obey and we will be happy to continue working with you."

"I'm a doctor, not a child, Rick. This is ridculous! Is this because I didn't invite you to the wedding?"

"I'm not sure what you're implying, but I assure you that I'm not biased, dear sister. My guidelines would be the same if you were the king himself." Rick said. "I can also assure you of one more thing. If you mistreat my specimen, I will crush your ambitions, whatever they may be at this particular moment. If that is understood, I will consider this a successful meeting!"

...

Rick waited expectantly. He stood on an elevated podium and gazed up at the walls which surrounded Hunkeryork. They made up its only defense but were highly effective in spite of their simplistic design.

Like the vehicles which braved the forest, the wall was modeled after insects. Its bright colors signaled danger, and any Kaiju that ignored this warning would fall victim to the metal barbs which imitated the poisonous barbs of caterpillars. Each barb was filled with antifreeze, a powerful and delicious poison.

Essentially, the wall was built with one mentality that was characteristic of humans: "We have antifreeze, we win." This mentality was as simple as it was effective. Kaiju were highly intelligent creatures and their fear of the wall had been passed down through their generations, ever since the first one of their number had supped on the freely offered liquid and perished.

Of course, the men in Hunkeryork had over-prepared their defenses, and had effective strategies for the Kaiju who weren't so easily overcome. But even though Rick knew of this history, it wasn't the reason he stared at the wall. This was the day that Core would make her first public appearance. Or it would've been if he hadn't ordered his subordinates to give her privacy. Nevertheless, it was the first time she would breach Hunkeryork's defenses; an important event in her history. And he hoped, his own.

She was his specimen after all, and it would be impossible to extract the biological value from her body out in the forest. He felt his patience was infinite as he waited. Her schedule had been set, but since she had no way to accurately tell the time he had decided to give her plenty of leeway. All of this was new to her and refusing to let her indulge could cause a slight but unwelcome rift in their relationship.

The podium Rick stood upon was atop the largest building in this staging area. If it were possible, he would prefer something a little taller, but his options would be limited until the value of Core's body was confirmed. In spite of all its posturing, his employer viewed Core as only a means. And the end? The acquisition of higher profits, of course.

It wasn't quite a ruthless as it sounded, though it was close. Maybe they would be charmed by her as well? Yes, that would be ideal, but that also came with risks. Rick had thought through all this before, doing his best to plot Core's future alongside his own, but in truth, his speculations now were just a way to kill time.

Reaching into a cooler hidden the podium, Rick picked out a refreshing beverage to soothe the summer heat. There was a cool breeze, but it was too gentle to cool him down completely and the bitter yet sweet taste of grapefruit juice was always a welcome companion. He still remembered when his supply ran out aboard The Wavering Confession and was again grateful for his office's proximity to the cafeteria.

Just as he finished taking a refreshing sip, he felt a gentle vibration through the soles of his shoes. Then another. The series of vibrations were increasing in intensity, and as he hid away his bottle of grapefruit juice, he looked above Hunkeryork's defenses in anticipation of looking upon his specimen for the fourth time.

She arrived suddenly, a teenage girl who dwarfed Hunkeryork's invincible defenses. Rick watched as she peered over the wall at her feet. She first scanned the open area which spread out before her, glancing at the buildings off in the distance. She looked restless, anxious. He must've been only a small shape to her, an inconsequential pebble on the beach, but as soon her eyes met his own, her face relaxed, though she still rubbed her knuckles together nervously.

As their eyes met, Rick felt a familiar fear. It was one he had associated with her and thought it was nearly overwhelming, he was able to suppress it.

It was a uniquely human fear, the fear of seeing a person of overwhelming power and beauty. Rick started shaking under Core's gaze but he was ready to compensate for it. As he'd risen through the ranks as a scientist, he'd learned the value of faking confidence and had devoted himself until he'd learned how to completely master his body language. Right now he needed to assuage Core's misgivings and so he would be Rick, the confident and immovable scientist.

He acknowledged Core with a casual wave and she smiled in a friendly manner. Her attention stiffly turned the staging area, and she scanned it once more, and Rick understood that she was stalling for time. Then, her face grew serious as she gathered her courage, and she stepped over the wall, Hunkeryork's only means of defense, in a single step.

Moving glacially, she headed toward Rick. But though he knew every movement was planned to put him at ease, his uneasiness only grew as she came closer. Her body had never been so close before, and it was looming ever larger. Still, Rick kept his composure, even managing to maintain eye contact with her as her monstrous form continued to grow.

“That's close enough.” Rick said.

"Hi. Uh, how are you doing?"

"You know you don't have to ask that every time."

"Yeah." Core said, briefly averting her eyes.

Rick let the silence drag on for a long moment, taking advantage of the time to examine Core yet again.

She really did look like an ordinary teenager, and it would be easy to imagine that her strange hair and eye color was just part of some fad. But if you were to look closer, you would soon realize that her aesthetic was completely natural, the result of some unknown process.

Core didn't seem to mind the scrutiny, and judging by her pupils, it appeared that she was taking advantage of her position to examine Rick as well.

Suddenly, Rick felt his fear returning, as if his body just remembered he was staring into the eyes of a kaiju.

"I brought you a gift." Rick said, gracefully turning away from Core. He pointed to a large container sitting a short distance away from Core. "Try it on."

A giant hand grabbed the container excitedly and then started testing it, much like a child trying to guess the identity of a wrapped gift.

"It's fragile." Rick said.

"Oh, sorry."

The container was designed to open like a ring box, and after Core pulled off its top, she pulled out a small machine, about the size of one of her fingers. It was sleek and smooth and both a turn dial and a small assortment of buttons.

"It's cool, thanks." Core said, though it was clear that she had no idea what it was.

"You are supposed to clip it to your ear."

"It has a clip?"

After Core clipped it on, Rick reached into his podium and pulled out a similar looking device and made a show of putting it on. "It's called an earbud. I'm happy to say that our communication issues are longer a problem. As long as we're wearing these, we can talk easily even over a great distance. Their range can't quite reach your camp, but they can make it about halfway."

"So I can talk to you whenever I want?" Core said excitedly.

"I wouldn't put it like that. But close enough." Rick said.

"Thanks, Rick!" Core said, putting extra emphasis on Rick's name. It appeared as if her earlier anxiety had melted away as soon as she'd received the new piece of tech.

"You're welcome. Make sure you thank my coworkers as well; they were the ones who built it."

Rick briefly described how the earbud worked, and then tested it with Core's help. The test was a complete success, and Core figured out how to use the earbud so quickly that Rick wondered if this wasn't the first time she'd used advanced technology.

He thought about dismissing her for the day, knowing that she would undoubtedly call him at the first opportunity. But she was in a good mood, which made it the perfect time to bring up uncomfortable subjects.

"My employer wants to give you a physical."