Royal City of Mithea - Past - Va’Dresruyuna
Five skyscrapers were arrayed equidistantly from its fellows around the Royal Palace. Each represented and functioned as the headquarters for the five main principles of Kuxpir society. Where the palace was a grand cylinder with spiraling protrusions, these spires were all designed differently.
The Spire of War was smallest, both literally and metaphorically, shaped like a cone with four furrows in its surface moving out from the median. A step above was the Spire of Information that was carved to look like a serpent coiling around a cone with its mouth biting down on the tip. Both of these spires had dark, reflective surfaces that prevented anyone from seeing in.
In middling size was the Spire of Medicine. Unlike the others, this spire was turned upside down so as to taper closer to the ground and expand the further up one traveled. Its windows were perfectly clear, beaming clean, azure light throughout each cycle like a lighthouse. Flying vehicles of all sorts came and went at all times, largely thanks to the spire doubling as the main hospital for Mithea.
Runner-up in terms of volume was the Spire of Engineering. Here the structure resembled a ten-spoke gear with a hollow center. Halfway up was an opening through which one could see the grand reactor that powered the entire city. The swirling ball of prismatic light was dimmed during the night portion of the cycle, otherwise it would act as a second sun and prevent any Kuxpir from getting rest. The spokes of the spire also featured a multitude of alcoves that acted as hangars for vehicles to be serviced or supplies to be loaded/unloaded.
Finally, the largest of the spires belonged to the principle of Science. This time the building was shaped like a double helix formed by two ribbons wrapping around one another. It possessed equal numbers of clear and tinted windows along with running lights that trailed up the architectural curves. Most of the interior was full of museums, habitats, and other public-facing exhibits open to all Kuxpir. Below the surface was where the real science happened, and where Dresruyuna was headed.
The underground tram ride from the palace to the catacombs of Science passed without any issue. Dresruyuna had the entire car to herself apart from Udivax, the latter of which brooded near the double doors as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. They were the first to greet those waiting for Dresruyuna when the tram came to a stop.
“You honor us with your presence, Va’Dresruyuna,” said the lead Fan with a slight bow. She was flanked by two other Fan and a singular Nan. All of them were hued the same purple color and possessed the same style of markings, indicating that they were all of the same clutch.
“You honor me by inviting me into yours,” replied Dresruyuna, completing the customary gesture of thanks with a bow of her own. “Though I will admit, I was expecting Tha’Trezimala to be the one waiting for me.”
“She is ensuring that all the last minute details are correct for a visit from one such as yourself,” explained the lead Fan. “She has placed me, Ta’Alavan, in charge of being your escort during your stay.”
Dresruyuna flicked her gaze over to Udivax. They nodded so slightly that the movement would have completely been missed had Dresruyuna not known what to look for. Udivax had judged these Kuxpir as being acceptable security, but not enough to stop Udivax if they truly committed to a fight.
“Very well, Ta’Alavan. Take me directly to the prototype. Unless you’ve been given orders to delay on Tha’Trezimala’s behalf?” Dresruyuna inquired.
Hesitation was evident in Alavan’s demeanor thanks to the way her tentacles curled at the tips. She did her best not to let anxiety seep into her voice as she answered, “Only a small amount, my Lady. I am happy to skip the tour if that is your wish.”
“It is,” ordered Dresruyuna.
The security detail bowed en masse and began to guide Dresruyuna through the underground passages. The three-Kuxpir-wide, octagonal-shaped corridors were made of sterile, cobalt metal frame by steel accents and shined to reflect the small globes of light set into the ground projecting upwards. Every so often a door or side hallway broke up the pristine walls that otherwise offered no immediate indication of where the group was headed. However, Dresruyuna knew that she needed only to touch the wall to interface with the AI of the Spire should she require directions. Not that she would ever need to. So long as Udivax was around Dresruyuna would never be lost.
Still, Dresruyuna was beginning to wonder if they had taken the scenic route by the time Alavan finally stopped the procession in front of a set of double doors. Unlike the others they’d passed on the journey, these doors were notably thicker and armored against explosions. An ocular scanner and DNA test via a panel in a hidden recess next to the portal were required for entry.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
“We will wait here for you,” said Alavan with a hand flourish that cut across her body before twisting and offering her palm outwards towards Dresruyuna. The motion was usually reserved as a way of communicating subservience to a Kuxpir in a higher caste.
Dresruyuna nodded and showed her own palm in the counter-motion. Then she turned her attention to what lay beyond in Trezimala’s private laboratory. The multi-floor lab was filled with all manner of spare generators, haphazard cabling, chemical stations, half-completed experiments, and enough computer banks to accurately model and predict the weather on Kux Prime for a three decacycle period. Ixthree of all coloring moved about the space in their slate lab coats. Most were too focused on their tasking to notice Dresruyuna entering, though once enough of them did all movement and discussion quieted in reverence.
“You’re early,” came an annoyed, raspy voice further into the space.
“Alternatively, your projected delivery is late,” returned Dresruyuna as she followed her ears. “I don’t know how you work, much less live, in all this chaos.”
“Not all of us enjoy living in a gilded cage like the Ixfour. But today is not meant for word play and petty insults. Hurry along now.”
After rounding a computer bank Dresruyuna finally spotted both Trezimala and the reason she was here. Contained within a support cradle two stories tall was a machine unlike any Dresruyuna had seen before. The device was a fusion of a reactor and an AI core in a black shell shaped like a buckyball. Even more cabling fell from access points on either side and fed into the support structure. Transparent portions of the surface allowed a peek inside at a golden, molten-like substance within a secondary containment vessel made of a dark-blue metal.
As for Trezimala, the Fan was one of the extreme few Kuxpir that shared Dresruyuna’s white coloring with black markings. Her clutch-sister could have been an Ixfour with all manner of suitors based on that quality alone. Yet here she was, sequestered away where the world would never see her, devoted to advancing society’s understanding and development in the name of Science.
“So this is the vaunted Asmoor Project,” Dresruyuna said, stepping closer while looking up at the object. “A fusion of our best reactor and our top AI core to form a self-sustaining, autonomous being capable of self-modification while traveling the stars for megacycles on end. Somehow I thought it would be larger.”
Trezimala moved next to her, chuckling, “Trust me: The fact that it doesn’t take up my entire lab is a breakthrough in and of itself. There’s a level of quantum fuckery here that I won’t bother explaining to you. What matters is that it represents a new way for us to expand the Empire and explore space. And you get to have the honor of turning it on.”
Turning, Dresruyuna was offered a blue button to press. “Surely you should have that honor? It is your life’s work, after all?” she proposed.
“Of course it is. But I have to get either the Supreme Queen or her child to sign off on that,” quipped Trezimala.
“Ah, and now I understand why I am here to begin with and not the Supreme Queen,” sighed Dresruyuna. “Very well. You may have the honor and privilege of turning the device on. I only pray for your sake that it actually works.”
“Oh it will,” said Trezimala as she cradled the button eagerly. “The Asmoor Core cannot fail me now.”
With a click all the lights in the lab dimmed as generators kicked on and jumpstarting power flowed into the Asmoor Core. The molten center began to churn and glow, growing more volatile and rapid over the course of a millicycle. At that point the reaction stabilized to form a miniature, yellow star contained by powerful gravimetric forces. However, the true sign that the Asmoor Core was online was the powerful voice that emanated outward from it.
| LET THERE BE LIGHT, | spoke the Core in a manner that could only be outweighed by a proclamation from the Supreme Queen.
“The Light is seen,” replied Trezimala to complete the scripture. “Do you know where you are? What you are?”
| I AM IN THE SPIRE OF SCIENCE. I AM THE KUXPIR’S NEW HOPE. |
“Well, at least it’s humble,” Dresruyuna commented dryly. “Is there a reason it sounds more like a Nan than a Fan?”
| I AM CAPABLE OF EMULATING ANY VOICE. I CAN SWITCH TO FAN IF YOU SO WISH. |
“Your call, Tha’Trezimala,” motioned Dresruyuna. “Just know that what you say next will have major implications for how this goes down in history.”
Trezimala rolled her eyes at Dresruyuna. “Like I have a choice in the matter. Go ahead, Asmoor, switch over to Fan.”
Asmoor did, replying in a notably feminine manner, | Is this acceptable? |
“Plenty,” replied Dresruyuna. “Now I have a question: When do you think you’ll be capable of producing a body for yourself?”
| That depends on Tha’Trezimala and the Prime of Engineering. However, I can assure you that I will be emulating the Kuxpir form when creating my body. |
“Very good. You have my permission to bother Thi’Qharuss and advance to the next stage of development,” Dresruyuna decreed to all present. “As for you, Tha’Trezimala, I believe you’ve earned the right to a little celebration. You and your underlings are invited to join me tonight in the palace, if you so wish.”
Trezimala waved her off, still looking at Asmoor. “No sense wasting a centicycle on a party when it’s taken a half a kilocycle to get to this point. Thanks but no thanks. I want to get Asmoor moving about as soon as possible so there's a reason for the Supreme Queen to pay attention.”
Dresruyuna patted Trezimala’s shoulder before turning to leave. “Just don’t lose sight of the goal in your zeal to make history.”