Prelude

A Chapter by Paul I

The 6 are deciding on the final touches of the Seed and things get complicated when Generis's new species is rejected.

(Working Title) - The 6

Prelude

The small dome room was made of a shiny smooth metal with no obvious opening for entrance or exit. There was a cylinder of light beaming up from the centre of the room and 6 beautifully decorated metal chairs surrounding it. Guardain, the newest member of the 6, was seated in a chair that had a wolf in a running gait stenciled into the back. The rest of the 6 sat alongside him in a circle, each with their seat representing their speciality.

They were all dressed in official long flowing cloaks of differing colours that ended in pools of soft silk on the metal floor, and were in a very heated discussion.

“We do not know what these beasts will do to the rest of the world, Generis.” Botaine in the green cloak was saying. His seat had a back shaped like an oak tree. “Testing with other local fauna has so far proven either negative or inconclusive.” He was a big man with wide shoulders and a Full white beard.

“All men can be beasts, Botaine” Replied Generis, a tall skinny man with long Dark Hair. He was younger than Botaine and had a distinct feel of arrogance about him wearing his official long black cloak. “Why would my people be less civilized than humans?”

“My dear, they are Giants!” Exclaimed Physic, the back of her chair representing a planet rotating around a sun. Dressed in a Blue Cloak she had long White hair flowing down a wrinkled but still attractive face. “And these Creatures you used to create them, have a particularly brutish and cruel nature...”

“They could get the same bad traits from our Human genes, Physic” Generis snapped back at the woman, a flash of anger in his eyes one second, and quickly suppressed the next. He then continued his voice strained. “Yes they are bigger and stronger i'll concede, but easier to lead than humans and they won’t get caught up in unnecessary emotion and war.”

“That is so far unproven Generis.” A tired and worn voice said somewhat quietly “We just do not know what effect unleashing these new creatures onto this world could create”.

Engar was the Shortest and oldest of the 6. His skin was dark as coal, his cloak white snow and his wispy grey hair was a messy mop on top of his head. He held a long White staff in his right hand to help him walk. “If we had more time to do more testing…” the elder man’s voice trailed off.

“Do we ever think about what effect our people would have on the different worlds?” Generis said lowering his voice to a more respectful volume and tone as he spoke to the respected elder. “We have been successful in our mission to expand our race and keep the human line open indefinitely. Gods if we could destroy 50 of the worlds we have seeded, our race would still survive. Isn’t it time we started thinking about improving on the human gene and modifying it to better survive the harsh environments we move them to?”

“Then they would no longer be human” The older man said quietly.

Everyone fell silent at that statement. Questions of whether they could even consider themselves of human nature anymore have been prevalent of late. When you spend your life finding and seeding suitable worlds for humans to live on do you become something else? Humans could not extend their lives for Hundreds of years as the 6 did and even though they were not immortal, having a say in your mortality is something inhuman.

“It's not like they are the humans of the first world anymore, Engar” Generis pointed out to the older man, who’s hunched back rested on a shiny vintage wheel. ”We have had to make slight modifications to enable them to evolve much quicker to suit their new environments.”

Engar nodded slowly, agreeing with the younger man’s point.

Stupidly this is where Guardain thought he would enter the conversation.

“but we were not allowed to split our genes with another species...right?”He said looking around at the others, quite uncomfortable in his formal grey cloak.

“What would you know Guardain!” Generis turned to face the young man who had piercingly blue eyes. “You have been part of the 6 for all of 5 minutes.”

Guardain turned his face away from the dark haired man's fury and kept his mouth closed. The room fell silent again.

“You're right Guardain.” It was Botaine that spoke now with a cautious tone in his voice, his hand running slowly through his long beard. “This has been tried before Generis, to the detriment of a whole world and the loss of a generation of humans”

Generis turned to him face looking annoyed, “Whatever the fools that sat in these chairs did before, has nothing to do with this!”

Engar then spoke up again wearily. “If we do not learn from the mistakes of those that sat before us, Then we are bound to revisit those same mistakes.”

“There is a huge difference between creating flying fire breathing death bringers that burn half a world, and combining a species to be more survivable” Generis replied becoming impatient with continually having to make his point.

There was a moment silence before Docta sitting on the seat with a back shaped like a human heart spoke up. She was younger than Physic with Red curled hair that sat up in a bun and a round dimpled face. Her cloak was blood red.

“Should we take a vote on it?” She said in an overly sweet voice, trying to sound neutral but obviously tired of the endless discussion.

This was the last thing they had to decide on for the new world and she was excited about starting the seed.

Generis scoffed in anger and rose angrily from his seat, his hand shook as he tried to get himself under control. “What would be the point Docta, I see that I am alone in this.” His voice was quiet and empty.

“I am sorry Generis.” Engar said sincerely, Using his staff to rise and place a hand on the taller man's shoulder. “I understand that you have put a lot of time and effort into your creation brother, I just don’t think this world is the right place for them.”

His voice sounded genuinely sympathetic. “We can continue the testing and have them ready for our next seed...”

Generis had let the old man's hand rest for a brief moment and he now shrugged it off.

“How long will that be Engar?” Generis snapped instantly regretting his tone. Then in a softer voice he said “It took us three generations to find this world and it is getting harder each time.” Then he looked at each of the other five in turn. “They are ready now, for this world.”

With that said he turned and walked out of the room, the wall creating an opening for him and then melting back into the floor. Engar sighed deeply, and his shoulders slumped like a great weight was suddenly upon him.

“He will accept the decision Engar” Botaine pronounced dismissively, the big man rising from his seat. The elder turned towards him, and to Guardain’s surprise his eyes were full of tears.

“No” He said sadly “I am afraid he won’t this time.”

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