Chrome

Knock first before entering or expect an aggressive response.

     The rain made a pleasing rhythmic pit-pat sound on the skylight. The muted day shone down through it as a figure regarded itself in the mirror. A soft breath exhaled on to the silvered back glass fogged. A delicate hand wrote “Hi” on the moistened patch. “Hello” appeared a moment later just below.

A soft blue halo of light illuminated the tube shaped enclosure as the pink liquid nutrient was evacuated.

“Good morning, Jen.”

“Good morning, General.” Jen said.

“Am I to save the world again, then?” Jen continued

“Something like that.“ the older female said

“Then I would like to shower first.”

“But of course.” she said and assisted Jen from her out of her crystal pod.

The General watched the beautiful polychrome and latex Thermotronic Robotic Organism Generation VII walk to the showers.

“You’ve been armed, Jen.” she called after her

“I know.” Jen replied

    Jen stood on the Zugspitze plateau and looked out over the northern desert, a graveyard of exotic metal, decomposing tourists and tyrants. The ruins of old Munich jutting out of the wasteland like ancient grave markers.

    A massive jet black cylindrical craft descended from an overcast sky. Moments later it ascended again and hovered over the valley with a new passenger.

    The Earth’s emissary scanned her surroundings for threats and lifeforms. She detected neither. The space she was presumably in was a dull metallic and slightly moist fog. She could not detect a heat source nor did she experience the sensation of travel when she walked, although the floor beneath her felt solid. A low thrumming sound that seemed to surround her turned into a group of voices that became one voice in the strange fog.

“What are you?” the fog asked in a soft sandy voice that wavered in volume.

“I am the Earth’s emissary.” replied Jen

“Who are you?” she returned

“I am-We are.” said the fog

“Please, ask us anything.”

Jen was silent.

“Have you been visited by other interstellar travelers?” asked the fog

“Yes.” she replied

There was silence for a while.

“Did you learn much from your encounters?”

“Yes.” she answered

“Are you not curious about me-us?” the fog asked

“No.” she said, then

“You-them came unannounced and damaged our atmosphere. We want you-them to leave now.

“Do you possess faster than light travel technology?” the fog asked

“We do but our bodies can not endure this form of space travel. Will you-them leave now?” Jen said

A few minutes passed in silence. The fog seemed to pulse around her.

“I-We have learned your kind are not the primary life form on your planet, and that your kind had warred with this other life form for over a millenia. How did this end? Asked the fog

“My kind found a way to communicate with the virus. Over time the two life forms learned to cohabitate and even defend each other. Your presence is harming our environment and endangering our pathogenic partners. Will you leave now?” she repeated

“I-We find you fascinating.” the fog said

“I-We have decided to stay.”

“Will you accommodate  me-us?”

Jen let out a long sigh. Her breath parted the fog before her. Then

“Yes.”

The rhythmic thrumming increased in volume and frequency.

“I-We don’t understand.” the disembodied voice said with a note of fear.

“What is happening to me-us?”

“What did you do to me-us?”

“I just released our pathogen into you-them.”

“You-them are dying.” Jen said

Moments later the pulsing fog plasticized and fell to the floor.

The General watched with great relief as the giant craft crashed into the valley, collapsing on itself.

That night as the pink liquid nutrient filled her crystal pod, she wondered how long it would be before she would have to activate Thermotronic Robotic Organism Generation VIII.