Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
She will obviously want to confess how he died just earlier.
Kate sleeps until ten in the morning she learned and experienced so much on the previous day. All the realizations, fight, then the beautiful music and finally this guy Gary who was so much fun. She did not want to even ask about his age probably more than hundred years like mothers, but... he seemed so much more open and direct than the governor. She wonders how she always talked to their leader. She did not feel like he was hiding anything, just... he always kept his distance and never spoke more than he should. Was she rude to him? Maybe he was angry about something... Kate tries to remember to ask if everything is okay. She also recalls her plan to
But Gary was so much fun.. they talked about how much the life in the facility was different before and after shutdown. Kate learned so much about the reasons why some things were organized this way she always wondered what those oxygen masks in various places around the facility were for. Rachel explained in school that they should wear one if alarm sounds and they cannot breathe but she never told them that the whole facility was just a several components in a much larger compound which was filled with special gases to prevent corrosion and fires. It made perfect sense, but apparently the only problem was periodic gas leaks but they managed to eliminate most of them in the living components after a couple decades.
He also told her how they were replacing their originally used mix mostly nitrogen with several additions with neutral gases coming from heavy fusion in the reactors: argon and krypton, to make it safer for any engineers. Kate barely understood any of it, although his careful explanations seemed helpful and important but she did not know whether the process had completed. She did not recall any alarms so perhaps it did?
On the other hand he was surprised to hear that they cannot access so many functions of the facility, even such simple as using assemblers to produce different clothes was a natural thing for him. Kate felt bad that she does not know anything about why that was... she lived there for her entire life and yet Gary seemed to know so much more about the place than her. He told that he used to live there as well she did not want to ridicule it, but... a little person outside the zones? What would he do, even getting anywhere around the facility would take him days...
But he explained he was mostly responsible for machinery that was constructing and maintaining the chambers she remembered how Rachel used that word sometimes, but never got to understand how was it different from the zone. Unwilling to sound silly, she did not ask Gary about it either. But his job would actually make some sense it does not matter what size you are if you only need to operate some controls. The idea of a little caretaker still seems funny though especially male.
He also thanked her for saving him earlier when he flew into her hear and apologized for how silly he was doing that they actually bid who was more afraid there, Gary of dying or Kate for doing something to him. But it didn't matter all is well that ends well. Still, she does not want to think what would have happened if she moved or was simply unable to hear him...
After a couple hours of discussing various things, she told him goodnight and went to bed. It was already after midnight and she did not want to disturb others even though he also mentioned it is not a problem and he is sure everybody is fine with it. They apparently have some sort special beds that they do not hear anything while asleep it calmed her worries a bit, but still sounded uncomfortable.
Either way they can always talk on the next day, she concluded before leaving and could almost swear he sounded a bit sad with his okay. Was Kate annoying him too? She will need to make sure they understand they do not have to talk to her, if they don't want, although she enjoyed yesterday's conversation very much.
But today she needs to catch Rachel first and tell her about Gary. He promised the emergency id will be enough for her to believe that Gary was a caretaker but Kate never remembered her having one. Perhaps only the little caretakers had it? So many new things... Now she also wonders how the governor seemed to disappear just when Gary started to talk with her well, perhaps he had more important things to do. It seemed curious how he usually used plural form while Gary talked about what he felt or how the facility was like when he worked there...
She remembers how she did ask them for a single person to talk to in the very beginning... were the others afraid of speaking to her? She will also need to clarify this maybe they have simply over-analyzed her intent? Even though their lives already seem very complicated after talking to those two, she does not mind meeting new people. Especially now that she understands what Rachel meant by yes.
Kate checks the Rachel status and even though she is still in some zone, at least she can message her. She asks politely for a meeting to discuss something she does not want to spoil the surprise and rises to dress up and eat breakfast. While Kate is gobbling her food, Rachel sends her some coords.. that was strange, Rachel never invited anybody to her zones. Well, Kate hasn't heard about it from other girls at least.
Teleporting there, she notices it is some empty zone no signs of mic.. people anywhere. They can at least talk in private, but she wished Rachel would trust her more maybe after Kate explains what she discovered, she will.
But now Kate approaches her carefully she does not want to kill any people she may have missed, perhaps Rachel was colonizing or something like that?
Hello Kate - she hears and looks up to see how she also walked towards her. Appearing in an empty zone was usually random, they could pop up far away from each other.
Hi Rachel, sorry to disturb you...
Not a problem, I understand you wanted to talk about something? - Kate realizes she must have been busy and decides to get the point:
I found a caretaker in my zone! He told me about, the HX293CSBMM53 plus... - she was repeating the labels the entire morning not to mix it, but Rachel interrupts her:
You found an ex-caretaker? Who is he?
But.. don't you want to learn about what is that transporter crash?
Kate, believe me I would love to forget those two lost years of my life... I only used that question to check if somebody was a caretaker and I already see how you know more than enough about it. Who is he? - she actually seems excited about it. Kate can remember maybe several situations where any mother would seem deeply interested in something...
He is Gary Oleman, he said he was a construction and maintenance engineer something about structures?
Yeah the structural engies, always tried to stay away from them... - Rachel seems to eat up every word that comes from Kate's mouth she never had a chance to talk with any mother openly.
Do you know him?
Well... I managed not to be forced to knowing any of them, believe me they were much worse than a pain in the ass.
Oh, but he seemed nice when I spoke with him.
I don't doubt that - Rachel smiles with that, what could she mean? But after a moment of silence, Kate continues:
But Rachel... if you don't mind me asking he told me he was working outside the zones until the shutdown, how could a person this size do that?
Oh Kate, how little you understand... and I'm so sorry I couldn't explain you everything properly in school... Did you say person?
Shit, they never talked like this about micros, Kate tries to explain - Well, person, people.. you know, mic... - but Rachel hugs her, this sudden action catches Kate completely by surprise.
I thought you were only dared by others to ask me about that during Nicole's graduation, but you really understand this, right? Tell me you know who they are... - her agitated voice is actually starting to distress Kate, but she knows Rachel would not want bad for her.
People? - she can just reply.
Oh Kate, I always hoped you would figure that out on your own... The others.. the mothers didn't let me to tell you everything... They... Erica said it would make 'Us' look like monsters... She even threatened taking away all my privileges if I tell you the truth... - Rachel stills holds onto her, Kate can feel wetness on her neck.. tears? Is she... crying? - And they.. She made you, all of you, this way.. the opposite of what were meant to do, and unaware of what you were doing to those people. I'm so sorry that I failed you... I just hoped that maybe... I am so pathetic... - she can actually hear Rachel's sobbing now.
I don't understand... - she can only mutter. Rachel suddenly settles down and backs away from her.
But you have no idea in what danger this puts you.. if Erica finds out, she may... No, you have to keep this a secret! Tell me you understand You must not tell anyone you understand this! - this is becoming really scary now, Kate does not even know what should confirm...
Okay, I will not...
Rachel grabs her hand - Oh, I knew you would figure it out... If only I could... No, don't even try to think about it further they will see how your behavior is different. Please, you have to maintain the externals for them, still play with others sometimes and even... I can't possibly ask you to kill any people, but if you will be forced to convince them you have not changed, then even that...
Rachel, please you're scaring me, what are you talking about? - Kate cannot hold it further.
No, I already told you too much and you were always quick to figure things out, if only I could... No, please... please don't ask me to tell you anything more, because I fear I might and it would put you in even greater danger. If not for yourself, please do it for Gary - you must protect him now, but not only him all the people in your chamber...
But wait, how can my zone be in danger?
Rachel... I tried to teach you how you can own a chamber, but saying my zone implies you somehow own the people... No, this is enough I will try to find out what I can about this Gary Oleman and get back to you... You mentioned he worked outside until the shutdown has he told you anything more?
Kate wanted to shout at her to explain her everything, but realizes that... Rachel would, if only she did not think that it would somehow endanger her and she realizes just how easily she would give everything away to any mother just like he used the word person... She tries to recall if anything they talked about was important:
We spoke about how the facility worked before the shutdown and how it is now...
Has he told you anything about the shutdown itself? Did he ask you to do anything?
No.. I don't even know...
Look, I was searching for any clues about what happened just before the shutdown and about what caretakers or anybody still full-sized may do to fix it. Do you recall anything like that?
Well, he told me his emergency id...
Emergency id that may come in handy, do you remember it? - Kate shows her the long code, which Rachel quickly copies to her own wristcom and ponders something for a while.
Kate realizes one thing: Um, Rachel what did you mean by full-sized?
Rachel thinks about this for several seconds, probably considering if she can tell Kate about it and eventually speaks: I at least owe you this.. remember how I taught you some history about uTopia? The people actually used to live in the outside world before moving to the zones. They were full-size all like us... but you must not let anybody else know you understand all this, because... - and continues, but Kate cannot listen. The voice screams in her head:
Gary was like us.
He is still exactly like us.. just... smaller.
They all are.
She knew that the micros look, behave and speak somewhat like them, but never really thought... While she found the idea of a male caretaker silly, then this was too much to take in especially with the other revelations from Rachel... But then Kate also realizes that the Caretakers were not a strange linguistic construct such as aftermath or medbeds like she has always thought it actually has means what the two words suggest and like Rachel said, they are now doing the opposite of taking care of the people...
The caretakers were meant to care after... - she interrupts Rachel's explanation, which she ignored for some time now and finds herself unable to finish the sentence.
Oh Kate, you were always so smart... - but she cannot take anything more and passes out.
Chapter End Notes:
It seems she understands it more and more – but, especially in the beginning, we can see many signs that she is still not taking “her people” seriously. Not even mentioning the “little caretaker”, she thinks how “she discovered” Gary or never really thinks about how she impacted the lives in her chamber (and yes, I have been using chamber/zone interchangeably until now not to give any clues). Oh, and due to all this commotion she obviously forgot to mention how Gary died.
Also – another emotional chapter, damn, running out of tissues.. or perhaps was it concrete angel & jewel? Anyway, the discovery that those “dots” she called “her people” are actually like them must have been pretty tough for a young, sensible woman...
I hope I am not making them seem to “fainty” - I feel like all those strenuous situations and realizations would turn my own head inside out...
I did not want to spoil anything in responses to the reviews – I hope You can understand Rachel somewhat better now.
Also – if anybody can think of any illogical compound words like that, but only the girls could know about in their environment, please review/contact me :>
But otherwise we at least know she needs to look out, still not fully sure why.
And as always – let me know what You think!
Also – another emotional chapter, damn, running out of tissues.. or perhaps was it concrete angel & jewel? Anyway, the discovery that those “dots” she called “her people” are actually like them must have been pretty tough for a young, sensible woman...
I hope I am not making them seem to “fainty” - I feel like all those strenuous situations and realizations would turn my own head inside out...
I did not want to spoil anything in responses to the reviews – I hope You can understand Rachel somewhat better now.
Also – if anybody can think of any illogical compound words like that, but only the girls could know about in their environment, please review/contact me :>
But otherwise we at least know she needs to look out, still not fully sure why.
And as always – let me know what You think!