Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
The script has just the title and “some fun” description planned for this chapter, so lets get started:
Amber hates herself for not telling anybody how Kate attacked her. She almost confessed it to Nicole when she wanted to make sure she behaves in the meeting with Kate like it was Amber who exploded! But she was worried nobody will believe her and also.. a bit scared of Kate. What if she does this again she was so crazy back in her zone.
But she should have told somebody but who? Nobody would believe that Kate could possibly behave like that... even during the party she was timid and shy seemingly incapable of even scratching anybody, not to even mention assaulting... And she was so calm, perhaps Amber misinterpreted her behavior? Maybe she was simply trying to contain her and the violence was accidental... It didn't seem that way especially with what she spoke afterwards. How could she dare come to her like that after all this.. violence!
At least during their reunion - as Nicole called it Kate was behaving rationally. It was strange at times it seemed almost like she didn't want to kill the micros they offered her. But she had a new dress and Amber remembers how the firsts explained just how costly the clothes are. It usually took hundreds of thousands of micros to make them manufacture anything nice... Andrea for instance didn't care about her looks enough to bother. Using them for fun was much more interesting.
Kate must have really forced them back in her zone to come up with such dress in several weeks? Mothers had decades to prepare and many of their clothes aren't that nice. Sure they are more elegant and sophisticated, but.. it seemed the blue one piece really fits her. It was still.. strange. Kate seemed not to care about what's happening here, didn't play with her micros and to let them escape like that? If she was so smart about her zone, then how could she behave like this here...
When Amber squished the refugees, she could almost swear Kate expression was.. she knew this look, but couldn't name it. Just before the Nicole's graduation, when Kate was lying down and talking to micros perhaps? No, whatever strange things she was doing in there, Amber doesn't even want to know but when Kate opened her eyes and looked up at her... it wasn't anger Kate turned to that later. It was something different, not even the hatred she manifested before assaulting Amber...
And Amber was actually trying to provoke her to attack her again, to show Nicole how crazy Kate really was but she seemed more sad than angry, for instance when Amber crushed her gift. Maybe she understood how crazy she behaved? Sure Kate wouldn't confess for her behavior in front of Nicole, but.. she wasn't very content with the Amber's apology - maybe she felt bad about lying?
It seemed Nicole can do that without any problems, but.. Kate was always honest she never had much to hide, really. How have they drifted apart so far away that Amber can no longer understand her?
Amber tried to explain how she understands her problems especially after Lisa visited her.. but she haven't told anybody about this it would be pointless. Everybody knew how Lisa behaves.. why did she even allow her mother in the first place? And she could understand Kate's hatred she felt the same way back then. But to actually attack and threaten a friend? Were they still friends? Nicole announced that now everything is fine, but.. it just didn't seem this way.
Perhaps Amber could talk to her, try to invite Kate to her zone alone show that she is more mature now, that she really understands. Maybe even they could exchange some tips on how to train micros?
Although it seemed it would be Kate teaching her rather than the other way. Amber doesn't understand micros at all. She tried to help them repopulate, but they asked.. no, begged her not to masturbate in the zone... Apparently the fumes of her pheromones caused males to go crazy. She still has no idea what that meant, but they tried to explain that in personal quantities they are harmless, but the clouds she produces can quickly encompass entire settlements - making some men unable to hide, which quickly drives them insane and they rape each other or worse.
When they explained what the raping was, she remembered the lesson they had on micros breeding activities and wanted to explain this was the idea... But they continued to elaborate how some people naturally they meant some other micros - couldn't take it and committed suicide. This was no good if they start killing themselves like the other zone, she would lose everything, so she quickly told them she was sorry and only wants them to rebuild smoothly.
If only she paid more attention in that lesson... Rachel tried to explain them some facts on micros reproduction, but Amber would only play with her plate they looked so cute in the magnified image, like she could actually see them running away from her hand... Not that it helped much, but it was still better than just noticing reddish dots after raising it without the amplification. Perhaps she should tell the micros here to prepare something like that? She could take it to the empty zone and use it to have fun with some refugees or colonists.
Yeah, it was much more fun in school at least until Rachel told her there are no more replacement micros... Of course when Nicole spoke how boring it all was and left, Rachel seemed less convinced in her explanations, so eventually Amber was alone with Kate with her set. It was interesting how her micros haven't died even once she was also playing with them, but more like Nicole taught her now. Back then Kate was relaxed about everything even when Amber crushed her sample, she just smiled and laughed how they broke down. Yes, Kate has changed so much since then...
Either way, Amber wasn't sorry about making her micros rape each other at all but it always seemed to cheer them up and she was already looking at the counter nervously to see if the suicides have started here as well. Fortunately they either calmed down or just bluffed earlier it was hard to say for her, but they were very worried about what she was doing. They reassured her that they are fine and she doesn't need to worry.
Amber thought how curious it was that the firsts were helping their micros with raping and it seemed to work maybe they are doing something differently? Nicole has shown her how wrong she was with so many little things, perhaps Amber could ask her about this as well? But no.. Nicole never cared about her micros population, maybe Andrea would tell her? They met casually several times in the last couple weeks and talked about things, but mostly how tedious it was to cultivate micros and without any details. Amber was worried the first would consider what she and Nicole were doing strange. Talk with micros? It sounds like one of Rachel's ideas - she even once mentioned when Amber suggested it.
But she won't be able to talk with her today, no response to her mesg and Nicole is silent too, vanished after their meeting. Amber cannot stop thinking about Kate and what she's doing with her micros. She said the zone is perfectly fine, that she doesn't need to train them and that they aren't killing themselves although Kate was a bit confounded by this question... It felt like it wasn't as pretty as she wanted it to sound.
Then Amber realizes that she can have some insight into Kate's training methods she got those colonies that she completely forgot about. They have been trained by Kate for a couple weeks before Nicole convinced her to give them and while asking micros about something feels weird, like.. how would they even know anything... it seemed to work when Nicole investigated the contaminated zone. Well, it didn't help very much, but at least they learned what the problem was.
Still, she may get some ideas about how to train her micros so she moves to one of the colonies, half-expecting they may be dead or something like that.. even her trained zone took a heavy hit after Amber arrived, despite her trying not to kill too many of them. Better than the other zone of course... but still something like five hundred thousand less than at the beginning and she was responsible for maybe third of that. Not to even mention the Lisa's arrival... at least the micros weren't killing themselves after that.
It's strange to see full hundred thousands Amber didn't think that Kate would actually give her the full count, more like ninety or so.. but there it was and no suicides at all! It is also strange they haven't reproduced either.. are they waiting for her request to do that? In this case she should better talk to them at first she wants to go back for a headphone and the tower, but then notices something of such shape nearby.
Another weird thing is that even though it was already getting late, everything seems well-lit their villages and even lines beyond them.. Illuminated with thousands of tiny lights and which are clearly visible in late evening sun like the micros wanted her to see them. Aren't they afraid of getting killed or what? Kate must have trained them very well yeah, Amber needs to find out more about this. Walking around the only cluster of towns in the zone the headphone was on the other side she notices how much they managed to build in.. just two weeks? Well, the other seconds may have dropped them earlier than Amber's graduation, but it couldn't be more than four or five. This was supposed to be an empty zone before Nicole or Kate colonized it, so all this in such short time...
The cleanup process alone in the other zone was supposed to take months after just a couple Lisa's steps... Amber couldn't believe just how slow the micros are she offered help with gathering the debris, but they began convincing her it would be a bad idea. Whatever she thought - if they don't want my help, they won't get it. The reconstruction afterwards will take even longer. But she doesn't need more cities, there was still one or two left in that zone anyway. She needs the micros to repopulate for the fun.
But it seems that these are very efficient at building stuff. Sure they aren't skyscrapers - the name baffled Amber when she heard it. Like those minute things were supposed to tickle the sky? Or perhaps it was about the caretakers? Maybe what Lisa did, was actually their purpose but the micros were very sad and worried afterwards, so it would be strange if they were planning this function in the first place. But a hundred thousand micros building anything at all seemed like a huge accomplishment.. they wouldn't be able to properly excite her even if used all at once...
As she slowly approaches the headphone and lies on her belly behind it careful not to crush any lights, as Amber doesn't want to give them reasons for suicides she sees that the headphone is much different from others she has seen. At first Amber thinks it's broken, since there is no wire to connect it to a building it's resting on, but she picks is up and analyzes without a word. It looks sturdier and more slick and even though it has no connection to its base, a light on the side is shining. Definitely a light, which means it must be powered somehow.
There is only one way to find out - she thinks and wears it. It fits her much better than the others, not to mention lack of the annoying cable if only it could work - she concludes, but suddenly can hear a clear voice:
Hello, miss - and they pause.
What do you mean? - she inquires and after a brief moment they respond:
We merely wanted to inquire your... - but she interrupts them:
What do you mean by this miss?
Um, it's just a polite way of addressing a young woman and we don't know your name - they explain.
I'm pretty adult and I'm a caretaker, in case you haven't noticed - she corrects them - You can call me Amber - she thinks that perhaps Kate haven't trained them that well...
After a moment of silence the voice returns: Well, hello Amber, then - she thinks if they're mocking her and considers reprimanding the stupid micros... But figures she should instead ask about their problems, while checking the counter for any suicides:
Is everything okay here? You micros doing fine? - luckily none so far. It seemed that even her talking alone caused many deaths in the other zones, perhaps if she limits herself to the most important questions...
Yes, we just finished setting the industrial network and began extending the power grid. The dilation field here seems mostly untapped and we can safely increase output... - and they continue. Amber has no idea what they're rambling about and also it is of no interest to her, so eventually she interrupts:
Great, how's reproduction going?
Um.. miss Amber... - a longer silence - Well, some women are pregnant, but... - and they pause again.
But what? - they're not making any sense, Amber recalls from school that the pregnancies had something to do with micros reproduction, but can no longer remember what it was. Some kind of delay between they could have young? They should repopulate rather than worry about some power grids or other networks.
We wanted to establish food production and medical infrastructure before we would.. worry about the population - and pause, apparently expecting her answer. Well, it makes some sense. From what she heard in her trained zone, it seemed like they couldn't just get food from assemblers stupid micros... so much for Kate's somewhat better breed. Or perhaps it was actually some kind of specialized micros? Like.. better at building and not so quick with reproduction? That would make sense it seems all they want to do is set up, produce and establish things.
I can get you some food - Amber is unsure if those builder-micros wouldn't eat more, but the larger zone apparently has still large supply of everything - you don't have to worry about that now.
The silence continues for some time, things like this always seemed obvious in the trained zone but now that she thinks of it, the micros really started killing themselves when she explained what she wants from them... Perhaps Amber should give them more time to think about it? Surely getting some food would allow them to focus on more important things Amber also thinks if she could bring them some of this industry, but they start talking:
We do believe that is an excellent idea our colonization inventories were dwindling anyway and we could use some fresh...
Always with the babbling, they seem more like builder-chatter-micros Amber concludes and stops them: That's settled, anything else? - she is unsure about this medical stuff. Were they talking about medbeds? The very idea of micros using anything like that was absurd. The micros in the trained zone were also talkative, but only when she broke something and Amber thinks it shouldn't have happened here, she was specifically very careful. The counter still shows hundred thousands.
After a short pause, they continue: Well, that would be all, miss Amber - what's with this miss of theirs, she thinks - Maybe one suggestion: we would love if you could use a softer voice and you don't have to lie down to use the headphone. The range should be more than sufficient even for you standing up.
Now that's interesting Amber doesn't care about the voice part.. the micros in the other zone didn't stop lamenting until she began moving more carefully and if those are even more fragile, she can try to speak quieter. But the range part intrigued her it would be great if she didn't have to crouch or lay down in weird positions every time she wants to speak with the micros...
Indeed Amber can hear them when she carefully stands up. She could use some more of those headphones. Kate was very smart to figure out such solution even mothers are using wired connections. Sure, some are fairly long and they don't have to keep their heads just next to the ground, but the wires still break and mangle in hair. Sometimes they even aren't removed when moving back to the facility, which is very annoying. This is so much simpler.
Okay, I'll get some food then - she concludes and wants to teleport straight to the trained zone, but realizes she may still check the other colony. It looks mostly the same lots of lights and population of hundred thousands minus one. A single suicide? Amber watches carefully to make sure they didn't start something just now.. she prefers not to say anything worried it make them kill themselves more quickly but nothing changes, so she just moves to her trained zone without a word.
It quickly turns out that the micros there cannot talk using this headphone and their equipment. Amber thinks whether those builder-micros are compatible with the others, but when she shows it to them, they find some frequencies and protocols somehow hidden in it and they are quickly able to communicate with her remotely. This is so much better. She even hears that the headphone has a number of transmitters on the sides and even micros without any equipment could quickly learn to use them.
Amber can actually sit down casually now and they don't see her wristcom so she mesgs Kate to meet up in any of her zones. She doesn't write about it but wants to congratulate her this training, it seems she really taught them a lot. Even if they failed to reproduce. She also notices how she got a mesg from Andrea asking her to come she usually replies after some delay, but the first wrote now that she is free for the rest of the evening end Amber can drop by any time.
So Amber asks Andrea when she can visit and waiting for the response explains the micros that her smaller zone needs some food it doesn't seem several months of supplies for a hundred thousand should be a problem, but it will take some time to prepare proper transporters slow as usual so she tells them to get some for another zone as well. Even though she hasn't talked to them, the situation will probably be similar.
Amber wonders if she should ask them what other types of micros are there but decides they won't know it and she'll better ask Kate. Or better Andrea who just answered that any time so she mesgs the first back to get the location. After quickly hiding the headphone Amber would likely be ridiculed, she teleports to that zone.
Ever since the Nicole explained her this, she feels uncertain if it is okay to talk in a zone with micros, but Andrea assured her once or twice that she has them properly trained and it's not a problem. It is already dusk, so Amber can see many lights further away she remembers the zone as one of Andrea's research projects. Maybe Amber could get some details about the findings?
Andrea seems a couple dozen feet away from her, so Amber walks carefully in the direction but just as gently as some firsts would. During a party last week, Kimberly commented that Amber was walking like micros could die from it - which caused many laughs. Sure, she was careful, but that was because she understood why everybody always complained at her negligence and tried not to overdo it afraid of ridicule.
When Amber approaches the first, they welcome each other it takes a moment of looking around for Andrea to notice her in the dusk, but eventually she waves her wristcom with light on. After several minutes of casual chatter, the first asks if there is anything she wanted to talk about recently Amber was often coming with questions, rather than to have any fun.
Yes, I've been.. trying to train my micros to reproduce and they only complain about rapes and pregnancies... - Amber starts, but Andrea interrupts her:
You've been talking with your micros again, haven't you?
It is literally an accusation but Amber only wants to train them better... She figures it may be better to overlook it and return to her question Andrea is nice enough to ignore her weird ways, so the second continues: Just a little, but.. I don't get it. What are those things and how best to get them to reproduce?
She can barely see the expression on Andrea's face, but it doesn't seem content with her reply and she points out Amber her wrongdoings:
You shouldn't listen to a word they say. Trust me. They'll only try to convince you not to have fun with them and everything. It's the micros who have to listen, if they want to be of any use... - and after this her expression turns into a happier one Andrea always seems to enjoy explaining Amber some of the little tips and tricks she has found out, so she continues - As for the breeding, well, it's pretty complicated...
She always explained how a lot of things is complicated but over the last two weeks, Amber started noticing that many of the problems the firsts may be encountering are associated with some things Nicole taught her not to do. Or do differently. Like having such discussion in an inhabited zone... she feels that the micros would immediately start killing themselves, if she spoke like Andrea even in her trained zone. The firsts must have some really smart trick so it doesn't happen to their micros.
The first continues - I don't know about those rapes, but pregnancy is actually part of their reproductive cycle.. Courtney even suggested that it may be like Erica or Lauren when they were having the thirds the micros probably learned this from the mothers or something like that - Courtney was one of Rachel's twins and she used to talk with her mother about various things. The others usually ridiculed her for strange ideas she got from Rachel, but Courtney seemed to be the main source of information about the micros. Not to mention that her zones were by far the best among the firsts both in population and reproduction rates.
That's what Amber heard at least Courtney would never let her in or even talk to her... If only Amber could talk with her directly.. but even then she probably wouldn't tell her much the firsts were rarely telling them anything they found out. You would have it too easy - most of them said, especially with the school that Rachel organized. Amber tried to explain them they didn't learn anything useful there, but... perhaps they could have? What if Kate was able to actually figure something out by listening to what Rachel said.. even Nicole was paying just a bit more attention than Amber and she already knew so much.
But Andrea seems to pause for a moment, as if deciding if she should tell anything more, but eventually continues - Okay, from what I know, it works like this: the micros have sex and after some time the females are pregnant for something like seven or eight months to produce youth...
Amber interrupts her - Seven months? This is outrageous... - she can just barely see Andrea smile in the dark while she responds:
But that's not the worst part... not only females are mostly useless during that time and you have to leave some males to care for them in the meantime, but after the pregnancy, it takes about twelve to fifteen years for the young ones to maturate. And you know how useless they are before that... - they talked about children once, but Amber had no idea it would take them so long to fully mature - and that's just for females to reproduce. Males can take even longer...
Wait.. are you telling me that I have to wait twelve years for them to grow up? - Amber cannot believe what she heard...
Well, it's more like twenty something if you want their society to actually survive I managed to get that from my mother after months of nagging... - Lauren sometimes told Andrea some scraps of information. Amber always thought she was messing with the firsts with some so called facts, but the mother actually seemed very reasonable during the party she invited them for. But twenty years? The first continues - Hey, chill out, you can still have some fun and after they have young, they can be pregnant again, so you can speed it up a little.
Speed up? - Amber is unsure what she means.
Well, usually pregnancy ends with just one child.. and normally only around half of the micros are females, so you cannot expect much more than fifty percent increase every time. Some pregnancies fail, but some give more than one young micro, so it's hard to improve what happens there, really...
But.. can't they only grow females to speed it up? - Amber inquires.
Oh silly, they still need males for sex. And they cannot control the gender of their young. It sucks, doesn't it?
Amber thinks - you have no idea... but it seems that Andrea actually has an idea. That's why she wasn't having too much fun with her micros. All the firsts weren't! And now Amber is left with what.. million something that would kill themselves if not used soon enough and barely four for reproduction... She also considers whether sex is the same as rapes the micros complained that it was happening to a male and female together perhaps it's just a different name?
Then she thinks of another question - Hey An, but how are you making them reproduce?
Well, I really shouldn't be telling you this.. it's our trade secret to figure out best ways to do this you know...
Oh come on, I'm sure you can share something that all first already know and I also won't tell anybody! Please... - Amber begs and it seems the first is considering it, after a minute she speaks:
Fine, but just some rough details you'll have to figure out the rest... - and Andrea explains how she tries to treat them neutrally, no ridiculing or making fun of how pathetic the micros are they know that already. She uses various ways to convince them to multiply, like promising rewards for counter increases or making them compete in population growth. She has several experiments in various zones, but it seems that after two years the best she could accomplish was a hundred percent population increase so far... Still, if it continues she should be set in a couple decades.
There are many problems, mainly that they keep dying. For whatever reason, training a zone properly can easily take a half of the micros or even more not to mention that she has to keep them in line with occasional reprimands. Eventually they listen and over time she could see the gradual increase in population but only after the pregnancy period, the counters don't take those into account. All in all it's very easy to lose another twenty percent of micros after trained and before any returns are visible.
Amber is just sad the perspective of losing another three million before her zone is properly trained isn't very promising. And then decades before the micros grow up... But what if there was a better way? Maybe the firsts are missing something or perhaps Amber could improve on this by asking what is happening? Nicole is mostly ignorant about the means to increase the micros population Amber already asked but maybe Kate has some other ideas...
Either way Andrea continues explaining for a couple more minutes and eventually asks: Doesn't sound very easy, now does it?
Yeah.. I can see why you didn't want to have too much fun earlier... - with a sad voice, this is really bad if Amber could have several zones for experimentation like the firsts. At least she learned some from the untrained zone... Perhaps she could make some colonies for experimentation? Or use those two she already has? It seems that even if the population in them quadrupled over several years, it would still be nothing...
Amber needs to figure this out and quickly before anything bad happens to her only reasonable zone. She still is uncertain how to prevent the suicides... The current careful approach seems to work, but how to make sure they are reproducing? She feels good that those pregnancies in that colony are actually a good thing but why only some? How can Amber convince them all to rape each other or have sex, or whatever.
An.. you are so smart for figuring all this out on your own - Amber finally congratulates, usually a compliment like this helps to improve the first's mood this time is no different and they continue chatting about less important matters for twenty more minutes or so.
Eventually Andrea decides to go to bed it's already late and it's better to get up early than stay awake late. They can hardly see anything in the night. Amber asks if she could stay here for a moment to think about everything and the first agrees.. probably saving the population count again. This time Amber cannot blame her.
But what she really has in mind is to ask micros about what is wrong here maybe if Amber learns something, she could avoid some problems with her zone. The Andrea's plan seemed convincing, but seventy percent micros lost seemingly without reason is.. just scary. She still has the Kate's headphone and if the micros could figure out how to use it, then it should be fairly easy.
So when the first leaves, Amber sits still careful not to be seen talking to micros.. Andrea could return at any time to check up on her but it is unlikely, as she can always check the count in the morning. After thirty more minutes of thinking about what she can do, Amber approaches the closest village as carefully as she can. It's already night and Amber can clearly see the lights in there, but... as she approaches, they seem to disappear down to a total darkness when she crouches down.
It couldn't have been her Amber was surely careful enough not to cause any damage walking even more carefully than in the trained zone... She sheds some light from her wristcom and places the headphone down next to the village hopefully far enough not to kill any micros, but she could hardly see anything in this light. She also notices similar effect in nearby villages especially when she turned her flashlight.
Don't worry, I only want to talk.. could you approach the headphone please? I was promised it has something for you to talk back to me... - she speaks softly, mindful of what she heard in the colony. If the micros here similarly fragile, it may be helpful to show them some good will.
After maybe ten minutes, the light on the headphone starts blinking Amber asks if they are doing this, but of course they cannot answer her without the headphone on. She picks it up carefully and wears to hear:
Don't listen to that monster, please you have to save us. Take us with you, we'll do whatever you want, just please... - everything spoken in the saddest tone she has ever heard. Her micros always spoke more calmly.. even after the Lisa's visit. And even in her dying zone the micro that killed itself in front of her seemed better... Amber has no idea what is happening here, but it does not sound good.
I can't.. she would notice... - she can only reply, unsure if that's her or...
Then just kill us all, end this! - followed by sobbing sounds.
For several minutes Amber hoped they would maybe fix themselves Nicole told her how the micros in her untrained zones sometimes behaved crazy when she wanted to talk with them. Amber had no idea what that would mean and how to recognize it, but it usually improved when more responsible micros started talking... Nicole just waited a couple minutes to speak with proper ones.
Here.. after a couple minutes she could hear another voice, but... it was worse. Seemed to threaten that they will commit suicide if she doesn't help them it sounded very real and... Amber cannot risk a larger population drop here, Andrea would blame her. The news would quickly spread among the firsts and nobody would talk to her. No, she needs to get out of here quickly... After rising up, she remembers what Nicole told her always calms the micros down when she is rescuing them and while still uncertain if it it will help with the suicides at all, speaks:
Don't lose hope - whatever that means and leaves before she can hear any responses.
There must be something wrong with Andrea did there, but how to figure out what was it... maybe Nicole or Kate will know? She will definitely need to speak to one of them tomorrow neither responded to her mesgs, but Amber certainly needs to talk to somebody.
The next morning, Nicole sent her a mesg explaining she is busy, but they can talk in the evening which would be okay. Amber can always work on the food the micros in the trained zone should have prepared it by now. She hopes it's not one of those things they only can do during the day... it was ridiculous how it was supposedly slowing down the cleanup.
But she would like to talk to somebody, even Rachel if she could ask her about things she tried to teach them in school... This time Amber would listen very patiently. Why didn't they give them a zone earlier to see just how hard it is to train micros... Even if not everything that they were taught would be useful, it still would surely have helped. But Rachel is in private mode, like so often... Maybe Kate?
After sending several mesgs, Amber finally gets a response to meet her in the cafeteria. The assault two weeks back still makes Amber a bit insecure in the facility Kate could actually hurt her here, zone field would not protect her... but she almost strangled her inside anyway, so it doesn't matter really. Besides, she wouldn't dare to attack her like that in a public place... or would she?
Amber needs to eat as well, so she just quickly fixes herself up and walks to the cafeteria there are three firsts sitting together in the middle of the room and chatting happily, some third is with them... Alisa? Apart from them Andrea sits on towards the wall where Amber arrived and is eating but quickly waves joyfully, expecting her to eat with her but Kate is also there, back in the far corner.
So she walks by Andrea to chat briefly it seems the micros haven't killed themselves as she is still happy and even asks her to meet up sometime later in the day... maybe finally in one of your zones? - but Amber explains how she wants to speak to Kate. Sure, talk with the mute, why bother with your friend... - Andrea comments.
Hey, she's also my friend... ask Nicole if you don't believe - Amber responds defensively, walks towards the assembler to grab her food and after several minutes walks to sit with Kate. She almost finished her plate but surely will wait for them to talk.
Hi Amber, how are you? - Kate actually starts with a smile on her face. Happier than during the yesterday's meeting hopefully more talkative as well.
Oh hello, I'm great, and you? - Amber returns the smile and sits down opposite to the other second.
Likewise, so.. have you talked much longer after I left?
Nah, Nicole left quickly as well and it's not much fun to talk to myself... - she jokes and Kate actually laughs.
Faked or not this is probably the friendliest conversation they had in.. a year or so? Not something Amber would expect after... well, obviously. After a moment of silence opening her ration, Amber goes straight to the topic that interests her the most:
Hey, I tried to figure out how to train my micros and I don't know how to stop them killing themselves. Have you maybe encountered something like that with yours? - Kate's smile completely disappears, so she quickly continues - But if you don't want to share secrets that's fine, I was just wondering if there's anything that maybe...
Not here... - Kate speaks very quietly.
Oh - Amber only responds.
How are your zones anyway - Kate turns the smile back on... Hard to say what this all means, but... at least Amber can introduce the problem:
Well, they are fine for the moment. At least the trained one is... the other, well, not so good but also seems stable. They are no longer killing themselves - Kate nods in silence, she's not even eating.. perhaps Amber should change the subject - And how's your dress? Have you shown it to anybody else apart from yesterday? - she has plain uniform again... Nicole would probably use the breakfast as a perfect opportunity to show off for the first time.
Oh great, I still haven't used to it you know... - and so they continue chatting about seemingly nothing for several minutes. Amber is eating in the meantime, but when she inquires if Kate is planning to finish her food Kate just replies that she doesn't want to gain weight and raises to throw it out in a nearby recycler. Amber hopes she will sit back with her to talk, but instead Kate starts tweaking her wristcom Amber wants to ask if she could wait a bit, but Kate just speaks:
Meet with you later - and vanishes. They usually teleport from their quarters it's somewhat rude to move from public areas, you reappear in the same place which may cause accidents or at least scare the shit out of everybody. Well, maybe not that bad but it's certainly creepy to have somebody appear behind you when walking down the corridor or similar.
But it wasn't the usual way to say goodbye, so... maybe Kate will actually want to talk to her later? Amber thinks how to approach this.. it seemed Kate actually knows something she would have simply answered if she didn't. Perhaps she doesn't want the firsts to listen in? After all the secrets, lies and half-truths Amber heard from them, she wouldn't be surprised if Kate didn't want to just give away what she found out. And she was always very bright if she has been talking to her micros for month and a half now, who knows what kind of tricks she may know... The headphone was certainly ingenious.
Shit, I forgot about it when I teleported... - Amber thinks realizing the fact. Normally she wouldn't care about stuff disintegrating when leaving a zone, but it was really convenient perhaps Kate has some more? Or could she ask the builder-micros for another one... Either way, she continues to eat her food Amber is already slim and even then doesn't bother about gaining a couple pounds, what's gotten into Kate about this...
Suddenly Amber gets a mesg promised meeting with coords.. Amber is pretty sure it isn't Kate's zone she took the time to actually remember the identifier.. the first zone any second has received and all, but already forgot the entire code. Still, anybody willing to talk to her was better than... actually, Amber has no idea how could she approach her problem.
Grabbing the last larger bits of the goo from the container into her mouth, she throws it out and walks back to her room quickly in a hurry or not, vanishing in public looks bad. Some mothers do that and you do not want to look like them. But now after locking the door which became her habit already she teleports to that zone. Of course they arrived on completely opposite sides - probably empty then - she concludes.
After almost a minute of fast walk they meed somewhere in the middle well, Kate was walking more casually, but probably started earlier and Amber is unsure how to proceed. Especially how she is a bit worried about being alone here.
I didn't want the others to hear this... - Kate starts and continues after a moment - and I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anybody. Even Nicole... - long time ago when they were just little girls, they used to have some secrets from Nicole she always wanted to know everything about them and it was a way to have something special that she couldn't learn. Those were usually mundane things, like how much they ate in the morning or about some fun in their mother's zones although it was usually Kate with the latter, Lisa was always too miserly for Amber to have much fun. They stopped doing that some time after hitting puberty though.
Sure.. why do you... - Amber wanted to ask why Kate wanted to meet here, but she obviously explained it.
About your training - Kate continues - what is it that you're trying to accomplish?
Amber thinks about this for a moment there is no point in lying or covering facts it's not like she is doing anything wrong and if Kate really figured out how to make such superb headphones, she must be talking to her micros often. But she realized it may be nice to emphasize that she understands now:
Look, I'm really sorry about everything I did in your zone, I didn't want to talk more about it with Nicole present, but... When I lost one of my zones I realized just how hard it is to maintain micros... - what was the word Nicole used? - trust. I can imagine how you felt... No, I know how you felt when I was behaving irresponsibly and if it's any conciliation, I'm really sorry about it all.
They just stare at each other for minute or so, Kate finally breaks the silence: Thanks.. it means a lot...
Amber thinks how to explain the problems with her micros after talking with Andrea and her micros she still haven't figured out what she may be doing wrong. Surely the first told her how she approached her training and a lot of it may have even been true, judging by the micros reaction... Has Kate encountered any of those problems? Maybe they could just talk them through and...
But Kate continues with her sight down and humbly expression: I'm also sorry.. I... I may have behaved aggressively.. back there.
I'm fine and I understand... - Amber wanted to explain how she also felt like this way when Lisa attacked her micros, but... this is the third time she sees such expression on Kate's face. No on anybody's face.. it quickly fades, but it seems like her friend was really worried about all that. And how she must have blamed herself for that assault, obviously Kate was _always_ so nice and gentle. Amber can only offer her a hug it seems like the only appropriate thing right now which Kate returns.
It seems they are really reconciled now and Amber cannot wait to explain her problems but decides to wait until Kate calms down. In fact, she is quite perturbed as well.
After maybe a couple minutes, Kate breaks and takes a step back while speaking - Lets get to those training problems of yours then. But.. what are you trying to accomplish?
Oh, you know make them feel safe, confident. Surely increase the population over time. Eventually wouldn't mind a dress or two myself - she laughs softly, but Kate doesn't, so Amber gets back to more serious tone - I don't know. I just don't want them to be killing themselves like they were doing in that zone.. I... spoke to Andrea and I don't think her ways are right the micros there are completely... - she cannot find a word to describe it for a moment - hopeless? I mean.. I'd still like to have some fun every now and then, but...
Of course you would - Kate interrupts her visibly saddened. It almost seemed like she was brightening during Amber's explanation, but all that disappeared when she mentioned fun.
What do you mean... wouldn't you? - this was really strange, like one of...
Can't you just stop killing them? Whatever you do, just don't... Why do you have to always...! Don't you even see... - and turns around to hide her face.
Amber is baffled. It seemed important and she wants to understand, but... it reminds her of Kate's explosion a couple weeks ago and can only back out a couple steps. Was this all just Kate's game to make her forgive the assault? It seemed bad, but.. would the other second go to such length to hide something like that? It was just words, but.. Well, Nicole probably would but Kate was always more honest.
Kate turns around interrupting her thoughts and speaks calmly - Let's take a look at those micros of yours then...
Chapter End Notes:
Now wasn't that fun? Truth be told, I couldn't see any at the time of writing – probably another victim of budget cuts.. this recession is simply...
When it comes to “pheromones” - yes, I know that the effect is not that strong and it would probably take days to really freak out. At least that's how much I've been able to figure out when testing various steroids on myself – but perhaps other men would submit to the urges more easily? Also You have no idea how hard is to come by any significant quantities of high purity androstadienone and androstenol – I had to go through my shrink a couple years back, who I already was in strange terms with. Of course he advised me that I shouldn't be doing this, just like many other things – but what can You do when fluoxetine has hardly any positive effects...
But anyway, back to the story – it should make You understand the ch5pt2 a bit better... Also – have You noticed how Gary _did_not_die_ just there? One person was missing in that zone and it wasn't him, I think at least – that lucky bastard...
As for the Amber's “how would they know anything” - they are just dots, remember? She haven't even thought about talking with others to the “micros” in Kate's chamber to prove that it was her that attacked Amber in the first place, a lot of people must have seen the assault – although of course it could misfire, since the tinies were already fairly attached to Kate and might have lied about it, but then she could (…) (yes, a lot of thoughts). Anyway, as it may be apparent – I thought a lot about just how unknowing I imagine they could be of the situation. Sometimes Amber's ignorance could even be almost cute, if only it wouldn't also be so deadly...
About the firsts missing something - well, duh! I know what they are doing is hardly personal and very detached – but I literally cannot imagine any form of humiliation worse than what Andrea (and probably some other firsts as well) is doing... any ideas? Most stories revolve around domination and degradation by putting small men into sweaty socks or brown holes... Have more fun, kids – but that's like comparing atrocity the significance of dropping a grub down the back of a shirt with the Holodomor. Of course I doubt anyone will find a behavior like Andrea's enjoyable in any way (and I don't understand the kiddy stories either). I don't know if any POV be beneficial at this point – it seems half was dialogue and the other just random thoughts.
And how do You think – is there any hope for Amber? Can she see through everything she has been told and taught in her life? Or perhaps Nicole – she was already moderate about killing her own people, who knows? I hope at least one coin toss will result in heads...
Additionally – if You are not able to keep track of at least five different characters mindsets evolving and refining as we go forward, I think this story is not for You. Well, four – excluding Gary in several chapters, of course. But if You have gotten so far, I believe in Y'all!
As usual – let me know what You think!
When it comes to “pheromones” - yes, I know that the effect is not that strong and it would probably take days to really freak out. At least that's how much I've been able to figure out when testing various steroids on myself – but perhaps other men would submit to the urges more easily? Also You have no idea how hard is to come by any significant quantities of high purity androstadienone and androstenol – I had to go through my shrink a couple years back, who I already was in strange terms with. Of course he advised me that I shouldn't be doing this, just like many other things – but what can You do when fluoxetine has hardly any positive effects...
But anyway, back to the story – it should make You understand the ch5pt2 a bit better... Also – have You noticed how Gary _did_not_die_ just there? One person was missing in that zone and it wasn't him, I think at least – that lucky bastard...
As for the Amber's “how would they know anything” - they are just dots, remember? She haven't even thought about talking with others to the “micros” in Kate's chamber to prove that it was her that attacked Amber in the first place, a lot of people must have seen the assault – although of course it could misfire, since the tinies were already fairly attached to Kate and might have lied about it, but then she could (…) (yes, a lot of thoughts). Anyway, as it may be apparent – I thought a lot about just how unknowing I imagine they could be of the situation. Sometimes Amber's ignorance could even be almost cute, if only it wouldn't also be so deadly...
About the firsts missing something - well, duh! I know what they are doing is hardly personal and very detached – but I literally cannot imagine any form of humiliation worse than what Andrea (and probably some other firsts as well) is doing... any ideas? Most stories revolve around domination and degradation by putting small men into sweaty socks or brown holes... Have more fun, kids – but that's like comparing atrocity the significance of dropping a grub down the back of a shirt with the Holodomor. Of course I doubt anyone will find a behavior like Andrea's enjoyable in any way (and I don't understand the kiddy stories either). I don't know if any POV be beneficial at this point – it seems half was dialogue and the other just random thoughts.
And how do You think – is there any hope for Amber? Can she see through everything she has been told and taught in her life? Or perhaps Nicole – she was already moderate about killing her own people, who knows? I hope at least one coin toss will result in heads...
Additionally – if You are not able to keep track of at least five different characters mindsets evolving and refining as we go forward, I think this story is not for You. Well, four – excluding Gary in several chapters, of course. But if You have gotten so far, I believe in Y'all!
As usual – let me know what You think!