Vicky

Vicky

July 15, 2024

I remember Vicky from high school. She wore her hair long and wavy, her skirts tight, and her voice terse. She hated me then. I hope things are different today.

I walked into the gym scanning for her. Time did not touch her and she presented exactly as before. I also held that accolade. Once our eyes met, I knew she knew that I knew what she knew. A simple nod of my head and she understood to meet me outside.

I gave her two minutes to find me in the darkness.

“What are your orders tonight?”

Vicky replied, “I am here to harvest various cuts of skeletal muscle and offal for feedstocks. The Imperium demands such samples. This planet has a variety of bipeds and quadrupeds. By sheer numbers alone, I hope the bipeds are more nutritious. What is your mission?”

“I must triangulate coordinates for doorway openings to minimize energy usage during mass transports. This planet has nearly 1400 available nexus points powered by indigenous energy supplies alone. Have you discovered a viable manner in which to transport your feedstocks yet?”

Vicky looked very distant with this question. “This body is not as functional as yours. However, as a presentation device, mine surpasses yours in all what the humans call ‘social’ aspects. Thus, I do not believe I will require the Consortium’s assistance. I believe I can achieve my goals by a presence attack in which the humans will assist me so as to be close to me. They are so easily fooled by appearances alone.”

“I agree. It is unfortunate we do not have more time in which to persuade the most gullible to make their goals our goals. The harvesting of the planet would be so much easier.”

Vicky gave me an awkward nod, indicating her short time, planet side. Some humans might find her appeal even more appealing with this quirk. I found it sloppy, an oversight not worth her time in rank.

Vicky returned to the school to mingle with the previous graduates. Her conversation turned to reproduction and gestation. Many listened as she spoke. Many offered their personal assistance to forward her research. I returned to continue my measurements for possible nexus placements.

This truce cannot end soon enough.