Gabatrix: Minerva

Chapter 9: March 4th, 2349

A day had passed. Ericson was not having much luck from his end. It had been the next morning, and Minerva was still powered down. He wouldn't go to see her again until he had the answers for her.

Ericson was walking down the passageway that led to the crew quarters for Akari and Jabr. It was quiet that day. Seemingly as always, it was like walking down an abandoned building. The activity was happening, but evidently, not where he was located.

"I create one of the best AIs, and they won't even let her leave......," he said to himself in anguish. "They ask me to do it, and I accomplish it. Then they do nothing....."

The next day seemed hopeful, though. Ericson received a call for him to come to see Akari in her quarters. She already knew about the situation that was going on. It was going to be her that would have to help him out.

He reached the door that led to his friends. He was hoping that they would be able to help them, but even he didn't know what they could accomplish. There was one thing that remained in his mind, and he knew that Akari was special. Somewhere and somehow, she had the answers to this problem, but the question was, how?

He saw the panel to the door as he pressed his finger on the scanner. He backed up a little bit from the door as he waited. He waited for almost twenty seconds causing him to reach his hand to the panel again.

"What is taking her so......"

Ericson didn't have to wait any longer. The door opened up as he saw Akari looking at him from inside the room. She was dressed in the same formal wear as before. There was a faint amount of smoke in the room oddly, but it cleared up quickly.

"Hello, Ericson. Come in," she gestured to him.

He complied as he stepped into the room. The living quarters were very much like his. It was a tight fit for a married couple, but it was how these ships were constructed. Single or married, you received the same room to use. She seemed very much used to it, though. Her smaller size seemed to actually be of some benefit to her with a bed that was really meant for one person. Akari was sitting down by a chair looking at her table. She gestured him to have a seat beside her.

"I apologize if I am not in the best of moods right now," he told her as he sat down.

"It is alright," she replied. "I am happy to hear that you got her moving around. I need to come and see her."

"She looks completely different now. She had the ability to be mobile, which more important than anything," he looked around the room. "Is Jabr on watch?"

"Yes, he is. Look, there is a reason why I called you here. I don't know how far you had gotten when it came to taking care of Minerva's issue when it came to the whole.....artificial womb situation, but I might have a solution to it. I spoke to my friend Dulari and asked her here. She is the one that might be able to help donate one of her eggs for you to use."

"Well, that would be some good news to hear at least," he said as he crossed his arms sitting on the chair. "Right now, I have been speaking with UWA Research, and they want me to stay put and do nothing. The whole situation with the Itreans has everyone spooked and confused. I constructed Minerva not only for them but for all of humanity, and their reaction is to twiddle their thumbs."

"So, you managed to create her, and they don't want anything to do with her?"

"Pretty much. If this were before the whole situation with the Itreans, they would have brought us to another place by now. They are so worried about the alien situation that they are nervous about an advanced AI that might make the public even more scared. They aren't against Minerva, but they are not behind us either."