✅ Project SETI Trilogy

Chapter One - Part I: Preoperative Procedures

          Year 2085, United West Americas (Northern Sector)

          The waiting room was surprisingly swanky. There was an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling tinted windows that provided a generous, sweeping view of the newly developed downtown area, and the floor was an improved version of linoleum but patterned to look like white and grey hardwood. The chairs were large and cushioned with wide seats and tall backs, and matched with the rest of the office's black, grey, teal and white colour scheme.

          There was quiet easy-listening music playing from decades previous, but even as the patient tried to listen for it, it was strangely indiscernible. He looked around the ceiling to see if he could find the source of it, but the only objects along it were an illuminated fire exit sign by an emergency exit door, a sprinkler, and a large sign embossed in the reinforced security glass above the main entrance:

          Project SETI
          by Dr. Julia G. Nguyen and Dr. Gabriel E. Dejarlais
          SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY – NO EXCEPTIONS.

          The last sentence, in bold crimson lettering, made him recall having to scan his retina to unlock the door. Even though it had only been five minutes since he checked in, he was getting very anxious. He had been looking forward to this, and the anticipation was almost too much to bear.

          Another patient came in shortly after. Their stomach was immense, and he idly wondered how far along they were. They sat across from him after checking in, and he noticed their discomfort right away—they kept feeling their belly and sighing. His mouth twitched briefly; he simultaneously admired their form and pitied the obvious pain they were in.

          A few minutes later, a familiar dark-haired man came through the door that led into various examination rooms and surgical suites. He had high cheekbones, bronze skin, and hazel eyes that looked brown at a glance, but closer inspection would reveal the streaks of green overlaid on top. He wore grey scrubs with an olive-green long-sleeved shirt underneath, the cuffs of which were pushed up near his elbows. This revealed that he had two full tribal tattoo sleeves that extended down past his wrists and onto his hands. An electronic stethoscope with lime-green tubing peeked out of his shirt pocket near his waist, and a slick-looking watch was affixed to his left wrist. The entire look was all pulled together by little flashes of black acrylic jewelry in his small stretched lobes, the bridge of his nose, and in his right ear cartilage.

          "Hullo!" The stocky surgeon greeted him cheerfully with a smile and a wave. "You're right on time. Come on in."

          He gestured for him to follow behind the door and led him through a few hallways before finally arriving at a small chamber that was equally as stylish as the waiting room. The door was constructed of dark polished wood and had three glass panels that had been airbrushed white to soften the bright fluorescent lights coming from the hallway. Inside, there was a small, sleek mobile monitor that had a blood pressure cuff and a pulse oximeter, in addition to an adjustable papered examination table that had stirrups attached to it as a default. Laid out neatly on top of it were a pale-blue gown, a housecoat, and a pair of socks.

          "I trust you've not changed your mind since we last spoke?" Gabriel said in a friendly and knowing way as he snapped on a pair of snug blue-purple nitrile gloves.

          Nova had already begun to strip down. This revealed his long toned legs and feminine hips, the right of which was adorned with a cute dimple. The entirety of his body was covered in tiny freckles and dark hair of varying thickness—the same colour as the dark brown hair on his head. He couldn't help a blush when he noticed the doctor was admiring him. "You're kidding, right?"