Chapter One

 

The Maatian Learning Center for Immortal Children stood as an establishment of knowledge and enlightenment, embodying the post-human immortals’ honor for their human ancestors. Designed to nurture the young minds of the immortal class, it was a haven of laughter and innocence. One of the few places in Earth’s atmosphere that Immortals could survive in and use their reality warping abilities to maximum effect.

Each circular classroom fostered collaboration and interaction among students, equipped with holographic displays and interactive surfaces.

Children’s laughter echoed down the brightly decorated halls. In one such room, immortal children, ages four to seven, played on soft mats. Thirty year old Jariyah moved gracefully among them, her deep pink hoodie over her  teal-colored scrubs flapping behind her. She laughed to herself, placing a gauze wrap on a four-year-old’s broken foot.

“Tiara, Makeda’s foot will be completely healed in about five minutes. This lil’ one wants a gauze wrap for every boo-boo lately, but she needed it today.” Jariyah said with a chuckle, leaning in to whisper. “The B-O-N-E was sticking out of her foot.”

“They’re not able to D-I-E, but they’re still kids.” Tiara, her fellow nursemaid, smiled, though a hint of weariness tugged at her eyes. “That will never not be the weirdest part of this job. Thanks for taking over for me with her. You just have a way with them that I’ll never understand. Because you the kids are transferring to Amenhotep Academy ready for their high level curriculum.”

Jariyah sighed, watching as other nursemaids flitted between groups of children. She knew the entire story of Earth’s subjugation, but that never stopped the undercurrent of tension at the center that she couldn’t ignore. Many of her colleagues harbored resentment toward the immortals. A bitterness that simmered beneath their polite exteriors. She knew Tiara wasn’t truly complimenting her way with the children, but rather hinting at her respect for the immortals.

Jariyah was determined to keep the Maatian Learning Center as a sanctuary for herself. Here, she refused to let the past harm her view of the present. She chose to focus on the joy of nurturing young minds, watching them grow, and exploring the world with unbridled enthusiasm.

“Jari, Al-Hayye asked for you directly.” Tiara gestured toward a young immortal whose eyes glowed with emerald energy fixed on six separate pieces of a miniature sun that he had just conjured into reality.

Jariyah smiled as Al-Hayye was one of her favorite students. “Of course.” She moved to kneel beside the boy. “What are we working on here, little one?”

Al-Hayye looked up with eyes wide, the emerald fading slightly to reveal his true mauve-colored eyes. “I’m trying to make the sun.”

“The sun, huh?” Jariyah laughed softly at the ambition. “That’s a big task. Let’s see what we can do together.” She began guiding Al-Hayye’s small hands to piece the puzzle together.

“Jariyah,” Tiara sighed with frustration, reading her tablet. “Have you heard the latest news?”

“No, what’s up?”

Tiara sat her tablet down. “There’s talk of new regulations for us human caretakers.”

“Regulations?” Jariyah looked up at Tiara, her eyes full of concern. “What kind of regulations?”

“Something about stricter oversight and training requirements,” Tiara shrugged. “They say it’s for the children’s safety, but it feels like another way to keep us in check.”

Jariyah nods slowly, absorbing the news. “I suppose we’ll have to wait and see. But whatever happens, these children need us. We can’t let anything get in the way of their happiness.”

“You’re right, Jari.” Doubt clouded Tiara’s eyes. “As long as we have each other and these little ones, we’ll make it through.”

As the afternoon sun began to dip below the horizon, Jariyah felt a familiar pang of longing. She glanced at the children, their faces alight with the joy of discovery, then out the window to the city.

“I’m surprised you didn’t know about them considering who your bestie is,” Tiara remarked, causing Jariyah to remember the fantasies she used last night while enjoying quality time with her rose.

“If Azzuri didn’t tell me, then he didn’t even know.” she countered, realizing that she had responded with more defensiveness than she wanted to. 

“Are you sure about that?” Tiara raised an eyebrow. “His immortal gene activated when y’all were eighteen. He hasn’t lived amongst us since. With who his partner is; how well do you really know him?”

“I still know him pretty well since we linked up last weekend for lunch,” Jariyah sucked her teeth in annoyance. “All immortals aren’t heartless.”

She stared out the window again. Jariyah’s thoughts drifted back to Azzuri. She thought of their past. Then she wondered how he was — what he was doing at that exact moment. Jariyah’s thoughts drifted from the past as she turned her gaze out the window.

Outside the window, the dazzling metropolis stood as one of the immortals’ capital treasure cities. The skyline of Sommore was mesmerizing with towering structures crafted from the immortals’ alien and bio-engineered materials. These edifices were not mere constructions but works of art.

Lush greenery wove through the city. Vertical gardens climbed the sides of skyscrapers. Rooftop parks provided oases of tranquility amidst the bustling cityscape. 

Trees lined the streets. Streams of crystal-clear distilled water meandered through pedestrian pathways. In the sky the unpolluted light of a Dravite sun cast downtown in honey glow.

Sommore’s transportation system was a marvel. Magnetic levitation trains zipped silently above ground. The underground housed the city’s hyper-speed transit system. Solar-powered vehicles glided along streets, inviting citizens to explore their city on foot or by bike. The clean air due to the advanced filtration systems ensured a pollution-free environment. As Jariyah watched the metropolis from the window, her eyes landed upon the Sempiternal Spire.

The Sempiternal Spire was a massive ziggurat constructed from mud bricks, technology, and crystal. Inside, each level served a distinct purpose. Private living quarters, libraries, meeting rooms, an indoor amphitheater, and medical spaces among others enhanced the lives of the inhabitants within. At the pinnacle of the spire was the Council Apex, where the immortal elite convened to make decisions that shaped the future of their world and the galaxy. But within a private chamber below, a different kind of decision was being faced.

In the hushed quiet of their bed chambers, Azzuri held Princess Safa’s hand tightly as she lay in bed. Safa, his wife and symbiotic partner, trembled slightly, her nervous system a wreck. Three AI spheres floated over her abdomen, scanning her womb with silent precision. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the soft hum of the technology.

“I’m so sorry, Princess.” Safa’s female physician spoke with gentle authority, reading the results of the scans. “You’ve indeed suffered a miscarriage. That’s what all the cramping was.”

Safa’s grip on Azzuri’s hand tightened, her face crumpling at the words. Tears welled up in her eyes as her composure shattered. She broke down, sobs wracking her body. Leaning into Azzuri’s comforting embrace, she let the pain wash over her.

Azzuri stroked her hair, murmuring softly, “It’s going to be okay, Safa. I’m here. We’re going to get through this together.”

“Every three to six months,” Safa whispered, her voice filled with despair. “Every three to six months, I lose the baby.”

Safa’s female physician sighed with compassion. “The ancestors told us that there was a possibility that Earth’s density could cause immortal women to become barren. We’ve been seeing it more and more the last decade,” Safa’s female physician sighed with compassion. “This is the fourth one, Safa. Are you sure that you want to keep trying?”

“I know the routine,” Safa nodded, her resolve unwavering. “Two days of rest to let my body heal. You can leave now.” Turning away from the door, crying harder, Safa felt Azzuri’s presence beside her. 

“So you mean to tell me that I can’t make love to you for days? I might lose my mind,” he teased gently as the physician quietly left the room.

“I don’t even know how you can look at me,” Safa managed a weak smile through her tears. “I can’t even give you what the gods of Aaru put us together to do.”

“The gods of Aaru made us both to love each other.” Azzuri’s voice was firm and filled with love.

Safa turned back to face him, searching his eyes for reassurance. “You really want to keep trying for a baby with me?”

“Yes. I’ll keep trying until the end of time.” Azzuri wiped her tears away. “Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am. I was eighteen when I got here.” He kissed her softly, pouring his love and commitment into the gesture. “Just tell me what you need, and as your husband, I’ll do it. I just don’t want you to lose your smile, Safa.”

“I could never lose my smile being married to a man like you.” Safa smiled genuinely, finding comfort in his words. “What I actually need is my husband to practice self-care. You act so tough, but I’m going to do what the doctor said and rest. I don’t care what you do. Just do it for you and do it outside the spire. The more you’re here, the more you’ll just worry about me.”

Azzuri smirked, appreciating her strength even in vulnerability. “I can definitely do that.”

“I love you, Azzuri,” Safa whispered as she settled into the bed.

“I love you too,” Azzuri kissed her passionately before rising to leave.

Safa watched him go, her heart full of love and gratitude, before allowing herself to drift off to sleep.