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 Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 9:14 pm
___________________Journal Entry: 001
___________________Sweet Dreams My Prince
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As soon as the car pulled into the driveway, Tali lunged from her seat and ran to the front door, icy wind on her heels. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her, leaning against it to catch her breath as she smiled.
She had done it. The prince was hers.
Tali unpinned the brooch to get a better look at it, holding it delicately in her palm. It was hard to believe that that little red sphere really had something alive in it. Her senses tingled with pure joy as she pinned it back on, remembering Max's warning. Is this what it felt like to be a mother? She couldn't stop grinning. The lighting of the foyer glistened on her pale skin and reflected in the brooch, soft butterflies bloomed in her stomach.
What did she do now?
"Well, little one. Maximilian didn't exactly give me a manual for you. I'm going to assume that means you don't need anything until you hatch. He'd tell me if you did, wouldn't want his precious little money maker to be harmed now would he?"
Perhaps it was strange that she was talking to a pendant only a little longer than two inches, but that thought didn't cross Tali's mind as she ascended the spiral stair case of her home. By her wealth standards, Tali lived quite modestly. Except for the garage and workshop wing of course, that area was bigger than her living space by two fold.
The foyer, mostly for show since she spent very little time there, was nearly entirely staircase, which wound its way up to the second floor. On the second floor, where she now was, living quarters resided. Her room and three guest rooms was all that the second floor comprised of, very modest indeed. Once on the second floor, another spiral staircase further down the hall led to the first floor again, which oddly enough was inaccessible through the foyer. There was her beloved workshop, which was also outfitted with a small kitchen and a cot.
"Someday, you'll get to help me in the garage. That'll be fun, won't it sweetie?"
She hummed contentedly at the thought of her little prince with a monkey wrench, smears of grease on his overalls, a smile on his precious face.
The presentable part of her house was neat and tidy. Mostly because she didn't actually live there. With a sigh, Tali turned to her sparsely used room. If she wanted to raise her prince properly, she had to discard some habits so he wouldn't pick them up. Sleeping in the garage and forgetting to eat were the two biggest concerns on her list at the moment. Delicate fingers turning the brass knob, Tali swung the door open.
"Xu," She called out. "Put some Beethoven on. Or Motzart. Something classical, please."
A male voice sounded through the room.
"Any particular reason?"
His speech was non-nonchalant, and a little cocky. Well, she had programmed him to be that way. With a grin she pointed to the pin affixed over her heart as the sounds of piano and violin began to fill the room.
"Ah, got the little runt, did you? Those maternal instincts are already kicking in. Though, I'm not quite sure classical music has the same effect on mutated frogs as it does on human children, Mistress."
Tali wrinkled her nose. "I keep telling you to call me by my name, Xu. Mistress makes me sound like some sort of dominatrix."
The AI laughed over the speaker system, choosing not to manifest in a hologram for the time being. With a roll of her eyes, Tali began to take off her dress, craving a cleansing shower shower. Unpinning the egg before she let the violet material drop the the floor in a heap, Tali kicked off her shoes and made her way to the bathroom. Xu had already started the water, knowing his maker well. Inhaling deeply, she let the cool water refresh her, pin held over her heart with a hand.
The music radiated, bouncing off the tile and soothing her excited, but weary mind. The whole ordeal had been trying. Tali planned on going to bed immediately after her shower.
Clean and refreshed, Tali wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, pin still in contact with the skin of her chest, and paced to her bedside. Not bothering to put on clothes, Tali snuggled up
"Time for bed, little one." She touched her lips lightly to the small, red, orb, heart swelling with affection for the unhatched princeling, placing him neatly on the pillow close beside her heart. She had always been a rather still sleeper, but just to be safe....
"Xu. Wake me immediately if I'm about to roll on top of him or something. I don't care if you have to sound an alarm, just do it."
The AI didn't respond, but Tali knew he had heard her. Like a guardian, Xu was always looking out for her. With the crescendoes of violin and piano in her ears, Tali's lids grew heavy. She was happy, she was at peace. She smiled softly as her eyes slowly drew shut.
"Goodnight little prince." She murmured, then finally drifted off.
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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 1:59 pm
___________________Journal Entry: 002
__________________________Baby #2
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The thick, sharp smell of motor oil filled her nose. She smiled. This was her element.
Pushing back, the young Eurasian woman slid out from under her current project, a nice little sleek sport model in a brilliant crimson hue. Exhaling, she wiped the sweat from her brow with a forearm on to the sleeve of her violet, zip up jump suit that strongly resembled the ensemble of a pre-war race car driver. Even in grimy working conditions, Tali's fashion dictations were not ignored. She would be chic, even if she was covered in car residue. Fortunately, the little suit was an invention of her own. It's innovative nature showed as the oil soaked into the fabric and trailed its way to the bottom of her right pant leg, trickling off onto the cement flooring. A small mechanical drone that resembled a large computer mouse responded immediately, running over the spill with a sucking noise then speeding back off to it's charging module.
She smoothed the sleek material of the suit over her hips, pressing out the wrinkles, then lifted a hand to peel back the rag she had affixed over her prince egg. Relieved that none of the oil had touched the vulnerable sphere, tali pressed the cloth back over. She still had work to do. All of the cars needed to be in tip-top shape for when Maximillian and Adelle came to make their selections.
"Mistress." The voice rang over the intercom, concerned. "You've been working in the garage for well over five hours. You should stop and get something to eat at the very least."
Tali sighed an nodded in resignation, removing the cloth from the pin once again and tucking the rag into one of the suit's many zippered pockets. Covering the little prince up when unnecessary bothered her, she didn't want to confine him. With her usual graceful gait, Tali made her way to the garage kitchen. The only kitchen in the Novikov manor.
Xu materialized, full human scale, features handsome with a decidedly Italian facial structure, platinum blond hair, and green eyes. She nodded with approval, a fond smile on her lips. The AI unit had been her caretaker since she was very young, given to her by her father. Tali had been decidedly liberal when setting his parameters. The flickering holographic image seemed happier with his mind- and especially his appearance selection guide lines- free.
"Nice face today, Xu Xu. Oh and, stop calling me Mistress." Tali added quickly, taking a seat at a simple counter, bar stool set up.
Xu chuckled, lifting a strong hand to cover his mouth. The effort was practically futile since he had called her Mistress since she was very young, but the two considered it a basic to their daily lives.
"What would you like to eat? We've got to put something in you, unless you've finally learned to run on gasoline like your beloved creations."
She rolled her eyes at his teasing comment, propping her chin on a hand, elbow rested on the counter top. "I feel like sushi." She confirmed, and the kitchen came to life.
As the fish were taken from the cryogenic freeze, brought back to life in the reanimator and with the stroke of a keen knife, put back to darkness, Tali turned to her beloved AI and smiled.
"It's exciting, don't you think?" Her fingers went up to fiddle with the precious brooch. "Soon enough, we'll be having a little boy running around the manor. You promise to play nice, Xu Xu? I wouldn't want him traumatized."
Tali's tone was mostly sarcastic, but a small protective edge was evident in the last comment.
The AI's expression softened on the flickering hologram. "I assure you that wont be a problem, Mistress. The frog, boy will be made most welcome."
She nodded, smile still soft on her lips.
"He's just so small, and precious." Her fondness was made apparent by her motherly gaze at the pin, her small fingers stroking its edge gently. "I already feel so responsible for him, you know?"
A plate of precisely filleted sashimi and expertly prepared sushi rolls slid down the length of the bar, pulled by a magnetic system in the counter and dishware. Tali often wondered how she kept from getting fat with all this mechanical help. Probably the mechanical work. Her muscles were sore already. As a small bowl of steamed rice made its way towards her, Tali broke her chopsticks and picked up a piece of choice looking salmon.
"He's going to need a name you know." Xu proclaimed suddenly. "Any ideas so far?"
Tali chewed thoughtfully, then nodded, swallowing the succulent fish.
"Something Chinese. Dad got to brand me with his Russian genes, might as well put the second half on his grandchild."
Nodding with approval, the AI pulled up a projected screen of names. They scrolled down slowly, giving her time to look over each one. With a shake of her head Tali dismissed the screen.
"No, I want to come up with something myself, something special. He doesn't need one yet anyway, he's hardly born right now."
The tuna was particularly good today, lots of body to it. Thick and savory.
"Let's see..." A thoughtful expression marked her small face, brows creased as she pondered.
Attempting to be helpful, Xu piped in.
"Well, we know he's going to be a boy, so that narrows down about half of the options."
Tali shrugged. "Chinese names are pretty versatile. A girl name might work for him." With a sigh, she pushed back from the bar. Her plate was only about half done. Tali ate relatively small portions.
"Oh well. It'll come to me when it comes to me. Right now, I've got another baby to work on." With a grin she jabbed her thumb over her shoulder in the directions of the red sports car.
Xu sighed and shook his simulated head.
"All right, Mistress. If you say so. Just try to drink some water in about half an hour."
The young woman had a nasty habit of forgetting to do so when working in the garage. Fortunately, this job was a small one compared to most so the AI didn't have to worry about full day dehydration.
With a laugh, Tali swung her legs down from the stool and made her way back to the car.
"C'mon love." She pulled the cloth from her pocket, re-affixing it with care. "Let's get back to work."
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