Ava and Aphrodite: The First Human in 8000 Years (Featured)

Chapter 57: Sylvie's New Mission

The next morning, Sylvie took a shuttle straight to Central Command, Gobot was in tow. It was a beautiful and sunny day, not a cloud in the sky. The typical morning look of Block-4s jamming the roads as they shuffled to work and myriad of shuttles zooming along in the air was somehow not as stressful to look at as usual.

The shuttle, a rather large carriage attached to a floating tether suspended in the air, was flying across the sky, stopping at the odd few military dorms to pick up employees. The shuttle line made specifically for employees of Central Command was always a little more luxurious than others. Outside of the window the other shuttles that Servs were taking that morning could be seen zooming along. They were all cramped, not as fancy looking, smaller.

Sylvie couldn't help but feel bad for the people who had to deal with the daily grind, especially the Block-4 and Block-5s. Still, they were born with their limited levels of autonomy, so that's what they were destined for.

"In the sanctuary the sun would make people smile," said Gobot, who was squatting next to Sylvie's leg. "Servs don't react the same way." he was staring at all the people in the shuttle, eyeing up their faces and reading their emotions.

"Maybe the people in the sanctuary didn't have much to worry about?" Sylvie replied, "kinda weird that something as simple as the weather being different could change their mood."

"Rainy days make me sad. I remember on Mars, there are cloudy, rainy days."

"It didn't rain in the sanctuary?"

"Warm showers. Enough to make the flowers bloom."

"What's a flower?"

Gobot sighed wistfully. It was odd. Sylvie wasn't used to hearing him perform such high level emotional thoughts and actions. That was even after spending a month with him on Europa, even still, he kept surprising her. What was he now?

"Why are you so hung up on the Sanctuary? I thought you wanted to see Ava and Aphrodite again, that's why you came with me right?"

"Yes. But they're not here."

It was true, lamenting on that was depressing. Sylvie had no idea why Ava hadn't made it back yet, whether he was dead or alive, she had no idea. Gobot made sure she realise that Aphrodite wasn't dangerous, and that if Ava met her he'd be in safe hands.

But that didn't mean much to Sylvie. In the end he was still lost in the great unknown.

Sylvie really didn't know what she'd do if she found out Ava was gone.

The shuttle landed outside of Central Command, outside of the skyscraper and complex that towered over the city. Time to see The Major.

***

The Major's office was needlessly big, she'd only managed to decorate the small corner of the room near her desk where she sat. Otherwise the room was largely blank, with massive windows for walls keeping everything bright.

If a tad stale.

It was clear that The Major didn't use the room very often, for the odd one on one meeting and perhaps some work that required filing of someone sort.

Sylvie and Gobot stood in front of The Major's desk, at attention of course.

"Did you have a good night?" asked The Major, "catch up on things and meet up with friends?"

"Yes ma'am!" Sylvie replied.

"I heard you didn't even attend your own party. Was something weighing your mind down?"

"...I was tired ma'am."

"Records show that you were awake all night browsing the network."

"O-oh."