Supernova Blitz

Chapter 22: The Cave Queen Part 3

The rack is stupendously heavy, even with everyone helping. The high gravity is certainly a major culprit. But, the marines are carefully able to offload the first rack, relaxing, stretching, and flexing before moving the second.

Dr. Caldaren, who was helping at the back, then explains, "Alright! Let's get this fired up." He starts working on the first rack's console, explaining to no one in particular, "We set variants on each pod, to hopefully find the right niche. The embryos will be monitored closely. Any showing better development, we'll dial the other incubators to those. We can try as many or as few as the Queen is comfortable with. There are obvious risks with this method, but I imagine, so too with a host, hmm? So, where is our royal majesty?" He looks around.

Long is briefly startled a little when the Queen's head appears in her peripherals right next to Long. The large alien mother chatters delicately as she curiously looks at the machines.

Caldaren excitedly says, "Ah! Cave Queen! My, you are a thing of beauty, aren't you?"

Grey growls as he approaches Long and the Queen, "She can't understand you yet, Doc." The chief takes off his helmet, drawing the Queen's attention. She gingerly touches his head, and he says to her, "This is Doc Caldaren. He's the field operator for the incubators, I guess. He's going to guide you through how to use them."

Caldaren says warmly, "A pleasure to meet you, your Highness."

Grey replies, "She doesn't call herself a queen. We call her that."

"I know! But, she truly is, is she not?"

Grey's voice softens to wonder, remarking, "Th-These... are the things you spoke of?"

Caldaren is caught off guard, but he snaps back into it, "Yes, they are! We've done our best to emulate our biology, as well as one estimated from the blood sample we took from you. Your DNA is carbon-based, but structured differently from anything on our world. Still! We tried to emulate a womb based on that. And, if any are working better than the others, we will change the others to match. Now, obviously, there is a HIGH risk of failure until we find what works for certain. You may lay as many or few as you are comfortable with."

Grey's voice replies calmly and a little distantly. "There is always risk. I am accustomed to being detached once their fates are outside of my control."

Caldaren replies sympathetically, "I understand. Regardless, we'll do our best for one hundred percent success, if we can."

The alien Queen nods. There's a pause, and Caldaren says, "Feel free to inspect them. Touch, poke; whatever makes you comfortable that they'll work. If they feel too hot or cold to you, let us know, and I can adjust. Once set, the conditions will stay."

Grey's voice says softly, "It's... a little bright."

"Say no more!" Caldaren hits some buttons on each console, and the lights deactivate.

The Queen looks down at Long, and the teen smiles through her helmet. But, the Queen seems to want something.

Grey growls gruffly, "Go ahead. Long, hold her hand if she wants."

The Queen glances at him and then at Long. Long smiles warmly again, offering her hand. She says gently, "I'd like to look, too."

One of the Queen's tentacles gingerly wraps around Long's whole forearm, but the point is the same. Dumas jokes, "Chief, the Queen doesn't have hands."

Grey retorts, "Keep it up, and neither will you."

The Queen steps forward, and Caldaren welcomes her to look, prod, and touch as she sees fit. Long mimics her, and they touch the surface of the first pod. The material is some kind of thick, rubbery material. Caldaren explains, "We used clear silicone to make the pods flexible, in case the eggs expand at all. We weren't sure how many there'd be."