Part III: Fei's Origin
Fei opened her eyes and took her first breath. She was alive.
"Numan prototype 673: success," a scientist announced, taking notes. Other scientists applauded and began to crowd her. The alarmed numan instinctively began to claw at her spectators, and they instinctively tranquilized her.
Fei's head began to feel heavy. So this is going to be my first feeling, she thought to herself. The small numan crashed her noggin on the floor, fostering a dislike for the creatures with needles.
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The numan woke to find herself in a cage, staring at a room full of examiners. She inspected herself.Those demons were drawing blood from me, she thought, running her hand over a series of bandages. One of the examiners checked something off on his clipboard.
"Cognitive skills already developed," he said, "Amazing. I wonder what else she's already developed?"
"Hey! I'm not an idiot! I can understand everything you're saying!" Fei shouted," Just because I'm not a humanoid like you doesn't mean that I'm stupid!"
The examiner gawked. "N-no," he protested,"It's not that we think that you're stupid... it's just that you just breathed yesterday. We expected you to develop slowly, like a baby. You've done just the opposite; you've probably learned more than a grown man does. And that's in your sleep..." The examiner jotted down a few more notes.
"Well, since we've decided that I'm no brainless animal, aren't you going to let me out??"
"Um... well... not yet. We have to do a few more experiments--no, not like that!!" the examiner assured when he saw the numan tense,"We just need to chart your agility, IQ, and your communication abilities," he continued.
"You don't need to test my communication," Fei pointed out, "I'm talking to you right now. And as for the other stuff, I'll cooperate as soon as you let me out of this degrading cage."
After seconds of contemplation, he let her out. "But," he warned,"if you cause any trouble of attack anyone, you'll probably be caged in something worse than a kennel. So behave."
The numan nodded in agreement.
From then on, Fei was granted access to the Piata Academy Laboratory. She wandered around the school looking at paintings, classrooms, books, food-- but ironically, her favorite thing was science.
Fei observed every project conducted over the shoulders of the science students, instructors, and examiners. When class was over, she would pull out the lab items and experiment on her own.
It was one of those times, when Fei was aiming to create a medicine more powerful than star dew, that Maly walked in. Her presence was unnoticed at first, so she watched on as the numan, completely absorbed in her task, raided the shelves for flasks, burners, microscopes, and beaker corks.
"Whatcha making?"
Startled, Fei dropped the beaker that was in her hand. She glared at Maly.
"How long were you here?!"
"Long enough to see that you're pretty good with the equipment-- better than most students here."
"What do you want?"
"Not much. Just happen to see you that's all. So, you're the numan that Domik was telling me about? You're not like the rest of them.."
"And what is that supposed to mean? You made more like me?"
"No; there were others like you in the past. Every time one was created, it was to improve the previous one. So far, you're the most advanced. It took Nei seven months and Fal one thousand years to reach your current state."
"I see what I'm worth."
"Don't put yourself down. You're pretty impressive. But back to what I was saying before-- do you want to be my assistant? I'm sure you can learn a bit more where I'm studying."
"And that is...?"
"I'm studying the wonders of the Algol Star System. Like, how did Motabia change from desert to grassland to...whatever you call this. Or, how does the moat exist in a climate that would evaporate it?"
The numan looked at her limited supply of lab equipment, then at Maly and said, "Deal."
For months after that, Fei and Maly conducted numerous experiments, including testing the sands of the desert, breeding rappies, and planting laerma trees on campus.
Whenever Maly was sick, Fei would substitute for her in class and take notes for her. Fei took every chance to learn all about the world around her, but soon, all that could be learned about Motabia had been learned.
Or had it?
Fei now wanted to learn about the other planet-- Dezolis. But how would she ever get there? There were no spaceships on Motabia after the Profound Darkness was destroyed.
But I will find a way, she told herself.
And most scientists do.
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