Page 18 of Ancient Rising
He turned his wrist and flexed his forearm, and a display in ancient Hmrain glowed.“Here.”
“Did you ever meet your designers?”
He smiled.“I did.I was the first, so they made me invulnerable and beautiful, but they needed to learn how species would react to me, so I travelled.Hundreds of worlds, thousands.I visited them all, and my body recorded their reactions to me.There was anger, disgust, worship, lust.They recorded it all and used it for the next Hmrain and all those who followed.I hear they have increased production on my kind.”
She blinked.“Oh.You were a prototype.So, they crafted you guys to eat everything?”
“Yes.Food will sustain us, but blood and emotion power us.”
“Oh, and you were worshipped as a god for thousands of years.”
He smiled.“It had an effect, but this system was my final home.My resting mind has guided my worlds, and now, they are sending staff to take care of my household.”
“Oh.That’s...you weren’t asleep?”
“Sleep wasn’t programmed into us.Hmrain will rest to let our body recover from injury, but sleep is difficult to achieve.”
“Got it.”
He nodded.“Now, we need to get you food.You cannot absorb my mood as I can yours.”
She agreed.“Right.So, where do we need to go?”
He rotated his fingers, and a door popped up nearby with bots pouring out.The bots carried plates and bowls of food that looked foreign and familiar at the same time.The scent of honey was heavy in the air.
A bowl was brought to her, and she washed her hands.She looked at Ra.He nodded calmly.“You will feed me as a handmaid should.”
“Interesting.I think I might trash my outfit.”
“Try not to.”
The bots gathered around, and she asked, “Do I have to go in any particular order?”
“No.Take what appeals.”
She smiled and reached for the roasted vegetables.She held something that looked like a sweet tuber in her fingers.“How does a handmaid feed an overlord?”
“With your mouth.”
“Of course.”
She took the piece of what tasted like sweet potato and held it in her teeth as she raised her head to his, and he took the food with his teeth.He chewed slowly.“Your duty is done; eat anything that appeals without sharing.”
“Um.Okay.”
“I do not require food.I am just instilling the behaviours I wish you to demonstrate in front of others.”
“Great.”She ate some more of the sweet potato and then moved to the grilled sweet green onions.“How will that work with soup?”
He chuckled.“I am sure you will figure it out.”
She shrugged and mumbled, “I will ponder it.”
The food was good.There was very little meat, but the flavours were all familiar.She felt tears run down her cheeks again but kept eating.The honey-covered locusts took some getting used to, but the honey was delightful and gave her memories of thousands of flowers.It tasted like home.
When her belly was full and she had cleaned her hands again, she slumped, and Ra was slowly rubbing her back.“Had enough?”
She nodded.“Yes, thank you.”