AEA7
E, Eris, Erim [He, His, Him; She, Hers, Her respectively]
God is a Druinte of mischief, a veritable anarchist. E can’t understand why; there is something deep inside of erim that moves erim to see a fellow Druinte cry or bleed.
E didn’t stick around long enough to see the consequences of eris meddling with the couple Suun and Seel, but e was satisfied that e had caused damage when Falstraq called erim urgently to meet erim at the Hall for Druinte Biological Sciences, or DBS.
God was in eris lab period and e was showing a fellow orphan how to operate a complex machine to establish bonds between elements. E made sure the orphan was comfortable before e left, e wanted to complete a project by the end of the day that would only be possible if that work was done correctly. Falstraq would have been touched to see God so patient and attentive, and it is a stark contrast to the horror that e had stirred between Suun and Seel.
When e reaches the DBS, Falstraq is pacing a waiting room, waiting for word on the condition of the couple. Both are receiving extensive care to repair vital organs after their vicious fight that was really the purging of every feeling of dissatisfaction the couple had ever experienced toward one another. The social Druintes had no concept of violence before their forced relocation, and they enjoyed a sense of harmony that is practically unmatched in any civilization in the known universe, but that does not mean that disagreements did not exist between them, only that they were eager on all sides of the conflict to resolve issues as they arose. Suun has always been a little jealous of Seel’s willingness to share intimacies that they share with others. Suun always feels a tinge of jealousy when others get to enjoy the beauty of Seel’s voice, but their closeness has always helped to soothe that jealously. In the hall of orphans, it has not been easy to reinforce their connection as the two became closer to their Green team members.
“Administrator Falstraq,” God says dutifully when e arrives, “it is good to see that you are not in need of medical attention. I assumed the worst when you called me here.” God does genuinely care for Falstraq, but eris concern is fake. E knows why e is here.
Falstraq can sense eris mischief. E has been with God long enough to know eris tricks.
“Tell me what you did, God.” Falstraq speaks forcefully and puts hands on both eris shoulders, looking erim directly in the eyes.
“I’m sorry, Falstraq, I do not know what you mean…”
Falstraq shakes eris head. “You are lying. Why do you lie to me God?”
God squirms under Falstraq’s scrutiny. The look on eris face is not one of anger, but of legitimate confusion and concern.
“Did you do anything to make this happen? Suun used eris long nail to slice Seel open. Eris insides had to be collected and replaced into eris body. Suun can’t breath without the help of respirators, Seel punctured eris lungs. They both could have died. How do you feel about that?”
I shouldn’t have been able to tip them toward violence so easily, God thinks. Maybe their conflict is their own failure, their own fault for not dealing with seething animosities. Maybe all of Druinte culture is to blame for organizing a society where no one is capable of expressing their true desires. And maybe I am the true agent of change, not all these social Druintes. My chaos has been the true impetus for change and I get no credit for that.
“Talk to me,” Falstraq pleads. “I know you did something, and if I try, I can prove it, and if I do, then I have to tell the Lead Scientist that despite my best efforts, you God are a lost cause. They will send you for hard labor. God, please don’t make me do that. Please tell me your feelings and we can work on it. Why did you do this?”
God wants to cry, but e doesn’t. E never has before, but faced with Falstraq’s threat, God fears that e will lose the connection they share. God really does care for Falstraq and does live to make erim happy now, but there is a bigger drive that overrides that. A mission that e cannot neglect, even when e tries. A mission that is not completely clear to erim, that e cannot fathom.
“Do what you must Administrator.” God puts a hand on Falstraq’s cheek, the same way that e does to erim. “I had nothing to do with this. You can decide if you think I am being honest.”
Falstraq crumbles into a pile on the floor, crying uncontrollably. E did not want to admit it, but it was apparent that e could do nothing further for God and the two will be separated forever.
“Administrator…” God starts, but Falstraq is done.
“Return to your laboratory period. I will find you later.”
God leaves and eris limbs are trembling. Maybe Flastraq was right. Maybe this is for the best, and God tries eris best to ignore the feelings of disappointing someone e cares a lot about.
After Falstraq gathers erimself, e is on a mission to prove God’s hand in the tragedy of Suun and Seel. E goes to the surveillance department at the MDDS hall and uses eris position to pull video of the mall just before and during the conflict between the couple. Sure enough, God is there at the beginning, and though eris interaction with them appears to be largely benign, Falstraq can see how the conflict plays out according to God’s pattern of mischief. E had only gotten smarter in eris destruction and pretty soon, Falstraq thinks, e will be too much to manage.
Falstraq takes eris evidence straight to the Lead Scientist who meets with erim in private.
“Are you sure you want this? You fought very hard against this very thing…”
“It is for the best,” Falstraq interjects. “God only cares about erimself, or something else that overrides anything I try to instill in erim.” Falstraq fights back tears. E knows that it would be disturbing to the lead scientist to see erim weeping. “E will only impede progress with your mission that you hope to accomplish with the social Druintes.”
“Enough said. E will be sent for labor immediately.”
Falstraq leaves as e hears orders to seize and transport God to the mines. E fights the instinct to see God one last time and the two never say goodbye.
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