Chapter 201: Stelle
The lounge fell into a stunned silence, broken only by the sharp clack of Silver Wolf's lollipop against her teeth. Her complaint about "collecting strays" still hung in the air, but Kafka's enigmatic smile remained.
"She's not a 'stray,' Silver Wolf," Kafka said, her voice smooth as silk. "And 'welcoming' is the correct term. She will be, for all intents and purposes, born."
"...Huh?"
All three of you froze.
"Birth?" Silver Wolf's eyes widened, her bravado evaporating, replaced by genuine, comical horror. "What do you mean? Kafka, you're not... you're not pregnant, are you?"
Firefly gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, her eyes darting between Kafka's face and her perfectly flat stomach.
"Exactly what it sounds like," Kafka blinked, unfazed by the hacker's bluntness. "And no, Silver Wolf, not in the way you're thinking."
"Wait! Wait, wait, wait!" Silver Wolf waved her hands frantically, her mind clearly struggling to process this. "You're saying our new companion is going to be born on our ship? She's a baby? Are we running a daycare now? I am not changing diapers. I'm putting that on the record right now!"
"No," Kafka said, her voice laced with amusement. "Though she is newly born, she's not a baby. She will be born in the form of an adult."
You, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. Your voice was cold, a stark contrast to the lively, if confused, energy of the others. Your mind was still shrouded in the grief of the Fanghu, and this casual talk of 'birth' felt like a sick, twisted joke.
"Kafka, what exactly is going on?" you asked, your golden eyes fixed on her, cutting through the chatter.
"Hmm… Simply put, she's a special 'vessel.'" Kafka explained, her tone becoming more clinical. "An existence created specifically to carry a Stellaron. A receptacle. Tomorrow, when she opens her eyes, that will be the very beginning of her life. Her first moment of consciousness."
[Inorin's Note: A 'Stellaron', also known as the 'Cancer of All Worlds', is a quasi-living entity that causes immense disasters by distorting reality and attracting the Antimatter Legion.]
"Sounds like some kind of android?" you mused, your mind analyzing the practicalities. A blank slate. A tool. You thought of the ruined mechs from your training in Fuyuki.
"You could see it that way," Kafka nodded, acknowledging your point. "However, she will have a complete personality and emotions, just like any of us. She just has a rather… special way of being born."
"Then what's her name?" Firefly asked, her voice soft. She had been quiet, her brow furrowed as she tried to understand. "What do we call her?"
"She doesn't have a name yet," Kafka said, her gaze sweeping over the group. "She will be a blank slate. No name, no identity, no past… nothing."
A bitter, cold pang of envy shot through you. No past. You would kill to have that.
"Perhaps you all can give her one," Kafka finished.
"One more weirdo won't make a difference," Silver Wolf pouted, finally slumping back onto the couch, having processed the 'no diapers' part. "As long as she can play games, I don't care."
"Do we need to make any preparations?" you asked. The practical question.
"No," Kafka shook her head, her smile enigmatic. "Just be ready to welcome our new family member."
The next day, the atmosphere on the ship was thick with a strange anticipation. You, Silver Wolf, and Firefly sat on the plush carpet in the lounge, the glow of GBA consoles illuminating your faces. You were only half-present, your fingers moving on the controls by muscle memory alone, your mind a thousand light-years away.
"Oh, right," Silver Wolf suddenly looked up, breaking the comfortable silence. "Have you guys beaten the Elite Four yet?"
Firefly shook her head sheepishly. "Not yet… I just got to the second gym. My Charmander keeps fainting..."
"Only the second?" Silver Wolf showed a smug, cat-like smile. "Hehe, I've already cleared it! Easy peasy! My skills are just too good."
You couldn't help but retort, your voice flat, your eyes never leaving your own screen. "Didn't you just make me beat them for you last week? You said, and I quote, 'Lance is a cheating bastard and I'm rage-quitting'."
"No, don't say that… Ahem!" Silver Wolf immediately jumped up, her face flushing bright red. "That was just... a tactical assist! I wore them down for you!"
Knock, knock, knock—
The lounge door slid open. Kafka walked in, wearing that same mysterious smile from the night before.
"Everyone," she said, her voice soft, "get ready to welcome our new companion."
"Ah!" Silver Wolf remembered, grateful for the interruption. "Oh right, it's today. Where is she? In the med-bay?"
Kafka shook her head. "No need to go anywhere, she... is already here."
Saying that, she turned to look outside the door, into the corridor. "Stelle, come in."
Stelle?
The name felt strange on your tongue, heavy with an emotion you hadn't shared. You remembered what happened last night.
Last night, in the lounge. After the initial conversation.
"She needs a name," Kafka had said. "Elio's script left this part... open. Any suggestions?"
Silver Wolf was the first to raise her hand, her eyes gleaming with inspiration. "Mewtwo! Because she was artificially created in a lab! It's perfect!"
Kafka sighed. "No, Silver Wolf. That's... no."
Firefly thought for a moment, her brow furrowed. "I think something cuter would be better, like… 'Stellaron Type VI'? Because including her, there are six of us now."
"That sounds like a weapon designation, Firefly," Kafka said gently.
At this moment, Blade, who had been silent, spoke. His voice was a low rasp, never looking up from his sword. "One character is better. How about 'Nameless'?"
Silver Wolf and Firefly both grimaced. "Too edgy." "Too sad..."
Finally, Kafka looked at you. You hadn't said a word, your mind a thousand light-years away, lost in a burning starship and a rain of golden arrows. The irony of discussing a 'birth' after so much death was a poison in your throat.
"Orion," Kafka's voice pulled you back. "You've been quiet. What do you think?"
You looked up, your golden eyes empty. A name... for a blank slate. An existence with no past, no family, no memories. You almost envied her.
For some reason, a name suddenly appeared in your mind. A word that felt... right.
"Stelle," you said. The word was quiet, but it cut through the room.
"Why?" the others asked. Firefly looked at you with concern, sensing the coldness behind the word.
"She was born among the stars," you said, your voice distant, almost a whisper. "And her future will probably be like ours, traveling among them…"
You didn't say the real reason. You didn't know why you thought of that name. It just felt... right. 'Stelle'. Star. It reminded you of the star-skiff you and Jiang Li were born on. A new life, born among the stars, just as yours had been. A bitter, perfect circle.
Kafka smiled, a slow, appraising look. "Good name. It's settled then. Stelle, a very beautiful name. Just right, she's a girl."
Now, the girl you had named "Stelle" stood at the doorway.
She had short, slightly messy gray hair and a pair of striking golden pupils—the same color as your own. Her features were delicate, pretty, but held a blank, neutral curiosity.
She wore a black overcoat Kafka had prepared for her, which hung open to reveal a black miniskirt and a white top, making her look both cool and a little rebellious. She looked like a person, but her eyes were like those of a newborn, taking in the world for the very first time.
As soon as Stelle entered, her golden eyes scanned the room. She saw Silver Wolf, who was grinning. She saw Firefly, who was smiling shyly. She saw Kafka, who was watching her with a gentle, maternal expression.
Then, her golden eyes locked onto you—the only male present.
She tilted her head, processing this new information with her blank-slate logic.
Finally, she turned to the woman who had awakened her, Kafka, and asked with perfect, innocent sincerity:
"Mom, is he Dad?"