novelxo Chapter 1
Morgan pov.
The human race is a wonderful species. Having almost been the cause of their own demise and then piece by piece. Alliance by alliance and a little backstabbing here and there built itself back up to what we are today. A society that has segmented itself into the most functional ways, so we don't ruin life for ourselves again. It's practical and no one really gets the short end of the stick this way. We're all able to eat and afford health care. We can enjoy life, get ample breaks, we've stopped the polar caps from melting and all in all we should be happy. The only thing we still suck at, in all the improvements we've made is, of course, love.
In my twenty-four years living in the Bio-Glaze I've never formed a true attachment to anyone. It's probably the reason I have no idea why my sister chooses to hide out in Space when there is so much the Bio-Glaze can offer her. There's never been anyone, being or thing that's been able to keep my attention for longer than a couple of months and being promoted to manager of the safety division has caused my life to become even more monotone than it's been before. I work myself to the bone for three weeks and then spend my off week sleeping and catching up on dramatic series that barely passes for entertainment but, I will admit, is less messy than entering a contract with anyone.
Not that there is anyone to enter into a contract with. All the third-tier humans, like me, keep themselves busy with beings from other sectors like Faires from Gloss. Creatures as beautiful as they are temperamental and my word, not the best idea to end things with. I've had to improve safety features in the Bio-Glaze more than I would like to admit because of a jealous Fairie who couldn't take a contract with their human ending. It's messy and not worth the hassle. Well, at least not when I've been on an almost three-year dry spell. A little too much excitement for me to venture into.
I could go the route of just buying a clone but they're not worth the paperwork and hassle of disposing of them when I eventually grow tired of them. Then there's the process of choosing who you would like a clone of and the embarrassment of potentially running into said person with their clone by your side. I've seen enough second-tier humans splurge coins on a third-tier human they have a crush on. Yeah, not worth the coins and not worth the drama. Besides, fucking a clone of someone is about as impersonal as fucking a robot and even with all the advances A.I have made, some of them I've been responsible for, I would never stoop as low as bedding a machine.
Vampires are way too expensive to maintain, and I can't even entertain the idea of dating one after the identification clause I entered into the safety feature of the Bio-Glaze for every vampire who wants to step out of Gliss. It's not that they're bad creatures. I just got tired of them stalking around and acting like we are walking-blood banks. Watching them feed on their paramours in public got a little old. Very fast.
The only viable option for me would be either an actual troll, or a werewolf and they don't step into the Bio-Glaze very often, just as I've only been to Teranian once. Trolls are admittedly not as ugly, not unless they get mad, but they mostly keep to their own sector. I'm not sure if it's because they find humans stupid or an easy trigger for anger or maybe we are an easy trigger for anger because they find us so stupid. A werewolf would be the closest thing to a human I can go, but I've yet to meet one that I can form a bond to. Besides, they have that whole mate for life thing going on and very few humans are interested in that, even lower tier humans. Long term partners are rare, or maybe it's just that they're hard and very few people like to complicate their lives with the emotions of others.
"Morgan, Sinclair wants to see you." Margot pokes her head into my office, and I roll my eyes, stepping away from the map of the sectors I'd been staring at for the past ten minutes. I'm supposed to be mapping an expansion for the Bio-Glaze but once again my need for finding a partner has taken over my mind. Besides, I don't even know how we're going to expand without causing any more trouble with the Gloss sector. As I step around the corner, I watch Rames leave Sinclair's office as I know I'm most likely going to get the bad side from her. Rames gives me a two-fingered salute as I pass him, and his smile is taunting but I don't have time to get into another pointless argument with him. My shift is almost over, and I would like to end it on a good note. Or, as good of a note I can when dealing with Sinclair.
"You're looking for me?" I ask as I nock on the open door. She waves me in, eyes not moving from the map, where I have made no modifications.
"Do you like your job?" Here we go again. I nod, knowing I'm not supposed to be saying anything. "Then why the hell are you not doing it?" I motion to the map, moving closer to her table.
"May I?" She nods and I drag the map closer to my side of the table, hoping she'll let me get through my explanation without interrupting me. "The Bio-Glaze is central and as it stands, we're already too close to Gliss. Then it's going to cause a whole new rewrite of the Teranian borders if we move it closer. Besides, the trolls were serious in their warning. I can't cross that bridge, literally and metaphorically. Gloss is a viable option, but you tell me if you want another war with the Fairies. The last one cost me a year of re-writing the safety protocols, not to mention, I'm still working on better detection of their portal range. Lastly, do you want to call the Commander and ask him to move the Space sector? It's a great option but he'd have to relocate the entire station, and I don't see that looking good for the new production of the AS21 they just started." As I talk, I move the boundaries of the Bio-Glaze in every direction, ending up right back where we started.
"So, you're telling me there is no way you're going to approve the expansion?" I shake my head.
"Not if I have to scrap the work I've been doing for the last two years and cause another war." She pushes her lips together and stares at the map for a few minutes before nodding and waving me out of her office. As I leave, I know this conversation is far from over and I am by no means looking forward to having it again.