Page 80 of Shared Omega

As we stroll slowly toward the big device in the center of the dark chamber, my eyes stray to the baby feeding happily at Lily’s breast. It’s like I can actually sense the connection between these two lives. The love between mother and child is almost palpable.

A wave of emotion surges over me.

I wouldn’t call it envy exactly, because that has negative connotations. I’m not jealous of her, but I want what she has. The idea of feeding and nourishing this tiny living being with her body is so natural, and yet it seems miraculous somehow.

It never even occurred to me that I would want to do that until this moment, but now my desire for it is irresistible.

Lily catches me looking, and I quickly glance away.

“You don’t mind, do you?” she asks. “Sorry, I’ve just been in the Zone for so long, I kinda forgot.”

“No I don’t mind.”

How could I mind something so natural?

Besides, I’m half naked too, dressed in nothing but a primitive loincloth that Kane reluctantly brought for me. So even if I did mind, I really wouldn’t be in any position to talk.

I decide to change the topic, and the obvious choice is the elephant in the room. I incline my head toward the massive, thrumming device that we are moving toward.

“Lily, what is that thing?”

“That’s the Source.”

Dog already told me that earlier when I was resting. But that answer doesn’t help much.

“I mean, what does it do?” I whisper. “And who made it? And for that matter, what is this place?”

Lily stares at the massive, spherical device for a long moment before she answers.

“It’s too bad that my messages never made it through,” she says dolefully. “If they had, you would already know the answer to those questions.”

Once again, I wonder what messages she is referring to. I’m certain it must be connected to the reason I’ve been sent here.

When Frostgrave told us that we were going into the Zone to rescue this scientist, it didn’t make sense to me. It was totally out of character for SynerGen to expend so many valuable resources for one person, especially a woman. Then, I learned that it wasn’t a rescue mission at all, but an assassination. Now, I’m sure that these messages Lily keeps referring to must be the reason the leaders at SynerGen want her dead.

Anyway, the suspense is killing me.

“So are you going to tell me what the deal is with this thing?” I ask.

We sidle up to the base of the gigantic device where there is an inset console.

“I’ll let Seraph tell you,” she answers.

“Seraph? Who the hell is Seraph?”

“You’ll see.”

Cradling her feeding baby in one arm, Lily uses her free hand to tap a series of commands at the consoles keyboard. her fingers race over the keys with incredible speed.

The hum emanating from the Source takes on a slightly different frequency. A strange blue light flickers across the massive orb’s surface, gradually resolving itself into a spectral face.

Just when I thought I couldn’t be any more shocked, the face speaks. Its voice is cold but oddly pleasant.

“Hello, Lily. It is good to see you again. I see that you have one of your offspring present. I will keep my voice at a moderate level.”

“Thank you,” Lily answers.

It’s so weird. She’s just talking to this thing like it’s totally normal and not a giant floating head.