Rain Of Memories Part 3

Sitting in his office deep within The Lavara, Professor Nitora poured over the reports of the newest test subjects. So immersed was he, that he only noticed Captain Thyral's presence when the other man's fist connected with his face. The scientist was sent careening out of his chair to sprawl on the floor. The other scientists in the room froze at the sudden violence. Professor Nitora looked up to see the captain standing over him. He was lifted up and slammed into the wall, Captain Thyral's grasp tightening around his neck. "Are you aware that you could be charged with treason for this?" he wheezed.

"Are you aware that I really don't give a damn?" the captain asked pleasantly. "I asked you to explain what you and your team where doing. You seem to have left out a few things. Would you care to explain them?" he asked, dropping Nitora. He struggled back up to his feet, straightening his lab coat.

"I told you what was necessary," he said icily. "We can't afford an information leak getting back to the empire. If news of this got out before we have more definitive results, the entire operation could be compromised. I won't allow that to happen."

Captain Thyral sighed, and glared at the other people in the office until they got the message and hurriedly left. As the last scientist exited, the captain entered a code into the door's keypad, causing it to close and lock. "There," he said. "The room's been locked and soundproofed. It's only the two of us in here, and as captain of this ship, I order you to tell me what you left out before." Professor Nitora only responded with a sullen silence until Thyral sighed again. "Look Nitora, we've known each other for years, and you won't find someone more loyal to the Emperor than I am. I deserve to be told what's really going on here. You only told me about changing men into women, but not anything about changing people's ages."

The scientist sat back in his chair, and considered what to say. "Most of what I told you was true," he said at last. "We really are doing this because we think it's the only way to save our species. But with the numbers our people are at right now, we're going to need a lot more people to undergo this procedure, not just those currently capable of reproduction, hence the age modification. I believe that the Emperor himself intends to be one of the first of us to change."

Thyral pulled up a chair and sat across from the scientist. "The Emperor's really going to have this done to himself?" he asked aghast. "But he's practically still a child!"

"Hence the age modification," Nitora repeated. "If he doesn't provide a show of his determination and assurance, how else will anyone else be expected to go through with it?"

The captain leaned back and whistled. "The kid's got guts, that's for sure. I remember this one time when he ordered the entire fleet to-" he began, but was cut off when the other man continued.

"Additionally, I lied when I was explaining how the reproductive systems of those modified would work. The women created from these procedures would only be able to reproduce with other women, and all the children they would have would be girls. Those children would be the same."

"If that's the case," Thyral said, considering the statement," then given enough time, men could go…" he trailed off.

"Correct. In this scenario, if enough of the population become women only able to procreate with other women, and only able to give birth to girls with similar conditions, then within enough generations, men would go extinct, especially with our fertility rate as low as it is."

Captain Thyral leaned forward. "Are you sure this is the right thing to do? Our race might not be doomed to extinction, but life as we know it would be completely different. A society completely of women might not be as bad as the alternative, but this is still a serious decision."

"The Emperor's made his choice," Professor Nitora said, rising from his seat and unlocking the door, "and I've made mine. It may not be the right choice, but it's the only one we have. Good night to you Captain. It's growing late, and I still have two more test cases to see to."