War Is Hell

"You the one they call Star?" The woman asked from slightly behind him.

Star jumped. It had been a long time since he had been surprised. He looked the woman over. She wore a spider silk jump suit. It was so tight it looked like it was painted on. The huge crest over her left breast was a work of art. It was of precious stones with a huge Ruby as the center piece. It was located directly over her nipple which was erect and made the stone stand out like a super nova.

"Yes." He was still looking at her. He couldn’t tear his eyes away. her index finger traced the white star on his left cheek.

"We’ve heard of you. John wants to know about the crewmen that disappeared. May have something to do with some smuggling in the region." She looked into his eyes. This was easy for her to do since she was every bit as tall as he.

A man could get lost in those eyes. Not since Nova had he had any romantic thoughts. This woman was something else. Her body was flawless. Her voice had just the right pitch. Everything about her was perfect. He told her exactly what had happened to the best of his ability to relay the facts. The exact coordinates and everything. She nodded and walked away to meet the man. He looked at her for a moment and nodded his head. It was as if they could read each other’s thoughts.

The woman was suddenly behind him again. "You look at me like I was something to eat. Why?" She asked.

"I’ve never seen such a woman before." He answered.

"You still haven’t. You see, I’m a computer generated composite." She stood very still. He looked her over again. "You should come over to our side. We would find a place for you. You have many talents. We could use some of them. Others would be best forgotten."

"Never knew anything else. I fight for the one who pays best." He answered.

"We know. We have learned much of you."

"We?"

"Yes. I speak with his words." She nodded toward the man. "He is as you. Death doesn’t find him. Sometimes he longs for it but it never comes." She stopped. He wasn’t sure but he thought he could see a tear in her eye.

"You love him?"

"Oh yes! More than you could ever imagine. See, I’m the only one that doesn’t die and leave him. We’ve been together for a very long time."

"How long?" Star was looking at the man now. He turned and returned the stare for a moment.

"Oh, I don’t know. Must be near forty thousand years now."

"Star smiled. "So, you know my secret."

"Yes. I’ve followed you for half that long. You have the same problem as he. Only he has me. That makes it more bearable for him. You fight. He builds things."

Yes. It was a tear. "How can you cry if you are a construct?" He asked. She turned away for a short time. When she faced him again her eyes were dry.

"All the centuries I have been with him I have been learning. I found emotions a few thousand years ago. They hurt like hell but I love them. I love him." She confessed.

"Does he know?" Star asked, wondering what it would be like to be loved by a computer.

"Yes he knows. I’m the one called One. I control all this." Her hand took in the complex. "In ten thousand four hundreds seven systems I control this. I am Instel. He loves me also. Just in a different way." The tears were back.