Chapter One: Preconceptions
It was nighttime. The air was slightly chilly and Jamie Waftsman was sitting on the front porch that had been in xir family for years. Xe had inherited the ranch from xir family when xir parents died, but not because they felt a paternal love to give it to xem, but because xe was the only child they had and had no other close relative to give to instead. Jamie was born a man, but had never felt like one. Or female at that. Jamie was just Jamie, and had lived xir life as neutrally as possible. This, of course, did not fare well with xir parents, who insisted on calling Jamie a him and calling xem James instead of xir preferred more neutral nickname. Still, Jamie loved xirs parents, even though they never fully accepted xem. Besides, they had long passed away, and xe was content to just live the rest of xir life up in the ranch. Here, all xe had to do was tend to a few animals and continue making xir living painting and writing xir next novel.
The sky was gorgeous; it was a dark blue that was almost black with mixed shades of purple here and there. Jamie traced the stars with xir eyes, fascinated with the way they glittered in contrast to the surrounding darkness. Just as xe was about to get up to go inside, the night sky erupted in a fiery mass as what Jamie assumed to be a comet blazed across the sky and came crashing down of the edge of the property. A wave of energy and heat blasted from the crash zone, and hit Jamie full force.
Xe staggered up, balancing xemself on the porch railing, and saw smoke rising from the crater. Small fires had started up nearby, and Jamie stood awestruck at the flames and smoke rising up. And then instinct and human curiosity kicked in and Jamie ran towards the crater, adrenaline pumping throughout xir body. Xe tried to breath shallowly, not wanting to inhale the smoke rising thickly into the air. Jamie used the scarf around xir neck to cover xir nose, but it did nothing to stop the stinging of xir eyes. Still, xe pressed on. In the center of the crater sat a large metal pod. Firelight gleamed from it's smooth metal exterior and Jamie stared at it, utterly transfixed at the intricate plate work and design. Xe stretched out xirs forefinger to touch it but retracted it almost immediately with a hiss of pain.
"Goddamnit. Real smart Jamie, touch the fiery metal pod after it fell from the damn sky," xe muttered to xemself. Said metal pod beeped loudly before a garbled message spewed out of it.
If Jamie was fluent in Souther Eltroin, xe would have known that the message said "Genetic material recognized. Deploying robot."
Still, it was safe to say Jamie would infer what the message was when the metal work slid open, revealing an intricately designed robot that sprung out with an agility that xe could never have guessed from just looking at it. The robot was smooth all over, not a single scratch or dent on it. It had four arms, with wispy tendrils for fingers and two flat legs that seemed to stabilize itself the moment it touched ground. A black glass like visor wrapped its' spherical head all around. Two whirring lines of red glowed and appeared on the visor, swooping around in opposite directions before settling right back on Jamie.
"State your name and rank," the robot intoned in a deep voice. Jamie stared up at it in confusion.
"E-Excuse me?" Xe had stumbled backwards when the robot had sprang up, but xe was hesitantly getting up now.
The robot cocked its head (or what Jamie assumed what was its head) before speaking once more in the confusing language. "Deploying biotrans-communicator."
One of it's tendril struck out against his neck, a needle popping out of it, and inject something into Jamie's neck. Xe yelped in confusion and surprise rather than pain.
"What the hell was that for?" xe cried out.
"Biotrans-communicator was successful. Please state your name and rank." The robot stood motionlessly in front of xem, and Jamie got the distinct feeling it was staring right through xem.
"Uh, it's Jamie. Jamie Waftsman. A-and rank? What rank?"
"Classless planet then?" the robot asked.
"N-no. Uh I guess I'm upper middle class, but the US doesn't really put too much stock into class systems. At least, we pretend not to."
"Appropriate caretaker found. I will now releasing the young ones."
"Wait, what? Caretaker? Young ones?" Jamie followed the robot as it went back to the pod where it had originally came from and touched a insignificant metal plate in a circular pattern. At least, it looked insignificant to Jamie.
The plates jumped backwards with a mechanical chic-chic-chic noise, and Jamie stared at utter surprise at what he found. Inside was five tiny little creatures (aliens a voice at the back of xir head whispered) sleeping peacefully as can be.
"Congratulations on becoming a parent Jamie Waftsman," the robot said in what could be best described as a cheerful voice.
Jamie felt faint.
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