By Mattoid

Nigredo sat on the bench, staring up at the sky. The day’s training was over and he had the rest of the day to himself. Rubedo had wanted him to come play some game, but he refused. After several minutes of debate, Rubedo decided his brother wasn’t going to change his mind and walked off, Albedo following closely at his heels.

Nigredo closed his eyes and sighed. He needed the relaxation. The courtyard was peaceful. Full of flowers and a fountain, it was one of the few oasises in the cold, steel compound. Nigredo loved it here.

“Unit 669,” a flat, female voice called. Nigredo opened his eyes. In front of him stood a brown-haired servant Realian. “The doctor wishes to speak with you. Please come with me.” Nigredo started to ask which doctor she meant, but realized who it was before words could form. He frowned. With his sense of peace shattered, he reluctantly rose from his seat.

He followed the Realian through the institute, worrying about what doctor Yuriev had to say. The missions as of late had largely been failures. Data gathering had slowed considerably and the doctor was losing patience. Nigredo feared he would take his anger out on him.

They passed countless doors and workers. A pair of standard URTV walked by, and Nigredo could sense their tension rise. They were all identical; the same hair and eye color, the same blank expression, the same mind. The fear of the variants was no exception. Nigredo felt sorry for them sometimes.

They reached a door with a red light above it. The Realian pressed a button on the pannel next to the door. “I’ve brought the unit you requested, sir,” she spoke into the intercom. A moment passed and the door slid open. Nigredo carefully entered the room.

Dmitri Yuriev sat at his desk, typing something as he stared at one of the many screens that surrounded him. The black haired URTV stood straight and still, trying to rid himself of any nervousness.

After what seemed like an eternity, Dmitri stopped typing and the screens disappeared. He ran a hand through his thinning dirty blond hair and turned to look at his son. Nigredo swallowed hard. “Sir,” he began in a slightly trembling voice.

“No need to be so formal, Nigredo. Relax,” Dmitri said, his voice gravelly. Nigredo blinked in surprise. His shoulders slumped slightly.

“I’m not in trouble?” he asked.

“Quite the opposite. Here,” Dmitri motioned towards a box sitting on his desk. Nigredo approached. “Open it.” He lifted the lid off it. Green eyes stared back at him.

“A cat,” he said, halfway between a question and a statement.

“Indeed,” came the reply, “it’s yours.” Nigredo quickly looked up.

“Mine?” Nigredo asked in a soft tone.

“Go ahead, pick it up,”

Nigredo looked back at the cat, now standing with its paws on the rim of the box. It was mostly white, with a few patches of black. It was young, barely more than a kitten. He carefully lifted it up. “Does it have a name?” Nigredo asked, holding the cat up to his chest.

“No. As I said, it is yours,” Dmitri said. He stood up and started walking around his desk. “I thought I should reward you.”

Nigredo looked up at his father with a furrowed brow. “For what?” he questioned. The cat wriggled against him.

“For doing such an impeccable job. While the others continue to fail me, you have thrived. You’ve managed to salvage quite a few simulations.” Dmitri looked at him, his dull blue eyes had a sudden glint. “I’m very proud of you.”

Nigredo stood in awe. He had always held a strange sort of respect for his father. Always analytical and reserved, he had no friends; only uneasy affiliation with a select few. Yet, he had accomplished so much. And here he was, complimenting him.

“You may leave now,” the doctor said.

Nigredo smiled large and warmly. “Th-Thank you, Father,” he stammered. He turned and started towards the door.

“Don’t mention it, Son,” came the reply. “I love all my children. Some more than others.”

The door opened and as he walked through it, Nigredo looked back. His father was smiling and it was as cold and dark as the depths of space