Work Text:
On the furthest reaches of Terran space, a blooming jewel of alien engineering drifts lazily through the darkness, far beyond the prying eyes of the Compact’s newest prey. Nothing the mighty Affini Compact does is rushed or half thought, every decision is planned and filed in triplicate squared. Committees are convened, councils are chaired, and florets are fawned over, all to decide the fate of empires. Empires where currently cuties are not being cuddled, a true tragedy that makes one’s core sing in sadness.
On this ship that bears a name completely unpronounceable to the human brain, there is a meeting of three sophonts underway. Not a meeting that would be familiar to the eyes of a corporate traumatized human like you or me, no this meeting of the utmost importance is taking place on a sandy sun soaked beach, amongst the crisp smelling salty air. We find the three subjects of our short story lounging on a massive fluffy beach towel the size of a small yard that somehow defies all laws of nature by repelling sand from its surface. A colorful kaleidoscope of a sun umbrella sheds its shadow upon the smallest of our three characters, a tone and tanned young terran that lays flopped out on her back, soft snores coming in time with her chest rising and falling.
On either side of this snoozing girl sits a most unusual of sights. Ancient humans might have mistaken them for dryads, maybe a shambling mound from some ancient game, or even the ents from a story about jewelry and hobbits. While the comparison is apt, all would be wrong, for these grand creatures that sat with their limbs absorbing the artificial sun were none other than the eponymous Affini from which the Affini Compact is named. Sitting with their legs wrapped under them, they may seem to be only the height of an uniquely tall human, but if they stood, they would tower over all with their statuesque heights of 4 and 5 meters each.
The smaller of the two (I proclaim reluctantly for fear of reprisal for ever referring to such a being as small) is a picture of femininity in the form of a garden. Four lithe arms composed of tensed vibrant vines and unknown plant matter that stretch from their torso, one lazily twirling a finger through the hair of the tired terran. Blooming flowers with shifting petals of pastels trailed around the surface of her body like a living tattoo. All three pairs of her eyes that looked like hammered oil soaked metal stared out into the distant horizon, giving the impression she was aloft and inattentive, the two purple fern-like antenna that perched upon her head tell a different story, one cocked towards her fellow affini, the other watching the human closely. A restlessness caused her chest to rise and fall, an unnecessary movement for a creature that doesn’t breathe but one she had picked up in her short time with the humans. This vision of beauties name is Veratrum Viride, Seventh Bloom, graced by pronouns of she and her. If she likes you, she will tell you to call her Vera, and if–
“VV!” The sleeping cutie barked in her sleep nuzzling the stroking hand.
–you happen to be her favorite little sophont, you can call her VV.
A deep rumbling chuckle spilled from our larger of the two fae blessed plants as they reached out a bulky trunk like arm to lightly tickle the soles of the girl with a gentleness you would not expect from such a creature. Ebony bark that was dusted with a graying ash moss composed most of this form. Thick vines moved underneath the tree trunk surface, sparse and subdued blooms of small flowers in muted colors dotted their body like botanical freckles. A more human-like single pair of eyes sat nestled on their smooth oaken face, shadowed by two stretching antlers draped in creeping ivy. If Vera is the vision of feminine beauty then this creature is the epitome of androgynous subtle strength. Just being in their presence was enough to feel safe and protected, immune from the chaos of the universe. Deodar Dracaena, Twelfth Bloom, they/them is the name and pronouns of this gentle hulking enby. They aren’t a fan of nicknames but–
“DD noooo!” The girl said sleepily, half heartedly kicking at the tickling vines attacking her toes.
–as you can imagine, they make a special exception for the cutie that has stolen their core.
As the adorable sophont and subject of today's meeting stretched, sitting up, our pair of plants exchanged a glance. You might now be asking yourself what sort of meeting is underway, confusing it instead for a casual beach day, but indeed this is a meeting to determine the fate of a girl once named Ginny that answers now to GiGi. Why GiGi you ask? Well that’s up for debate depending on who you ask. Vera would insist it stands for Giggling Ginny while Deodar will passionately argue it’s short for Good Girl. What would GiGi herself say? Well honestly, not much, the poor dear doesn’t possess the vocabulary she once had.
To understand why these two planty aliens are gathered together to discuss the future of GiGi, it helps to know a bit of the girls backstory. The sole survivor of a long range scout vessel that learnt the hard way that nothing in space exploration is guaranteed, her escape pod was found floating adrift in the nothingness that exists between solar systems. Caring vines scooped her up, rescuing her as she laid near death. If she had been the first human the Compact had found, she would be dead now, but fortunately she wasn’t. Research into the treating of her species was still early but it was sufficient to stabilize and begin treatment.
On the frontiers of domestication science, there exists a distinction for those sophonts that pave the way for a better future for the rest of their species. Like raindrops that soften hardened soil to allow seeds to take root and for a garden to one day thrive, we call these prized explorers, cotyledons. I do not wish to imply these heroes are sacrifices to the Compact’s research into new species, for that word can never convey the reverence the Affini hold for cotyledons, but in a way they are. To borrow an ancient saying of unknown origin from Terra’s past, all gave some and some gave all. Biological beings are complex beings and as of now there doesn’t exist a perfect way to map how to apply Compact medical technology to new species. The learning curve is steep, but accompanying cotyledons every step of the way is the loving vines of their veterinarians, researchers, scientists, and everyone else involved in the program.
Some cotyledons choose this path, some have it chosen for them, but all are equally cherished. GiGi was the former, not that she can remember it any longer. Waking up surrounded by strange aliens in a new place, you couldn’t blame a girl for being terrified, but not Ginny. If you took the time to talk to the nurses and veterinarians that oversaw her intake, they would all remark how she reacted with wide eyed enthusiasm, an excitement at being at the front of a momentous time in the history of her species. Curious and overflowing with questions, she spent those early days learning about the wonders of the Compact and teaching in turn about the history of her people. When Veratrum and Deodar visited her hospital room to talk about the cotyledon program, she only had one question.
“Will this help my people?”
With teary eyes and lingering hugs, the brave girl left the hospital accompanied by her new companions, walking towards the future with her head held high.
Months later, after a particularly difficult day, as things began to take a turn for the worse, Vera asked the girl why she had been so quick to volunteer. Grimacing as she wiped the tears from her cheeks she answered quietly, staring into the starry sky of the observatory.
“I owe it to them.” Seeing the confusion on Vera’s face she continued. “Other cotyledons made it possible for my life to be saved, would my life have been worth saving if I then chose to not do the same? You may be here to abolish capitalism but this is one debt I must repay.” As the affini struggled to find the words to comfort the girl, Ginny looked up and caressed the barky cheek. “Enough talking for now, let’s enjoy the beauty before us.”
Her words would ultimately prove to be prophetic, shortly after that night the out of control experimental haustoric implant damaged her brain and Ginny was gone. GiGi was born from the aftermath, still as curious and kind as she had ever been, but now with a vastly reduced ability for thought and speech. She communicated in smiles and giggles, it took many months but she even learned a handful of words. From this time Vera’s and Deodar’s nicknames were born, VV and DD being much easier for the girl to say.
This isn’t a story about the cotyledon program though, it’s a story about a faithful meeting. With GiGi’s backstory now told, let us return to that meeting upon a beach, on a gleaming ship, floating among the stars.
Our darling cotyledon blinks away the sleep from her eyes as she looks around her surroundings, deciding to crawl over to the large and interesting looking picnic basket. As her grabby hands reached out, vines swept the girl up and carried her into the lap of a laughing Deodar. “Is our little GiGi hungry?” They asked, patting her on the head. She squealed and giggled, nodding her head excitedly. “Well let us see what VV packed to fill your tummy.”
Vera shot a sharp but weak glare towards Deodar for using the pet name she reserved for GiGi. Her counterpart ignored the look and pulled the picnic basket over in front of them. ”Oh how fortunate!” They exclaimed, removing a container from within and popping a lid off. “It’s your favorite, sushi!” Taking a pair of ornately carved chopsticks out of the basket, they plucked a roll out and held it just out of the hungry girl's reach, vines wrapping around her wrists to stop her from grabbing. The sushi roll danced back and forth, coming closer and closer until with a sudden speed GiGi shot her head forward snapping down on empty air, where a second before her prey had been. A needy growl rumbled from her throat as she continued to eye the roll.
“If you keep teasing her, don’t complain to me when you have to regraft a vine that she bites off.” Vera chastised before sneakily snatching a roll in her fingers and clicking her tongue to get the girls attention. As those gorgeous pools of blue looked at her, she tossed the sushi to the girl that caught it in her mouth, eagerly chewing it before snapping down on the roll that Deodar had brought within her biting range.
“I’m not teasing her… well maybe a little, but I think it’s time she gets some gesture training.” They pondered aloud, feeding another roll to the girl.
“It should be whoever becomes her owner that makes that decision.” Vera answered softly, looking away.
Deodar sat quietly, feeding the girl before speaking. “You foolish sprout.”
Vera snapped her head towards her companion, locking eyes with them. “Don’t call me that.” Her voice, low and threatening. GiGi shifted uncomfortably, sensing the sudden tension between her friends.
“Then stop acting like a fool.” Deodar answered matter-of-factly, stroking the girl's hair to relax her as they held a water bottle to her lips. “You know as well as I do, that GiGi belongs with one of us, no one else exists in this universe that loves her more.”
“I’m not qualified to be her owner, I… I failed her… I could have done more… I should have planned for how the accelerant would have reacted to–”
“Stop this Vera, we have had this discussion a thousand times, mistakes happen, we all did the best we could have. She is alive because of you, remember that.” Deodar spoke solemnly.
A strangled sob ripped from the woman’s throat. “She would hate me if she could still understand, she would yell–”
“Catch.” Deodar softly announced before tossing the girl towards his companion. A shocked Vera twisted her body, grabbing the cotyledon and clutching her to her chest. “That girl could never hate you” They motioned towards the giggling GiGi that was scratching her head affectionately on the underside of Vera’s mask.
Her protests fell silent, softly caressing the girl. She wanted her more than she had ever wanted anything else in the universe, but did she deserve her? Didn’t GiGi deserve an owner that was competent and would never fail her? These were the questions that had dogged her for weeks now, leading to this moment. With GiGi’s role in the cotyledon program finished, it was time she moved on to her forever home. An affini research lab is a far cry from the cold sterile places that most terrans associate with the term, but it was still not a home. Today’s meeting was to determine who would be blessed by becoming GiGi’s owner. Have no doubt that that is exactly what it is, a blessing, because GiGi is the best floret a sophont could ever ask for, at least that is what Vera would swear to you. A blessing that she felt she was disqualified from ever experiencing due to the weight of her sins.
“I think that she would be happiest with you Deodar…” She announced with a heavy voice.
They raised their fuzzy simulacrum of eyebrows to convey doubt. “I reluctantly disagree, as much as I would treasure her, I fear I can never fill the hole you would leave in her heart.”
Vera shook her head, beginning to protest before a small finger shushed her, gently being held to her lips. GiGi looked up and began climbing the arms that held her until she was face to face with the large woman. She rested her forehead on the cool wooden mask for a moment before kissing her gently before pulling back and climbing from the arms that held her.
There were still some things that GiGi could understand perfectly and her drive to always help others was an immutable part of her soul. Right now she understood she had a choice to make, a choice to save two confused and misguided plants.
Scrambling to the towel below, she pulled one of Vera’s hands along with her, reaching out she took the massive palm of Deodar in her other hand. The girl knew she didn’t have the strength to force these two mighty plants to do anything, but they humored her out of curiosity, allowing her to guide their hands together. Vera’s hand looked dainty in comparison to the rough texture of Deodar’s hand, as GiGi placed the woman’s hand upon theirs and clasped them together. Taking a moment to smile at each of her friends, she squirmed her tiny hand in between the duo’s. She asked in a cracking and raspy voice accompanied by soft tears. “Yes?”
The girl was embraced from both sides by her two companions as they both simultaneously answered “Yes.” GiGi smiled to herself and began to giggle as she left the embrace, calling a close to this meeting. Running down to splash in the waves, chased after by her new owners, she dived into the water, savoring the moment. The first of many such moments to come, full of love, companionship, and happiness.
This was a small story from the very early history of Affini-Terran interactions, about a meeting of the utmost importance that took place on an unnamed beach, where GiGi Dracanae-Viride, First Floret and cherished Cotyledon, made a choice she would never regret.