The transport windows automatically darkened as per usual, then it went into a programmed guidance mode as it approached the main building of Quill Industries and drove through an underground concealed entrance. She was bored but still impressed by the security features that concealed the location of the entryway to the main residence. Occasionally the clanking of machinery could be heard outside. The vehicle sometimes even dropped in elevation in reprogrammed movements. She was unaware of exactly how it was designed, but today proved the absolute necessity for the precautions.
Solina anxiously tapped her knee with her fingertips. It was the first day in months that she was allowed on site. It was just her and Kehye today. The transport finally slowed to a halt and lowered gently. Solina stood and arranged her clothes, Kehye gripped her hand and gave her a reassuring look. The door opened into the large garage and reception area, a ramp slid up from the floor. The pair stepped down from the transport. A door opened and Kai entered the room with a nervous smile. Kai held Kelly in his arms. The sight was heartwarming. "I apologize that I was not here when you arrived," Kai said to his parents. "It is not a problem." Solina said as she reached out and ruffled his hair tenderly.
"Hello Granny." Kelly said in a sweet tone. Solina instantly found herself grinning foolishly. She missed her granddaughter and the children terribly. She was a complete push over to them. Solina's heartache as she saw how much she had grown. It had been almost seven cycles since she saw her, those cycles away would have seemed so long to her. "Greetings Kelly, Granny missed you a lot." Solina said with a tender voice. Kelly gave her grandmother a shy look and took a folded up drawing. "Granny, for you." Kelly handed the picture over to Solina with a smile. "It is my favorite flower. Thank you." Solina said and tucked the treasure into her breast pocket.
Kelly! Come to Grampy!" Kehye held out his hands, Kai transferred his precious daughter into his father's hands. Kehye smiled broadly, flashing his perfect pearly teeth as the small girl smiled back broadly at her. "Look at your curls." Kehye stroked her hair. "Papa Talan had been doing your hair I see." Kehye joked with Kelly.
"No, Daddy." Kelly said.
"You are getting better, I see," Kehye said and chuckled. Kai smiled broadly to his father, beaming with pride. Kelly was shifted into Kehye's embrace as he gave her a hug. Kai looked to his father.
"I am going to take Mother to see what we have been working on. There are nice treats in the main room that Nora handmade for you." Kai said as they walked down the hall.
"Mommy made tarts, pies, cakes and cookies." Kelly said in an excited tone.
"Oh did she? Are we going to eat them all before Daddy gets back?" Kehye playfully tickled Kelly's belly. Adorable laughter echoed through the hallway until they made it into the great room. Janel and Nora stood up as if waiting for them. An amused smile spread across Nora's face, seeing Kelly having the time of her life. She almost forgot how nervous she was.
"Janel, Nora, Cerez, will be accompanying us there." Kai said. He made funny faces at Kelly to distract her. Liem, Kadir, and Talan were in the middle of a small play tea party with the girls. The sight was very charming as the girls sat at small tables with desserts and sandwiches piled up on them.
"We will wait until we all come back to start the Tea Party, right?" Nora said to the group of children.
"Yes Momma," Sirona grumbled unhappily. Astra snickered at her sister's mopey attitude and continued to patiently read. Fiona and Ivy were busy playing together to notice the adults coming into the room. Janel led the group through the many corridors nervously. Nora felt a sense of trepidation following suit. Nora did not know how Solina would react to this. They disembarked the elevator and went through several secured doors.
"We will just need to go through decontamination now," Janel said. The equipment kept them clean. They were being more cautious with their work because of what lies beyond the next set of doors. Janel himself felt nervous, Kai and Nora tried to give him the support he needed as they followed his instructions and gave him strength with their faith. Solina was doing her best to follow along. She had not spent much time in laboratories and medical environments.
"It is a clean room. You will understand when we get inside." Kai said to his mother as they entered the room and the door was sealed and locked behind him. "It's just a fine mist, a quick gust of air and a blue light to kill any pathogens and bacteria." Kai said as he reassured his mother.
"You might want to wear these shoes instead of your footwear. The mist is awful on Taennie's skin." Nora said with a frown, knowing from experience. She was still waiting for her Taennie Booties to come back from the cleaners. Solina gave Nora a curious look as she changed her footwear.
'This is a medical or scientific breakthrough. A plant would not require decontamination. It can only be something animal or medically related. Something that requires secrecy and involves a partnership with Setton. Biological Droids?' Solina thought as she bemusedly made her way through the change.
"I think you will find this worth all the secrecy and the lockdown," Nora said.
"I am sure I will. There are a lot of steps to go through. Knowing you, it must be something huge," Solina said as she took her boots off. Many of them are barefoot now. Solina was given a pair of rubber shoes. They were horrendous looking but very comfortable. They passed through the decontamination chamber and into the clean room. Solina took a look at the rack in the middle of the room with great interest. Janel cleared his throat nervously.
"Meet the eighth daughter of Clan Quill, Hope Quill." Nora said nervously,
"She will be at full term at the half cycle, and she, like all of our children, is cured." Nora finished looking at Solina's face, which changed to a bewildered state. Solina gasped as the rack expanded out, and the scanner passed over the artificial wombs. Solina always found it hard to look at the tissue containing the infant. The rack gently slid back, as it settled you could vaguely see that the fetus stretched out lazily. Janel brought up two images.
"As you can now confirm with your eyes, they are both female" Janel said, his voice softening as he looked at his own daughter's scan. "They are perfectly healthy." Janel said.
"I think I need to sit. Wait, they? The other one is?" Solina spinned on her heel to face Nora.
"My daughter, Eve. Cured. She is the first resurrected heir of Clan Morrit and Nuru, from two male parents and a new type of blank state Ovum." Janel explained. Kai finally found her a chair and Solina plopped down just as her knees started to weaken. Solina raked her palms down her face and seemed to have squealed.
"How? How did you do this?" Solina asked. Kai pulled out a stool and Solina gratefully took a seat and listened to Janel with great interest.
"Both lines have been repaired using Nora's mitochondrial DNA as a template. I have been able to successfully repair the Maternal lines of one hundred staff members so far. I should be able to do the same for women around the world as well," Janel said.
"Incredible. I can see why you have not appeared in public and limited access to the site." Solina said, "I am the first outsider to know and why I am the first to know." Solina gasped. Tears started to stream down from her eyes. Finally a cure.
"So Kelly is cured?" Solina asked.