Page 97 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly
“But there are other women, right?”Talia asked.
“Yeah,” Sesi agreed.“That’s their choice to make.”
“What if you never find one?”Jenni asked.
“We keep sciencing our way forward, evolve parthenon-whatever or re-evolve males.”Sesi ran her hand through her hair.
“Or we go extinct,” Callie offered.
“Also, a possibility.A very likely one.”
“Okie dokie.We’ll need some very immature eggs from you then.Stem-cell sized.I should have the DocPod calibrated for that by tomorrow.”
“Why are you doing this?”Talia accepted the Hexcel cup of tea Cat handed her.She left to busy herself in the back, but Callie knew she was listening.“As far as I know, you never wanted kids.And there’s a good chance they won’t have any sort of life.”
Sesi breathed a laugh.“Any sort of lifeyourecognise.And they’ll have us.”
“Just please tell me you aren’t doing this to save the world, Ses.”Talia reached across the table to take Sesi’s hand.Callie smiled at the pet name.These two were so painfully in love, it must have been torture to have broken up.
Sesi squeezed.“No, that’s not it.”She put her other hand on Callie’s thigh.“But it’s alsonotnot it either.”Callie put her hand on Sesi’s.“I don’t feel an obligation to the human race.We probably deserve to die out.But it also feels like that decision was taken away from us by one rich fuck.One that’s still humming away in a machine, just itching to fuck us over some more.”
“So, you want a baby as an act of rebellion?”Talia cocked her eyebrow.
“Spite,” Sesi corrected.
“I’ve heard of worse reasons to have a baby,” Cat called from the back.
“Mom!”Callie yelled.
“What?”Cat returned with a hooded jumper.“I can’t help it if you’re talking loudly.”She held it up to Talia’s chest.Talia jerked back, confused, but Cat took no notice.“This one is definitely your colour.I’ll wrap it up for you.”
“What just happened?”Talia whispered.
“That’s just how she shows affection.”Callie gave a half-shrug.
“It’sweird,” Talia hissed.“I mean, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to call your mom weird.”Talia waved her hands apologetically.
“You’ll get used to it.At least she’s not talking to Sparx about my sex life.”Callie muttered.
“Wait, what?”Sesi perked up.“I need to hear about this!”Talia nodded enthusiastically.
Callie groaned and sprawled out against the table.
Cat returned with an entire pot of tea and Talia’s jumper, all wrapped up.“Callie already told me the important parts and I said I would help.”
Talia took the package, unsure of what to do with it.“Thanks.‘Cause I don’t know shit about kids.”
“Well first, we don’t sayshitaround kids.”Sesi squeezed Talia’s hand.
“I don’t know!”she protested.“I thought it was a weird cult thing we were taught.Georg swore all the time.”
“And I’ll help look after the grandbabies too,” Cat continued.
“Daughters,” Sesi corrected.Until we can find uninfected males, they’re all going to be daughters.
“That’s awfully presumptuous.”Callie turned toward Sparx’s voice.She hadn’t heard him come in.
“Sparx!”Cat stood up to give him a hug.“You look amazing!Sit down, I’ll get you a cup.”
