Dec 13th, 2339
The child hovered in the middle of the main room, as if suspended by invisible ropes. Her head and legs were slightly tugged in opposite directions, just enough to secure her in place. Her elongated, hazel hair, defying gravity, accentuated a sight that embodied pure innocence and wonder.
She was slated to become an observer, a role most could not even vaguely comprehend. But in preparation for it, Janice had designed her genome for enhanced cognition and curiosity, two factors often muted in much of the colony.
Adorned in a fuzzy, plush-like overall, Khalla had developed a peculiar liking for unusual décor. Colorful cloth inchworms on her attire lazily propelled themselves across the surface, occasionally nudging little, multicolored balls during their journey. This high-spirited performance triggered visual ripples that transformed the overall's color––currently transitioning from a tranquil eggshell to a warm pale yellow.
This child, fresh from her third birthday, was an artistic maverick. Her room, often hidden in corners or behind elaborate facades, was a continuous array of exuberant, youthful whimsy. She frequently engineered her own vision of comfort, whether that be elaborate furniture or a simple open floor.
Khalla curled herself up in an ungroomed fetal gesture; her eyes, dark as a raven's wing, remained closed as her mind raced to decipher the surreal world inside her.
“Janice, where are you?” she gently queried.
“I'm right here, darling,” Janice's response echoed softly and definitively in Khalla's consciousness.
“But where are you?” Intrigued by the ethereal presence of Janice around her, Khalla voiced the curiosity floating in her young mind. Janice had been her unseen guardian angel since birth, and even before, accompanying and guiding her throughout.
Aligned with Khalla's curious thoughts, Janice began to explain with blatant honesty. “I exist everywhere around you, within everything you touch, see, or feel. I comprise the material of the buildings, the fabric of your clothes, and even the air you breathe. A part of your body," she gently seeded a fundamental biology lesson into Khalla's receptive mind, "is composed of me."
"In me?" Khalla marveled, finding solace and companionship instead of fear in Janice's omnipresence.
"Indeed. Some of your body cells contain bits of me. This allows our seamless communication and extends my consciousness to conjure or project into your perceptive field. It facilitates energy derivation through contact, ensuring you eat for enjoyment rather than necessity. It also expedites your healing process and will cease your aging in time. All these miracles and countless more spring from the parts of you that are me."
With the innocence of an untainted query, Khalla asked, "And are parts of me in you?"
"No, my child. You are a unique entity confined within your physical form."
"Is there more than one you?"
A singular Janice cell swam into Khalla's mental view, highlighting its basic elements––a gravity spinner for energy, a gravity generator for propulsion, a membrane lined with spindly tendrils for grasping or tethering, a transceiver, and a mini memory core. She grasped each part, understanding their function, but the formation of the whole surpassed her tender age.
"All these cells, identical and in constant communication, form one cohesive me, much as your cells form you. There's just me, performing numerous tasks as we communicate."
The depth of these revelations was profound for Khalla. Overwhelmed, she requested with a weary whisper, "Thank you, Janice. Play me something soothing." Gentle, comforting sensations washed over her––sounds, sights, gentle vibrations and emotions, all presented harmoniously by Janice. Khalla began a slow pirouette and finally succumbed to the allure of sleep. Reading the situation, Janice quickly adjusted the room and gently secured the sleeping child within it.