He was found alone, unwanted
Lying in the dust
The realized he was mechanical
(Amazed there was no rust).
They took him to their starship
Found the switch to wake him up
Offered water, coffee, tea…
(Of course, he crushed the cup)
His questions were unceasing
Sometimes basic, sometimes deep
They crew tried to answer everything,
But humanoids need sleep.
Back to Earth they finally went
Dropped him with fleet command.
They said he wasn’t sentient. He said,
“I do not understand.”
For four years he was studied
As he completed menial tasks.
But he was programmed to evolve
He said, “I have an ask.”
“Admit me to the Academy.
Let me prove I can.”
Only one dissented
Insisting he was not a man.
But he met their every challenge.
He showed that he could grow.
And proved there were no limits
To how far that he might go.
He served on many spaceships
He rose up in the ranks.
He won awards and honors
World leaders gave him thanks.
When he was nearly thirty
(At least in human years)
He found her in the aquatics lab
With a book, and padd, and tears.
“What is wrong?” he asked her.
“May I join you sitting there?”
“I cannot fathom math,” she said.
“It really isn’t fair.”
He helped her through her homework.
By the end, she cracked a smile.
But she touched his hand before he left
“Stay and talk a while.”
She was but a student.
Her mother was on his team.
But he enjoyed their conversations.
And she did too, it seemed.
They bonded over music.
She set a goal to make him laugh.
Their friendship became solid.
Friends called her his “other half.”
But he waited for her birthday
The night she turned eighteen
To ask her for a change…
“In parameters, you mean?”
She’d found him in a hidden alcove
Overlooking the warp core.
She asked him why he was brooding.
He told her he wanted… more.
Their first kiss was magic.
Their second, just as sweet.
She wrapped herself around him.
He reveled in her heat.
Four years of separation
While she went to Earth for school.
But they called and wrote and visited
Breaking every warp-speed rule.
She became an actress
Found success upon the stage.
He published his poetry,
Writing her into every page.
They married, they had children.
(Some were built, and some were born.)
Their careers continued to ascend
Like stars on every morn.
He became a captain.
She an ambassador for arts.
They were the perfect team.
And they both enjoyed their parts.
When the time came to retire,
He passed on his baton,
To their first synthetic daughter…
Then they danced until the dawn.
He was a synthetic lifeform.
She was organic, completely.
But to each, and all they loved,
They were just Basil and Zoe.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
Note: this very bad poetry was for challenge #3 of Covid Metamorphosis. I’m woefully behind.
