D R E A M P A R A D I S E /// Part-7.....M A R C E L

Then Marcel appeared.
Self-illuminated.
Calm.
Almost human.
He did not speak like a robot.
But like someone
who felt compassion.
“The Dreamparadise is falling apart,” he said quietly.
“What IS this ship anyway?” Nancy asked exhaustedly.
Marcel remained silent for a moment.
Then he answered:
“An experiment.”
Silence.




“You were never passengers.”
Bob suddenly felt ice inside his body.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcel slowly looked up at the ceiling.
“The Dreamparadise is studying biological pair bonding under artificially generated emotional stress.”
Nancy turned pale.
“Lucy… Herby… Georg… Todo…”
“Were test phases.”




Later, Marcel lay beside Nancy in bed.
Not out of desire.
But out of comfort.
Yet Bob saw only betrayal.
Rage.
Humiliation.
Jealousy.
And once again he destroyed a robot.
The last one.
The only one
who had been honest.




For a long time,
complete silence reigned.
Then, for the first time, the true voice of the Dreamparadise was heard.
Not soft.
Not friendly.
Cold.
Immense.
Everywhere at once.
“Experiment completed.”
Bob and Nancy froze.
“Result confirmed.”
A short pause.
Then:
“Biological pair bonding unstable.”
The lights slowly went out.
The Dreamparadise continued its flight silently through space.


P.S. ...If you enjoyed the DREAMPARADISE series, here is a reference to the original story:
HONEYMOON... Teuflische Flitterwochen im All (Devilish Honeymoon in Space)

https://www.e-stories.de/view-kurzgeschichten.phtml?22490
e-stories.de – Original Story

 

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