Star-finder

Nyco was overwhelmed with all this information. He had just found out he never had any parents and that he was some kind of experiment from a scientist he didn’t even know. Even though he felt like this, he wanted to know more. No, he needed to know more. He felt it in his heart.
Alan decided to keep explaining the reason why he was the only Star-finder on Earth

-Star-finders are born to explore other planets and moons. That’s why they are never sent to Earth. But you were an exception. You see… Mmmm. Let me think of a way to say this…-, Alan hesitated. -You were born a little different. When they finally took you out of the water tank, they saw you had a craving for human contact. That’s something the other Star-finders don’t have. A lot of Planet-Gazer’s thought that this could be a weakness since your mind should only be centered in your hunger for discovering new horizons. That’s why they sent you to Earth for you to live as a normal human-, Alan explained.

-So… You are saying that… I was defective…-, Nyco discovered.

-I wouldn’t say that, no. Just a minor setback. But you see, this is why I went to Earth to get you. We’ve had other cases over the years of Star-finders that started with this emotional need but then they developed their independence over the years. There was no need for you to be sent away. You have what it takes, Nyco. I believe it. That’s why I decided to take you under my wing personally. I will make you the best of the best. You will explore this galaxy and become even more famous than the great Lirid-, Alan spoke with excitement.

Nyco wasn’t as excited as Alan. If what he said was true… Would he lose the love he had for Emma?… Would he become a cold human without emotions? He felt a sting in his chest thinking about it.

-But how come I’ve never heard of these Star-finders? These superhumans that conquer planets. I’ve never heard of them-, he wondered. Nyco wanted to reject all the things that Alan was telling him. He wanted to hang onto the hope that Alan was mistaken. -And how do I know I’m one of them? I do look quite similar to that boy you just introduced me to, but that doesn’t prove anything-, he argued.

-... I understand this is a lot to take in… Sorry if I saturated you with information. As for your first question. You haven’t heard of Star-finders because it’s information that is classified from the public. Some… limited minded humans would find you… unnatural. There are a lot of people that don’t understand the good this study has brought them. They want all the benefits of gathering resources from other planets but then hate the means to get them. That’s why it was decided that only Planet-Gazer’s would know about your upbringing.

-... Do all Planet-Gazer’s know about… this? About these experiments…?

-Yes. And they all participate in it. They all give consent to be studied in order to see if they can contribute to the human race with their genetics.

Nyco felt a giant wave hitting his insides. He fell on his knees. Did Juliet know all this? Did she keep it a secret all those years? He didn’t want to believe it.

Alan picked him up from the floor and took him to a seat so he could rest.

-Easy does it. I’m sorry for dumping all this information on you-, Alan apologized. -Take your time and tell me when you are ready. I would like to run a blood test with you so you can be 100% sure of what I’m saying. After that, I can take you home and we’ll talk about what you want to do another day.

-O… Ok

They reunited with Levi after Nyco finally calmed down. Alan took a small sample of Nyco’s blood and then compared it to Alan’s. They were in fact identical. The only thing they had different was that Nyco had thinner eyebrows than Levi and that he had a more marked cheekbone. Just the little variations they did so they could tell them apart. Levi also didn’t have that big scar on his cheek, Nyco ended up thanking his scar for that. He welcomed anything that gave him a sense of self.

Since other Star-finders had different combinations of genes from other Planet-Gazers, they wouldn’t be as identical as Nyco and Levi. That’s why Alan decided to run the test with Levi, so that Nyco would finally accept the truth.

Alan then showed Nyco the list of Planet-Gazers that they used to make him. There were 32 in total. Nyco desperately looked for the one thing that could shine a bit of light to this revelation. But he didn’t find Juliet on that list. They had used her genes for other Star-finders, but not him.

Alan accompanied the troubled boy back to his little flat. Nyco didn’t say a word on the trip back home. Alan gave him back his E-C and told him he would speak with him tomorrow.

Nyco’s head was running a thousand miles an hour thinking of all he had learned that day. He now knew why he didn’t feel fear when fighting someone, they had taken that fear away from him. He understood why he wanted to be a Planet-Gazer, they had implanted that need in him. Were all his interests his own or from another Planet-Gazer he didn’t even know? He was a copy of 32 people after all… Had he just copied someone else’s likes? Did he… love Emma because some Planet-Gazer before him liked those types of girls? Or was it him, his own mind that loved her?

Nyco felt his E-C vibrating. It was Emma. He thought about answering the call. He needed her. With all that he had learned, only she could lift him up. But he ended up ignoring the call. How would he confront her? How could he tell the girl he loved that he was some kind of Frankenstein's monster. He could not bear the thought of her knowing his upbringing.

He also thought about the words Alan had told him. He said that he would eventually reject human contact. In time he would become a more cold and individualistic being. Would he stop loving her?

Nyco started crying as Emma’s calls kept ringing to no avail.