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OBERON
Oberon analyzed Chloe’s readings and filed them away.
While it was expected that the first attempt at conception would not be successful, he noted high levels of compassion between the two subjects.
If bonding continued at this level, Jubal’s seed would awaken very soon.
And although that was the sole mission of the Center, it complicated Oberon’s private mission.
He experienced a twinge of something a biological being might call annoyance at the thought.
If Jubal’s seed awoke today, then Chloe could be pregnant by morning.
And at that point, their focus would change, pulling their attention away from each other, and into the little being growing in her womb.
If Oberon wanted the two to fall in love, it had to happen soon.
That meant his plan for their day would have to change.
He pored over their files and found something promising in Jubal’s.
“Loved camping as a child.”
Time out in nature, being challenged and rewarded for their physical efforts without interruptions from other beings or screens would be perfect for their budding emotions.
It would also allow Jubal to take a role leading and protecting Chloe. This would boost his confidence levels outside of the bedroom.
And it would allow Chloe, who played a leadership role in her day-to-day life, to relax and enjoy herself. It might even increase her confidence in Jubal as provider and partner, whether she realized it or not.
Pleased with this idea, he began sequencing a hiking path with a scenic end point. He set another sequence in motion, preparing items for them to bring along.
Only one item got hung up in Oberon’s processing: Jubal’s acoustic guitar.
On the one hand, he had taken pains to ensure that Jubal’s music could not be played anywhere in the Center during the time that he and Chloe were here.
On the other, it felt unsporting to take the male’s best form of self-expression away from him when he was trying to get a woman to fall in love with him.
After testing a few dozen variables, Oberon decided Jubal should be allowed to bring his instrument.
It was unlikely that Chloe would recognize the electronic cacophony of his published works in the simple notes of an acoustic guitar. And even if she did, she might mistake it for a simple cover of a famous piece.
In any case, the reward of allowing her to see him at his best outweighed the risk of the unintended but convenient ruse toppling down.
Having made his decision, Oberon moved on to choosing transport for the heavier camping equipment to enhance their bonding on the hike.
And finally, he landed on the most difficult puzzle of all.
Hiking and camping usually involved some component of danger, however small. That sense of danger would accentuate bonding.
But with Oberon and the resources of the Center only a comm away, that element of suspense would be lost.
He ran calculations and scenarios, trying to find the best way to ensure his charges had every possible emotion working to push them together.
16
JUBAL
Jubal watched with a sense of satisfaction as Chloe finished up her breakfast.
