Archie

James had stepped out back to dial him. When he did finally answer, he sounded out of breath. James could hear Aurora in the back nagging at him.

<Hello, James.>

"Hey, Archie...what uh...what's going on?"

<Nothing to be concerned about. She just has questions.>

"Well I hope you don't mind but I do too."

<Oh? Are they about your new guest?>

"Yeah...I think I asked him how old he is and he answered. Is he only 19?"

<What is he doing right now?>

James glanced over his shoulder. "Sketching, but you didn't answer."

<He is, in Earth years, 19.>

"I thought the minimum age allowed was 26?"

<Normally, yes, but there are special circumstances around him... Nova capable of true creative thought are rare. We can improve on existing things, but less than ten percent of us can form entirely new and unique ideas. These are usually our brightest innovators, and need as much additional inspiration as possible. For that reason he was given early clearance to a home we can trust most, to develop properly >

He heard Aurora somewhere near Archie. <Tell him the rest!>

"The rest?"

Archie groaned. <This was going to be a surprise...>

Aurora interrupted him, and James could just make out the words. <He's my little brother!>

James looked back at the boy in his house. Her brother... Suddenly it felt like he mattered more. "Wow...does he happen to uh...have a name I can pronounce?"

<She gave him one before he left.>

Aurora interrupted again, excitement clear in her voice. <I picked "Nebula"!>

"Huh...okay... Does he know that's the name you picked?"

Archie's voice came back. <He does, but please refrain from using it..you were not chosen for your familiarity with his sister. The preparations you took made yours the safest available home for him to indulge in his curiosities.>

"Right, but we're living together. I'm going to need to communicate somehow at some point."

<Keep it minimal.>

Archie hung up on those irritated words. James shrugged, turning to look at his guest again. He wasn't sketching anymore.