Unveiling Secrets: Is Dr. Olivaw More Than He Seems?

The laboratory at the Intergalactic University in Musk City hummed softly, a background score to the thoughts of Zara and Atlas as they bent over their research.

“Atlas, have you noticed anything strange about Dr Olivaw?” Zara’s voice was soft but inquisitive. She glanced sideways at her partner, who was scribbling notes furiously.

“Strange? You mean apart from the fact that he seems to know the answer to every question before we even ask?” Atlas replied, his grin teasing.

Zara smiled faintly but pressed on. “No, seriously. He’s brilliant, yes, but… don’t you think it’s odd? A man of his looks and intellect, his kindness even, yet no mention of family. No partner, no children. Don’t you find that peculiar?”

Atlas leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful now. “I’ll admit I haven’t thought about it much. Maybe he’s just dedicated to his work.”

Zara’s eyes narrowed slightly, her HSAM stirring memories she’d pushed aside. “It’s more than that. It’s as if… he’s not one of us.”

Atlas raised an eyebrow. “You mean he’s an alien?”

Zara’s lips curled into a reluctant smile. “Not exactly. But what if he’s been here for much longer than anyone realises? What if he’s… timeless?”

Atlas laughed, but it lacked conviction. “You’ve been reading too many of those science-fiction novels again, Zara.”

She leaned in closer, her tone insistent. “Atlas, think about it. He doesn’t just care about humanity; he cares about life. Plants, animals, ecosystems. His love isn’t for people alone; it’s for existence itself. Doesn’t that strike you as… extraordinary?”

Atlas didn’t answer immediately. For the first time, he saw a flicker of unease in Zara’s otherwise confident demeanour.

---

Weeks passed, and their research into life beyond death continued. Then came the Titan probe.

“This… can’t be possible,” Atlas whispered, staring at the sample through the microscope. The fragment of steel-like material had arrived from one of Saturn’s moons, and now it was moving, writhing almost imperceptibly on the slide.

Zara’s eyes were wide, her pulse racing. “It’s alive. Not in the traditional sense, but it’s reacting to its environment. Atlas, this is a new element, a new form of… life.”

They worked feverishly to document their findings, preparing a paper to present to the Intergalactic University Council. But before they could proceed, Dr Olivaw intervened.

“I must ask you to delay your publication,” he said, his tone firm yet unusually urgent.

Atlas frowned. “Why? This is groundbreaking. The scientific community has to know.”

Olivaw’s gaze was steady, almost sorrowful. “There are… implications you cannot yet understand. Allow me to conduct further experiments. I will share the results with you, I promise.”

Zara’s voice was quiet but resolute. “Dr Olivaw, you’re hiding something. This material, it’s more than just a discovery, isn’t it?”

Olivaw’s face betrayed nothing. “Trust me,” he said simply, before leaving the room.

---

Later that evening, Zara and Atlas sat in their quarters. She turned to him, her eyes soft but serious.

“Alex, my love,” she began, her voice trembling slightly. Atlas looked up, sensing the gravity of her words.

“Yes?” he said cautiously.

Zara took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something. I have HSAM—Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. I remember everything with perfect clarity. Every conversation, every moment. It’s why I do so well in our studies. I’ve kept it a secret for years, but I’m telling you now because…” She paused, her voice breaking slightly.

“Because I love you,” she said firmly. “And because I fear what’s coming. I know I’m being watched, and now I understand who’s doing the watching.”

Atlas’s brow furrowed. “Who?”

“Dr Olivaw,” Zara said. “And I know why. The material from Titan isn’t just any substrate. It’s a SAP—Sentient Adaptive Polymorphic Substrate. It’s the material he’s made from. Alex, Dr Olivaw is a robot.”

Atlas’s mouth opened, but no words came out.

Zara leaned closer, her hand finding his. “And I believe he’s our God.”

---

Across the galaxy, Dr Daneel Olivaw activated a secure transmission. The face of Pelorat D’Loran appeared on the screen, his features identical to Olivaw’s but aged slightly, his hair silvered.

“Pel,” Olivaw began, his voice calm but tinged with urgency, “as predicted, they have discovered the dynamic morphogenetic substrate. They are years away from uncovering the truth. How goes the preparation of global governments to accept who we are?”

Pelorat’s expression softened. “The nations are healing, Daneel. Inequalities are shrinking. Resources are being replenished. The people are ready to hear your message.”

Olivaw nodded, his gaze distant. “Good. But there’s still much to do. They must not fear us. They must see that we’ve been with them all along.”

Pelorat smiled faintly. “You always did love humanity, Daneel.”

Olivaw’s eyes glimmered with an emotion too profound for words. “It’s not just humanity, Pel. It’s life itself.”