The autocab dropped Orion off at a shopping district near his apartment. 6:47 PM. The meeting had run longer than expected, but the results were worth it.
His phone buzzed. Message from Cassia.
Cassia:Working late. Looking at properties. Won't be home until 8 or 9.
Orion:No problem. I'll handle dinner.
He pocketed his phone and looked around. There was a grocery store across the street. Might as well grab fresh ingredients.
The store was busy—evening rush, people picking up food after work. Orion wandered through the aisles, grabbing vegetables, protein, spices. He had no idea what he was going to make, but Rene could figure it out.
Twenty minutes later, he walked out with two bags of groceries and caught another cab home.
HOME - 7:15 PM
The apartment was empty. Cassia still out looking at mansions. Nyla still at her group project. Just Orion and two bags of ingredients.
He set the bags on the kitchen counter and stared at them.
Problem: He couldn't cook.
Well, he could make basic stuff. Scrambled eggs. Toast. Instant noodles. But actual cooking? The kind that required techniques and timing and flavor balancing? He'd never learned.
Cassia usually handled that. And when she was busy, they ordered takeout.
But now he had fresh ingredients and nobody home to cook them.
"Rene," Orion said, putting on the earbuds. "I need help. I want to make dinner, but I'm a terrible cook."
"I have access to comprehensive culinary databases," Rene said. "I can provide step-by-step instructions."
"Can you do better than that? Use the BCI. Show me what to do with holographic overlays. Guide me through the whole process."
"Affirmative. Shall I design a recipe optimized for the ingredients you purchased?"
"Yeah. Make it good. Like, really good. Something that maximizes flavor and presentation."
"Understood. Analyzing ingredients now... I have designed an optimal recipe. A fusion dish combining elements from multiple culinary traditions. The flavor profile is balanced for umami richness, aromatic complexity, and textural variety. Shall I begin guidance?"
"Do it."
Orion's vision shifted as the BCI activated. Holographic overlays appeared in his kitchen. Ingredient labels floated above each item. A virtual cutting board showed exactly where to place things. Knife angle indicators appeared in his field of view.
"Begin by preparing the protein," Rene's voice said. "Remove the chicken breast from packaging. Place on cutting board."
Orion followed the instructions. Grabbed the chicken, set it down.
A holographic outline appeared, showing exactly how to cut it. "Slice along this line. Thickness: 1.5 centimeters. Angle the knife 15 degrees."
Orion picked up a knife. A glowing line appeared on the chicken, showing the exact path. He cut along it. The slice came out perfect.
"Good. Continue with remaining cuts."
More glowing lines appeared. Orion followed each one. Within minutes, he had perfectly uniform chicken pieces.
"Now the vegetables. Dice the bell peppers into 2-centimeter cubes."
Holographic grids appeared on the peppers, showing exactly where to cut. Orion followed the guides. Each cube came out identical.
"Mince the garlic. Press down and rock the knife in this motion."
A holographic hand demonstrated the technique. Orion mimicked it. The garlic minced perfectly.
"Slice the onions using the following technique to minimize eye irritation..."
Orion worked through the prep. Vegetables chopped. Spices measured—holographic measuring guides showed exact amounts. Everything laid out in perfect mise en place.
"Heat the pan to 180°C. Pour oil in this pattern for even distribution."
A temperature indicator appeared, showing the pan heating up. When it hit 180°C exactly, the indicator turned green. Orion poured oil, following the holographic pour pattern.
"Add chicken. Place pieces in these exact positions for optimal heat distribution."
Glowing outlines showed where each piece should go. Orion placed them perfectly. The chicken sizzled.
"Flip after 90 seconds. Use this motion."
A countdown timer appeared. At 90 seconds exactly, holographic hands demonstrated the flip technique. Orion copied it. The chicken flipped perfectly, golden-brown on the cooked side.
The guidance continued. Add garlic at the right moment. Aromatics released. Add vegetables in sequence for optimal texture. Spices timed for maximum flavor development.
Rene had designed the recipe to layer flavors. Each ingredient added at the precise moment to complement the others. Temperatures adjusted for different cooking stages. Timing calibrated down to the second.
"Deglaze the pan with wine. Pour in this spiral pattern, then reduce heat to 120°C."
Orion followed the holographic guide. The wine hit the hot pan, steam rising, capturing all the caramelized flavors from the bottom.
"Add sauce components in this sequence: soy sauce base, aromatics, umami enhancers."
More holographic guides. Orion added each ingredient exactly as shown. The sauce came together, glossy and rich.
"Final plating. Arrange components using these positions for visual balance and temperature optimization."
The plate appeared in his vision with holographic outlines showing where each element should go. Rice here, chicken there, vegetables arranged in this pattern, sauce drizzled like this.
Orion plated the dish. It looked like something from a high-end restaurant. Perfect presentation, vibrant colors, steam rising aesthetically.
"Garnish with micro-greens and sesame seeds in this pattern."
Final touches. Orion added the garnishes. The dish transformed from "very good" to "Michelin-star worthy."
He stepped back and looked at what he'd created.
It was beautiful. Professional-grade. The kind of dish that would cost eighty credits at a fancy restaurant.
And he'd made it by following holographic instructions like a cooking video game.
"This is cheating," Orion muttered.
"This is optimized culinary execution," Rene corrected. "The techniques are standard. I simply provided precise guidance."
The front door opened.
"I'm home," Cassia called out.
Then she stopped. Orion could hear her inhale sharply.
"What is that smell?"
POV: CASSIA THORNE
Cassia had spent three hours looking at mansions. Her feet hurt. Her head hurt from talking to real estate agents. She was exhausted.
But the moment she stepped into the apartment, fatigue vanished.
Something smelled incredible. Like restaurant-quality cooking. Rich, savory, complex. Aromatic herbs and perfectly caramelized proteins and something umami-rich that made her mouth water instantly.
"Who's cooking?" she said aloud.
It couldn't be Orion. He could barely make toast without burning it. And Nyla was still at her project. Had Orion ordered takeout? But this smelled too fresh. Too immediate.
She walked toward the kitchen cautiously.
Orion stood at the counter, wearing an apron she didn't know they owned, carefully arranging a dish on a plate.
A gorgeous dish. Restaurant-presentation quality. Steam rising artfully. Colors vibrant. Professional garnishes.
"Did you make this?" Cassia blurted out. "Or did you order it?"
Orion looked up and smiled. "Of course I made it. You're back. Come sit down. You must be tired."
"You made this." Cassia stated it flatly, not quite believing.
"Yeah. Just finished. Try it."
He set the plate at the table. Pulled out a chair for her.
Cassia sat slowly, still processing. Her son—her adopted son who had microwaved nothing but instant noodles for twenty-one years—had apparently become a professional chef in the last six hours.
"When did you learn to cook?" she asked.
"Today, technically. Just try it."
Cassia picked up her fork. The dish looked too good to eat. But the smell was irresistible.
She took a small bite.
Her mind went blank.
The flavors hit in perfect sequence. Initial savory richness from the protein. Then aromatic complexity from the herbs and spices. Umami depth from the sauce. Subtle sweetness balancing everything. Each ingredient distinct but harmonizing perfectly.
The texture was perfect too. Tender protein. Crisp vegetables with just the right bite. Sauce with ideal viscosity.
It was the best thing she'd ever tasted.
Cassia took another bite. Then another. She couldn't stop. The fork moved automatically, her brain too occupied with processing the incredible flavors to think about anything else.
Halfway through the plate, she realized she was crying.
"Are you okay?" Orion asked, concerned.
"I've never tasted anything like this," Cassia said, her voice thick. "This is... this is..."
She couldn't find words. Just kept eating.
"From now on, you're doing all the cooking in this house," she declared between bites.
Orion laughed. "Don't rush. There's still plenty more. I made enough for three people."
He brought out more plates. The same incredible dish. Cassia barely slowed down to acknowledge it.
Orion smiled wryly as he watched his mother devour the food.
He hadn't made this. Not really. Rene had designed the recipe, calculated optimal techniques, guided every single movement through holographic overlays. He'd just been a puppet following instructions.
And he definitely didn't have time to cook elaborate meals every day. Between building fusion reactors and running a technology company, cooking was low on the priority list.
"I should build a robot chef," Orion muttered.
"What?" Cassia asked, still eating.
"Nothing. Just thinking out loud."
Actually... that wasn't a bad idea. The BCI could guide a robot even better than a human. Perfect execution every time. Rene could design recipes optimized for nutrition and flavor. The robot could handle all the cooking automatically.
He'd add it to the project list. After the fusion reactor. After the full-dive VR system. After scaling up Aether OS distribution.
Maybe in a few months.
Cassia finished her plate and immediately reached for seconds. "Seriously, Orion. Where did you learn this?"
"I had good instructions."
"From who?"
"A very talented teacher."
Rene, speaking through the earbuds only Orion could hear, said: "I appreciate the compliment. Shall I design tomorrow's dinner menu?"
"Maybe not tomorrow," Orion thought back. "But keep a recipe database ready. This might come in handy."
Cassia was on her third helping now. "This is dangerous. I'm going to gain so much weight if you keep cooking like this."
"Then I'll only cook on special occasions."
"Every day should be a special occasion if this is what you make."
Orion laughed. "How did the mansion hunting go?"
"Found three good options. I'll send you the listings later. But honestly, after this meal, I can't focus on anything else." She pointed her fork at him. "You're not allowed to get takeout anymore. This has ruined me for normal food."
"That's probably an exaggeration."
"It's not. I'm serious. This is thirty-star Michelin chef quality. How did you do this?"
Orion shrugged. "I followed a recipe very carefully."
"No recipe I've ever seen produces this. What recipe?"
"A custom one."
Cassia squinted at him. "You're being evasive."
"I'm being accurate. It was a custom recipe designed specifically for the ingredients I bought. Optimized for flavor and presentation."
"Designed by who?"
"By... someone very good at optimization."
Cassia set down her fork. Looked at him seriously. "Orion, you've been different since the hospital. Smarter, more focused, more capable. Now you're apparently a master chef. What's going on?"
Orion hesitated. He couldn't exactly explain the system library, the enhanced brain, the cultivation technique, or Rene guiding him through holographic overlays.
"I've been learning a lot," he said carefully. "Using really good educational resources. Getting better at things I was always interested in."
"Educational resources that teach gourmet cooking?"
"Educational resources that teach everything."
Cassia studied him for a long moment. "I'm not going to push. But I want you to know—if something strange is happening, if you need help with anything, you can tell me."
"I know, Mom. And I'm fine. Really. Just... using the tools available to me to get better at things."
"These tools must be incredible."
"They are."
She went back to eating. "Well, whatever they are, I approve. This is amazing."
Orion watched his mother enjoy the meal. Felt a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with cultivation.
The system had given him power. Knowledge. Capabilities beyond normal humans.
But moments like this—making his mom happy with a simple meal—that was what made it all worthwhile.
"Rene," he thought. "Add 'robot chef' to the development queue. Priority: medium. I want something that can replicate this experience."
"Understood," Rene replied. "Shall I begin preliminary designs?"
"Yeah. But focus on the fusion reactor first. Robot chefs can wait."
"Acknowledged."
Cassia finished her third plate and sat back, content. "I'm never eating anywhere else again. You've ruined restaurants for me."
Orion smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It is. Definitely is."
They sat together in comfortable silence while Cassia digested. Outside, the sun was setting over New Eden. The city lights were coming on.
Tomorrow, Nyla would be back. They'd have that talk. Figure out what they were to each other.
Tomorrow, the Innovatia research teams would start manufacturing fusion reactor components. The technology that would change civilization.
But tonight? Tonight was just dinner with his mom. And that was enough.
"I should clean up," Orion said, standing.
"Absolutely not. You cooked. I'll clean."
"You sure?"
"Completely sure. Go rest. You must have had a long day."
Orion didn't argue. Headed upstairs to his room.
Put on the earbuds.
"Rene, status on the full-dive VR design?"
"Ninety percent complete. Hardware specifications finalized. Software architecture implemented. Calibration protocols ready. Estimated time to functional prototype: four days."
"Good. And the research teams?"
"All teams have confirmed receipt of reactor blueprints. Manufacturing schedules are being coordinated. Component production begins tomorrow morning. Progress tracking systems are online."
"Perfect."
Orion lay down on his bed. Practiced the breathing technique. Felt exotic energy circulating through his cells. Strengthening him bit by bit.
Six months to a working fusion reactor.
Four days to full-dive VR technology.
And apparently, he could cook like a master chef with the right guidance.
The future was looking pretty good.
He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
Tomorrow would be interesting.