Reconstructing Brenda

I returned to my home with a multitude of supplies, ready to take on the task ahead. I called Brenda over and explained the result of my conversation with Detective Ai.

I could sense her anxiety. "Bonesy, what's going on? Why did Detective Ai refuse to help us?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"So, I went to Detective Ai to ask for his help with the facial reconstruction. But the moment I brought it up, his face contorted like I had asked him to wear a bikini downtown."

"It sounds like it was a no. What did he say?" Brenda asked nervously.

"He immediately rejected my request, saying that he couldn't help me with it."

"Did he give you any reason?"

"Yeah, he said that the Detective Bureau has an agreement with the Skaltan Civilization not to let the newborn Skaltans investigate their origins.

They used to have the technology I was asking about, but they got rid of it to honor the agreement."

Brenda stood up angry and upset, "What? Why would they do that!?" I was surprised at her strong reaction.

When we originally talked about it, she seemed like knowing what she looked like before her death was simple curiosity.

This emotional explosion made me realize that there was more to it than I thought. After all which of us Skaltans didn't want to know who we were or what we looked like?

Of course, even though I was curious about my origins, I discovered that my desire to know wasn't nearly as intense as Brenda's. Could it be that she's realized something about her death?

It wasn't appropriate to bring this up right now, so I gave her a simple explanation.

"Detective Ai explained that if a person came back to life as a Skaltan, then it would be forbidden to research that person. It's absolutely impossible according to him.

When I continued to push he shut down the conversation completely."

"That's ridiculous. Just because they're from another civilization doesn't mean they can dictate what we do."

"I know. I couldn't believe that something as trivial as seeing what you used to look like could be forbidden.

Earth even stripped any useful technology away just because of the Skaltan civilization.

It makes me wonder about how powerful the Skaltans are and I wonder if there isn't more to this.

"So, is there anything we can do now?"

"I asked Detective Ai again if there was anything he could do, but like I said he shut down the conversation.

He changed the conversation and told me that in twelve days, an emissary from the Skaltans will come to interview me about leaving Earth and going back to where the Skaltan live.

"Don't worry, Brenda, I know what to do. I'm skilled in the technique and I can reconstruct your face myself."

Brenda's eyes widened in surprise. "You can do it by yourself? That's amazing, Bonesy! But are you sure you can handle it? It sounds like a difficult process."

I smiled reassuringly. "Yes, I'm sure. I've done it before, and I have all the supplies we need right here.

But before we start, I need to make sure you're comfortable with this. It's completely okay if you don't want to go through with it."

Brenda hesitated for a moment before nodding her head. "No, I want to do this. I want to know what I looked like when I was alive."

I handed her a chair and began the process of preparing her for the reconstruction. I placed straws in her nose so she could breathe comfortably, and started molding the clay onto her face.

Brenda had the option to move forward with the reconstruction or not. After some hesitation, she agreed, but her nerves were palpable. I assured her that everything would be okay and began the process of reconstructing her face.

I carefully placed the straws in Brenda's nostrils and ensured that she was comfortable before proceeding with the reconstruction process.

Forensic facial reconstruction is a complex process that requires a deep understanding of anatomy and artistic skills to produce an accurate representation of what someone may have looked like in life.

The first step in the process was to examine Brenda's skull and identify any distinguishing features such as the shape of the eye sockets, nose, and cheekbones.

I then placed depth markers all over her skull. In the second step, I used clay to mold and shape the features of the face, carefully paying attention to the position of each feature to create an accurate representation.

The next step was to add layers of muscle and skin, which required a keen understanding of facial anatomy.

I sculpted the muscles and tissue to create a three-dimensional representation of Brenda's face.

This part of the process was particularly challenging since I needed to ensure that the face looked natural and not like a sculpture.

Once the basic features of the face were in place, I focused on the details such as the texture of the skin, the wrinkles, and the hairline.

The smallest details can make a big difference when it comes to creating a lifelike representation, so I took my time to ensure that everything was as accurate as possible.

As I worked, I couldn't help but wonder what Brenda's life was like before she passed away. Was she happy? Did she have a family? These thoughts made me appreciate the opportunity to give her a second chance at life, at least in some small way.

Finally, after several hours of intense focus, I created a bald clay version of what Brenda may have looked like before her death.

I stepped back to admire my work, and I could feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that I had done everything in my power to create an accurate representation of Brenda's face.

Finally, I removed the sculpture.

As Brenda gazed upon the clay likeness of herself, I noticed a strange feeling wash over her.

"Are you okay?" I asked, noticing the look on her face.

"I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed," Brenda said, her voice shaking slightly. "It's strange to see what I might have looked like before I died. It's like seeing a ghost of myself."

"I can only imagine."

"It's just that...I never really thought about what I looked like before," Brenda continued. "I always felt like my appearance was the least important thing about me. But now, seeing this...it's like a piece of me that I didn't even know was missing has been found."

I nodded thoughtfully, understanding the complex emotions Brenda was experiencing.

"I can only imagine how surreal this all must be for you, but I'm glad that I could help you in some way."

"Thank you," Brenda said, her voice choked with emotion.

"I don't know what to say. Seeing this has made me realize that there's so much I don't know about myself. I want to know more, to find out who I really was."

It felt like I smiled, feeling a sense of purpose in helping Brenda discover her true identity.

"Well, if that's what you want, then I'm here to help," I said.

"This can be considered as my first case in my second life. Brenda Bonelli, Detective Skel is on the case!"

Saying those words gave me goosebumps and a chill of excitement.