Children of time
The title itself is a symbol, and it represents the development of both of the species. The last of the humanity from the Old Empire are travelling through space and time on a large spaceship called Gilgamesh. Parallel to that, a species of spiders called Portia labiata are going through evolution spiked by the nano-virus intended for apes on a green planet. Both species are developing and adjusting to their environment. While the human species begins to go through an intellectual decline brought upon a self-proclaimed commander called Guyen - a man with a God complex, the spiders are evolving and going through intellectual and empathic growth. Both are children - products of the passage of time.
Gilgamesh - a world in itself
Naturally, the spaceship carrying the last of the humanity slowly becomes to represent a world in itself going through various phases. At first, it is uncorrupted, “naturally” serving its purpose of carrying humanity to their desired point. But, with each of the following awakenings of the historian Holsten, changes are noticed. These changes ensue after the altercations with Avrana Kern and the failed attempts of inhabiting the dead planets. Guyen rises as a God among the crew, and the crew starts losing its original purpose. The crew is awakened and the humanity on board starts multiplying itself. As more humans are being born, the ship’s resources are slowly crumbling. By the time the ship is about to reach the green planet yet again, it is barely a hull of its previous self - beaten and used up struggling to keep itself together. It is difficult to miss the parallel between the destroyed world, the dying earth the humanity left behind at the beginning.
Dr. Avrana Kern
Starting off as a genius scientist with a God-complex, the character of Dr. Avrana Kern goes through various phases. She is a complicated character in the sense that she is the villain and the hero of humanity at the same time. She is dead-set on keeping humanity alive, believing that her apes are thriving on the green planet beneath her. On the other hand, she is the villain of the last remainder of humanity - not allowing them to enter her green planet. But, the reason she doesn’t want to help them is because she was a direct witness of the destructive nature of humanity they came from. She knows that they will only bring death to the green planet. Further on, to the evolving spider underneath her, once they become aware of her presence, she emerges as a symbol of a God, a symbol of hope and purpose.
Portia
The first spider affected by the nano-virus, Portia is a pioneer of the evolution on the green planet. She is a symbol of development and constant search for greater meaning throughout generations. She is a priestess and a born-leader. Various Portias take on various interests through generations, but they all have one thing in common - questioning and searching for something better.
