Axis crossing, p.22
Axis Crossing, page 22
Escher sat on a crate of supplies for the confinement cells, and Ceda found her own place to sit. She was careful not to distract Escher, who she knew was counting time.
At about eleven minutes, Escher rose and stood in front of the door. When it didn’t move, he frowned at Ceda.
“Be patient,” Ceda encouraged. “Our predicament might have had you counting too fast.”
As Escher’s eyes narrowed at Ceda, as if to indicate that her suggestion wasn’t possible, the door slid aside.
Then Ceda tweaked her eyebrows upward. The unsaid “I told you so” was evident.
Escher peeked outside, saw no one, and Ceda and he raced for the freight elevator. At the panel, Escher requested Samuel’s assistance.
The car was brought to the couple’s level, and they rode it down three levels.
This was the process for the next two-and-a-half hours. The couple followed Samuel’s instructions to work their way to a safe exit point below the building.
After following the eleventh step, Escher and Ceda exited a utility corridor to stand on a tube platform. Fortunately, the tube transports were a universal service. They were the only means of traveling swiftly between buildings and domes.
Escher accessed an information panel, which gave him the route, the transport numbers, and the arrival and departure times.
There was just one problem. The station communicated the actual transport movements to a citizen’s slate. For the couple this represented a negative and a positive. On the one hand, security had kept their slates. On the other hand, the slates could be easily tracked.
“Excuse me,” a voice said from behind Escher and Ceda.
With hearts thumping, the couple turned around to face a teenage girl.
“Hello. My name is Ashley, and I’ve just received the strangest message,” the girl said. “I can receive two hundred credits if I guide you to the shuttleport.”
“Was the message from Samuel, Ashley?” Ceda asked in a manner she had used when querying thirteen-year-old Allie.
“Yes, it was,” Ashley said excitedly. Then her brows knitted, and she asked, “Why don’t you have your slates?”
“That was my fault,” Ceda explained. “We were rushed this afternoon, and I packed the clothes that held our slates. I forgot to transfer them.”
Displaying her chagrin, Ceda screwed up her face, and Ashley laughed. “I’ve done that plenty of times,” the teenager said. Then she inquired, “Who’s Samuel?”
“My assistant,” Escher replied. “He’s a clever individual, isn’t he?”
“I’ll say,” Ashley said. “I don’t know how he knew I was near you, but I’ll be happy to earn two hundred credits. That’s double my weekly allowance.”
Ceda smiled. “Thank you for your help, Ashley.”
“The shuttleport, right?” Ashley said to ensure she had the correct destination. When she received Ceda’s affirmation, she set her transport app for the port. She’d just finished tapping on her slate, when she received the station’s signal. “Incoming,” she announced.
The speeding transport slid to a stop in front of them. The double doors of the tube that encased the transport cars’ sides opened, and passengers poured out.
Immediately, Ashley pushed at Escher’s and Ceda’s backs. “Hurry,” she urged.
The trio had barely entered a car, when the tube’s car doors closed.
“Sit,” Ashley ordered, as she dropped into a seat. Soon afterward, the transport accelerated to reach its top speed.
“You’re not from Naiad, are you?” Ashley inquired.
“No, we’re not,” Ceda replied. “We’re from Axis Crossing.”
“That’s mind-blowing,” Ashley remarked. “My parents and I have never left Naiad. Of course, there’s nothing that sucks the air out of you more than knowing aliens are roaming the planet. My mom said that they appear like humans, and that I should be on the lookout for them.”
Ashley regarded Escher and Ceda, and her eyes narrowed.
Ceda smiled and quickly said, “No, we’re not the aliens.” Then Ashley and she shared a laugh.
“I thought not,” the girl said. She didn’t want the couple to think she was so young that she couldn’t tell the difference between humans and aliens.
The tube transport decelerated, and Ashley checked her slate. “We transfer here,” she said. “Make for the doors.”
This time, Escher and Ceda were ready. As the doors slid open, they were right behind Ashley. Immediately, they spotted four agents in uniform walking their way.
Ceda hooked Ashley’s arm and said, “This is really kind of you to help us.”
Ashley swung her head, regarded Escher, and hooked his arm.
As Ashley led the trio to a different track, she declared, “The credits are nice, but I’m glad I met you two. You’re my first offworlders.”
By the time the agents passed the trio, they appeared as a family, deeply engrossed in conversation and headed out for the evening.
The second tube ride passed swiftly. Ashley was a precocious teenager, and Ceda kept her thoroughly engaged.
Two contrasting thoughts passed through Escher’s mind, as they often did. The first was that an inventive research team had developed deep programming for the clones to make them valuable assets. The second was it was ludicrous to consider clones as anything but humans deserving of their freedom.
“Well, you’ve arrived, and this is where I return to my shopping,” Ashley announced, as the transport decelerated. Her slate chimed delicately, and she glanced at it. “Samuel is a punctual assistant,” she said happily, gazing at her updated financial account. “One day, I want someone like him to work for me.”
Escher smiled at Ashley, as he thought, All you need is a SADE to back your assistant, Ashley, and you’ll have your desire fulfilled.
“You know where to go,” Ashley inquired, as they exited the tube.
“We’ll be fine,” Ceda replied. Ashley and she hugged, and the teenager waved goodbye to Escher.
“Where are we going?” Ceda asked Escher. She hooked his arm, intent on appearing less like two individuals fleeing prosecution.
“To hide,” Escher replied.
“We can request Samuel’s help, can’t we?” Ceda asked. “Cremsylon enabled him to reach Ashley’s slate.”
“It seems likely, but we need a private space to have that conversation,” Escher replied.
The shuttleport was configured as a dome with two elongated lobes. The far lobe handled the entrance and exit of passengers, baggage, and freight to and from the shuttle launch pads.
The near lobe connected the dome and the tube transport to Limnad. Within its length were myriad shops, eateries, and passenger services.
While Escher and Ceda rode the people movers embedded in the dome’s surface, she kept her eyes peeled for the structure she wanted.
“There,” Ceda said, stepping off the moving strip and pulling Escher with her.
“The privacy booths?” Escher exclaimed when he saw where Ceda was headed. “We don’t have any credits.”
“Do as I say and do,” Ceda stressed. In front of a line of booths, she directed Escher to take a seat with her.
Every booth’s glass was opaque, which meant they were occupied. Two booths emptied within about five minutes, and Ceda smiled good-naturedly at a couple and a man, who had been waiting before them. In the meantime, Ceda described her plan to Escher. “Act natural, and keep their attention,” she warned.
When the glass of the next available booth cleared, Escher and Ceda rose. He stood in front of the booth’s entrance and Ceda approached the panel.
While a woman within the booth gathered her bags, Escher adopted the pose of staring off in the distance. When the door slid aside, the woman said, “Excuse me.”
“Oh, my apologies,” Escher replied, jumping aside. “My mind was elsewhere. How rude of me.”
“Not a problem,” the older woman replied, smiling. She was pleased to receive the consideration the young man paid her.
Actually, Escher’s pretext was to place him on the door’s return side. Ceda made a show of sliding her cid over the panel, but her body blocked the view of witnesses. Otherwise, they would have seen that her hand didn’t get close enough to the panel.
The door started to close. It hit Escher’s foot. Then it momentarily retracted, and Escher and Ceda stepped inside.
“There’s another charge that Naiad security can enter at my trial,” Escher grumped.
“A minor one compared to the more egregious sentences you might suffer,” Ceda pointed out. “Focus on getting us a hiding place.”
In the booth, a panel was attached to the glass for easy exit, and a larger panel was inlaid in a worktable.
Escher took a seat at the table and called up Samuel. Ceda and he were relieved to see the face appear.
“Greetings, Escher,” Samuel said. “You’ve made the shuttleport. Excellent work.”
Escher and Ceda exchanged glances. Samuel didn’t sound like a virtual assistant.
“Cremsylon?” Escher inquired.
“Astute of you, young Escher,” Cremsylon replied.
“Z, Miranda, and you have often referred to me as young Escher. How old are you?”
“Our apologies if the term offends you,” Cremsylon replied. “It’s the disparities in our ages that often have us employing such terms. I’m approaching my first millennium.”
“Then, Cremsylon, you can start calling me little girl or child,” Ceda quipped, which made Cremsylon laugh.
“Are you resident on security’s servers, Cremsylon, or is this an instance of you?” Escher inquired.
“We’re too robust and complex to provide instances of ourselves without a great deal of preparation,” Cremsylon replied. “At this time, I can move anywhere on Naiad that I choose and speak through any device.”
Ceda tapped Escher’s shoulder and silently mouthed, “Hide.”
“I’m being urged to speak to you about a hiding place until tomorrow morning,” Escher said.
“You’ll be hungry,” Cremsylon. “Any choices?”
Escher shrugged. “We don’t know Naiad eateries,” he said.
“I’ve selected the Wok ’n Roll,” Cremsylon replied. “When you exit the booth, your order will be placed with that eatery. No credits need be exchanged.”
“That’s kind of you, Cremsylon. Thank you,” Ceda said.
“We learned well to care for the needs of biologicals. In turn, they’ve cared for us,” Cremsylon replied.
“What is it that you need from biologicals?” Escher asked. He couldn’t think of anything that humans might manufacture that SADEs couldn’t make faster and with better quality.
“Physically, little,” Cremsylon replied, “but there is more to life than the tangible.”
Into the silence that followed the exchange, Cremsylon said, “There’s important news, my young friends. Your disappearance has been noted. It was a fluke. An attendant, intending to deliver supplies, opened your cell by mistake. It was an anomaly, but those things happen.”
“What’s been security’s response?” Escher asked.
“The council was notified, and security was instructed to locate you,” Cremsylon replied. “The Justice Hall and Naiad security headquarters are being thoroughly searched, and many agents have been dispatched to the shuttleport. I’ve noted that the agents who will arrive in the next half hour at the shuttleport are dressed in citizen wear.”
“Does this end our opportunity to join you?” Ceda asked.
“Centuries ago, I learned from a wise human leader that it was always prudent to have a plan B and, if necessary, many more letters in reserve,” Cremsylon said, who chuckled at his joke and the memories.
Ceda sought to ask another question, but Escher placed a hand on her arm.
“Tell us where to hide, how you will cue us to exit, and where we will meet you,” Escher requested.
“Our machinations will be fluid,” Cremsylon warned. “For now, here are your hiding instructions. Collect your food and wait there.”
The panel blanked. Then the opaque glass cleared, and Escher and Ceda exited.
Ceda spotted the Wok ’n Roll and pointed it out to Escher, who’d been scanning for the hiding location that Cremsylon had described.
“I don’t see Cremsylon’s start point,” Escher complained.
“Food first, shelter second,” Ceda replied, setting their priorities.
At the counter, a virtual attendant requested their order.
“Pick up for Samuel,” Ceda replied.
A portion of the counter rose up, displaying a food container with two bottles of water.
“The Wok ’n Roll thanks you for your patronage,” the attendant said.
Ceda collected the food and drink, leaving Escher’s hands free to deal with the entrance to their hiding place.
Escher led Ceda in the general direction that Cremsylon had indicated. He found a short narrow corridor at the end of a row of eateries.
“There’s no door,” Ceda pointed out.
Escher approached the dead end and felt along the wall. A disguised panel lit, and Escher used his cid to contact Samuel, who opened the nearly invisible door.
“Engineering doesn’t want to advertise its utility access,” Escher said, leading Ceda into the interior space.
“Reminds me of hiding with the mickies,” Ceda replied, eyeing runs of ducting and cabling, huge machines, tool benches, and lockers.
The couple quickly skirted several machines and found the abandoned office. The panel responded to Escher, and they quietly slipped inside. The small room was completely empty.
“I love what they’ve done with the place,” Escher quipped.
“Luxury at its best,” Ceda retorted.
“It’s cold in here. Worse, the floor is a hard synthetic,” Escher noted with disappointment.
“Wait for my knock,” Ceda said, triggering the door aside.
Ceda was out of the office before Escher could object. He waited impatiently for nearly a quarter hour before he heard her knock. When he opened the door, she came through with a pile of bedding.
Escher took the bedclothes from Ceda, dropped them on the floor, and wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t scare me like that,” he said hoarsely.
Ceda leaned away from Escher. She held on to his shoulders. “Each of us has value and roles to play,” she said. “If we’re to survive this ordeal, we must make use of every gram of skill, experience, and acumen that the two of us possess.”
“Fine,” Escher replied, relenting. “But give me some warning next time.”
“I can do that,” Ceda replied, kissing his cheek. “Now help me arrange the bedding. I’m starved, and our food is probably getting cold.”
With warm food, bedclothes to protect against the chill, and two bodies to share heat, the couple was soon fast asleep.
When Escher woke, he checked the panel, which told him that it was four twenty-six in the morning.
“Problem?” Ceda asked from the warmth of their bedroll.
“I need the facilities,” Escher replied. “Did you see any?”
“Yes,” Ceda said, rising. “I need them too. I’ll show you.”
The couple quietly exited their hiding place, and Ceda led them along rows of support machinery to a room reserved for techs and engineers to clean up and rest.
They were no sooner inside their separate booths, when they heard voices. Four or five individuals had entered the space, chatting and laughing.
The couple waited more than a half hour for the Naiads to eat their meals. Finally, the crew exited, and Escher and Ceda peeked out, saw the opportunity to escape the break room, and hurried back to their abandoned office.
“That was scary,” Ceda said when the door slid closed behind them.
“Potentially, it was a greater problem than you imagined,” Escher replied. “There’s the possibility that Naiad security put out an alert on us.”
“Oh. I didn’t think of that,” Ceda said, dropping onto the makeshift bed. “Does this mean that when we walk into the dome that not only agents but citizens might be identifying us?”
“I hope not, but I don’t know,” Escher replied.
They waited, watching the panel readout count the minutes.
When the door slid open at seven hours, they jumped up, believing they’d been discovered.
“Ready to leave Naiad?” the man asked.
“Yes,” Ceda replied eagerly.
“Human or SADE?” Escher inquired.
“I’m Kelley, son of Mickey Brandon, and a SADE.”
“That’s confusing,” Escher replied.
“Time enough to talk about us later,” Kelley replied. “I’ve prepared your conveyance.” With a flourish, he indicated something outside the office.
Ceda started to clean up their trash, but Kelley said, “Leave everything, Ceda.”
“Sorry, old habits,” Ceda apologized.
“Good habits,” Kelley corrected, “but, at this time, not a priority.”
Escher and Ceda followed Kelley into the corridor.
“A packing crate,” Escher commented dubiously. “You couldn’t have found something larger?”
“This is a standard transport container. It will appear innocuous,” Kelley replied. “Besides, I understand that you two have been intimate.”
Ceda muffled her laugh. “We’ll try to be quiet,” she said, winking.
Kelley grinned at her and said, “I promise not to record the event.”
When Kelley opened the container, Escher eyed the interior and calculated the best positions. He climbed into the crate and held out his hand to Ceda. When she joined him, he turned her around, and they lowered into the crate in a spoon arrangement.
“Air?” Escher inquired before Kelley closed the top.
“A seam has been impinged,” Kelley replied. “I recommend minimizing your activities.” He returned Ceda’s wink before latching the lid.
From inside the crate, Escher and Ceda could hear Kelley humming a tune as they rode on an electric dolly.
“At least, the ride is smooth,” Ceda said, wriggling against Escher.
“Stop that,” Escher admonished, and Ceda laughed softly.
