Vortex incursion, p.33
Vortex Incursion, page 33
The three sisters turned to regard Peña. She hadn’t shared that piece of information.
“No one else?” Knut inquired, anxious to continue playing.
Peña remarked.
“Knut, walk with me,” Peña requested.
The sister and the human strolled down corridors, while Peña discussed the pros and cons of having an implant. She also explained the primary reason that she wanted Knut to have an implant.
When Peña finished talking, Knut replied, “I appreciate the considerable explanation. How soon can I have one?”
“We’ve a few implants given to us by an outpost medical officer before Captain Racine’s fleet sailed,” Peña said. “I’ve my doubts that it was an authorized transfer. We can make use of the dome’s medical facilities to manage the implementation, as soon as we fabricate the required tool.”
“How many cycles?” Knut asked.
“Two, at most,” Peña said, and Knut smiled broadly. “Understand that you can’t immediately adopt an implant’s programs, Knut. It’ll take you cycles to be accustomed to the basics.”
“Learning curve,” Knut responded, nodding his head in understanding.
Peña shared the conversation with Xena, Fatima, and Merlie.
The following day, Fatima became Knut’s constant companion. They talked about the basic programs an implant carried and how they could be used.
However, Knut was laser focused on studying how an implant communicated to a traveler’s controller and what he could do with the ship.
Merlie received the prioritized lists from each department, which she shared with Peña.
The pair laughed about the departments’ orders, as they strode through the port’s passenger lounge. Then they boarded a traveler and made for the Storyteller. Only ten sisters and three clones accompanied them.
26: Rendezvous
NAIAD, GELUS SYSTEM
HOME WORLD
Peña’s stop at Delhart was cursory. The Storyteller made the mining planet’s orbit, and the exchange of data between ships was robust.
The sisters learned of the increasing presence of outpost fleet ships and the dangers threatening the Axis Crossing space.
Cremsylon was pleased to hear about the progress at Beta Two.
When Peña shared that they had implanted their first human, Cremsylon explained about the numerous humans aboard the Alexander who also had implants.
Cremsylon replied.
The exchange soon ended, and Peña dropped below the ecliptic and made for the anomaly that would eventually lead to Naiad.
As the Storyteller transited and looped through the anomalies, the sisters studied the massive trove of data that Cremsylon had freely shared.
Merlie questioned.
Merlie detailed the protectors’ invention. Then she summarized the number of humans who were issued the suit.
Merlie replied.
The data investigation continued until the Storyteller exited the nearer anomaly to the Gelus system.
The Emergence was on the system’s rim, having delivered numerous parts from decommissioning a second Naiad shuttle, and was near the anomaly’s exit.
Samuel sent.
Peña went into more detail about her tasks on Naiad.
Peña agreed. Then, as she prepared to transit, she queried Tocknicka about Samuel and Lisa. After Tocknicka explained Samuel’s development and Lisa’s history, the sister quipped,
Samuel and Lisa landed aboard the Storyteller. When they cleared the bay, the traveler returned to the Emergence.
Peña and Merlie had waited in the corridor to greet their guests. They found Lisa cool. She didn’t extend a hand to either sister, and they didn’t think it appropriate to request a handshake.
On the other hand, Samuel hugged both sisters, which caught them by surprise.
Detecting the lack of response, Samuel sent,
Peña replied.
Merlie quickly added.
“Come,” Peña invited her guests. “I’d like you to meet our three other guests.”
It was Lisa’s turn to be surprised. Her expectations about clones were fairly set. Only Ceda had disturbed her perception of the creations, and Lisa had been able to mentally isolate her.
When Lisa met Dybra, Evest, and Auburn, the clones extended their hands. Furthermore, they looked her in the eye, and they spoke to her as equals.
While Samuel greeted the clones, Lisa used the moments to recover.
Peña invited everyone to sit at the ship’s only conference table, as much of the Storyteller still wasn’t built out.
Samuel’s questions focused on conditions on Beta Two. The answers enabled him to create a good picture of what the planet’s clones had achieved with the sisters’ support.
As for Lisa, she was shocked by the extent of the changes, and she thanked her stars that she’d accepted the help of the second set of sisters for Kilmer. Otherwise, her planet’s development would be left far behind.
“On another subject, I assume you’ve met the head of research, Harlyn Blackwell?” Samuel inquired.
“Harlyn is aboard the ship,” Peña replied.
“I must thank her later for her ingenuity,” Samuel said enthusiastically.
“Citizen Blackwell is a tremendous supporter of our demands,” Dybra said.
There was another word that unnerved Lisa. Clones weren’t supposed to demand. She could tolerate them receiving improvements from controlling citizens but for them to demand seemed unnatural.
“An inventive woman,” Samuel said. “Much of what Ser Blackwell sent to her husband did much to support Cremsylon’s understanding of Naiad and rim politics.”
“Samuel mentioned that you have a huge supply list,” Lisa interjected, preferring to shift the conversation. She expected the clones to be excused, but they seemed content to hear the discussion.
“The technical aspects of acquiring the supplies should be simple,” Merlie said. “At this time, we’re unable to ensure that Beta Two can pay for the load.”
“The X-Ore chairperson is still confined to medical for treatment,” Lisa said. “It’s not expected that he’ll ever be released.”
“Who would supersede him?” Peña inquired.
“With Miriamal in control of Beta One, no credit transfers will be initiated from there unless she approves them,” Lisa replied. “I would expect there are sufficient credits in Naiad accounts, but I wouldn’t count on the X-Ore board members. They’re unlikely to support you.”
“Do you have a suggestion for a path forward?” Peña inquired.
Samuel recognized the subtle ways in which the sisters manipulated the conversation. Judging by Lisa’s reactions, she perceived it too.
“Talk to the Naiad Council,” Lisa replied. “If the councilors agree to help you, they’ve the power and the connections.”
Having exited the transit from the outer rim to Naiad, Samuel and the sisters were suddenly alerted to the arrival of another outpost vessel. It was a Quadrant.
As a human, Rem perceived that he received Samuel’s welcome nearly at the same time as Tocknicka’s, and he linked them into a conference call. Quickly the numbers grew as comm IDs for Peña, Merlie, and Juno arrived.
The SADEs and the sisters thought it was an unusual first question for Captain Havard to ask.
Rem was momentarily taken aback until he heard the laughter and the noise from the other conference attendees.
Samuel’s smile was huge.
Lisa was able to hear the conversation via Samuel’s use of his oral broadcast. She frowned at the banter between a human and the digital entities.
Councilor Claudia Hoffing was enjoying a midday meal with Ramiro Ferraro. They were discussing the fleet’s intervention against the ovoid and the sphere and what it might mean to Naiad.
When Claudia’s muted slate buzzed, Ramiro eyed her in surprise.
Claudia chuckled. “Only one individual does that regularly,” she said. Tapping the slate to accept the call, she said, “Is this Samuel?”
“Are there any concerns?” Claudia asked.
“Of course, you’d want our immediate attention,” Ramiro said. “For you, it’s always critical.”
Ramiro winced. He’d let his pique at an interrupted meal interfere with an important call.
“Samuel, I’ll communicate to the council and call you with a time,” Claudia said. “I assume the parties can attend our meeting together.”
When Samuel disconnected, Claudia gazed evenly at Ramiro.
“I know, I know,” Ramiro said apologetically. “I just don’t like my dining being interrupted.”
“I think you better get used to it,” Claudia said. “Our lives are going to get more complicated, not less.”
“I’d like to know how Samuel knew we were at lunch together,” Ramiro said.
“Easy,” Claudia replied. “Samuel accessed my slate to determine if it was appropriate to connect. He heard your voice, detected the sounds of us eating, and deduced that he could interrupt.”
“Do you realize what you’re saying?” Ramiro asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Claudia replied with equanimity. “Remember, Samuel and his kind aren’t human. They aren’t laden down with our frailties and hang-ups.”
“Still, what about our privacy?” Ramiro protested.
“Ramiro, if Samuel had walked into this eatery and requested a moment of our time to announce the arrival of new ships, would we have listened?” Claudia asked.
“Yes, of course, we would,” Ramiro replied, “but Samuel was eavesdropping.”
Claudia shrugged her shoulders. This was an argument that she wasn’t going to win. Ramiro and she had different views about the SADEs.
When Merlie had said to Lisa and Samuel that moving the supplies through an engineering bay would prove to be a challenge, she’d received smiles from the human and the SADE.
“We’ve made progress on Naiad,” Lisa said.
That’s when the sisters learned that a traveler could link with a pressurized gangway on Naiad’s shuttle pad.
On the day of the council appointment, Samuel, Lisa, Peña, Merlie, Dybra, Evest, and Auburn boarded a de Long traveler and met Captain Havard.
“Your charming company is much appreciated,” Rem greeted his guests. When the clones frowned or squinted at him, he asked, “Too much?”
“If you’d seen us before our turns in the Jatouche tanks, you probably would have had a different opinion,” Auburn replied. “It’s fortunate that Captain Racine and her associates preceded your arrival.”
“Captain Racine is a tough act to follow,” Rem admitted.
After everyone was seated, Rem connected with Peña and Merlie.
Rem received images of various clones before their repairs. Peña was careful not to send images of the three clones who accompanied her.
Rem glanced across the aisle to where the three clones spoke quietly to one another. It struck him that he had a poor understanding of conditions in Axis Crossing space.
It was an easy passage from the traveler through the tube’s gangway and into the bright wide passenger corridor that serviced the launch pad.
Within the passenger lounge, Naiad slates buzzed with the news. Lisa Dyehouse and her SADE companion, Samuel, were easily recognized individuals. Images of the sisters were mistakenly tagged as new SADEs. One new human, with an easy smile, wore a captain’s uniform, and sharp-eyed observers noted that three Naiads didn’t have slates, which fueled the rumor mills.
The entire entourage was tracked to Justice Hall, which added to the messages flying from slate to slate.
“Welcome, everyone,” Claudia greeted the individuals. “Samuel, would you make the introductions?”
Samuel began with the council. Then he introduced Captain Havard.
The council expected to hear Peña and Merlie identified as SADEs. Eyes widened when they heard the word sisters.
Claudia struggled to find the appropriate response.
Samuel attempted to look chagrined. “Did I not mention that it was sisters who wanted to speak to the council?” he asked innocently.
