Vortex incursion, p.36
Vortex Incursion, page 36
Helena sent.
Miriamal didn’t bother informing the traveler’s pilot. The defender’s initial maneuver that eliminated the carrier’s first traveler had given her the inkling. The latest tactic against the fourth traveler confirmed Helena’s suspicions.
Realizing the defender chose to eliminate the carrier’s traveler, Theda took the opportunity to drop the Dominance below the ecliptic. There would be time to clear the system and transit before the human pilot could catch them, providing he survived the encounter.
Knut continued to play with his adversary. His acrobatic antics came in handy, and he heard Fatima chuckle.
Fatima sent.
Knut grinned, as he spun his ship and threw it in an arc above the sister.
Knut asked. He was running out of tricks, and he didn’t want to repeat them.
Fatima reported.
Knut instructed.
Fatima replied, when the five ships were connected.
Knut sent, and Fatima added the imagery that confirmed the carrier’s position.
a sister returned.
Knut inquired.
a sister replied.
Knut replied.
The sisters in traveler two flew faster and more aggressively. Knut’s words were elevating their emotional programs within their hierarchy.
Knut said.
a sister replied.
Knut was considering other arguments that might prevail, when he received Fatima’s urgent message.
Knut asked.
Fatima replied. Moments later, she added,
Knut sent.
By the time the Beta Two travelers joined, the three adversarial ships had reached the edge of the ecliptic. They skirted the system’s gravitational well for several minutes. Then they shifted trajectories, turning downward, and shot into the dark.
Knut inquired, confused by the sisters’ action.
Fatima replied.
Knut sent.
Seven cycles later, the carrier and its three orphaned travelers hadn’t returned, and Knut signaled his wing ship to return to the landing pad with him.
28: Why Don’t You Leave?
CALABAS ANOMALY
GELUS SYSTEM
Samuel communicated to Truth Matters about the incoming fleet, and the partners peppered him with questions. They wanted to hear about the new arrivals and were intrigued to learn that Beta Two sisters had graced their domes.
After Samuel spoke about the clones, the partners clamored for more information about them too.
“I thought the clones endured crushing hardships,” Gemma Burke said. “Those three clones looked in marvelous health.”
Samuel replied.
“We’ve heard of the tech,” Oscar Hoffing said. “Are you saying that the sisters have fabricated the Jatouche tanks for the clones?”
Samuel replied.
After the partners exhausted their questions about the visitors and the actions taking place on Beta Two, they returned to their queries about the fleet.
Samuel admitted that his information about the fleet was sparse. He knew of the ship names, the leaders, and the senior commanders, but not much more than that.
Samuel emphasized.
“That’s it?” Simona Yewall asked.
Samuel replied.
“Would another be the clones?” Brendan Burke inquired.
Samuel explained.
“Is that what Lisa Dyehouse adopted on Kilmer?” Gemma asked.
Samuel replied. He heard the partners’ laughter and added,
“How soon should the announcement about the fleet’s arrival be online?” Brendan inquired.
Samuel deadpanned.
“We’re on it,” Gemma replied and ended the call.
Samuel wasn’t far afield on his timeline.
After Captain Rem Havard finished his meeting with the council, he quickly exited the domes, making apologies to his traveler’s guests that he was departing immediately.
Merlie quipped.
Rem chuckled at the ironic shift in the fleet’s relationship with many of the second-gen sisters. he retorted, and he heard the discordant sounds of the sisters’ amusement.
Merlie sent privately to Peña.
Peña agreed, as she watched Naiad citizens fill the transport station where the clones waited with them.
Using Naiad’s comtech services, Peña located Captain Havard making for the shuttleport, and she ordered the Storyteller’s traveler to drop for their pickup.
Lisa and Samuel had left them, citing other business to attend.
Peña had no doubt that it concerned the method of handling the clones’ charges against the chairpersons and the mining corporate boards.
Captain Havard’s traveler lifted and joined his ship. Then the de Long sailed for the Calabas anomaly. Without quantum-coupled stations on both ends of the anomaly, Rem was required to loop through the anomaly to contact Julien and Cordelia.
Rem sent when his Quadrant exited the anomaly.
Julien replied, and Rem promptly reversed course and retraced his flight path.
Cordelia organized the fleet’s ships, and one by one they followed the de Long.
Julien noted that Cordelia had revived many of her old habits obtained while she served as a fleet rear admiral. Trident squadrons led the fleet’s passage. Quadrants, freighters, and carriers were in the middle of the long line, and Tridents guarded the rear. He approved.
The fleet reformed on the Gelus side of the anomaly, with the Tridents outboard and forming a protective ring around the vulnerable ships.
Julien requested. The reason for his formality was that Rem would be speaking to the fleet’s senior commanders.
Rem began with the council meeting, which meant that he had to speak to the arrival of the Storyteller. He detailed their two subjects — Peña’s request for supplies and the demands of the clones. He added that the clones, two men and one woman, appeared in excellent shape.
Then Rem shared what he’d gathered from the Emergence’s database, Tocknicka, and Juno.
Rem sent.
Julien pronounced.
Cordelia noted.
Rem explained.
Julien inquired.
Rem replied. He chuckled and sent,
Cordelia commented.
Julien asked.
Rem replied.
Julien remarked, which engendered noises from the SADEs, celebrating their protector.
Cordelia asked.
Rem replied.
Cordelia sent.
Rem replied.
The fleet conference heard Cordelia’s silver bells.
Julien added his chuckle. he said.
Rem mused.
Cordelia replied.
Julien sent.
Rem allowed,
Cordelia inquired.
Rem sent.
Julien urged.
Rem sent.
Cordelia asked.
Rem replied.
Julien inquired.
Cordelia asked.
Rem advised.
Cordelia sent.
The Freedom exited the fleet in the company of a Trident squadron.
Julien thought it unnecessary, but, prudently, he didn’t argue with his partner, who’d ordered it.
When the Freedom, the de Long, and the Trident squadron made Naiad’s orbit, Samuel connected with Julien and Cordelia.
Samuel sent.
Julien replied.
Samuel replied.
Julien inquired.
Samuel replied. There was a slight pause. Then he sent,
Julien sent, and then he ended the comm.
Cordelia sent.
Rem replied.
Julien sent.
Cordelia sent.
Rem was careful to keep his comment to himself. He’d recognized the rise of Cordelia’s protective persona. The rear admiral had appeared, and this time, there was no fleet officer superior to her.
Samuel made the necessary arrangements.
As the Naiad population had been saturated with TM articles announcing the arrival of the visitors’ fleet, the council moved scheduled hearings to accommodate an expedited meeting.
And Samuel’s estimate of the fifth councilor’s reluctance was spot on.
“There is no reason for us to visit the alien ship,” Fillery Partus objected on the conference call.
“The rest of us have been on a Quadrant,” Ramiro Ferraro said. “There’s every reason for you to observe a visitors’ ship. Until you’ve been hosted aboard their ships, you can’t imagine what technology can achieve.”
“Well, I want this change of venue put to a vote,” Fillery insisted.
“Nice try,” David Yewall said, chuckling. “The choice of venue belongs to the lead councilor, and it doesn’t require a vote. I suggest a closer examination of our bylaws.”
“Fine. Are we done?” Fillery responded tartly.
“Yes. Tomorrow at eight hours in the passenger lounge,” Claudia replied, and Fillery promptly ended her participation.
“I’m disappointed about one thing tomorrow,” James Soisson said.
“What’s that?” Ramiro asked.
“I know for a fact that Fillery has never been outside,” James replied. “This would have been the first time she had to wear a suit. But, now that the sisters have connected one of their travelers to a gangway, she’ll be able to board without donning one.”
In the morning, the council assembled in the shuttleport.
Claudia spotted Samuel across the lounge, and she smiled. He was in the company of the TM partners and Lisa Dyehouse. As she’d come to expect from a SADE, Samuel was gazing directly at her, and his eyebrow lifted in query. She intuited the reason for his concern, and she briefly nodded. He and his guests would be welcome.
Four councilors, who’d had to wear suits to visit an outpost ship, remarked about the convenience of accessing a traveler via the brightly lit passenger corridors that led under the launch pad.
When the traveler, with its Naiad passengers, landed aboard the Freedom, the copilot waited at the hatch for the bay to pressurize. When her implant signaled the bay’s readiness, and Julien and Cordelia had entered the bay, she dropped the hatch.
Samuel chose to let the council exit first and greet the SADEs. They were the reason for the trip. With his avatar’s keen hearing, he heard every exchange. When they were finished, he waved to the others and led them off the ship.
Samuel sent.
Cordelia swiftly responded. Then she spotted Samuel and laughed heartily. she sent, indicating Samuel’s avatar.
Samuel replied. he asked, opening his arms wide.
Cordelia said, pleased to accept the invitation.
Miriamal didn’t bother informing the traveler’s pilot. The defender’s initial maneuver that eliminated the carrier’s first traveler had given her the inkling. The latest tactic against the fourth traveler confirmed Helena’s suspicions.
Realizing the defender chose to eliminate the carrier’s traveler, Theda took the opportunity to drop the Dominance below the ecliptic. There would be time to clear the system and transit before the human pilot could catch them, providing he survived the encounter.
Knut continued to play with his adversary. His acrobatic antics came in handy, and he heard Fatima chuckle.
Knut grinned, as he spun his ship and threw it in an arc above the sister.
Knut instructed.
The sisters in traveler two flew faster and more aggressively. Knut’s words were elevating their emotional programs within their hierarchy.
Knut was considering other arguments that might prevail, when he received Fatima’s urgent message.
By the time the Beta Two travelers joined, the three adversarial ships had reached the edge of the ecliptic. They skirted the system’s gravitational well for several minutes. Then they shifted trajectories, turning downward, and shot into the dark.
Seven cycles later, the carrier and its three orphaned travelers hadn’t returned, and Knut signaled his wing ship to return to the landing pad with him.
28: Why Don’t You Leave?
CALABAS ANOMALY
GELUS SYSTEM
Samuel communicated to Truth Matters about the incoming fleet, and the partners peppered him with questions. They wanted to hear about the new arrivals and were intrigued to learn that Beta Two sisters had graced their domes.
After Samuel spoke about the clones, the partners clamored for more information about them too.
“I thought the clones endured crushing hardships,” Gemma Burke said. “Those three clones looked in marvelous health.”
“We’ve heard of the tech,” Oscar Hoffing said. “Are you saying that the sisters have fabricated the Jatouche tanks for the clones?”
After the partners exhausted their questions about the visitors and the actions taking place on Beta Two, they returned to their queries about the fleet.
Samuel admitted that his information about the fleet was sparse. He knew of the ship names, the leaders, and the senior commanders, but not much more than that.
“That’s it?” Simona Yewall asked.
“Would another be the clones?” Brendan Burke inquired.
“Is that what Lisa Dyehouse adopted on Kilmer?” Gemma asked.
“How soon should the announcement about the fleet’s arrival be online?” Brendan inquired.
“We’re on it,” Gemma replied and ended the call.
Samuel wasn’t far afield on his timeline.
After Captain Rem Havard finished his meeting with the council, he quickly exited the domes, making apologies to his traveler’s guests that he was departing immediately.
Rem chuckled at the ironic shift in the fleet’s relationship with many of the second-gen sisters.
Merlie sent privately to Peña.
Using Naiad’s comtech services, Peña located Captain Havard making for the shuttleport, and she ordered the Storyteller’s traveler to drop for their pickup.
Lisa and Samuel had left them, citing other business to attend.
Peña had no doubt that it concerned the method of handling the clones’ charges against the chairpersons and the mining corporate boards.
Captain Havard’s traveler lifted and joined his ship. Then the de Long sailed for the Calabas anomaly. Without quantum-coupled stations on both ends of the anomaly, Rem was required to loop through the anomaly to contact Julien and Cordelia.
Cordelia organized the fleet’s ships, and one by one they followed the de Long.
Julien noted that Cordelia had revived many of her old habits obtained while she served as a fleet rear admiral. Trident squadrons led the fleet’s passage. Quadrants, freighters, and carriers were in the middle of the long line, and Tridents guarded the rear. He approved.
The fleet reformed on the Gelus side of the anomaly, with the Tridents outboard and forming a protective ring around the vulnerable ships.
Rem began with the council meeting, which meant that he had to speak to the arrival of the Storyteller. He detailed their two subjects — Peña’s request for supplies and the demands of the clones. He added that the clones, two men and one woman, appeared in excellent shape.
Then Rem shared what he’d gathered from the Emergence’s database, Tocknicka, and Juno.
The fleet conference heard Cordelia’s silver bells.
Julien added his chuckle.
Rem mused.
The Freedom exited the fleet in the company of a Trident squadron.
Julien thought it unnecessary, but, prudently, he didn’t argue with his partner, who’d ordered it.
When the Freedom, the de Long, and the Trident squadron made Naiad’s orbit, Samuel connected with Julien and Cordelia.
Rem replied.
Rem was careful to keep his comment to himself. He’d recognized the rise of Cordelia’s protective persona. The rear admiral had appeared, and this time, there was no fleet officer superior to her.
Samuel made the necessary arrangements.
As the Naiad population had been saturated with TM articles announcing the arrival of the visitors’ fleet, the council moved scheduled hearings to accommodate an expedited meeting.
And Samuel’s estimate of the fifth councilor’s reluctance was spot on.
“There is no reason for us to visit the alien ship,” Fillery Partus objected on the conference call.
“The rest of us have been on a Quadrant,” Ramiro Ferraro said. “There’s every reason for you to observe a visitors’ ship. Until you’ve been hosted aboard their ships, you can’t imagine what technology can achieve.”
“Well, I want this change of venue put to a vote,” Fillery insisted.
“Nice try,” David Yewall said, chuckling. “The choice of venue belongs to the lead councilor, and it doesn’t require a vote. I suggest a closer examination of our bylaws.”
“Fine. Are we done?” Fillery responded tartly.
“Yes. Tomorrow at eight hours in the passenger lounge,” Claudia replied, and Fillery promptly ended her participation.
“I’m disappointed about one thing tomorrow,” James Soisson said.
“What’s that?” Ramiro asked.
“I know for a fact that Fillery has never been outside,” James replied. “This would have been the first time she had to wear a suit. But, now that the sisters have connected one of their travelers to a gangway, she’ll be able to board without donning one.”
In the morning, the council assembled in the shuttleport.
Claudia spotted Samuel across the lounge, and she smiled. He was in the company of the TM partners and Lisa Dyehouse. As she’d come to expect from a SADE, Samuel was gazing directly at her, and his eyebrow lifted in query. She intuited the reason for his concern, and she briefly nodded. He and his guests would be welcome.
Four councilors, who’d had to wear suits to visit an outpost ship, remarked about the convenience of accessing a traveler via the brightly lit passenger corridors that led under the launch pad.
When the traveler, with its Naiad passengers, landed aboard the Freedom, the copilot waited at the hatch for the bay to pressurize. When her implant signaled the bay’s readiness, and Julien and Cordelia had entered the bay, she dropped the hatch.
Samuel chose to let the council exit first and greet the SADEs. They were the reason for the trip. With his avatar’s keen hearing, he heard every exchange. When they were finished, he waved to the others and led them off the ship.
