Vortex incursion, p.9
Vortex Incursion, page 9
“Nonsense,” Frank blurted. “That’s a story they fed you.”
“Actually, I was invited to ride subsurface by a senior mining engineer from Geneva,” Lisa said “I didn’t take her up on the offer. I didn’t have the courage.”
Lisa was assembling the pros and cons of the offer. Terminating clone orders would hurt dramatically, but the sisters might offset the loss. Locating new mineral reserves in short order would be a huge boon.
“Chairperson Dyehouse,” Dorsa said, pointing at the SADE beside him. “I believe you’ve met Nalia.”
“Briefly,” Lisa conceded.
“I’ll be in charge of setting up the Jatouche medical stations and training the sisters,” Nalia said.
“To do what?” Karl asked, looking from Nalia to Lisa.
“Your clones need repair,” Ceda said determinedly.
Lily could see that changing clone policies didn’t sit well with Lisa, and she quickly interjected, “Chairperson Dyehouse, I’m Chief Lily Timmons of the freighter Norloth. I propose to you that your clones will work harder and more efficiently if they’ve two good arms, ten working fingers, and faces that don’t appear ruined.”
“That’s time away from their work for medical procedures,” Lisa noted.
“It’s the job of Captain Gistamia and me to balance the changes that detract from production with the improvements that support greater output,” Dorsa said.
“Until the new statuses are implemented, Miranda and I will coordinate processes,” Z said.
“Let’s talk about what you want from me before we get into a discussion about what aspects of your proposal work for me,” Lisa said definitively.
The chairpersons heard the guests’ laughter.
Nira was tempted to signal that the outburst was rude and should be terminated, but she was reminded of Cremsylon’s words that she was new to this area of space.
“Dear Lisa,” Miranda said, ignoring formal address. “There will be no negotiations. We’re offering much of our tech to your operations. Forty-five sisters wish to be a significant multiplier for your workforce, and the SADEs are willing to accelerate the identification of new reserves. There will be significant changes for your clones and your employee miners, which will improve your profits with their greater productivity. In all, it’s an extremely generous offer, but it does require you to step aside.”
“So, I’m supposed to sit in my apartment, while all of you run my company as you wish,” Lisa remarked sourly.
“On the contrary, we’ve a different task for you,” Nira said. “I’ve a desire to see Naiad, and I invite you to travel with me aboard the Nyslara, my ship.”
“Now I see the plot,” Lisa said, leaning into her chair. “You wish to see me incarcerated.”
Nalia sent.
Bethany’s mask-helmet retracted. “Chairperson Dyehouse, you saw what was done to your security commander and his squads,” she said. “We wouldn’t have to lure you to Naiad to see you charged for past crimes. We could have landed, defeated your security forces, and abducted you. That would have been much easier than trying to convince you to do the right thing.”
The insult stung, and Lisa bit back her retort. When the possibilities had been proposed to her on Delhart, she saw tremendous potential, and she had intended to be able to direct the improvements. This abrupt encounter forcing her to accept an all-or-nothing proposal had thrown her off-balance.
“Then, Captain, why do you want me to go with you to Naiad?” Lisa asked. She glanced toward Karl and Frank, who looked apprehensive.
Lisa waited for an answer. When it didn’t come, she gazed around the huge conference table. Every suited figure’s face was revealed. Those individuals, like all the visitors, stared at her quietly. They waited for her to come to some realization, and she racked her brain.
The movement of Escher’s finger on the table caught Lisa’s attention. He was drawing a small box. Then his finger tapped outside the box.
Escher’s hint triggered Lisa’s thoughts. She’d been fighting for the preservation of her mining company in some form, and Escher was hinting it was time to abandon that outdated perspective.
“We’re supposed to have a conversation with the new Naiad Council, aren’t we?” Lisa said, looking directly at Nira.
“That’s the idea,” Nira said. “You and the council must come to a mutual agreement about the way in which rim planets operate. The challenge of multiple incursions by outside forces outweighs your desires to operate as different planets.”
“You said forces, meaning plural,” Karl pointed out.
“That I did,” Nira replied. “Our scouts have gone to investigate a possible probe sighting located near a Naiad anomaly.”
“You’re referring to the Calabas Wormhole, right?” Frank asked.
“Negative,” Miranda replied. “The Alexander exited the Calabas anomaly to reach Naiad.”
“Maybe a mistake was made,” Karl offered.
“Not possible,” Miranda replied. “The sighting was documented by a digital sentient.”
“Why would you leave a SADE on Naiad?” Frank asked.
“It’s a long story,” Escher interjected. “It should be saved for later. The sighting might have been a glitch in the data. The odd thing was that something did appear near the mouth of the wormhole and then it disappeared.”
“What do you intend to do about it?” Karl asked.
The guests’ laughter returned, and Nira understood the ploy. The chairpersons operated within private and privileged bubbles. It took making them uncomfortable to extricate them from those bubbles.
“I think that’s why this group is here,” Lisa said, looking from Karl to Frank. “My planet is the first of their social terraforming efforts. They’re preparing us to be a cohesive race.”
“Close,” Nira admitted. “Beta Two has already started on this path and is making significant progress. Cremsylon and the others aboard the Alexander have done the same for Delhart. You witnessed some of that.”
“Then Lisa didn’t exaggerate when she said the harvesters floated above the surface ice when it buckled and contracted,” Karl said.
“She didn’t,” Stacey replied.
“I think I’ve heard enough,” Frank abruptly declared and stood. “You can keep your social and engineering projects. I want nothing to do with them for Reg-Rec.”
“Is that your final opinion, Chairperson Allbers?” Miranda inquired.
“It is,” Frank replied. “Transit One is two loops away from Kilmer. I figure you’ll stop the Krackus before they reach my planet.”
Frank smiled, as if he’d scored the winning point.
“Your logic is flawed, Chairperson Allbers,” Minimalist said. “If the Krackus penetrate to Geneva, it means that we were unable to stop them.”
Z added, “If necessary, our last lines of defense will probably be Delhart and Naiad.”
“There is something else to consider, Chairperson Allbers,” Miranda said. “If we’re successful keeping the Imperium Empire from crossing the Krackus anomaly, then other mining planets will have benefited from our technology. How will Transit One successfully compete then?”
“I guess I’ll have to wait and see, won’t I?” Frank tossed off.
As the chairperson made to leave, Nira offered, “If you wish, Chairperson Allbers, we can drop you at your planet. It’ll save you weeks of travel.”
“I’ve no desire to travel aboard an alien ship,” Frank shot back. “I don’t care if it takes me a year to get to my planet.”
Z briefly considered blocking Frank’s exit, but he decided that intimidating the chairperson was petty.
When Frank exited the conference room, all eyes turned to Karl.
“My turn?” Karl asked.
“Yes,” Miranda replied.
“Help me understand the timing,” Karl requested. “Your ships are here, and you’ve an extensive amount of work to do. Also, every sister will be busy on Kilmer. Is there anything to spare for Geneva?”
“We’ve the resources aboard the Norloth,” Yerli replied, “but you’re correct about the sisters.”
“Chairperson Denham,” Yma said. “The outpost fleet at Thartath started an experiment with the sisters under Captain Racine. It was successful, and second-gen sisters embraced the opportunity to work with biologicals. From the first group, some journeyed to outpost fleets far away from the system. The majority came with Captain Racine to assist Peña at Beta Two.”
“Please clarify, Yma,” Lisa requested. “How long is the trip expected to take the sisters who chose the outposts?”
“They were there instantly,” Luther replied. “The first experiment by Captain Racine was to install a Q-gate on a Thartath moon. The gates were created in alliance space long before the first local sentient race developed. A race called the Messinants built them and then moved on.”
The chairpersons were quiet while they mulled the fantastic technology — instantaneous travel.
“Let’s return to Geneva’s timing,” Karl requested.
“The first experiment supplied sisters to Beta One,” Yma continued. “The sisters with me are here to help Kilmer. When we left the Thartath system, a third project was underway. If the storyteller is as good as Captains Racine and mya Jaknas, Geneva should have sisters in about nine to ten of your weeks.”
“Storytellers?” Lisa queried.
“Another long story,” Dorsa admitted.
“I’m undecided whether to accept the proposal that you’ve offered Chairperson Dyehouse, but it appears I’ve time to make my decision,” Karl said.
“Waiting to see what happens to me, or what happens to my planet?” Lisa inquired, with a lift of an eyebrow.
“Both,” Karl admitted.
“We’ll stay in contact with you, Chairperson Denham,” Miranda said. “Will you reside here or on Geneva?”
Karl considered whether it would be advantageous to watch the Kilmer transition or return to his mining planet.
Lisa provided the answer for him. “The chairperson will be returning to Geneva,” she said. It was obvious that Lisa wasn’t thrilled with Karl’s failure to embrace the proposal.
This time, the eyes regarded Lisa.
With a resigned sigh, Lisa said, “I led the chairpersons into the agreement with Miriamal. In that regard, I created the mess that’s befallen us. I guess the least I can do is accept a proposal from those who might dig us out.”
“A hearty approval,” Ceda quipped.
“I think I’ve had enough of your snide remarks —” Lisa managed to say.
“Get used to it,” Red snapped. “You’re looking at eight Geneva mickies around this table. We know what we suffered in the mines.”
“How many mickie gangs are starving in your tunnels, Chairperson Dyehouse?” Jasper asked.
“And how many inactive clones lie dying and hidden away from the citizens?” Nalia inquired.
“There is a great deal of wrong committed on this planet for the sake of profit,” Stacey said. “It’s time to correct those misdeeds, while preserving your profits. In the meantime, if cross words are uttered, it might be best to swallow them and move forward.”
Lisa held up her hands in surrender, but her grimace said she didn’t have to like it. “When do we start, and when do I go?” she asked.
“We start now,” Miranda said. “We sail for Naiad when the new conditions appear stable.”
8: Kilmer Rehab
The visitors exited the conference room, leaving the remaining chairpersons to talk privately.
Nira sent to Z and Miranda,
For Kilmer’s projects, the outpost leaders gave priorities to the sisters.
Yerli and Lily reviewed Norloth inventory. Then they dropped a significant portion of the freighter’s crystals and other small valuable items planetside. This was followed by two sets of GEN machines.
Meanwhile, Yma and her sisters chose a small offshoot tunnel that hadn’t developed a profitable mineral deposit. They enlarged it and installed power and ventilation. An ancillary tunnel was bored from their prospective manufacturing site outward from the domes. This far location would serve to keep crystal growth safely away from the population. Mishaps were rare but they did occur.
Then the sisters joined the mining crews and demonstrated their avatars’ capabilities. Refined ore quickly accumulated, and the sisters began constructing avatars.
Initially, the strangers caused quite a stir among the domes’ inhabitants.
Nira made it a habit to be seen in the company of Gistamia, whom she suspected engendered the most disquiet.
The clones, especially the nannies, didn’t possess the same level of fear as did the citizens. They were more curious about Gistamia than afraid.
The nannies’ charges, the elites’ children, were the intrepid ones. They ran to investigate the burly, curly haired entity, who could talk to them. They delighted in the Hyronzy’s company, much to the horror of the parents when they discovered whom their young sons and daughters had visited.
Slowly, the citizens accepted Gistamia. He became a favorite of the clones.
Gistamia would greet the clone miners courteously, which surprised them. Quickly the greetings migrated to short conversations, and the Hyronzy took to dining with them.
The reaction to Dorsa was another thing entirely. Teenagers used slates to record images and vids of the Lemgart SADE. As did the Naiad young, they built slate sites dedicated to Dorsa and Gistamia. The images were complementary, if not heroic.
Other sites grew for the sisters. Their beauty drove the fertile imagination of many youths.
Nira, Yerli, and Lily, who wore their outpost uniforms, had pages devoted to them. They sailed starships — enough said!
However, the standouts for the teenagers’ imaginations were the suited figures and the protectors.
The teenagers were intrigued by the fact that humans from their own worlds inhabited the suits. More surprising to them was that many of the suited figures were mickies and one was a clone.
When the domes’ clones saw online evidence that one of their own accompanied the visitors and wore a suit, long-buried emotions surfaced. A revolutionary seed was planted deep.
An enterprising teenager, who fancied a career as a media star, managed to interview two of the agents who had clashed with the protectors and the suits. The young man was bound by promises of anonymity. Still, he was able to tell of the swift clash that defeated security’s modified agents.
The clones found the prowess of the protectors and the suits impressive. However, that a clone had participated in the mêlée against security added to their desire for change.
Several levels below the surface, a mickie, who had just turned thirteen, said to his gang, “This can’t be right.”
“What?” inquired Shoya, the gang leader.
“I know I’m only connected to a few news sites with this broken-down computer, but, from what I see, many of the suited individuals that we’ve heard about are mickies,” Trigger said.
“Story,” one of the older mickies replied.
“Look and read for yourself,” Trigger retorted.
Before an argument ensued, the leader shut it down. “No way will we know if the story is true until we talk to one of them,” she said.
“They’re probably educated by now,” an older mickie pointed out.
“Doesn’t matter,” Shoya declared. “They’ll know we’re mickies, and, by what they say, we’ll know them.”
“One of us should go check them out,” Trigger suggested.
The gang’s heads turned toward their leader, the eldest of them, seventeen-year-old Shoya.
“If we get a good haul tomorrow, I’ll make contact,” Shoya promised.
Hearing Shoya’s offer, the mickie gang turned in early. They’d have to beat the other gangs to the newly abandoned mine shaft.
Before the lights turned out, Shoya approached Trigger who managed the gang’s scrapped computer. It utilized an old-style monitor, and half the screen faded in and out.
“This is your target,” Trigger said, pointing at a stylized image.
Shoya placed her hands on the thirteen-year-old’s shoulders, while she leaned close. “Gat’r and Hephaestus,” she read. “Who’s Hephaestus?” she asked. “I see only one person.”
“These people have names for their suits. Supposedly they send commands to their suits, which operate like a bot or mods,” Trigger explained.
“So the suit is named Hephaestus?” Shoya pressed.
“I think that’s something you should ask Gat’r,” Trigger replied.
“Gat’r and Hephaestus ... that’s a pair of names,” Shoya commented, shaking her head in disbelief. “Sleep time,” she added and waited until Trigger turned off his cobbled-together computer and retired to his worn pad on the floor.
While Shoya’s mickies hurried to grab discarded equipment, Lily continued Kilmer’s equipment implementation. Presently, she organized the dropping of three Jatouche medical stations.
Minimalist, Luther, Yma, and Nalia formed a coordinated team to outfit a bay’s services to receive the stations. Then, with the help of more sisters, they worked to move the parts from the travelers to the bay.
