Star Minds Next Generation

by Barbara G. Tarn

  Then he welcomed Tyro and Markandeya, still together after ten years, one officially retired, the other Head of Cybernetics at the Vaurabi Labs where Dadina spent most of her time. They assured him the Haiduc was the best starship available and they'd personally worked to enhance it.

  "You won't miss the Falstelo," Markandeya assured him.

  "Not that you spent much time on there." Tyro smiled. "But we've heard you had in mind to put it back to work."

  "Yes, except my father forbade me." Shan-leo grinned. "At least now I know why!"

  Next was Maela, Dadina's mother, with her partner Kelikana, who had a nine-year-old daughter she'd called Selinda. Maela was a cyborg, since war maiming had left her with a prosthetic hand and leg, but hers were silver metal, and enhanced for combat. The war with the Reptilians was over, but since Maela was in charge of palace security at the capital, she'd kept the enhancements updated.

  Kelikana was a dancer and she often entertained the Council of Five and other Sire aristocrats at the palace. Markandeya's ex-wife, she'd had her daughter on Sylvania, the Y-chromosome toxic planet that allowed women to have daughters by creating sperm from their bone marrow – what they called "the real deal", as if natural pregnancies weren't. Selinda looked very much like her – like Dadina was a younger copy of Maela – and was learning to dance with her mother. Often Ker-ris joined Kelikana on stage, and when he did, Shan-leo was very proud of his father's skills – which unfortunately he hadn't inherited.

  Then came Gaurishankar and N'ell'onera with their daughter, seven-year-old Astrid. They weren't married, but they'd been together for eleven years now, he from Ypsilanti, she from Ulba'wis, he fair-skinned, she caramel-skinned. Both worked in palace security and supposedly took care of her aging father – except C'ell'andy was only sixty-two and a cyborg. He'd retired from active service, much like Tyro. After being Kol-ian's bodyguard for almost thirty years, he was now a happy grandfather with prosthetic legs.

  Last but not least, the Earthlings, Daniele and Chantal, with Laura, ten, and David, seven. Since Earth had joined the Star Nations twelve years earlier, it had taken back its name, although some people still called it Gaia.

  Not many Earthlings had traveled very far yet, since it was still quite expensive for them, and no other had reached Marc'harid, but Daniele and Chantal had been precursors, leaving their home planet when it was still a Saurian colony locked in a manufactured time-loop, he with Gaurishankar and she with Kol-ian. They'd met on Friport with Maela and Dadina and had decided to form a crew of adventurers, based on the starship Falstelo, formerly known as the Shermac Pride.

  Shan-leo knew Uncle Kol-ian had taken his late grandfather's family ship to escape from Earth and had had a complete makeover of the spacecraft on Friport. The starship was the place where he'd met Dadina and the others, and knowing how much the original crew of the Falstelo was still very fond of each other, he asked Daniele and Chantal if they wished to go back to Earth.

  "I could take you with the Haiduc, and you could show the kids where you were born," he suggested. He'd seen Earth only from orbit himself, and he was curious. Earth still had a lot of illuminated manuscripts and he'd have loved to see them in person.

  "I don't think it's clean enough yet," Chantal answered with a sigh. "Apparently smog levels were so high that even with the help of alien technology we won't be able to breathe that air for a few more years. We left in 1982 – before Chernobyl, before Fukushima, before the hole in the ozone layer, and global warming became so bad..."

  "I wonder why the Reptilians made us destroy our planet over and over with their wicked time-loop," Daniele added. "Hopefully when our children are in their teens, we can take them safely to Earth..."

  Shan-leo smiled fondly at them. Coming from a low-tech planet meant they hadn't really found their place in the galaxy, although they were starting to call Marc'harid home. Since they had no real skills, they took care of non-Sire children for the palace workers, baby-sitting and helping with homework. But basically they lived off the generosity of Kol-ian and Ker-ris, who were rich aristocrats.

  "Earth still has a lot of illuminated manuscripts," Chantal said. "Although the most precious have been stolen..."

  "Aoh, those Star Nations were a sòla, a cheat for Earth," Daniele added with a frown. "We lost the Magna Carta and a few more to alien thieves..."

  "I could go there and have a look," Shan-leo mused. "Maybe I can help find the thieves..."

  "Don't forget the gas mask if you go down there," Chantal warned. "Carbon sequestration machines might be helping to clean the air, but apparently it's not enough."

  Shan-leo chuckled as the shrill screams of children caught his ears. He watched Chibi play with Laura, David, Selinda and Astrid, obviously taking David's side, and sighed.

  "Does he really sound like me at ten?" he asked his father and Uncle Kol-ian.

  "Yes." Kol-ian nodded, amused. "Definitely. If you'd had a few more friends besides Dadina back then, I mean."

  "Wicked Dadina." Ker-ris shook his head with a frown.

  "Weren't you complaining this morning that you miss your baby boy?" Kol-ian teased.

  "I do, but Chibi is a robot, even if he behaves like Shan-leo!"

  "As if you could control me when I was ten!" Shan-leo smiled fondly at his father. "I'm glad you found someone else to take care of you!"

  "Now I feel like I never had a son," Ker-ris complained.

  Shan-leo hugged him. You have one, Dad. And he loves you very much.

  Ker-ris squeezed him. Love you too, kid.

  "Hey, where's the cake?" Daniele asked loudly. "It's not a birthday party without cake and candles!"

  "Gee, Daniele, still stuck with Earth traditions? Get over it!" Kol-ian rolled his eyes but smiled.

  "Cake and candles!" the children chorused.

  "And there's not one Sire among them." Kol-ian shook his head, feigning disappointment. "I guess it's up to you, birthday boy. Want to start a new tradition on this planet or not?"

  "I think we've had cakes and candles since the Earthlings settled here," Shan-leo reminded him, amused. "Therefore the tradition is already on. Who brought them here anyway?"

  Kol-ian grinned. "I knew you'd enjoy Earth's traditions as much as I did..."

  2. IZZY-LEE

  "Here you go." Dadina let go of Shan-leo's artificial hand now equipped with a silver "nail" on the middle finger. "Would you like me to paint the other nails as well to make it less conspicuous?"

  Shan-leo looked at his hand and nodded, giving it back to her. They were in her office at the Vaurabi Labs.

  "Manicure for Lord Shermac," she said. "But only on his right hand."

  "You can paint my real nails silver too if you want," he replied, amused. He didn't mind looking like a rebel for a while. It wasn't anything permanent or even as conspicuous as Kol-ian's wings. More like a little tattoo on his slender hands – one flesh, the other silicone and nanotechnology.

  The fake nail was a microchip inserted in the silicone. It worked as a remote to open the Haiduc. Anyone else would need a key, but he only needed to press the fake nail to have access to his starship.

  He observed Dadina as she bent over painting his nails silver, her blond hair in a ponytail, her tongue between her teeth in concentration. Non-brotherly feelings went through him, but he knew she wasn't the one for him. They'd had the sex part, but it wasn't love, rather a game they'd tired of quickly.

  "There you go." She straightened with a grin, checking her work. Shan-leo stared at his silver nails and sighed.

  "It will do for an adventurer, but I'll probably need to get rid of it if I ever make it to the Council of Five," he said.

  "Oh, you will!" Dadina was adamant. "You're the last emperor's grandson! Of course you will spend ten years in the Five when the time comes!"

  "Well, it's not coming anytime soon!" Shan-leo rose and looked around Dadina's office. "Are you building another robot?" he asked, frowning at the sight of spare limbs and robot part
s.

  "Actually, I'm repairing old palace stuff," she answered, stretching her limbs. "You wouldn't believe how much junk is still in use in some parts of it. I'm upgrading them too, with the latest technology."

  "Hm. You're very busy then." He looked around again with his hands on his hips.

  She stood in front of him, not quite as tall. "Not so busy that I'd wait here if you leave with the Haiduc," she said with a mischievous smile.

  He chuckled. "That's what I thought. It's true that Uncle Kol-ian left on his own, but he was running away, while I'm not. I mean, I have my father's blessing, and I'm sure he'll be happy if you come with me."

  "The Haiduc doesn't need a crew any more than the Falstelo did, but do you plan on getting one?"

  "I don't know," he admitted. "I don't have that many trusted friends..."

  "What about Eli-dan Desinow or Kys-lee Gwenvale? You were inseparable when you went to school together."

  "Nah. They're after you, so unless you really want to try two more Sire, I'll be glad to leave them behind."

  Dadina giggled. "I'm honored that three mighty Sire are interested in me – although I had to beg the only one I really wanted."

  "You didn't beg me, you threw yourself at me!"

  "I gave you my virginity and loved it. And you made it clear from the start that you can't mind link with a non-telepath."

  "Eli-dan and Kys-lee might not have the mind linking ability if you want them onboard..."

  "Hey, you're the captain, you decide who is allowed on your starship! Can I bring Chibi?"

  Shan-leo sighed. "If you must..."

  "We'll see." She rose on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "When do you plan to leave?"

  "As soon as I decide where I want to go."

  "I bet Earth is on the list." She winked.

  "Yes, but it's not the closest place," he answered with a smile, waving good-bye.

  He went to the underground hangar and checked that the "nail" worked. He went onboard to look at things once more – the cabins, the lounge, the deck. Yes, perfect. Now he only needed an itinerary.

  He went to the Sire Library to check on Jan-wen. The old librarian was worried for the treasures in his custody, but Shan-leo reminded him this was the former Imperial planet, inhabited by Sire telepaths, who in the galaxy could cheat them?

  Having reassured Jan-wen, he returned to his room and opened the computer to continue his search on the meganet. He jotted down places he wanted to see, then he'd figure out the best itinerary. Except Friport couldn't be programmed. The Wandering Planet of rogues and adventurers needed to be located first, and it might have moved by the time he reached that quadrant.

  Oh, well, he could always leave room for improvisation. And he'd have to ask Uncle Kol-ian more about his rogue years – not that he planned to become an outlaw and live on odd jobs like Kol-ian had done for two years, but his uncle was well-traveled and could surely advise him better than anyone he knew.

  The buzzer distracted him from his plans. Must be a visitor from outside, so he checked the videocom – and cursed under his breath.

  Izzy-lee. His ex-girlfriend had already heard he was back in town. He decided not to open the door, hoping his father wouldn't let her in.

  She buzzed again, and her lips approached the camera to mouth "I know you're in, Shan-leo, open the door."

  Shan-leo muttered another curse and pressed the button to let her in. He closed his laptop and welcomed her with a frown.

  What disturbed him the most about her was that she looked exactly like the day of the accident five years earlier, as if time hadn't passed. Now he knew she had acquired an immortal body that day, hence the lack of physical change.

  "Glad you're back, we need to talk." She passed by him and sat on the couch with a pout. At least she hadn't come to rekindle a long gone relationship.

  Shan-leo sighed and joined her. "Talk about what?" he asked, wary.

  "Me. You. Us."

  "There is no us, Izzy-lee. We split five years ago."

  "Did you dump me because of the accident?" she asked, glaring at him. "Because of the consequences of the accident?"

  "You were the one who wasn't happy with me showing off my artificial arm," he reminded her.

  "Because I didn't know what had happened to me!" she screamed.

  Uh-oh, he thought. She knows. Well, at least I didn't tell her.

  "I lost my periods," she grumbled, calming down. "I thought it was temporary, from the shock. But they never came back. So I went to a gynecologist."

  Shan-leo closed his eyes. Maybe they should have told her. Her parents knew she'd be dead by now if she hadn't been quickly taken to the Vaurabi Labs.

  He opened his eyes and met her accusing stare.

  "So you know," she said.

  "Not when I decided to break up with you," he answered. "They'd told me you had prosthetics, but that I wouldn't be able to tell what – and I couldn't."

  "My whole body is artificial!" she screamed again. "Why did you lose just one arm when I lost all my body?"

  "You don't have genetically reinforced skin, Izzy-lee, that's what saved me. And now, unless you adopt, you'll never have children, not even if you go to Sylvania. But I didn't know that when I decided not to call you again."

  "Why did you dump me, then?" she complained.

  "Why do you ask now? I told you I didn't know about your artificial body back then!"

  "When did you find out and why didn't you tell me?"

  "I was told not to. We were history anyway."

  "Because you dumped me after the accident!"

  He rolled his eyes and snorted.

  "Why did you go out with me in the first place? Because you genuinely liked me? No, because I'm the grandson of the last Sire emperor. I'm sorry, Izzy-lee, but I don't like being considered breeding material."

  "Why don't you admit you prefer men, like your father and uncle?" she retorted.

  "Because I don't. I want to be loved for who I am, not my family name or my genes."

  She sniffed, even if she didn't really have to. Her artificial body was so much like her real body, he'd been completely fooled at first. His father had told him the truth when he'd said he'd had enough of Izzy-lee.

  By then Shan-leo was over his crush for his first official girlfriend. Thus he'd cut all ties with Izzy-lee, dropped out of school and gone back to private tuition. Sometimes Eli-dan or Kys-lee visited him, but when the fourth season of Cybercop flopped and the show was canceled, they quickly ran out of common interests.

  Now school was over and here was Izzy-lee again, still looking seventeen and staring reproachfully at him. It almost felt as if five years hadn't gone by, at least not for her, neither physically nor mentally. But he had moved on.

  "Why are you so obnoxious, Shan-leo? What's wrong with wanting a family?" she asked.

  "I do want a family and a significant other, but you weren't the one, Izzy-lee," he replied patiently. "Why do you want children?"

  "It's a biological urge."

  "No, it's not. You don't have a biological body anymore."

  "To carry on my family's name!"

  "Still trying to please your parents? My father told me that by my age he already had me, but I won't be duped by bloodline superstition."

  "But I want a child with our bloodline!" she protested.

  "And that's why I dumped you. Recognize the value of people with different genetic make-ups."

  "Like your bitchy so-called sister!" she spat. "I bet you screwed her too!"

  "Yes, but we're well aware of birth control." Shan-leo shook his head, amused. "Besides, you now have eternal youth. Do you still feel the need to reproduce? You're practically immortal, you will have to watch your child grow up and die while you're still... like this!" He waved at her artificial body. "Heck, you don't even need to eat, or breathe for that matter! Your brain is kept functional by the technology around it. You don't have real bodily needs anymore. Scratch off the synthetic skin, and you're like
my right arm."

  He showed her his transparent hand with the shiny silver nails. She frowned, but pondered.

  "I'm sorry, Izzy-lee," he continued. "You can't have children, but you're forever seventeen. Do you think you can move on now?"

  "What if this body starts malfunctioning?"

  "You go to the Vaurabi Labs instead of the hospital. Your doctor now is Markandeya Sumirasko. And hey, you won't be sick anymore! You could go to climate extremes and survive – maybe even in outer space. Ask Markandeya before trying the latter, though, I'm not very good with cybernetics and neuroscience."

  She kept staring at him with a frown. She might have an artificial body, but her mind was still biological and telepathic. And shielded. Shan-leo lowered a shield to show her how he used his prosthetic and had learned to take advantage of it to do the things he loved.

  "I don't know if I like it yet, but you opened a new world of possibilities to me," she said at last. "Thank you, Shan-leo. I've heard there's a planet where they're working hard to create enhanced humans. Since I now transcend the natural limitations of a human body, do you think I should visit?"

  "It might help. I'm only a cyborg, not a post human being, so I can't really help you here."

  She smiled at last.

  "You're not a cyborg, you're still my sweet Shan-leo," she said before taking his face into her hands. She leaned forward and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. "I'll miss you, Shan-leo. But you're right, I should find someone like me to spend my life with."

  He smiled too, relieved. "You're crazy, Izzy-lee."

  "You bet," she whispered before rising from the couch and heading for the door. As it slid open, she turned and blew him a kiss.

  Shan-leo chuckled as the door slid closed behind her. Finally the end of his problems with his ex-girlfriend. He knew she'd had other boyfriends after him, but she dumped them quickly, probably waiting for her periods to return so she could nail him with a formal betrothal. Which never happened in five years and was now out of the question. Shan-leo was glad she'd discovered the truth. She'd been important for him, he didn't want her to be unhappy. Hopefully her new consciousness would take care of that.