by S. H. Jucha
Scarlet Mandator watched the sequence play in the holo-vid. When it ended, a stalk rose and its tip rolled.
Killian interpreted the stalk’s movement as a request to replay the vid and he obliged.
The mandator watched the vid several times before inquiring, “What are Alex and this Elvian doing?”
“But what of their digits?” the mandator beamed.
The vid had shown Alex kneeling in front of Trobath, and Alex’s hand was imitating the Elvian’s.
“The Elvians don’t appear to be aggressive animals,” the mandator mused. “Are they poisonous?”
“If the Elvians are essentially peaceful and not individually dangerous, who destroyed our ships and took Ollassa lives?” Scarlet Mandator demanded, the petals vibrating.
Renée belatedly realized the conundrum that she’d been presented. If she specifically mentioned the AI, it could taint a future relationship. Alex didn’t believe the AI did anything more than follow the directives that had been programmed by the creators. As prisoners in their boxes, the SADEs followed the same guidance from their Méridien masters for the length of their imprisonment. Only freedom gave them the option to choose as they saw fit.
“Drones?” the mandator queried.
“Then a sentient, an animal, must have programed them to destroy, to kill,” the mandator argued.
“You think they’ve changed,” the mandator proposed.
Renée returned.
“You present an intriguing concept, Renée,” Scarlet Mandator beamed. “Other mandators will be shocked by the proposal, but events in the Worlds of Light have proved that many dangers exist among the stars. I will consult the Life Givers first.”
“I wear the crescents of the Life Givers’ approvals,” the mandator returned. “On such a critical subject, I’m obliged to speak to each of them.”
“May the Light shine on you, Renée,” the mandator beamed, which ended the call.
Immediately, Killian, Bethley, and Trium conferenced, and then they connected to the fleet’s SADEs, except for the leaders, who would be busy with Alex’s projects. Their aim was to devise a plan that allowed the smoothest integration between the Elvians and the Ollassa, should such a thing come to pass.
* * * * *
When Vyztram failed to elicit a response, algorithms ran that sought to deduce the reason.
Vyztram said.
Julien gathered Renée, Tatia, and Cordelia and linked with Miranda.
Julien analyzed Alex’s objection. He seized on the underlying sentiment and sent,
Miranda showed Alex stripping off his jacket.
Alex slipped on the newly tailored jacket. It didn’t have a collar. The equipment the SADEs created had a harness, and Alex slipped his arms through the twin straps.
Franz picked up the equipment’s collar and straightened the connecting tube. Then he lightly fastened the collar around Alex’s neck.
Immediately, Alex felt the nanites in the collar adhere to his neck.
For Alex, it did. When he’d first met Julien, he’d been directed to a cabinet, extracted a comm unit, and applied it to his ear. Then he yanked it free when the nanites adhered to his skin.
Julien received Alex’s answer. It was a vid. The equipment’s collar was around Julien’s neck. The device was several times larger than Julien, and it was falling down an embankment. Julien was forced to run to keep up with it, while he struggled to unfasten the collar.
A smile crossed Julien’s face, and he didn’t bother to respond to the vid. As long as his friend intended to wear the device and stay safe, he was content.
Alex reached to remove the collar, and Miranda interrupted.
Franz
exited the main cabin and closed the pilot’s cabin. Then Miranda lowered the ramp, and the traveler’s oxygen-rich air was quickly lost.
Dutifully, Alex rose, walked off the ramp, and jogged several times around the traveler.
Miranda monitored the device’s oxygen collection and supply rates. In addition, she tracked Alex’s blood oxygen uptake via his bio data.
After the last lap, Alex stopped in front of Miranda and stared expectantly at her.
“Everything is functioning fine, including you,” Miranda quipped.
Alex entered the traveler. Miranda closed the hatch, and the ship restored the oxygen levels.
Alex examined the images of spheres that lined the walls.
The sound of Miranda’s laughter flooded the call.
Alex didn’t give Z a chance to respond. Instead, he asked,
The conference call grew quiet. Alex had received the reports he’d requested. Z had found the AI’s memory banks. Vyztram wanted an avatar. Scarlet Mandator was considering the proposal. Tatia was intercepting the fleet. The next hurdle was the Elvians.
Julien suggested.
Alex sent.
15: Interrupted Meeting
The AI waited. The comment didn’t require an answer, and Vyztram had learned that the Omnian male was adept at offering leading statements designed to solicit opinions.
Alex proposed.
The AI knew Alex was well aware that the majority of the population resided within the arches, and the leader wasn’t a supporter of that contingent.
Alex smiled at Vyztram’s mental flexibility. It spoke well for the AI’s potential to integrate with the Elvians in their spaces.
Alex replied.
Alex laughed deep and hard. Then he responded,
That was the moment of acceptance that Alex had been waiting to hear.
Vyztram replied.
Alex continued, sending,
