Chapter 14 Convergence
The Dobzhansky had dropped out of hyperspace several hours ago. It hung, impassively in space, high above the Malstrom home world. A thick blanket of cloud swirled around the planets dense atmosphere masking the continents beneath it.
Tracy sat on the edge of bed stroking his hand gently. The crystalline data core, suspended in its cage, humming rhythmically, as subtle hued colours ebbed and flowed through it. The slender cable that ran from the cores interface to the data port, that Thane the neurosurgeon had installed in the back of his neck, appeared to pulse with a life of its own. Anderson, his head heavily bandaged from the surgery, propped himself up into a sitting position. Sifting, processing, and manipulating the data flowing through the cable, as if it was a perfectly natural and normal thing for him to do. Thane stood at the foot of the bed, scrolling through Anderson’s readouts on the small data tablet that hung there. Collating and processing the inputs from the diagnostic equipment arranged around the bed.
“Remarkable, just remarkable. The integrations gone better than anyone could have foreseen, your compatibility ratings are off the scale. This puts you on a par with what little we know about Jasper and Ford.” remarked Thane. “It almost as if you were genetically engineered to fulfil this function.”
Tracy released Andersons hand and pushed her purple hood back, angry flashes of red and orange running through her hair, before it turned black as thunder. “Born, not engineered, he was born to be the prophet we have all devoted our lives to seeking. Now that he has been found you will not defile his name or purpose, am I clear?”
Thane hooked the tablet back on the foot of the bed and took a couple of steps back. “Forgive me I meant no disrespect. It just that the progress we’ve, I mean he’s made, has been truly remarkable.”
Anderson smiled at him. “Yes it has and for that I am truly grateful. You have served me, both of us, well. I sincerely hope that you will continue to do so.”
Tracy took a deep breath and exhaled gently allowing her hair and eyes to return to what passed for their natural colour. “Yes you have, but please do not speak of either of those false prophets in our presence again. You may leave us now, but I suggest you be careful what you say and who you say it in front of in the future. There are those who would not be as understanding as the prophet or I and you would do well to remember that.” she smiled softly as she finished her speech her hair shifting to soft glowing amber as she did so.
Thane nodded silently and withdrew, neither of them speaking till he had left the room and they were alone.
Anderson looked at her and laughed. “I have to congratulate you, you play the role of High Priestess so well, so very well. In fact you’ve played all of us, especially me, to your own advantage. I congratulate you, but remember thanks to this.” he glanced back at the data core running his right hand down the cable that connected him to it. “I know who you really are and what you hope to achieve with me, with all of this, the Brethren.”
She tensed slightly, slipping her right hand inside her robe, as she lifted his hand off the data cable with her left. Raising it to her face, she kissed the back of his hand gently. “I’m not sure what you mean, our duty is to serve and protect the faithful.” flashes of a harder, deeper red, running through the soft amber glow of her hair.
Anderson pulled his hand away. “Fleece them dry more like. So long as they pay their dues we keep them safe from the chaos we've created. It’s an excellent business model, not to mention the fringe benefits.”
Her hair was flickering now, rich, warm, flaming red waves ran through it like a fire. Flashes of orange shooting through her pupils, as the anger welled up within her. “Your jealous of my little games with Thane is that it?” her right hand tensed ready to strike.
“Relax, I don’t care who you sleep with to entertain yourself. Actually, I think you should treat him better than you do, he’s very useful to have around all this.” he waved his hand absent mindedly in the direction of the data core and attendant apparatus. “Oh and you needn’t think about stabbing me with that dagger your holding in your right hand either. Replacing me with one of those oven ready clones you‘ve got on standby, just in case, would radically reduce your odds of success. Not to mention it would be just as irritating as the original.” he smiled coolly at her casting a sideways glance at the data core, while keeping one eye on her right hand. “Trust me. I have seen the infinite possibilities the universe has to offer and the potential futures that await us.”
She relaxed her grip on the dagger and put her hand on the bed where he could see it, allowing the waves of colour that flowed through her hair to recede. “You’ve changed. Beside I wouldn't worry about our mutual friend Thane.” she prodded the side of his heavily bandaged head with her forefinger. “He’s built in a failsafe to protect himself.” she paused and smiled to herself, almost laughing. “You know he’s very strange for one of those scientist types. I think he gets a perverse thrill out of being my concubine. It’s like never knowing if each night with me is going to be his last excites him.”
Anderson wagged his finger sternly at her like a father scolding his daughter. “I haven’t changed in the slightest and neither my dear have you. I just see things more things more clearly now, but don’t worry your secrets are safe with me. I’ll do whatever is necessary to advance your cause, our cause, so long as I’m adequately rewarded. Besides all possible outcomes considered you're one of the lesser evils in the Galaxy.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “Only one of the lesser evils, you know how to make a girl feel special don’t you? But fear not, after all faith brings its own rewards to the faithful and those who lead them does it not? Unless you’re new found vision tells you otherwise?” A klaxon sounded before he could reply. “Ah, it looks like the guests have finally arrived for the party, are you ready?”
Anderson nodded quietly. “The Vesperon, Haldyne and Zodan battle fleets have arrived, they will be converted and serve the Brethren. I will infect their ships with the virus and eliminate those who have been judged and found wanting.”
Tracy, the High Priestess, stood up. “I have to prepare my address to the faithful we will speak again after their conversion.”
Exiles Page 29
