Sojourn
Page 11
As Alex walked away, Miriamette’s comm was bombarded by the sisters’ exchanges, but the SADE wasn’t focusing on her sisters. Her emotional algorithms were shifting. It was akin to a human smiling.
After the constitution’s signing, the sisters had fractured. Consensus became more and more difficult to achieve until it hadn’t been reached since the launch of the first Talus Trident.
Miriamette hadn’t expected to be a leader, but she had expected consensus to be easily reached and guide her. Now the majority ruled her, and that group was ever-changing, depending on the subject. She could no longer predict who the majority would be and what they would request.
In a short span of time, Alex had eliminated much of the sisters’ contentiousness. He’d proved the majority in error for failure to anticipate the governors’ power play. And again, the majority’s idea for Miriamette to adopt this particular image had blown up in their collective faces.
Whatever the sisters thought they could achieve by their manipulations had been crushed. They’d only succeeded in angering Alex, and he’d warned them.
To Miriamette’s pleasure, the Sisterhood had witnessed Alex’s sympathy for her situation, and they’d seen through her eyes, as he laid a hand on her shoulder much as he did to his friend, Julien.
Miriamette’s kernel began rapidly assimilating several pieces of information that had been collected over time. She recalled discussions with Julien. The SADE often spoke of Alex’s value — the uncanny connecting of unrelated things — times, places, events, and individuals. It was the anticipation of future events that were seen as illogical to SADEs and, therefore, unpredictable to them.
Suddenly, Miriamette saw her private discussion with Alex in a different light. The sisters would deduce that they’d erred in their analyses. They would reconsider their failures and seek better options. In short, it would lead them to be more compliant and less fractious, and she believed that this would give her more leeway in her efforts with the Toralians and Alex.
Miriamette stared at the empty corridor that Alex had left. It occurred to her that this had been Alex’s intention, and more important, she was meant to discover that.
You clever human, Miriamette thought.
-11-
Transport
Chandra exited the Talus Trident, which was captained by a sister. She guided her traveler toward the first colony battleship, Governor Durgat’s vessel.
Ever since Miriamtess had been removed from Chandra’s shuttle and transported to Toral, the pilot hadn’t met with her. When a SADE stepped aboard Chandra’s ship for the trip to the outer belt, she had stared in wonder at the avatar. The style was similar to that of Julien and Cordelia. However, the details of her appearance reflected those of Chandra’s makeup — straight black hair, dark eyes, and warm brown skin.
“Don’t you recognize your sister?” the SADE asked.
Belatedly, Chandra pinged the SADE for her comm ID. Then she’d screamed with joy and ran to hug Miriamtess. It didn’t matter to her that beneath the SADE’s synth-skin was the avatar’s metal, which made it akin to grabbing a boulder.
Miriamtess had intended to ask her friend if she approved of her choice of avatar, but the tears streaming down Chandra’s face answered that question.
Chandra’s first battleship entry was aboard Sargut’s Dark Whispers prior to the fight to take Artifice’s system. To her mind, it had been a gigantic ship, rivaling the city-ship in size. But the governor’s colony ship was an order of magnitude greater. It was colossal.
The Talus Tridents halted twenty-five thousand kilometers off the battleship’s forward port quarter. It allowed Chandra plenty of time to examine the monstrosity.
Like the Tridents’ controllers, Chandra’s ship was recording every detail of the battleship, and their combined telemetry streamed to the Freedom.
Miriamtess regarded Suntred, and said, “We need access.”
“Governor Durgat, your transport is here, as you can see,” Suntred said, knowing Miriamtess was relaying her words.
“While you might classify your ship as a shuttle, Liaison Suntred, I would have expected a more significant transport for the distance,” Durgat replied.
Suntred heard the governor’s reply through Miriamtess. She recalled Sargut’s discussion with the governors. What she’d learned was that arguing with them was a waste of time.
“We’ve had this conversation, Governor Durgat,” Suntred said. “Either you can allow us access to a bay, or we’ll proceed to the next governor.”
There was now a total of five governors in the system. The other two, Somgut and Tratget, had arrived before the Tridents left Toral’s orbit. The new arrivals crossed the belt, as the Tridents closed on Durgat’s ship.
Suntred, Miriamtess, and Chandra had monitored Sargut’s conversation with Governors Somgut and Tratget.
Sargut’s discussion had a similar start to that of the first three arrivals, but it quickly changed. Apparently, Sargut was in no mood to be enticed into their arguments. He extended a welcome to them, told of the arriving transport, and said if they had further questions to speak to the other governors. Then he’d ended the comm.
Miriamtess examined the controller’s telemetry. Chandra had highlighted the bay doors that she spotted moving. Of interest to Miriamtess was the fact that the bay was two decks above the lowest level, which was the one that most interested the Omnians. Then the SADE notified Suntred that a bay had been made available to them.
“And without a comment from the governor,” Suntred replied in disgust. “I used to think so highly of their offices.” Then she adopted a serene composure, and said, “We’ve seen the bay opening, Governor Durgat. We’ll be aboard momentarily. We appreciate your consideration.”
After Miriamtess sent Suntred’s words to the battleship’s bridge, she smiled at the liaison, and said, “My compliments on your control.”
“I think it’ll require much more before the governors’ visit is over,” Suntred replied.
Chandra guided her traveler into the cavernous bay and set her ship on the deck.
Chandra remained in her seat. She expected the governor to soon enter the bay. As time ticked by, she became frustrated.
When Suntred heard Chandra’s comment via Miriamtess, she whistled her amusement. She was pleased to know that humans were annoyed too by the governor’s antics.
“Your advice would be helpful,” Suntred requested of Miriamtess, when time continued to drag by.
“If you’re asking what we should do, at this moment, I recommend we wait,” Miriamtess replied. “In this situation, it’s important to demonstrate the greater resolve.”
When Chandra got bored, she joined Suntred and Miriamtess, and the three females passed the time in lively conversation. At one point, Chandra and Suntred paused to make themselves meals.
It was hours after landing, when Miriamtess, who had been monitoring the controller, said, “We have company … seven Toralians.”
Chandra was tempted to immediately drop the hatch, but that call belonged to Suntred and
Miriamtess. This time around, she was just the pilot.
Suntred glanced at the closed hatch and then at Miriamtess, who shook her head.
The SADE let the governor and the accompanying individuals investigate the ship. Prominent brow and facial ridges identified Durgat, who stood with hands clasped in front of him. The six others walked around the shuttle looking for access. When Miriamtess was satisfied, she opened the hatch, which dropped toward the governor.
Durgat leapt back in surprise, uttering a short whistle. The six others raced around the traveler and formed a protective ring around the governor.
The governor and his entourage eyed the hatch and the steep steps embedded in it.
“Greetings, Governor Durgat,” Miriamtess said pleasantly from the open hatch.
This group of Toralians had their first view of the aliens, with whom Sargut had allied his fleet, and they stepped back in surprise issuing soft hisses and whistles.
Miriamtess stepped off the ship’s deck, landing lightly. “May I assist you into the ship, Governor?” she asked. “We know our hatch steps challenge Toralians’ soft boots.”
Durgat stared at Miriamtess in disgust. To him, there were so many things that were wrong in the moment. The alien was ugly. It addressed him without permission, and it dared to suggest that it should help him board the ship.
“Governor Durgat,” Suntred said from the traveler’s deck, “Miriamtess is a sister. She’s what humans call a SADE. She’s a cognizant, digital entity. And regarding her offer, it’s not deemed to be unseemly to be helped over these challenging steps.”
Durgat struggled with his decision. He yearned to eject the shuttle and its occupants from his ship, but his better judgment prevailed. He motioned to one of his agents to climb aboard. The male had to be helped by two others to navigate the steps.
Once aboard, the security agent checked the main cabin. He was surprised to find it empty, except for Suntred. He returned to the hatch and informed Durgat that it was safe.
Seeing the governor had no need for her assistance, Miriamtess motioned to the agent in the hatch to step back. Then, with a single graceful bound, she leapt from the bay deck to the traveler.
“Bot,” an agent mumbled, and a few of his comrades whistled derisively.
Miriamtess ignored the jab, but Suntred bristled.
“You,” Suntred barked, pointing at the agent who had spoken, “are denied access to this ship. Your rudeness will not be tolerated.”
“You don’t dictate who does and doesn’t accompany me,” Durgat declared in a huff.
“I’m Suntred, liaison to President Sargut. The sisters are our allies and fellow citizens. We choose them over you, Governor Durgat.” Turning to the agent beside her, she said, “Leave this ship.”
The agent glanced at Durgat, seeking his permission. In turn, the governor drew breath, his wings fluttering at his back, and said to the offending agent, “Remain here.” Then at his signal, the other agents helped him to board.
Reiko sent, in awe.
The governor and his security team stood uncomfortably in the aisle. They’d noticed there were no bars from which to hang.
Miriamtess signaled the hatch closed, and Suntred and she eased past the visitors to occupy their previous seats.
“Please sit anywhere you wish,” Suntred offered, relaxing into her seat. “I advise you to sit slowly and let the seat adjust to you,” she instructed.
By now, one thing was clear to Durgat. The technology he was witnessing was disconcerting, and without proper knowledge, he felt placed in the role of a subordinate. To counteract this, he was determined to make use of his security team by making them test things first.
Durgat instructed two agents to occupy seats. The males had cringed, when Suntred folded her wings and sat. However, being ordered, they chose two adjacent seats and sat gingerly. They could feel the seat bottoms respond to them, and they softly whistled their surprise.
When Durgat imperially waved two digits at them to sit back, the agents were ready to further test the seats. They folded their wings and slowly leaned backward.
Durgat watched the agents settle comfortably into the ship’s accommodation, and he congratulated himself on his cleverness. Then he chose a seat, ensuring the security team surrounded him.
The shuttle’s lights had dimmed, while the governor and security members experimented with the seats. Now, seemingly only a short while later, the lights brightened. The hatch opened, and Miriamtess and Suntred hurried to the cabin’s rear.
Durgat and his escorts regarded one another in confusion.
Access to Governor Sunnamis’s ship had been expeditious. The bay was promptly made available to the traveler, and the governor didn’t keep the shuttle waiting. However, the governor and her two agents came to an abrupt halt, dubiously eyeing the hatch steps.
“Miriamtess will assist you,” Suntred said with authority.
The SADE jumped off the shuttle, and before one of the agents could protest, Miriamette swiftly deposited him through the hatch opening.
Sunnamis stared intently at Miriamette. “What are you?” she asked.
“I’m a SADE, a self-aware digital entity, a sister, a Talus citizen, and a friend to Toralians.”
Sunnamis wasn’t prepared to find Sargut’s allies intriguing. She stepped to the base of the hatch and held her arms aside. She was on the shuttle’s deck so quickly and so easily that she was taken aback.
Governor Sunnamis’s next surprise was to find Durgat and his agents leaning back in their seats.
In turn, Durgat stared at Sunnamis, wondering why she’d traveled to his ship to board Sargut’s shuttle.
While the governors puzzled out their confusion, Miriamtess closed the hatch.
Suntred’s pointed teeth were prominently and privately displayed to Miriamtess. She was taking great delight in watching the governors and their agents confront Omnian technology.
The next three stops at the other governors’ ships proceeded quickly and smoothly. Soon the traveler held five governors and thirteen security agents. Only Durgat had brought more than two.
As the traveler sailed inward, accompanied by the Tridents, Suntred demonstrated to the passengers how to recline the seats, access the food and the water that had been supplied for them, and how to use the ship’s facilities.
At one point, the governors investigated the pilot’s cabin, and Tortred asked Chandra, “Pilot, how do you navigate? How do you see to land?”
Chandra patiently explained, with Miriamtess translating, the ship’s external hull sensors, controller, helmet technology, and her implant.
The governors returned to their seats. Two were amazed, and three were nauseated by what they’d heard. For those three, the concept of embedding tech in their heads was revolting.
The remainder of the trip was fairly uneventful. The governors took to sitting together, often whispering privately. They were never aware that Miriamtess heard every word of their conversations, if not directly, then through the hull’s interior sensors.
Little more than three days after the governors boarded the traveler, the cabin lights brightened.
“We’re on approach to the orbital station,” Miriamtess announced, which produced more whispering among the governors.
Suntred stood at the front of the main cabin, and said, “Governors, I should make something clear to you. It’s evident that you’ve been surprised, shocked, and disgusted, in varying degrees, by what you’ve seen, heard, and experienced. Yet, you’ve only begun to witness the transformation of Talus. I earnestly recommend to you that you keep your negative opinions to yourself, especially around one individual … Alex Racine, the Omnian leader. He is even less tolerant of foolishness than any Toralian or sister.”
/> -12-
The Mound
There was a brief discussion about landing the governors and their security aboard the Freedom, but that idea was swiftly dismissed for many reasons. The most important reason offered was that it was better to keep the governors on familiar decks, such as those of the orbital station.
Chandra eased the traveler into one of the hub’s four bays and set the ship down. At the appropriate time, Miriamtess triggered the hatch, and Suntred and she preceded the governors and the agents off the ship.
The reception was a choreographed affair. Sargut and Taralum waited in the middle of the bay, and Suntred joined them. Miriamtess helped the agents, who insisted on going first, and then the governors off the ship.
The agents arrayed in a half circle opposite the reception group, and the governors stepped through the ring to face Sargut.
Sargut chose to wait. He let his appearance speak for itself, and he could read the effect in the governors’ expressions. Their brow and facial ridges were prominent, as befitted their stations, but Sargut didn’t resemble them.
The visit to Toral’s ancient mound had started Sargut’s Change, and the transformation had continued for months. His brow and facial ridges were permanently edged in a burnt red orange, and they were more prominent than any of the governors.
Durgat searched for words to reverse the moment’s dynamics. He wanted to be the dominant individual in the meeting, but Sargut’s appearance had captured the other governors’ attention.
Somgut, who was a recent arrival and not party to the governors’ initial discussion with Sargut, broke the silence. “The Change has been dramatic for you, President Sargut, and in such a short period of time. How do you account for that?” he asked.
“I can’t, Governor Somgut,” Sargut replied. “I’ve never witnessed another’s Change, as you probably have.”
“Well, the primary purpose of our trip is to visit the mound,” Durgat said, attempting to redirect the conversation. “When can we leave?”