by S. H. Jucha
Trixie closed the comm, and Mickey sat down hard on a lab stool. He admitted that Trixie’s logic was solid, as he would have expected, especially the part about Alex keeping a secret to ensure the focus of the Daelon Independents. “Our next discussion, Alex, which we need to have soon, should be an interesting one,” Mickey murmured.
-29-
Scout Ships
Alex sat down in the engineering lab with Mickey three days after they first spoke about the scout ships.
“Here are my requests, Mickey,” Alex said, as the two of them watched the design rotate in the holo-vid view. “You’re going to have to change the hull configuration slightly.”
“Alex, if we widen it, we’ll lose the optimum collection ratio between the shell’s circumference and the grav engines, and the SADEs told me there was little allowance in expanding the hull without disturbing the balance of grav and jump engines.”
“Which is why I’m not asking you to widen the hull, Mickey, I want you to lengthen it.”
“Lengthen it? For what reason?”
“To accommodate three SADEs lying head to toe.”
“Did the SADEs request this?” Mickey asked. When the engineer became the recipient of Alex’s hard-eyed stare, he quickly relented. “Forget I asked.”
“If you’ll lengthen the hull, you’ll create more collection surface for the shell, and you won’t interfere with the flow of the jump engines.”
“Actually, that’s a good idea, Alex,” Mickey admitted.
“I’m glad you approve,” Alex replied, slapping his friend on the shoulder, as if to reprimand him for suggesting he wasn’t capable of good ideas. “Next, I want a beacon inside the ship. It would be better if it used the forward part of the hull as the signal’s antenna.”
“I would guess that you want a separate power backup for it, in case the engines are damaged or destroyed. How much time should the power cells provide?”
“First, Mickey, the signal transmission should be triggered automatically if there are any major system failures.”
“Alex, with this design, if they lose the engines, they won’t have full comm capability. The beacon will only be useful for subspace transmission.”
“And that’s why we’ll institute a reporting procedure. On each scout ship’s entrance into a system, the SADEs will report their status and continue reporting daily until their final report, when they exit the system with coordinates for the next star.”
“Ah, so we’ll always know what area of space they were last in when the reports fail to be received.”
“Precisely, my friend. We’ll have their star location and their approximate vector data. It still won’t be easy to locate them, but it will give us a fighting opportunity.”
“So, I take it that three years of transmission power located near where the SADEs are housed should do it.”
“I was thinking two years, Mickey, but I like three years better.
“Anything else?”
“I noted the ship’s controller memory was pared.”
“Yes, the SADEs felt they could operate as the primary computational system. An extensive controller would only duplicate their capability.”
“Understood, Mickey. The controller can stay minimized, but I want its crystal memory increased. It must be able to hold twice the capacity of the Rêveur’s vid and text library, the star charts, and any other information that the SADEs require.”
“You do know how large that library has grown, right?”
“I didn’t until I checked on it two nights ago, and, yes, I was shocked. It appears my lovely and dynamic partner has never stopped collecting and adding to her library.”
“So, you intend to entertain the SADEs with romance vids,” Mickey said, smirking.
“I have a lesson for you, my friend,” Alex said, displaying the look Mickey knew was delivered soon after he’d laid down what he thought was a winning hand only to see Alex’s cards beat him. “Z watched those vids to design Miranda’s persona and look how that turned out.”
Mickey had an image of Miranda at the last fête, wearing her curve-hugging gown and entertaining everyone in her orbit. “Point taken, Alex. But, if the SADEs return from their trips with designs for their mates and request we create kernels, which we can’t do yet, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
What Mickey didn’t tell Alex was that Pia was a fan of the Rêveur’s library, and the couple often spent an evening watching a vid from it.
“Before you go, Alex,” Mickey said, as Alex was turning to leave. “The SADEs postulated that you found something important on Sawa … something that you don’t wish to share yet.”
“Did they?” Alex replied. “Interesting speculation. Let me know when you have the new design, Mickey,” Alex said over his shoulder, as he marched off to another meeting.
* * *
Trixie was immediately aware of the changes Alex requested of Mickey, when she noted the engineering notations in the design files, and she contacted Mickey after Alex left the bay.
I doubt it, my young SADE. There is more to life than logic and calculations, Mickey thought, after Trixie closed the comm, and his mind wandered briefly to his partner, Pia, in whose arms he had found great joy.
Julien sent in reply. He slowed calculations he’d been performing on star patterns for Alex’s search for the Nua’ll home world to focus on Trixie’s concerns.
* * *
Alex linked with Julien, Cordelia, Z, and Miranda. Alex sent.
Alex sent, and the SADEs sensed the power wave through the comm.
The SADEs remained linked, each with their thoughts.
Julien replied.
Z interjected.
Miranda sent.
Miranda sent.
* * *
A day after Alex contacted the four SADEs, he received their list. They had identified thirty-one SADEs. Julien had copied Alex on the parameters the foursome used during their communication with the Confederation SADEs. Alex smiled, reviewing Julien’s approach.
None of the SADEs were asked about their willingness to journey into the dark or how they perceived the search’s isolation. Instead, Julien drafted questions that asked the SADEs what they would do in a series of scenarios that they might encounter during their search. The four SADEs had evaluated the Confederation SADEs on their willingness to be flexible in challenging circumstances, to consider the well-being of the other two SADEs with them, and keep the greater picture in mind.
Alex winced when he pulled up the list. Killian’s name was at the top. Why are my favorites always out front? Alex thought with regret. Despite his emotional reaction, Alex contacted Killian and informed him that they would spend the daylight hours together, beginning tomorrow morning.
Shortly before morning meal, Killian tapped a New Terran sled jockey to ferry him from the orbital to the Freedom. The New Terran dropped his load of plating, swung into a mak
eshift bay, picked up his passenger, and jetted off to the city-ship.
Once aboard the Freedom, the pilot of the tiny craft asked, “Do I wait for you, Sir?”
“Negative, pilot. Return to work, and thank you for your help,” Killian replied. The New Terran touched the brim of his worn, fraying cap and spun his craft around to wait for the bay to pressurize, which would happen once Killian entered the airlock and the flight crew chief signaled all clear.
Killian strode quickly through the corridors, reflecting on the respect and consideration the New Terran workers paid him. First and foremost, they depended on him for accurate directions, but they also seemed to respond well to his patience. Many had commented that they never had a supervisor who treated them so cordially. Quickly, Killian made a mental connection. We treat one another and humans, as Dassata treats us, he thought.
While Killian waited in the corridor outside Alex’s suite, his programs were involved in the construction oversight of the Sardi-Tallen Orbital Platform. He liked repeating the orbital’s full name, recognizing it was pride that drove the habit. A portion of Killian’s kernel was busy considering what questions would be asked of him. Of particular concern was how the interview could possibly take an entire day.
Alex exited the suite with Renée, gave Killian a brief nod, and walked on. Renée took the SADE’s arm and chatted with him on the way to the meal room.
It was curious to Killian that during the entire meal Alex spoke to others at the table but never addressed him. When two young Daelon children, a boy and a girl, cleared away the meal’s trays, pitchers, and cups, Alex rose and Killian quickly followed. Not a word was exchanged, as the pair descended decks, traversed corridors, transited an airlock, and boarded a traveler.
The first of the day’s many stops for Alex and Killian was at the site where Wave Skimmer’s hive was constructing its domiciles. Alex exited the ship and was welcomed by the Swei Swee.
