by Mark Wandrey
“Who are you?” Minu asked.
The figure finished what it was doing and gracefully spun towards her. Minu instantly admired the elegant zero-g maneuver. As it turned, lights slowly grew in the sphere to reveal a young human girl, no more than ten years old. Her boyish figure was wasp thin with arms and legs so frail could be broken by a stiff breeze. She had hair the color of blazing copper, and her eyes were a rich brown. Minu swallowed as she looked into a mirror that reflected an image from years ago. The girl’s face was all sharp angles. There was no hint of emotion, only intense intelligence. Minu felt dizzy.
The girl looked her over with her sharp brown eyes and opened her mouth, speaking in clear English that was as devoid of emotion as her face. “I understand you are my mother.” It was a good thing Aaron had just arrived behind her; it saved Minu from a concussion as she fainted dead away.
Chapter 16
March 15th, 522 AE (subjective)
Interstellar Space
By the time Minu came around, all of the CIC crew was there as well. It was obvious they were no longer flying the ship anyway, so it was the logical thing to do. Aaron's panicked yell had been broadcast all over the ship, and they came running.
As she sat up with Aaron gently supporting her head, the visage of the young girl was unchanged, just floating a few meters away and watching the gathered crowd with mild curiosity. Minu looked over her shoulder at everyone standing around her, some looking at her in concern, others trying to figure out who the thin young girl floating in a miniature CIC was.
“Our daughter?” Aaron asked, making the leap completely on his own. The girl’s facial features, red hair, and his brown eyes were all powerful clues.
“Impossible,” Minu snapped and got to her feet. “This is some sort of trick of the computer. It damn well better not be you guys, because this is fucking sick!” She rounded on them but all except Pip looked horrified by the prospect. Pip looked like he was considering possibilities.
“A simple genetic test should answer the question,” he said.
“No!” Minu almost screamed. “We aborted my fetus not even a month ago.” She gestured back towards the girl with a dismissive wave. “Look at her! She's at least eight, there is no way-”
“I am ten subjective years,” the girl said neutrally. Minu jumped slightly as if she'd been shocked. She was feeling light headed again and she had to clamp down hard on her self-control to avoid falling. Aaron saw her waver and put an arm on her elbow. She slapped it away viscously, without thinking who it was offering the support. “I was removed from your body as a fetus three of your subjective weeks ago.”
“Fine,” she said and forced herself to look at the girl, again feeling the vertigo of looking at a younger self, “then how did you age ten years in a few weeks?”
“The shuttle,” Pip said.
“Yes,” she agreed, giving Pip a slight nod to acknowledge his perception. “The ship tethered the shuttle and suspended it in the chrono-flux of the subspace sphere around the ship. There I was matured inside a synthetic womb, birthed, and raised while knowledge was implanted in my brain to prepare me for this job.”
“Impossible,” Minu laughed; no humor in her voice.
“No, only improbable,” Ted countered.
Bjorn had his own question. “How was the ship able to so precisely age you? Those fields are all but impossible to quantify.”
“It was not,” she replied. “I was supposed to be seventeen subjective years by the time you arrived in the Rasa system. Still, my age was deemed sufficient for this mission. Besides, if the incompetent biologicals; you, were allowed to maintain control of the ship, it would have been lost.” The insult was straight and to the point. As was becoming the norm, Pip wasn't affected the same way as the others.
“That was quite a mind-fuck you did on me back there.” Pip said.
She showed the first signs of emotion, a cold smile crossing her face. “My pleasure.” Minu felt a shiver go up her spine. This was no little girl, not by a long shot. She was about to ask what else the ship had taught her how to do when Aaron spoke up.
“We can't call you girl, what is your name?”
“The ship named me Lilith.”
“Where did it come up with an English name like that?”
“It accessed all your tablets and downloaded the sum data they contained. Based on what it found, the name Lilith was chosen.”
“What now?” Cherise spoke up for the first time. She was the only one among them with no doubts. Like Aaron she'd made the connections quickly, but unlike the others she knew in her heart this was her friend’s baby, suddenly half grown and the master of their ship. She didn't even understand why she knew, it was just a deep 'girl truth' as her mother called it. What the Plateau people called 'women's intuition'. By whatever name it went, she knew the truth when she saw it. Minu and Aaron's baby was floating there, partly grown in body but appearing to possess complete intelligence, and enough cold blooded killer instinct to burn a ship full of T'Chillen alive and rip another ship a new asshole. She had her mother’s capacity for violence.
“There is no way,” Minu jumped in. “You said it took you out early, so have it put you back. We can figure it all out when we get to Bellatrix.”
“That isn't possible,” Lilith explained, “once 'born' out of the sub-space region, I cannot go back. I am permanently inside your space-time now. And besides, I have taken control and reconfigured the ship’s controls. You could not fly it directly now if you wanted to. I am the combat intelligence. We have been joined. And we're not going to Bellatrix.”
Minu was boiling mad. In the moment when she was spluttering Ted stepped in. “Where are we going?”
“I cannot explain it. It is a place where we will be safe while I repair the damage you caused, and complete the ship’s configuration.”
“Configuration?”
“Yes, it is still in need of some components.”
“How long?”
“Five days, ship time. Our speed is somewhat reduced from damage.”
“Am I still the commander?” Minu finally managed to ask.
Lilith looked at her with those deep brown eyes and was silent for what seemed like an eternity. “Yes, you are the commander.”
“Then turn around and make for Bellatrix.”
“As I said, you are the commander, but fleet protocol puts the ship’s interests above biologicals in the case of ship survival where biologicals are not at risk of termination. Once we have made our stop and completed repairs...” she seemed to struggle with herself for a second, “then I am at your command.”
“I don't suppose that, as you say, being your mother, changes that?” Minu had a hard time saying mother.
“Your genetic gift is appreciated, but I am the Combat Intelligence, and you are the Commander. That is all that needs to be said.”
Minu's anger was evaporating like fog on a hot afternoon. This was her daughter. There wasn't any better explanation. Shit, there wasn't any other explanation. “Why didn't the computer tell us about you?”
“The Medical Intelligence was confused by conflicting orders and protocols. Your exact instructions when asked what to do with me were; 'Do whatever it is you do with similar results'. There are no protocols involving the maturation of fetus on a combat vessel. Lacking a Combat Intelligence, the computer improvised and made its own.”
“But-”
“That is enough questions for now,” she told them and gracefully turned in zero gravity. Rows upon rows of holographic Concordia script began to appear around her almost like an egg shell and she began to move among them. “Much work is necessary. Avoid the damaged sections; I will be affecting around the clock repairs, such as can be done in super-luminal travel.” And with that, the door slid closed and the conversation was over with.
“Oh, she's your daughter all right,” Cherise said. All the other older Chosen nodded in silent agreement.
Immediately after Var'at
's shuttle landed, Minu saw to him beginning to get his people situated. He'd only brought twenty of his people, all females except two, his siblings Kal'at and Zar'at; the former a technology specialist, and the later a Rasa physician. Among the other cargo were a few dozen animals in suspension pods similar to what Pip had been transported in, and almost a hundred eggs carrying the genetic heritage of their species. “Never thought I'd be Noah,” Minu said when she welcomed him aboard.
As soon as he was off to see his people housed, Minu met with the other human crew of the Kaatan. A lot needed to be worked out. Minu quickly finished her story to them, riding over their demands for more details, and then asked for everyone's comments on how to proceed.
“It is probably out of the question that we try to remove her,” Bjorn said first. “She almost certainly is either figuratively or literally wired into every ships system now.”
Pip nodded and tapped his dualloy skull plate. “Wireless, there is no doubt. The sheer level of data she is handling makes it a certainty. Probably implanted when she was still a fetus. She learned to use the interface before she learned to walk.”
“I don't think she can walk,” said Minu. “Did you see her arms and legs?”
“Born and raised in zero gravity?” Ted wondered. They all seemed to agree as nods went around the room. “Then she can never leave the ship.”
“At least never in a gravity well,” Pip pointed out. “It might be possible to make a zero-gravity floating wheelchair, or something like it. Should the need ever arise.”
“I need an honest answer from you,” Minu said to Pip, looking him right in the eye. “Tell me you didn't know about this.”
“No,” he said without hesitation. “I admitted I knew something was going on, but not what. Never in my wildest imagination did I think the ship decided to grow its own Frankenstein brain.” Minu looked down and Aaron looked away. “I'm sorry. I still haven't learned to keep my fucking mouth shut.”
“No need,” she said and shrugged. “I'm beginning to accept she is my genetic daughter, but what the ship did to her was far beyond a mechanical midwife or anything like that. It might have raised her, but it did so as it would program a new computer, not a child.”
“We should try to get at least a basic psychological evaluation done,” Bjorn said, “she might be deeply disturbed. Who knows what her basic reality looks like? She never even saw a human until a few hours ago. And the Medical Intelligence admits to not having seen a human before. Who knows what physiological or psychological differences there were between species?”
“She called Minu her mother,” Cherise pointed out.
“And she killed a few thousands snakes without batting an eye,” Aaron added. The room fell silent, no one knowing what else to say until Minu finally spoke up.
“What do you think we can expect at this destination of hers?” she asked the science minds, Pip, Ted, and Bjorn.
“Hard to say,” Ted answered first, Bjorn nodding in agreement.
“Possibly another fire base, or a shipyard,” Pip suggested.
“Okay,” Minu said and spread her hands, “so we wait and see where she's taking us. Other than that, there isn't much to do.”
“There's something for you to do.” Minu looked up at Cherise with a question in her eye. “You can get to know her.”
“Me?” Minu was about to ask why her, then bit it back. Yeah, me. She’d been thinking how life was so unfair. Hadn't her dad always said life wasn't fair?
“Yes, and you too,” Cherise said and nodded her head towards Aaron. “Like it or not, accept it or not, that is your child in there flying this machine.”
“Only by the wildest stretch of the concept parent and child,” Aaron said.
Minu nodded in agreement. “We'll try,” she said, Aaron looked at her in surprise. “It's the least we can do,” she said and stared into his eyes, the exact shade of brown as Lilith's. “Okay?”
He only hesitated a moment. “Yeah, okay.” As they left Lilith watched the empty room considering.
Chapter 17
March 16th, 522 AE (subjective)
Interstellar Space
Minu woke early the next 'day' on the ship. Aaron was snuggled in behind her snoring quietly so she lay there for a few minutes, thinking. So many things had happened to her since she'd left Bellatrix only a couple months ago, so much to change her. Finding out you are pregnant then losing that baby within minutes was traumatic enough, but then having that lost child turn up a few weeks later as the ten year old super mind controlling the ship was the most powerful kick in the back of the head she could imagine. And then there was that fight against the vampires, and their mysterious rescuers.
She watched the little crystalline bots emerge and clean the room, right on schedule. Then, once they were gone, she rose and showered. Aaron was perfect, not even trying to suggest any intimacy last night beyond snuggling. He'd instinctively known it was the farthest thing from her mind. The hot stinging spray brought her fully awake. Afterwards she dressed and quietly left.
A few of the Rasa were out and about, still settling into life on the ship. Minu didn't recognize any of them and they didn't carry translators so she just flicked her eyes in a Rasa sort of wave and moved on. There was time to meet them later.
She arrived at the door to the new miniature CIC without realizing she was going there. As before, it slid open. Must be visiting hours, she thought. As before Lilith floated in the center, but this time the space was lit gently and she was waiting. Like she would in the other CIC, Minu stepped in, and fell.
“Shiitt!” she squeaked and started spinning. She'd expected a floor to conveniently appear like the main CIC, and it didn't. She was so disoriented she didn't have time to do anything. The room spun in circles and she caught a quick glance as Lilith gracefully slid to the side to avoid colliding with her mother. Then Minu hit the opposite wall and rebounded off. She hit on her left shoulder, not too painfully, and tried to catch a hold on the wall, but it was perfectly smooth. She was heading off in a new direction. Just before she hit the wall again an invisible force arrested her motion and spun her around to face Lilith in the center of the room.
“You looked like you needed help.” As always she showed no emotions on her face.
“Thank you.” No response. “I wanted to talk with you.”
“You are.”
“Right.” Minu took a breath and tried to think of what to say. “I want you to know this isn't the way this should have happened.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that we wanted to have you, Aaron and I. He's your father, you know?”
“Yes, I understand.”
“Okay. Anyway, we were excited to find out you were inside me.”
“Then you had me removed and discarded me.”
Minu swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears from rising and knowing she was failing. “The Medical Intelligence told me-”
“That you could not carry me to term, I understand. It was the logical option.”
“No, it wasn't logical, it was the only choice. My life was in danger, and it said you had no chance. I'm sorry.”
“Don't be, the ship gave me everything I need. It was the chance you couldn't give me.”
It was too much, the tears weren't falling, they were just gathering in her eyes like puddles. She managed to reach the wall with a foot and shove off. Whether Lilith helped her or not, all that mattered was she reached the door and was out of there, almost landing flat on her face as gravity returned suddenly. Lilith watched her go, her face blank and uncomprehending.
Aaron found Minu in the galley an hour later poking a couple synthetic eggs around some equally synthetic sausage. He smiled but when she looked up her eyes were red and puffy. She tried to smile back but just started crying again.
“What's wrong?” he asked, sitting next to her.
“I tried talking to Lilith.”
“Oh? Didn't go well?”
; “She's an Alma alright.”
“What does that mean?”
“She's a bitch, through and through.” Minu explained the meeting, leaving nothing out. Aaron's eyes got bigger and bigger as she went on until he was fuming. When she was done he was on his feet and leaving. “Where are you going?”
“To talk to our daughter.” Minu watched him go, unsure if she wished him luck or not. What hurt the worst was that the young girl had told the truth.
The door opened for him as he approached to find Lilith floating in the center of her 'home'. He didn't waste any time. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“I'm not certain I understand the question.”
Aaron avoided stepping off into zero gravity; she'd warned him about her preferred living environment. Instead he stood at the edge, a hand on both sides of the door. “Don't you know anything about what you are?”
“I am the ship’s Combat Intelligence.”
“You are our daughter, and a human being.”
“Only by the definitions of the word.”
“So it means nothing to you where you come from?”
“Very little.”
“And equally little how you are perceived by those who might care for you?”
“Even less.”
“It seems then you were right.”
“About what?”
“That you are only human by definition. Because humans don't treat each other like you treated Minu, unless they hate each other.”
“I do not know how to hate.”
“You seem to have mastered it without any practice. But whether you like it or not, or want it or not, you are our daughter, and we have feelings for you.”
Lilith cocked her head and opened her mouth, then stopped. Aaron nodded. For the first time she didn't know what to say. “I don't desire your feelings, they are irrelevant to me.”
