by S. E. Weir
He couldn’t tell if it was fear for the people they had just learned about. If that were the case, he could understand. Those people were dead now for all they knew, and they didn’t deserve it. Or who knew? Maybe they did. Point was, they didn’t know, and that was a terrible and terrifying thought. So, he could understand that fear.
If it was fear for what was going on with her, Link empathized since that same fear coursed through him, driving him into a frenzy to do something—anything to protect her. To think he was failing in his vow caused him to want to borrow Maxim’s claws and rend the threat to pieces, but there was no target for his fear and wrath to focus on, so he was left to stew in the emotional miasma inside him.
However, if Phina’s fear was of him and his anger? Link didn’t know what to do with that; he flinched from it. He hated the thought since she had been through enough pain, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He needed to find out what had happened to her. He needed to find out what he could do to make it right.
And he needed to find out why the hell she hadn’t come to him about it first.
ADAM’s silence frightened Phina almost as much as Link’s anger. What had he found out?
“We do know some things.” He spoke slowly.
Link stopped pacing and spread his hands, his expression arrogant and demanding. “Well?” Link displayed so much Greyson Wells in that voice and attitude that it irritated her. Irritation was welcome, being better than fear.
“We don’t know nearly enough to say definitively. Just know we are working on it.”
Fists now clenched along with his jaw, Link growled, “That’s not good enough, ADAM.”
Phina was surprised by the tone in ADAM’s voice when he replied, “It’s going to have to be. I will say no more until we are one hundred percent confident of the facts, and that includes what happened to Phina and who might have helped it along.”
Link opened his mouth to argue; she could see it in his eyes. Before he could say another word, he stopped as if he were listening to something she couldn’t hear. After a moment, he met her eyes. The anger peeled away, leaving only fear, disappointment, and resolve.
ADAM had to have said something privately to him that caused him to release the anger, but what could it have been?
“Fine.” A host of intense thoughts and feelings colored the word, but Link’s voice no longer throbbed with anger, filling her with relief. “But I want Phina in a Pod-doc as soon as that can be managed.”
“Of course.” ADAM’s voice sounded hesitant, which caused Phina to frown.
“Now that that’s settled, let’s talk about what we need to do for the people who are dying.” Anna Elizabeth spoke dryly, causing Link and Phina to turn to her.
Phina exhaled a shaky breath and nodded. “Of course.”
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Open Court
Phina’s chest felt tight. Fudging crumbs, she had never been this anxious before! What was wrong with her? Alina always knew what to say to help her sort herself out, hence the reason she had taken a straight path from the Diplomatic Institute to the Open Court. She had bumped into quite a few people on the way. Link would probably be yelling at her about her situational awareness if he could see her now.
There went her anxiety again. She didn’t know what was going on with the man. He had left before she could question him about anything, let alone if he was mad at her. Not that she really wanted to know if he had been mad; she just wanted to make sure he wasn’t mad now. At her. And that she hadn’t been the source of his disappointment, though she couldn’t think of anything she’d done to warrant disappointment. How could he have just gone off without saying anything after blowing up like that? What was wrong with that arrogant man?
Stars, what was wrong with her? She had never been this moody, anxious, and irritable! Good thing she was on her way to see Alina. She couldn’t take herself like this anymore.
As she entered the main thoroughfare leading into the Open Court, she had a thought.
“ADAM?”
>>Yes, Phina?<<
She hesitated but decided to just be upfront and ask. “What did you say to Link that made him agree?”
>>I regret to say that’s between the two of us. I can’t tell you the specifics, but I will say that I convinced him to trust me.<<
“Oh.”
That gave her a lot to think about, speculating what that measure of trust could be and mean.
“Whatever the case, thank you for trying to figure everything out. I’m feeling unsettled about all of this.”
>>You’re welcome, Phina. We’re doing everything we can to determine what’s going on.<<
“Oh? Who’s we? Just out of curiosity.”
>>A friend and I.<<
Phina recognized the tone. It was the one ADAM used when he was trying to hide something from her.
“Uh-huh. Of course, she is.”
>>My friend is not female.<<
She smirked. “That’s disapp…unlucky for you.”
ADAM paused before responding, >>From past experience, I would say you are trying to imply something along the lines of a lack of a romantic or physical relationship.<<
She shrugged. “Close enough.”
>>I see.<<
“Do you really?”
A digital sign flashed a message ahead and to her right, changing from Enjoy a Coke. More real and delicious than a Pepsi to I see everything everywhere, Genius Girl.
Phina burst out laughing, relieving the pressure she had been feeling and the awful ache inside. A passing shopper looked at the sign strangely but continued walking after giving her a look. Another couple continued talking and took no notice of the change. A teenage Yollin looked at the sign, befuddled, his mandibles moving in surprise.
Ignoring them, Phina’s laughter gradually subsided. ADAM knew just what to say or do to cheer her up. She felt a wave of affection for him that had been growing in strength over the past months.
“Thank you, ADAM. So, do you know everything your kids know?”
>>You are welcome, and not entirely. It’s not a direct transfer or a program written in, but more of a courtesy. However, unless it’s of a personal nature, they usually send me everything since just about all the information in the Empire comes through me, and I can direct it to whoever needs to see it.<<
“How does that work? Do you just expand yourself to accommodate the influx? Where do you get the space?”
ADAM was silent for long enough that she became concerned she had offended him. Phina slowed her pace toward Alina’s workplace. “ADAM?”
>>Yes. I was getting permission to share this with you.<<
“Oh! I didn’t realize it was something that sensitive. Are you sure you should tell me?”
>>We trust you.<<
Phina felt the warmth she’d first felt when ADAM had shared that he, Meredith, and Reynolds had been looking out for her for years and teaching her so she could acquire her hacking skills. She had only ever felt that way about her parents and Alina before. She quickly brushed away the few tears that had come to her eyes. When had she turned so sappy? She hardly ever cried. She gently shook her head.
“Thanks, ADAM.”
>>You are welcome, Phina. The answer is that part of me rests in the advanced computer that resides inside Bethany Anne’s brain. It’s Kurtherian-based technology, so we don’t entirely understand how it works, though I’ve learned much since I was first born into awareness. I’m not really part of the station; I just use the station as my eyes and ears. To use a human example, the station is my playground, but I don’t live there. Where I live is partly within the computer inside Bethany Anne’s brain, but in large part, I live in the Etheric. So, anytime I expand in size to accommodate data, it’s within the Etheric.<<
“Wow! I had no idea. That’s amazing!” Her brain raced as she muttered to herself, “So, part of your brain is in a super-advanced computer, and part is in this other dimension that Bethany Anne uses to move f
rom one place to the other and all the other cool things she does, I’m sure. It also was used to power the station. I’ve seen what she does and found references to the device and inferred. Which means the Etheric conducts and/or creates energy, so if...”
Phina stopped in the middle of the shopping traffic, hearing muttered curses around her as people swerved to avoid the slender woman in their way. She was focused on following a rabbit trail of thought with past, present, and future implications.
“ADAM…” Not sure how to refine what she was thinking into concise words, she focused her thoughts into a bundle and sent it to him. It took him a few moments to respond.
>>We don’t know. It’s possible.<<
“The Empress knows?”
>>She knows.<<
Still rooted in one place, Phina tried to put her thoughts in order. If he lived partly in one of the most advanced computers to ever exist but mostly in the Etheric, that meant her friend wasn’t just a result of advanced programming but much more. And with ADAM expanding into the Etheric with each increase in size, the Etheric would bring an increase of power to this dimension, allowing him to expand into the reaches of the universe exponentially as time went on. Which meant her friend might be considered an AI, but he was in a whole other category, separate from and above the AIs that were his children since they only existed on this plane.
The thought floored her. Just how far into the universe could he reach one day?
Chapter Eight
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, White House Fashions
Phina entered the fashion house, still dazed and reeling from the implications of ADAM’s revelation. As she grabbed a rack of clothing to steady herself, Phina realized she had a choice. She could treat her friend like the impressive being he was, which would change something precious between them, or she could continue to treat him as she had been—as her friend.
“Phina!”
Alina’s bright voice broke her daze, bringing her attention to the present. Her best friend bounced forward in a bright atmosuit, a relaxed civilian version of the pilot atmosuits she had been tasked to design months ago. It suited her, though only the detailing and pocket locations were the same as the military version’s. The one Alina wore fit tightly and had a lower collar and panels on her belly, arms, and the sides of her legs that revealed more than they concealed. The pockets were for style rather than function. However, what made the outfit really stand out was the color and that she wore it with matching heels.
Phina’s hand covered her face. “My eyes!”
“Ha-ha. You’re hilarious.”
Phina peeked between her fingers to see Alina posing in front of her, showing off her atmosuit. “Not as hilarious as that outfit.”
Alina pouted. “I’ll have you know that Atmosuits by Alina are selling like hotcakes.”
Keeping her eyes closed, Phina pulled her friend into a hug. “I don’t doubt it. I just can’t keep my eyes open when I look at you. That color is blinding.”
“I like it. It’s called Sunbeam.”
“It’s definitely beaming.”
Alina hugged her back. “You all right? You don’t normally hug this much in public.”
Phina pulled back. “Yes. No. I don’t really know what I am.” Shaking her head, Phina kept her eyes shut to keep the tears in. Fudging crumbs! She had never been this moody. She kept her voice low, not wanting anyone to overhear.
Alina gave her another quick hug before pulling back, concern showing on her face. “Do you want to talk about it or be distracted?”
Phina felt a knot inside her relax. This was why she had come to Alina. Her friend knew just what to say and do. “Distraction right now. Definitely distraction.”
Quickly squeezing her shoulders, then releasing, Alina gave her a bright smile. “You got it. Come on!”
Alina pulled her over to a section of the store that displayed the versions of the military atmosuit Alina had designed for both men and women. “Look! See how nice they are? I would never have done all of this without your help.”
Phina shook her head. “You would have figured it out.”
Smiling, Alina linked arms with her friend. “Maybe, but I got there quicker with you. And I told you, they’ve been so popular I had to make civilian versions.” She waved her hand at the other side of the section, where bright-colored atmosuits with different tailoring were located. “Which have also been really popular.”
“Not that they aren’t awesome, but why do you think they are so popular?” Phina poked a finger at some of the items in front of her, noticing there were different fabrics and textures as well as styles.
Alina shrugged, though Phina thought it more for modesty than uncertainty. “It could be that a few well-known pilots like Julianna Fregin have bought them, so others have joined in. Mal says she thinks trends are shifting now from flirty and fun to functional and sexy. We’ll have to see. It takes longer than a few months to know if it’s a one-time thing or if trends are shifting.”
Phina nudged her with a smile. “Look at you, talking the fashion talk.”
Grinning, Alina pulled Phina with her toward the back. “I know! It’s so fun and exciting! I love it!”
After running the gauntlet of busyness in the back, with interns running around everywhere and Mal directing it all like a four-star general, they reached Alina’s design station in the side room. Phina looked around and saw fabrics and embellishments everywhere. Alina noticed the direction of her gaze and playfully smacked Phina in the arm, which she barely felt.
“Hey! Us creative people need to go with the flow. We don’t have time to keep it all clean as we do it.”
Phina purposely widened her eyes to look innocent as she shook her head. “I didn’t say anything. You can keep it as messy as you like.”
“Uh-huh. And don’t you forget it!” Alina grinned as she pulled up her designs on the screen, showing Phina various pieces that were as much art as clothing.
“Wow! You know I’m not into fashion like you are, but these look amazing, Alina! Are they all getting turned into clothes?”
Pursing her lips, Alina tilted her head. “I don’t think all of them will, but I hope several do. Mal is the one that chooses which ones are put into circulation. I really like this one.” She pulled up a striking new design.
Phina stared at the screen. “Alina, I need an outfit in a few weeks for this event that’s happening. It needs to be outwardly formal without looking too refined, but it also needs to be functional in case there’s a problem and I need my weapons. That outfit looks like it might be perfect with a few tweaks. Would it be possible to have it made for me?”
Eyes lighting up, Alina squealed. “Of course! What do you need?”
While going through the alterations, Phina calmed down. Even if fashion wasn’t her thing, spending time with her best friend made her feel normal and like herself.
Alina hugged her goodbye and escorted her out after a short exchange with Mal. Phina left feeling relaxed, her anxiety at a minimum. Upon reflection, she realized that Alina always treated her the same, no matter what was going on with Phina. She celebrated Phina’s successes, commiserated with her when things went badly, helped her through the difficult times by giving her space when she needed it, and listened when she needed someone to be with her. Alina was a true friend, and Phina appreciated her.
She stepped to the side of the corridor so she wouldn’t cause another traffic jam and sent Alina a quick message.
A— I don’t have words for how much I appreciate you. You are and have always been the best ever. Yes, even when you smacked me when we were babies. Love you forever.
A few minutes later, she got a message in return.
All right, which alien stole my best friend? Just kidding! I love you too, precious! You know I’m always here for you, whatever you need.
P.S. I never smacked you when we were babies.
Phina smiled, her heart lighter as she contemplated the revelations from ADAM
. Alina always treated her the same, and Phina could do no less for ADAM. Whatever might happen in the future, it changed nothing about their friendship now. And whatever ADAM experienced in the future, he would need friends to help him through it.
She closed her eyes and nodded, then took a huge personal step.
“ADAM?”
>>Phina?<<
“I love you. I’m your friend to the end. Just let me know if I can do anything for you.”
She waited through a long pause before ADAM replied, though she surprised herself by not feeling nervous.
>>Thank you, Phina. I love you too.<<
Star System within the Empire, Planet Lyriem
She-Who-Mourns poured a small amount of water into the mouth of the small child in front of her. The little one moaned and feebly thrashed when the rest of the water was taken away, even though compassion had allowed a few drops more to slip through. She-Who-Mourns felt sorrow, but there was little she could do. She had gathered the surviving people, together with the last of the water and the last of the food.
At best, they had weeks left.
Most likely, they had days.
She raised her voice, and using a low level of su’adon, sang over the people around her as she moved from one to the next, giving each of them a little of what precious water was left. In a couple of hours, she would repeat the ritual. The song calmed the children and gave them comfort. The adults gradually calmed as well, solely due to her su’adon gift since they now had a better handle on the harsh realities of their lives. Ignoring the ache in her sonorous tubes that cried out for moisture, She-Who-Mourns poured her heart into giving them the small hope she still had left.
That someone would come and they would finally understand, so her people would be saved.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Phinalina Residence
Sound and music flowed around Phina as she stood in her room. She had her eyes closed as she listened to it.
“I’ve never had to figure out how a language works, ADAM. How do you suggest we go about this?”
