“You need to be careful with that tail, Kitty.”
He purred louder, but didn’t open his eyes.
“Vivian,” the computer prompted.
“Hi Missy,” she answered.
“Quin is looking for you. Shall I tell him where to find you?”
“No! No, don’t. I’ll go to him right away. Do not tell him where I am.”
“Very well. But be advised that he is searching for you now.”
Vivian got up from her place on the floor next to the space cat, “I’ll be back tomorrow, okay? I won’t leave you here alone. I just have to figure out what to do with you. I’ll bring you something to drink tomorrow, too.”
The creature cried and yowled in protest as she left him, running for the ladder to get to Quin before he found her new friend.
Chapter 15
Vivian got to the top of the ladder, slipped under the chains and picked up her blanket, tucking it under her arm. She wound her chain around her forearm and slipped her dagger into her sash. Then she picked up her platter of bread rounds and hurried back the direction she’d come, headed toward the lift to get back to Quin’s apartment before he found her snooping around on the storage deck. She didn’t want to give away her kitty until she knew how he got there and the best way to free him.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Quin stalked down the corridor, on a mission to find his Ehlealah. He’d gone back to their quarters, and she was gone. He’d asked the ship’s computer where she was and had been told only, “She is aboard Command Warship 1, Commander.”
So he’d called for Vor, who was now walking just a step behind him, on his right. “You told us we were not needed this day. Had we known you would leave her unattended, we’d have been there.”
Quin stopped walking and spun to face Vor. His words were left unspoken as a humming, completely unconcerned Vivian came strolling leisurely around the curve in the corridor ahead of them.
“There, Sire!” Vor said, his eyes landing on the very woman they were searching for.
Quin’s head snapped back in the direction Vor pointed, and he rushed toward her.
Vivian saw him coming and stopped walking.
“Vivi!” Quin called, more gruffly than she would have liked, “do not wander away! You must advise when you are leaving our quarters! You cannot wander alone. You must be accompanied either by your guard or by me. It is not negotiable! Without fail, every single time, you must advise when you leave our quarters!”
To her credit she did manage to not snap back at him, but only because she wasn’t supposed to be able to understand his words yet. Instead, she just glared at him, still angry that he’d try to tell her she couldn’t go exploring alone and that he’d raise his voice at her. What made him think it was okay to raise his voice at her?
Just as she was beginning to realize that she wasn’t afraid of him, wasn’t intimidated by his raised voice, rather she was pissed off that he dared to yell at her and wondering what that meant, Vor spoke to him.
“Ah, you see, Sire? She must have gone back for her bedding. We found it earlier in the day while exploring the ship.”
Quin, who’d turned to Vor when he started speaking, followed Vor’s line of vision to see Vivian’s very irritated expression before she had time to hide it. “Why are you scowling, little one?”
Vivian shoved her platter of bread at Quin and marched past the two men, not making eye contact with either as she passed.
“Ehlealah?” Zha Quin said.
Vivian stopped walking and turned back to Quin — she was supposed to be this Ehlealah woman after all.
“Do you understand my words? Has your language been identified?”
Vivian didn’t respond. She looked at Quin as she had all along, as though she had no idea what he was saying, though she had an uneasy feeling that perhaps she just missed her opportunity to tell him the truth. She wasn’t ready, she needed more time on her own. Vivian raised her chin, turned on her heel and continued on her path to Quin’s quarters.
“Find Ba Re’, tell him to examine the programming of our ship’s computer. I believe there may be an error in its programming. Any others on the ship, I am apprised of their location at any time I ask — my Ehlealah, all I receive are vague responses. Fix it. And I want a report on the languages that have been tried and rejected.”
“Yes, Sire. I will locate Ba Re’ and pass along your instructions.”
Quin watched his female as she strolled away from them. “Reestablish the routines you had set in place regarding her safety. ‘Round the clock.”
Vor came to attention at once, “Right away, Sire. Thank you.” He was very pleased that he and his team had been given orders to continue with their chosen focus, seeing to the safety of their Sirena.
“In fact, be sure she gets back to our quarters safely. I will speak to Ba Re’ myself,” Zha Quin said. He was thinking of the fact that Vivi was the only individual he did not get immediate updates on. That was either a glitch, or someone had instructed the computer to evade his questions about her. She’d outsmarted her guard. And now he was wondering if she’d managed to outsmart him as well. He was beginning to think that perhaps his little mate was keeping secrets and had the computer aiding her in her secret keeping as well.
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
“I’m looking, Zha Quin, but I think you’re mistaken,” Ba Re’ said.
“I thought so as well, but the more I think of it, the more I am convinced. I can inquire about anything else, anyone else and I get an immediate direct response. I ask about Vivi, or the status of the search for her language or even where she is, what she is doing… I receive a vague response. Why is this?”
“Are you sure?” Ba Re’ countered.
Zha Quin gave him a look that said, “I’m not an idiot,” but did not reply.
Ba Re’ tapped away at the keys of the main frame control panel for some time before grinning, then chuckling as he sat back, looking at the monitor in front of him. “I believe we’ve been had.”
Zha Quin sat forward, looking at the readout and computer jargon that rapidly filled the monitor in response to Ba Re’s typed inquiry. “What does it all mean?”
“It means that days ago the computer identified the language your Ehlealah speaks. It means that she’s been steadily asking questions and learning about the world around her from our own control systems. It means she’s willfully misled you, allowing you to believe that she wasn’t aware of your words or anything going on around her.”
“How could she do that? The ship’s computer is programmed to respond to every command I give. I, above all, can override any command it’s given.”
“I’m not completely sure. It is artificial intelligence. It learns from interactions, mimics behavior, but it would have to be instructed, guided to learn to be evasive.” Ba Re’ answered, before saying, “Give me a minute more.” Three minutes later Ba Re’ pushed back from his monitor and turned his chair to face Zha Quin. He shook his head as he regarded his friend. “Really? You have no idea how she could override and influence our computer system?”
“How would I know these things? If I had any idea, I wouldn’t be sitting here now asking for your assistance.”
“Think on it, Zha Quin. What permissions have you allowed her?”
“Anything she wants. I’ve instructed the computer to respond to her every need.”
“And?” Ba Re’ pressed.
Zha Quin thought about it, “What? I don’t understand.”
“Did you not give orders to the computer system to respond to her every need immediately and without question?”
Zha Quin realized immediately his error, “Yes, I did.”
“And that is how she managed to have the computer system deceive us.”
Quin realized now the error of his instruction to the computer system. He huffed a frustrated sigh, “How long has she been hiding her ability to communicate?”
“For only two days, but she’s manage
d to tailor the system to her own needs. She’s taught it to decide how to answer any query it receives. It can now evade, if it thinks it should.” He typed a bit more, then, “I can’t unlearn the behavior the computer system has learned from her, but I can circumvent it going forward.”
“No,” Zha Quin said. “No, I don’t want her feeling afraid again. And I certainly don’t want her feeling as though she is a prisoner. If she feels we are aware of her actions and monitoring her, she may feel exactly that. Just have the computer advise me at all times of her activity. And tell it not to advise her of the fact that it’s updating me. Allow her to continue to become more at ease. I just want to know where she is and what she is doing at regular intervals.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, at the very least I or her guard can follow from a distance and insure her safety. Is there anything else I should know from her instructing our mainframe?” Quin asked.
“No, she’s not sabotaging. Just keeping secrets about communicating. She’s done no harm, nor tried to.”
After a few typed in commands, Ba Re’ spun around on his stool to face Zha Quin, “Done. You will have private updates through your portable comm. No one but yourself will hear them. Her every request of the system will be filtered to you.”
“Thank you, Ba Re’. I worry for her so, and she doesn’t trust me yet. I’m caught between wanting to fully claim her and just be done with it, and allowing her time to heal, as much as she can — and waiting for her to be ready.”
“She does seem to trust you. Perhaps she doesn’t even realize it.”
Zha Quin’s brow wrinkled, “In what way has her behavior indicated trust of any kind?”
“Think on it, Zha Quin. She won’t eat unless you test her food, she sleeps in your quarters. She goes through your things and wears your clothing. She does not even fear you when you raise your voice at her. You said so yourself!”
Zha Quin considered his friend’s words. “Do you think so, truly?”
“I do. She’s already established a level of trust in you, and she likely hasn’t even noticed.”
Zha Quin felt better, perhaps Ba Re’ was correct. “Yes, I think maybe she has. This is good, very good.”
“It is. I am happy for you, Zha Quin.”
Zha Quin stood, smiling. “Thank you, Ba Re’.” He made to exit Ba Re’s office when he had a thought, “When will you install the cleansing tank that I requested?”
“Tomorrow. It was just delivered on the last supply transport. It will be installed tomorrow afternoon.”
“Thank you, Ba Re’. This will be a gift for her. If the human cleansing holovids we viewed are any indication, I believe she will enjoy it. It seemed to be very pleasurable for the women in the cleansing tanks.”
<<<<<<<>>>>>>>
Bart packed a few changes of clothes, his official papers and Consortium ID, making sure to leave enough room to place the old wooden box he’d carried with him all his life. If he was right, his years of investigation, his persistence, had not been for nothing. He laid several more changes of clothing on top of the box, both to cushion it and to hide it from view. A single tone sounded, letting him know that a visitor stood outside his quarters. Bart zipped his carry bag closed and called over his shoulder, “Come.”
The door slid open, revealing a very irritated, clearly out of sorts, Malm. “Ambassador Bartholomew, it is imperative that you insist you are unable to attend without me. I must be there to guide the interrogation of the females.”
“We are not interrogating them. We are counseling them. Attempting to heal their trauma and eventually repatriate them to their own worlds, or assist them in finding another,” Bart replied.
“Of course, that is exactly what I meant to say.”
“Then why didn’t you?” Bart asked uninterestedly as he went back to packing.
“Simply a misspeak. But the point remains, I need to be involved,” Malm pressed.
“Unfortunately, the Cruestaci have refused you access, and approved only me. So, I’ll be going alone.”
Malm turned red in the face, “Do they not see that I am pertinent in the healing of the human girl? I am the only one who should have access to her. No one else is equipped to see to her needs. I demand that I be allowed unfettered access to her!”
Bart shouldered his bag and turning from his bed, raised his eyebrows at Malm’s outburst. “What is your unwaivering interest in this girl based upon?” Bart asked as he pushed past the irritating Chairman and stepped into the corridor on his way to the transport deck.
Malm followed along behind Bart, a constant sputtering in an attempt to justify his unreasonable interest in the recently recovered human female. “She is of Earth, and, therefore, off limits! It is enough!”
“No. It is not. Every one of the women recovered are as important as the next. What is your fascination with this one?” Bart asked, spinning on his heel to peer directly into Malm’s eyes.
“Of course, they are. But this one is frail and she is of my people. I owe it to each of them to bring all of our people home,” Malm said magnanimously.
Bart was not fooled, “She is not of your people. You are not of our planet.”
“No, I’m not, but I no less represent Earth, as I do all peoples!” Malm cried, his voice rising indignantly.
Bart approached the entrance to the transport docks, the doors sliding open at his approach. The transport deck was a very busy place. All across the deck were docks that allowed any number of ships to arrive and depart. Men were about, some working on the ships, some loading and unloading, others fueling the ships and maintaining security. The ship they were on was the main station of the Consortium, basically a man-made planet, a space station, housing thousands at any one given time. Bart heard the hum of engines and looked to his right. One of the transport ships was already fired up, engines fully engaged, its loading ramp deployed, awaiting its last passenger, him. An officer, perhaps a navigator or co-pilot, awaited his arrival. “Ambassador Bartholomew, we are ready to depart when you are.”
Bart hurried toward the ramp, hopping up onto the platform that connected to the boarding ramp. He strode confidently up the ramp, pausing to look back at Malm when his name was shouted angrily.
“What, Chairman Malm?!” he asked, clearly done with the man.
“You will report…” Malm started, but Bart cut him off.
“I will do nothing that is not good for these women. I will not take orders from you or any other than the Cruestaci themselves. I’ve been granted access to these females on a humanitarian basis by them, and they are the only people that I am working in conjunction with.”
“But the human…” Malm yelled back.
“The human is my people. From my planet. She is not your people, not your concern and most certainly not your family. I will see to her welfare. Back off!” Bart turned and stalked onto the ship, barking out, “Let us be off!”
With the simple press of a button, the ramp folded up and tucked itself away into the wall of the ship. The door slid into place, and the airlock engaged. The ship hovered only feet above the ground as the interior was pressurized, then finally, it moved soundlessly, effortlessly, toward the launching dock. It took its place on the next available launch pad, and the interior hull sealed the air lock behind them. The launch pad was pressurized, then the exterior hull opened, the wall separating vertically to allow them to shoot into open space.
For the next hour, Bart's attention bounced back and forth between Malm’s fascination with the woman the heir apparent of the Cruestaci throne had claimed as his own, and hoping this female was indeed the one he’d been searching for. The one his entire family had searched for since before he was born. He’d been told his whole life of his Aunt Vivian. Well, in actuality, she was his cousin, but she’d always been referred to as Aunt Vivian. Bart’s own father had been just a child, a toddler when she’d been taken. He’d told Bart that he had only a few memories of her, but loved her dearly
. He’d said he remembered her playing with him on the mountain where they lived. He remembered her making him cookies and sharing macaroni and cheese with him. Most were fuzzy memories, but he remembered acutely the pain when she’d been taken, so he faithfully carried on the task his own father and uncle had left behind when they died. Find Vivian, and even if she was no more, bring her home, lay her to rest where they now lay so that at least in the next life they’d be together. They’d never forgiven themselves for not being able to save her. And they searched until they drew their last breath. They’d raised Bart’s father to continue on when they were no more, and he’d raised Bart with the same determination. Which is how he had joined the Air Force, eventually being transferred into the Consortium and being elected to office by the people of Earth. He’d followed his father into service to their planet in an effort to gain access to information they couldn’t possibly get otherwise. His father had had an astounding career, had served his planet honorably and selflessly, all the while learning what he could about the different species of extraterrestrials that had become common place in their world. They knew the chances of finding her at all were slim-to-none, and the chances of finding her alive were even smaller. But he had to find out what happened to her. Bring her home to rest. He owed that much to his dad, his grandfather and his great uncle. Only, if this was his great Aunt Vivian, he wouldn’t be returning her body, he’d be returning the woman herself. What he didn’t understand was how she was still alive — when his grandfather and great uncle had both been dead for decades.
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