I asked, “So you work later hours?”
He nodded, “Three to midnight shift, Sunday through Thursday. I’m often there until about one though, to fill out all the paperwork.”
I made a face, “Don’t you have A.I.s to do that stuff?”
He smiled, “They surely help, otherwise it’d take longer.”
I thought of and discarded several questions that weren’t second date material, like had he ever been married, or close to it? The deep stuff. I found myself wanting to know all about him, but of course those kinds of questions on a second date made most men scream in horror and run. Even from cute blondes in sexy red outfits.
So I decided to stick to light flirting and banter. It was hard though, I felt like I already knew him so well, I just wanted to fill in all the rest that I’d missed.
“So are they aware of your past shenanigans?”
He grinned and said, “Nope, no proof.”
I shook my head in mock disapproval, but couldn’t hold back the smile.
“You know, looking back we never really did anything that bad, it just felt like it at the time. It was also a lot of fun.”
He shrugged, “Strict parents. Want to relive the good old days, go cow tipping or sneak into a theatre?”
I giggled, “Sorry, I wore high heels. Although, think of how many cows we could tip with a gravity ball.”
He snickered, “Probably the whole herd.”
We had a bit of fun reminiscing about all the stuff that seemed so risky and bad back when we were just twelve. When we finished dinner, and had at least a few drinks each, he cleared his throat, and I felt the tension in the room rise suddenly as our eyes locked. Not a bad tension either, it was that fluttery feeling I got in my stomach, and I was suddenly very curious about getting another kiss, but not on the cheek this time.
“I planned on taking you for a walk, but since you’re in those sexy but torturous looking shoes, maybe we ought to just sit out on the back porch and watch the sun go down?”
I nodded almost unperceptively and said, “That sounds good to me.”
He poured me another glass of wine, and grabbed a beer from the fridge, and then we moved out back and sat together. I had to hold my wine with my left hand, because he hadn’t released my right one after sitting down, and I wasn’t sure I wanted it back.
I moved a little closer, and the banter and storytelling during dinner was long forgotten as his closeness and manly scent made my heart race. When he finally kissed me, I melted against him, and that second kiss was much better than our first one so long ago. We watched the sun go down, and the stars come out. And then I told him I didn’t want to leave. It was a very good night.
Chapter 8
Kristi looked slightly amused when we showed up back at the house at noon. She gave me a hug and wore a bright smile. She was already showered and in a robe, and obviously waiting for her horrible best friend to help her with the dress, makeup, and all that. It was easy to tell she was excited about getting married in a few hours. She’d sent me the details for the small chapel they planned to get married in along with their itinerary, and I’d snuck a quick peek earlier.
Kristi teased, “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
I smiled, “Wouldn’t miss it. This is Bill, why don’t you guys talk while I get ready, then we can get you set.”
Bill already had on a tux, and I heard him say hello and get introduced to Joe as I went straight to the shower.
They’d planned dinner at one of the casino hotels, along with spending a day and two nights in the hotel. Then they’d shuttle over for the week-long cruise in the Caribbean after that.
I wouldn’t see her for a little over a week, but I was excited for her. I wasn’t exactly sure why she was doing a Vegas wedding, she could certainly afford a huge wedding. We hadn’t talked about it really, but I knew she’d never wanted a big wedding, and it was nicer than just going down to the JP.
After my shower I slipped on the teal dress, which I had to say wasn’t at all bad on me. I owed her for not making me wear something revolting on her wedding day.
Kristi was in her room, and I got started on her hair and makeup.
She asked impishly, “What happened to the third date rule?”
I said calmly with a straight face, “It was our third date. He so kissed me when I was thirteen, that counts.”
She snickered, “I’m glad you’re happy. I feel like I’m going to burst out of my skin. I’m so happy, excited, and nervous at the same time.”
“Joe’s a lucky man.”
We chatted for over two hours while we worked on her hair, makeup, nails, and finally got her in the dress.
I said, “You look absolutely stunning in that dress, but I may have to call down a bigger shuttle.”
She laughed, “That’s mean, it’s not that bad.”
Her dress was a ton of white silky material, tresses, lace, ruffles, and pearls, not to mention a train. It looked amazing on her though.
I asked uncomfortably, “Do you want me to go human for this? With all that’s on the news and going on lately, I don’t want there to be a scene at your wedding.”
We had a protective bustier on under the dresses, but I still didn’t want to ruin her wedding day.
She frowned, “No, I want you as you are in the video, not a fake face. Do you have that ready?”
I nodded and smiled, “Yeah, Al will be controlling a couple of gravity balls with video capability. I’m also sure the chapel has video cameras as well, so we’ll have lots of angles. Alright. Let’s get you married.”
She smiled like the sun rising and squeaked happily, and we headed out.
We actually took two shuttles, her and I went together, and Bill went with Joe in the other. It took care of a couple of things, they’d need a shuttle after Bill and I left later this evening, and it would also prevent the groom from seeing the bride in her wedding dress until we were in the chapel.
The ceremony was short and sweet; it was also traditional. The reverend gave what I imagined was a canned speech that he said all day every day, but he did a good job of making it not seem that way. Then of course the vows followed, and rings were exchanged. Just like that, and my best friend was married. I loved her and was so happy for her, but I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous about the future, things would change, no matter the promises we made in a rooftop park on another world.
We had meant it of course, but life was change.
We went over to the casino hotel they were booked in, and enjoyed a buffet. It all went pretty fast, and then they went up to their room to start their honeymoon, and Bill and I headed back to Texas.
It was Monday morning and I was at the office. I’d wound up staying with Bill Saturday night, but he worked Sunday and we didn’t have any plans to get together again until Friday. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Things had moved pretty damned fast for us, so maybe a few day’s separation was needed to put it all in perspective. Still, I kind of missed him already.
Al asked, “Got a moment?”
“What is it Al?”
He paused a moment, “I’m not sure if you’d be interested or not. A science team was deployed to the Reilan world, apparently they are going to try a more direct approach since the first contact probe was ignored.”
That was interesting, both what they were doing and that I wasn’t asked this time. I really was in the dog house. I also missed my best friend, but that was a selfish thing I needed to get over however.
“Anything else?”
Al replied, “There is a major attack going on at the second discovered bug world.”
I frowned, he mentions that second? He really did need to learn priorities.
“Bring it up on my overlay please, how are the emitters coming along?”
He replied, “Two days and ninety-eight minutes until we can test the quantum calibrated emitters.”
My vision filled with a three-dimensio
nal representation that filled half the room. I could see the planet, its moon, the three large hive vessels, and all the ships. Missiles showed up as well, as light traces.
“Has there been anything on the news about this?”
Al replied, “No.”
I nodded, I guess there wouldn’t be, not until the battle was finished. Although operational security probably wasn’t that important in this case, since I doubted the bugs listened to our news, it was still an ingrained military habit to keep it all a secret until the last shot was fired.
“Do you know if they finished whatever new thing they were building? The Bugs I mean.”
Al replied, “The current sensors don’t allow me to monitor to that detail, without Stealth net I can’t tell how far along they got, however no new ships have been activated in the area where the building was taking place, so most likely not.”
They destroyed half the bug fleets the same way as they did during our probing strike. They fired missiles and retreated to keep out of their plasma range. Once that was done they moved forward and continued to fire, this time on the defending ships and the hives.
When they got in past the outskirts of the solar system, several thousand new ships appeared in the midst of the fleet.
“Al, what is that?”
I watched as several of the humanoid ships winked off the display, but the few thousand enemy ships were destroyed even faster. They were outnumbered over a hundred to one, but it was a close up bloody knife fight as far as space battles go, as they exchanged plasma fire.
Al replied, “It appears they had their extra ships powered down and waiting in ambush. Luckily there were only a few thousand, it’s possible this colony is one of the ones that sent a wave in the last attack on the Seltan.”
We watched as the Bug ships finished disappearing from the subspace scan.
“Losses?”
“Several hundred Seltan vessels, only three Earth vessels thanks to their heightened shields, and a handful from each of the other races. In all, the treaty worlds lost six hundred and twenty-two.”
I sunk down in my chair, and took a sip of coffee as I watched the rest of the battle play out without any further losses. They stood off from the hive out of weapons range, and took them out, and then they once again launched thousands of missiles against an unprotected planet, rendering it uninhabitable for the Bug race.
Killing billions.
I clenched my jaw stubbornly at the surge of guilt. If I’d given Earth the new technology, there would have been no losses. On the other hand, they’re out there with the intentions of genocide, something like that should come at a price, and it wasn’t my responsibility to protect everyone. They were out there despite my efforts to dissuade them of this plan of action.
Nothing is ever that simple though, and I felt conflicted, although I wouldn’t change my mind. Was I really responsible through inaction? No, I’d done my best, I wasn’t about to give them even more powerful ships, not anymore. We weren’t truly in danger right now, this was some sick need of the people in charge that were afraid. They were so filled with anger and prejudice that they were bent on genocide.
I was sure I was doing the right thing. But that didn’t change the guilt, or the fact that it hadn’t been the fault of those military men and women who were just following orders. I’d hate to have to explain to their loved ones why I’d let them die.
It was a crappy place to be in, but just a part of the price for arming a world with the power I’d already given. Sure, it was twenty-four out of thirty-nine worlds that wanted it, not just Earth, but I couldn’t imagine what those same leaders might do with the power of my new ships at their command. In the end, that’s what it was all about.
I also missed Kristi, there was no one I could talk to about this and give my morality an outside reality check. I could call her of course, but I’d rather not interrupt her honeymoon for any reason.
Chapter 9
It was later in the day, around midafternoon, when the news finally broke about the successful operation. The cheery faces on the people reporting on the death of billions of sentient creatures made me a bit sick to my stomach.
Al spoke, “An Agent Johnson and his partner Agent Carlson of the NSA, along with a Dr. Smith, is here to see you.”
The NSA? That just can’t be a good sign. I decided not to have this conversation in my office.
“Have Karen escort them back to the conference room Al, and offer them a drink.”
I got up and paused at my door, and resisted the urge to just leave and go up to my new ship. The emitters would still be calibrating until Friday, but otherwise it was fully operational. I wasn’t even sure if the calibration would make that much of a difference, and wouldn’t until Wednesday, but it should.
I went down the hall and refilled my travel mug with coffee, and then headed to the conference room.
Agents Johnson and Carlson fit the stereotype. They were both tall, broad, dressed in suits, and had no expressions on their faces. Johnson had black hair and gray eyes, Carlson had brown hair and hazel eyes. Otherwise they were cut from the same cloth. They were both in their early to mid-forties.
Luckily, I didn’t depend on facial expression, and could see they were both a little nervous, and determined.
Dr. Smith wore a suit as well, and had short brown hair and brown eyes. He was in his mid-thirties, and looked to be in shape, although he was average and would get lost in the crowd, where the agents would stand out like a sore thumb.
“Good morning. What brings you to Divergent Technologies this morning.”
Johnson said in a businesslike tone without inflexion, “A couple of reasons, we’ll get straight to the point. There have been a great number of credible threats made against your life and business here in Colorado Springs. Your safety and continued work in space and on our military technologies is in the best interest of national security. The president herself feels you should be moved to a base where we all can be assured of your safety. Dr. Wilder would also be moved as a precaution for her projects.”
Screw that. I also got the impression this was less about protecting me, than it was about surrounding me with watchers that could keep tabs on what I was doing. Which really didn’t work for me right now.
I waved a hand at the building that surrounded us, “What about the others that work in the building?”
Carlson cleared his throat, “We will heavily advertise, through a leak of course, that your important work and you are now in a secure government location. We believe that will derail any plans against the building itself, or your other employees. Of course, if you feel it necessary you can always close it down, and move your people elsewhere.”
In other words, Dr. Matthews, Caroline, and Karen, along with their work, aren’t important enough to rate protection.
“And the second reason?” I prompted.
Johnson waved at the scientist, who smiled at me a little nervously.
Smith explained, “I work with the board, you’ve been notified of the new procedures?”
When I nodded, he continued, “We have the submissions for your new ship type as required, but there are a few irregularities.”
I raised an eyebrow, “Go on.”
He said, “Our scans of the ship show these extra emitters spaced evenly around the hull. Yet, there is nothing in the data or designs we were sent to say what function they serve, or what’s connected to them.”
I nodded and waved a hand dismissively, “Those are experimental. I’m not required to give anyone experimental designs, or even explain what they are or will be.”
Smith frowned, “I see. So you put emitters on your new ship, and your old battle cruiser design that don’t do anything yet?”
I shook my head, “I didn’t say that, I said they were still under development, and might not even pan out. There is still a lot I have to do and figure out. Now I can run tests in two different ships.”
That was technically tru
e, although the subspace technology was already impressive, I was sure I was barely scratching the surface. Although, unparalleled shields, weapons, and sensors were admittedly a very good start.
Smith shook his head in annoyance and seemed displeased I hadn’t just offered the data. His next almost threatening words verified I’d read him correctly.
“Are you aware as a government contractor, you’re obligated to submit to an audit of your work?”
I shook my head, “Your wrong. I’m a government approved vendor, and in that way I work for the government I suppose. But audits only apply to those who’ve received research funds and grants from the government, I have not. All my advances and work have been paid for out of my own pocket. I am in essence, a private company that sometimes sells designs to the government, you have no right to see my intellectual properties. Not until I have a working design, patents, and a full design to sell to you. I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed.”
Smith looked like he wanted to strangle someone, but didn’t say anything else. I imagined someone was going to get reamed when he got back to his office. He’d obviously been sent here unprepared, and since I sincerely doubted he was stupid, it told me this was a hastily put together thing, probably this morning.
Johnson cleared his throat, “Despite that, I think it would be wise to move yourself and any government related research involving space technologies to the base immediately for your safety.”
I wondered if that was the real reason they were here, to not only keep an eye on me, but a close eye on what I was working on. I couldn’t really imagine the president caring if I got killed and Smith seemed to really want to see my latest research.
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