by Dom Testa
“And then it will just attach itself to the dome again, don’t you think?”
Triana exhaled. “Yeah, probably. And we’d be right back where we started.”
Gap began to eat again. “So, what’s the next step?”
“When I left Sick House, Lita was wrapping up for the night. Tomorrow morning she’s going to run some tests to find out what knocked it out when you docked in the bay. If we knew that, we’d have some sort of ammunition.”
Nodding, Gap poked at the remains of his dinner. “And you think we need ammunition?”
“I have no idea,” Triana said, sitting back. “But you and I both know that we need to be prepared for anything. And, on top of that, I still don’t like the idea of them hitching a ride on the skin of the ship. I’m not advocating that we injure them in any way, but I can’t see us taking them for a ride all the way to Eos, either.”
There was silence between them for a while. When the conversation picked up again, they shifted to small talk. Gap, his stomach full, pushed back his plate and enjoyed a few minutes of light banter with the Council Leader. It was the most relaxed he had felt around her in a long time, and it felt good. At times Triana even laughed, and Gap found himself staring at her, watching the light dance in her green eyes. He forced himself to constantly look away, yet her eyes were magnetic to him; before he knew it he was staring again.
He began to feel a knot in his stomach. Try as he might over the past year, it was impossible for him to deny that he continued to have strong feelings for Triana. She did nothing to indicate that she shared those same feelings, and had always been thoughtful and considerate, even though he was sure that she had picked up on his emotions. She treated him with respect, and confided in him as not only a close associate but as a friend. In some ways that made it better, while in others it made it more difficult.
Even his brief relationship with Hannah had failed to extinguish the flame. Gap sincerely cared for Hannah, and still felt regret over the way things had ended between them. Yet, underneath it all, he knew that Triana was the one; no matter how close he had become with Hannah, the truth was that she had been a substitute for Tree, a bandage to help protect the wound that had been inflicted long ago.
These feelings added a layer of guilt on top of everything else. In his heart he never felt as if he had used Hannah intentionally, but he understood that pain was powerful, and often led the human heart down an unintended path. The results were not what he had ever wished for: Hannah was hurt in the process, and Triana was no closer.
Or was she? As they sat in the Dining Hall, she seemed much more at ease with him now. They had weathered the turbulence that grew between them during a confrontation over Merit Simms two months earlier, and now that appeared to be forgotten completely. She looked not only comfortable discussing potentially dangerous issues like the vultures, but equally as comfortable laughing over routine day-to-day experiences on the ship. It made his heart melt.
It also created a firestorm in his mind, a battle between his emotions and his rational side. As much as his heart wanted to fall back again, his head screamed over and over again to resist, to stay distant and safe.
It was so hard to do. Those green eyes were powerful, a whirlpool that threatened to pull him under no matter how valiantly he fought.
Gap had no idea how it would eventually turn out, but he summoned the strength to pull himself away. When a lull in the conversation turned up, he stretched and mentioned how exhausted he was from the day, then stood up.
“I need to sleep,” he said. “I’m glad we were able to catch up tonight.”
“Me, too,” Triana said with a smile. “Sleep well, okay?”
As he walked away with both of their dinner trays, he heard her snap on the vidscreen at the table.
* * *
Lita tapped a stylus pen against her cheek. She took one last look at the data on the workpad before setting it on her desk and pushing back her chair. For the past several hours she and Alexa, along with numerous other assistants, had coordinated an intense study of the vulture using a multitude of scientific tools at their disposal, along with Roc’s vast reserves of information. They had compiled an impressive report, one that Lita would pass along at a Council meeting the next day.
But for now it was getting late, and she was tired. She briefly debated whether to pass up dinner and just head to bed, but knew that it was vital to maintain a sharp mind and a full tank of energy. The Dining Hall would have mostly cleared out by this time anyway, so she could get in and out quickly before crashing for the night.
The door from Sick House swished open and she almost collided with Kylie Rickman.
“Oh, sorry about that,” Kylie said. “I wondered if you’d still be here.”
“The end of a long day,” Lita said. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just wanted to see if I could talk with you for a second. It’s nothing serious.”
“As long as you don’t mind walking and talking,” Lita said. “I’m running to get something to eat.”
Kylie fell into step beside her. “I know you’ve had a lot on your plate today with the vulture and everything, so I hate to bother you with this.”
Lita looked at her, puzzled. “No, it’s fine. What’s on your mind?”
“Well … it’s about Channy.”
“What’s she done now?” Lita said with a grin. “Is she turning into a tyrant down in the gym? Or is she trying to set you up with someone? I never thought about the pressure on you as her roommate; she probably hounds you all the time about boys.”
“Actually, she knows I can take care of myself in that department just fine,” Kylie said. “And if there’s been any change in her at the gym, it’s probably because she’s so distracted these days.”
“Oh? By what?”
“Would you believe a boy?”
Lita stopped in the middle of the corridor. “You’re kidding. Little Miss Matchmaker is setting herself up?”
Kylie glanced in both directions to ensure they were out of earshot of other people. Even then she lowered her voice.
“And that’s why I want to talk with you. I’m worried about her. She’s never been through anything like this before, and it’s really affecting her.” In a minute she had recounted her conversation with Channy.
“I think it would be a good idea if you talked with her,” Kylie concluded. “I think she has always focused on setting up everyone else because she’s a little insecure. She’s been afraid to dip her own toes in the pool until now.”
It was Lita’s turn to look around. The door to the Dining Hall was just ahead, but even at this hour there wouldn’t be much privacy in the room. Instead she guided Kylie over to the edge of the corridor.
“I have no problem talking with Channy,” she said. “But you’re her roommate and one of her best friends; why do you think it would be any different coming from me?”
“Because she probably values your opinion more than anyone on this ship,” Kylie said. “She has tons of respect for Triana, but I know that you hold a special place with her. I don’t know, for whatever reason she really looks up to you as a mentor, I think.”
Lita laughed. “We’re only a month apart in age.”
“Doesn’t matter; I can tell every time your name comes up that she thinks of you almost as a moral teacher of sorts. You obviously have a lot of influence on her, whether you know it or not.”
Lita reflected on this as three crew members walked by and said hello. When they had rounded the corner and disappeared, she looked back at Kylie.
“That’s very flattering, but I’m not sure what I would say to Channy. I can’t really tell her what to do; it’s still her business.”
“I know, but I think she’s rushing in too quickly, and I’m really afraid that she’s gonna get hurt badly. You know how she is; she jumps into everything with both feet, and puts her entire heart and soul into every project that comes along. I think it’s really
magnified this time, and I’m afraid that it might come crashing down on her.”
Another crew member jogged past and waved. Kylie hesitated before adding: “I think it would be a good idea if you grounded her just a bit. It would mean more coming from you than from me.”
Lita inwardly sighed. The timing could not have been worse. She was busier than ever in Sick House, and the Council was counting on her to provide them with crucial information regarding the vultures. Yet if she had learned anything from her mother, it was the value of personal relationships. Channy was indeed her friend, and a good soul. Ironically, the bouncy Brit had constantly chided Lita about her love life, or lack thereof. To suddenly train the microscope on Channy’s personal life seemed alien.
However, what Kylie said about Channy’s insecurities made complete sense to Lita, and would also explain so much of the driving force behind Channy’s desire to see others fall in love; she had been wary of the day that it would happen to her.
And now it apparently had.
“Okay,” Lita said. “We have a Council meeting tomorrow, so maybe I can pull her aside and get her to talk a little bit.”
“Please don’t tell her I said anything,” Kylie said.
“Of course not. I’ll figure out a way to steer the conversation that way.”
Kylie’s smile was tinged with a look of relief. “Thanks. Like I said, I know how busy you are right now, but—”
“No problem,” Lita said. “Thanks for talking to me about it. I’m glad Channy has friends who care about her like you do.”
They parted with a hug. Lita leaned against the curved, padded wall and rubbed at her tired eyes. Her résumé had suddenly been amended: doctor, biologist, and now relationship counselor.
16
The walk was long and intentionally slow. Triana found that it had become a ritual for her, a way to organize her thoughts and emotions. Perhaps it was a lesson from her dad—he of the long, slow drives in the hills—that getting away allowed you to explore options that otherwise wouldn’t occur to you. She had no way of truly getting away, so instead she had become accustomed to what she described as a meditative walk. It was a refreshing break from the usual hectic pace.
This morning’s impending Council meeting was also shaping up as a break from the ordinary. For the past several weeks they had concentrated on routine items that related to the everyday business of running the ship; now the agenda included Lita’s report on the mysterious vultures. That in turn would lead to the next step: what to do with their uninvited guests.
She walked with her head down, close to the wall and out of the hustling flow of traffic that sped past her. Several crew members greeted her as they went past, while others had learned to recognize when she dropped into thinking mode and breezed past silently.
Both her father and Dr. Zimmer had stressed the importance of being prepared; for her father it was geared to life in general, while Dr. Zimmer focused on the duties that Galahad’s Council Leader would encounter. “Anticipate your next move,” the scientist had often told her. “Not just one possible course, but two. Three, if possible. Looking ahead can prevent the most dangerous element of your journey: surprise.”
A grim smile crept across her face. Surprise had been a constant companion since their launch. In a way, surprise was routine. Would it be any different at any time on their journey? Could it be any different?
The fifteen-minute walk to the Council meeting had been devoted to anticipation. She hoped that Lita’s report would shed light on their potential actions with the vultures, but in the meantime Triana wanted to prepare for several prospective choices. She knew full well that one of those choices included a confrontation with the alien species, and it was not a decision that she would take lightly. Defending the crew, the ship, and the mission took priority.
She slowed to a stop. The Conference Room was just ahead, around the curve of the hallway. Her alone time had come to an end. She heard footsteps approaching from behind, and then Gap’s familiar voice.
“Are you lost?”
He pulled up beside her and she smiled at him. “No, just gathering a few thoughts. You know how I am.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I can leave you alone.”
“No, not a problem,” she said, and began to walk with him. “A good morning for you so far?”
“Nothing exciting. A quick workout, then breakfast. Oh, except that we have oatmeal now. Have you heard?”
Triana laughed. “Everyone’s had it but me, I think. One of these mornings I’ll get there early enough.”
They approached the door and found Lita waiting outside, with Bon next to her. Lita greeted them with a wave.
“Channy inside already?” Triana said.
Lita shook her head. “No, haven’t seen her yet. This might be the first Council meeting where she wasn’t one of the first to arrive.”
Gap looked at Triana. “I told you, she hasn’t seemed like herself lately. Something’s different about her.” He turned to Lita. “Has she said anything to you?”
“Uh … no, she hasn’t talked with me about anything,” Lita said, then quickly changed the subject. “Tree, I hope it’s okay with you, but I talked briefly with Alexa this morning, and thought that she should probably join us. She’s put a lot of work into this report.”
“That’s fine. The entire meeting is dedicated to the vultures, so no problem.” Triana looked both directions down the corridor. “Let’s go on in. I imagine Channy can’t be too far behind.”
The group took their seats around the conference table and made small talk for a few minutes until Alexa arrived, and then, five minutes later, Channy hurried in.
“Sorry I’m late,” she said, rushing to take her seat.
Triana studied her for a moment, the way she avoided eye contact, then looked at Gap, who raised his eyebrows as if to say, “See what I mean?”
“Okay, down to business,” Triana said. “We’ve had one of the vultures under observation for almost twenty-four hours. Lita, Alexa, and Roc have used that time for a rather exhaustive study, and I’ll let them catch us all up on what they’ve learned.”
Lita began by punching in an access code on the keyboard before her. The multiple vidscreens in the Conference Room shimmered before a display of the captured vulture appeared on each one. A diagnostic column of numbers and figures appeared along the bottom.
“It’s probably no surprise to you,” Lita said, “that what we have here is an amazing specimen. After running every test you can imagine, I’ve gone from curiosity, to admiration, to awe. I can start by telling you right up front that we have no idea whether this thing is friend or foe; I’m not sure that those terms even apply to something like this. But I can tell you that we are dealing with an almost perfectly adapted space device.”
Gap looked up from his vidscreen and across the table to Lita. “Device? You’re saying that it’s … what? A machine? So it’s not living?”
“That’s a difficult question to answer, too. Roc, do you want to give it a shot and tell us what it is?”
“I stand by my very first description,” the computer said. “Icky. That’s what it is. But even I must admit—grudgingly—that it might be the most sophisticated icky thing you’ll ever find. As to whether it’s alive or a machine … it’s complicated. If you’re putting me on the spot, I would have to say both.”
“Both?” Gap said. “How does that work?”
“Quite well, actually,” Roc said. “In the twentieth century there was a term invented to describe a being that was part human and part machine.”
Bon spoke up for the first time. “They called them cyborgs.”
“That’s correct,” Roc said. “In fact, although it first came into popular use in science fiction stories, scientists did believe that a human/machine cyborg would be a great instrument for exploring space. Whoever’s responsible for these things stuck on the outside of our ship apparently took that idea and ran with it. I am in agreemen
t with Lita when she says they are almost perfectly adapted to outer space.”
Triana bit her lip while she processed this. “So … what part is alive, and what part is mechanical?”
Lita said, “We’re convinced that the majority of the vulture is artificially created. In fact, under extremely strong magnification you can almost see where it has been patched in a few places. I don’t know what kind of scrapes it’s been in, but from what we can tell it’s been in the shop a few times for repairs.”
“The vents and the blue-green light are also mechanical,” Roc added. “I’m pretty sure that one of our scans has picked up something that might act as a combination radar and guidance system. They’re not too dissimilar from the systems aboard our ship, for that matter.”
“Except they are much more evolved and complicated,” Lita added.
“Well, I wouldn’t say evolved,” Roc said, a hint of irritation in his voice.
Lita laughed. “Nothing personal, my friend.”
“Okay, but back to the cyborg discussion,” Triana said. “All of what you’ve said makes sense. But what part is alive?”
Lita and Alexa exchanged a look. It was Alexa who finally spoke up.
“Um … I’ve spent a little time on a portion that we picked up through our scans, and I’m pretty sure it’s a brain.” She tapped a few keys, and the vidscreens zoomed in on an area along the bottom of the vulture. With another flurry of keystrokes, she soon had a section of it highlighted.
“It’s not very large, but large enough to get the job done,” Alexa said. “Something similar to a nervous system appears to run throughout the creature, but we can’t tell if it does the same things our nervous system does. There is definitely a network of sorts, though.”
Gap whistled. “Well … wouldn’t that, uh, make this thing alive? I mean, technically?”
