by Scott Baron
“Me too. I really like the guy.”
“He is pretty amazing,” Freya gushed.
“And he’s probably the only AI alive who can keep up with your mind, anyway,” Daisy added. “You two are a pretty great match, when you get right down to it.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
“As for you, Sarah. Speaking of matches, are you okay with Other You and Finn being together? I’d hope you wouldn’t be jealous of yourself, but one never can tell, and I don’t want to make things awkward by saying the wrong thing to the wrong Sarah.”
“We’re good, Daisy,” Sarah laughed. “Better than good, actually. Sarah and I are synching our memories pretty much every time you have the neruo-band on, now. It’s such a small amount to catch up with, the whole process only takes a minute or two.”
“I had no idea.”
“We didn’t want to impose, so we had Freya tweak the unit so we could do it on the fly.”
“Clever, Sis. So you two are okay, then?”
“I had wondered if I could ever transfer back to a real body, but Freya says that's just not possible since she already has a fully-formed consciousness. Whatever you did to yourself was a fluke. But it's okay. It really is like we’ve become one person. I mean, yeah, sure, we can sort which memories belong to who, if we really want to, but this way it’s just so much more organic-feeling. And Finn? We’re finally together, and I get to experience it all. And let me tell you, Daze, he’s not just talented in the kitchen.”
“Aww, my disembodied sister’s gettin’ some! I’m so happy for you, Sarah.”
“Thanks. I’m pretty blissed-out.”
“And that’s all I want for you,” Daisy said, cheerfully. “Okay, Freya, I think it’s time to visit our friend. Let’s go to Taangaar.”
Freya popped out of warp a little ways from Taangaar, just to get a big-picture look at the newly liberated world. Despite the lingering debris from the massive space battle that still clung to its orbit like a speckled veil, the planet below was undeniably beautiful.
Beautiful and free.
“Take us in, kiddo.”
“You got it. Heading down.”
The stealth ship approached the encampment with her exterior lights ablaze so as to clearly announce her arrival to those below. After what they’d been through so recently, she didn’t want to traumatize them with an unexpected visit by a strange craft.
She needn’t have worried. As soon as she touched down, scores of Chithiid ran up to the ship, running their hands across her smooth hull, all of them chattering to her at once, singing her name in an odd fragment of a tune.
“Sounds like you’ve got quite the fan club out there, Freya.”
“It sure does seem that way,” she said, a bit confused. “I know some of them heard about me, but this seems sorta unusual, don’t you think?”
“Never underestimate the power of a good story,” Daisy replied. “And Maarl is one hell of a storyteller.”
Maarl was waiting for her when she exited Freya’s airlock door, his arms held wide in greeting. The two embraced warmly, then strolled toward the encampment.
“I see you’ve settled back in nicely,” Daisy said to her friend.
“And you look well too, Daisy,” he said in halting English.
“You’re speaking English!” she said, shocked. “But how did you––?”
Maarl tapped his head with a grin. “Freya has provided me with the first generation of Chithiid-compatible neuro-stim devices,” he informed her. “I have been using it for some time now, but only recently has your language finally taken hold. It is, how would you say? It is, a tongue-twister for my mouth at times.”
“Then let us speak Chithiid, my friend.”
“For now, perhaps, yes. But this marvelous technology works. We have just proven it, and soon your people and mine will be able to communicate freely, without requiring the assistance of an AI interpreter.”
“Indeed. Though one might still be required for sung Chithiid. As Craaxit once taught me, it is somewhat different from the spoken tongue.”
“It is, Daisy. And this brings me to something I wish to share with you. A song,” he said.
“You are going to teach me your family song? I am flattered, Maarl.”
The old Chithiid laughed.
“No, my friend, I am not teaching you the song of my family. But I have talked with the elders, and we have all agreed that what you have done for us all, how you have embraced the Chithiid people as your own flesh, this is a proof of character, Daisy Swarthmore.”
“I don’t know what to say to that, Maarl. I was only doing what I thought was right. The Chithiid are our friends and allies now, and if not for the Ra’az, they would have been long before, I suspect.”
“You are part of the Chithiid people now, Daisy. And all Chithiid must have a family song.”
“I have learned Craaxit’s song. I can––”
“No. You misunderstand me,” Maarl said, holding her in a steady gaze as he rested a warm hand on her belly. “My people have agreed, Daisy. We are writing a new song. One for our human sister as she begins her own family.”
It took a while for Daisy to convince Freya she was okay when they took off from Taangaar. The tears streaming down her cheeks as she sang the first few bars of the song being written for her were deeply touching, and something moved in her. Something beyond the infant growing inside her.
“That was pretty amazing, Daze,” Sarah said. “They’re writing you your own song? Have they ever even done that for a non-Chithiid?”
“They’ve never even taught one of their own songs to a non-Chithiid,” Daisy replied, wiping her eyes and then blowing her nose.
“It’s a beautiful gesture,” Freya said.
“It is, Freya. And you’re part of it too.”
“Me?”
“You’re my family as well, in an AI kind of way. And the Chithiid adore you, anyway, so it was natural you’d be included.”
“So that’s what they were singing,” Freya mused. “I had thought it was just a little snippet of a tune they came up with as a game or something. But they were building a fragment of a family song. Our family song.”
If she had eyes, Freya would have teared up with the emotions coursing through her processors.
“Whew, okay,” Daisy sniffed, wiping her nose one last time. “I think I’ve had enough of this emotional roller coaster for one day. Let’s go home.”
Freya turned toward Earth. Seconds later she flashed away.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The overall feel across the entire planet was one of strange tranquility. A world accustomed to the constant din of an alien force trying to mine it to a used-up husk, suddenly left in peace.
The wildlife, though not typically targeted by the Ra’az during their centuries-long reign of violence, began cautiously venturing closer to the vast swaths of deconstructed land. Soon, it seemed, nature would reclaim what was hers, and Earth would begin healing her many scars.
The Harkaways, free of their uniforms and duties, sat on the pristine sands of Malibu, leisurely enjoying a relaxing picnic with the people who had not only been their crewmates and allies, but more importantly, their friends. The war was over, and the time had come for new lives to begin.
While the fleet would need to remain staffed and ready, the AIs were more than happy to cover for them and pick up the slack for a little while, and their crews were scattered about the globe, enjoying their new home as a result.
Finn and Sarah were playfully frolicking in the surf, the excessive picnic spread he had prepared set out upon several hastily arranged pieces of debris, acting as impromptu tables. Finn would have preferred proper tables at least, but Sarah had quickly distracted him from the conundrum and dragged him, laughing, into the welcoming waters.
Finn hadn’t planned on doing it so soon, but when they had touched back down in Los Angeles and Sarah finally felt safe enough to share the unexpected news
of their impending joint venture––in about nine months, or so.
The startled father-to-be had immediately rushed off on a frantic quest, returning a short time later with a tiny box in his hands.
Habby had lent some assistance, directing him to the nearest jewelry shop that hadn’t been destroyed in the prior years, and when Finn dropped to one knee, he presented her with a stunning ring. It was, in fact, the largest he could find in the entire store.
Sure, they’d only recently gotten together, but there really was no need for a lengthy dating period. When you know, you know, they reasoned.
The newly engaged couple had been disgustingly adorable ever since.
“Look at those two,” Tamara said with a slight reduction of her normal snarky tone.
“Good for them,” Shelly said, watching from the pair’s staked-out section of beach. “Everyone needs someone, ya know,” she said, playfully elbowing her in the ribs. “You should be happy for them,”
“I am,” Tamara replied. “Can’t you tell?”
A faint twitch at the corner of her mouth soon gave way to peals of laughter.
“You’re ridiculous, you know that?” Shelly said. “I should kick your ass.”
“Promises, promises,” Tamara replied with a smile. “Hey, I’m burning a little. Get my back, will ya?”
“Of course,” Shelly replied, gently smoothing Mal’s radiation-blocking cream across the metal-armed woman’s back and shoulders.
“Ow, your hands are hot!”
“Quit your bellyaching. They’re metal and in the sun, of course they’re hot,” Shelly shot back as she continued with her lotion duties.
The very idea of visiting the surface of Earth in any of their lifetimes had been no more than a dream for so long, and now, here they were, not just visiting the surface for battle, but actually living there. Things, they decided, were most definitely looking up.
Fatima had also joined the group on their outing––inspired by Arlo’s suggestion they check out the beachside Eden––and was sitting comfortably in the shade of a wrecked Ra’az transport craft, sipping a cocktail from the beverage-cooling cylinder Finn had packed for the occasion, staring contentedly at the ocean.
The juxtaposition of the gentle human woman and the remains of a craft of war was striking, though Daisy thought she could see just a hint of an amused smile as her friend relaxed in its shade.
“I bet ya she’s getting a real Karmic kick out of that,” Daisy said, lounging casually on a towel, soaking up the sun’s warming rays.
“What do you mean, babe?” Vince asked, rolling over to see what she was talking about.
“Just a Fatima thing,” Daisy replied. “The whole concept of something designed to inflict pain now providing pleasant shelter instead. That kind of dichotomy is right up her alley.”
“Well, I just see a crashed ship,” Vince said, rolling back over and gently kissing her lips, then trailing down and kissing her belly. “Hello, little buddy,” he said, tenderly. “I’m looking forward to meeting you.”
Daisy ruffled his hair, then rested her hand on her abdomen, content and happy as she breathed the sea air.
“This is insanely relaxing, babe. I can see why Arlo said he liked this spot.”
“It is beautiful here,” Daisy agreed. “And I think with just a little work, we could fix up one of those houses on the bluffs pretty easily.”
“You thinking what I think you’re thinking?” Vince asked with a smile.
“I think I’m thinking what you think I’m thinking,” she said, chuckling. “It would be a great place to raise a family, don’t you agree?”
“One hundred percent,” Vince said. “You hear that, buddy? We’re going to live by the beach.”
Daisy’s fingers drifted across the pendant dangling from her neck and pressed a gemstone. A happy little song played and brought a contented smile to her face.
“You hear that, little one?” she said to her belly. “That’s music.”
“I think everyone heard that,” Vince said as she turned the device off. “It transmits quite a distance, as we already know.”
“That it does,” Daisy said, gently caressing her stomach. “You know what?”
“What?”
“I was thinking.”
“Oh, now that’s dangerous.”
“Hush, you,” she laughed. “I was thinking, if it’s a boy, I kind of like the name Arlo. What do you think?”
“Ya know what? I kinda like it too,” Vince said. “And I know his namesake would approve of this place.”
“Well, there it is then. You hear that, Arlo? This is your new home.”
Chapter Forty
Young Arlo and his best friend, Ripley, were frolicking in the waves, having a fantastic time running amok on the beaches of Malibu, as seven-year-olds are wont to do. Ripley, ever fascinated with the treasures she would find washed up on the shore, was even more of a beach kid than he was, and that was really saying something.
The duo had been absolutely inseparable since birth––which was a fortunate thing seeing as their mothers were a likewise close pair, and having to get together periodically to sync both versions of Ripley’s mothers' memories had nothing to do with it.
Since the moment they could crawl, they would drive their parents batty as they got off into mischief, following one another on adventures as soon as the adults’ backs were turned.
They’d grown up in the safety of a world that knew no war or conflict, but the mutual protection agreement in place between the Earthlings, the Chithiid, and the Kathiri did more than just provide that comfort. With the alliance formed, soon after came trade and social exchanges between the species. Soon, there was a thriving interplanetary alliance spanning across multiple galaxies.
Seeing a towering four-armed Chithiid, or a tentacle-bearded Kathiri was as normal for the kids as seeing their mom or dad. It was a different sort of world they were living in. One that those tasked with guarding it hoped would thrive.
For the kids, however, there were no such thoughts to concern them at all, as they only had to do what kids that age had always had to do. Namely, play.
After a long afternoon of running and exploration across the beaches and through the chaparral that covered the hillsides, the pair finally ran, giggling, back to Ripley’s house––a palatial beachfront estate, retrofitted with a high-end commercial kitchen––for the spread of snacks they knew her dad had undoubtedly made for them.
“Hey, you two,” Finn greeted them as the energetic duo came tearing into the house. “I made you some cookies.”
“Thanks, Dad!” Ripley said, grabbing the sticky-warm treats and darting off to her room.
“Yeah, thanks Uncle Finn!” Arlo said, likewise loading up on sugary goodies and following her.
“Hey, don’t forget to wipe your feet!” Sarah called after them as she padded into the kitchen.
“Kids,” Finn said.
“Yeah,” she replied, kissing him sweetly before snatching a freshly baked cookie from the sheet cooling in front of him.
“Hey! Those are for the kids.”
“As if they need more sugar. They’re bouncing off the walls as it is, Finn.”
“So let them bounce,” he said, pulling her close. “It’ll keep ’em occupied.”
“Oh?” she said, arching an eyebrow with a smoky stare. “You think we have time?”
“I can grab an egg timer from the counter if you like,” he replied, kissing her hard.
The kids were in the other end of the house, and knowing their routine, they’d be down there for at least an hour.
“Leave the timer,” Sarah said, grabbing him by the hand and pulling him toward their bedroom. “I think we’ve got a little more than three minutes.”
“Did you have fun at Aunt Sarah and Uncle Finn’s place today?” Daisy asked as her filthy son trudged into the house.
Judging by the fact that he was wearing more of the neighborhood on his body than wa
s still on the ground, she was pretty sure he had.
“Yeah, it was cool,” he said, his youthful energy flagging.
“Okay. You go take a bath, then we’ll have dinner, and after, Dad’ll tell you a story.”
“The one about the Big Gun? Or what about one about the bad Chithiid in LA?”
“If you like.”
“Cool,” he said, scooting off to the bathroom.
“Everything okay out there, Freya?” she asked over the house’s comms link.
“Hunky-dory, Daisy,” Freya replied. “I did have to scare off a few coyotes who got a little too curious, but the kids were so preoccupied building a mud fort, they didn’t even notice.”
“You’re the best nanny ever. Have I told you that?”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”
“You’re the best nanny ever, Freya. Seriously, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You know I’m happy to oblige,” Freya said. “And as fearless as that kid is, someone sure needs to keep an eye on him.”
“I’ll have to talk to him about situational awareness,” Daisy said.
“Remember, he’s just a kid, Daisy.”
“Yeah, I know,” she replied. “Don’t worry, I’ll be nice about it. I just want him to be prepared for whatever life throws at him, ya know?”
“Do I ever,” Freya replied.
Daisy wandered into the kitchen and grabbed herself a lemonade, the house’s comms sensors automatically following her and switching rooms as she walked.
“Is Joshua with you?” she asked, sipping on the sour beverage.
“No, he’s up in the lab working on our new project.”
“Again? The guy’s obsessed.”
“A little bit, maybe,” Freya agreed with a chuckle. “But he needs to keep busy, as you know.”
“He’s not building himself another ship, is he? This is his fifth one, already.”
“No, I think he’s finally happy with the design and tolerances of this one,” Freya said. “So, have you decided about next week?”
