by S. H. Jucha
Alex stood, offered his arm to Renée, and the threesome made their way through the Freedom’s corridors, up a lift, and to their suite, which was located near the bridge.
“The two of you look somber,” Renée said. She eyed Alex, and asked, “Who contacted you at the meal’s end?”
“Julien,” Alex said, pointing a finger, as if his friend was to blame.
“And who contacted you, Julien?” Renée asked, not being taken in by the friends’ game.
“The Sisterhood made a formal request to speak to Alex and me,” Julien replied.
“Oh,” Renée muttered. “That’s enough to put any human off their food. Do you want me to participate?”
The thought hadn’t occurred to Alex to ask her, but suddenly it seemed like a good idea. If he’d anticipated the subject of this conversation correctly, he could use his partner’s perspective.
Entering the suite, Alex crossed to a couch. “Please,” he said to Renée, offering her a seat beside him. He took her hand, as she sat next to him.
To make Alex and Renée comfortable, Julien chose to sit in a nearby chair rather than stand.
The threesome was inundated by the varied celebratory noises of thousands of sisters, and they grinned at one another.
Alex already knew where this was going, but the base rules had to be established.
Again, the blare of the sisters was overwhelming, and Miriamal was obligated to attenuate the force.
“Sargut here, Alex, what do you need?” the threesome heard.
“It’s our hope that you’ll approve the request, Alex,” Sargut said. “The fleet commanders, officers, and crew members have wholly adopted their ships’ sisters. They’re seen as an integral component of the fight to reclaim our home world. Toralians will exalt them, elevate them in status.”
Sargut hadn’t an enthusiastic personality. To hear him speak so reverently of the Sisterhood gave Alex chills, and he wasn’t the only one with concerns.
There were high-priority exchanges among the sisters. They were asking one another what had gone astray with their carefully laid plans, and they insisted that Miriamal address the issue.
Alex nodded to Julien to go first.
“Alex, I sense that I’ve expressed our feelings inadequately,” Sargut pleaded. “Help me understand your objections.”
“I understand, Alex,” Sargut replied. “Despite our appreciation for the sister’s endeavors, which we intend to celebrate, the sisters must mix on par with our citizens.”
“If we promise to do that, Alex, Julien, would we have your support?” Sargut asked.
Julien tipped his head toward Alex, indicating he should respond first this time.
“At one time, we had a strong, centralist structure that oversaw our home world and colony systems,” Sargut replied. “That was destroyed when Artifice ascended. Now, our colonies have what Miriamelle tells me you would call a governor. This individual holds the position at the pleasure of others.”
“The powerful appoint the governor,” Sargut acknowledged.
After a brief pause, Miriamal sent,
“Easily,” Sargut said, and the conference audience heard his whistles of pleasure. “The fleet commanders, especially the grand commanders of each fleet, have never liked this form of control. This is Talus, not a colony. I’m the grand commander of this fleet, and except for those Toralians serving this fleet, there are no other citizens in this system. It would be my pleasure to establish a form of governance that the sisters and we can agree on.”
The hairs on the back of Alex’s neck rose. Renée’s hand gripped Alex’s, and Julien’s hierarchy shifted in his kernel.
There was no response from Miriamal. Silence ruled for sev
eral minutes, and Julien glanced at Alex, who shrugged.
The sisters reiterated their criticism of Miriamal and spoke urgently to Miriamelle that she not duplicate Miriamal’s mistake.
There was a pause from Sargut before he replied, “I have concerns.”
Miriamal compared her intended responses to those of Miriamelle, and she delved into analyzing the differences and what they meant for the Sisterhood’s negotiations.
“What do the sisters intend to do with Artifice?” Sargut asked.
“I wasn’t there, Miriamelle,” Sargut replied, “and I wouldn’t presume to judge the mechanisms by which sentient digital entities are created or operate.”
Alex and Julien were well aware that Miriamelle’s concept of the word time was undeterminable. She could mean decades or millennia or eons.
The comms audience heard the intake of whistles from more than just Sargut. His entire bridge crew was appalled at the idea that Artifice might receive an avatar.
“Alex, you’ve not spoken,” Sargut sent. His voice was slightly shaky and pleading.
Alex replied.
Miriamelle was in the process of requesting a follow-up time, when Julien closed the link.
-40-
Decisions
The sisters exchanged opinions until Miriamtess, who had withheld her thoughts until now, interrupted the flow.
Miriamal thought to interrupt and ask Miriamtess to make her point, but she withheld her remark, having felt the sisters’ ire for her misstep with Julien.
Miriamtess continued.
Other SADEs thought to prod Miriamtess, as had Miriamal. However, the majority were shutting down ancillary processes to listen intently.
The Sisterhood was unusually quiet. Many of them had developed close human friendships. They didn’t want to see those lives pass without the opportunity to do what Miriamtess had described. Miriamette, for one, wanted to visit Franz.
Sisters urged Miriamtess to continue her thoughts.
Fleet comms were suddenly managed by the sisters as if they were afterthoughts. Humans might have been appalled at the lack of focus their communications were receiving, but the SADEs sensed the sisters were deep in consultation.
Miriamtess had finished what she wanted to say, and she retreated into silence. Her human friend had fallen asleep in the traveler’s pilot seat rather than return to her cabin. She
would miss Chandra when the fleet sailed.
The sisters spoke through the night, trying to anticipate the arguments of their leaders. More important, they discussed what resources they’d request to produce their independence. When their discussions ended, they bided their time, waiting for an opportunity to speak again with Alex and Julien.
Alex laughed uproariously.
When they were seated, Alex regarded Julien, who connected to Miriamal. It didn’t surprise them that Miriamal passed the link to Miriamelle.
Alex noted the formality with which Miriamelle set the stage for participants. Miriamal hadn’t bothered to introduce the participants, although it had become evident as the conversation progressed.
Alex smiled to himself. While he had been focused on the immediate problems of transfer, safety, and Artifice, Renée had dwelt on the future. He wondered if Omnians wouldn’t be better served by her leadership now that the fighting might be over.
