“I doubt that very much,” grumbled Keung, then he said, “Scan for any indication of Bladerunner having been detected and report findings.”
“Unable to comply, Commander,” said the Daemon. “You have query only permissions.”
“What, when did—”
Charlotte rested a hand on his arm and addressed the daemon. “Execute structural permission changes Omandi one-beta.”
“Understood,” said the daemon then asked, “Does the first officer concur?”
He stared at Charlotte, and she said, “It wouldn’t let me change any of Howard-Prime’s safeguards since you had yet to join us. At the time, I was just trying to let Misha have some limited controls, but have had plenty of time since then to develop a more detailed protocol. The daemon is dangerous so I’ll understand if you want to review my changes before—”
“First officer concurs,” said Keung. Omandi arched an eyebrow, and he added, “Captain, if I can’t trust you, then we are in even more trouble than I anticipated. When you start acting reckless, or impulsive, then I’ll start reviewing things. Until then—”
“Omandi one-beta daemon control protocols active,” interrupted the daemon. “What can I do for you, Commander Keung?”
He frowned. “Do what I asked you to do before.”
The daemon’s face broke apart and reformed several times, then it said, “There is no indication of Bladerunner having been detected. Would you like me to maintain continual surveillance for any such detection occurring in the future?”
Chao turned to Charlotte but she had already begun walking toward the exit. She felt his eyes on her and the captain’s voice took on a sing-song cadence as she called over her shoulder, “You don’t need my permission to do your job, either, Commander.”
Keung heard both the soft snickers from behind him and the humor with which Charlotte had made the comment. He accepted the ribbing with good humor, chuckled, and said, “Daemon, continue monitoring for potential threats and, if possible, piggy back or retask surveillance satellites to scan this location for excessive radiation.”
“It is possible, Commander,” said the daemon. “I can actively retask now, but that would increase the risk of detection by approximately three-hundred percent. I can passively do so in eleven hours. Would you prefer active or passive?”
“Passive.”
“Understood,” said the daemon, and Chao’s terminal went blank.
The lift-room door swished open as Charlotte approached. She stood at the threshold, looking left, then right. The floors were covered in a low pile cream-colored carpet and the walls were of brushed aluminum, or steel. Display or control panels seemed to stretch along one side of the hallway at varying intervals. She glanced up and saw what looked like acoustic tiling running across the ceiling with intermittent vents.
Charlotte turned, and her stomach twisted for the briefest of moments. Eight pairs of eyes bored into her, expectantly. She lifted her chin slightly and shrugged off the wave of uncertainty that threatened to overcome her. “Well, we’re here,” she said with a smile. “The Commander assures me you have all been working diligently to learn this ship’s systems while I was on vacation in Kansas. How about we get our hands dirty on the real thing?” She pointed to Branson. “James, you first.”
He grinned at her. “Aye, aye, sir.” The pilot joined her at the door then said, “I think I know the way, but no sense getting lost my first time.” He reached over, tapped one of the hallway’s displays, and said, “Provide direct route to command deck.” Instantly, a glowing line appeared to pulse left, down the hallway.
James took a step in that direction, but Charlotte stopped him. “Hold up just a moment, I’ll join you.” She turned back to the rest. “Richard, please go to the med-bay and get settled. Misha, head to primary weapons control. Confirm our armaments then report to the command deck. Damien and Karishma, please go to engineering. Chao, Linnea, and Annchi, you are with Branson and me.”
Annchi’s eyes widened at the sound of her name. “Captain,” she asked, “I am to come with you?”
Charlotte shot her a smile, “That’s what I said…unless you have somewhere else to be.”
The young woman stumbled over her words, “Uh, no ma’am. Sir. I mean, I would love to come with you. It’s just that—”
“Finally,” murmured Sokolov, and nudged Linnea, “I really was starting to think she might be a robot like him.”
“How droll,” said Damien dryly, “but this proves nothing. I fully expect that our captain could intimidate a statue into stumbling over its words.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Charlotte, as she and Branson began walking away. Omandi swiped at her terminal then slipped it into a pocket. Chimes rang out behind her as each crew member’s device lit up with a notification.
Linnea and Misha glanced down at their own displays then grinned at each other. Welcome aboard party—18:00 hours in Bladerunner Galley. Last one there has to cook.
Chao glanced at his hand terminal for the third time. The display stubbornly continued to show the local time as shortly before midnight. He sighed to himself, then walked through the open doorway and into Omandi’s quarters. “Excuse me, Captain," said Chao in an affected whisper. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but your door was unlocked and—“
Charlotte rose from the kneeler and turned to face her first officer. She smiled at his awkward expression and said, “No, I’m sorry. I lost track of time and didn’t even hear the door chime.” He didn’t seem convinced. “Honestly, Chao, you have no reason to apologize. I wouldn’t have left the door unlocked if I hadn’t intended you to come in.” She shrugged. “I figured you’d want to check in after our little crew party, and sometimes get lost in my thoughts.”
Keung stared past her at the crucifix that hung on the wall beyond the small chapel’s kneeler. “Thoughts, Captain?” he asked.
She brushed past him and patted his shoulder, “Fine, prayers then, Commander. Does it make you uncomfortable that your Captain prays for guidance?”
“Well,” he said, following her into the quarter’s main living area, “I wouldn’t say it makes me feel uncomfortable.”
She turned and smirked at him, “But…”
“But,” he replied, “it also doesn’t fill me with confidence.”
Charlotte stared at him a moment then broke into a hearty laugh. “I just love how forthright you are, Chao. I simply love it.” Omandi walked to an illuminated panel, tapped it, then glanced at Keung. “Some Earl Gray?”
He shook his head. “It’s late, and tea keeps me up. If our conversation goes as I suspect, tomorrow will be a rather eventful day. We both need our sleep.”
Charlotte turned back to the panel and said, “Coffee, Kenyan, black.” A progress bar illuminated then rapidly moved forward. She leaned against the wall and shook her head at her first officer. “Don’t mother me, Chao. Coffee doesn’t keep me up.” She shrugged. “Nothing really keeps me up. I’ll be asleep five minutes after my head hits the pillow.” The dispenser chimed and its panel slid upward to reveal a resin mug filled with hot black coffee. She picked it up, took a sip, then asked, “I don’t suppose you found a way for this thing to put coffee in a previously printed mug. It just seems stupid to print and recycle mugs every time I want coffee.”
Keung stared at her. “It hasn’t been one of my priorities, sir, but if you’d like me to focus on it, rather than either our launch or trial preparation, I will, of course, comply.”
Omandi took another sip, and motioned toward the nearby chairs. “Don’t be snippy,” she said, “It’s really not your style. I just thought Annchi or Linnea might have found a way since they both seem interested in that kind of thing.”
“Left to their own devices, I suspect you are right. However I have them busy with other tasks,” he said dryly.
“Oh, wait just a moment,” she said, standing. Keung made to rise, as well, but she waved him down. “No, relax. I just forgot to blow out the chapel candle. I’ll
just be a moment.”
When she returned a few seconds later Chao asked, “Will you be lighting those once we’ve launched?”
“I expect so,” replied Charlotte, as she settled herself back down and retrieved her mug. “Why do you ask?”
He shrugged, “Just old habits, I guess. Fire in a controlled atmospheric environment like Luna was, well, let’s say it was frowned upon.”
Omandi chuckled, “I imagine it was a bit more than just frowned upon, but if my little candles cause problems within Earth’s only starship, then we’re fucked anyway.”
Chao blinked, then shook his head. “You are still somewhat of an enigma to me, Captain.”
Charlotte feigned surprise. “You mean you haven’t gotten me all figured out in the span of, what, three days? Color me shocked. I’ll throw you a bone since you obviously don’t know many Catholics. We can juggle both profanity, and copious amounts of alcohol, while still enjoying a healthy prayer life.”
Her last comment barely seemed to register as Chao murmured, “I usually am much better at figuring people out.”
“Oh cheer up, Chao,” she said, “It could be worse. You could be a telepath who’s accustomed to receiving all sorts of non-verbal feedback and then be faced with a Captain who’s a blank slate.”
“And a first officer,” he corrected, “Linnea can’t read me either.”
Charlotte leaned back and sipped her coffee. “Hmm, that is interesting. She didn’t mention it, but I suspect her inability to read you has to do with your helix’s similarities with mine. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve had to trust my gut with you more than I’m accustomed to. My normal insights are quite dull when it comes to you.” She smiled impishly, then added, “So I’ll just have to have faith.”
“I don’t believe in faith,” he grumbled.
“I know you don’t, and that’s fine. It will make for some interesting debates. I very much look forward to having them…in a little more than three days.” She winked at him, then said, “Which, I believe, brings us back to your midnight visit.”
Chao held up a hand, “Just one more thing, Captain, because I won’t be able to concentrate if I don’t ask.” She gestured for him to continue and he tilted his head toward Charlotte’s chapel. “You really believe in that? You believe some omniscient being exists and listens to you?”
Omandi inhaled deeply, then said, “There are more things in heaven and Earth, Chao Keung, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” The first officer drew his lips to a line, and she chuckled, “That’s some high-quality Shakespeare you’re frowning about, but fine, be a stick in the mud. Look, there is a reason why Howard-Prime made a prayer chapel my personal item at both Ice Station Zebra and on Bladerunner. It is part of who I am, an important part, but not myself entire. We are all the product of countless interactions and events that combine to form a unique person. For me, those interactions and events have yielded a person of faith, and she does believe in an Intelligent Designer who actively listens, cares, and loves us. I believe He had a hand in Nerr’ath’s decision to go against the culture of her people. I believe He had a hand in Howard-Prime’s longevity. I believe He had a hand in everything that has happened, or will happen. That doesn’t mean we are puppets on some celestial string who exist without free will. Chao, it just means there is more.”
He nodded slowly. “To use your words, it’s just not a part of the conditions and events that made me who I am.”
“So it makes you a bit uncomfortable,” she said. “I get it, but I promise not to take directions from any burning bushes, ok?”
“Well, that’s a start,” he replied with a snort, then pulled out his hand terminal. “To business?”
“Unless you’d like to talk more theology?” she asked wryly.
Chao’s eyes flicked to her and he said, “The crew has performed all launch procedures six times. The last two were done with one-hundred percent accuracy. They have each executed ten isolated trial simulations based on their individual disciplines.”
“One-hundred percent on those, too?” she asked.
He nodded, “At least the last two times for each of them.”
“What about joint exercises?”
Chao tapped his terminal. “Four complete tests, but we’re not there yet. Only about eighty percent accuracy on those, but we have three more days to get that right.”
“All the time in the world,” lilted Omandi, then drained the last of her coffee, and moved toward the dispenser.
“You’re having more?” he asked.
“Yes, Mother,” she replied, then asked, “Have you shown them my simulation? The one I ran with Sokolov when Howard-Prime first recruited me?”
Chao shook his head. “No, I wanted to wait until they were at one-hundred percent on the base simulations.”
She walked back with her new cup and said, “Good call.”
“Yes,” he replied dryly, “I’m fairly confident that suicide ending is not going to serve as a huge motivator.”
She peered over her mug and said, “I see it as more sacrificial than suicidal, but take your meaning. Do you think we shouldn’t have them run it?”
Keung shook his head vigorously, “Oh no, I believe it’s imperative we do. That simulation is the only one based on actual alien data gathered by Howard-Prime. It might very well be the likely outcome. The crew has to know it. I’d just like them to feel optimally prepared before then.”
“Completely agree,” said Omandi, “when do you think that will be?”
“I’ve got a full slate of simulations scheduled for tomorrow, and expect the joint exercises to hit one-hundred percent by then. If so, I’d suggest we give them an early night tomorrow. We can then have them run your death-simulation the next morning, which would put us at T-minus two days.”
“What if we launch tomorrow morning?” she asked, and her question seemed to take him aback.
“Tomorrow? Why?”
“A few reasons. First, I’d like to get it over with in case something goes wrong that we might be able to fix. I mean if the ship explodes we have nothing to worry about, but what if something minor goes wrong and we need a day or two to fix it?”
“It’s a good thought,” said Chao, “what else?”
“I want our fellow Terrans to see Bladerunner rise,” she said smiling. “I want them to freak the fuck out and ask all those bastards, who have been trying to kill us, lots of uncomfortable questions. Finally, I’d like to give the crew a tour of our solar system. This is the Bladerunner, after all. I may not be able to show them attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion or C-beams glittering near the Tannhäuser Gate, but I can damn well give them moments that should never be lost in time, like tears in the rain.”
Chao said nothing for several seconds then pursed his lips and asked, “You prepared that one didn’t you?” She grinned. He said, “It was good. Rutger Hauer would approve.”
Omandi shrugged. “I hope both Mr. Hauer and Doctor Howard would approve since the old man made sure every last one of us loved that film as much as he did.” She gestured expansively. “After all, he named our ship after the bloody movie.”
“So we launch tomorrow,” Chao stated rather than asked.
Omandi nodded, “I think so, unless you have some overriding concern I haven’t considered.”
“Well, the several tons of rock over our head still gives me pause,” he said with a sardonic laugh.
“Really? I thought Karishma had that part all figured out.”
Chao pointed at her. “There’s that faith again, but at least this time it’s in someone I can touch rather than an invisible sky-man.” Omandi gave Chao a flat look and he waved a hand at her. “Yes, Karishma says she has everything in hand. The explosives should, in theory, vaporize most of the cavern ceiling while the plasmatic shielding protects us from the resulting concussive blast.”
“So,” said Omandi, “what’s the problem then?”
Chao stared at her for s
everal beats, “Seriously? What if any of those things don’t happen exactly right?”
“I assume we would be crushed by tons of rock, we would fail in our mission, and humanity would perish.” She smiled, “Cheer up, Commander, it wouldn’t be all bad news.” His face lost expression as she continued, “We wouldn’t have to worry about Nerr’ath’s trials and you’d finally discover I was right about the sky-man you don’t believe in.”
“I don’t want to be right that badly,” said Chao, standing.
“Your daughter might disagree,” chuckled Charlotte, “she seems to believe you always want to be right.”
“I imagine most daughters think that of their fathers,” he said. Charlotte rose as well, and the two looked at each other, for several long moments. Finally Chao said, “So this is it then?”
She nodded, “One of the its, anyway. We launch, then we earn the right to get to the next one.”
She walked him to the door. He paused at the threshold and glanced up and down the hallway. The ambient lights were dimmed and none of the crew were immediately visible. “A noon launch work for you?” he asked. “It should maximize press coverage given the time zone we’re in.” She nodded. Chao gave Omandi an awkward smile and said, “I feel the need to salute.”
Charlotte laughed. “Normally, I’d advise you to just lay down until those feelings pass.” She extended a hand. “However, given the circumstances, would you settle for this?”
He accepted the gesture, and she laid her left hand gently on his. Keung whispered, “We won’t let you down.”
Charlotte released him and smiled. “The thought never crossed my mind.” She winked, triggered the door closure, and said, “I have faith.”
Chapter 43
Space
“Captain on the bridge,” shouted James. Omandi frowned at the Irishman as all eyes turned toward her.
The mag-lift doors whispered shut behind her and she said, “Lt. Branson, the next time you do that, I’m going to order Misha to bend you into a shamrock shaped pretzel.”
Paradigm 2045- Trinity's Children Page 47
