Sades

by S. H. Jucha

  Gregich gave orders to his pilot, who relayed the vector to the other battleships.

  24: Tech or No Tech

  “I’m listening,” Alex said. Renée and he sat across from Tatia and Julien in the owner’s suite, and it was the other three who’d requested the morning’s meeting.

  “This is about our tech, including implants and cell gen injections,” Renée said.

  “But we want to approach this discussion in layers,” Tatia said.

  “What does that mean?” Alex inquired.

  “We’ll start narrow and widen the scope. We’ll begin with Jess and the veterans. Then we’ll discuss the Pyreans, the Earthers, and the alliance,” Tatia explained.

  “Oh,” Alex uttered in surprise. He regarded Julien, who gave nothing away. To order his thoughts, he leaned forward and poured more thé.

  “Our assumption is that Omnia Ships will be heavily involved in the future of the races in this region of space,” Julien stated. “The long-range project that you’ve tasked others with makes that evident.”

  “By the way, Alex,” Tatia interjected. “With Mickey and Miriam absorbed in their work on Pimbor, I’ve recruited Reiko, Cordelia, and Homsaff to assist me with the planning of that project.”

  Alex considered Tatia’s choices appropriate, and he nodded in approval.

  “Is this request about Jess because of Lucia?” Alex asked.

  “Not directly,” Renée replied. “It’s not because of their relationship. We’ve learned that the Colony isn’t going to relent. This fight will be a long one, and when it comes to the veterans’ lack of comm tech, we’re asking them to engage the insectoids with a handicap.

  “Are we discussing Jess or the veterans, as a group?” Alex asked. “I understand the argument for Jess. He’s the assault commander, and we’ve the implant type for humans. However, you know my argument. I don’t want to see Jess isolated from his people, the Pyreans.”

  “Alex, if we carry the intent of your long-term project to its logical conclusion,” Julien said, “then, perhaps, it’s time to stop thinking in terms of races. Maybe, we should be considering the galaxy’s future.”

  “Let individuals decide whether to adopt our tech rather than require their races hold referendums,” Renée added.

  “Consider this dilemma,” Tatia offered. “If Jess was given the opportunity to adopt an implant, and he chose to do so, would any of the veterans demand one?”

  “Tacnock, of course,” Alex replied.

  “Our eminent biochemist, Emile Billings, has stated that the Dischnya’s implants required only minor tweaks,” Julien said. “He believes that he can deliver implants for any sentient race with minor tests of a representative individual.”

  “What about Pia’s stock?” Alex inquired.

  “More than ten thousand,” Renée replied.

  “We can produce more implants fairly quickly with some raw material,” Tatia added.

  “That takes care of the technical obstacles,” Alex said. “Let’s return to the general argument of individuals versus race.”

  “Alex, from our viewpoint, the areas of space that we’ve explored will see a mixing of species from various occupations,” Julien said. “The alliance already accepts the concept of races working together, and it was solved with the use of Messinants translation apps and ear wigs.”

  “To be specific, Alex, why should we deny Jess the opportunity to be a better tactical assault commander by forcing him to communicate with Omnians through a surrogate?” Tatia asked.

  “The same argument can be made for the expedition’s Earthers, Alex,” Renée continued. “Could training with implants have prevented the loss of some of their security personnel?”

  “That had already occurred to me,” Alex replied. He’d added their names to the long list of dead that rankled his conscience now and then.

  Renée sent.

  Alex smiled gently at Renée and laid a hand on her knee.

  Renée wasn’t dissuaded. She didn’t regret what she’d said, but it was time to change the guidelines under which the Omnians disbursed medical tech.

  “Alex,” Tatia said, “it’s worth noting that the first Tridents the Sol Enclave allowed out of system were placed under Olawale’s control. That speaks volumes for the commitment of Sol’s government to reform. It’s time to spread the personal tech, especially implants.”

  “The alliance uses telomeres to increase longevity,” Renée pointed out, “but the process doesn’t preserve an individual’s health. I think the cell gen injections are just as critical as the implants.”

  “On that subject, Renée, Emile will have to work with one of the alliance’s medical centers,” Alex said. “Some significant work has to be done to ensure that the two processes don’t interfere with each other.”

  “That’s prudent,” Julien allowed.

  “What about implants for humans on Pyre and in the Sol system?” Renée pressed.

  Alex held up his hands. “Perhaps you’re right, and it’s time,” he said. “However, before I make my decision, I want to talk to Patrice about the Earther Trident crews. The same goes for a conversation with Ophelia about Aputi and her. We can proceed from there.”

  “That’s not what we’re saying, Alex,” Tatia said.

  “How will it look to the presidents of Pyre and Sol if we hand out our medical tech to their people without their knowledge?” Alex objected. “The least we can do is speak to their governments’ representatives of our intentions.”

  Tatia leaned forward, resting her forearms on her thighs, and Alex recognized the position.

  “I don’t see those representatives or their government officials fighting and dying to preserve sentient races from the likes of the Colony or the federacy, for that matter,” Tatia declared. She hadn’t wanted to raise her voice to Alex, but she was passionate about this subject.

  “Alex, you might consider the demands of time and space,” Julien counseled. “You wish to communicate with Patrice and Ophelia, who aren’t here. Jess and the veterans are here, and as you know, they’re planning to retake the Pimbor dome. According to Esteban, the captain believes destroying the ring will force the Colony into defending the dome with a large number of its members. This was the same situation they faced at Sylia, which resulted in the veterans’ greatest losses.”

  Alex regarded the faces of his close friends. He found it unsettling to be on the opposite side of an argument from them. That had rarely happened, except when it concerned his security. He recalled the time when he voiced a highly contested opinion about who occupied the Nua’ll’s dark travelers. That time he was proven right, and he wondered if this wasn’t the same situation. Then he shook his head. This wasn’t a strategic discussion about the enemy. It was a matter of politics and individuals’ rights to possess the best medical tech that could be offered.

  “I want to meet with the veterans from the Sylian encounter,” Alex said. “Please include Menous, Salsinona, and Lucia in the invitation to this evening’s meal.”

  * * * * *

  As the invitees arrived for evening meal and settled at the table, Alex had a vivid example of why Renée, Tatia, and Julien argued for the release of implants.

  The veterans couldn’t order from the servers. The Omnians who knew them were conditioned to request their preferences.

  This time, it was Lucia who amiably chatted with each veteran about their meal choices and relayed their requests. When the servers arrived, Lucia directed the trays to the recipients.

  The veterans accepted the process as normal. It was Alex who felt uncomfortable, and that feeling was magnified when he met Tatia’s eyes. He understood her determination. His admiral hated the idea of individuals dying for a cause because of poor preparation — so did he.

  Alex sent to Renée, Tatia, and Julien,

  Th
e table’s conversation was animated and upbeat. The troops were winning on Pimbor. The Pims were embracing a new beginning for their race, and Jess had a workable plan for recovering lost dome number three.

  Alex and the Omnians joined the veterans’ discussion, which primarily centered on the future of the alliance.

  When the meal finished, the group, except for Cordelia, retired to the owner’s suite.

  Renée served thé to those who requested it. She was surprised Jess was among them.

  “I’ve asked you here to hear your opinions about adopting Omnian implants,” Alex said.

  “Are you requesting we adopt them?” Bortoth inquired. Like Daktora, he stood behind Jess. The suite’s furniture wasn’t prepared to accommodate them, any more than it could handle Z or Miranda’s heavy avatars.

  “No,” Alex said quickly. “We’re wondering if you’d accept them if we offered them.”

  “Are you offering them?” Tacnock asked.

  Jess hid his grin, which Alex noticed.

  “Captain, perhaps you’d like to translate,” Alex requested, admitting the conversation had started awkwardly.

  “You’ll have to forgive our hosts,” Jess said to the veterans, which made the Omnians smile. “They’re being overly polite. They’re worried the tech might frighten us, or that we might think the tech is being foisted on us, or any number of reasons to worry about our reactions. In simple terms, they’re offering their tech. Do we want the implants?”

  The veterans’ obviously tense body postures eased.

  “I do,” Tacnock piped up. “With an implant, I can speak directly to any SADE at any time.”

  “Juliette says that she looks forward to that first moment,” Julien said, which made Tacnock broadly flash his teeth.

  “What about me?” Jess asked Tacnock, pretending a hurtful voice.

  “Who wants to talk to you?” Tacnock shot back, and the veterans enjoyed a good laugh.

  “I was told that an implant can be removed,” Jess said.

  “Yes,” Julien replied. “Insertion and removal are simple procedures. Although, it should be noted that the longer you have an implant the less likely that you’ll want to be without one.”

  The Crocians rumbled in approval of Julien’s answer, and Jess explained their reaction by saying, “Bortoth and Daktora have a biological imperative that requires the implants be removed prior to their final lifecycles.”

  None of the Omnians knew what Jess meant by final lifecycle, which was when Crocians lost sentience and wandered into the home world’s wetlands as Dorgatha. When no one offered any further explanation, the subject was dropped.

  “With implants, could we adjust engineering drawings and specifications in our minds?” Daktora asked.

  “The implant might be tiny, but it has a tremendous capacity for memory and applications,” Renée replied. “You have a choice of programs. If we don’t have what you need, a SADE can develop it for you. It’s only a matter of developing your skills. It won’t happen overnight.”

  “And for some, the skills might be adopted slowly,” Tatia said, in chagrin, which made the Omnians chuckle.

  “Do individuals find an implant is insufficient for their needs?” Bortoth asked.

  “Your closest comparison would be Mickey,” Renée replied. “He uses a single implant.”

  “Impressive,” Bortoth said, rumbling in approval.

  “Renée, your answer indicates that others use more than one implant,” Tacnock said.

  “One Omnian has a bad habit of adopting too many apps and storing too much data, which means he carries two,” Renée replied, patting Alex’s leg. “The SADEs maintain a separate database on the Freedom’s controller for his overflow. That database is copied to any major ship that Alex boards.”

  When the veterans stared at Alex, he shrugged good-naturedly.

  “We wish implants,” Bortoth said definitively, indicating Daktora and himself with a meaty claw.

  With three veterans approving of the tech, Alex turned his attention toward Menous and Salsinona. He’d chosen to save Jess and Kasie for last.

  Menous and Salsinona glanced at each other, and she nodded at him to speak.

  “While we might have our personal opinions,” Menous said. “We’ve been made responsible for our troops. Any offer of tech to them must be approved by our rulers. If they were citizens and not troops, it might be different.”

  “Will we be given the opportunity to make such requests of our monarchs?” Salsinona asked.

  “I’m inclined to say yes, but let’s wait until the lost domes and planets are recaptured,” Alex said. He nearly said that the Tsargit might need to be included in the discussions, but that was contrary to what his companions had argued. It was obvious that navigating through the various veterans’ situations was going to be complicated.

  Alex turned toward the Pyreans.

  “Yes,” Kasie said immediately.

  “Pardon me, Alex, but Juliette and Esteban have concerns about Kasie,” Julien interrupted. “An implant and her empathetic abilities might not be compatible. To be precise, the implant might interfere with her gates, as she refers to them.”

  “Does this mean I can’t have one?” Kasie asked disappointedly.

  “It means Pia and Emile will want to run some tests with you, Kasie, to ensure your gift is protected,” Renée said gently.

  Kasie smiled warmly, and her feelings were shared with the room. She’d liked the way Renée referred to her ability as a gift.

  “Yes,” Jess said simply, when Alex’s gaze fell on him.

  Lucia was tempted to grasp Jess’s hand, but she refrained. She didn’t want to appear as if she wanted an implant for him for entirely personal reasons. It was, and it wasn’t. For her, the twin desires were intertwined. Without an implant, Jess faced greater risk with every encounter, which increased the likelihood of him not surviving. That made her reasons both professional and personal for wanting him to have an implant.

  “Jess, you can have yours this evening,” Alex said. “Tacnock, Bortoth, and Daktora, our biochemist, Emile Billings, is waiting for you in his lab. He needs to run some tests and prep your implants. The SADEs will notify each of you when yours is ready.

  “Be prepared,” Julien said. “After your initial tutorial, you’ll be taking part in games after evening meal. Lie down and close your eyes to participate.”

  To the inquiring faces, Renée said, “We’ve found it’s the fastest way to learn basic communications.”

  “Captain, when did you plan to assault the dome?” Alex asked.

  “In three cycles,” Jess replied.

  Alex shared a concerned look with Tatia.

  “Is there any strategic reason for this timing?” Tatia asked.

  “It’s an optimal approach time for the initial pilot. The starlight will be in the insectoids’ sensors when the ring is targeted,” Jess replied. “Just trying to give your rear admiral every advantage.”

  “That’s surely appreciated,” Tatia replied, grinning.

  Alex requested.

  Julien connected to Esteban, Juliette, and Orbit.

  Jess saw Alex regard Julien. So, he waited for their communications to finish.

  “Captain,” Julien said, “that window of time represents your first opportunity to target the ring’s power supply. If you wait another eleven cycles, the same circumstances will be present for Franz to target the power supply on the other side of the ring.”

  “It’s my advice that you wait, Captain,” Alex said. “An extra eleven days can make a big difference in your ability to communicate through your implant.”

  Jess regarded Lucia and the other veterans, who nodded encouragingly. “We’ll wait,” he said. Then he stood and offered Alex his hand. “Thank you,” he said.

  “It was a group decision,” Alex replied, indicating the other Omnians.

  Tacnock stood and shook everyone’s hand. He couldn’t stop baring his teeth. H
e was thrilled about the opportunity that he was being presented.

  Bortoth refrained from offering the human gesture, preferring not to hurt anyone, but Daktora couldn’t resist extending a clawed hand toward Alex.

  “Not bad for a human,” Daktora commented, after the handshake, and the Crocians rumbled in amusement.

  Tatia led the veterans, except for Jess and Kasie, to Emile’s lab. Lucia took Jess and Kasie to the medical suite.

  As the door of the owner’s suite slid closed, Alex regarded Renée and Julien. He shook his hand gently to stimulate circulation and said, “It was like being squeezed in a vise.”

  Renée laughed and clapped her hands. “I’ve waited decades to hear you say that. Now, you know what Méridiens feel when shaking hands with New Terrans. Why do you think we initially preferred to kiss your cheeks?”

  25: Implants

  “Greetings,” Pia said to Jess, Kasie, and Lucia. “If the two of you’ll wait a moment, I’ll take the captain to a room.”

  Kasie sensed Jess and Lucia’s nervousness, and she shared a feeling of confidence.

  Due to proximity, Pia had also received the emotion. She glanced at Lucia, who’d closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation. she sent to Lucia.

  Lucia replied.

  Kasie took a seat in the medical suite’s lobby, while Pia led Jess to an operating room.

  “This is Nalia, Captain,” Pia said, introducing the SADE. “She’ll perform the operation.”

  A corner of Jess’s mouth tweaked at the rainbow that lit the SADE’s face. It ran diagonally, and the delicate colors softly fluctuated.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet and see you,” Jess said, offering a hand to Nalia.

  “Witty of you, Captain,” Nalia replied. “You’ll be an interesting addition to the Omnian implant community when you become adept.”