"So it really got stronger? It didn't fade? The science we have said it could fade over time until you completely lose the ability."
"Unless I practice," Alice said.
Iruuk gasped at a realization. "Did you use it on Noah?" He didn't have to wait for an answer, her blushing and the lowering of her head was enough. "You did! Oh, that must make your mating rituals so much easier! There's normally so much guess work with humans, but if you can tell what he's feeling, it must be so easy."
"It got easier when I stopped, actually," Alice said quietly, smiling a little at the memory of their first kiss. "Yeah, knowing he liked me, was a little crazy about me in a way was a huge help, but when I was feeling his reaction to me I wasn't sure about my own. Not really sure, things get mixed up. I could get lost in his feelings, take them in like a high, and how I feel gets buried. When I turned all that off and listened to what was going on in my head when I was with him, well, then it got really good. Turns out I'm really crazy about the real Noah too, not the guy who I got to know in his journals. They're one in the same, I know him pretty well as it turns out, but it could have been an infatuation, I could have been in love with who he was on Iora."
"But you're in love with all of him," Iruuk said with a big grin.
"I wouldn't say love,"
"But you did."
"I was talking about infatuation, what could have happened if meeting Noah was a disappointment. I'd say we're in that happy, crazy beginning time. It's good, but I couldn't call it love, especially since we haven't seen each other in about ten days."
"You're counting the days!" Iruuk cried enthusiastically, his muzzle pointed up at the purple and red sky. "It's adorable!"
"Oh, it could all come to a crashing halt, don't get too excited, Fur-Face," Alice grumbled.
"Wait, why?"
"I haven't told him I'm an empath yet. I don't tell everyone because I'm sure it'll freak some people out, and being an empath, I can feel that. People who want to shrink away from me once they know, I'm sure it'll happen, but I don't want it to happen with Noah."
"Have you asked Theo how he thinks Noah will react? Maybe it won't be a big deal."
"That's a good idea. I'll ask him, but I know there will be a reaction, something will change."
Iruuk looked out over the landscape, calming down. "I guess so. Maybe it won't be bad, though. If it makes you feel better, I don't feel any different. You could already read me before, when we were in the Academy. Unless you were an empath then?"
"No, I don't think so. Besides, I missed a lot of big things there, like one of my classmates being infatuated."
"I still feel pretty good about throwing him down the hallway. Don't tell Fleet, though."
"No worries," Alice said. "Think I should tell the crew I'm an empath before the next mission?"
"Ask Theodore, but maybe not. It's an important meeting, it could be better if they're focused. I won't tell anyone either, don't worry."
"Thanks, I was dreading this conversation, but I should have known you'd be cool about it."
"I am the embodiment of cool, it's what I bring to the crew," Iruuk boasted exaggeratedly.
"I thought you were a science and scanner genius with impressive combat skills."
"Yeah, but isn't that cool? I'm so cool."
"You just like using that word, don't cha?"
"A bit," Iruuk said. "Guess we should unplug and get back to work."
"Yeah, the meeting is in a few hours, we have to get some scouting done," Alice agreed. "Thanks for the talk, Fur-Face."
Seven
The Docks
* * *
One of Shamus Frost's earliest memories was watching the ships as they moved through a port. There was a debate as to which port it was, on Sellus, or Marou, or Gamintrad, or even some other world where his mother dragged him when he was too young to snip the apron strings. It didn't matter. He remembered watching in awe as heavy vessels defied gravity. Whether they were blockish, small freighters with scraped paint or sleek, speedy looking ships, it didn't matter. He was mesmerized at how they moved through the air, how the port defence cannons tracked some of them, turning their barrels to match their course, and how men in big exo-suits that made them look mighty, able to push a ship, pick up a heavy load and walk it into a cargo hold, or hover around so they could repair small cracks in a hull with bright welders set the stage for the rest of his life.
Those fixtures, that scene made Shamus McFadden more comfortable on the docks, around those things than anywhere else. He secretly celebrated when his application to work at the Haven Shore Shuttle Dock was approved, and when he saw David that morning, a fellow that was rescued by the Triton and crew from a slaver before they discovered the Rega Gain system, he was even happier. He was on Stephanie's list, one of the people who she used at the docks, and minutes after orientation, David bumped into him, signalling that he knew who Frost really was despite his mask.
The shifts on the docks were long, they were dangerous because the exo-skeletons that were in use were bulky suits that made each operator feel like a walking tank unto themselves. It was easy to get bored, moving stasis crates filled with fruit and replacement parts onto transport shuttles. It was easy for Frost to peek at the contents of crates, the guards were busy trying to direct the exo-suit clad workers.
Finally, when Frost and David could sit together while they ate Forma Meal Bars - not the kind of lunch he would have chosen - they were able to talk. The guards were back to their patrols, watching the port's personnel entrances and exits, walking the perimeter outside the loading area, with only a couple trying to play director to the twenty-eight people in heavy suits. As they sat on empty, broken crates in one corner of the docks, Frost shook his head. "This is the kind of thing I didn't think I'd ever see again. People in open frame exo-suits minding the docks? I would have expected bots to take over."
"They don’t trust them," David said. "The Order of Eden says they're giving us these jobs so we can have opportunities, but they really expect people here to hack anything they switch on. They're paranoid. Good thing I got used to paranoid people. People who drive slave crews on ships always are."
"You were on one for years, aye?" Frost asked.
"Too long," David nodded. "This isn't as bad, though. All the guards are out to catch saboteurs or some kinda resistance fighter, but we're playing a longer game and they're stretched thin. Bringing the population of every Haven settlement to Haven Shore have them outnumbered pretty badly."
"Yeah, but they still have the guns, and the orbital strike power," Frost said. "We revolt, things get out of control, and they can just wipe whole buildings out."
"I heard something," David said. "They're starting work on a whole new manufacturing line tomorrow. It's going to be on a barge next to the island."
"They still can't get into the Solar Forges?" Frost asked.
"No, they self-destructed." A guard was about to come into earshot, and David pulled a bite of his forma bar, a chunk of gummy yellow and blue swirl, and held it out to the guard. "Hey, just wondering, do you know what flavour this is?"
"I don’t eat that anymore," the guard scoffed, pushing his helmet visor up. He was young, amused by the older worker. "I pay for the upgrade, so I don't think I've had that one. Maybe work here for a while and you'll be able to afford upgraded eats too."
"Yeah, that would be something," David replied.
"Or maybe you could borrow a few hundred credits, start paying for the upgrades sooner. I've got extra credit, I could be your first supporter," the guard offered quietly.
"I think I could eat this stuff for a few more days. If I get tired of it, I'll look you up."
"Here, send me a pulse on this once you get fed up with the forma," the guard said, handing David a thin, narrow strip of plastic. "You think you'll be looking for a loan, old-timer?"
Frost didn't mind being called an old-timer, he got access to age suppression meds late, it was how the guards wer
e offering to loan people credit that made him want to knock the fellow out and stuff him in a crate. Collecting high interest on loans to newcomers to the Order was how many of them elevated themselves, and the loans seemed like a good idea to some who were getting tired of cramped, basic living, but they always added up to more debt. David took one of the small comm strips, though, so Frost did as well. "Might not hear from me for a while, but sure," Frost said.
"Great, I get a couple credits every time you use those comms, so don't be shy with 'em," the guard said as he moved off.
"We pay for every second, too," David muttered as the guard moved out of earshot. He slipped Frost the little plastic communicator. "Hand these off to your connection, maybe she can reprogram them."
They were so thin that Frost didn't realize that David handed him three instead of one until he dropped them into his pocket. His connection would probably be able to do just that, it was a decent solution to their communication blackout. "Thanks, come up with this idea on your own?"
"Well, a guard gave me the idea. They're all hot to start loaning us Order newbies money so they can start collecting interest. If I keep taking their comm slips, I'll eventually have to take a loan out with one of them, though."
"Yeah, I'll collect a couple more too," Frost said. "She'll be able to do something with 'em. Do they listen passively?"
"Not until they're attached to your skin, that's where they get their power from," David replied. "Anyway, I've noticed you've kept your mouth shut while you watch the new loader operators fumble around. That must be… difficult."
"There have been moments where I wanted to start shouting people back in order, teaching them how to work as a team. The guards don't know a damn thing about running a loading crew. Was it that easy to tell I was biting my tongue?"
"I'm afraid so," David said. "You've gotta do better. Someone with half a brain will notice you grumbling and grimacing eventually, and you're too important to get caught, especially now that you're where you can watch what's coming and going."
It was surprising and a little irritating to be told how to act by someone at least ten years his junior, but David was on the docks a week longer and he probably had a good eye for things that might draw attention, so he simply nodded. "I'll get that under control, don't you worry."
"Oh, and it would help if you screwed up once or twice. You haven't made a misstep since you got into a loader suit."
"Good point," Frost replied.
"Any news from below?" David asked before taking his last bite of meal bar. He tried to chew it but stopped. The density of it was sometimes a bit much, so he let it warm up and soften in his mouth before trying to chew again.
"Nothing since all our suits and comms were taken. I'm going below next chance I get," Frost said.
"Careful, there are scan crews now. They scan and count who is in each apartment without having to open the doors."
"I saw that," Frost whispered. "Well, Sam saw that. One guy with a hand scanner and two guards backing him up."
"Our watch only saw one after curfew," David nodded. "So far, anyway."
"I'll be careful. We've gotta get communication going again though."
"Up! Everyone up!" A guard standing on top of a large crate called. "Lunch break's over, ships are coming."
The large hatch in the warehouse side of the docks opened and an industrial elevator pad with enough crates to keep them busy for an hour rose up. There would be more. These had new markings on them, a triangle that pointed down with a starburst on the point. He was pretty sure he knew what they were but decided that it was time for a little performance so he could make sure. "Time for a little slip and tumble trouble," Frost said under his breath as he and David parted.
Frost could wear the bulky, boxy loader suit and operate it as though it was an extension of himself. He was one of the first to arrive at the new batch of crates, probably filled with the first things that the old fabricator was turning out somewhere beneath the port. Samantha was down there, the Order made use of her experience as a fabrication materials expert as she predicted, and it was her second shift. He was glad she wouldn't see what was about to happen.
There was a small crate that had cracked open and wasn't properly put off to the side for re-inspection and resealing. It was close enough for him to make it part of his first screw up. With a jagged motion that he was sure would make him look more amateur, he picked up a pristine crate from the industrial elevator, then started stepping backwards, aiming for one of his fellow loaders. "Hey! Watch out!" the driver behind him cried as Frost veered away, still stepping backwards but past the fellow he almost struck.
"Sorry!" Frost called out an instant before he caught the small cracked crate underfoot, crushing it. The fruit inside burst, sending juices and pulp across the deck.
"Hold! Hold! You there!" A guard shouted as he and his partner rushed to them. "Stop!"
Frost dropped the crate in the loader's hands. It landed exactly the way he wanted it to, one corner bashing onto the hard deck and the lid flipped open, sending industrial fabricator print heads across the deck. At a glance, Frost guessed that they were the right size for the type of fabrication systems aboard larger Order ships. Cheap manufacturing systems were always hard on detailing and extrusion heads, especially when they were printing armour panels and other parts that had to be replaced when repairing combat damage. "By garp, I'm sorry!"
"That's coming out of your pay, you moron!" one guard said. " Now, get down out of that loader so you can clean all this up. You're going to make this deck shine, and Hampon help you if you dented the deck, that's a kind of debt you can't work off, not unless you're a Lieutenant."
"I'm sorry, I'll get on it," Frost said, trying to pretend that he was as nervous and fearful as one ought to be, but he wanted to grin. If they went through all their print heads repairing damage and needed thousands more to replace them, that meant there was more damage. More than the invasion caused, so there was still fighting somewhere in or near the solar system. It was good news, encouraging news.
The guard was behind him the moment he was down from the loader. Frost tried to look afraid as the man grabbed his shoulder and marched him, like a child, to the edge of the splattered fruit. "Did you even see that crate? Obviously not, since you made a huge mess of it. What was it doing there, anyway?"
"I don't know, Sir," Frost said with a tremble. It wasn't much of a stretch. He was trembling under the effort of holding himself back. Shamus wanted to steal the guards' rifle and beat him with the butt of it until he was as splattered as the mess in front of him. "I'll clean it right now."
"Damn right," the guard said, shoving Frost towards the mess.
Frost slipped, his cheap shoes sliding through the muck of smashed fruit and he let himself fall, landing on his side. The laughter of the guards made him furious, but he breathed through it, tried to make the anger look like fear. It must have worked, because the guards were moving onto other things by the time he was on his feet. Before the guard that marched him over to the mess could get out of earshot, Frost called out. "I'm sorry," Frost said, unable to help himself. "I just want to know who to report to once I'm finished."
"Sergeant Lamb," the guard who treated him like a peasant replied. "Just report to the deck officer in charge. I'll be off shift by then, probably living it up in the restricted zone, so I won't want to hear from you, boy."
Frost nodded and turned away. If the guard saw his expression then, at being pushed a little further, he was sure there would be trouble. He was in luck, no one paid him much mind at all as he used whatever tools he could find to clean up the huge mess he'd made. Five hours later, near the end of his shift, the deck was perfectly clean, even polished thanks to an attachment he found at the back of the warehouse. He'd broken two print heads, and that was enough to set him back so far that he would need two and a half years to pay the debt off if he managed to keep his loader job.
Eight
Meeting Lege
nds
* * *
"This is terrible news," Iruuk said as he joined Alice on the ramp on the lower deck of the Clever Dream.
She finished adjusting her long coat, it felt substantial around her, heavy and comforting even over her plain looking vacsuit. It was still fleet issue, only she'd changed the colour so she wouldn't be immediately recognized. It wouldn't help much since her face was featured in the footage captured while she killed Admiral Tafford, but that recording was banned, considered high contraband in Order of Eden territory. Only those who went to great lengths to obtain restricted recordings and high ranking military would have seen it, and that worked for her. If someone recognized her, she could immediately sense which one they were. The rebellious sort she needed to meet were always excited to see her, while the officers and spies for the Order would react differently, she was sure. The latter, she hadn't met since the footage came out, so she wasn't absolutely certain, but she kept her senses as open as she could so she could notice them. "What's up, Fur-Face?" He was concerned for someone else, it ran deep.
"Theo finally found a few codes that were still able to access the local Order network here, and he found plans to turn this planet into a brood world. The Edxi are demanding compensation for the losses they took in the Haven System, and since this solar system has a terraformed world and two habitable moons, this is going to be one of the places they'll be given," Iruuk said. He had his armour retracted so it looked like a triangle of plates and thick vacsuit material covered his torso.
"When will the broods start arriving?"
"It'll be a week at the earliest, but they're changing nothing. No plans to extract anyone but Order officers, the mining and cultivation programs will run until the Edxi take over, so the workers and the rest of the people will remain on the planet. It's not just the brood ships, either, they're going to have military hives."
Spinward Fringe Broadcast 13 Page 7