"What may I ask are those?" said the hippo.
Fred waved at Lyana. She turned to put her back to the ambassadors, the back of her suit opened, and she stepped out. She turned and waved at them. Most of them were too shocked to wave back.
"Combat armour," said Fred.
"But your second is so young. Are all your teams this professional?"
Fred laughed.
"We're a new team," said Lyana, "and this was our first official op using the heavy tech. If you will excuse us, we'll check in with your security people, and head back to our ship."
"Thank you Colonel," said the Mushroom.
"Oh I'm not military," laughed Lyana. "We're his protection team."
"Do you carry any rank?" asked the hippo.
"Baron of the Kingdom," said Fred, as Lyana jumped back into her suit, and the whole team clomped off. "It's a special team for special assignments, although most of the time they just protect me."
"You have other combat teams who are military?" asked a being in the second row.
"Sure. Most of the active teams are deployed at the jump in points to sector ten, interdicting as many Brotherhood and pirates as we can identify. But we have several thousand troops still being trained for space marine duties."
"What of your space ships ambassador?" asked another voice. "Do they perform at the same level as your special unit?"
"We sent you vids of several battles in advance of coming here, did you not see them?"
Eyes shot towards seat two, and Fred had his answer in the sheepish look that individual had on its face.
"Justine?" he said into team coms, sub-vocalizing. "Can you play the last two battles on their wall screen?"
"Confirmed."
Fred waved towards the wall where their screen was, and a battle played.
A lot of eyes went really wide.
Twenty
Jane had been having fun. For the first time in a long time, she had just been a ship AI, responding to her Colonel. It reminded her of Jon, and what she'd lost, but the feeling of having no responsibilities other than what was asked of her, had felt really good. For as long as it lasted.
She ensured all the feeds of the battle went up the line to her Prime self, and an edited version went to the Cat World AI's, and the fleets nearing the Cat World. They all needed to know.
The team returned, and she watched them showering and changing back into uniforms. Fred was last to return, with Lyana, who'd brought her combat suit back, and then returned for him. They'd showered together, and made love on the bed, followed by another shower, before going to the bridge. Knowing smirks followed them to their seats, him in the admiral's chair, and she in the captain's chair. Jack did the actual flying from the helm seat, when they didn't leave it for Justine to handle.
Jane watched the team, who were elated at how the action had gone, and were watching the feeds themselves, reliving everything.
By the time she had all the combat droids back on board, the Mushroom, newly elected council leader, informed them the council had overwhelmingly voted to send a delegation immediately, and requested fast, safe, transport. Jane passed this along to herself as well. A three ship fleet was already en-route, so there was nothing to organise.
The other news from the Mushroom was the reversal of permission for Kingdom ships to cross sector nine space, where they were now most welcome to go anywhere they liked.
Fred told the Mushroom someone from the Kingdom would be in touch shortly to arrange everything, and after effusive thanks, the channel closed.
"Take us home Justine," said Lyana.
"Confirmed."
A few minutes later, back in Hunter Prime, Jane stopped, and grinned.
Twenty One
"I can see it, no, it's gone!"
Anna opened her eyes, and stood back from the ewer, frustrated at the abrupt end to the vision. She opened her hand, and stared at the Stone, which was returning to its usual glowing state whenever she held it. Before, during the visioning, it had glowed intensely, first a dull yellow, and then through many colours to brilliant white.
The Grandmother looked at Maraid, and then at Anna.
"That was the furthest and clearest we've seen so far."
Maraid nodded. Discussing what they'd seen, it was clear the same vision was shared by all of them, at the same time. This had never happened before. The power of the Stone was amazing.
They'd tuned in to the amulet, even if none of them knew what it looked like, and saw the ruined city of Anna's visions. They moved as if floating through the city, through the deserted streets, ruined buildings, covered in foliage of all kinds, and open to the weather. Finally, following circular stairs up to the top of a tower, into a room, they were met with a feeling of foreboding, of danger. Something glowed in the darkness, something unknown, but something was blocking them. The vision went dark and ended.
Anna was bitterly disappointed. The team were leaving tomorrow, and she still had no better idea of where to look for the amulet, even what it looked like, even with their combined power. How would she be able to See on her own, just with the Stone?
She took a deep breath, and then another. Of course, she would be able to use the Stone to See further, now she felt more in control of her powers. She couldn't let herself be frustrated.
Maraid put a hand on Anna's shoulder, and the Grand Mother took her hand in one of her paws. They looked at each other, and smiled.
"We've made so much progress," said Anna, and Maraid and the Grand Mother sighed with relief.
They had indeed. Maraid and Anna left the Grand Mother's rooms, and made their way to their accommodations. Maraid needed to ask Anna something, but had been putting it off. It had to be broached now, before she left.
"So, how many weeks are you?" she asked Anna, as if in normal conversation.
Anna stopped, and turned to Maraid.
"I should have known I couldn't keep it a secret."
"I wonder why you felt you needed to."
"I don't know." Anna started walking again. "I feel so, well, all over the place."
"That's understandable. And normal."
"I've been to the medics here. Everything's fine. They gave me all sorts of advice, and things to take with me. Being worried about having regular checks, one of the care-units and a doc-droid has been programmed for every eventuality."
The best help she'd received was where in the medical menu she could activate nausea and retching suppression. Not having been around anyone pregnant before, she hadn't been aware all side effects of being pregnant could be turned off. She also found the settings to prevent conception occurring, and was glad she hadn't known about them.
Anna smiled at Maraid.
"We'll be fine."
Maraid looked directly into her eyes.
"Are you happy?"
Anna looked directly back at her.
"Yes."
"Then that's all that matters."
She smiled too.
"I just need to find Jamie."
"He'll be happy too."
"Do you think so?"
"Yes, looking at you, he can't help but be."
They continued their walk, arm-in-arm.
Twenty Two
The Seasprite team was at last ready to go. Her escort had arrived, and Anna's training was complete.
The Grand Mother, Fitzy, and Maraid, were at the Spaceport to see them off.
Snark was impatient, and getting in everyone's way, while Patters and Sissness were more relaxed and happy to be once more on the quest. Mouse had his mind on several projects he had on the go, and couldn't wait to get to the ship to keep working on them. Anna took a moment to talk separately with Fitzy, and then with the Grand Mother and Maraid. The women had said their farewells earlier, but there was always the last goodbye to be said.
The team trouped onto the shuttle, everyone sat, and nothing happened.
Patters started laughing.
"What's up chuckles?" aske
d Snark.
"We're not actually ready to leave yet," she said.
"I'm ready. I've been ready since the day we got here."
"Seasprite, tell him what still needs to happen before we can leave."
"Tell me what?"
"No-one's going anywhere until you get rid of that yellow suit colour," said Seasprite in a monotone.
Snark went bright red. He'd been trying to change it for ages, but every time he did, it changed into a suit of metal armour which couldn't move, before resetting back to yellow a short time later.
A pulse came in, and an icon appeared. He activated it, and a patch for his suit program downloaded and installed. His suit turned back into its original red colour.
"You bucket of bolts!" Snark yelled, and the rest of them lost it. "I'm going to reprogram you with the biggest axe I can find on the ship."
The shuttle lifted. They were still laughing when the docking completed in Seasprite's hangar.
They lost no time making ready to go. Snark started checking off supplies, and making last minute checks of systems. He'd been having regular simulation sessions to practice using the PC, and was well at home now with interfacing with Seasprite. Patters was checking weapons and weapons systems, helped by Mouse, and Sissness was happily checking the databases which had been supplemented with human records sent by Jane from databases which had been made available to her by sector ten species, which also had systems in sector nine. She'd also been networking with other systems' universities and education institutions, to find out as much about their destination as possible, with not much success, however there were some interesting connections she'd made with reciprocal agreements to access each other's databases.
Anna was rather at a loss as to what to do, and how to help. She had control of the Destiny Stone, and it was in a special safe in a newly made security room on Seasprite. She needed to provide the team with information about where to go, and what to do once they got there, so was concentrating her efforts on Seeing.
At last, preparations made, Seasprite broke orbit, and headed out to meet her escort fleet. Seasprite put the convoy plan up on a screen.
Warspite was lead ship. Two of Tranquil's Cruisers formed either side of an arrowhead with Warspite in the middle. Behind them was the Pocket Battleship Carrie Fisher, making the arrowhead into a diamond. Behind the PB, was Seasprite, with Tranquil to her left, and the Assault Cruiser Havoc to her right. Behind them, bringing up the rear, was the Pocket Battleship Sigourney Weaver, with two more Cruisers flanking her.
Instead of heading for the jump point they needed to use, they headed to the one leading to sector ten. At the jump point, they found another fleet waiting for them. There were no ships in range to tell there were two identical fleets. And they were identical, even down to an exact same class Destroyer as Seasprite was.
"We've got it from here," said Repulse. "Good luck Seasprite."
The other fleet turned, and jumped out on their way back to sector ten. The timing was very carefully done, so a ship would see them on their scanners very soon, and would report at the Cat World they saw the Seasprite fleet heading to sector ten.
Snark knew it was a flimsy decoy, but it was better than nothing. If it worked, it could save them having to have another big battle.
And so it seemed to.
Meeting no resistance or ambushes, it seemed although everyone in this part of the galaxy knew the Seasprite, word had also got around about the defeats of the Brotherhood mercenary fleet at Scylla, and the confederation of pirate groups on their way back. It seemed anyone who wanted the Stone, didn't have the forces needed to get it, or they didn't know the Stone was on the Seasprite. Fitzy's diversionary tactic may have worked, giving the impression both Seasprite and the Stone were on their way to Hunter's Run for safe-keeping.
Life on-board settled into a pleasing routine. Everyone knew their roles, and the team seemed even more close-knit than before. Snark spent a lot of his time in simulation sessions, getting used to the PC, and how to use it for various combat scenarios with Seasprite, combat droids, ship systems, and even cat combat. Seasprite talked to him constantly, and when he was practicing personal combat, started making changes to the combat routines to take into account fighting with seven limbs instead of two. These included changes to the protection suit, so his claws could project through the suit if he needed them. After all, cats fighting often fought on their backs, using paw claws as their primary weapon, and the combat routines needed to include such a scenario. They went as far as gun firing at a second target, while fighting the first target on ones back.
His communications with others settled down, and messages he sent full of swearing, and inappropriate grumpiness, mellowed out. Anna thought she may need to teach him some of the niceties of email and messaging communications, but Seasprite made him read the mail etiquette manual, and his manner improved before she had the chance.
A bond began forming between Snark and Seasprite, one with a lot of good natured humour in it, almost all of which caused Snark to lose his temper. Until the day he did in fact appear on the bridge carrying an axe. Seasprite toned it down after that.
Patters, even though she didn't have a PC, and didn't really want one, was becoming even more skilled at the weapons systems on board, and spent time with Snark and Seasprite in simulations. When she came upon Snark on his back fighting an imaginary foe, she pounced on him, and they fought for real. After she got over her surprise at being forced to a draw, she started learning some of the moves Snark's combat routines could teach her, and they started sparring regularly.
Sissness also completed much needed training as a backup to different roles on the bridge, and Anna made herself participate in drills, learning more and more about the shipboard systems, and how to back up Snark, Patters, and Sissness, if needed. With her PC, she could easily sync with Seasprite and Snark, and it made sense for her to participate in the simulation sessions. Anna was even learning how to shoot effectively, with Patters giving her regular training and exercises in the secondary hold turned into a weapons range and fitness station.
Mouse also participated, because he wanted to learn more about Seasprite, and her systems. He was coming up with more proposals for improvements, and spent endless sessions with Seasprite, working through how to make them work in practice. Seasprite was at first amused, but it slowly turned into how to keep the little mouse happy while not making any changes at all. After a while, Seasprite changed her mind, and decided to help him assemble changes he could make once he obtained his own human designed ship.
When Jane realised what they were doing, she tasked them both with redesigning the command chairs for the smaller creatures who might want to fly combat ships, making sure a mouse could fly anything they had, with everything scaling upwards all the way to if a hippo wanted to fly a human ship. Not-crocs were already part of combat teams for sector ten, so it made sense at some point a not-croc, or a stick insect, or something else equally large, would also need a custom fitting command chair. Mouse threw himself into the work with enthusiasm. When he had some working prototypes in place, he sent specs off for Jane to have made and tested on a range of beings.
Sissness and Anna worked together on their destination. The initial chart readings were checked, and re-checked, with Sissness slowly finding out more about the system. They also worked on Anna's chart from the dream of the standing stones. They'd no luck in finding how it might lead to where the standing stones were. Anna was bitterly disappointed. She needed some way of finding out where Jamie was. He seemed further and further away every minute, every day, where they had no clue as to where he'd gone.
"You shouldn't be too downhearted," reassured Sissness. "The fact the star chart from the standing stones, is the same as the one you found in the caves on Scylla, means 'the gods' had a purpose for sending you both the same message. Perhaps Jamie was sent to those standing stones, so both of you could have the star chart, and if one failed, the other would not
. Perhaps it's just been them building in a fail safe."
"Well I wish they hadn't," grumped Anna. "It's been hell."
Sissness wasn't too worried about Anna. She seemed much brighter, positive, and filled with purpose, than previously. She also looked very healthy, and had even put on some weight. Her smell was also a healthy smell, even for a human. It seemed just 'right'.
Anna was regularly holding her own 'readings', not using the ewer of water Maraid had used. It wasn't as useful on board, because the slight vibration from the engines, meant the water was never totally still. She tried using a mirror instead, or just gathering her thoughts as if she was staring into water or fire.
She had the same visions as previously. She was hoping for them to change, so the team could have warning of what to look for, or what they might face. But there was nothing new so far. She sighed. While she had more control, perhaps it wasn't enough? None of them had been able to see the amulet itself. She wondered what it was. Somehow it worked together with the Stone, so the two must fit together.
She went into her internal PC, and looked for the files she'd loaded from Sissness' tablet. Sissness had prepared a summary of the information she'd gathered about their destination. The system had another untranslatable name, so Sissness had called it, simply, 'Destination' system. Not the most inspiring of names, but it did work on a basic level.
The system was a simple star system, with a youngish star, and several habitable planets in a fairly normal string of them. The one they were interested in, was a moon of the biggest of the gas giants, and one in the inner part of the system, but it was strangely unnamed. The two other planets were regarded as pre-space civilisations, and had been off limits to exploration, however the system was further out in sector eight, right on the outer edge of the galaxy, and was not considered worthwhile, yet, for any beings to colonise.
Perhaps call it 'Off-the-beaten-track', and it might be more descriptive, thought Anna.
A.I. Destiny 5 Talisman of Tomorrow Page 8