Etheric Explorer

by S. R. Russell

  A sharp stab of pain deep behind her eyes, then her headache was gone. In its place was a connection to her therapist, and all the dirty, disgusting games she liked to play with her patients.

  “You b-b… Witch!” Anne spat.

  The doctor looked puzzled, then amused. Shaking her head, she goaded, “So much a child that you can’t even voice profanity?”

  Anne jumped to her feet and stormed over to the hardwood desk in the office. With a grunt of effort, she picked it up and flung it against the wall so hard it shattered, the broken drawers discharging their contents all across the floor.

  “You want profanity, you…”

  Bethany Anne watched in awe as Anne threw the doctor’s desk across the room. She spat out her mouth full of popcorn when Anne started a cursing streak out of Bethany Anne’s handbook. Bethany Anne ticked off the invectives and was proud when Anne hit fourteen without any lame or repetitive curses.

  “Was that profane enough for you?” Anne spat as she stalked across the room to the corner the doctor had pushed her chair into. She reached down and picked the doctor up one-handed by the throat. Anne could feel fangs in her mouth and knew her eyes were blood-red.

  “You want to know what I thought? Easy! No one was going to kidnap Jinx!” Anne was almost spitting in the doctor’s face.

  “You want to know what I felt? I was happy I killed that man, and if I had needed to, I would have killed the others if that had been required to protect Jinx. And that,” Anne finished very quietly, “is what bothers me—that killing that man doesn’t bother me.”

  Anne opened her hand and the gasping doctor fell into her chair, then bounced onto the floor. The doctor sat looking up at Anne while she gulped air into her lungs.

  “We’re done!” Anne proclaimed, gazing down at the doctor. “Furthermore, you’re finished! Once I report this to Bethany Anne, you won’t work as a therapist on the Meredith Reynolds ever again.”

  “You? You’re just a young girl…”

  Bethany Anne watched the so-called doctor try to bluster and intimidate her young friend and employee.

  “Sounds like that’s my cue.” With a quick check of the video on her tablet, Bethany Anne disappeared.

  She arrived right in front of the chair Anne had vacated, then plopped down and crossed her legs. She reached down to pet Jinx, who had just sat and watched her person demolish a doctor’s office. Bethany Anne’s voice cut through the doctor’s frantic ramblings.

  “That young woman,” Bethany Anne made certain to emphasize “woman,” “has my complete trust, and if she says you’re not fit to practice, then you won’t be practicing. Come to think of it, the only thing you’ll be doing is time!”

  “What?” Doctor Jane Haskell squeaked in disbelief.

  “You heard me,” Bethany Anne declared. “At the moment, I don’t know how many people you’ve screwed over, but messing with Anne is reason enough. I’m sure an investigation into your patient records will add to your charges.

  “You going to be all right?” the Empress asked Anne.

  Anne nodded. “I’m good, thank you.”

  Bethany Anne spared a brief smile for Anne, but the smile faded as she grabbed the shocked doctor and stepped.

  “I guess we’re heading home early.” Anne looked down at Jinx and headed for the door.

  Chapter Six

  Anne wished that school ending in less than a month and beginning her own company would save her from weapons practice, but no such luck. Ever since a lucky hit from Peter one day had left her trying to fight with broken ribs, Pete had turned up the pressure. Now, Weres were throwing the equivalent of bowling pins at her while she and Jinx attempted to fend off three active attackers.

  Empress, Queen Bitch, or preferably just Bethany Anne stood trying to understand what was going on. Guardian Commander Peter plus two other Guardians were throwing heavy objects at Anne while three Guardian Marines pressured Anne and Jinx with combat batons. One of the thrown objects finally made it through Anne’s defenses and hit the arm she threw up at the last minute. The sound of breaking bone could be clearly heard by Bethany Anne, and she watched as Anne turned to try to protect her wounded arm. That gave one of the Marines a chance to grab Anne and throw her against a weight bench, which resulted in another bone breaking. Bethany Anne could see that Anne’s leg wasn’t going to mend properly the way it was.

  Before she could say anything, Jinx had dashed to Anne and grabbed the foot of the broken leg and yanked it one way while Anne tried to move the other way. The leg straightened, but Anne was left panting and in tears. As Bethany Anne moved into the room, Jinx took up a guard position as Anne tried to drag herself behind the cover of the overturned bench.

  “Stop! This instant! What the slimy, shiny fuck are you doing to my researcher?” The Empress’ eyes were red and her fangs were showing.

  “It…it…it’s okay,” Anne panted through gritted teeth. “I kind of gave up fighting the first day I got a broken rib, and that left Jinx alone against four enemies.” She winced as she worked her recently broken arm and tried to stand on her good leg. “We’re,” Anne pointed to Jinx, then back to herself, “trying to figure out what we need to do to get me healed and back in the fight as soon as possible.”

  “Are you telling me you’ve been coming in here to have bones broken on purpose so you can learn how to deal with them?” The way Bethany Anne spat the words, it was almost like there was a period between each one.

  Anne hopped away from the irate Empress on her good leg and nodded when her back hit the wall.

  “Furry festering fuckwits! How. Many. Days?” This time there were periods between the words Bethany Anne growled.

  “Three?” Anne squeaked, making it sound like a question.

  What the hell is wrong with her nanocytes that this child is practicing dealing with broken bones? Bethany Anne asked her boarders. She didn’t care who answered, as long as they were quick.

  >>Nothing.<< Replied ADAM calmly. >>My records show we discussed Anne’s situation when she initially went into the Pod-doc. She was a young female student with leukemia, so the decision was made to cure and optimize her, not to provide combat upgrades. You are on record as agreeing with that course of action.<<

  “Down!” Peter shouted and followed his own order and hit the floor as Bethany Anne blurred. The “pin” that had broken Anne’s arm flew across the room with such force that stone chips flew away from the wall and wood splinters careened outward like a shotgun blast.

  Bethany Anne stood there, wood splinters dropping to the ground as her body expelled them and the cuts from stone shards slowly healing. She looked at one deep gash in her arm and walked over to Anne. “I know it seems gross, but take a mouthful and swallow it. It will speed your healing,” Bethany Anne told the shocked young woman.

  “Tomorrow, you and Jinx will report to the Pod-doc for upgrades,” Bethany Anne ordered as she exited the training area. She had Cheryl Lynn clear her schedule for the remainder of the day, and only TOM, ADAM, and Ashur heard an Empress cry for the pain she had caused one young woman.

  Anne wasn’t sure if it was nerves or the blood from Bethany Anne, but she was having a difficult time concentrating on anything that evening. Jinx was upset because she didn’t know what to do to help her person.

  The common room brightened as Seshat’s screen went live. “Jinx, you have an incoming call.”

  Jinx trotted over and sat in front of the screen, expecting Dio or Matrix, and was surprised to see a tearful young woman holding a small child on her hip.

  “I’m so sorry.” The woman sniffed. “I don’t know what else to do.”

  Help! Jinx sent a frantic thought to Anne.

  It wasn’t normal for Jinx to get video calls, but Anne had assumed one of the other dogs had called Jinx, so the mental cry for help was unexpected. Anne had been with her four-footed friend long enough to know the difference between frantic, frightened, and troubled. Frantic needed assistance, but no
one was dying.

  You called? Anne asked her friend as she entered the common room. Anne stopped, somewhat confused to see a young woman with a child looking out at them.

  “Oh God, what was I thinking?” the woman almost wailed.

  Anne couldn’t help the slightly devious smile as she folded her legs and sat beside Jinx. “Dunno, what were you thinking?” She watched as the lady’s youngster burbled and tried to reach through the screen for Jinx. “Why don’t we start with who you are, and we can go from there,” Anne suggested.

  “Oh, right,” the woman replied as she bounced the child on her hip. “I’m Gina Hamilton. Genevieve actually, but everyone calls me Gina. And this is my son Joey.” Gina looked down at her son and murmured, “You like the doggy, don’t you?”

  Anne smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Everyone calls you Gina. Is that how you want it to be, or that’s just what everyone calls you?”

  The young woman’s mouth made a silent O, then she answered, “I think it was my mother who shortened it. I grew up with everyone calling me Gina, which I’m fine with,” she finished as though she hadn’t thought about it before and wasn’t quite sure of her answer.

  “This is Jinx, as I’m sure you know since the call came in for her, and I’m Anne. What can Jinx do for you?”

  “I’m so screwed.” Gina was close to tears again. “I didn’t know what to do, and I wasn’t thinking.”

  It took Anne almost five minutes to get the whole story. Gina’s boyfriend and his family thought Gina was trying to trap him into something by having a baby, so they weren’t helping. Gina’s family thought Joey should be put up for adoption, so they weren’t helping.

  “And, to top it all off, my regular sitter called in sick, and if I miss any more work, my boss will fire me,” Gina finished her story.

  “Okay, I get all that,” Anne acknowledged. “Why call Jinx?”

  “Because I was stupid and not thinking.” Gina sounded embarrassed. “Just, Joey’s been dog-crazy ever since Jinx rescued him from that construction site.”

  In the corner of her vision, Anne could see Jinx’ ears go down. You’re people too, so you deserve a life. I’m your friend, not your parent.

  What’s that supposed to mean? Jinx asked hesitantly.

  Means if you want to be Super Dog when you’re off on your own, that’s up to you. I wish you would have told me, so I could have hugged you and told you what a wonderful dog you are, but you aren’t required to tell me those sorts of things. Anne stretched an arm over Jinx’ back and gave her a hug.

  “You need a babysitter for how long?” Anne asked Gina.

  Gina cringed. “Four hours, starting forty-five minutes from now.”

  Seshat, you have her address? Anne expected the AI did, but she didn’t want to guess incorrectly.

  I have the address she’s calling from. Seshat stipulated.

  “Okay, are you calling from your home?” When the woman nodded, Anne continued, “Get ready for work, and then write down everything I’ll need to know. I’ve never babysat before, so you’ll have to be pretty specific.”

  How long will it take us to get there? Anne asked Seshat.

  >>Fifteen minutes,<< the AI answered.

  “We’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Anne informed Gina.

  “Oh, how can I—” Gina started to tear up again, but she cut her off.

  “By getting ready for work and having a really good list for a newbie babysitter when we get there,” the scientist replied with a smile.

  As soon as Gina had signed off, Anne went to the door. E was standing in the shadows outside. “Jinx and I have a babysitting gig. Interior MR, four-hour duration, leaving in five minutes.”

  Ethel smiled and mock-saluted. “Damn, girl, we’ll get you trained up yet.”

  Anne blew a raspberry at her guard, then grew serious. “I don’t have to like it, but it is what it is, and there’s no sense making it difficult for you guys just because I wish things were different.”

  “Honestly?” E said while performing a scan of her environment. “I wouldn’t like it either, but like you said.” She finished by flipping her hand over and back two times.

  “Four minutes,” Anne said as she rushed inside to grab a jacket, a chew toy for Jinx, and her tablet.

  Since Anne had never had any dealings with tiny humans before, she was very glad that thirty minutes on the floor chasing Jinx had worn Joey out. He was sacked out next to Jinx, sleeping peacefully.

  Seshat, would you be upset if I offered Gina a job as our assistant? Anne asked hesitantly.

  >>What can she do that I can’t?<<

  Anne flinched at Seshat’s reply.

  For me, nothing besides fetch and carry, and that will only be until Steph gets you some bodies made, Anne assured her electronic friend.

  >>Then what? Oh, you wish to offer her better employment,<< Seshat intuited.

  That and she’s human, since unfortunately there are still a lot of people who don’t like dealing with EPs. Anne felt that Electronic People, or EPs as she called them, still weren’t accepted as people by a lot of biologicals. Some people like her honorary big sister Tabitha called the AIs digital entities, but Anne didn’t like the word “entity.”

  >>I have no problems with you hiring her for those jobs,<< Seshat informed a relieved Anne.

  I’ll be upfront with her, and I expect you to work with her and help her out. Anne seriously hoped she wasn’t pushing her luck with Seshat.

  >>It’s fine, Anne. Thank you for considering my feelings, but since I’m the one who will have the master schedule, it is only reasonable that I would need to interact with others.<< Seshat’s avatar came to life on Anne’s tablet, twirling strands of hair around a finger. >>I’m just that good, don’t you know?<<

  Anne quickly stuffed a finger in her mouth and bit down on it so she didn’t laugh out loud and wake up Joey, Thank you, dear, and I do know, she replied.

  Gina heaved a sigh of relief as she dropped onto the seat of the tram that would take her home. She didn’t have a clue why she had called a dog when she needed an emergency babysitter, but Anne and Jinx and a bodyguard had shown up on time. She hadn’t gotten any emergency calls, so she crossed her fingers that everything had gone all right while she was at work.

  “The mom’s home” she heard the guard say as Gina reached her front door. Upon stepping into her apartment, she had to stop and smile, then she held her finger to her mouth and pulled her tablet from her purse to take a picture of Joey. The baby was sound asleep, lying half on and half off the big German Shepherd.

  “I know you said to put him in his crib, but he powered out and looked so comfortable, we thought we’d just let him sleep,” Anne said to her quietly from where she sat on the floor.

  “How long has he been out?” Gina asked.

  “About two and a half hours,” Anne answered, still speaking in a soft voice. “You should probably see if he’ll wake up and have Jinx wear him out again before you try to get some sleep.”

  “Goodness, no!” Gina exclaimed. “You’ve done so much…”

  Jinx took the decision from the mom by straightening a little and licking Joey’s face. The youngster woke, scrunched his face, and took a breath to start crying, then focused on the big doggy face right in front of him. With a burble of enthusiasm, he got to his hands and knees and crawled after Jinx as she wriggled backward, just out of the boy’s reach.

  “Take a seat,” Anne instructed. “Let Jinx tire the little guy out some more. I don’t expect it will take too long. What do you do for work?”

  Gina settled on a chair with her hands in her lap. “I’m a server at Steinberg’s, Gr’Lek’s, and Chin’s.”

  Anne looked up with a frown. “Kosher, Yollin, and Chinese?”

  Gina smiled and bounced once in her chair. “Exactly!” she exclaimed brightly.

  “You get normal pay and tips?” Anne struggled to maintain a neutral expression when Seshat commented, >>They have the strange
st items on their menu.<<

  “Oh, your pay.” Gina grabbed for her purse.

  Anne held up her hand. “That wasn’t a hint about wanting to be paid.”

  Gina sat back, her purse clutched tightly in her hands. “I’m one of the top three earners,” Gina proclaimed. She rocked her head from side to side. “We fluctuate positions, depending on hours and shifts. That’s one of the reasons I still have my job despite my Joey-centric absences.”

  Anne wrapped her arms around her shins and rested her chin on her knees. “How would you like a different job?”

  Gina looked flustered and shook her head. “I don’t have any skills,” she lamented. “That’s how I ended up as a server.”

  Anne was pleased with herself, and she smiled cheerfully at Gina. “You have two skills I know about.” She pointed at Joey, who was trying to stuff the end of Jinx’ tail into his mouth. “You know children, so with just a little training, you could work in a daycare. Your tips show you are also good with people. Some friends and I are starting a company. Now, your situation,” Anne waved a hand to encompass Joey, Jinx, and herself, “indicates that daycare might be a benefit that might sway prospective employees.”

  A little help? Jinx whined in Anne’s head. Joey’s oral ministrations were making her tail wet and soggy.

  Anne rocked to her feet and went over to tickle the little boy. “Let’s say hi to mommy,” she suggested as she picked Joey up and ‘flew’ him over to Gina.

  “The other thing you would probably be good at is being the company’s Girl Friday. Basically, that’s a glorified gopher,” Anne proclaimed as she sat in a chair across from where Gina was now bouncing Joey.

  “We have a gentleman who will, at least for the short term, be dealing with government and upper-echelon people. We have Seshat, my AI, who will take care of scheduling, bookkeeping, and probably hundreds of other things we don’t even know about yet. However, there are still enough people on the station who aren’t comfortable or don’t want to deal with an AI. A pretty young lady who knows how to be charming would be just the thing for those situations.” Anne tried to look like she was the most reasonable person in the world as she watched Gina’s confused expression.