A. Warren Merkey

by Far Freedom

  “Do you have an appointment?”

  The tall figure in the night froze at the sound of these words. After a moment he stepped into the firelight inside the mouth of the cave. “I’m unarmed. I’ve come to see Pan.”

  “I’m not unarmed,” Fred stated. “Pan is asleep. State your business.”

  “Who are you?” Etrhnk asked, finding it easy to feel surprise. He had much experience of it lately. Now a sentient android!

  ” State your business.”

  “I bring information of interest to Pan. You’re an AMI.”

  “I’m a person.”

  “Would you use that weapon?”

  “I would.”

  “Will you let me talk to Pan?”

  “I’ll speak to him, Fred.” Pan emerged from the dark into the dim light of the small fire. He completed the equilateral triangle around the fire. He heard the exchange between Fred and Admiral Etrhnk. He waited for Etrhnk to speak, seeing more in his face in the firelight than he saw in the better illumination aboard the Eclipse. The tiger stripes flickered with the flames.

  “I saw the evidence of a certain visitor to your city residence.”

  ” She didn’t threaten me. Is that the reason you came?”

  “Admiral Demba has successfully launched the Freedom. Her last words to me were, ‘To find my husband.’ I hoped you would tell me who he is.”

  “You are fascinated with Fidelity Demba, as I hoped you would be. To keep you from killing her. I have no way to understand your motives, but I think any other Navy Commander would have killed her immediately.”

  Etrhnk became more opaque to Pan at this point. He did not otherwise respond to Pan’s comment. “I told you she has a daughter named Jamie.”

  “True. I remember her now. She was looking for my brother.”

  “Your brother Direk. Another surprising individual. And someone who knows about gates. I’m afraid he was seriously injured. I also know Demba’s real name is Zakiya. Will you tell me the name of her husband?”

  “How was Direk injured? Will he recover?”

  “It was unintentional on my part. He departed with the ship. I have no further information I can give you on his injury or prognosis. Do you remember the name of Demba’s husband?”

  “I wonder if you will believe me.”

  “We’ve covered this topic before.”

  “Alexandras Gerakis.”

  Pan could only count the seconds Etrhnk remained silent. His demeanor remained opaque. “How can that be?”

  “That is the only answer I’ll give you.”

  “He existed.”

  “He still exists, or else Zakiya has wasted two centuries of her life.”

  “Thank you for telling me this.” Etrhnk stared down at the fire. He looked up at Pan. He now appeared troubled.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Decisions have become more difficult for me lately.” “You are perhaps reconsidering my fate.”

  “No. I find satisfaction in knowing you remain alive.”

  “Why?”

  “Curiosity. I might learn something more from you.”

  “Why the Lady in the Mirror didn’t kill me?”

  “She will, you know, despite what you may think. No, there is nothing of interest to me to be learned about The Lady.”

  “If you learned more from me, would that profit me?”

  “I doubt it. Our fates are matched in brevity, I think. I would, however, be grateful not to die as ignorant as I am.”

  “As would I,” Pan said. “As would I.”

  Section 012 Stopping the Stampede

  Several thousand of the people who had boarded the Freedom, including a few of the Navy crew, congregated on the grassy field by the lake, arriving from the village apartments in an almost spontaneous manner, perhaps instigated by a few persons who were upset beyond the fact of being “invited” by the Navy to partake in the voyage. Jamie circulated among them in medium dress uniform, doing her duty as Chief of Security. She thought the uniform might impress them without the brute-force implicit in battle fatigues. Still, they were suspicious of her. So far there was no sign of an attempt to organize. The crowd formed small groups that discussed their concerns about the mission and any rumors that were interesting. She didn’t hear anything that seemed pertinent to the security of the ship and passengers. She did hear her mother’s name mentioned often and in a peculiar context. Jamie approached one of the larger groups whose discussion had risen to the level of heated argument. They quieted as she stepped into their midst.

  “Major, do you know Admiral Demba?” a woman wearing a Navy work uniform with the rank of lieutenant commander immediately asked. Wingren, her name tag said. Name tags were a concession to the civilians without shiplinks. She was Rhyan, with the shiny desert skin.

  “Yes, but not well. What is this about?”

  “This civilian says she’s a singer!” She referred to the erudite-looking gentleman next to her.

  “I may be wrong,” the man conceded, “but I think she resembles very closely the woman who sang at the end of the last Mother Earth Opera.” Jamie identified the man through her shiplink. He was not typical of the civilian crew, most of whom possessed skills and training in practical and technical areas. The man was a cultural historian and artist.

  “You must be wrong,” Jamie said. “Why is this a matter of such contention, Professor Sung?”

  “How could it possibly be true?” Wingren asked.

  “The boy,” someone else tried to say.

  “It is a matter of contention because we are both sure of our facts,” Sung said. “And I think the boy is conclusive evidence on my side of the argument. This is a dangerous journey with a frightening inception, according to the rumors. I’d like to know that our leader isn’t a singer but a competent Navy officer. I also want to know what she’s done to cause our early and dramatic departure.”

  “I’ll agree with that,” the Rhyan officer said. “It’s been two days since we departed Headquarters and we were told nothing about the abrupt departure. Isn’t a daily briefing required aboard ship?”

  “That is correct,” Jamie replied to Wingren. “If you haven’t had a briefing then you are not working crew.” What was this about a boy? Jamie wondered. Did they mean Sammy? Why would that prove the contention that Demba was a singer? “Do you have a recording of the Mother Earth Opera?” Jamie asked Doctor Sung.

  “It’s in the ship’s database. I’ve watched it more than once. If you speed to the end, you’ll see the injured child rumored to be aboard the ship. I’ve seen him! I’m sure it was the same child. Another reason to wonder about her ability to

  280 Far Freedom command.”

  Jamie watched several minutes of the performance through her shiplink, skipped to the end and nearly suffered a loss of Marine discipline. She had to pull herself away from the startling experience and the image of her mother hugging Sammy.

  “Is that her?” the Rhyan officer asked. “Is that the child?”

  “Yes.” Jamie could hardly say more.

  “It doesn’t matter!” Wingren spoke with such conviction that Jamie noted her reaction through the interference of her own reactions.

  “You shouldn’t be agitating the civilian crew,” Jamie said. “What do you know about Demba that makes you want to defend her in the face of such odd criticism?”

  “We know she was Commodore Keshona!”

  This caused many to laugh and make rude comments about military mentality.

  “This is a woman who’s spent most of her career in Navy Archives,” another civilian man said.

  “Possibly she had time to learn to sing,” Professor Sung said, “but she is a truly great singer. I can’t believe a capable admiral can also be such an astonishing singer.”

  “I’ve also heard a ridiculous rumor that Doctor Mnro is on the ship,” another said. “Can you verify that?”

  “Yes, Doctor Mnro is aboard. She is now an admiral.” Jamie wanted
time alone to regain control of her feelings, to calm down in the wake of these new revelations about her mother. Her response about Mnro being aboard caused a fury of commotion as the rumor was passed out of the group as fact to all the other groups. Jamie was barraged with questions and comments about Aylis Mnro and Admiral Demba. She couldn’t remain here! The Rhyan named Wingren was staring at her, knowing she might have information that would aid her absurd belief about Demba being Commodore Keshona.

  Jamie had come to the gathering more for her own mental health than for concern about any trouble that might ensue. She couldn’t allow herself to sit in her apartment and brood over the loss of Direk. She needed the distraction, but she had not expected this!

  Jamie turned and marched away from the group. She sensed someone following her - the Rhyan officer - and when she had walked far enough away from the gathering, she stopped, turned around, and was surprised to see not just the Rhyan woman but also three other female Navy officers. The Rhyan had three Earthian friends and she was their leader. “Don’t you have duty assignments?”

  “We’re on standby until further notice,” Wingren said. “We’re late additions to the roster. When the ship’s routine becomes normal, they’ll find jobs for us. In the meantime, I’d like to volunteer for Security duty.” The other three women followed their leader and offered to do the same.

  ” Security duty? What use would I have for four women? Do you understand what Marines are?”

  “You don’t seem to have any trouble with them, Major.”

  “That’s because I can beat the hell out of them!”

  “We’ve all mastered at least the fifth level of the Navy Personal Combat Training Course,” Wingren said with some pride.

  “Why? I see your career fields are far removed from that kind of thing. All

  high-level technical fields. Is fighting a hobby?”

  “It’s a membership requirement,” one of the other female officers replied. “We’re a special research group.”

  “How does personal combat fit with a research group? What kind of research?”

  “Historical research,” Wingren answered. “The combat keeps out those who aren’t serious. It’s also beneficial to our health and safety, if you know what I mean.”

  “Is it a serious thing that you believe Admiral Demba was Commodore Keshona?”

  “Very serious,” more than one of them said.

  “I think you know something about Demba,” Wingren said. “Do you have an opinion as to whether our research conclusion is plausible?”

  Jamie couldn’t think objectively where her mother was the subject. She couldn’t settle into the idea that Demba was her mother. She wanted to get away from these strange Navy officers. “I don’t think you can pass the screening for Security. I’m surprised you made it onto the ship’s roster.”

  “We’re not mentally defective!” Wingren said irritably. “We do science. We do engineering. We measure carefully. We’ve measured Admiral Demba. She fits what we know of Keshona. And we know a lot! We have Rhyan witnesses and images that are consistent and not obviously manipulated. We study history most carefully. It’s very much a forensic discipline. You’d be amazed at how many official records are purposely inaccurate. But people live a long time, and they remember pieces - “

  “Please be more concise!” Jamie interrupted her, and she was somewhat intrigued despite her personal troubles.

  “We are absolutely certain of our research conclusions. Keshona saw a problem that would cause massive death and suffering and she fixed the problem. We think she’s now on another great quest. We wanted to be part of it.”

  “In an unarmed ship filled with civilians and largely technical Navy officers,” Jamie reminded them.

  “We still want to volunteer to help Security.”

  Jamie gave up. She was short of personnel. She could find something for these Navy women to do. “Fine! That way I can keep an eye on you!”

  “Damn it! Sir.” Jamie didn’t realize the captain was asleep until he jumped.

  Horss woke up. He was sitting in his captain’s chair, alone on the bridge. He was studying ship specs, poring over crew records, exploring the ship’s databases. He had closed his eyes - he told himself - to better see the information scrolling through his ocular terminal. He opened his eyes and saw Major Jones. He came completely awake in that instant. Jones was the kind of person who - if you suddenly encountered her in close proximity - made you want to take a step backward and keep your hands in plain sight. He had to remind himself that he was the captain and he still outranked her. “Damned if I do and damned if I don’t.”

  “Do what, sir?”

  “Doesn’t matter what!” He noticed she was standing somewhat at attention. “At ease, Major.” She took her fatigue cap off and he saw her hair was short like all the other Marines. A shiny scar ran through her scalp. Then he noticed other imperfections in the skin of her face and bare arms. She had never bothered to clean up the history written in her body’s terrain. It was a silly Marine affectation. How could you sneak up on anyone if you looked like trouble from a distance?

  “I’m here, sir.” Jamie said it after Horss waited about a second too long to speak. She was still upset with how he handled the Mnro Rape but she was trying to move on.

  “I’ll be here shortly, too. You caught me napping.”

  “Begging your pardon, sir.”

  ” Stop with the ‘sir’ business. You’re a lot older than me. What was your ‘damn it’ about, if it wasn’t about my dereliction of duty?”

  “My mother!” Jones replied with plenty of flavor on the word ‘mother.’ “Has she talked to you about me?”

  “Not the mother you wanted or expected? Every time I see her she asks me about you. Neither of us knows very much, so we just speculate. Give her a chance. I didn’t like her at first but she’s vastly different now.”

  “Is she all those things they say she is?”

  “What things?”

  “I saw the Mother Earth Opera! I saw Sammy! I saw this wonderful singer who looks like Admiral Demba. It had to be her! And I have these four crazy Navy officers who say she’s Commodore Keshona !”

  “Would you rather have a sweet little old lady who would bake cookies for you?”

  “Damn!” Jones swore, not hearing any hint of a denial from Horss.

  “She is and she would. Lady and cookies, I mean.” He could see her mind was chewing on big, hard pieces of news. When she didn’t respond for a moment, he took a chance on broaching a delicate subject. “I’m very sorry Captain Direk died. He saved them, saved the whole ship. I hope we can justify his death.”

  She sucked in a deep breath and nodded, looking away from Horss. Her hazel eyes reflected just a glint of moisture in the low illumination of the bridge. Horss suffered a surprising twinge of empathic grief, knowing what she must feel. He had listened to Mai describe the scene in Doctor Mnro’s office. Mai had seen many tragic events in her tenure on Earth but she needed to tell of Direk and Jones as though it affected her so much she would even speak to Horss in order to unburden herself. It caused him to feel real concern for Jones, contrary to his previous regard for her mental toughness and lack of sensitivity. It also led to his call for her to report to him for special duty, so that he and Demba could appraise her fitness.

  “You knew I was her daughter?”

  “I made her tell me why she was so interested in you and why Doctor Mnro was so affected by you.”

  “I hope she isn’t too disappointed in me. I’ve been a Marine for far too long.”

  “Our ‘Jamie conversations’ have been interesting. I wouldn’t say she’s disappointed.”

  ” You must have lied to her.”

  “Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. Jones, you haven’t heard all of it yet.”

  “All of what?”

  “Are you coping with this upheaval in your life?” He noted the fact she would not look directly at him now. He remembered Jones as a
very in-your- face kind of person who dared you not to pay attention to her. ” Your mother and

  Aylis Mnro asked me to haul you in for inspection. I don’t know why they couldn’t do it themselves.”

  “I’ll survive.” Jamie lied. Part of her had died and what remained was a different Jamie.

  “Good. Then you’re ready for more shocking news.”

  “About my mother?”

  “There’s more to tell about her. A lot more. But not now. This is something else, and it will further upset you. Can you handle it? I’m not asking you - I’m asking myself if I think you can handle it. There are at least four reasons why I shouldn’t tell you. Are you ready? Or should I keep quiet?”

  “What are the four reasons not to tell me?”

  “Not important, since I’m going to ignore all four.”

  “What are the four reasons?”

  “You sound like you’re stalling. I’ll save it for later.”

  “Tell me the damned four reasons!”

  “That’s better! One: it’s none of my business. Two: Demba and Mnro should tell you, not me. Three: the explanation will make me sound like a fool. Four: it might embarrass both of us if you can’t handle what I’m going to tell you.”

  ” Why do you want to tell me whatever this is? Are you going to enjoy it?”

  “I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I believe I’m doing you a favor. Ever since your mother killed me and Mai saved me, I feel like I’ve got another chance to do better. But I’m still not sure of anything.”

  “What do you mean - my mother killed you?”

  “She killed me! I’ll tell you the humiliating story one day. Damned strange way to recruit a captain for her ship. You’re still trying to delay me from giving you this wonderful but terrible news. Are you ready?” Horss waited and stared at Jones. Jones wiped at something on her face, made a face, and faced him. She wouldn’t say anything but she was now looking him in the eye, like the normal Jamie Jones. He had to stop and think about the parts not yet rehearsed in his mind. He didn’t want to jump right to the key piece of news, because she might slap him and storm off the bridge without giving him a chance to offer proof of what he said. He realized he valued her as an honest person. He knew that most of the troubles in her career as a Marine came as a consequence of her intolerance of the dishonest political machinations of the brass. He admired her for being true to the principles he often violated to advance his own career.