CHAPTER TWELVE
Silicon, Mistakes, and Departures
Merlo
The ship’s lights flared and an alarm sounded, blaring its urgent voice into Merlo’s sleeping mind. Starting awake, adrenaline pumping fast, for a moment she was back in the cockpit of the Defiance, flashing back to her desperate evasions as Urebai’s planetary defenses tore her ship into so much shrapnel. It wasn’t until she rolled past 286 and tumbled out into the floor that she realized there was no alarm, just a gentle deep beeping. There were no critical warning lights flashing, just a slight pulse from her room’s hidden light sources.
“Miss Merlo? Miss Merlo? Are you awake? You’re needed on the bridge for final descent.” Mr. Leonard’s voice, carrying clearly over the com system, sounded as if he was trying to be polite, insistent, and worried all at the same time.
“Shit!” Merlo couldn’t believe she had lost track of time or overslept. That wasn’t like her; she’d set the nav data herself, she knew what time they’d be arriving. Irresponsible. Her suit snapped abruptly into place, countless nanoweave layers springing from the base of her skull and sealing over her bare body. “Sorry, Mr. Leonard. I’m on my way now.”
Pausing only an instant to throw a thin blanket over the prone, still-snoring form of Prisoner 286, Merlo rushed the doors and made her exit.
“Captain Branwen and Kala Sirrah are already on the bridge, awaiting your arrival,” Mr. Leonard’s voice kept rough pace with her through some incredibly talented use of the ship’s com systems. Merlo cursed again, this time under her breath, as she didn’t want to offend him. She also didn’t want to be late to pretty much her only job, or risk embarrassing herself or the Captain, but that ship might have launched already.
12.1 - Branwen
“No, I was actually trapped there for some time, amid the choking heat and stinging sands; indeed, several days by my reckoning. I had been in desert lands before, of course, though I cannot say I recommend them. If I am destined to be stranded somewhere without supplies, I would much prefer the tundras.” Branwen looked over at the dignified figure of Kala Sirrah, who nodded along, seemingly in agreement with her assessment of Koltan.
“I see your point, though I think the Kepo might disagree,” Sirrah smiled at her. “Not that I’ve ever been stranded in either, or indeed anywhere, to make such a comparison.”
Branwen grunted her approval. “Count yourself fortunate. Whereas it can be quite the adventure, it is not—”
“Sorry I’m late.” Merlo suddenly burst through the door, which snapped open with more immediacy than usual to accommodate her velocity. The girl tossed herself lithely into the pilot’s seat without hesitation, fastening herself into the available harness as she gave the controls a thorough look over.
Branwen greeted her with a nod and a smile, moving over to the other available seat to buckle herself safely in while gesturing at the planet ahead of them on the viewscreen. “I daresay you almost missed it.” She tried to emphasize her grin to reinforce the playful nature of the comment, but Merlo seemed unwilling to pick up on it.
“Sorry, Captain. Won’t happen again.” Branwen opened her mouth to reassure her, and maybe ask her about how things were going with the Kala’s bodyguard, but she didn’t get the chance.
“Incoming transmission from the Kepa'ohalei Port Authority.” Mr. Leonard’s disembodied voice called out. A digitized, transparent figure snapped into place the across the glowing spectre of Kepa'ohalei looming on the screen in front of them, one of the typical Altairan NADI coordination VIs. This one, Branwen noted, looked like a Kepo instead of an Altairan, depicted in shimmery orange and silver colors and decorated with copious amounts of jewelry, or what the Kepo tended to simply call “Shinies.”
The VI in question began to speak, engaging Merlo, and to a lesser extent, Mr. Leonard, with preparations and guidance for the impending atmospheric descent and subsequent landing. They were headed for Ba’neha, the largest city on the resort planet, and Branwen noted that the traffic was unnervingly heavy, though still not comparable to traveling through the main Gateway in the system.
Merlo had been showing her more of how to use the bridge’s consoles to access the shipwide com system, so she carefully tapped her fingers across the appropriate glowing tiles, activating it. She then announced their impending descent to the crew, or at least to the few of them who weren’t already on the bridge. Glancing back, Branwen took note of Kala Sirrah still standing there, calmly watching the planetary approach. “Shouldn’t you be seated, Kala? Or return to your quarters? Our descent is about to begin.”
Sirrah merely smiled in return, drifting easily over closer to Branwen’s seat, no doubt so they could continue to converse without risking disturbing their pilot. She put her hands lightly on the back of Branwen’s chair and leaned over it a bit, tucking her flowing ebon hair back behind an ear. Branwen absently noted how florally sweet she smelled.
“I’m not worried.” Sirrah looked down at Branwen with an amused expression. “Being born on Altair Prime, I’m rather used to space travel, especially within a system. I don’t think a vessel of this quality will pose me any problems.”
“As long as you are certain. You are a valued passenger , and I would not like to have to explain to the Kalaset what happened to you.” Branwen grinned at her, and Sirrah seemed likewise amused, the humor dancing through her rich, dark eyes.
“No, dammit, that’s not what I meant!” Merlo’s temper flared, this time directed at the cheerfully oblivious Kepo VI, drawing a glance from Branwen. The pilot quickly entered more data on the panel in front of her, hands dancing and flying over the Destiny’s controls. Branwen suppressed a shudder, watching the counterfeit emotions and expressions crossing the face of the waiting VI.
The Kala, of course, instantly picked up on her unease. “You don’t like them, do you, Captain?” She gestured at the translucent VI with an air of curiosity, rather than judgement.
Branwen paused for a moment to consider, watching Merlo “argue” digitally with the VI. Branwen didn’t like to hold an opinion without good reason. “In a way, perhaps not. Though it is through no fault of their own.”
She saw the curiosity on Sirrah’s face and attempted to explain more thoroughly. “Mr. Leonard aptly describes the quality as being ‘uncanny.’ They mimic expressions, feelings, and emotions, but there is no depth to such things in their eyes, no soul in their gestures.” Branwen looked down and away for a moment, her gaze momentarily dark. “I have witnessed such… false faces before, on something far less… pleasant. Perhaps it also reminds me of that from time to time.”
“Yeah, they weren’t much better where I’m from,” Merlo, seemingly finished with the Kepo VI for the moment, chimed in from her seat as she stared ahead and guided their descent. Branwen gave her a curious look, but the girl spared her a simple shrug in response; she cared less and less about avoiding speaking of her origins, it appeared. “I mean, they were kinda more complex, they could do more processes with more speed, but they didn’t have feelings or stuff. Even simulated ones like what these have. So we didn’t really have anything resembling real AI yet, either.”
Sirrah seemed to take the veiled, mysterious references to Merlo’s homeworld in stride, showing no sign of having heard except the barest hint of curiosity. In her shoes, Branwen doubted she could have restrained herself from an embarrassing number of questions. “Yes, that is the true end goal of those that work in the VI field. The capability to create a fully cognizant AI, able to think, feel, and learn on their own,” Sirrah commented, staring thoughtfully at the viewscreen. “But no one’s been able to come close, even after so many centuries.”
“Heh, except supposedly that Niallasi place, huh Captain?” Merlo commented, leaning forward into their descent, guided onscreen by the Kepo VI as well as Mr. Leonard’s background efforts from the engine room.
Branwen blinked. “Yes, I suppose you are correct.” She shrugged, noting Sirrah once again gazin
g curiously toward her. “Not that I am terribly familiar with such matters; I simply read as much as I can about the clusters. Most of it is rather interesting.”
The Kala smiled, putting a gentle hand on Branwen’s shoulder. “That’s precisely why I have enjoyed hearing your input, Captain. It’s a rare point of view.” Minor trembles vibrated their way through the bridge as what was likely the worst of the turbulence hit, and Sirrah tightened her grip on Branwen’s chair for balance. “From everything we know Merlo, that is correct. The Superintendents that govern Niallasi appear to be independent, fully functioning AIs past the comprehension of our science. At least if you believe that they exist.” Sirrah smiled a little wistfully. “It sounds like an amazing place, Niallasi. I wonder what it’s like there.”
They all fell quiet after that, as the turbulence continued rippling in light, shuddering waves through the ship. Merlo was busy piloting, Branwen was busy being queasy, and Kala Sirrah was being too nice to disturb either of them.
No sooner had the trembling subsided, however, than Sirrah turned toward the door and directed her attentions momentarily to Branwen. “If you will excuse me, Captain, I need to prepare for our departure. My mission is, after all, still very urgent.”
Branwen nodded her assent, and the Kala departed, a swirl of shimmery white and gold robe trailing behind her. But what really caught Branwen’s eye was the way that Merlo slumped in her seat at the mention of their passengers’ departure. Branwen had noticed how Merlo and the Kala’s guard had been spending a lot of time together, but hadn’t been certain how far their relationship had evolved. She felt sadness for Merlo; the girl often seemed as if she needed something more, like this new relationship in her life. The imminent loss of her new “friend” seemed to be already hitting her hard, and Branwen could certainly understand.
Perhaps she could make it up to the young pilot somehow. A matter worth dwelling on, at any rate.
Their pair of passengers were gone within the hour. Sirrah assured Branwen that people would be along shortly to pick up what belongings and furnishings she couldn't carry out herself, and that she would put in a good word to the Kalaset about the Destiny, perhaps something that would net them more business of a similar sort later on. The bodyguard, whose name Branwen still hadn’t caught, departed alongside her, with a simple parting “Later, Merlo,” and a wave. Branwen did not fail to notice how Merlo’s face fell afterward, either.
“You can probably see her again, you know,” Branwen caught Merlo’s arm, getting her attention as they helped Mr. Leonard prepare the cargo bay for whatever cargo Zimi was currently out seeking.
The girl looked up, seeming surprised and hopeful. “What? What do you mean, Captain?”
“A woman in her profession likely needs much transport. With a good job record under our belt, I would like to attempt to make a business of transporting Kalas and other notable people back and forth. It is good money, relatively safe, and gets us close to some of the most influential contacts we could hope for. With our speed and reliability, it is something I would like us to work toward. So, hopefully, it will not be the last time we carry them aboard our vessel.”
Merlo nodded, seeming thoughtful. “You know, even after she was on the ship for a week, I still don’t get what the whole Kalaset thing is about. What do they actually do?”
Brawen let out a small, amused sigh. “You spent most of this last week... busy in your room, so I am surprised you spent any time dwelling on it.” She smiled down at the girl.
Merlo coughed, her fair face reddening slightly. “Yeah, well. Still.”
Branwen paused to collect her thoughts; maybe she could do a better job of explaining this time around. “When you need cheer, what do others do to help you feel better again?”
Merlo shrugged in response. “I dunno. It’s not something that really happens to me much, I guess. I suppose you always tell me some sort of story, or listen to me talk about my problems.” She reddened again. “And I guess that sometimes other stuff helps me feel better, too.”
Branwen chuckled as she considered that response. Something about how Merlo described her feelings bothered her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Well, the Kalaset specializes in just that kind of thing.”
“What, just sitting around and talking about stuff? That hardly seems like the kind of thing that would make them such a big deal, Captain. That’s exactly what I don’t get about it.”
“Hmmm.” Branwen shook her head thoughtfully. “It is not so simple as you make it out. Do you think just anyone could strike up a conversation with you about your problems, get you to open up, and salve your worries? Would a stranger, perhaps, know what to say, or how to do so?”
“I guess not.”
“Indeed.” She smiled, pleased to be able to finally explain. “Therein lies the skill. Different people require different comforts, and it would be quite the challenge to meet someone and be able to flawlessly identify those things, while remaining unaffected by them, uninvolved by their concerns.” She lifted a pallet and moved it, tossing it to Merlo.
Merlo, surprised, barely caught it when it thumped into her, but hefted the heavy wooden frame seemingly with less difficulty than Branwen, grinning back at the older woman. “Okay, that makes sense, I guess. You’d have to be pretty sharp to pick up on that kind of stuff so quick.”
“You would have to understand people, to be able to determine what they are like, quickly determine part of what makes them who they are. It is no simple thing to so easily judge others.” She lifted another pallet and tossed it to Merlo, who grunted, caught it, and started stacking them. “And accuracy with such skills also make the Kalaset highly valued as negotiators, mediators, and messengers. Not to mention their skill in the arts, such as painting or dancing, which make them prized for other reasons entirely.”
“Okay. That makes sense.” She handily caught Branwen’s third pallet and tossed it down, wincing at the loud crack of wood on wood that echoed through the cavernous cargo bay. “286 told me that they just sleep with people.”
Branwen shook her head. “Some perhaps do, but I personally would not know. That is actually something only rumoured at, and I believe considered an insult to their craft, likely popularized in some circles due to their focus on beauty. I am surprised your friend would say such about her employer.” Branwen paused. “Also, that is an unusual name. I regret that I did not get to speak with her while she was aboard.”
She watched as Merlo set the last pallet, then spent a long moment adjusting the stack to perfection before slowly straightening and looking Branwen in the face again. “Yeah, about that, Captain. I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”
She trailed off as Branwen nodded, attempting to preemptively reassure her about whatever it was that was bothering her. Her mannerisms said she felt guilty about something, and Branwen didn’t intend to add any more to her current emotional load if she could help it. “Of course, Merlo. What is it that you need?” Branwen had begun to worry more about her young friend of late, save for those happier times that she had spent with their new passenger... Two-eight-six, was it? At any rate, considerations had begun to creep into her mind about Merlo's origins and habits, things that the more she dwelled on them, the more they concerned her about the girl's overall stability.
“Well, Captain, I—” As Branwen’s datapad beeped insistently, Merlo trailed off, allowing her the chance to answer it. They were expecting Zimi to contact them any time now with possible jobs to consider. Branwen looked down, paging between things until she found a strange message from Merlo’s datapad, which the girl obviously wasn’t using at the moment. She passed it over to Merlo with a flat expression and an arched eyebrow.
Merlo, sporting a quizzical expression herself, took the large pad from Branwen and looked it over. Somehow, she managed to snort with repressed amusement while also reddening with renewed embarrassment. “I’m sorry Captain, 286 must have, um, left with my datapad somehow.�
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Branwen kept her flat expression trained on Merlo, but balanced it with sarcasm to keep the girl from taking her too seriously. “Indeed. Is this indeed true, that they have need of our vessel again so soon? It is surprising. I would like that, but Zimi has already begun the procurement of other employment. Perhaps we can meet, and together, work something out…”
She trailed off as Merlo grabbed her arm, her expression turning serious, laced with traces of the guilt from before. “Before you start on that, Captain… We need to talk about this first.” Branwen just nodded again, watching Merlo let go of her and unconsciously shift back into a stiff, military stance.
“Very well, then. Let’s have it.”
12.2 - Merlo
“I think it’ll be fine, Miss Merlo. The Captain knows what she’s doing.” Mr. Leonard had been trying to reassure her for the last ten minutes, but so far, Merlo wasn’t having any of it.
“I should have told her earlier. I really should have. Now she’s going to be so angry with me. I shouldn’t have kept the truth from her.” Branwen had been on the Destiny’s bridge for most of that last quarter hour, cloistered with Kala Sirrah. Prisoner 286 was here again too, but she was smoking and loitering down in the cargo bay, near the ramp out, and had said hardly two words to Merlo so far.
“Now, Merlo, it ain’t somethin’ to worry about. The Cap'n didn’t seem mad, or nothin’.” Zimi had also joined in on trying to make her feel better, but even between the two of them, they seemed unable to lift the weight of her guilt.
Destiny Abounds (Starlight Saga Book 1) Page 23