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War in the Fringe - Chris J Pike

Page 19

by M. D. Cooper


  “We’ve got one more thread we can tug at,” Rogers replied, holding in a tired sigh.

  “The farms?” Ricket asked. “If nothing else, this place should have no problem keeping its grains stocked.”

  “Bingo,” Rogers replied, placing a hand on Ricket’s elbow—a gesture she didn’t brush off. “Let’s head to the oat farm and check it out before we update Kylie. If we can find some good news in all of this, things will go over a lot easier.”

  Ricket followed Rogers toward the exit stooping to pick up one of the dropped guns as they walked past the bodies. “Bets on whether or not there will be more of these party animals there, too?”

  “Stars, I hope so. I feel like punching.” Rogers opened the door and stepped out just as the lift doors across the small atrium opened and a squad of CSF officers rushed out in powered armor, rifles leveled.

  Ricket sighed. “Looks like that’s a big fat no on the punching.”

  The officer in the front gestured with his rifle. “Hands up. You’re both under arrest.”

  GOATS AND SCAPES

  STELLAR DATE: 11.04.8948 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: Barbaric Queen, Platform 9, North Docks

  REGION: Chimin-1, Hanoi System (independent)

  Marge said.

  It was probably the least cheerful Winter had ever heard her sound. He slid down a ladder shaft to one of the maintenance midships tunnels on the Barbaric Queen. Winter ducked low as he followed the cat’s strange little meow; it was almost like a chirp.

  she added.

 

  Marge asked with a giggle.

  Winter asked.

  Marge said the words with a giggle.

  Winter scowled as he climbed up a ladder and back onto the deck.

  His head filled with Marge’s laughter.

  He grimaced at the idea of Bubbs singing.

 

  Winter rushed through the corridors, reaching the galley a minute later. An animal sure had been in there all right; a box of crackers had been dumped out on the counter, crumbs spilling everywhere, and a bowl of fruit lay on the floor, apples and oranges strewn about.

  Turning, Winter heard sounds coming from the ArcticFreeze chiller. Sure enough, the door was open, and when he came around the prep station, Winter found himself staring at a cat’s wiggling butt as Mr. Fizzle Pop flung the lid to a food storage container behind him.

  he asked Marge.

 

  Winter didn’t think giving a cat opposable thumbs was a safe thing to do for the human race. Then he ducked to avoid getting hit in the face by a flying onion. There was a pile of crackers on the floor, and he scooped them up into the palm of his hand.

  Taking a step forward, he made a clucking noise with his tongue. “Here Mr. Fizzle Pop…I have a nice treat for you…”

  The cat’s tail immediately stopped swishing. Still inside the chiller, the cat turned around. It took one look at Winter and snarled, one paw raised in the air, and teeth exposed. A long warbling meow came from its throat. If Winter didn’t know better, he’d have thought it said, “GO AWAY!”

  Marge said.

  “You heard that too?” Winter asked.

  a stern male voice called out over the ship’s Link with the dock’s network.

  Winter answered and picked a pot up off the floor. He spun it in his hand and approached the cat who had hunkered down, puffing his fur out everywhere.

  “Seems you don’t like me, huh? It’s OK, I’m not your biggest fan either, fluff ball.”

  The cat’s ears twitched. Shit, Winter thought, the stupid thing actually understood him!

  the CSF officer said,

  Marge said.

  Winter lunged for the cat, swinging the pot in a reckless attempt to capture the creature, but Mr. Fizzle Pop only leaped over him and ran for the galley’s exit, it’s paws skidding on the floor as it banked a hard right.

  Winter felt like screaming. Bested by a stupid cat. He stormed out of the galley calling down to the CSF team.

  He sprinted down toward the airlock and saw that it was already open, the CSF team walking onboard with weapons drawn.

  he asked Marge.

 

  Winter couldn’t disagree.

  Marge’s reply was a little subdued, but not by much.

  Winter sighed and held his hands in the air. One of the officers gestured at his hand, and Winter realized he was still holding the pot.

  “Drop the weapon,” the cop said.

  “Weapon? Seriously?”

  “Now!”

  Winter let the pot fall to the deck where it hit with a clang and rolled against the bulkhead.

  “There, I’m unpotted,” he said with a coarse laugh.

  A slightly pudgy man with a long mustache stepped forward. “You’re under arrest, Mr. Winter. It seems that’s nothing new for you.”

  Winter didn’t say anything, only stared down the man with beady eyes. “Could you at least shut the door? Were you raised in a barn or something, kid?”

  The pudgy man snapped his fingers and one of the CSF agents behind him—a woman with a long blonde braid—swung the door shut. As it was closing, the orange and white fluff-ball charged between her legs and leaped out the door.

  Winter rolled his eyes as his hands were forced behind his back and snapped together with metal bracers. It figured, right?

  CIRCUMSTANCE

  STELLAR DATE: 11.04.8948 (Adjusted Years)

  LOCATION: CSF Precinct 3 Chimin-1

  REGION: Hanoi System (independent)

  Sitting in an interrogation room was becoming a habit Kylie really wanted to break. Nothing good came from being on the wrong side of the table. Especially considering how long she had been waiting.

  Kylie complained to Marge.

  Marge said.

 

  Kylie got the feeling from Marge that the AI was smiling broadly.

  It seemed they were out of other things to talk about, and Kylie decided now was good a time as any to re-start their conversation about Marge’s past.

  Kylie said without preamble.

  Marge sighed in Kylie’s mind, the sound of it making Kylie think that Marge really wished she’d never spoken up

  st you. I’d heard rumors of your father’s crusade, that Rhoads wanted to eradicate AIs. At first, I thought it was crazy bad luck I ended up paired with you, but the more I got to know you, the more I saw it was an opportunity. I was lucky, Kylie. Of the good variety.>

  Kylie said uncomfortably, then shifted in her seat. She had never wanted an AI, had been terrified of them, but had never put herself in Marge’s shoes before, considered that maybe an AI would be afraid of her.

 

  Kylie replied, nodding slowly.

 

  Kylie hoped it had nothing to do with killing humans.

 

  Kylie asked.

 

 

  Marge replied with a warm smile in Kylie’s mind.

 

 

 

  That struck a nerve with Kylie.

  Marge sounded genuinely sad.

  Kylie had to admit that the logic made sense, and if it prevented conflicts that was a good thing as well.