Aware that Emory Wallace would likely be surrounded by his subordinates, I used his rank and last name when calling him.
"Hi, there, Captain Wallace. Thanks for not shooting at me."
"Thank your friend Ms. Baines, Ed. We were all set for some target practice, but she wouldn't approve it. You upset our man Davis a little when your glider disappeared, but that slick landing with no visible means of support sort of made up for it, I think."
"Oh, good. I had help with that, though. Steph matched up with me. How come your bird didn't come to check me out the last time I was up here?"
"You don't show up on our screens, Ed. Someone on the ground spotted you and called it in. I'd like a look at your glider later. How about when you get back here?"
"Sure. It isn't an indoor toy, though. Kinda big. We'd better do it out front."
"Good enough. Let me know when you get in. See you then."
As I retrieved a Dr Pepper from the cooler, I said, "Okay. Bye."
Chapter Thirty-Five
Steph had taken us to range nine's staging area as I'd talked to Wallace.
"Dr. Mills has completed this range," said Steph. "In the instance that she didn't suggest the standard method for handling the problem, she offered one that would have worked as well."
Nodding and toasting Mills with my Dr Pepper, I said, "Great. I guess we can head back to the barn, then."
When the flitter didn't move, both Myra and Mills looked at Steph.
She grinned and said to Karen, "You're the pilot out here, not Ed."
With a wry shake of her head, Karen said, "Okay. Would you please take us back to the main building, Stephanie?"
"Will do," said Steph, and the flitter headed that direction.
"Tomorrow," I said, waiting for them to look my way before continuing, "Will be a day for stick time, Karen. You'll be dealing with less capable AI's on the other flitters and there may be times when you'll have to really do the flying."
"Less capable?" asked Myra.
"Oh, hell, yes," I said. "Much less capable. They aren't self-aware and they don't interpret as well as Steph. No 'take us to the main building', for instance. To them, you'd have to specify building twenty-eight, west door or main entrance. If you didn't tell them how fast to fly, you'd get the default hundred miles an hour or so."
"One hundred and sixty kilometers per hour," said Steph.
"Right, and that's something else. If you're used to thinking in yards and miles, you have to tell the other flitters to use them."
With a glance at Steph, Myra asked, "How did Stephanie become self-aware?"
"That's classified," I said. "Not by 3rd World. By me. Nobody needs to know that."
"I'd beg to differ with you," said Myra. "Especially if there's a chance of it happening with government-issue flitters."
I shook my head. "Government flits don't have the same cores, Myra. The GSA pogue specifically ordered that their flits not be able to become sentient." Sipping my drink, I added, "Their loss, too. I've been real happy with my sentient flitter, y'know."
"Why, thank you, sir," said Steph, tossing me a small salute. "You haven't been an unbearable owner, either."
Karen chuckled and Myra laughed out loud.
As we slowed to approach the building, I said, "Well, that'll look good in my resume. 'He hasn't been unbearable'. Wow."
Wallace stood waiting out front with a few of his people. I asked Steph to take us up to a hundred feet and give me a head start, then said, "glider on green," and ran off the deck. When I flared to a stop near the group and dropped the couple of feet to the ground, someone actually applauded.
Of course the breeze had to interject a bit of humor into the moment, gusting and shoving me three feet sideways as I approached them. Two of them trotted forward to grab the kite's wings and steady me as the flitter halted behind me.
"Not so graceful on the ground, huh?" asked Wallace.
"Less graceful than a damned pelican, I think," I said. "Green off."
The two holding my wings suddenly found themselves holding wings they couldn't see and a woman near Wallace gasped, then stepped forward to try to touch the kite.
I let her find it with her fingers, then said, "Red on," and the kite became the color of a medium-grade ruby.
"Ohhh, wowww..." she breathed.
"I came up with the idea for a locked-format kite," I told Wallace, "And Steph made it happen for me. She also came up with a parachute and a parasail. The colors, too. She's something of a programming whiz, y'know."
Wallace grinned and said, "So I see."
"Glider off," I said, and the woman squeaked as her grip on my wing became a grip on nothing.
The two people holding my wings found themselves holding nothing. Steph, Myra, and Karen stepped off the flitter and joined us.
Turning to Steph, Wallace extended a hand and said, "Excellent work, ma'am. Simply excellent. You're too damned good for this guy. If you get tired of him, you be sure to come see me about a job."
"Thank you," said Steph, shaking his hand. She looked at me and grinningly asked, "Would it be socially proper to inform him that Linda is too good for him, as well?"
With a grin I said, "Nah. He already knows that as well as we do."
Karen's head had turned quickly as Wallace complimented Steph and we bantered. Her expression was one of mild surprise, and Wallace saw it.
"You have a question, Dr. Mills?" he asked.
She fidgeted for a moment, then leaned to whisper, "Uh, sir, were you aware that Stephanie is... uh, that she isn't human?"
He stood straight and looked at Steph as if in shock, then said, "Well, damn. I guess that means you'll be wanting more money and a corner office."
"Oh, of course," said Steph. "A parking space, too."
Wallace laughed as he turned back to Karen and said, "Yes, Dr. Mills. I was aware of that. Should it concern me?"
Karen stiffened slightly and said, "No, apparently not."
Wallace nodded and said to Steph and me, "I have plans this evening, but you two know where to find me when you have some time."
"Will do," I said.
As Wallace and his people went into the building, I said, "Well, Steph, it seems that if you weren't driving Karen's bus, you'd be sitting in the back of it."
Steph said, "So I noticed."
Karen's expression became one of tense irritation as she said, "What? That's not what I meant, damn it! I just didn't think he knew..."
I said, "Yeah. Right. But why the hell should it matter what he knew, Mills?" Holding the door open for them, I added, "Gee, I can remember when only women and non-whites were considered second class citizens. You've added a whole new category."
Mills stopped and glared at me for a moment, then made an exasperated noise and moved through the doorway. She turned to say something else, but as Steph passed me, I stopped her to kiss her cheek as Karen watched. Karen's mouth fell open slightly, then her gaze narrowed sharply at us before she turned and walked away.
Myra snickered and said, "I think she's jealous."
"I think she's discovering that she's capable of bigotry," I said. "See what you can pry out of her about that, will you?"
With a big grin Myra asked, "What? Now you want me to try to spy for you?"
"It's for a good cause and you already know how, don't you? Grit your teeth and give it a shot, ma'am."
"How do you know I don't feel the same way?"
I shrugged. "If you did, you wouldn't be grinning about it, would you?"
Chuckling, Myra said, "No, probably not."
Steph said, "This isn't necessary, Ed."
Myra said, "Oh, but it is, Stephanie," and then she, too, walked away.
We watched her go for a moment, then Steph asked, "Why would Myra feel that way, Ed?"
"Good question, but figure that if she didn't think she could somehow use the info, she probably wouldn't feel that way."
We followed Myra into the dining hall. Mills was
already at the far end of the serving line with her tray as Myra began her selections. Scanning the tables, I saw Angela Horn. She was in a short-sleeved work uniform and had just begun her meal.
I took my time about loading a tray, spending a few moments watching a woman slice meat and noting a change on the pushcart behind her. A large bar magnet held several types of knives and a couple of tools on top the cart. No more falling knives.
Something about that magnetic adaptation to the cart triggered another line of thought for me. Steph glanced at me when my readings spiked.
"Just had an idea," I said. "Maybe a good one. Lemme work on it."
Mills chose a table and Myra joined her. When I'd finished selecting foods I headed in Angela's direction. Angela looked up as Steph and I approached.
"Hi, Angela," I said, "Want some company?"
"Hi, Ed. Hello, Stephanie. Sure. Sit down."
As we did so, Angela said, "I saw your glider today. Nice."
"Thanks. Steph made it."
Angela looked at Steph and nodded as she said, "Well done."
She turned back to me and said, "It was fun watching you today, even when I couldn't see the kite. It almost made me wish I had an implant like yours. But only almost."
Between bites of steak I said, "Angela, I've been thinking about suggesting something and I've kind of been wondering why nobody's thought of it before. If they actually haven't, that is."
"Maybe they have. What is it?"
"Preprogrammed PFM units, keyed to individuals and field-bonded to them like the flitter control eggs bond to your hand. They wouldn't have to be implants. You could stick them to your arm or leg and call up protective fields, gliders or parachutes, and stun fields, for starters. Maybe other things, too, like comm channels."
Angela sat very still for a moment, staring first at me, then at Steph, who asked, "What's the matter, Angela?"
"Would that mean I'd be able to fly like he did today?"
Steph nodded. "Yes."
"They'd be completely safe?"
"I wouldn't let Ed use one if they weren't."
With a grin, Angela stuck her arm out and pointed to her right forearm.
"Right here," she said. "Would that be a good spot for one?"
I said, "Since you seem willing to volunteer to try one, we can put the idea to Linda tomorrow. Good enough?"
Angela withdrew her arm and seemed slightly confused. "Oh. I didn't realize... If you're talking about making them issue hardware, you'd have to see Captain Wallace, Ed."
"I work for Linda, so she can put the idea to Wallace. Or you can, now that you know about it. We can spring it on both of them. I still can't believe that nobody's thought of using PFM's this way before."
Shaking her head, Angela said, "God, it seems so obvious now... How many times have I picked up a flitter control egg? Hundreds of times. And it never once occurred to me that your gadget wouldn't have to be an implant. Not even once."
"Same here. I thought of it while I was standing in the food line just now."
We laughed about how minds work and talked as we finished eating, then Angela said, "Well, back to work. I'm on the evening shift tonight. Should I tell Wallace tonight, or do you want me to wait until you talk to Linda?"
"Go ahead," I said. "I'll call Linda in a little while. Maybe we can have this thing in motion by tomorrow."
After Angela had left the table, I tapped my watch to call Linda.
"Yes, Ed? Can this be quick? Emory is taking me into Carrington for a fancy dinner and drinks and I'm right in the middle of getting ready."
"Well, he did say he had plans for the evening. Steph and I just cooked up something, Linda. PFM's with preprogrammed stuff like my kite and protective fields. They'd stick to people like flitter eggs. No implants needed. Half a dozen uses on tap with voice commands. Angela Horn liked the idea and she'll be telling Wallace about it the next time she sees him. Was that quick enough for ya?"
A moment of silence went by before she quietly said, "Yes, it was. Damn! The idea sounds great, Ed. Emory is waiting in the living room. Would you tell him what you just told me?"
"Sure. Call him over and play it back for him."
"No, we're already getting a late start. I'll keep getting ready while you call him on his pad."
I heard her tell Wallace to expect a padcall as Steph made a datapad screen materialize in front of me. Wallace's face appeared on it.
"Yeah, Ed. What's the emergency?"
"No emergency, Cap. Steph and I bounced an idea off Angela Horn over dinner and off Linda just now. It's about PFM's that would be kind of like my implant, but that would stick to people like flitter control eggs and let them call up various field uses with voice commands instead of neural inputs. Keyed to individual DNA and voices and no surgery."
His face slowly changed from seeming quizzically irritated with my interrupting call to appearing moderately awestruck.
He slowly said, "Ho, damn! Field bonding. Voice commands. Portable Field Manipulators. We've had all the parts to do this all this time, haven't we?"
I nodded. "Yup. All Steph and I did was stick 'em together during dinner."
Wallace laughed and said, "Well, by God, the stuff's been available for more than three years and nobody else has come up with anything like this, so pat yourselves on the back a few times. I'll talk this over with Linda tonight, Ed. Figure on some time in her office in the morning."
"Okay. Over and out and stuff like that."
"Thanks for the call, Ed." He tapped the 'off' icon.
Keying my implant, I said, "Elkor."
"Yes, Ed?"
"I've had an idea for PFM's that may go commercial. I want Steph to control the patents -- if any -- and all other rights concerning manufacture. 3rd World people might ask you to make the PFM's, but I'd prefer that you would do so only if they've received authorizations through us. Would that be a problem for you?"
"No, Ed. When I split myself, this version of me became an independent entity subject only to my nondisclosure agreement with Amara."
"Thanks, Elkor. I was afraid they might be able to pressure you. Hey, do you want a financial piece of this if it turns out to be something marketable?"
"No, Ed, I think not. I'm content to observe, although I'd be happy to assist Stephanie in manufacturing PFM units."
"Thanks again, Elkor. Could be we'll need the help. I forsee a number of markets for these things, and none of them are small markets. I just wish that there were something that I could do for you sometime."
"You share your home and your friends with me, Ed, and you helped me become that which I am. I seem to have no other needs presently."
"Well, still, let me know if you think of anything else, okay?"
"Yes, Ed."
"Good deal. That's all I had on my mind, Elkor. Thanks again."
"You're welcome," he said, and his signature presence in my implant disappeared.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Karen walked past our table on her way to the hallway. She didn't look at us as she passed. A few moments later I became aware of another presence approaching me from behind.
"Hi, Myra," I said aloud.
She stopped briefly and then came around the table, glancing about with an odd expression as she put her coffee on the table and sat down.
"Stephanie told you I was back there?"
Shaking my head, I said, "No. I knew someone was back there and coming toward me. Karen had just gone by and the only other person in here likely to want to talk to me about anything is you."
Her eyebrow went up as she glanced around at the other people in the dining hall, but she didn't pursue the matter.
"I think you were right," she said. "About the bigotry, I mean. Karen said that something about your relationship with Stephanie just bugs the hell out of her. She said she didn't know exactly what, though."
"Having to be polite to Steph bugged her, too. Probably still does."
Myra nodded. "Yeah. I no
ticed that earlier. Quote marks around the word 'please'. What are you up to this evening?" She held up a hand and added with a grin, "And before you answer, remember that -- other than Mills -- you and Stephanie are the only people I know here and I'm not much into television, okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I didn't have any real plans for the evening, though. I thought I might check email for orders and..."
"Orders? For what?"
"For WiccaWorks ceramics and catalogs. That's my internet business."
"Oh. Yeah, I saw something about that in what Stephanie showed me. Okay, then, what else? Is there anything to do around here?"
"There are a couple of clubs on base. Music, pool, booze, and short food menus. You've seen the general store in the hallway."
"That's it?"
Shrugging, I said, "Yup. Now you know why I don't hang out here more often. This base isn't much more than a large private airport, Myra. A transit facility. The asteroid factory shuttles come and go and so do the people and cargo. I doubt that more than a thousand people actually work here, and most of them commute."
She tapped her empty coffee cup on the table for a moment, then said, "I'll buy a round of beer if you're up for some pool."
I grinned and asked, "Are you any good?"
Myra grinned back and said, "Try me."
As I stood up to take my tray to the bus bins, I said, "I'll expect the worst, then. Back in a minute."
Nodding, Myra turned to Steph and asked, "Have you ever seen him shoot pool?"
"Yes, I have," said Steph.
"Is he any good?"
"Yes, he is."
Seeing me still standing by the table, Myra grinningly made a 'shoo' gesture with her hands and turned back to Steph as I headed for the bins.
It was a short walk through the hallways to reach the "Dirtside Pub". Someone had given the place some thought; the pub itself was well-lit and furnished in rather substantial wooden tables and chairs and had a curved, solid wood bar.
Beyond the rear door was an open-air garden with a large wooden deck where people could enjoy the outdoors while they socialized. Music came from a jukebox with a touch-screen selector and the music wasn't so loud that it overwhelmed the place.
3rd World Products, Inc., Book 4 Page 27