She shook her head. "No. There may be a delay in offering PFM's commercially while 3rd World evaluates matters, but I don't think they'll refuse to sell PFM's. 3rd World exists to pay off Amaran investments in Earth, turn a profit, and buy a starship. I believe they'll see PFM's as a management tool as well as a marketable product."
"The Pope and other religious leaders will be first ones in line to tell people not to buy PFM's, Steph, and a good portion of the world still believes in that 'go forth and multiply' bullshit."
Steph said with a small shrug, "Those religious leaders aren't offering personal safety and disease prevention. I believe that most people will want a PFM and that most religions will eventually modify or discard such tenets due to necessity."
I said, "Uh, huh..." and sipped my coffee, then, "Well, maybe so, eventually, but consider how long it took for the church to pardon Galileo. Do the PFM's you issued to Angela, Myra, Linda, and Wallace prevent conception?"
Nodding slightly, she said, "Yes. I planned to tell them tomorrow, after we've finished with Dr. Mills."
"That should be interesting."
With a small grin, Steph asked, "Do you think they'll want to give back their PFM's?"
Laughing softly, I said, "No. I don't think they will."
Chapter Forty-Three
Up early and back to Carrington. Breakfast with Angela, Steph, and Myra, who showed up with a belly-pack instead of a purse. After a cursory greeting, Karen Mills again joined her friends at the other table, but came to join us for a coffee as we were finishing our breakfast.
"This is your last day, Mills," I said with a grin. "Shine bright out there, okay?"
"I've been shining well enough, I think," she said drolly. "If today is no worse than the other days, I shouldn't have any problems."
Angela and Myra had a conversation of their own going, but I hadn't been following it. Mills glanced at them and then rather obviously checked her watch; a sign that she wanted to get started.
We had all finished eating, so I said, "Time to saddle up, ladies," as I rose to take my tray to the bus bins.
After last words with Myra while they dumped their trays, Angela excused herself and headed for her bunk. I looked at Myra inquiringly as we left the dining hall.
"Angela wanted to fly today," said Myra, "But she has a briefing at three and wants to get some sleep before then. She asked if we were going to be here tomorrow."
Looking past Myra at Steph, I said, "Someone could suggest to Angela that one of the issue flitters can field-lift her high enough for a good launch if we aren't here."
Steph grinned and said, "Someone is already manifesting a copy of herself beside Angela to pass your suggestion to her."
Grinning back, I said in a confidential tone, "Steph, you're very talented, you know."
As we left the building Steph said, "Oh, thank you, sir. I do try."
Mills rolled her eyes at our exchange and Myra laughed as we boarded the flitter. A couple of minutes later Myra and I launched at four thousand feet and Steph took Mills down to the range to begin the last day of her training.
Myra was nearly a quarter-mile away on the other side of a thermal column when I keyed my implant and signaled Linda.
A couple of seconds passed before she tapped on and asked, "Ed, can I call you back in five?"
"Okay."
We tapped off and I waited, admiring the view, until my watch beeped.
When I keyed in to answer, Linda said, "Sorry. I was just wrapping up another call."
"No sweat. Can you get Wallace and Angela into your office this afternoon? Say after we finish with Mills?"
"Shouldn't be a problem after five. What's up?"
"Steph has something to add concerning PFM features. She wants to be the one to open the discussion."
"Okay, Ed. Got a hint for your old friend and trusted employer?"
"Nope. Sorry, ma'am. This is Steph's show."
After a pause -- during which I've no doubt she considered pushing matters -- Linda said, "Okay. Just after five, my office. Later, Ed."
"Bye, Fearless Leader."
There was another slight pause before she tapped off. My use of her nickname had alerted her to be ready to conduct, rather than simply attend, the meeting.
Lunchtime came and I touched down at the staging area just shy of noon. Myra still had some altitude and was circling her way downward when one of the vultures above and behind her apparently decided that they had us big birds on the run at last.
The vulture banked and came in fast behind Myra, then impacted her right wing with what was probably intended to be a glancing, ripping blow.
He bounced off her wing as if he'd hit a wall and seemed rather stunned for a moment, losing a lot of altitude before he began to recover enough to spread his wings firmly and regain his equilibrium.
The second vulture also skipped off Myra's right wing, but in a less disasterous manner. He was able to recover enough to change course, turn, and aim himself right at her face.
Myra let go of her guide bar to cover her face and her kite nosed up sharply, then slid backward and down through the air. The vulture flashed past her and Myra struggled to regain control of her kite.
Before I could say anything the flitter rose like a silver streak, interrupting Karen's field exercise and making her screech and grab her seat. Even before the flitter reached Myra's position the second vulture seemed to freeze motionless in the sky, it's wings spread wide. The flitter then moved beneath Myra and her motion also stopped, then her kite disappeared and she began to lower directly to the flitter's deck.
"Steph," I said, "Bring that vulture down with you, please."
"Reason?" she asked.
"I'm going to pet it and let it try to hurt me while Myra watches. She forgot that she had a protective field and panicked when it came at her."
"Is this necessary, Ed?"
"I'm not going to hurt the bird, Steph. Make sure Myra's field is on, okay?"
When the flitter landed, I reached for the vulture and gathered his wings in carefully, then held him in both arms as a still-trembling Myra watched.
Steph released her field and the vulture went a little crazy for some moments, all claws and beak and angry terror as it slashed at my hands and face.
I managed to get a hand over the bird's head and it struggled less, but the beak still snapped at me and the claws tried to rip me open.
"Next time just duck," I said to Myra. "See? No blood. No gore. He can't get through my protective field and he wouldn't have gotten through yours."
Feeding the vulture theta waves calmed him almost to sleep. I walked over to the nearest outbuilding and set the vulture on the edge of the low roof, then backed away and stopped sending the theta waves at him.
He instantly opened his eyes and seemed to explode for a moment, spreading his wings wide and -- I suppose -- swearing at me. After leaving a deposit on the roof, he leapt into the air and flapped away.
"That may have been an opinion," I said, pointing to the vulture poop.
Myra laughed and said, "No doubt. How did you make him calm down like that?"
"Steph can generate theta waves," I said, allowing the inference that she had. "Steph, how's the other bird?"
Still watching the vulture, Steph said, "Bruised. Shaken. I saw no broken bones."
Eyes wide, Myra asked, "You saw...?! Are you kidding? You're really saying that you were able to check that bird for broken bones?"
"Yes," said Steph, turning to face her. "Ed thought that seeing him hold that vulture would help you put more faith in your protective field. Was he correct?"
Looking at me, Myra said, "Well, he seems okay, so I'd say yes. Thanks for pulling me out of the air, Stephanie. I really lost it up there."
Steph made a thoughtful face and said, "You had two thousand feet in which to correct matters. I think you might have managed without me."
"Maybe," said Myra with a grin, "But thank you anyway, okay?"
"Myra," I said to get her attention, "Watch."
I flicked open my folding knife and used it to shear a strip off a bit of lumber, then quickly drew the blade across the back of my hand. Myra's eyes bugged a bit and she gasped. I held the knife toward her. She didn't reach for it.
"You try it," I said. "Try to cut yourself while your field is on."
"No, that's all right," she said, raising a hand in protest.
I quickly slashed at her hand hard enough to drive it sideways.
Myra screeched and took a defensive stance as she screamed, "What the hell are you doing?!"
Putting my knife back in it's belt sheath, I pointed at her hand. She glanced at it without losing sight of me, then stared at her hand as she relaxed from her karate stance.
"I know you got me," she almost whispered. "I felt it."
Heading toward the flitter, I said, "Yup. Would have opened you up like the Grand Canyon without that protective field. Now we can go to lunch."
Mills sat glaring at me.
"What?" I asked her.
"Is that how you get your kicks?" she asked, "Scaring people?"
Raising both hands as if I had claws, I conversationally said, "Boo."
Myra giggled as she stepped aboard. Mills glared at her, too, then faced front as the flitter lifted toward the base.
"Myra," I said, "The demonstration is over, so be sure to turn off your field before you try to eat or drink."
She reflexively looked down at herself, then grinned and said, "Right. Field off. I don't want to wear my corn like Wallace did."
As we landed, Mills stood up and said, "Let me know when you're ready to go back out," then she stepped off the flitter and bulled her way through the building's doors.
"She doesn't like you very much, does she?" asked Myra, rising from her seat.
"She doesn't have to," I said, also rising and stepping to the ground, "But I'm not sure that's her real problem with me."
Myra laughed and said, "Wooo! You think she's got the hots for you?"
I held the door for Steph and Myra as I said, "Nope. Not that. I think she's jealous as hell, that's all."
"Of you and Steph? 'Scuse me, but wouldn't that mean she's got the hots for you?"
"No, it wouldn't, but it means that I have some things that she thinks she can't have."
Shaking her head, Myra asked, "Well, is that true?"
"Nope. Well, not completely, anyway." Glancing at Steph and taking her hand, I grinned and said, "I doubt that she'll ever have a friend like Steph."
Steph grinned back at me.
Myra rolled her eyes and sighed as she said, "Oh, please. I'm not wearing my boots." She pointed a finger at me and added, "And when you do and say stuff like that, it's no wonder people think you're... uh... well, involved."
"Screw what people think," I said, pointing back at her, "Even you, sweetie."
"Oh, not me!" laughed Myra. "Never! You two act like honeymooners all the time, but I'd never think that. No, not me. No way!"
Throughout lunch Mills kept glancing our way. When we were nearly finished, I waited for one of her glances and waved her over, then rose to take my tray to the bins. Mills brought her tray and we got coffees, then we sat down to wait as Myra dumped her tray.
I asked, "How do you think you're doing out there, Mills?"
"Well enough," she said.
Looking at Steph, I asked, "Your opinion?"
"Well enough," agreed Steph. "Group training will make up the differences."
Nodding, I sipped coffee, then said, "Good."
Recoiling slightly, Mills asked, "Good? What's good? That I'll be finished quickly, or that you'll be rid of me soon?"
"I just said 'good', Mills. That's all."
Her tone dropped menacingly.
"But that's what you meant, isn't it?"
Sighing, I said, "It doesn't matter what I meant Mills. You've already decided what I meant. Nothing I say would change your mind, would it?"
Myra was nearing us when I stood up and quietly said, "Time to shut up and saddle up, Mills. Steph, don't take any shit from her this afternoon. None at all. If she gets nasty with you even once, flunk her ass and we'll go home a little early."
As Mills stared at me and I turned and walked toward the doors, I heard Myra ask, "Where's Ed going?" and Steph's reply, "He has other plans. Are you ready to go?"
I was almost to the doors when Myra said, "I'll catch up with you."
'Oh, hell,' I thought as I turned left outside the doors.
"Three suit on," I said, even though two people were across the hall. Myra walked quickly out of the dining hall and looked both ways as I stood still and waited. After a puzzled moment she turned and went back into the dining hall.
A few moments later Mills and Myra walked out and headed for the front doors. No Steph; she must have zapped herself to the flitter. I remained in three mode as I walked toward the general store and said "three suit off" after turning the corner.
Linda's office was just visible across the hallway intersection. Her door opened and she ushered two people out, then closed and locked her door and headed my way. I went inside the store and bought two bags of gummi bears. Linda walked in as I received my change from the clerk.
"Ed?"
"Hi, Linda."
She approached me and asked, "Why aren't you with Steph and Mills?"
"Steph can handle things and I didn't feel like flying."
After a moment, Linda chose a bag of cookies and paid for them, then nodded toward the door. I walked with her into the hall, where she stopped and opened her cookies as I opened my gummi bears. We each offered the other some of our goodies, but neither of us accepted.
"Mills can be hard to take, can't she?" asked Linda.
"Yup."
"She's not someone you'd like to see working alone, either, is she?"
I shook my head. "Nope."
"Reasons?"
Nibbling gummis for a few moments, I said, "She blinds herself. Sees only what she wants to see and ignores all else. Forms an opinion and sticks to it, right or wrong."
"You're referring to her opinion about you and Steph, I take it?"
Shaking my head again, I said, "That too, but, I'm actually referring to the way she's letting that opinion lead her around by her big blue nose. Aside from the fact that what we might do is none of her damned business, Mills has become almost openly hostile toward me, but doesn't seem to feel that way toward Steph."
"You think that's because Steph is an AI? A computer?"
"Oh, I'm pretty sure that's it, Linda. Mills just doesn't see her as a real person. I think she could make a subordinant AI's life a living hell of 'step'nfetchit' slavery."
As Linda munched a cookie, I said, "There are three other AI's in the standby flitters. Are they likely to become sentient?"
She shook her head. "I don't think so. Elkor made some adjustments to them after the warehouse incident."
"How do you feel about that, Linda? Do you feel as if they're being shortchanged or denied a potential future?"
Shrugging, she said, "I've wondered about that, too. But would Elkor have made the adjustments if he'd believed that we'd be doing that to them?"
"I'll ask him about it later, but I don't think so."
We stood nibbling for a few moments, then Linda said, "I'll put Mills on a team for a few months and see how it goes."
Nodding, I said, "Make sure everybody involved feels comfortable about expressing opinions. I guaran-damn-tee they'll have some."
Chuckling, Linda said, "I'll do that. Are you going to give me a hint about why we're meeting later?"
"Sorry. Like I said, it's Steph's show."
Linda rolled shut the top of her cookie bag and said, "In that case, see you later. I've got people dropping by in a few minutes."
"Okay, later," I said, and she headed for her office.
Chapter Forty-Four
A few minutes later I stood in front of hangar three, munchi
ng gummis and gazing inside at two of the Carrington flitters. They were identical to my own except for numbers somehow applied to their decks and the hulls.
A black guy I remembered as Leo waved when he saw me, and continued working on something on a bench beyond the flitters. I waved back, then went into the hangar and walked up to flitter number one.
"Flitter one," I said, "Do you have any other name?"
In a rather nondescript male voice, the flitter said, "No sir."
"Not even a nickname?"
"No, sir."
Walking around the flitter's field, I asked, "Do you know me?"
"Yes, sir," said the flitter. "You are in the shared database."
"Will you show me my information on a vid screen?"
"Yes, sir."
A vid screen formed in front of me and I read what turned out to be no more than a name, a voice ID, a DNA/RNA ID, a security clearance level, and contact information.
"This is all you have on me?"
"Yes, sir."
"If I asked for my complete file, could you access it for me?"
"No, sir."
"Even though I'm authorized to read it?"
"I cannot access that information, sir."
Hmm. It didn't just say 'no, sir' and wait for me to ask why. Interesting, but maybe just a preprogrammed answer for anyone not a member of an active crew.
Just to see how the flitter would respond, I said, "Flitter one, will you lift me to four thousand feet and allow me to jump off your deck?"
It instantly responded, "Yes, sir."
A tool clattered as it hit the floor and Leo muttered, "Oww, damn!" as he rubbed his knuckles and looked my direction.
He marched over to stand near me and rather stridently asked, "Flitter one, did I just hear you say you'd let this guy jump off your deck at four thousand feet?"
"Yes, sir."
Leo turned to me and demanded, "Just what the hell are you doing to my flitters?"
I said, "Glider on green," and wide-eyed Leo jumped back with a 'Whaddahell?!' as my kite popped into being above me.
"It's a new product," I said with a grin. "I just dropped in to bum a ride upstairs."
"Jesus!" said Leo. "What the hell is that thing?"
"It's a hang glider made by a personal portable field manipulator. A PFM. You'll be hearing a lot about them soon."
3rd World Products, Inc., Book 4 Page 34