Sisterhood of Suns: Daughters of Eve

by Martin Schiller

  “Locusta,” Angelique said, “task some agents to watch Professor bel Shandellra more closely,” she said. “If they can, have them see to it that they remove her present research assistant from the equation, or recruit her over to our side. I want someone right there with her at all times that we can trust.”

  “Yes, mistress.”

  Confident that her order would be carried out, Angelique turned her attention to the second file. This person was an eminent mathematician, currently on leave from her post at the University of Thenti. Her latest passion seemed to be a study of the relationship between numbers and music. She was developing a theory that the Drow’voi had communicated through pure sound, thus explaining the utter lack of any written symbols left behind in their ruins. She was also trying to get access to the underground complexes on Storm to actively pursue this line of research, but a local official was blocking her request.

  This would certainly not do, Angelique decided.

  “Please have our assets in Thenti handle this matter,” she told her AI. “I want this woman to be able to go ahead with her work without interference. Also make certain that she receives all the personnel she needs—and that they are all in our employ.”

  “Yes, mistress,” her virtual companion replied. “I also have word from our team watching Celina. They report that her realie is progressing well and that it employs the alternate themes that the State Department mandated. The original remains in a private file.”

  This was good news. The last thing that the Conversâzi needed at this stage was a public release of the Song.

  “Excellent!” Angelique exclaimed. “And has she shown any sign of interest in the Necropolis? Or Ashkele?”

  “None, mistress,” Locusta answered. “She seems to be completely focused on her work at the moment.”

  “Very well. Continue to monitor her progress and let me know when the situation changes,” Angelique instructed.

  “Yes, mistress.”

  Having done all that she could concerning this issue, she turned her attention to another message. According to the Navy, the military arm of the Seevaan Chaotic faction was conducting war games in a region of space bordering on the Xee Protectorate. There were also signs that the Inchii and the Tazbaru were moving significant assets closer to the Sisterhood, and the Vön had lately begun to resupply their warships at the Free Port.

  Angelique shook her head in dismay at the treachery that was implicit in this. Clearly, Queen Talaria intended to make her move the very nanosecond the Conversâzi had the Secret, and the other races seemed to be moving their forces into place to stage a pre-emptive war.

  They were all fools. Once the Secret was activated, and the User was under the Conversâzi’s control, they would be just as helpless as the rest of the galaxy. There would certainly be a victory, but it would be hers, and no interstellar conflict would be fought to achieve it. The Conversâzi would win without ever needing the Sisterhood fire a single missile to defend itself.

  She opened her personal business file next. There was a message waiting for her.

  The specialty shop had called, advising her that her order was ready, and that it would be delivered later that morning. It was a set of leather gloves, and matching boots, all tailored to conform to her measurements. There was also a customized strapaadi and a handmade whip included on the invoice. Everything had been made of the finest materials and was guaranteed to provide years of faithful service to their owner.

  As repulsive as Trina had been, she had had one strength; she had known how to please Sarah, and Angelique was not about to play second place to her memory. She wasn’t accustomed to the kind of games that Sarah and her former mistress (she refused to call the filthy creature a ‘lover’) had engaged in, but she was determined to do everything she could to provide Sarah with what she needed.

  Lovers—real lovers—did that for one another, and she would teach herself what she needed to know. Sending a message on to her household staff to expect the package, she awarded herself a few personal minutes and studied one of the surveillance holos she had had made of Trina and Sarah. While she watched the session, she took careful mental notes of the techniques that Trina had employed. When the package arrived, they would all have to be put into practice. Sarah deserved the only best.

  Concordance Park, Thermadon Val, Thermadon, Myrene System, Thalestris Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns, 1048.12|28|04:21:29

  A policewoman came out to the farm to inform Maya that the time had come for her to return to Thermadon and rejoin Sarah. After she had packed and said her goodbyes to everyone, the same officer returned and drove her straight to Waanderstaad for her interstellar flight.

  When she arrived at Bel Sharra Interworld Spaceport, she was surprised to find both Angelique and Sarah waiting for her. They had come out to the spaceport in Bel Thana’s hoverlimo and it was parked at the curb.

  “Welcome back, Maya,” Sarah said. “We are going for a drive.”

  “Where to?” Maya asked, taking note of the woman’s aura. Although it was strong again, she could sense the toll that the weeks had taken on her. She also recognized that something had changed about her. Something profound. Sarah had come to a decision of some kind.

  “Concordance Park,” Sarah informed her, “The weather is nice today. I’d like to take in the day there before I do anything else.”

  This surprised Maya. Sarah tended to be one of those ‘spare the pleasantries and go straight to work’ types. Right away, she suspected that something was afoot. She didn’t press her though. When the moment was right, Sarah would reveal it.

  At Concordance Park, their driver set them down on the wide plaza right next to Concordance Hall itself, which was reserved for police and emergency vehicles.

  Angelique didn’t get out with them, but remained with the ‘limo as Sarah took Maya to the steps of Concordance Hall. There, the woman took a long moment to drink in the sight of the Hall itself, its Marine honor guard, and the eternal flame burning at its base. Just when Maya was certain that she would make whatever her announcement was, Sarah disappointed her and walked on.

  As they strolled along, a little girl in a group of tourists spotted them. Her eyes went as wide as saucers and she tugged on one of her mother’s skirts to call attention to their presence.

  Little kids were like that when it came to anyone in uniform, Maya reflected. They thought that anyone official-looking was some kind of superheroine from a realie. Poor dumb kid, she thought sadly. She’s too young to know what most kaapers are really like. But she would learn.

  Yes, Sarah replied. So she shall.

  Chagrined, Maya realized that her mental dialogue had been louder than she had intended.

  It is a good lesson in civics that every little girl should receive, Sarah thought. Then she went over to the child and lowered herself so that they were at eye level with one another.

  “Hello, young lady,” she said, nodding politely up to her mothers, “Are you enjoying your day at the park?”

  The little girl shook her head emphatically. ”Yes, I am. And when I grow up, I want to be a police officer just like you!”

  Sarah smiled back at her benevolently. “Well, perhaps not just like me, but it is still a worthwhile aspiration.” She reached into her tunic, and to Maya’s surprise, produced a small toy badge.

  “Here is something for you,” she said handing it over to the child. “Now, learn your Motherthought, say your pledge to the flag every day, and most of all, make sure to be a good girl and do everything that your mothers tell you to. And someday, if you do all that, then you will get to wear a badge just like mine.”

  Awestruck, the child took the gift and Maya’s features screwed up in disgust. She felt like vomiting.

  Goddess, Sarah! she thought in exasperation. What are you doing telling the kid all that nonsense? You know its all total shess!

  Sarah gently patted the child on her head, and straightened.

  Do I? she replied arc
hly. Contrary to what you might or might not believe, I consider everything that I just told the child to be absolutely true. There may be cruel realities that you and I have had to face, and equally harsh things that we have had to do in the name of the Sisterhood, but none of that changes the essential nobility of our service. Or the nobility of the Sisterhood. Nothing!

  The gleam in her eyes was fierce, and absolutely uncompromising. It reminded Maya of the fact that regardless of anything else, Sarah was at her heart a former servicewoman, and a dedicated patriot.

  “Which brings me to the reason that we came here,” Sarah said aloud. “Lieutenant n’Kaaryn, I’d like to introduce you to Troop Leader Clara Signysdaater, Thermadonian Metro Police—and a 15 year veteran of the force.”

  Maya looked behind her and realized that a police cruiser had landed next to their limo, and that an officer had come up to join them.

  The newcomer was an older woman who had never been a beauty, even in her youth. Her features were too strong for that, and a nasty scar on the side of her face only called attention to her heavy jaw and a pair of lips that seemed to be set in a permanent frown. The kaaper regarded Maya with a hard, appraising expression, and then acknowledged Sarah with a respectful nod.

  “During my recovery,” Sarah continued, “I pondered matters carefully, and in the light of the problems that you had with your field work, I have reconsidered your situation. I no longer feel that you are suited to be an agent. I also consulted General bel Thana for her opinion and she agreed wholeheartedly with my assessment. The Sisterhood simply cannot afford operatives who have any qualms about their assignments.”

  Maya gaped at her in shock. “Sarah, what the fek--?”

  Sarah waved her to silence. “Although General bel Thana strongly disagrees with me, I still believe that you might have some value to the Agency. At my request, you have been transferred to the Police Patrol Division.’

  “From here on, Officer Signysdaater will be your mentor. She will teach you a great deal about your new profession, and maybe even manage to convey what the concept of ‘service’ truly means. Hopefully, you will find a better ‘fit’ for yourself as a Grade One Patrolwoman. As for the things you kept at my apartment, I have had them sent on to lodgings more suited to your reduced pay grade. Goodbye, Maya.”

  Maya was thunderstruck. In all of their time together, she had never imagined a scene like this. Sarah had always been doggedly determined for her to become an agent, and succeed at it, no matter the cost.

  Now, despite all of their struggles, and all of the long hours spent studying and training, she was simply dismissing her as if none of it had ever meant anything at all. Although she had often told herself that escaping the woman’s clutches was what she wanted most, now that the moment had actually arrived, it hurt. Deeply.

  Blinking back unwanted tears, Maya realized that Angelique’s hoverlimo had started up again and that the passenger door had opened to readmit Sarah. For a brief moment, as Sarah got in, Maya and Bel Thana made eye contact, and she saw the unmistakable look of triumph painted on her face.

  This had been her doing, she realized. Bitch! Fekking bitch!

  The doors shut and the ‘limo lifted up and away. This can’t be happening, Maya told herself. But it was.

  Then Signysdaater clapped a meaty hand on her shoulder. “Gaane an, rookie,” she said. “Za vacation’s over.” While Maya struggled to comprehend this shocking turn of events, the kaaper strode back to her cruiser.

  With no alternative but to follow, Maya ran after her, swearing with every footfall. By the time she had caught up, Signysdaater was already back in the driver’s seat, and giving her a baleful look as she came around the passenger side.

  Signysdaater opened the door, but only with obvious reluctance. Clearly, the kaaper wasn’t any happier about their new arrangement than she was. Then Maya saw one of the sources of her displeasure displayed on the ‘cars HUD.

  It was her own mug-shot, taken on Delgen right before she had fled to Thermadon, and it was accompanied by a list of all her aliases. Instead of being purged from the Police Omniplex as she had been told it would be, her entire criminal record was there for the policewoman to see.

  She also realized that she knew Signysdaater. She was the very same kaaper who had stopped and interrogated her on her first night in Thermadon, and had given her the directions to the Transient Worker’s Hostel. A knowing gleam in the other woman’s eyes told her that the Zommerlaandar also remembered her.

  “Let’s get zomething fekking ztraight you piece of shess,” Signysdaater growled with a deep North Zommie accent. “Zere are a lot of vomyn who have vorked hard to become kaapers. Vomyn who zink zat zis iz a good job. I don’t fekking like zeeing zomeone like you passing zem up ven you zhould be in jail.”

  “But Colonel n’Jan iz a good vomin, and if she sez I have to ride vith you, I gotta respect zat! Zo, rookie, rule vun; you don’t zay anyzing—you keep your mouth shut unlez I azsk you zomezing. Rule two; you don’t touch anyzhing, and three, you do everyzing I zay. Izat fekking klaar?!”

  Maya just nodded, too numb to argue, or even offer up a rude retort. She was still too shell-shocked by Sarah’s abrupt dismissal. She just threw me away! she thought. Like trash!

  Her tears returned, and she very nearly let herself bawl like a little girl. But she managed to master herself. She wasn’t about to give Signysdaater the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She would do that later, when she was alone.

  Outside the cruiser’s canopy, she caught sight of Angelique’s hoverlimo as it ascended into the flightlanes. It was headed downtown, leaving her alone with whatever life she was now expected to live.

  ***

  Inside the plush interior of the ‘limo, Sarah spared one final glance back down at the park and the solitary police cruiser parked there. Her expression was funereal, and Angelique reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

  “I know that that was hard for you to do, Sarah,” she said. “Even with a candidate as poor as she was. But Maya could have never aspired to be a part of the Conversâzi—you know that. Believe me, she is better off where she is now. It suits her true capabilities.”

  Sarah looked out the window forlornly. “Yes, I realize that, Angelique. I shouldn’t have wasted so much time on her. It was irrational of me to have even recruited her in the first place.”

  “What about her symbiote?” Angelique asked. “Has it been deactivated?”

  “Naturally,” Sarah answered. “I also plan to see her sent through a PTS scrub to remove any memories that might be above her current clearance level. Hopefully, she’ll still prove to be of some value to the Agency after that.”

  “Perhaps,” Angelique agreed, but the doubt in her tone was all too plain.

  ***

  Signysdaater flew Maya to her new home and left her on the roof with terse orders to report to the precinct house the next morning. Maya barely heard the woman and didn’t look back as the cruiser departed. She was too devastated to think of anything more than to find herself some dark space to curl up in and nurse her injured emotions.

  Her new residence only added to her depression. It was a far cry from Sarah’s apartment at the luxurious Otrera. Instead, it was located in The Sticks. Officially designated the Elysium Gardens, the low-income living complex was in the eastern part of the city, bordering the industrial sector. It derived its nickname from the way it had been constructed.

  Groups of identical living modules were linked together by tubeways and common domes, and these clusters, in their hundreds, were connected in turn to three large central pillars, or Sticks, which housed the lifts and service conduits. At the top of each Stick were gigantic circular landing areas, intended to serve as resident parking and to accommodate deliveries.

  Despite its name, the Elysium Gardens had been built with an eye towards cost and efficiency, not decoration, and the only real ‘gardens’ that it possessed came in the form of tiny trees and small grassy a
reas planted in the common areas. It was inhabited by the city’s working class, and only marginally better than the transient worker’s hostels that dotted the neighboring district.

  Working from directions that Signysdaater had reluctantly furnished to her, Maya located her apartment with only a little effort. It was halfway down Stick Number 2 on the eastern side, the Fourth Unit in the B Cluster, Subgroup Three.

  Sensing her identity from her biochip, the door for her apartment slid open as she approached it, and the lights came on when she stepped inside.

  It was just as bad as she had expected it to be; a tiny, one-room efficiency unit, commanding a view of the drab robot factories in the distance, and little else. There was a small kitchen nook in one corner with a fold-out table and chair, an equally diminutive bathroom, and a sleeping cubicle with just enough room for one person.

  And sitting in a pile right next to the cubicle, were her things. Aside from some clothes, and a few other odds and ends, there were several suprises waiting for her.

  The first was Rebá. For some unknown reason, Sarah had allowed her to keep the hoverbike and its manual ignition key was on the top of the stack. Underneath this was an equally inexplicable item; her combat bodysuit. Maya reached out and stroked the leathery material sadly, wondering what in all space she would ever do with it now that she was just a lowly street kaaper.

  Her sword was also there, encased in its glossy black sheath and this managed to elicit a ghost of a smile on her lips. It was a bittersweet expression though. She was glad to see that she still owned it, but it also served as a stark reminder of what she had just lost.

  Would she ever see Skylaar again, she wondered, or train with her? Would she ever fly the JUDI with Bel Lissa and Zara? Would they still even want to see her? The full extent of her personal cataclysm was too awful and too far-reaching to even contemplate.