They shook hands and Marko tried to hug Stephine, but she brushed him off. Shaken, he had to grab Nail and hold him tight, as the ACE was desperately keen to see what the octopoids’ reception party looked like, and Glint was muttering about needing pepper and a barbecue on board for some occasions. Marko took them the short distance to the engine compartment. As soon as he heard the airlock had cycled and then the slight shudder through the ship as the hard dock was broken, he strode forwards, sat down, placed his own control helm on his head and, with Glint making like a co-pilot, they headed back to Basalt as quickly as possible. A few moments before they jumped, they switched one of the screens to look behind them at the indigo-coloured sinuous alien craft vanishing into the void.
Marko’s mind was still in a state of turmoil over what to do about the information that Stephine was a construct of the octopoids. Not even Fritz’s music could calm him. He wanted to yell it at everyone, but realised that it would just cause harm, so resolved to keep it to himself. He knew also that the virus that Lilly and Jasmine infected him with to prevent him discussing Stephine and Veg had been somehow purged from his system, as he could now feel that he had total control. He had discussed it with Glint, Nail and Tux and they did not see any real problems. Glint commented that they were all constructs of some sort or another, but just by different mechanisms, so there was no real point in worrying about it, and besides, Stephine and Veg were family as far as he was concerned.
That, for Marko, made it a lot easier. He considered also that they were all just travellers, slowly working their ways through life, and good friends were indeed just as close, if not closer, than biological family most of the time. He spent the time on the return to Basalt learning as much as he could about the biotech newly inside him. He also decided the Blackjack was more then it seemed; he could not find any evidence of an AI present but had the distinct feeling that the ship was looking after them.
Odd little things happened on that week’s journey. Marko would think that a coffee would be nice and would wander down to the compact galley to find the beans being slowly warmed, and the paraphernalia for the ritual of coffeemaking laid out waiting for him, and when he queried him, Glint several times denied any involvement. Marko had thought it would be comforting to make bread and had searched high and low for the tins and mixing gear. He could not find any, but when a day or so later he wondered about the smell of a walnut loaf, and thought of its components, and of how he could tweak the recipe now that he could taste each memory of the best and worst ways to bake, in a cupboard he had searched in vain previously, he found everything he needed. He queried Nail, Glint and Tux but they had nothing to offer once again. He even asked the ship out loud if any sentience was present, but got no answer. The confirmation came when, on the third day, he sat down in Stephine’s seat and found that it contoured to him beautifully. However since it was the ship of an octopoid construct and her companion, he really didn’t know why he should have been surprised by Blackjack.
They arrived back at the target LP, between the stars, to find Basalt patiently waiting. Patrick made contact as soon as they emerged from their wormhole.
‘Welcome back, Marko. I trust your journey was a pleasant one?’
‘Thanks, Patrick, yes. Bay Five, I presume?’
‘Outer door is open.’ the AI replied.
He merely envisioned Blackjack sitting on the pad of Bay Five and the beautiful sleek ship first pirouetted, then backed in through the airlock, positioned itself precisely on the pad and powered down, as Bay Five’s doors closed and sealed.
The major, watching from the bridge, couldn’t resist commenting. ‘Now that was a very nicely executed landing, Marko. Well impressed. You obviously listened closely to the instructions from Veg.’
Marko brightened a little, knowing he was back among his friends. ‘Yeah, you could say that, boss.’
Marko patted the console in front of him and stood up, and the three of them left the ship as atmosphere flooded into the hangar bay. Glint and Nail vanished through the door ahead of him. He turned to look at Blackjack and was a little startled to realise that Tux was walking behind him; at least he had had the decency to polarise the faceplate otherwise it would have looked very spooky. He wondered how he was going to explain it, but need not have bothered as Jan walked briskly to him, wrapping him up in a bear hug, and giving him a big kiss … and right behind her was her suit, also following.
‘Walking talking suits.’ said Marko. ‘This is just getting wilder by the minute!’
Jan laughed. ‘Don’t stress, Marko. Yours will even scrub your back in the shower if you ask it nicely. Quite nice, actually, having the suit always there if you need it in a hurry. Does yours talk? Sentient? Not mine. What do you think of Blackjack?’
Marko smiled and nodded. ‘Yes, mine’s sentient. Blackjack? It’s bloody fantastic, really! Can’t decide if it’s an AI, a supercomputer or something else altogether.’
He was about to add more when the major interrupted. ‘Good to have you home, Marko. Five minutes to stations: we jump as soon as everyone is ready.’
As they started walking, Marko called out, ‘On the way, boss. Did you miss me?’
The major laughed. ‘Yeah, I missed your baking.’
Jan and Marko ran up the spiral stairway, Marko shouting hellos to everyone and seeing that the living ship was growing an unfamiliar species of flowering scented orchids from its walls, and made their way to their jump stations. He slid into his engineering seat and looked across the boards. Everything was good to go, excepting that they were well down on fuel of all types. He examined the jump sequence requirements and saw that it was a big one. Would be fine with reserves, but he noted aloud that they would need fuel soon.
‘Yeah, I know, Marko,’ the major answered. ‘Don’t worry, mate. Our destinations have plenty of everything. Jasmine, you have control. In your own time, please.’
Marko always found it comforting how quickly ship routines reestablished themselves, although without the rest of the crew Basalt was lacking spark. Jan had told him that the jump sequence entailed a quick stopover to uplift Harry and Fritz from one of the Administration’s medical facilities at Gliese 370, set up specifically to deal with the new biological weapons patients. They jumped down into the system to the facility. It was located on a small moon orbiting a fairly plain, dull grey gas giant with the peculiar name of Mushroom. Whichever stellar cartographer had named it must have been having an off day, Marko thought.
They uplifted a few stores from the Orbital above the moon and replenished the fuel tanks by fifty per cent. Lilly had taken over from Stephine as the purser, although not as the First Mate, and she handled things just as smoothly. A few hours after they had finished provisioning, the guys arrived on board with Harry piloting them up in the latest-generation two-seat Skua that he had purchased for himself.
*
Although the two men looked a little worse for wear, it did not stop Harry from taking up with Julie where they had left off and Fritz was totally enamoured with both Jasmine and Lilly. He managed to get himself totally plastered and treated them all to one of his better joke performances, sending everyone into absolute hysterics, before he sculled one too many pints of beer and toppled off the table into Lilly’s arms, comatose. She lifted him effortlessly across her shoulders and walked up the stairway to the accommodation deck, returning ten minutes later, smiling. ‘He asked me first if I would do his clothes washing for him, and then invited me into his bed, but as soon as I placed him on his mattress he started snoring, so I left him to it. Must discuss with him his work with esoteric physics sometime soon. The Haulers find him interesting and want some insights. I hope that you do not mind me doing so, Major?’
A cheerfully relaxed Michael Longbow waved a hand. ‘Not at all, Lilly. Just copy me the report when you are finished. I would love to know a little more of what makes him tick as well.’
The next morning they started the week-long jump seque
nce back out through the system and onto the New Daemons system at Gliese 433, where the major had booked them for a six-week stand-down. He called for lists of anything they needed done on Basalt and they also spent time going through the screeds of information on what tourists could do while on the primary planet, which, from all accounts, was the closest in climate to Old Earth. It even had a large moon similar to Earth’s, together with two smaller companion moons.
Basalt’s destination was the smallest moon, where one of the Administration’s biggest shipyards was located. Topaz, Glint and Marko spent time itemising the repairs and augments that they could afford for his Hanger. He sent the lists up to Lilly to arrange for payment and was not really surprised to find that Stephine had made available a large sum of money for repairs and a note to Marko, insisting that he use whatever he needed.
*
The shipyards were huge, stretching for many kilometres in all directions and plainly visible from a long way away. The defences that they had seen throughout the system were impressive, but the variety of protection around the small moon almost defied imagination. They had been stopped some hundreds of thousands of kilometres above the moon and were now effectively under tow, being taken in by a large system tug, as no visiting ships were allowed to be under their own power around the shipyards.
The major quietly walked up behind Marko. ‘Thought that I would find you here. It is a beautiful ship, this Blackjack. I have been on board countless times but it still fascinates me. Have you decided if it is AI yet?’
Marko shrugged and shook his head. ‘I simply don’t know, boss. There is something here, but it has not engaged in communication with me. I think that it is aware of us and looks after us, but I’m wondering if it was grown like the Hauler tech, rather than assembled like the Gjomvik. Like Stephine, it’s an enigma. So, what’s the plan?’
‘Well, we sign Basalt over to the yard. They need it for a week to give it a good scrubbing inside and out, a resurfacing job on the exterior, per your suggestions, upgrade the Skuas and generally finish off the jobs we did not do at the last refit. While that is going on we can either muck about with the likes of the Hog and the Gunbus, or go across to the other moon for a look. Harry and Julie are staying on board with me. I have booked Lilly, Jasmine, Fritz and Minh Pham for specialist courses at the base on the other side of this moon. You and Jan can do whatever you wish. Once Basalt is sorted, we will take it down to the primary base above the planet and we are all booked for a month’s stay at one of the resorts, Patrick’s treat. He is insisting that he picks up the tab for that. He also tells me that Veg left a series of large data blocks with him and told him to start construction of the new suits for the rest of us. Would be very keen to have one myself. I am sure that I could get used to having a suit following me around.’
He hesitated. ‘Oh, by the way, been meaning to ask, would you consider building me my own ACE, please, Marko? I would like a small bird of prey if at all possible. I will pay you for it. Yes, I know that we are good friends and colleagues, but I would not feel right asking you for this and not paying you for it. There was a bird from a place called New Zealand on Old Earth which was called a Karearea — one of the smallest of the Old Earth falcons — and I have obtained a copy of its genome file for you to have a look at. Right, I am on dinner duty tonight so I had better get started. Been meaning to say also that it was a good call allowing Lilly and Jasmine on board. Stephine’s gardens have never been in better hands to say nothing of their other spectacular attributes. Oh, and have you seen our new pay rates? The Administration is keen that we stay in its service. See you later on.’ He clapped Marko on the shoulder, smiled and walked out through the airlock.
Marko spoke aloud. ‘Patrick, do you have a file from the major marked Karearea?’
‘Yes, Marko, a very pleasing bird of prey. Shall I send it to Topaz and Tux?’
Marko grinned when he opened the file and rubbed his hands together in anticipation, but had sudden doubts and decided to leave it for a while until he understood himself better.
‘Yes, but put a hold on it. When are we due at the shipyards?’
‘At this current glacial pace I would say some seventeen and one quarter hours.’
*
Two
Marko felt out of sorts. He liked the Karearea but decided against starting it as he wanted to do more research on how he could make it better. Quietly thinking about things he found himself in Stephine’s gardens. Veg had built a corner with rough real-wood benches, a small table and a vista of the flowers and ripening fruit, so Marko sat and opened his senses to the sounds and smells. He could clearly distinguish between the flower scents and the aromas given off by the ripening fruits, and could hear each of the hydroponics units; he took off his glasses and was startled to sense the varying temperatures in each of the units without using his inbuilt electronic augments.
He looked down at his hands and started to shake, scared of what he had become. He looked up to see Jasmine watching him. She walked over, taking off her gardening gloves and sat beside him.
‘Do I look different to you, Jasmine? I feel changed.’
‘No, Marko, you look just the same. We are all concerned for you though. Do you wish for Stephine to remove the technology from you?’
Marko emphatically shook his head. ‘No, no, no, not that. I feel more alive than I think I ever have and I can control every part of myself, but I wonder how removed I am now from humanity. What should I be doing with all these new tools? One thing I certainly seem to have is Stephine’s affinity with all living things. I worry how good a soldier I will now be. Could I still kill if I have to, or would I hesitate and wonder if there was an alternative to pulling the trigger and so place everyone in danger? I really need to talk to Veg. I have been through everything that he left, but there are gaps in the data.’
Jasmine gently smiled and took his real hand in hers. ‘This will take time, Marko. You know that Veg is over eight hundred years old and he still says he only knows a tiny amount of what the universe can offer. Regarding humanity, maybe you are a little different, but it is you who decides where you fit. Your military training removed you a few steps from normality anyway. This just takes you a little further. Hey, look at me — I am, in theory, very young and was actually designed, and then created. How would you class me?’
Marko smiled sheepishly. ‘About as close to a perfect human female as can be imagined.’
She patted his hands. ‘Thank you. Now, whether you are still a good soldier or not… You will be much faster than you have ever been, and your thought processes will continue to speed up. The Haulers know of your type; you are unusual, but not necessarily rare. Stephine and her kin have walked among humanity for a very long time, so there have been many who have also been given the technology. It cannot be taken; it must be given, even in times of peril. Those individuals with the tech have had long and quietly distinguished lives and are all friends of the Haulers. Some, in fact, ended up as Haulers themselves. Some left the Sphere and some just simply disappeared. You have nothing to fear, Marko. The others were, and are, good people who care deeply for their own. I shall leave you in peace.’
She hugged him as he nodded his thanks. Feeling slightly better, he picked a few apples and went to check out the Hog, and found Harry and Fritz already working on it. It was starting to look like a formidable machine and they toiled away on it for the rest of the day. Flint was, of course, very happy to be back at work as well and he scuttled across to give Marko a little hug around the neck, managing to smear grease on his collar, for which he apologised repeatedly and made a fuss of removing. Nail and Glint also turned up to assist saying that they were bored and before long everyone else arrived to work on the project.
*
The next morning they awoke to find Basalt on the surface of the moon and that work had already started on the cleaning and resurfacing of the outer hull. Robots were walking up and down the hull abrading the exterior wi
th powdered rock. The semi-autonomous machines fired the powder through linear accelerators, affecting an airless sandblasting that stripped away a few microns of material from the living ship, leaving a dull white surface, without affecting the water-saturated sapwood of the outer hull with its multi-layered bio polyethylene shielding. In the gasless conditions, the spent powder fell back onto the ground far below to be reprocessed.
After breakfast Lilly, Jasmine, Fritz and Minh Pham departed in the Albatross for their courses, with Patrick easing the large craft out through the airlock for them. As soon as the Albatross had left, a large sealed unit came along and pressed up against the outer part of that airlock, and established atmosphere. A crew from the shipyards arrived and started to strip the airlock out to replace it with a larger one. One of them spotted Marko watching, and the group of roughnecks all wanted to shake his hand and have their pictures taken with him on their phones. They invited him down to one of the local bars for a drink, but he begged off saying that he had another engagement. He did not want to be the centre of any attention and also knew from his early days that, although the workers might have hearts of gold, or not, they could also drink anyone under the table and were partial to the odd brawl.
As he walked back to his workbench, he called out, ‘Patrick, can you organise a meal and some beers for the shipyard guys at the end of their work, please? We are all going to be the centre of attention, anyway, so we might as well generate some good PR, but on our own terms.’
Crystal Venom Page 17