Spheres of Influence-eARC

by Ryk E. Spoor

  Another figure appeared in the doorway, this one looming nearly seven feet tall, green and black patterned body, near-human face, with head-crests that almost brushed the top of the doorway. “Indeed, Captain Austin,” said Sethrik. “And after the conversation I just had with Michelle Ni Deng, I can assure you that I can provide you with ample evidence.”

  Chapter 44.

  Ni Deng’s mouth opened, then shut. Yeah, you aren’t stupid, DuQuesne thought. If you were home, it’d be time to find a good human-AI advocate and prep for trial. And Ariane’s still going to follow some of the procedure, so maybe you will get a chance to lawyer up.

  Under his dark skin, Naraj was noticeably paler. “Sethrik…” He blinked. “But…many pardons for my confusion…such a deal would have to include you, would it not?”

  “It is not so simple a situation,” Sethrik said, then looked to Ariane. “But we are in your Embassy, and your rules. What do you wish from me?”

  “Just summarize the conversation for now. We’ll want the full recording, of course.”

  Michelle Ni Deng looked like she was about to speak, but Ariane cut her off. “Before you even think about saying anything, you should know I was in the Blessed Faction House, with Sethrik’s permission. I got to hear the start of your conversation, so there isn’t any decent argument that any of what he has to say is faked.” Ariane nodded to Sethrik.

  The Blessed Leader bob-bowed to the table of mostly shell-shocked humans. “I had—as we previously discussed, Captain Austin—determined that my second in command Vantak had been given covert instructions by the Minds to negotiate, as you say, behind my back. The entire sequence of events had been arranged by him with a particular member of your group, who was never clearly identifed in Vantak’s shipboard notes. However, following protocols of contact I found in our Faction House in his quarters, I contacted someone—who proved to be Ambassador Ni Deng—and informed her that I had returned and all was in order, and she could visit me at any time.

  “Deputy Ambassador Ni Deng promptly came to our Faction House; she expressed some surprise that it was I, not Vantak, meeting her, but I mentioned to her that the Minds had completed my readjustment and she was obviously aware of both what that meant, and that I was intended to remain Leader of the Blessed To Serve. She inquired as to whether there had been any problems, and I said that Wu Kung had been disposed of between Spheres. She was not particularly upset by that news, and simply wanted assurance that the Blessed would abide by the conditions of the bargain, which I assured her we would—to wit, providing a direct alliance against the Molothos, who will certainly be discovering the location of your Sphere soon enough, and supporting Humanity in certain other areas. She was very pleased to hear this.”

  DuQuesne could see Ni Deng trying to maintain an expressionless demeanor, but she wasn’t quite as good as Oscar Naraj at playing this sort of poker, and there were small but visible reactions to the revelations. Admittedly, this is about as high stakes as any game gets; I wouldn’t expect her to pull it off perfectly.

  Sethrik looked at Ni Deng. “To her…minor credit, she did express concern for Captain Austin’s overall well-being and a, I believe, genuine desire that she not suffer. There was no indication of personal animus in these actions and I believe, based on the actual dialogue today and recorded in Vantak’s files, that—while personal advancement was certainly part of her motivation—she was also strongly motivated by an honest belief that Captain Austin was not the right Leader for Humanity, was potentially dangerous to Humanity’s chances for success in the long term, and would not easily give up the position as Leader to anyone properly suited for it.”

  “Here,” he said, putting a small crystal in Ariane’s hand. “A full recording of our conversation, plus a record of everything regarding this…regrettable sequence of events that I have been able to glean from the records Vantak and his subordinates have left.”

  “Thank you, Sethrik.” She performed the standing bob-bow of respect to the Blessed, then turned to the others. “Would you all agree I have sufficient evidence to arrest Michelle Ni Deng?”

  The others nodded—even, after a moment, Oscar Naraj. Oasis’ face was dark, flushed with anger, and DuQuesne could tell she was barely able to keep from exploding. Probably beating herself up over missing it. But if you play the part long enough, you become the part, I sure know that—and in this case, since Oasis is just as real as K…it’s not just playing. And Ni Deng was real good at this, just not quite perfect at hiding her reactions when it’s falling apart.

  “Wu,” she said, “Take Ni Deng and lock her up in the room we agreed on.”

  Ni Deng looked with an almost pleading expression at Naraj; Naraj simply stared at her with horror—either genuine, or the best acting job I’ve ever seen—and shook his head slowly. She stood as Wu approached. “I…won’t resist. Let me walk, at least.”

  Wu Kung did not reply, just let her walk ahead of him and out the door.

  After the door closed, DuQuesne looked at Sethrik. “One question, Sethrik: was there anything in that collection of evidence that shows that she wasn’t acting on her own?”

  “No direct evidence I have seen, no,” Sethrik said. “She did imply she had to at least consult with…someone, but the phrasing was such that she could have meant someone else here, or someone else in your home system.”

  Damn. And she was handling a lot of the diplomatic messaging traffic. So she could have been doing this all on her own.

  “I can’t blame you for the question,” Naraj said slowly. “And I will accept that my…hostility, not to mince words…towards Captain Austin’s position may well have driven her to this, but I hope you understand that I would never have directed she undertake something so terrible. This is not the way political issues should be settled; I admit to also being somewhat disappointed that the Blessed would agree to such a thing with so little to gain.”

  Yeah. So little, like the potential to become the only AIs running in The Arena. But…I’ll bet Ni Deng wasn’t told about that angle.

  Ariane looked at Naraj coldly, and DuQuesne could see that she hadn’t dropped the diamond-hard focus she was going to need in this job. For a moment, no one spoke; then Ariane said, “Oscar, I would love to believe that. But I know your reputation from Saul Maginot, and I’ve watched your own behavior. Maybe you had nothing to do with it at all, maybe you had a vague suspicion and just turned a blind eye to it, or maybe you knew all along and just made sure you had plausible deniability after asking ‘will no one rid me of this troublesome captain?’ as DuQuesne put it a while ago. But I damn well have enough reason to…what’s the phrase…hold you for questioning. I’ve got a lot of things to say to the others, and you aren’t going to be present.”

  Wu Kung stepped back inside, and Ariane gestured to him. “Wu, take him to his quarters. He’s to stay inside until I give permission otherwise.” She raised her voice. “Arena! I, Ariane Austin, Leader of Humanity, specifically and officially revoke any privileges of Oscar Naraj or Michelle Ni Deng to speak for Humanity in any capacity whatsoever, unless and until I choose otherwise. If possible, I would like that to include preventing them from using your communications methods to contact any outside of this Embassy.”

  The penetrating, air-shaking voice answered, “Acknowleged. No Arena communications by the two designated individuals to any outside of this Embassy.”

  Wu left with a brooding Oscar Naraj, and the room was silent for a few moments; it was clear that Ariane was waiting for Wu to return.

  The door opened, and Wu Kung came back in; he positioned himself near Ariane as Ariane finally sat down.

  “So,” Carl said after a moment. “What exactly do we want to charge Ni Deng with? And…how are we going through with it?”

  “Hold that thought a moment,” Ariane said. She nodded to Sethrik. “This is about to become purely Humanity’s business, Sethrik—although I may require you as a witness at some point, depending on how we approach this
whole mess.”

  A deep bob-bow of acknowledgement. “Of course, Captain. I will be leaving momentarily—”

  A chime. “Orphan of the Liberated seeks entrance.”

  “Come in, Orphan,” Ariane said, looking slightly surprised. She continued speaking into the green sphere that had materialized when she spoke. “We’re in the central conference room.”

  “Thank you, Captain Austin,” said Orphan’s rich, deep voice from the comm sphere. “I am proceeding there as we speak.”

  “What brings you here, Orphan? I didn’t call for you and—no offense—we are in the middle of an important meeting here. And come to think of it, I thought you were going to be leaving about now.”

  The door opened and the comm spheres disappeared. Orphan bowed to all of them, with a special nod to both Simon and DuQuesne. “Of course, Captain Austin. But in fact I was asked to drop in by Sethrik, before I did in fact depart.” He turned to look at the Leader of the Blessed.

  Sethrik dropped to the full formal pushup-bow and remained in the low position. “Orphan of the Liberated, I have asked you to meet here, on neutral ground, to offer myself as a member of your Faction,” he said. The translated voice was shaking, clearly in conflict, in emotional tension that was nearly as great as he had shown during the decisions as to how to deal with the remaining crew of Thilomon.

  Well, I’ll be jiggered. I wondered if it might eventually shake out that way, but I didn’t expect it quite this fast.

  Orphan stiffened, giving a buzz that didn’t translate except as a gasp of surprise. “I…Sethrik, you do realize what you are asking? What you commit to?”

  Sethrik had still not raised himself from the floor, and DuQuesne rose so he could see better; the others, too, had risen, realizing what was happening here.

  “I do,” Sethrik said, and his voice steadied slightly. “If I am of the Liberated, I become the adversary of the Minds, the willing and active opposition to all the Blessed to Serve. I…betray our people, our leaders, our traditions…for the sake of what I believe now is right.”

  Orphan slowly bent down, then placed himself in the pushup-bow position, bowed and rose. “Please, get up, Sethrik. Either way, we are equals.”

  The Leader of the Blessed rose slowly to face Orphan. Orphan seemed torn; finally he spoke. “I can not deny how very important—how terribly important—such an offer is to me—to the Liberated. But I imagine how wonderful, too, it could be to have an ally within the Blessed…”

  Sethrik tapped his hands together. “Yes, it would be, Orphan. But you know—you all know, now—that at best it could be temporary. And in the current state, I am sure I would be removed within weeks. Better, I think, to leave of my own will.” He looked to Ariane and the others. “I have sent your…communication to the Minds, along with my own…commentary on these events. So my last necessary duty is finished.”

  “Then, Sethrik, I accept you with joy into the ranks of the Liberated—such as they are,” Orphan finished with ironic humor. His voice became more gentle. “I remember…the day I made that decision. I know how it tears at you now, and will, for many days, for many nights.

  “But at least you—and I—will not be alone.”

  Sethrik and Orphan exchanged the two-handed greeting DuQuesne had seen a few times before, and then Sethrik raised his head. “Then, Arena, I hereby vacate the position of Leader of the Blessed to Serve, delegating temporary responsibility for all such functions to Tanglil, currently the next in authority at the Faction House of the Blessed, until the Minds properly and duly designate and announce a successor. I announce my intention to join the Liberated as a member of their Faction.”

  “And I, Orphan, Leader of the Liberated, accept Sethrik as one of our own. He is a member of the Liberated.”

  Once more, the Arena spoke. “Transfer of authority completed. The one called Sethrik of the Blessed is now Sethrik of the Liberated.”

  And Orphan is no longer completely orphaned. He’s found a companion in that journey. DuQuesne glanced over to Wu and Oasis, and saw the understanding and fellowship there. With a grin on his face, he began to clap.

  The others joined in, and for a few moments the room was filled with applause. And by their reactions, it’s being translated to something similar for the Liberated.

  “Ah!” Laila said as the applause dwindled away. “Now I understand.”

  Orphan tilted his head. “I am very glad of your understanding, Doctor Canning…yet, I am afraid, I am unclear as to what you understand.”

  Got it. “I think she means she knows why Sethrik brought you here, and went through the whole routine in front of us.”

  DuQuesne was gratified to see Ariane grin and nod. “Of course. By doing that here, we witnessed the transfer—including the Arena’s acceptance.”

  “Which means,” Sethrik said with a small bow, “that you can be quite certain I am not, in fact, an agent for the Blessed any more.” His voice was somewhat more steady, but not entirely back to its businesslike normal.

  “I see,” Simon said, and Carl and Gabrielle were also nodding. “Because the Arena does not—at least openly—take any sides, and certainly would not do things like pretend to accept a false transfer of loyalty.”

  “I am gratified, my friends, that you have come to understand the Arena so well,” Orphan said, his old ironic humor returning. “For my interaction with you has taught me how very difficult it truly is to understand.” He bowed to the others. “But you were, as you said, in the midst of important counsels, and I…well, Sethrik and I…have some considerable discussion to have now, as well. Which we should be doing on board Zounin-Ginjou.”

  “Ha!” Wu Kung said suddenly.

  “What?” DuQuesne asked.

  “I wondered why Sethrik had this big carry-crate that he left in the front hall! Now I understand—he was moving!”

  “In either case, yes,” Sethrik agreed. “Had Orphan denied my petition—something possible, though I thought very unlikely—I would have renewed my offer to you, Captain Austin, which I was quite sure would be accepted.”

  “It would definitely have been accepted, Sethrik. But I’m glad Orphan’s no longer alone. I guess you couldn’t stay either way.”

  “No,” and Sethrik’s pose reflected his sorrow. “I served the Minds faithfully, but I have learned that my very efforts for them, my drive to learn more and become greater than I began…these things would inevitably make me of questionable loyalty. And so my only choices were to leave, or to know that one day—very soon—I would be brought back and have all I had become taken away, replaced by nothing but hollow memories. It happened, as I said, once before; only now do I begin to suspect what I lost.” He bob-bowed to Orphan. “But never again.”

  “No,” Orphan said emphatically. “Never. And one day, that shall be true for all our people.”

  The two Liberated bowed again to the assembled humans, and left.

  The smile only slowly faded from Ariane’s face, but by the time she finished turning back to the others, it was entirely gone.

  Time to get back to business.

  Chapter 45.

  Ariane looked around at her friends. But also they’re my…cabinet, I suppose. They—and Steve and Tom, who I’ve got to brief right away after this—are the only group I can really trust. She saw Oasis glance at her. Well, she’s the only question mark. One I’d better deal with right now.

  “Oasis, I know you were brought here by Oscar Naraj to be his and Ni Deng’s bodyguard. That doesn’t mean you’re responsible for anything they did when you weren’t there.”

  “Thanks,” the redheaded young woman said. Young? Ariane thought to herself. I really need to keep reminding myself she’s older than I am, probably almost as old as DuQuesne if she was involved in pacifying Hyperion.

  “But,” Oasis went on, “I should have been more suspicious of what they were up to, especially when there were several meetings she decided to have without me with the same guy, Vantak.” She s
tood. “I guess I’d better leave you to talk with the others.”

  “Hold on one moment.” She looked over to DuQuesne, and back at Wu. “DuQuesne? Wu? You know Oasis better than I do. Should she stay or do I have her leave?”

  Ariane caught Wu’s glance at Oasis and over to DuQuesne. Following DuQuesne’s lead?

  DuQuesne chuckled. “I wouldn’t have her leave, Ariane. We need all the backup we can get, and I’d trust her with my life—or yours, for that matter. If she’d had any inkling of this going on, she’d have kicked Ni Deng straight back to Earth. Right, Wu?”

  Wu Kung grinned broadly. “Very right, DuQuesne!”

  “All right, then.” She gestured to Oasis. “Take your seat. This is going to be a while.”

  She took a deep breath. Don’t forget your promise. “First…I have to apologize to all of you. In a way, I should even be apologizing to Ni Deng and Oscar.” She held up a hand to forestall anyone interrupting. “I screwed up. I insisted that I stay on as the Leader of Humanity, but I let myself…basically ignore what that meant. And yes, I know how many excuses I could make, and how many a lot of you,” she looked directly at DuQuesne, and then to Simon, “might make for me. But the fact is that I didn’t really take that leadership position, I didn’t hammer it home to people enough, and that’s really been the cause of a lot of these problems.”

  She laughed briefly. “Remember…God, it seems years ago, but I guess it was only months…when I won the race against Sethrik and we had that knock-down, drag-out argument about what my being captain meant? I fought for that recognition. And now…I look at myself and see that really, I didn’t take myself any more seriously than you did, except whenever I got backed into a corner. We can’t afford that, and because I did do that, we’re in this mess—in more ways than one, too.

  “Carl—you asked what we charge Ni Deng with. Honestly? I’m not sure. We never decided on a set of laws—or much of anything—with respect to how we do things in the Arena. When we first got here, we were just trying to survive, and when we got back we had a lot to occupy us. I knew we should figure out some more rules—especially with more people coming through—but I never did get around to making us think about those rules. How many people have we got back at the Sphere?” she asked Gabrielle.