by Gun Brooke
“Really?” Weiss gestured toward the bulkhead. “If the surveillance in here is off, wouldn’t Podmer be suspicious when he scans the crew quarters?”
“I only engage the scrambler when necessary. Random sleep sounds replace the surveillance.”
“Very well.” Weiss couldn’t think of any other reason to refuse. She needed to stay on Madisyn’s good side. After all, her reports to Jacelon helped keep the admiral’s finger off the trigger to the damn cloaked microchip somewhere in her body. “What do you want to know?”
“Some people are very uncomfortable around synthetics. I’ve experienced that type of prejudice firsthand since…my birth.”
“Birth? I didn’t know synthetics were actually born. Speaking of that, how old are you?”
“I have been in use for nine years.”
“You look younger. I mean, your exterior looks younger.”
“I was modeled after my creators’ daughter. In her memory.”
“Who created you? I heard you’re one of a kind.”
“Aren’t we all?” Madisyn smiled faintly. “Silestian Pimm and his wife Lonia created me and gave me their daughter’s name. A band of space pirates killed her when she was twenty years old.”
Weiss jerked inwardly, but refused to let her reaction show. Madisyn didn’t know how true her cover story was. The Pimms had possibly programmed their own hatred of pirates into their synthetic android. That would jeopardize the whole mission, thus the only way for Weiss to escape, if Madisyn learned she was a true pirate.
“It’s not very common for synthetics to obtain sentience status. Was it difficult?” Weiss did her best to sound polite and interested.
“It was. The lengthy tests invade your privacy and push your body near the breaking point.” Madisyn sounded almost sad as she spoke. “Silestian Pimm coached me and supported me through the whole process.” Madisyn quieted, then gently cleared her throat as if swallowing tears, though Weiss knew that was impossible. “He and his wife lived long enough to celebrate the sentience-status certificate with me.”
“What happened to them?”
Madisyn’s expression turned cold and Weiss marveled at how human she seemed in every way.
“Like their daughter, they fell prey to pirates,” Madisyn said slowly. “So, you see, I’m very motivated to carry out this mission. Space thugs cut short the life work of the Pimms, who were brilliant. I owe it to them to help mitigate the risk of something like that happening again.”
“I see. You have a personal stake in this situation.”
“Yes.” Madisyn looked evenly at Weiss. “I know you can’t tell me everything about yourself. Jacelon made it clear that your true identity must remain classified. It must be hard to impersonate Weiss Kyakh, though. That woman’s record speaks for itself.”
“It’s become second nature by now.” Weiss didn’t have to act to sound casual and emphasized her words with a shrug.
“I suppose.” Madisyn looked slightly uncomfortable. “So. Do you have any questions regarding me that will make our collaboration smoother?”
“So far I’ve seen you eat, sleep, and more or less act like a humanoid. What about you is different? Do you have any mechanical parts that might break down or something?”
Madisyn took Weiss completely by surprise. Tossing her head back, she burst out laughing, a thoroughly delightful sound that normally would’ve been contagious. “Oh, that’s priceless! No, Weiss, I don’t have anything that will corrode, or cogs that might dislodge.” Madisyn giggled, which didn’t make Weiss feel any less stupid for asking. “All jokes aside, Weiss, my system is fully comparable to yours on a molecular level. Unlike your brain, though, mine consists of cultivated gray-matter cells, combined with synthesized spinal liquor. Nanochips travel throughout my central nervous system and communicate with a BIO-CPU, which is located between my spinal column and the cerebellum…and I can see that this is too much information.”
“Hey, it’s amazing, groundbreaking technology, but you lost me somewhere around synthesized spinal liquor.” Weiss regarded Madisyn in the dim light; sitting there dressed in her sleepwear, she looked so young and innocent. Her curly blond hair was disheveled, and her blue eyes glittered as they reflected the light from the star streaks outside the viewport. If the real Madisyn Pimm had lived, she wouldn’t have been Weiss’s type. Normally, Weiss went for overtly sexy and willing women, not cute, willowy blondes. “All right, I think I understand more now. Thank you for taking the time to explain.”
“Some people have problems with BNLFs because they’ve had bad experiences with synthetics or androids, and don’t distinguish between them and BNLFs like me. I can’t be replaced. Only one of me exists, with my unique experiences and memories.”
“That may be. Still, you remember only nine years of living as a synthetic android.” Weiss winced at her own words. If Madisyn was offended, she didn’t let it show.
“And in your book, that isn’t much of a life, is it?”
“I didn’t say that.”
Madisyn’s steady gaze made something deep inside Weiss squirm. “Yes, I believe you did.” Abruptly she crawled back under the covers and ordered the lights to zero percent. “You are correct. We might as well catch a few more hours’ sleep before our mission begins.”
Weiss sat in the dark for a few moments before lying down. She doubted she’d be able to sleep.
Chapter Five
“We’re heading for the mines on Nemalima, the secondary moon of the Nema home world.” Podmer leaned against the conference table on stocky arms. “Conditions are challenging and we need to work using pressure suits. Even you, right, Pimm?”
“Even I.” Madisyn avoided sounding overtly sarcastic, but just barely.
“Nema has kept mines on Nemalima for decades, and they are the sole providers of davic crystals in this sector. The davic ores on Nemalima run deep and wide. Their level of purity is rare.”
Madisyn knew how much people coveted davic crystals. Ships could run for years when fitted with high-quality crystals, and less than a kilo could power the energy plants that sustained entire planets for months. The Supreme Constellations had tried to negotiate with the Nema home world and find a way to add the naturally volatile Nemastians to the Unification of Planets, but the Nemastians seemed happy as a sovereign planet system in intergalactic space, probably because of their seemingly endless supply of these crystals. If they were to join the SC, they would have to share their best bargaining chip.
“The entrances to the plants on Nemalima are heavily guarded, but we’re going to hit them tomorrow and grab their stock of processed davic crystals.”
“How are we supposed to get by these ‘heavily guarded’ gates?” Weiss Kyakh asked disdainfully. “What intel have you gathered? How many heads are we using?”
“Glad you asked,” Podmer said with a wolfish grin. “You, Pimm, and two security officers will head up the surprise attack. Once you’ve created a pathway in, the second team goes in to get the crates. We’ll move them with cables hanging from the shuttles. I want twenty crates, minimum.”
“Aye, sir,” Madisyn murmured, already calculating how to carry out this assignment with as little collateral damage as possible. Mines like these attracted a rough, tough workforce, but that didn’t matter. She intended to mitigate any damage to people or property that Podmer and his gang had in mind. She gazed over at Weiss, who was studying the plans and charts displayed on the view-screen table. Frowning, Weiss touched a few controls and zoomed in on a couple of details. What had caught Weiss’s eyes?
“Be ready to go at 1100 hours. Pimm, get Kyakh equipped.”
“Yes, sir.” Madisyn motioned for Weiss to follow her. “Survival pressure gear is stored in the starboard cargo bay.”
Weiss nodded briskly and followed her into the corridor. “We need to talk,” she mouthed.
“Okay.” Madisyn hoped they would be alone for a moment in the cargo bay before the rest of the team showed up to ge
t their gear. The look on Weiss’s face bothered her. Perhaps the plan had a serious flaw.
*
“I doubt this will go as smoothly as Podmer thinks.” Weiss scrutinized her helmet and the rest of her jump gear. “Davic crystals are heavy. Their density makes them the hardest crystals within the chartered part of space. If we load as much as he wants, it might prove dicey to return the crew on the same shuttles. Davic crystals can also become unstable if not stored properly.”
“We have to limit the amount without it being obvious, then.” Madisyn spoke calmly as she ran a quick diagnostic of her helmet.
“Or we risk being left behind.”
“Not a very enticing prospect.” Tapping in commands on the right side of her helmet, Madisyn nodded as small fiber-lights began to flicker. “I’m the one Podmer elected to lead this mission. I’ll make sure we don’t overload the shuttle. If those miners are only half as tough as they say they are, I sure don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Good. Neither do I.” Weiss fastened the helmet to the snug pressure suit and made sure the locks snapped in place. She hadn’t space-dived in years but hoped her body would remember how.
Madisyn’s voice crackled in her helmet headset. “Pimm to Kyakh. You read?”
“Loud and clear. No need to shout, Pimm.” Sounding her normal pesky self for the benefit of anyone listening in, Weiss glared over at Madisyn.
“Check your visor readings. You should be able to see your own vital signs as well as those of your teammates.” Madisyn snapped a harness to her upper body and attached explosives and other contraptions to it.
“I can see my own, Struyen’s, and six others. There are nine of us. Who’s missing?”
“I am.” Madisyn smiled broadly, her nose crinkling. “Me? Robot, remember?”
“Funny, Pimm.” Weiss half smiled before she remembered herself and scowled. “So, how would I know if you…eh, malfunction?”
“Check the second listing to the left on your visor. MP. Those are my readings. Not exactly a heartbeat, but close.”
“Ah. Got it.” Their exchange pulled at something inside Weiss, but she couldn’t afford to be weak around anybody, least of all the woman, no, the robot that could end her life with a single unfavorable report.
They took their seats in the first shuttle. Weiss slammed down the safety bar over her shoulders and gripped her plasma-pulse rifle tight. Madisyn did the same across the aisle from her, and now her gaze was indifferent. Weiss felt the familiar tremor as the pilot engaged the propulsion system. The vibrations escalated to a growl, making it easy to envision the sleek craft as a feline predator as it leaped from the shuttle bay of the Salaceos. Outside, it hurtled through space toward the pale disc in the distance that was Nemalima, secondary moon of the Nema home world.
*
Glancing around, Ayahliss regarded the other women at the mess hall table. Would she ever be as composed and accomplished as they were? Across the table from her, Kellen, and Dahlia sat Commander Owena Grey and Commander Leanne D’Artansis. Owena had been Rae’s chief of security when she commanded the Gamma VI space station. Leanne, Owena’s wife, was one of the best pilots in the SC fleet.
Owena and Leanne relayed news from Leanne’s home world, Corma, where several leaders had stepped down after being charged with corruption. Ayahliss didn’t understand the exact circumstances, but it clearly had something to do with Dahlia’s kidnapping, which happened before the war broke out. Ayahliss worried that if she tried to participate in the intricate political conversation, she would only embarrass herself. Instead, she focused on the food, utilizing the social skills Dahlia had taught her back on Earth. She had been so disrespectful when she first went to stay with Dahlia and Ewan Jacelon. She had disdained all of Dahlia’s attempts to show her these things.
Initially, Ayahliss had focused on protecting Armeo, the young Gantharian prince who symbolized her home planet’s freedom. Armeo turned out to be a loving, energetic boy who instantly stole her heart. Still stubborn and with her mindset rooted in the rough years in the Gantharian resistance, Ayahliss relented only when Dahlia told her that knowing how to carry herself in the universe was a skill that, when mastered, could serve her well.
“Nobody listens to someone who sounds like an ill-mannered, petulant child,” Dahlia had said, “no matter how just their cause is.”
“It should be enough,” Ayahliss had replied. “What I say should be more important than how.”
“You would think so, but that’s not how it works. Presentation is important.”
“It seems shallow and like a waste of time.” Ayahliss cringed while remembering how scornful she had sounded.
Dahlia had merely laughed. “Oh, my. You sound like my daughter when she was your age. Listen. Being civil and learning how to approach people is not about being shallow. It’s about showing respect and talking to people in a way they can relate to—to show them that you’re credible by doing what you do well. Do you understand, Ayahliss? You will reach your goals so much faster if you learn how things work, and how people work. So you see, learning about customs, traditions, and respecting them is also quite smart. Trust me, the cleverest thing of all is to listen before you speak.”
Thus, Ayahliss sat quietly between Dahlia and Kellen, absorbing every word but only talking when someone spoke to her. She would be on her own again soon, and she needed to gather as much knowledge as possible before then. It hurt to think about not belonging with the Jacelons, Kellen, and Armeo—and most of all, it pained her that she’d never know what all her confusing feelings regarding Reena might have led to. Her duties as a resistance leader meant she had to remain on Gantharat. Hopefully she would find some of her old comrades, even if they couldn’t compare to her new friends. She had never lived with a family before staying with the Jacelons, and it had been both a blessing and a cruelty to have known what it was like. Ayahliss didn’t dare allow herself to plunge into the vortex that was her emotional response to Reena.
Eventually, Kellen began to send her curious glances, but Ayahliss did her best to act as if nothing was amiss and finished her dessert.
“Ayahliss. Is everything all right?” Kellen asked when they finally rose, walking out of earshot from the others. “You’re being very quiet.”
“I’m fine, Kellen. Thank you.” The knot in Ayahliss’s stomach contradicted her words, but how could she explain something to Kellen that she couldn’t even fathom?
“You’re not being…yourself.” Kellen frowned and maneuvered Ayahliss toward the viewport at the far end of the mess hall. “Are you planning something that will jeopardize both your safety and our mission?”
“I promise I’m not. I would never.” Ayahliss meant every word, though she wasn’t being entirely truthful. “I give you my word I would never put you, Dahlia…or anyone else on this ship in danger.”
“Does this promise include you?” Kellen’s eyes, so piercing and cool, didn’t waver.
“Sure.”
“I want to believe you, but I also know how fiercely loyal you are to Gantharat. Just remember that Armeo counts on seeing you again, so you have to be careful. You have a new family now. You’re not just responsible for yourself anymore—”
“I know that!” Anxiety mixed with anger coursed through Ayahliss’s veins. “I know.” She struggled to sound calmer. “I have obligations.”
“Yes, you do, but I don’t think you see what I mean.” Kellen was not a very tactile person, but now she took Ayahliss’s hand. “Listen to me. Rae’s parents regard you as something of a daughter, especially Dahlia. Armeo has adopted you emotionally as his older sister. He adores you.” Kellen hesitated. “And Amereena has taken you under her wing, it seems…even on a personal level.”
“Reena is not pleased with me. I…I yelled at her.”
“You did?” Kellen’s frown deepened.
“I had to. She doesn’t understand.” Ayahliss wrapped her arms around herself, but realized how revealing the
gesture was and let them fall to her sides instead.
“I need to discuss this subject further with you, Ayahliss, but not now. After our training session tomorrow?”
“You shouldn’t have to worry about it, Kellen. Honestly, it was nothing, really.” It would be much harder to avoid Kellen’s questions than Reena’s.
“You know as well as I do that you can’t perform the gan’thet satisfactorily if you’re not composed mentally. I know what I’m talking about. I’ve gone into battle far too many times while under too much emotional pressure.”
“And you’re still here, still fighting.”
“Yes, but I’m older and, no offense to the monks, I was trained by classic masters, one of whom was my father.”
“That just proves my point.” Ayahliss drew a deep trembling breath, unsure if fury or disappointment dominated the emotions welling up inside her. “If you’ll excuse me, Kellen, I’ll retire to my quarters. I have a training session tomorrow.”
“Ayahliss, what—”
“Good night.” Ayahliss turned to walk out of the mess hall, nearly stumbling over Dahlia, who stood right behind her.
“Child, what’s wrong?” Dahlia tried to grasp Ayahliss’s arms. “You’re upset.”
“I’m fine, Dahlia. I’m sorry. I have to go.” Panicking, Ayahliss managed a polite smile before she hurried out of the room. She rushed through the corridors, barely missing several crewmembers. Finally inside her quarters, she pulled off her jacket with unsteady hands. Only when she was dressed in nothing but a tank top and underwear could she breathe. Slowly she cooled off and calmed down.
Punching in commands on a panel in the wall next to the door, she let the small quarters fill with classical Cormanian music. The instruments sounded almost Gantharian, and she felt transported in time and space to the monastery hidden in the mountains. Only the sound of birds and music broke the silence there. The monks chanted several times a day and also played instruments, a skill they passed on to the children in their care.