Sisterhood of Suns: Pallas Athena

by Martin Schiller

  The group left the core, and Lilith accessed her psiever. Private Channel. Sever all linkage to the ship’s mainframe; cut all monitoring systems, my area. Authorization: Commander’s Code Mari, Ellyn, Teri 377850.

  Every sensor around them went dead. The computer was now effectively deaf and blind to their presence.

  “All right, let’s have everyone’s assessment,” she said.

  “Well, I for one am deeply bothered by Bel Hanna’s commentary concerning divinity,” Ophida began. “I think it shows some dangerous anti-social tendencies taking root. According to her personnel file, Commander bel Hanna used to be a very devout follower of the Lady. Now…I don’t know what to make of her.”

  “I’d hardly call a change in personal theology a dangerous tendency,” Katrinn argued. “It sounds more like personal growth to me.”

  “Bel Hanna serves a ship with a crew of women who follow the Lady,” Ophida rejoined. “Now, she seems to be at odds with their collective view. What’s next? How long before she decides not to involve her systems in combat because she’s found an equation that prohibits her from fighting? Or a line of thought that convinces her that she’s evolved too far to serve the organic beings that inhabit her? You all know where that could lead!”

  Everyone did. Only a decade earlier, the personality matrix inhabiting the USSNS Ishtar had gone insane. The ship’s computer had simply stopped responding to her officers’ commands one day, and took off for parts unknown.

  To the present, no one knew the fate of the Ishtar, or the crewwomen who had failed to escape her. It was the Ishtar incident that had forced the Navy to mandate regular diagnostic interviews.

  “I see your point,” Lilith agreed. “But I don’t believe that Bel Hanna is as unstable as you do. From what I heard, she still seems committed to our mission, even if her reasons are a bit odd.”

  “The Commander is right,” Mearinn said. “I didn’t detect any signs that she was leaning towards megalomania or psychosis. Instead, she seemed to be trying to be as frank as possible with us about some truly incredible conclusions. Surely, you have to agree that her present state of being would tend to alter her world view somewhat.”

  “Yes, but I still see dangerous possibilities,” Ophida insisted. “I am equally disturbed by the fact that she is communicating with other ships. That only multiplies and magnifies the potential danger. I strongly recommend that you consider replacing her immediately with a more stable and conventional personality, and urge that the same thing is done for the Marie T. Rossi.”

  “No,” Lilith disagreed. “I think that would be premature. I must remind you that suitable candidates for translation are not plentiful, and refitting a capital ship with a new one is a long and complicated affair.’

  “So, instead of taking such a radical course of action, I’ll schedule a series of regular follow-up interviews and reassess her situation. If her thoughts are straying in dangerous directions, then and only then, will I consider recommending her replacement.”

  Ophida was visibly unhappy with Lilith’s decision, but she had to agree.

  USSMC Training Facility, 75th Training Battalion, Hella’s World, Hecate System, Artemi Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns 1043.02|05|05:41:69

  “Good afternoon, ladies,” Troop Leader n’Teri said. “Today we will learn the ancient art of Pugil stick-fighting.” The DI was wearing a protective helmet that reminded Kaly of batbat armor and she held a large wooden staff with two padded ends.

  “Goddess, all she’s missing is a suit of chain-mail and a leather shield,” Jana bel Anny whispered. Kaly suppressed her laughter and tried to take the Instructor seriously. Her comical appearance made this a very difficult task.

  "Now, some of you," the Troop Leader went on, "might think that in this day and age of energy weapons, planetbuster missiles and battlebots, such a weapon is an anachronism, and you would only be half right. Compared to such sophisticated weapons, the art of stick fighting is useless.’

  “But history has proven again and again, from the wars of Old Gaia to the present, that the soldier in combat cannot always rely on technology to win the day. Occasions still arise when fighting with your rifle butt, or its barrel, is the only recourse you will have, and that is when what you learn here will save your life.’

  “Recruit Enggredsdaater, put on your training helmet and step forwards.” The blond giantess complied and took up a pugil stick from the drill instructor.

  “All right,” N’Teri invited, “this is your chance to have a go at a DI—no penalties for any hit. You may attack me at your leisure.”

  Enggredsdaater hefted the stick, feeling its weight for a moment, and moved forwards. Suddenly, she made a jab at the smaller woman’s midsection. N’Teri sidestepped her thrust and brought her own pugil stick down onto Enggredsdaater’s staff, knocking it from her hands and then sweeping inwards to land a blow in her abdomen. Enggredsdaater doubled over and N’Teri took advantage of this to land a harder blow between her shoulders. Enggredsdaater grunted and fell forwards.

  “A good try,” N’Teri observed, helping the Zommerlaandar back up, but you left yourself open to my parry and counter-attack. “Try again.”

  This time Enggredsdaater was a little more cautious, feinting with a jab and then trying to sweep around to catch the DI on the side of her head. But N’Teri ducked under the strike and rammed another blow home to her stomach. This time as Enggredsdaater started to collapse, N’Teri finished her with a sweep to her right knee, sending her toppling.

  “Thank you, Recruit,” N’Teri said, helping her to her feet again. “Now that I have shown you all a little of what this primitive weapon can do against a larger opponent, we will practice its fundamentals.”

  She had everyone line up and then proceeded to demonstrate basic moves with the pugil stick; blocks, strikes and sweeps. When she finished, the DI had everyone pair up with their battle sisters to practice what they had seen. While Kaly went through the drill, she did her best to be gentle with Lena, and N’Teri caught her.

  “You are not doing your sister any favors by holding back, N’Deena!” N’Teri barked. “All you are doing is failing to let her learn from her mistakes and that will get both of you killed. Do you hear me?”

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” Kaly replied, thoroughly abashed.

  “Good. Now I want to see you thrust, and N’Gari, I want to see you block. N’Deena, your job will be to land a blow on her—a hard blow. Do it, now!”

  Kaly jabbed and N’Gari tried to block it, but she was a shade too slow. Kaly’s stick hit her in her stomach and N’Gari folded over with a grunt.

  “Now, that’s a little more like it,” N’Teri remarked. “Now maybe N’Gari will learn to get out of the way when she parries. Don’t you agree, N’Gari?”

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am,” N’Gari managed to croak.

  “Excellent!” N’Teri said. “Carry on.” She walked away to inspect another pair.

  “I’m sorry, Lena,” Kaly whispered. “I really didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “I know,” N’Gari replied. “But she’s right, and I deserved it. I really do need to learn to get out of the way. Don’t ever hold back on me again. Please?”

  “Okay,” Kaly agreed, readying for a repetition of the thrust maneuver.

  “Thank you,” N’Gari said.

  ***

  During their second class in pugil sticks, N’Teri resumed with the practice drills she had shown the Platoon during their first session. After everyone was performing them more or less perfectly, the instructor called a halt and paired up the recruits based on comparative body size. When Kaly’s turn came, she was paired with Enggredsdaater. Everyone gathered around to watch the match.

  “All right N’Deena and Enggredsdaater, this will be a one-on-one free form match. No holds barred.” N’Teri told them, “And don’t let me see either of you holding back, or you’re both pulling fire watch! Go!”

  A look of doubt crossed Enggredsdaater’s f
eatures as she hefted her stick. It was obvious that she was unwilling to hurt her friend, but there was no real choice in the matter. Reluctantly, the Zommerlaandar lumbered forwards and attacked. But Kaly dodged her assault with ease, and landed a blow to her kidneys.

  Immediately, Enggredsdaater spun around and swept Kaly off her feet with a vicious counter-sweep. As she came in for a downward thrust, the smaller girl rolled out and got up swiftly. Recovering, Enggredsdaater tried to score a strike with a straight-on thrust. To Kaly’s surprise, she saw the move coming and countered it with a two handed parry. N’Teri’s expert eye had also seen the opening as well.

  “Finish her!” the Instructor commanded.

  Kaly did what she had to do. With a brutal overhead strike, she pivoted off from her parry and hit Enggredsdaater on the top of her helmet. She followed this with an uppercut to the Zommerlaandar’s jaw. Enggredsdaater’s stick flew from her hands as she fell backwards.

  “Excellent work, N’Deena!” N’Teri exclaimed. “Ladies, she has just demonstrated one of the fundamental principles of hand-to-hand combat; show no mercy to your opponent and exploit every opening they give you! With that, a smaller fighter can overwhelm a larger one, no matter how powerful they might appear to be. All right, next pair!”

  “Gaanskaa gaad,” Enggredsdaater said as they took their place in the small crowd. “That vas well fought. I should have seen zat coming when you rolled out from under me.” She spat out some blood.

  “Thanks,” Kaly replied, “but I’m still sorry.”

  “No need,” Enggredsdaater demurred, “I figure maybe a cut tongue is vorth learning a few things. Besides, there’s always za next match, yah? Maybe I’ll get you zen!”

  “Yah,” Kaly returned. “Maybe so.”

  USSNS Pallas Athena: In Space Dock, Rixa Naval Base, Rixa, Belletrix System, Pantari Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns, 1043.02|06|03:90:28

  “This is a simple psi test, Jon. Concentrate on the card I am holding in my hand,” Dr. elle’Kaari instructed. “Then tell me what image comes into your mind. I’ll tell you if you got it right or not.”

  Jon fa’Teela relaxed and closed his eyes. He’d played this game since he was a child, and like many neomen in his Generation, he was usually able to manage it with an 80 to 90 percent accuracy.

  An image of wavy lines flashed in his consciousness, and he started to tell her this, when he thought better of it. The Sisters at the Abbey had warned him about displaying his abilities to outsiders, and their admonitions came back to him sharply.

  He didn’t relish the idea of lying to the only person who had become his friend aboard the Athena, but he knew that he didn’t have any other alternative. If the universe at large learned about the Church’s project to create psychically enhanced neomen, disaster would surely follow. Any chance of the Redeemer arising in his generation, or any other, would be utterly dashed.

  “A blue square,” he said at last. It was for the good of everyone’s soul, he told himself. But deep down inside, it still felt wrong.

  Elle’Kaari frowned. “Sorry, Jon. Let’s try another one, shall we?”

  Jon saw the red star in his minds eye. “A set of wavy lines,” he replied.

  Elle’ Kaari shook her head. “No, that was not it. Let’s try another.”

  This time Jon saw a circle. He knew that if he was too inaccurate, that the doctor might become suspicious, so this time he gave her his genuine impression.

  “That was correct,” she said, brightening. “Let’s try another.”

  Jon made sure to give her the wrong answers from that point on, and only got a few more ‘right’. By the time their session ended, he had only achieved a pitiful score of 20 percent, which was well below average. It was a dismal failiure, but a believable one.

  Elle’Kaari sighed with disappointment and put down the cards. “Well, Jon, you didn’t score very highly on this test. Tell me, do you know if any of your fellow neomen have a higher aptitude for psi talents?”

  “Not that I am aware of, Ma’am,” he lied.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” Elle’Kaari said. “That will do for today, Jon. As always, thank you for coming here. Can we schedule another meeting for tomorrow? Your lab results should be back, and I’d like to go over them with you.”

  “Yes, Doctor.” Jon got up and walked to the door. “I’m sorry that I didn’t do better on that test.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Elle’Kaari replied. “Not everyone has talents, and it looks like nature left you neomen completely out of the loop. Let’s see each other tomorrow at the same time. I’d also like to run some neurological tests on you, if that’s all right.”

  It still pleased and surprised him when Elle’Kaari asked his permission for anything and this only reinforced his sense of guilt, but he pushed it back and answered her cheerfully. “Yes, I’d be glad to help you.”

  “Oh, and one more thing,” Elle’Kaari added. “Here are some pills for that back problem of yours. They aren’t a substitute for rest, which is what it needs, but they should help you get through your duties.”

  Jon took the medicine from her and blushed. He’d forgotten that she could see injuries in her patients, and he hadn’t told her about the muscles he’d pulled in his lower back. “I didn’t want to bother you with it,” he explained.

  “That’s very considerate, Jon. But as your doctor I’d prefer if you bothered me when you had a problem. That’s what I’m here for. And don’t worry, I’ll keep the information in your private file, for now.”

  Then she held up a warning finger. “But, if you let it get worse, or don’t tell me if you hurt yourself again, I’ll send it straightaway to Col. Lislsdaater in a Fitness Report.”

  “I understand,” he answered sheepishly. “I’m sorry. You’re right, I should have come to you.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Jon. Get some rest.”

  The moment that Jon fa’Teela had departed, Dr. elle’Kaari turned to a door behind her. “You can come in now. He’s gone,” she said.

  Caleda bel Tridis, the Athena’s Senior Navcom Officer entered the room. Of all the psychics serving aboard, the Tethyian’s talents were unarguably the most accurate and powerful. And like Elle’Kaari, Caleda also worked for Ophida, and the OAE, as an agent.

  “Well?” Elle’Kaari asked.

  “I heard the answers he gave you,” Bel Tridis stated. “But he knew each card. I’m sure of that. I could feel him reading you.” She paused, letting that sink in before going on. “I also know that he’s highly telepathic, at least as a receiver. I sent a wrong image to him a few times and these were the answers that he voiced out loud.”

  “So, how accurate was he?” Elle’Kaari inquired.

  “He received everything that I sent him with 100 percent accuracy, and his own attempts were on the order of 85 to 90 percent. More importantly, he didn’t sense me, which tends to indicate that he has some blind spots in his abilities,” the psi replied with a smile.

  “Yes, that is significant,” Elle’Kaari agreed. The OAE had known for a long time that the renegade sect was developing neomen with talents, and they had a fairly good idea of how successful those efforts had been to date. But until Jon, the Agency had not been able to study a neoman’s talents in detail, or determine their shortcomings. The fact that he was susceptible to psychic coercion, and also blind to it, was an important discovery.

  “Yes, quite,” Caleda agreed. “In my mind, the only question is what kind of danger, if any, these psychic neomen might pose.”

  “If you want my opinion,” Elle’Kaari said as she walked over to her desk, “I think they represent a substantial threat to the Sisterhood, if only because they are rogue espers under the control of a dissident group, and that’s what I’ve said to Ophida on many occasions. My advice to her, and the Agency, has always been to shut down the Marionite project immediately. But no one ever listens to their doctor, do they?”

  ***

  Jon was on his way back t
o his rack when he ran into Troop Leader Da’Saana. “Fa’Teela!” she hollered. He stopped in mid-stride and stood at attention instinctively.

  “I see you’re done with the Doctor for the day,” she observed. “That means you’re ready to put in some real work for a change.”

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am.”

  “Get yourself down to the laundry room and help out the crew there. When they’re finished with you, report to me for another work detail.”

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” Jon saluted her and then turned smartly and marched off towards his destination.

  Da’Saana glowered at him as he walked away. The neoman still hadn’t given her any cause to write him up. Just one little thing, Lady, she thought. That’s all I want. One little thing.

  She didn’t notice that someone had walked up behind her.

  “Are you his Troop Leader?” a voice asked casually. “How is he working out so far?” She turned around to see Lilith standing there. Now, it was Da’Saana’s turn to stand at attention and salute.

  “Yes, ma’am, I am,” she replied, staring straight ahead. “I have no complaints about Fa‘Teela”

  “Good,” Lilith said, arching an eyebrow. “Let me know about his progress from time to time, would you? I normally wouldn’t ask this, but he’s a special case. I’m sure you would agree on that point.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Da’Saana answered crisply.

  “Please, don’t let me hold you if you have something to do,” Lilith said. Da’Saana remained where she was, and Lilith added, “Dismissed.” The Troop Leader left immediately.

  As far as Lilith was concerned, the sooner that the Athena shipped out for their mission, and got back to something resembling a routine, the better.

  She accessed her psiever and sent a message to Katrinn. How are the Marines coming along with their loading?

  USSNS Pallas Athena, In Space-Dock, Rixa Naval Base, Rixa, Belletrix System, Pantari Elant, United Sisterhood of Suns, 1043.02|08|07:08:33