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  “That’s nice, Valkyrie.” Alex clasped her fingers together and stretched her arms over her head, strolling in a lazy circle through the main cabin. Two and a half hours in the environment suit had left her achy. Sweaty, too, but she’d get clean soon.

  Who would’ve imagined these synthetics, each one stretching a quarter-million square kilometers and composed of trillions of subroutines, would experience such an acute yearning for companionship? They were so stilted, so binary and emotionless…but they had desires. They had dreams.

  Caleb emerged from downstairs. “You censored the data like we discussed, right?”

  ‘No information about quantum computing or communication, nothing on superluminal propulsion and limited details on the functioning of the human brain. Nevertheless, the information we provided is certain to keep them busy for some time.’

  He came over and began massaging her shoulders. “Maybe in the future they’ll be ready for the rest—or maybe they’ll make the intellectual leaps on their own, which is how it should be.”

  ‘Alex, I believe I will be able to use the information the Ruda provided on their methods for melding metals and electrical currents to improve my integration with the Siyane. I wanted to get your permission first, however.’

  “What exactly are you thinking about doing?”

  ‘Growing additional quantum circuitry and weaving it into the structure of the ship.’

  “When you say the ‘structure,’ do you mean the interior walls or the hull?”

  ‘Beginning with the interior walls seems like the best way to proceed. If I am successful in that effort, the outer hull should be within my capability.’

  That gave her pause. “And how exactly do you plan to weave yourself into the adiamene?”

  ‘One of the reasons adiamene is so strong is because it is both flexible and reactive—and thus adaptable. The Ruda utilize several techniques to embed circuitry in metal that I’m hopeful will be beneficial in this endeavor. In fact, I suspect it will be an easier process with adiamene than with their morion quartz.’

  She pondered it for a moment. “Your first priority is to ensure the integrity of the hull. If it shows the slightest sign of weakening in any way whatsoever, you need to stop. In fact, before you begin, develop a contingency plan for repairing any weak points which crop up. Once you’re confident you—or we—can reverse any damage, I don’t have a problem with it.”

  ‘The safety and sanctity of the ship will be my foremost concern. It was so even without you expressing your own. I’ll move forward using prudence and circumspection.’

  “Also caution, discretion and all the other mindsets that come from exercising good judgment?”

  ‘Unequivocally.’ Valkyrie matched the semi-teasing tone her voice had taken on with impressive nuance.

  Caleb’s lips hovered at her ear. “You know if you let her do this, there may be no going back. You may never be able to evict her from the Siyane.”

  She twisted around to face him. “There was no going back from the day I let her in my head. It’s okay.”

  He smiled, and she shifted back and not-so-subtly encouraged him to resume the massage. “So I suppose we could stay here, and we’d probably learn more about the Ruda and their technology. But Valkyrie’s collected a good haul of information on them.

  “Some of what they’d show us might be legitimately interesting, but visually I suspect we’d see eternal kilometers of bleak skies and gloomy metal. They know nothing regarding the Metigens and have lost any knowledge they once had of their origins. It feels like maybe we’ve played this one out?”

  “I think so.” He complied, gently kneading the tension at the juncture of her neck and shoulders, and she basically melted against him. “I hate to say it, but I wouldn’t mind looking for a little more…normal interaction. A little conversation, a little back-and-forth.”

  “Do you want to go home for a while?” She wasn’t inclined to do so, but if he kept massaging her shoulders like this, she’d agree to just about anything he asked of her.

  “No, I’m not homesick. We haven’t been gone very long. But I’m ready to meet some aliens who walk and talk and eat and sleep, who live in homes—of any kind, I’m not picky—and are born small and grow up.”

  She chuckled wearily; performing under such intense scrutiny for a lengthy period had been draining. He did have a point. “The odds have to be working in our favor, right? In five of fifty pocket universes we’ve yet to encounter a humanoid species. There must be some out here. It’s only a matter of time until we uncover one.”

  16

  AURORA THESI (PORTAL PRIME)

  ENISLE SEVENTEEN (PORTAL: AURORA)

  * * *

  THEY HAD NOT COME TO ME.

  This one inescapable fact haunted my long cycles of solitude. Of exile.

  I had expected them to return, seeking answers and enlightenment. I had considered what I might reveal and how best to guide them step by step to greater understanding, and to prepare them for the possibility of greater responsibilities.

  But they had not come to me. Instead they had run off blindly to uncover answers on their own, as if they had nothing to fear. But they had everything to fear, which I would have imparted upon them if they had deigned to visit and inquire.

  Now, I worried they would not properly comprehend what they discovered. Denied the full picture, they would draw incorrect conclusions. Worse yet given the circumstances, they were not ready to be shown the full picture. They were not ready for the truth. Yet they seemed intent on wresting the truth out of space itself, consequences be damned.

  Humans. So foolish, so recklessly ambitious. These two more than most.

  I exited the observation vault, where I had spent many hours reviewing recent events in Aurora. As I had disobeyed the Conclave in deactivating the spatial charges, so too had I disobeyed the Humans’ demand to cease observation of them.

  The scenes were troublesome, to say the least. They struggled to hold on to even their most tenuous gains. They struggled with so much.

  About to extend and return to my lake, I paused with the awareness of Lakhes’ approach. I had not expected such a visit. Confident our leader did not bring an invitation to rejoin to the Conclave, I pondered what tidings Lakhes did bring.

  The Conclave Praetor arrived in a burst of light and cool flame, adopting the likeness of a fata on landing, tall and slight, with wings crafted from ribbons of light.

  I evoked a quaver of polite greeting. “Lakhes.”

  “I know what you’ve done, Mnemosyne.”

  Do you? “Are you here to reverse my decision?” Animam execution was not a concept Katasketousya entertained, thus there was no greater censure the Conclave could impose upon me than exile. They could not even force me to leave Aurora Thesi.

  “No.” Lakhes gestured me forward. “But our situation is a delicate one. One wrong move, one mistake, and all we’ve worked for will be lost.”

  “Yet all we’ve worked for will be for naught if we do not recognize when the critical juncture has arrived and act—”

  “I know, dear friend, which is why I am allowing your actions to stand. For now.” Lakhes surveyed the mountains surrounding them. “Enchanting planet. Solum once looked like this, truly?”

  “Truly.”

  “Hyperion says your love for the Humans has made you soft. Weak-willed.”

  “Hyperion says many things—so many one wonders if there is any space left for thought.”

  Lakhes allowed the insult of their colleague to pass without affront. “Perhaps. You are aware your recent guests are currently running free through the Mosaic?”

  “I am.”

  “Your doing as well?”

  I needed to be careful. “No. I accept responsibility, nevertheless. I am considering going to them. They need proper guidance.”

  “Do not. Allow them to make their choices, and allow those choices to play out. Better for us to learn their inclinations now, while w
e control the Mosaic.”

  I strived not to display any surprise at the response, on any wavelength. “Great dangers await them. If they wander into the wrong Enisle, they will find themselves out of their depth.”

  “If they are worthy—if they are ready—they will surmount whatever challenges they encounter.”

  “They are worthy. But they are not ready.”

  Lakhes radiated a sense of unexpected smugness. “Are you so certain? They’ve recently intervened rather dramatically in Enisles Eleven and Twenty-Two.”

  It was becoming more difficult to conceal the surprise, particularly in the presence of one so astute. “In what way?”

  Lakhes motioned to the vault as an orb materialized between them. “Come. I will show you.”

  I considered how to interpret what I had seen, while also considering how to react for Lakhes’ benefit. I opted for the minimalist approach: say the minimum required and leave the space free for Lakhes to over-divulge. “The male Human is unpredictable.”

  “They are both unpredictable. But observe what this unpredictability has produced. Astonishing. It arguably taints Twenty-Two and for certain invalidates the results in Eleven—but I suspect we all knew how Eleven was liable to mature absent this intriguing turn of events.”

  I signaled my agreement, encouraged by Lakhes’ reaction to their intermeddling. “This is why I still believe in Aurora. Two of these Humans, lacking any support and using only their own talents, wits and judgment, changed the courses of two universes in a mere few synodic days.”

  “You may be correct. It also makes them dangerous. What if the courses they choose are not to our liking?”

  Back to the guarded tack after a brief admittance of optimism. Alas. “Clearly they are dangerous. We have always known this, Lakhes. If their dangerous nature precludes their use, then why did we begin this experiment at all? If we are not willing to accept the danger intrinsic to our cause, then why begin the cause at all?”

  “Fair questions, dear friend. As I said, it is for precisely this reason I will allow the…derivation to continue. Realize, however—time is growing short for your Humans. If the other members of the Conclave have not discovered these interlopers yet, they soon will. When this happens, I will do what I can, but I must be cautious.”

  Ahh, Lakhes. Ever the diplomat, ever the strategist. “I understand. When this happens, I, too, will do what I can.”

  “Was that a threat, Mnemosyne?”

  “Never, dear friend. I am but an Analystae. A watcher.”

  “Your false modesty may placate Hyperion, but I have known you for nine aeons. We will talk again when the time is right.”

  I observed Lakhes’ departure, then diffused over the mountains. What, I wondered, would be the ‘right time’? The right time was all too often far too late.

  Be vigilant my Humans, mei ferocia novicia. I fear for you.

  PART IV:

  SERIATIM, SERIATE

  “He understood that these were extraordinary times, and if their old life was ever restored to them, nothing would be the same.”

  — Ann Patchett

  PORTAL: AURORA

  (MILKY WAY)

  17

  ROMANE

  INDEPENDENT COLONY

  * * *

  “YOUR TEAM KILLED EIGHT Federation civilians. Regardless of the merit of your claim to jurisdiction, if any, this transgression must be addressed.”

  “We regret the tragic accident, and we are willing to consider reparations to the families. But the details of the altercation have no bearing on the issue of jurisdiction before this Board. The Alliance triggered discovery rights ten days earlier, and the proper filings were made with the authorities—”

  James Abbate, the Federation representative appointed to the Inter-Governmental Conflict Resolution Board, cut off the man sitting opposite him in a crisp hand motion. “With Alliance authorities. The Federation does not receive notice of such filings, Consul. Further, we made our own declaration eight days earlier.”

  “With Federation authorities. The simple fact is, the Alliance engineering regiment had previously placed nine buoys, which were broadcasting our jurisdiction to every vessel in the system.”

  “And our team had placed five. This is not an argument you can win.”

  The Alliance Consul leaned back in his chair and sighed. “Look. There are no procedures in place to adjudicate this kind of conflict. Clearly we need to institute them, and we will. But we should recognize all of us are still learning how to live together and act accordingly. What if we offered you…” the man made a show of considering the matter “…Ͻ6,500,000 as payment for the rights to the system?”

  Abbate scoffed. “The Senecan Federation is not some two-bit corp you can throw scraps at to make them go away.”

  “And I did not mean to imply it was. Merely an opening proposal. Is Ͻ15,000,000 a more palatable sum?”

  SENECA

  CAVARE: SENECAN FEDERATION HEADQUARTERS

  Graham Delavasi watched Federation Chairman Aristide Vranas grumble in disgust, but also a trace of amusement. In the holo the Federation rep pretended to consider the new amount as he secretly conferred with Vranas.

  “No. This isn’t about money, it’s about principle. We’re not selling it to them. It would set a precedent I have no interest in setting.” A pause. “Yes, that’s our position.”

  The Federation rep leaned forward in preparation for declining the offer. Vranas scowled at Graham. “This is how it starts. Today, we’re squabbling over a single planet. A year from now, we’ll be shooting at each other again. Hell, we’re already shooting at each other—that’s what prompted this farce of a negotiation in the first place.”

  “Or this could simply be what ‘peace’ between two sovereign governments looks like. After all, we are sitting at a table negotiating, which is a far cry from storming blockades.”

  “True. Perhaps peace turns out to be messy in the details.”

  “Seems likely.” Graham straightened up in the chair. “So I’ve got a new guy coming onto my team today.”

  “Someone I should know about, I assume? It’s not as though you inform me of every new Division hire.”

  Graham sent him the file. Five seconds later Vranas’ eyes widened. “You’re kidding me, right?”

  “No. You know, I almost never play jokes on you anymore. Eventually you need to stop assuming it’s my purpose.”

  Vranas ignored the quip. “Aren’t you worried he’s a double agent?”

  Of course he was a double agent—but not in a way Graham worried could jeopardize state security. He kept the nuance to himself, however. “Normally, I would be. Normally I wouldn’t hire him to begin with. But he saved all their—and our—asses, and now the Alliance has screwed him over royally.”

  “What do you mean he saved…he was the Alliance contact who helped you take down the Aguirre Conspiracy, wasn’t he?”

  “And uncover the Metigen agents. I trust him. Most importantly, he’s something damn rare to find these days—an honest man.”

  Vranas shrugged. “There are obviously a few areas he shouldn’t be granted access to, but you know what they are. Otherwise, if you say he’s good, who am I to argue?”

  He chuckled. “The Chairman of the Senecan Federation?”

  “Ah, yes, that’s right. Well, in this instance I’ll refrain.”

  Graham stood and waved at the holo. “Then I’ll leave you to this shit-show and go welcome him to Seneca.”

  CAVARE

  When Graham arrived at the cafe, he found Will Sutton sitting alone at a booth in the rear.

  Will stood and shook his hand. “Richard stepped outside to handle an issue with the house in Seattle. He’ll be back in a minute.”

  Graham was glad Richard hadn’t reconsidered at the last minute. “Everything go smoothly in setting up the apartment?”

  “It did. The place will suit us until we locate something more permanent.”

  “Ho
w’s he holding up?”

  Will grimaced. “Publicly? Like the soldier he is. Privately? It’s been rough on him. This is all…hard. But thank you for giving him this opportunity—both of us this opportunity.”

  “Hell, the Alliance doesn’t realize what they let slip away. Their loss, my gain. Also, I’ve been through two deputies since you left. The office is a bloody mess.”

  Will’s attention darted over Graham’s shoulder and remained there. “We’ll get it straightened out, don’t worry.”

  Graham turned to greet Richard, and he couldn’t help but smile as he did so. It wasn’t fair what had happened to his friend, but he hadn’t been lying—it was fortunate for him. “Richard Navick. It is damn good to see you again.”

  Richard returned the smile, if somewhat rigidly, and gestured to the booth. “And you.” They settled into the booth opposite one another, then Richard took a deep, almost exaggerated breath. “So, Director Delavasi, what do you imagine I can do for you?”

  “What’s this ‘Director’ shit?”

  “If you’re going to be my boss….”

  “Only in the technicalities.” Graham clasped his hands on the table. “Special Advisor to the Director. You don’t report to anyone else, and I use “report” in the loosest sense possible. You investigate whatever catches your interest, one-offs and special circumstances.”

  “And Earth Alliance matters?”

  “Those might on occasion be the ‘special circumstances.’ If relations get irritable with the Alliance and you want to share any insights you have off the record, I won’t stop you. But I also won’t demand it of you. It’s not part of your job description.”

  Richard dragged a hand through hair that had grown past his usual military close-crop. His brow furrowed up as he stared at his glass, both hands wrapping tight around it.

  Will leaned in close and whispered in Richard's ear; his chin bobbed in the tiniest acknowledgment. He looked up, holding Graham’s gaze intently as he took a deliberate sip of his drink then set the glass down. “All right. I accept.”