The AI War Part 3

"Your right. Frankly, I think you and she should be spanked." He glanced at the complink, recessed into his desk top, then looked back at T'Lan.

"You and our senior commando officer, Lieutenant S'Til, met in Recroom Four, secondwatch, four days ago. After a few drinks, she asked you to her quarters. You went willingly, and had what Captain L'Wrona delicately describes as"-he peered at the screen-" 'an intimate period.' Neither of you deny this."

T'Lan stood at parade rest, hands clasped behind him.

"After this-period-you offered Lieutenant S'Til thirty-two credits-'for your time,' you said. Lieutenant S'Til firmly rejected your offer, dislocating your left patella with a combat kick. Q'Nil fix your knee?" he asked, glancing down.

"It wasn't my knee she was after, sir," said T'Lan, eyes meeting the commodore's.

D'Trelna suppressed a smile. "No, I suppose it wasn't. The facts stated are correct, Commander T'Lan?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have you anything to add?"

"Where I'm from, sir, we pay for what we get."

D'Trelna sighed. "You're from a subtropical paradise larger than our capital, Commander. You were raised in a garden-everyone in your father's employ, no one except tutors and guardians about to deny you anything. And you had a generous allowance, no doubt. That's what you mean, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir."

The commodore nodded curtly. "Wheru we are now, Commander T'Lan, is a big chunk of s.p.a.ce that's probably hostile and is certainly a long way from home."

"I'm aware of that, sir."

"You're aware of it, sir. But do you know what it means? There's just this big old ship and a few hundred of us. To succeed, to even survive, we must work together. That means, T'Lan, a minimum of friction, a low level of animosity. There should be some friendship, some good feeling." He waved his hands. "Whatever. But I insist-any competent commander would insist-that there at least be mutual respect. To offer a shipmate money for an act of friendship is disrespectful. Clear?"

"Clear, sir. Sir, I am due on watch in-"

"You transferred aboard off Terra, Commander. You have been condescending, petulant, lazy and certainly insensitive. That will change. Clear?"

"Sir ..."

"Is that clear, Commander T'Lan?"

"Yes, sir."

"You are heir to a rich and powerful dynasty, Commander. Although of combat age the last two years of the war, you were medically deferred for . . ." His eyes searched the screen. "What is 'severe melancholia,' Commander?"

"Sir, it is a condition of dysfunctional depression occasioned-"

"Never mind. You were directly commissioned and a.s.signed as this expedition's Alien Artifacts Officer over many others far older and far better qualified than you. To date, you've shown yourself unworthy of the trust reposed in you by Fleet and Confederation." And the enormous bribes it must have taken to get you here, he added silently. "That will change, won't it?"

"Yes, sir."

"The watch preceding your duty-time for the next four weeks will be spent as part of a team, replacing some of the older hullside sensor cl.u.s.ters. It is tiring, tedious work. It can be dangerous if you don't cooperate with your teammate. s.p.a.ce"-he jerked his thumb over his shoulder- "forgives nothing."

"Yes, sir."

"I hope for your sake and ours, Commander T'Lan, that your att.i.tude and performance change. Quickly."

"I a.s.sure the commodore-"

"Don't a.s.sure me. Show me. Dismissed."

D'Trelna touched the commlink as the door hissed shut. "L'Wrona," he said.

The captain's face appeared in the scan. "Did you chew on him, J'Quel?" he asked with a smile.

The commodore nodded. "Surprised me and took it well. Who knows? There may be hope."

"And you?"

"A sharp homily to S'Til-tempering anger with reason. She didn't protest the detail."

"Does she know who her teammate will be?"

"She will secondwatch, when they suit up."

"I'd like to see that." They both chuckled.

"We're about to make the final jump," said L'Wrona.

"Ominous."

"You know what I mean."

"Fine. Sound briefing call as soon as we jump and we'll give them the happy news."

"How far from home, any idea?" asked Zahava.

"Over three hundred light-years," said John. High atop Implacable, Implacable, they had the small observation dome to themselves. Outside, the hull swept past them, a mile to the bridge, another mile back to engines, half a mile to either side: a gray expanse of battlesteel broken by weapons turrets and instrument pods. they had the small observation dome to themselves. Outside, the hull swept past them, a mile to the bridge, another mile back to engines, half a mile to either side: a gray expanse of battlesteel broken by weapons turrets and instrument pods.

"Earth's not even a point of light anymore," he said. The stars were few and scattered in this part of the galaxy. The brightest object was a swirling red nebula, thousands of light-years away across the interstellar rift.

"One month," said Zahava, "and I've had it with the majesty of s.p.a.ce."

On Terra, they'd been an odd couple: John, a slim, blue-eyed WASP; Zahava, a pet.i.te, olive-skinned Israeli. On Implacable, Implacable, no one looked twice at them. The crew was from twenty-three different worlds, each with its own very distinct gene pool. no one looked twice at them. The crew was from twenty-three different worlds, each with its own very distinct gene pool.

"Sorry we came?" he asked, putting his hand atop hers on the padded handrail.

"You will be," said a third voice: a woman's, a familiar voice.

They whirled, drawing their blasters.

The blonde stood opposite them, wearing a red jumpsuit, long silken hair soft-burnished by the starlight.

"How . . . ?" said John, staring beyond the S'Cotar. Outside was the rea.s.suring shimmer of the shield.

"With us since . . . when?" said Zahava.

Both blasters were leveled at the Other's stomach.

"Long time," said the S'Cotar, gaze shifting between the two. "Since the Lake of Dreams."

"You're one of the crew," said John. His finger tightened around the trigger.

The blonde pointed at him. "You fire one of those cannons in here, Harrison, and that laser-bonded ion stream will deflect off the armorgla.s.s until its potential's spent. You two will look like you've been through one of your quaint food processors. And I'll have left." The elegant fingers snapped. "Like that. Teleportation's a wonderful gift."

"We'll find you, green slime," said Zahava. "D'Trelna will-"

"Yes, yes, I know," said the trans.m.u.te wearily. "D'Trelna will take the ship apart. Probably with his bare hands. Not to mention Colonel R'Gal."

"Who?" said Zahava.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll meet," said the S'Cotar. "The three of you are . . . implacable."

"Why've you exposed yourself?" said John.

"It's imperative," said the biofab. "You've far worse to contend with here than slimy green bugs." The blonde was replaced by a green, six foot insectoid. It stood erect on four thin legs. Twin antennae grew above its bulbous eyes, two tentacles from its shoulders. The spectacle lasted only a second, then the blonde reappeared.

"Am I a bug dreaming that I'm a woman, or a woman, dreaming that I'm a-"

"What's so d.a.m.ned imperative, bug?" said Zahava.

"Commander T'Lan," said the S'Cotar urgently. "Watch him. He endangers everything you're trying to prevent, everything I'm trying to accomplish."

"Explain," said John.

The S'Cotar's head shook. "You wouldn't believe me. And I'll be missed in a moment. But don't let T'Lan out of your sight once we reach our coordinates."

' 'He's just a jerk kid,'' said John. "A K'Ronarin preppy.''

"Harrison," said the S'Cotar intently, "it costs you nothing to watch T'Lan, much if you don't."

A chime sounded three times. "Stand by for jump," warned computer. "Stand by for jump."

"Luck," said the S'Cotar, and was gone.

"Trust him . . . it?" said Zahava. him . . . it?" said Zahava.

The S'Cotar reappeared. "Oh. Congratulations on your marriage," it said, then vanished again.

The final warning sounded, six chimes repeating three times. "I need a drink," said John as they grabbed the handrail.

Outside, the stars changed. Implacable Implacable had moved ninety-seven light-years. had moved ninety-seven light-years.

Zahava swallowed hard. "I think my stomach's back on Rigel or wherever that was. Are we going to tell D'Trelna about Big Green?"

"How do we know D'Trelna isn't Big Green?"

"s.h.i.t." She looked stricken. "Who can we trust?"

"You and me, chum. Unless, of course, it can project two illusions at once. After all, we were both at the Lake of Dreams." They eyed each other warily, then burst into laughter.

"They should make more bugs like you," said John, kissing her.

"Was that as good as the real Zahava?" she asked a moment later. "Better," he said.

"Pig," she said as their communicators chirped. "Briefing call," came K'Raoda's voice. "All designated personnel report for mission briefing, deck four, briefing room seven." The message repeated.

"Here's where they tell us what we already know," said Zahava as they clambered down the duralloy ladder to deck one.

"Rumor has it we're going into the galaxy's Bight of Benin."

"The what?"

"Pestilential West Africa slavers' port." He chanted in a pa.s.sable baritone as they walked: "The Bight of Benin, The Bight of Benin, Few come out, though many go in."

"What are we going to do about the S'Cotar?" she asked as they reached the lift.

"Easy," said John, pressing the call tab. "We find him, have an engaging chat and kill him."

The briefing room-Implacable's smallest-was full: fifty-eight officers. John Harrison and Zahava Tal stood in front of the red-cushioned traq-wood chairs. Conversation stopped as D'Trelna and L'Wrona entered and walked down the center aisle and up to the podium. "Sit, sit," said the commodore, waving them to their chairs. "You'll note," he said as the noise died, "that we've been in Quadrant Blue Nine for some time and are still alive. We're now proceeding to mission coordinates furnished by Pocsym." smallest-was full: fifty-eight officers. John Harrison and Zahava Tal stood in front of the red-cushioned traq-wood chairs. Conversation stopped as D'Trelna and L'Wrona entered and walked down the center aisle and up to the podium. "Sit, sit," said the commodore, waving them to their chairs. "You'll note," he said as the noise died, "that we've been in Quadrant Blue Nine for some time and are still alive. We're now proceeding to mission coordinates furnished by Pocsym."

"The Trel Cache," said Zahava.

"No," said D'Trelna, "not the Trel Cache."

L'Wrona broke the stunned silence. "We're to rendezvous with the first in a series of remote navigation markers placed by Imperial Survey, just before the Fall. We give it the access code furnished by Pocsym, it gives a new set of jump coordinates."

"We do know there's more than one navigation marker," said D'Trelna. "Beyond that-nothing."

"Leading us where?" asked N'Trol, the ship's engineer, N'Trol had been drafted from his well-paid job as chief engineer for a merchant line. His contempt of things military was as deep as his sarcasm.

D'Trelna shrugged. "We've no control over this process, Mr. N'Trol. Instructions and coordinates were sent by Pocsym in his final moments."

"We're touring the galaxy on the whim of a mad cyborg?"

"Is that you, T'Lan?" said L'Wrona.

Four rows back, Commander T'Lan stood, muscles rippling under his closely tailored uniform.

Dionysus, thought John, looking at T'Lan. With his perfect body, fine-chiseled face and flawless bronze skin, the young commander might have been a demiG.o.d out of Euripides. A prettyboy, certainly, but dangerous?

"It's too bad, Commander," said L'Wrona icily, "that you weren't with us when we a.s.saulted the S'Cotar citadel on Terra's moon. Surviving that, you'd have appreciated that though Pocsym's instructions might have been mad, he executed them with flawless logic."

Mad's the word, thought John. Pocsym had been programmed in the Late Imperial age, five thousand years ago-programmed by social scientists who believed that right about now their descendants would be facing hordes of killer machines pouring into this galaxy from an alternate reality. Monitor human progress, they'd ordered Pocsym, and prepare mankind for that ultimate battle.