[This is a chapter from my latest novel, a sequel to The Fall of Doc Future and Skybreaker’s Call. The start is here, and links to my other work here. It can be read on its own, but contains spoilers for those two books. I try to post new chapters about every two weeks, and the next one is planned for around October 24th. I sometimes post short stories and vignettes on off weeks ]

Previous: Chapter 28

“Journeyman was upset when your heartbeat and breathing stopped,” said Stella.

Flicker knew that was a bit of an understatement. He’d made that clear at breakfast.

Stella leaned back in her chair and continued. "DASI became concerned when your biological brain activity ceased, and you didn’t know until she told you.“

The two of them were sitting at an outdoor table behind the berms around Doc’s test range, across from the mix of spring greenery, clutter, and mud around the Quonset hut her einherjar called the ‘New Hall’. They were both dressed casually, Flicker in jeans and a t-shirt instead of her costume. And the Skystone necklace, but she hardly noticed that anymore. She missed her visor, but there were good reasons not to wear it.

Stella smiled gently and met Flicker’s eyes again. "I started to worry when you told her you didn’t care and it didn’t matter.”

“Yeah,” said Flicker. "I understand now–I talked to Journeyman about the problem with using the Skystone to preserve my body when I’ve only had it for a day. I didn’t stop last night because my concurrent agent management scheme would have collapsed, and DASI didn’t know which leads I’d want to follow next. There’s more to it, but DASI hasn’t let me reassimilate all the context yet.“

Flicker’s head didn’t hurt that much anymore, but she felt like she’d written a whole bookcase full of books, then forgotten about them, and DASI had made her stop reading for the day after skimming a few indexes. And she still felt fuzzy, because the two parts of her mind weren’t as coordinated as they usually were.

"Accept that,” said Stella. "Any time pressure, for now, is not on you. Golden Valkyrie was very clear that you couldn’t prepare alone, and you are well ahead of Journeyman, Ashil, and even Doc.“

Flicker frowned. "Doc’s not back to diplomacy?”

“Not formally. He kept muttering about neutronium containment, then went up to orbit to take apart the Xelian force field generator on one of my ships. With a Grs'thnk tech team watching nervously.”

“I thought you weren’t going to let him do that.”

“He’s been a little testy since he found out we used some of his miniaturization tricks to fit a cannibalized variant into Black Swan, and–”

“Black Swan has a Xelian force field?”

“It’s not quite the same as the ship shields. There’s no way to fit one of those, or power for it, into anything human size. But it’s good enough.”

“Oh. Sorry I interrupted. Go ahead.”

“The generators are currently irreplaceable, but it will be diplomatically useful for Grs'thnk to directly witness what they gave up twenty years ago when they didn’t allow him to look closely at most of their technology. So I gave him permission, with the warning that the Grs'thnk have already agreed to buy the ship–with a functioning shield–and I’ve earmarked the money for solar system development infrastructure. If he breaks the generator, he’ll retard the economic future of everyone on Earth.”

“That’s a little harsh.”

Stella smiled wryly. "We don’t hold back with each other. He just gave me a look and said that won’t matter if everyone dies. Which is true. And why you need to listen to DASI.“

"I am listening.”

“For now. But you will get frustrated at sitting around talking at normal speed, and become tempted to speed up and do just a little analytical work to check a few things–”

“Which I’ve almost certainly checked already, and the results are indexed in the memory archive DASI is doling back out to me at a rate I can retain when I sleep each night. She told me. I’ll deal.” Flicker looked back at Stella evenly.

“I know, and sympathize. But it will be harder than you probably realize.”

“Experience?”

“Experience. My biological limits are significantly different in this body, and old habits die hard. It’s easy to keep going for longer than I intended. And good mind to computer interfaces are very seductive–Doc’s wariness of them is understandable. So I listen to DASI, too. That’s why I spent most of this morning speaking with Marshal Hiri and a few others instead of doing anything more data intensive.”

Stella yawned and stretched. "And my own curiosity about your work can wait.“

"I can still tell you some of the qualitative stuff I’ve reviewed–just not why I know.”

Stella cocked her head. "If you’d like.“

"Yeah. So, um, I’ve decided about four billion tons is the right size. Much smaller and the Hawking radiation starts to get bad, much bigger and the tides would give Journeyman real trouble stabilizing the portal for storage. And I’ll have plenty of ice from smoothing Europa–which I have to do because the portal to the construction subspace needs to be in orbit, within fifty meters of a really big heat sink, so I can entropy dump all the waste energy from the collapse from electron degenerate matter to neutronium.

"But I don’t know how I’m going to go from a couple handfuls of neutronium down to a black hole. It’s way harder to make a small one than a big one. I can’t do it by myself in this universe, so the details depend on portal theory that Ashil hasn’t worked out yet, and portal practice that Journeyman has never tried because it was too dangerous. Most of that huge data dump is from my attempts at brute forcing the possibilities to put bounds on things.”

Flicker scowled because she couldn’t call up a quantitative comparison. Because she wasn’t wearing her visor. Because DASI had strongly suggested she only use it while moving, not for casual information access.

“Interesting,” said Stella. "But not urgent. That data isn’t going anywhere, DASI will preserve it.“

"I know.” Flicker sighed. "But this is the first time she has told me I should gossip and socialize for my own good.“

"So you don’t obsess and go into a high-speed trance,” said Stella. "Which the Skystone seems to facilitate. I’m sure Journeyman gave you an earful.“

"Yeah. He said I’ve wound myself so tight I’m storing whole spools of my mind in a warehouse. I didn’t mind listening, he always knows how to make me laugh. But I need to let him study.”

“That doesn’t preclude unwinding. Hmm. Have you spoken to Yiskah?”

“Email. We haven’t figured out a way past the Skystone yet–it completely blocks her telepathy. And she finds it weird to be around me without it. We have some ideas, but she wants to wait a bit.”

“Yes, she respects her own limits. She’s still recovering from her last augment round and your visit to the Box. And we may have some interesting visitors today.”

“It’s not a problem. DASI said Ashil’s Helper program has hinted she could use at least a little time doing something other than physics–she’s been working three hours out of four since she landed. So I thought I’d talk to her when she wakes up. Also, I think–”

Flicker’s phone beeped. It was DASI, reinforcing her point by using voice instead of text. "Yes?“

"Ashil is awake. She is not yet ready to meet you, though she says she is. Allow a few minutes to avoid embarrassment.”

“Cool, thanks.” She turned to Stella. "Ashil is–“

"Go ahead.” Stella smiled. "We can talk later.“

*****

Flicker hadn’t really needed DASI’s warning, once she knew Ashil had just woken up. Many people made it a habit to check messages before getting out of bed, so she’d learned quite young that if they sent 'Sure, come on over’ to mentally add 'but give me time to put on pants first.’ That was fine, she wanted to ask Ragnar something anyway.

She slowed down outside Ashil’s suite. Heinrek was standing to the side of the door, but Ragnar wasn’t. Maybe he was getting Ashil something to eat.

"Hi, Heinrek. Where’s Ragnar?”

“Hello, Flicker.” He nodded toward the door, then looked at her with concern. "Are you well today? We could feel tension last night, and Lif said nothing in the way she does when there is something.“

Flicker paused to parse that. "I scared everyone by working too hard, for too long, very fast, and not paying attention to my body. So I need to not do that for a while. But other than that, I’m fine.”

“I am glad,” said Heinrek, looking relieved.

The door opened and Ragnar came out. He started to close the door, but stopped at the “Flicker? Is you? Enter welcome!” from inside. Flicker glided in and closed the door behind her.

Ashil stood by the end table holding her handcomp, looking rumpled but happy. The room was messy. Very messy, the bedclothes were–

Flicker belatedly started paying attention to several things she should have caught earlier and sped up. Way later then she should have, she had already started to frown at normal speed, and Ashil would notice. Flicker’s heuristics were telling her it was probably already too late to avoid some form of major social embarrassment.

And she wasn’t wearing her visor and she’d just closed the door. She felt a wave of frustration at the door, abstract at this speed but no less real. There sure wasn’t any other reasonable target, except maybe herself. But even if she’d been able to retrieve her visor, DASI would probably just say 'Privacy blocked’ to half her questions and 'I’m afraid I cannot speculate at this time’ to the rest.

DASI had warned her, Heinrek had been very deft, and Ragnar had managed such a good 'nothing to see here’ that she had never fully focused her eyes on him. But Ashil had been eager to talk, and Flicker had been clueless, and so their effort went to waste.

Well, if she was going to be embarrassed, better to be embarrassed by the truth than a guess. And she might be wrong. She slowed back down.

“Good to see!” said Ashil. "Are you–What is wrong?“

"Nothing is wrong. Um. Is something going on between you and Ragnar?”

“Is he… He should not be in trouble.” Ashil’s posture shifted, and she straightened. Her eyes glinted, and her teeth were suddenly very noticeable when she spoke. "He said not, but might think he need protect me. If we offend custom, is my fault. I ask. I start. He just say yes. Any trouble mine, not his.“

What to ask first? Everything was embarrassing. "So that would be yes?”

“Yes…” Ashil seemed to deflate, then looked worried. "Not trouble for you, is? I not–“

"No, no, it’s not trouble for me. Or Ragnar. Or you, except maybe if– Um. I know Osk learned at my party that certain things were theoretically possible, but I didn’t think anyone would try so soon. Or that you’d be the first. Um. Weren’t you a little worried about allergic reactions?”

Ashil stared back for a moment. "You not…“ she began, then stopped and started to laugh.

Grs'thnk laughed much like humans did, for most of the same reasons. It was one of the things that made it easier for them to get along. Right now, that meant she hadn’t mortally offended Ashil. Which was a good thing for Flicker to know, to hang on to, as she waited inside her cloud of self-inflicted embarrassment.

"Sorry,” said Ashil, as she finally started to get her laughter under control. "Sorry, sorry, sorry.“ She wiped her eyes. "Allergy not problem. And I not first. Not… diplomatic for me talk about, but you friend, always friend. Like me tell?”

“I would very much like that,” said Flicker fervently. "And you will always be my friend, too.“

"Good, good! We get food, then story.”

*****

“Are you really okay with that synth stuff?” said Flicker, as Ashil sat down with her plate. They had moved to the small work lab Ashil preferred, for privacy. "We can easily get better if you want, it’s no trouble to–“

"Is fine.” Ashil popped a bite into her mouth. "Really.“ She continued after swallowing. "I like meat, but meat that had brain bother me some. And you not have meat trees or meat vines yet. So this good. I not same as father, he happy eat anything.”

“Okay.” Flicker took a drink from her soda–she’d already had enough to eat while talking with Stella.

Ashil frowned. "Where start. Have be careful. Helper giving diplomatic warning. And translator warning. Again.“

"Is there a problem with your translator?”

“I make own mod to English localization for pidgin translator, because diplomatic one terrible for physics. And…” She concentrated for a moment. “While the grammar and context transformation algorithms in the diplomatic translation package work well for formal speech, adapting them for informal conversation and personal idiom requires long practice and a degree of aptitude.”

Ashil made a show of looking from side to side. "Who that talking? Not me. Tsss.“ Grs'thnk had a short hissing sound that served as a snort of laughter. "As you say, screw that. I learn pidgin base grammar listening to father’s stories when I hatchling. And I talking to friend, not giving speech.”

Flicker blinked. "Oh. I’m sure not going to criticize anything that gives you a better mapping. I had a lot of trouble learning to speak coherently when I was growing up, even though I could read and write fine.“

Ashil smiled. "We alike. Make easier be friends.”

Her smile faded. "So. You know how I different from sister and brothers, yes?“

"Well,” said Flicker cautiously. "It’s obvious how smart you are, and Stella said you’re not a neurotypical Grs'thnk, just like I’m not a neurotypical human, but I don’t know much else and didn’t try to pry. That’s real sensitive stuff.“

Ashil nodded. "Part is gene mod, based on parents, for smart. They thought safe, were careful. Not safe–problems just not show up right away, environment matter ways they didn’t know. Careful help me not die, not go all way out.” She frowned. 'Over edge’? Get translate warning. You understand?“

"Your own mental problems weren’t irretrievable?”

Ashil looked to the side, at one of the displays. "Hard say. Can’t go back, grow up other way. But function now. Emulate normal when have to. Helper… help.“ She looked back, tapping the side of her head to indicate her personal assistant implant. "Lots of others not so lucky.”

“How many?”

“Not diplomatic say. Lots. But I have other problem, too.” She squinted, consulting her Helper or translator. "Those who had mods grow up different, not just from normals, but different from each other. And most less social, anyway. Fragment–no community. Even ones almost like, same interest, not work well together. Afraid others die, go way out. Fight sometimes.“

Flicker started to ask a question, then changed her mind. She wouldn’t have known what to say even if Ashil were human.

"Never many friends, lose ones have, hard make more. Gave up for while. Make hard to find anyone talk about other things, too. Minor things, not big problems. But friend of father talk to me, about things I couldn’t talk family about. She scientist. Understand better.”

Ashil smiled. "And there was book, story, become popular again just before I born, that help. Called 'The Sky Prince’. Alien crashes, heroine helps. He look different, think some different, but that not matter. They love, but he have to go back. What it mean to me… Being different not make impossible for me to consider. I could still dream.“

She squinted again. "Next part embarrass me. You too. Helper say 99 percent. But should tell, be honest.”

“Go ahead. My embarrassment meter is almost maxed already.”

“I very awkward when I first talk to you, remember?”

“That’s fine, I figured you were scared of screwing up an important new social situation. I get that way, too, so–”

“Not scared. Embarrassed and angry.”

“Angry? Why?”

“You not boy.”

This time Flicker sped up before moving her face at all. She thought for a while and finally decided there wasn’t likely to be anything useful to be gained by putting on her visor, talking to DASI, or running any Database projections. She just wanted to because those were familiar rituals for dealing with awkwardness. She slowed back down.

“Oh. So… you were already thinking about–”

“Think about for years. Wonder if Docdoc have son. But for best not. It dream, not realistic. And would be diplomatic trouble.”

“Are you going to get in diplomatic trouble over Ragnar? Because–”

“Maybe little,” said Ashil. "But he not Earth human. That what make big fuss.“

"All right. But you said you weren’t the first. Was the first at my party? That could be a diplomatic time bomb. Osk is good at preserving privacy, but–”

“No, no! It not. Twenty years ago. But I not want–”

“Zirjack’s first visit? But surely his crew wouldn’t have…” Oh hell. The kidnappers had to have visited Earth, too. What else did they do? They were trying to cause a diplomatic crisis. “Okay. I’m sorry, but Doc needs to know about this.”

She pulled out her phone and tapped a command to put the call on one of the display screens, so they could both see.

Ashil looked distressed. "Not need tell Docdoc. He know!“

Flicker paused with her finger above the call button and felt a sudden wave of anger. "Then I need to know why he didn’t tell me!” She tapped the button.

“Because it was him!”

Flicker froze, then sped up. But it was too late–the call had connected. She couldn’t outrun a mistake already made. The screen lit, showing Doc in the middle of a mess of partially disassembled machinery and coolant pipes, his Omnitool holding something small and intricate. Several Grs'thnk technicians looked on, holding sensors and cameras.

Doc looked up wearily. "Yes?“



Next: Chapter 30

