“And they knock it out of the park each time.” Tanis gave Sera a reassuring look. “They’ve got QuanComm blades; if they need us, they’ll call.”
“What about the delegation to Corona Australis?” Sera asked. “Care to put odds on them?”
Tanis gave a rueful laugh. “They’ve got better chances than the team at Dorcha. I feel like we should have just sent an ultimatum and then started a war without waiting for a response.”
“Don’t count Admiral Bartty out yet. He’s got some tricks up his sleeves.”
“May he have endless sleeves,” Tanis said, raising the cup of coffee the servitor had just brought in a toast.
Sera leaned back and looked over the billions of stars that lay between the two women. “I have a feeling we’re all going to need endless sleeves.”
SURVEYING VELA
STELLAR DATE: 11.01.8948 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Greensward
REGION: Estrada System, Vela Cluster
“Dammit, she got here first, that bitch,” Andrea Tomlinson swore as she glared at the holotank on the Greensward’s bridge. “Fucking Chancellor Alma has declared for the Khardine government.”
Justin nodded silently as he stared at the feeds displayed in the tank. “Looks like Admiral Krissy showed up with a fleet. I’m surprised to see her operating so openly. The Grey Division really has it out for her.”
Andrea glanced at Justin. “I recall hearing something about that, do tell.”
“Pretty simple: the Greys were after Finaeus, and Krissy helped him escape.”
Andrea considered that for a moment. From what Justin had told her, the Grey Division worked for Airtha…who may or may not be Andrea’s mother—a thought both chilling and disturbing.
At present, Andrea considered the Greys to be her greatest threat. Justin—thanks to his centuries as Director of the Hand—had many contacts to leverage, but most of those were in the Inner Stars. Many had allied with Sera—the Khardine Sera, not the Sera who had proclaimed herself President at Airtha.
Within the Transcend, the Greys were the shadow organization behind the scenes. And they worked for Airtha. Dealing with her sister would be a straight-up conflict, that was just how Sera operated. But the Greys would never hit head-on. Their moves would always come from the side.
Just like what Airtha had done by making another Sera.
Just like my sister. Little upstart thinks so much of herself, she can’t exist just once. There has to be two of her, and both have to be the president, squabbling over the Transcend—which by rights should be mine.
She realized that Justin was expecting a response, and shrugged. “Well, Admiral Krissy seems to be unconcerned about the Greys now, at least. Showing up with a fleet of ten-thousand ships has all but secured the Vela Cluster for her.”
Justin chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, a fleet of ships—some of which are nearly impervious—have a way of helping out.”
“Not funny, Justin,” Andrea spat. “If you pulled me out of that mind-prison just to drag me around the Transcend, hiding on this garbage scow….” She left the statement hanging, not sure what else he should have done. A part of her wouldn’t mind going back to the beach she had been living on—or had thought she’d been living on.
Stop it, Andrea. That’s the conditioning. Fight it.
Justin shook his head. “Only you could call a luxury yacht a ‘garbage scow’.”
“I should be on a fleet’s flagship, flying into Airtha to seize the capital!”
Justin raised a hand, gesturing for her to calm down. “We have a fleet, but we can’t show it yet. First, we have to get our hands on New Canaan’s stasis shield technology. Without it, any assault would just be pissing away our resources.”
“Resources we hoped to accumulate with Chancellor Alma on our side.”
“Alma and Vela are just one player in the Transcend. There are a hundred sectors just as powerful and wealthy as Vela. Sure, it’s larger than most, and strategically located, but alone, it’s hardly noteworthy.”
Andrea made a frustrated sound and stormed off the bridge, yelling over her shoulder, “Well, let me know when we go somewhere noteworthy. I’ll be in my quarters.”
* * * * *
For the hundredth time, Justin thought about terminating his allegiance with Andrea.
With extreme prejudice.
The woman’s time in the reconditioning prison had caused her to become even more unhinged. Her emotions were always spilling over now, and it had gone far beyond frustrating. The woman’s very presence was like having insects crawl all over his skin while a klaxon blared in his ears.
No…that gives insects a bad name.
“I take it that things are not as promising here as we’d hoped?” Roxy asked as she strolled onto the bridge.
Justin glanced at the woman who was his sure right hand—and an amazing fuck on the side. Where Andrea was a raging storm, Roxy was a calm breeze. A deceptively calm breeze.
To look at her small frame, barely over one hundred and fifty centimeters tall, you’d think she could barely heft a rifle; if she were a normal human, that would be true. But Roxy was barely human at all anymore, possessing the minimum organics necessary to feed a brain with the nutrients it required.
Despite that, the package Roxy came in was a delight to behold. Gleaming sapphire skin with azure streaks, and all the right curves and angles made her the pinnacle of desire-inducing beauty.
Justin should know—he’d made Roxy what she was today.
She sauntered toward him, her skin sparkling in the light the holotank cast on the dim bridge, and he reached a hand out to her.
“I guess that explains all the shrieking from her imperial bitchiness.”
“Yeah, I’m going to have to get a muzzle of some sort for her.”
Roxy traced a fingernail down Justin’s arm, small sparks of electricity arcing between them when she pulled away. “I could think of something. You know that we have to get her under control…she’s not useful like this.”
Justin nodded. He’d never planned for Andrea to be anything more than a figurehead; she was intended to be his ticket to rally followers. The problem was that her reputation was legendary, and she had to be full of fire. If he had a sedate, subdued Andrea at his side, everyone would know she was little more than a puppet.
He’d hoped that Andrea would learn to moderate herself, but it hadn’t happened. More invasive measures would have to be taken.
“Could you think of something? Or have you thought of something?” Justin asked Roxy.
Roxy smiled, obsidian fangs peeking over her lips. “Oh, maybe a little from column A, a little from column B.”
“Speak clearly, Roxy.”
“Well, there’s the old-fashioned way, or we can put her back in the reconditioning sims, and alter her personality and convictions just enough to follow you unconditionally.”
“That takes too long,” Justin replied. “Especially with someone as pig-headed as she is. So much of her personality is tied up in centuries of belief that she’s the queen of everything.”
“Hmm…” Roxy reached up and ran a finger down her ear—one of her favorite places to be touched and touch. “Well, what if we went the other way? Rather than trying to moderate her, what if we turned her into what she really wants to be: the queen of the universe. Just a mannered queen of the universe.”
Justin considered that, his lips twisting as he mulled it over. “That could work. She’d be more conniving, though. Right now, she telegraphs everything—which is convenient when it comes to knowing her intentions.”
“We could use the thing that it gave you.”
“The neural lace? I suppose, but that’s an extreme option. One that can be detected—it would ruin the fiction that she is her own person.”
Roxy nodded. “Understood. Why did you use it on me, then?”
&
nbsp; Justin stepped toward Roxy and wrapped her in his arms. “Because you’re not your own person. You’re mine.”
TO KHARDINE
STELLAR DATE: 11.02.8948 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: ISS Long Night
REGION: Silstrand System, Silstrand Alliance
Sera stood on the bridge of the Long Night, the holotank before her displaying a view of the ship as it approached the Silstrand jump gate.
She closed her eyes and slowly let out a long breath. Time to get to work, I suppose.
A part of Sera wished that she could be the captain of the Long Night; just a soldier doing her job, not the one who had to deal with a hundred crises a minute.
<Thank the stars for Tanis,> she thought.
<Sorry?> Jen asked.
<Shoot, I’ve fallen out of the habit of thought segregation. That was just for me.>
Jen gave a soft laugh. <Well, we’re all thankful for Tanis. Are you worried about her?>
Sera looked at the looming shape of the I2 hanging in the distance. <A bit. Less than I should be? I’m not sure.> Sera gave a rueful laugh. <I can’t tell my worry about the future in general apart from worry about her, specifically.>
<I get that,> Jen replied. <Stars, do I get that.>
<Well, it’s not like I think we’re going to lose this war and get our asses kicked, Jen. Don’t get all defeatist on me.>
<Sorry, that’s not the impression I meant to give.> Jen’s voice sounded more upbeat. <I was getting caught up in your emotions. You’re bleeding them across our connection—a lot.>
Sera grimaced. <Sorry about that. This feels a lot different than when Helen was in my mind.>
<It’s weird for me, too. Helen had a very non-standard integration. The technicians had to mimic some of the patterns when they interwove my hardware.>
Sera recalled the medtechs telling her that as well. They said that without neurological reconstruction in several areas, they would have to use the existing AI interface points.
When Sera had queried them on what they meant, the explanation was that her connection with Helen had been less buffered than normal. In addition, the locations where the neurological interconnections lay allowed the resident AI to have more access into her mind.
Access that resulted in the bleed-through that Jen often experienced.
For her part, Jen handled the slip-ups with grace and understanding. She was a good person, and brave to take on the added responsibilities of being in Sera’s head.
<We’ll figure this out eventually,> Sera replied to Jen. <Still glad you signed on?>
Sera snorted. <OK, Jen, ease up a bit. We all know that’s not true.>
As if on cue, Tanis reached out to her. <Well, Sera, I’ll see you soon. Let’s make sure it’s not eighteen years this time.>
<I thought we already said our goodbyes,> Sera shot back. <If you make me get sniffly in front of my new crew…>
<If you do, it’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure I’ve cried at least once on the bridge of the Intrepid, and no one made me walk the plank.>
<I’ll cite that if they try to kick me out an airlock,> Sera said with an audible laugh that got her a few looks from the Long Night’s bridge crew.
<We have the QuanComms. We’ll keep in touch. You let me know if you need help. I’ll drop a whole civilization in a hot second if your ass is on the line.>
Sera gave a slight shake of her head. <No you won’t, Tanis. You care too much about…everyone.>
<You should see the tongue-lashing I gave a rating this morning. Trust me, he doesn’t feel that way.>
<Stop trying to cheer me up, Tanis.>
<Is it working?>
<Yes…and no. Just gonna make me miss you more.>
Tanis laughed, the sound pure and clear in Sera’s mind. <Don’t you go girl-crushing on me, Sera. You know I don’t swing that way.>
<Oh yeah? Angela told me about how you ‘made’ Faleena.>
<Ang!> Tanis said in mock anger. <What did you have to do that for?>
Angela only laughed in response.
<It’s OK, Tanis. I know you’re taken. But I don’t miss you in that way anyway—well, I would if you gave it a chance. I bet we could convince Joe—>
<Sera!>
<Sorry…just trying to take my mind off…everything.>
Tanis made an exasperated sound. <You know what I remember?>
<What?>
<I remember this freighter captain who risked her life to save me, who didn’t take no for an answer, and who kicked the asses of an entire pirate base—one in the dark layer, no less—on her own. A woman who, as you tell the story, had already rescued herself by the time I showed up. Always in control, always willing to do whatever needed to be done.>
Tanis’s mental tone was filled with a conviction that Sera couldn’t deny. It reminded her of a type of strength she’d forgotten she had.
<If she believes in you that much, there’s a reason,> Jen said quietly. <Sorry, I’m not sure if you left that conversation open to me on purpose.>
<I did,> Sera replied. <So long as you’re OK with it, I’ll leave pretty much everything open to you.>
<Absolutely.>
Sera was grateful that she’d found Jen. She’d vetted so many AIs who were more than eager to take on the role and responsibilities that came with integrating with the President of the Transcend.
Almost too eager.
Jen…Jen had just seemed like she wanted to be friends. Not that she wasn’t also well-qualified for the job; all the AIs were, by the time they made it as far as Sera. She’d been told that Bob’s vetting process was very involved.
But for all that, Jen just seemed sincere.
“President Tomlinson,” Captain Ophelia said from behind her.
Sera turned to see the man standing in front of his command chair, arms clasped behind his back.
“We’re ready to go in. Say the word.”
Sera nodded. “Just a moment.”
<Time to go, Tanis. Remember. If I call, I expect you to come running.>
Tanis laughed again, and Sera relaxed in the warmth coming from her friend. <You bet I will. Same goes for you, too, Missus President of the Universe.>
Sera laughed. <Deal. See you when I see you.>
<When I see you.>
Sera was ready. Ready to leave the Inner Stars, to take on the responsibilities that awaited her at Khardine. To bring the fight to her mother.
“Captain Ophelia. Take us through.”
THE HUNT
STELLAR DATE: 11.02.8948 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: ISS I2, Bridge
REGION: Orbiting Silstrand, Silstrand System, Silstrand Alliance
<Captain! I need you in Engine.>
Rachel was out of her chair before she even formulated a response.
<Did you find one, Terry?>
<Yes, you said you wanted to be present for the capture.>
“Major Calmin, you have the conn,” Rachel called out as she rushed off the bridge.
“Aye, ma’am, I have the conn,” she heard Calmin call out as she sped past Tori in the bridge’s foyer.
<Good hunting,> Tori said with a wink a second before Calmin sent a query.
<Anything I should be worried about, Captain?>
<Just the hunt, Calmin. Need to keep it quiet.>
She could tell Calmin was suppressing a laugh. <Ma’am, I don’t think racing off the bridge like your pants are on fire is how you keep things quiet.>
Rachel hiked her skirt up, wishing she had worn pants today. <Very funny, Major.>
<Aye, ma’am, I thought so. Let me know how it goes.>
<Absolutely.>
She called for an express car to Engine as she slowed her mad dash to a rapid stride down the long administrative concourse to the command deck’s maglev station.
When she arrived, the expr
ess car was waiting, and Rachel stepped inside. The car started to move, and then shuddered to a stop.
Rachel was about to query the traffic NSAI for status, when the doors opened and Tanis walked in.
“Admiral Richards!” Rachel hadn’t been aware Tanis was on the command deck.
“Rachel,” Tanis nodded as the maglev train took off from the station. “Hope you don’t mind if I hitch a ride. And don’t call me that when we’re in private. How many times do I have to tell you that?”
“Stars, Tanis, sometimes I think no one has ever disliked their rank more than you.”
Tanis laughed as she sat across from Rachel. “I think you’d be surprised. Everyone always thinks they want to get to the top so that no one tells them what to do, but, damn…there’s a lot of stuff to figure out when you get there.”
“I think I have an inkling of what that’s like. I have a lot of respect for you and Captain Andrews.”
“Me?” Tanis’s eyebrows rose.
“Well, yeah, both of you have captained this ship.”
Tanis’s lips spread into a wry smile. “I think you’ll find that’s not true. My butt may have spent a lot of time in that command chair, but I was never captain of this ship.”
Rachel made a quick scan of the records. “Would you look at that…for some reason I’d always thought…”
“How’s it feel to be the second captain of this girl?” Tanis asked.
“About the same,” Rachel grinned. “Like it’s the best, hardest job I’ve ever had.”
Tanis winked. “Just wait ‘til I promote you.”
Rachel’s eyes widened, and she felt her eyebrows almost hit her hairline. “Don’t you dare, Admiral! No!”
<Stop messing with her,> Angela chimed in. <She’ll chain herself to the keel if we try to give her another command.>
<I like Rachel where she is,> Bob intoned.
“Uh…wow. Thanks, Bob.” Rachel had not expected the AI to back her up. She wasn’t sure if that made her feel more confident, or a bit worried that the AI had plans for her.
Tanis, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. “Really, Bob. You don’t have a say in who I promote and when.”