Divergence

“I don’t want to speak to you, you crazy fuck!” Saskia screamed the words.

“Keep him talking,” said Maurice. “We’re five hundred meters off. I think I can see you.”

“I don’t think so, Judy,” Kevin said. “Between you and me, he’s heading towards a trap. Dark VNMs. They’re baffling his active suit. They’ve done this before; they’ll strip the suit off him and fill it with growing organic matter harvested from his own body. They’ll use the suit as an incubation unit to make feed for venumbs like Miss Rose.”

“What venumbs?” asked Judy.

“I told you, you’re not the first humans to come here. There is a nest of seven venumbs near the rear of my body. You could join them if you like. Or you could sell your services to me. You’re not even wearing proper space suits: those active suits can’t recycle air for very long, and they don’t carry any food. You’ll be dead within days without my help.”

“What do you want of us?” Saskia asked.

“DIANA can always use human agents.”

“DIANA is dead,” Judy replied. “The old companies were taken over by the Watcher years ago.”

“Dead within the Earth Domain maybe, but we are thriving out here. The Free Enterprise is spreading the word throughout the former Enemy Domain. Judy, I can offer you food and oxygen; I will provide you with pressurized quarters. Two of you will remain with me as hostages, while the other two go to work. Prove your worth, and you could have a big future with the company.”

“What about Miss Rose?”

“She is almost dead now. She is of no use to us. Not even as a hostage.”

Judy was catching up with Saskia, who was swimming ahead of her like a blue frog in the thin icy air.

“See, Saskia,” she called out, “this is exactly why the old companies were killed off by the Watcher!”

“But now we rise again.”

Judy took a deep breath. “Kevin, I warn you one last time. You were sold to us in a Fair Exchange. Someone or something is bending my path towards Earth. You would be advised not to interfere.”

“Maybe I will choose to send you to Earth,” mused Kevin. “That way I will also be doing your puppeteer’s bidding. Yes, why not? Now, make your decision quickly. Your friends are approaching the Dark VNMs.”

“There’s no choice to make,” Saskia said. “Where do I sign?”

“Saskia!” Judy protested.

“What else are we to do?”

“What about Miss Rose?”

“What do you suggest we do?”

She was right. Judy knew it. “Okay,” she said. “We’ll do it.” For the moment, she added to herself.

“I knew you’d see sense,” said Kevin.

There was a flickering and the whole interior of the Bailero filled with pale blue light. Judy felt a surge of tangled awe at the scene that was revealed. The frost-patterned hull of the ship, beautiful in swirls of white against pale blue; the size of the ship itself, breathtaking in its extent; then the sharp tang of terror as the winter light reflected off the stealthy shapes that had been floating amongst them all this time. Glowing eerily, the outlines of the Dark VNMs could be seen, scattered like bubbles through the aquarium of the ship’s interior. With infinite patience, they were drifting closer and closer to the humans in their bright suits, set to gradually overwhelm them all.

“Judy, can you see them?” Maurice was breathless from exertion. Edward gave a loud yell of alarm.

“I can see them!” Judy called. “Maurice, Edward, keep out of their way.”

“…Judy…Miss Rose is still coming for us,” Saskia murmured.