short, powerful tail whose flukes actually stirred a breeze, kicking up midget whirlwinds, rustling the papers on her desk. Coalescing further, it started taking a resemblance to Gillian’s dearest dolphin friend, Lieutenant Hikahi, one of those who had been left behind on Kithrup, along with Tom and Charles Dart.
Before the Transcendent could speak, Gillian completed her accusation.
“You say you need wolflings, to add as ingredients for your message-probes to other galaxies. Did it ever occur to you to ask? I know my fellow Earthlings. You’d have gotten thousands, millions of volunteers for such a trip! Even knowing in advance that it would involve merging with hydros and machines and other creepy things. There have always been enough weirdos and adventurers. People who’d pay any price, just to be the first to see some far horizon.”
The ersatz dolphin rolled on its side, almost languidly, as if relishing a new experience.
“We shall make note of that-t,” crooned a close approximation of Hikahi’s voice, causing Gillian a lonely pang. “Perhaps we’ll take your advice … next time the question comes up.”
She stared for a moment, then gave a low, dry laugh.
“Right. When another rupture comes, in a hundred million years!”
“That’s not so very long, for those of us who make our true homes next to ssssingularities. We who you called ‘cowards’ for biding our time in a black hole’s stretched borderline, rather than plunging into the unknown.”
“Look,” she raised a hand. “I already apologized for that. Right now, though, I think we’d better cut to —”
“The chasssse?” Her visitor rolled the simulated body in a loop.
Gillian raised an eyebrow. “Do you already know—”
“What you are going to say? Your surface thoughts are trivial to read. But even without using psi, we can make good estimates, based on appraisal of your past behavior under varied circumstances. These models were recently revised. Would you like to know what our latest simulations foretell?”
She answered, guardedly.
“I’m listening.”
The imitation Hikahi brought one dark eye toward Gillian.
“You were about to decline the honor of being our emissariessss. You would claim that urgent obligations beckon you elsewhere. Obligations that cannot be ignored.”
Gillian shrugged.
“Anyone could’ve guessed that, after our last conversation. Assuming I did decline, how would you have replied?”
“I would have said that you have no option. A conveyance and shield have already been woven around your ship, ready to clasp the opportunity when a space-time rift opens nearby. With luck, it might carry you safely beyond the limits of known civilization. That kind of investment is not given up lightly. Your request would be refused.”
With her next breath, Gillian exhaled a bitter sigh.
“I guess that answer’s inevitable. So. How do your simulations predict I’d respond next?”
The dolphin-shaped being sputtered laughter.
“With threatsssss!
“You would claim readiness to blow up your ship … or to interfere with the mission in some other way.”
Gillian felt her face grow warm. That really had been her next move. A desperate ploy. But no other tactic came to mind in the short time available.
“I guess it is a bit of a cliche.”
“Naturally, all such possibilities have been taken into account. In this case, our analyses show you would be bluffing. Given a stark choice between adventure, on the one hand, and assured extinction on the other, you could be relied upon to choose adventure!”
Gillian’s shoulders slumped. The Transcendents were quick learners, and with awesome computational power they could simulate whole alternate realities. Small wonder they outmaneuvered any plan she came up with, using her limited human brain.
“Then that’s it?” she asked. “We have no choice. We head for some far galaxy, like it or not.”
“Your linear guess is only partly correct. Indeed, you have no choice. That part of it you have right, Dr. Basssskin. We can compel you and your crew to depart, and that-t would be that.”
The visitor shook its sleek gray head as it began yet another transfiguration. Hikahi’s outlines grew blurry. Her simulated body started stretching.
“But our simulations did not stop with your behavior today. They scrutinized what you might do later … during the weeks, months, and years that stretch ahead, until your people arrive at some distant realm.”
Gillian blinked. “You worked it out that far ahead?”
“To a high degree of probability. And that is where a problem keeps cropping up in our models. Given enough time, something else will occur to you. You will realize that it is possible to have your adventure, plus revenge as well! A way to visit far-off realms, and also retaliate against those who thrust you on so great a voyage, against your will.”
She could only stare, blinking in confusion as the Transcendent finished converting to a different body shape … another dolphin image, a bit longer and stronger looking than Hikahi, with scar tissue covering a savage wound near the left eye.
Creideiki, she realized, with a faint shiver.
“I … don’t … I don’t know what you mean. Unless …” Gillian swallowed, and tried concentrating. It was difficult, under that strangely powerful cetacean gaze.
“Unless you’re concerned about what we’d say about you, to whatever high minds we meet on the other side.”
This time, the visitor did not respond in Anglic. Rather, the facsimile of Streaker’s old commander lifted that tormented head and cast a spray of squealing clicks, filling her office with couplets of ornate Trinary verse.
